Baby List

 Through most of this pregnancy I've been pretty relaxed about preparing for Baby. The first trimester I specifically asked to not be given baby products, because of my recent miscarriage. The second trimester I just had other things to think about, and the baby was far enough off that I didn't feel a need to focus on getting "baby stuff."

The last couple weeks that has changed. Showers loom on the horizon, meaning I do actually need to get the registry together (and "No" my family insists, "Amazon doesn't count."). Birthing classes remind me weekly of all the things I DON'T know and need to learn. The homework, though not hard, keeps my mind focused during the week. More frequent midwife appointments let me listen to Baby R more often, and the added discomforts of late pregnancy make me thankful for the recently started bi-monthy chiropractor visits. All of these things added together remind me that this baby is coming, and I've got less than 7 weeks left to prepare.

(in fact, while I expect Baby to come closer to 41 weeks, a 37 week baby isn't considered premature. So... in reality, I've actually got 4 weeks to get ready, just in case.)

So here is a list of my baby needs, and how I'm coming with accumulating them. I've divided it into several parts, in (semi) order of necessity:

Necessities

Carseat~Needs to be new for safety reasons, I registered for one on Amazon.

Diapers/wipes (either cloth or disposable)~I plan to use cloth diapers primarily, but with so many options I have concerns about purchasing a bunch before Baby and I can try them out together. I've registered for a couple different ones on Amazon, and when we find out which cloth diaper works best for us I'll "stock up" on the cloth.

Clothing~I have a few different sets of onsies already from grandparents and friends. I'm focusing on gender neutral colors (yellow, green, etc).

 Stroller~Of course.

Diaper Bag~I'm in love with my SIL's diaper bag, which isn't actually a diaper bag. It's a Vera Bradley, so it doesn't have the plastic lining. She's been using it for a year and says that isn't a problem--and it's a lot cuter than most of the diaper bags I've seen in the store!

Sling or carrier~I'm not sure what type, but something that allows me to keep baby close but hands free. When Baby gets bigger my hubby already has a baby backpack for going on walks in. 

Receiving blankets/spit up cloths~Probably quite a few of these... :-P

Baby Bath~Yeah, gonna need this. Definitely don't want to be bathing baby in the sink. Registered for it at Babies R Us. 

Nice to Have

Bottles/pump~I'm getting two different kinds of bottles, glass bottles (normal bottle nipple) and breastflow (made to simulate breastfeeding). We'll see which works better for us.

Playpen~Already have this thanks to my aunt/uncle!

Swing~Definitely handy to have.

Diaper pail~Yeah.... Definitely a good thing. Even if we are focusing on using cloth. :P

Nursing cover/supplies~These will see a lot of use.

Furniture

Changing table/dresser combo~With storage space being a premium in the apartment, a dresser is very close to an "absolute necessity" need. If I have to get a dresser anyway, it might as well have the changing table top on it. 

Crib and mattress~I haven't picked out the crib, but I've narrowed it down to two styles I like. The mattress has to be organic, as regular mattresses have a lot of chemicals and Baby R will be spending a lot of time here. This isn't under "absolute necessities" because Baby R will be with us the first couple months in a bassinet. It would be really nice to have this before delivery, but if we don't we'll get it after. :)

Book Case~In our 2 bdrm apartment, the second bedroom is split between nursery (one half) and office/library (other half). We have three bookcases currently, and enough books piled around them to fill a fourth book case. There won't be space for baby stuff until we get those books put away. 



So, yes. Pretty much starting from scratch here as everything I have but the playpen and a box of diapers is pictured. But honestly, I do feel better about making a list. There aren't nearly as many things as I thought there would be. I may be "starting at the very beginning," but we can do this. :-)

Farewell

Joining Lisa-Jo and others this morning for Five Minute Friday, where we cut the words loose for just five minutes, and see where they fall. No editing, just encouraging the others who play along. The topic today is Goodbye.





Good byes are hard, and I feel like I've been doing more than my fair share of t hem lately. If there is such a thing as fair share. There isn't, really. I just don't like saying goodbye. Any goodbye at all feels like "more than my fair share."

I'd like to make this a memorable, thought provoking post, but it isn't shaping up to be that way. Oh, well. It's five minute Friday, so that's okay, right? :)

I like my life the way it is, and I don't like saying goodbye to things or people. Especially people. I like stuff, but most of it I could take or leave. When it comes to people, that's different. I don't mind adding in new friends, in fact I love meeting new people. But when God starts moving people out of my life, that's something I'm not okay with. I don't like chapters to close.

I guess this is the point where I have to remember that no matter what happens on this earth, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we don't truly have to say good bye to any of our brothers or sisters in Christ. The worst case synario is "see you later, for all eternity." Which isn't really that bad.

While it might be frustrating, or heart rending, or irritating or any number of things in the here and now, thinking in light of eternity (which we are always supposed to do) goodbyes aren't really all that scary or terrible. And we have Jesus and his gift, and God and his acceptance of that gift to thank for that.

Pregnancy nutrition--new series

At the birthing class my husband and I are attending I have to keep up with what I eat each day as part of my weekly homework. I am following Dr Brewers Pregnancy Nutrition Program.

I've been keeping semi-close tabs on my nutrition throughout this pregnancy. At first the part of my diet that was the most challenging was getting all my protein and dairy in. According to Dr. Brewer, I need to drink a quart of milk a day--and for someone who didn't previously drink milk at all that was a major change!! In addition, usually during pregnancy a woman needs to consume 80-100 grams of protein a day. For various reasons, my midwife asked me to shoot for 100-120 grams of protein daily. That's a LOT of protein! After a month or so I got into the rhythm of dairy and protein, and now it isn't hard at all. I just evaluate pretty much everything I eat based on protein count. 

Now that I'm keeping a food journal again, I'm finding the two things I struggle most with are the greens and coconut oil. The greens have always been a challenge, because I just don't care for salads. I can remember maybe four green salads in my life I liked well enough for seconds. I just don't like lettuce, spinach, and other leafy greens, no matter how good they are for me. That isn't to say I won't eat them if they are served to me (or are drenched in enough unhealthy salad dressing), but I don't typically make them myself--and certainly not to the tune of two servings per day!

Coconut oil isn't technically in Dr. Brewers diet, though "3 servings of healthy fats" are. I'm going specifically for coconut oil due to its wonderful health benefits. But eating coconut oil just isn't tasty. I've tried it in warm tea and warm milk, and even tried eating a spoonful straight. Yuck. Consuming it as a supplement just isn't my thing. Last class, however, my teacher explained to us that the reason the fats are so important (especially at this stage in pregnancy) is that if they are consumed regularly they will increase the moisture and "strechability" of the skin.   One doesn't have to consider the birthing process very long to see why this would be a very, very good thing.... So, back to thinking creatively about coconut oil.  

The next couple weeks on Tuesdays I'm going to share a few recipes that have been a huge help to me in getting my pregnancy nutrition in good order. Some of them have helped me in all four of my difficult areas, some are just great (healthy) snacks. Pretty much all of them are reasonably fast, easy, and inexpensive. 

Zacon seafood event!!

I just got an email yesterday saying that Zaycon is coming back to Texas--this time with seafood!! I'm SUPER excited about this event. I've shared a few times how much my hubby and I have enjoyed the regular chicken, Bacon and beef events that Zaycon sponsors. Their meat is high quality, and I have never been disappointed by an order from Zaycon.

A month ago they did a beef event and included Tilapia as a test run to see if there was a demand for it in Texas. I was excited about the event because I try to regularly include low-mercury fish in my pregnancy diet. Tilapia happens to have very low levels of mercury, so it is ideal for pregnancy. Sadly, I didn't move fast enough! The tilapia sold out in just a few days--looooong before the official close date!

Yesterday evening I got an email saying that  Zaycon is bringing Tilapia back in another event in couple weeks. This time in addition to Tilapia they are making both Shrimp and Wild-Caught Alaskan True Cod available! This is the first time  Zaycon has ever done a seafood event in Texas.

Here are the details on the sea-food:

Alaskan True Cod - ONLY $5.39/lb.
White 31/40 Shrimp (cooked) - ONLY $6.39/lb.
Tilapia - ONLY $2.99/lb.

Alaskan True Cod

• Delicious True COD fillets — the closest thing to a same-day catch as possible
• Caught in the icy cold waters of Alaska and flash frozen
• Each fillet is IQF (individually quick frozen) and packaged in a single 20-lb bag inside the case
• Sold by the case — 20 lbs in each case

White 31/40 Shrimp

• Flash Frozen and Fully Cooked
• Comes in 5 - 2lb. bags per case. (2 cases per order) Totally 20 pound purchase.
• Farm Raised

Tilapia

• Flash Frozen Fillets
• Comes in a 20 pound case
• Farm raised

If you are interested in any of these items I recommend ordering ASAP. The deadline for the orders is April 25th, but last time it was offered the Tilapia sold out in just a few days. I can only imagine that the Cod and Shrimp will go pretty quickly as well. 

A few of the links in this post are my affiliate link. Read my disclosure policy here. 

Day by day

 

Perhaps I've been saying this too much, but the weeks are stretching long. Not long and boring, time that can't be filled, but long and full. So full I can't believe that some of the pictures below are only one week old. It seems like I've lived a lifetime in the last few days. 

Some of the living has been good--moments that are to the soul like breathing air is to the body, life-giving. Other bits of the living have been very, very hard. Moments that I am glad that God knows what He is doing, because in my humble opinion the situations look like messes, not beautiful masterpieces. Those are the moments I cling to verses such as Romans 8:28 (And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God).  

But I know I can trust Him, and continue to thank Him for the gifts He gives so generously day by day. 

#383 (5 weeks, 31 weeks, 40 weeks pregnant)

383. Pregnant with both my sisters in law at the same time (I was praying for that, barely got the picture, SIL on the left found out she was expecting last week,  SIL in the right was due Monday!)
384. The looks I got as I went around cheerfully handing out "Doughnut seeds" at church on April 1st.
385. My husband, preaching at church
386. Granny and Grandpa, honored for 11 years with this church--after 45 years of overseas missions.

#386

387. Dinner with my man, sharing my heart and him hearing.
388. Finishing out my first shelf reliance party--hurray!
389. Attending our first Bradley birthing class
390. The look on my husband's face at some of the pictures in that class... :-P

#384

#385

391. My husband, insisting on buying me a waterbottle right after class, keeping up with the homework faithfully, and making a point to look after "his pregnant wife." :-)
392. "All is well" after the tornados went through--PTL for safety
393. Cutting out the quilt squares to my newest project

#396

394. The Keepers, sewing away with all their quilt squares
395. My birthday!
396. A mini-party, just because we are together (and three different people planning it independently :P)
397. Reconciliation

#405

#406

398. Going on a walk with my brother
399. The "pool" that has been started where my husband works to guess the gender and birthdate of our baby
400. The home, getting increasingly organized

#404

401. My first-ever chiropractor appointment
402. The feeling of relief in my back and hips after the appointment. ahhhhhhh. *happy mama*
403. Midwife telling me that the baby is facing the right direction--and that doesn't usually change at this stage. whoo-hoo! :-D
404. Mini-vacation with my family as we visit my uncle
405. A full weekend to just relax
406. My niece, soooo in love with dogs (she can say three words now, mama, daddy, and doggy)

#405

10 weekly goals

I'm joining Crystal this month in working on getting my home organized. I'll never be able to get my house organized if I don't have my priorities for the week firmly in mind. So for the next month I'll be posting my weekly goals each Monday.

 My goals from last week:

Family
1. One quiet evening with my hubby
2. Attend first birthing class, keep up with homework! Done! (and the class was great!)

Personal
3. Walk every day for 15-20 minutes {Done--I'm doing a lot better with exercise now, and the daily walking is definitely a good thing.}
4. Send two thank you notes, one birthday note--{Eh, not last week. But it's still on the list. }
5. Finish listening to MSM Budget, post review Review posted here.

Home
6. Work on master BR closet, toss or properly store anything not used frequently {Worked a bit on this every day, will need more work, though.}
7. Prepare Easter dishes 

Work/Church
8. Close first Shelf Reliance party
9. Prepare next keepers project
10. Write first two posts of next blog series {And Done! :)}

Altogether this past week was pretty good for accomplishing the goals! Here is what I'm working on for this week:

Family
1. Keep up with birthing class homework
2. Meet with Doulas
3. Bluebonnet pictures with my man

Personal
4. Walk every day for 20 minutes
5. Send two thank you notes, one birthday note
6. Get quilt fabric from quilt shop

Home
7. Continue keeping up with Crystals Home organization challenge
8. Finish Master BR closet

Church
9. Prepare next week's keepers project
10. Visit one church family

March Check In

It's time for a reading challenge update, and to my dismay I realized that I didn't actually finish a single book in the month of March!! I've done bits and pieces of reading, and am making progress through books I started last month, but nothing new was finished in March.

I have posted a few book reviews, though:

The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands and The Collapse of Evolution. Also, as a wrap up to my interview series Teachers of Good Things, I asked the women to share books that had impacted the way they viewed relationships, singleness, and preparing for marriage. The result was a list of the best 18 books for women--or at least the most highly recommended. The list can be found here.

I expect next month will go much better as far as reading goes. :-)