Updated to-do list

updated to-do and to-get list

Nursery:
Organize the nursery after the shower with the new items.

Things I still need for Jake:
Crib sheets
Changing pad cover
Swaddle blankets
Angelcare monitor
Tummy Tub
Bouncy seat
Maybe a jogging stroller for the hubby to use
MyBreastFriend nursing pillow


To do for baby:
Call pediatrician and ask about Hep B and "eye goop."
Register for the hospital
Take the hospital tour
Pack hospital bags (much later of course)
Put carseat in the car (again much later)
Keep registries updated (in progress)
Read Dr Sears book on vaccinations (DONE!)
Read Ina Mays Guide to Breastfeeding (in progress)


On the needles (and planned projects) for Jake:
Wool sheepy sack (sleep sack)(DONE)
more hats (in progress)
1 or two more pairs of infant or medium shorties

Here is a picture of the Sheepy Sack I just finished. I think it turned out well, one of the only knitted pieces that I can say have no visual flaws. Hopefully it will fit him!

32 weeks and counting.....

32 weeks pregnant

How far along? 32 weeks and 5 days today.
Total weight gain/loss: 26 (yikes) pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight at my last appointment.
Maternity clothes? My wardrobe has become veeeery limited around these parts.
Sleep: Apparently I have begun to snore. Well not snore exactly, breathe loudly through my mouth. This is weird. DH is the one who snores in our relationship. Although its kind of funny that he gets a taste of his own medicine. I do feel bad that though that I am keeping him up. I on the other hand am sleeping fine!
Best moment this past week: We got to meet with our doula, and its now certain that she will be with us for the birth!! So glad we will have her knowledge and support, its such a weight off my mind.
Movement: Definitely feeling less kicks and more rolling movements. I can more easily tell where he is, especially when he jams his butt/foot into my ribs. He prefers the right side of my body. I rarely feel him more on the left side. Hopefully he is still head down like a good fetus.
Food cravings: Same ole', same ole'.
Gender: Boy, John "Jake" Aaron.
Labor Signs: No although I am definitely noticing an increase in Braxton Hicks, and he may have dropped a bit because I am literally in the bathroom every 30 minutes (at least).
Belly Button in or out? Innie, maybe it will stay that way?
What I miss: Being able to see my feet. I miss you feet, we shall meet again soon!
What I am looking forward to: My shower is soon! And hopefully I can start my implementation asap.
Weekly Wisdom: Take naps, many, many naps.
Milestones: I am 8 months pregnant. It sounds so much better than it really is. Only 7ish weeks to go.

Baby:

Ready or not, baby's getting ready to emerge. He's probably in the head-down position by now, with his bottom facing up. This is the comfiest way for his body to fit in your increasingly cramped womb and will make his eventual exit (only a few months away now!) much easier. (If he's still head-up, don't panic -- there's still time for a flip before birth.)

Disgruntled eco-rant....

So after my encounter yesterday I feel very justified to prefer shopping at Whole Foods. Yeah I know they are expensive, but I have never had this experience there!

I went to our local Super.Target. for groceries. I will admit that they have a very good selection of organic and natural processed foods (not that much of a selection in produce though), and even in other natural/organic/eco friendly products. I ended up finding recycled paper/soy ink thank you notes for less than an arm and a leg, and they are now even carrying seventh generation feminine products. So thats the positive side.

I get to check-out and its a Saturday evening and BUSY! This is the only Super.Target. in our area so its bound to be super-busy on a Saturday early evening. I of course brought my re-usable bags (as I always do). So I stuck them on the conveyor belt first, since if I dont then they start bagging with plastic and have to un-pack which is more work for them. So I try and be considerate and place them on first. Well the look that crossed the cashiers face when she realized I brought my own bags was priceless. And not in a good way. The scowl that crossed her face was rather, um, off putting. So I decided that to make her life easier I would bag my own da*n groceries, you know to help her out. This woman was one of the slowest cashiers I have ever encountered, and of course I had a cart full of groceries. During my checkout another customer with only a few items comes up behind me, and the poor thing ended up waiting forever because of the slow pace of the cashier. So she finally finishes checking me out, and I have bagged everything myself. I go to walk away and I hear this exchange:

Other customer: "Wow that (bringing your own bags) must make it harder."
Cashier: "Yeah it makes it so much harder, but I wasnt about to say anything."

::Jaw drop ensues::

WHAT!!! Are you f*cking kidding me lady? I just bagged an entire cart of groceries FOR you, so yeah I can see how me bringing my own grocery bags makes it SOOO much more difficult for you. At this point I am completely disgusted. What an idiot.

Here's the thing, she seems (and here is a blatant shallow observation from me) like the kind of person who would say "well you are only saving a few plastic bags, and it makes things so much harder so why even bother." I HATE that attitude.

Guess what beeeotch I dont do things (especially things that benefit our planet and indirectly you) because they are the easiest. I do them because they make a difference. And yes me using five re-usable bags every week instead of ending up using between 6-10 plastic bags (because ew all know that they will put two things in a bag and call it a day) per week DOES make a difference. Enough that I almost NEVER get plastic bags, and the only time that I DO get plastic is when they sneak it in on me. If I forget my bags then I will usually just carry things out, or I will go back out to my car and get them. It may not make my life any easier, but that isnt exactly why we are here is it?

I wont harp on this for too long. What really sucks is that the company as a whole does seem to be trying to be more eco-friendly by adding more natural and organic products, and they even started giving 5 cents back for each bag you bring. But their staff leaves a lot to be desired in the supporting these changes.

A little math for you (that I was doing in my head as I was furiously walking away).
I use between 5 and 6 large re-usable bags for my groceries each week. If I didnt use these bags I would probably end up getting around 8-10 plastic bags per week. Here is our math problem for today (enjoy it because it wont be a common occurrence):

10 plastic bags per week X 52 weeks in a year = 5200 plastic bags used per year

and further

5200 bags per year X 40 years (rough estimate and probably a low estimate)= 208,000

Yup thats 208,000 plastic bags per lifetime. Of course this is all very roughly estimated and could vary, but HOLY CRAP!!! Over 200,000 plastic bags in one lifetime. And where do plastic bags end up? The VAST majority end up in landfills, where they stay for thousands and thousands of years. Yup thousands. Your (and mine) plastic bag will sit in the earth for thousands of years after you die. This is the legacy we are leaving our great-great-great grandchildren.

So yes, I will continue to use my re-useable bags, because it is the right thing to do. Whether or not it makes the poor cashier's life harder.

**You may now call me a crazy, deranged, eco-idiot if you must**

A tale of OBV obsession...

Ever since I started to research cloth diapering I have heard the term OBV thrown around. Well I had no clue what the heck this referred to until I looked it up. Okay so it means Organic Bamboo Velour, so what? OBV is a pretty popular material in the cloth diapering world, its soft, silky, and works great in diapers. My obsession began simply. I ordered an OBV lovey from a shop on Hyenacart. It turned out to be adorable and oh-so-soft. I had found the love.
This progressed into an obsession to get a hand-dyed OBV blanket for Jake from one of my favorite shops Tickety Bu. I finally scored this beauty in a crazy 9 second sell out stocking for her shop, it was sheer fool's luck I tell you.

Jake also now has two lovey's (small squares of soft OBV to love on) in an apple red from Tickety Bu as well. Thus the obsession has been momentarily squelched.

Until January 2010 that is.....
I ordered DH an OBV pillowcase for Christmas from a very nice work at home mom. She is the owner of Zab's Mom and makes a variety of different things. She was more than happy to make me a hand-dyed OBV pillowcase for DH for Christmas. Well he loved it, and I was jealous. I eyed that pillowcase and seriously debated stealing whilst he was sleeping. I wanted one too! Or did I?

Inspiration struck in a moment of sheer genius. What I wanted more than a pillowcase was a blanket. Down here in all the Florida heat I get terribly hot at night if I try and sleep under our duvet comforter. So I end up sleeping on top of it and using a light knitted blanket as a cover. Well the knit blanket that I have been using sheds as badly as my cats. I wake up covered in brown fur, which ends up in little brown fur-balls that float around my house. So it was a blanket I needed. If Jake gets one, then I should too right?

So I contacted Natalie again and asked her to make me a mama-size OBV blanket. Well I received it this week. And let me tell you its is gorgeous! Hand dyed in shades of brown and cream, and so luscious and soft! I SQUEE'd out loud when it arrived! Here is a terrible picture of it, this picture does NOT do it justice. But such is the nature of my terrible photography skills I suppose.

Moral of this long and rambling story? Everyone should have an OBV blanket, and you should get it from Zab's mom! She is awesome to work with and makes wonderful products. And as a bonus its always nice to buy from small businesses in the U.S.!

31 weeks and where are my feet?

31 weeks (please forgive the "deer in headlights expression")

How far along? 31 weeks and 5 days today.
Total weight gain/loss: 26 (yikes) pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight at my last appointment.
Maternity clothes? Yeah, and I dont think I can even wear the vast majority of my pre-pregnancy shirts anymore.
Sleep: Jake is a night owl. As soon as I lay down he is rockin' and rollin' and kicking around.
Best moment this past week: Finishing my literature review. I am hoping its smoother sailing from here on out for my practicum. I am starting to feel like *maybe* I can complete this thing.
Movement: He has been pretty darn active this week. And is beginning to wedge his body under my ribs more frequently. That sucks by the way. Its like having a broom handle poking up underneath your ribs. Not a favorite Jake!
Food cravings: Oooh I made some heavenly cheese/broccoli lasagna this week. So good I may have to make it again next week!
Gender: Boy, John "Jake" Aaron.
Labor Signs: No although sometimes I feel like he is sitting pretty far down and putting pressure on my cervix.
Belly Button in or out? We're still "in" here.
What I miss: Not having my shoes become too tight by the end of the day.
What I am looking forward to: Getting things all finished up for Jake before he gets here.
Weekly Wisdom: Get yourself and organic bamboo velour (OBV) blanket, they are heavenly!
Milestones: Coming up on 8 months pregnant (boy that sounds deceiving doesnt it) and having our shower soon. We also will be touring the hospital very soon.

Baby:

Baby's now the size of a squash!
Baby's going through major brain and nerve development these days. His irises now react to light, and all five senses are in working order. (He won't pick up anything from his nose until after birth, though -- smell is transferred through air, not amniotic fluid.)

Organizing and checking things off....

Here is my to-do and to-get list...its getting shorter!! I am so glad we dont have too much left to do or buy! Especially school is keeping me hopping right now. So for posterity's sake here are my list's.

Nursery:
Organize the nursery after the shower with the new items.

Things I still need for Jake:
Crib sheets
Changing pad cover
Swaddle blankets
Angelcare monitor
Tummy Tub
Bouncy seat
Maybe a jogging stroller for the hubby to use
MyBreastFriend nursing pillow


To do for baby:
Call pediatrician and ask about Hep B and "eye goop."
Register for the hospital
Take the hospital tour
Pack hospital bags (much later of course)
Put carseat in the car (again much later)
Keep registries updated (in progress)
Read Dr Sears book on vaccinations (in progress)
Read Ina Mays Guide to Breastfeeding (in progress)


On the needles (and planned projects) for Jake:
Wool sheepy sack (sleep sack)(In progress and taking FOREVER to finish)
more hats
1 or two more pairs of infant or medium shorties


And here is my list for my hospital bag. I dont know when I should start packing this, maybe 37 weeks?

Hospital Bag
For labor:
Headband or hairbands
Ipod or CD of relaxation sounds
Birthing ball

For baby:
Going home outfit (longies, side snapping shirt, hat, booties, cloth diaper)
A few extra outfits (pants and shirts, hats, socks)
Mittens
Cloth diapers (not sure what I am going to take yet)
Maybe cloth wipes (I may just use sposie wipes until we get home)
Hanging wetbag for dirties
Tickey Bu blanket
Moby wrap (or Ergo)
Baby wash (For his first bath. I wont use J&J products)

For momma:
OBV blanket
Maybe a pillow
My BreastFriend pillow
Bella Band (for holdin' things in afterwards)
Nursing pajamas and robe
Yoga pants and shirt (x2)
ugly underwear
nursing tank tops
nursing bra
washable nursing pads (I get to use my OBV milk maids)
no-slip socks or slippers
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Shampoo
Soap (travel size)
Lotion
Deodorant
Makeup
Lip balm
Possibly a towel
Laundry bag
Glasses
Contacts and accessories
Possibly mamacloth or organic Natracare mama pads
cell phone charger
Earth Mama Bottom Spray (need to buy)

DH needs:
Clothes
underwear
socks
snacks (to share!)
change for vending machines
camera (note to self must teach him to use it)
cell phone charger


Okay that is all I can think of for now. I am probably forgetting obvious things here though. Let me know if I am!

30 weeks and yes there is only one!

30 weeks pregnant

How far along? 30 weeks and 5 days
Total weight gain/loss: 22 (eep) pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight at my last appointment.
Maternity clothes? Yes and some of them are getting kinda iffy.
Sleep: I take what I can get. Finding it more difficult to get comfortable. I still lay on my back (sue me) because sometimes its the only way I can be comfortable. Jake seems to be the most active when I am on my back so I dont worry that he is in distress.
Best moment this past week: Seeing my family whom I never get to see. I miss them! They came down for a funeral (this was the sad part) but I was truly glad to see them, whatever the circumstance.
Movement: Friday and Saturday of this week Mr Jake was veerrry quiet in there. I felt a lot of "rolling" sensations, but not as many kicks. Well he is making up for it. He started going crazy late Saturday night and is still going!
Food cravings: Cheese grits, cereal and cold soy milk, veggie burgers w/ cheese, and everything really.
Gender: Boy, John "Jake" Aaron.
Labor Signs: Nope although I have been getting Braxton Hicks.
Belly Button in or out? Still holding strong to the innie.
What I miss: bending over without being out of breath.
What I am looking forward to: Finishing my masters thesis one day.
Weekly Wisdom: Dont try to work 50 hours a week, try to finish a master's thesis, and have a baby at the same time. Its just not a good idea people.
Milestones: My to-do list is getting veerry short (thank goodness) and my shower is coming up soon!

Baby:
baby's now the size of a squash!
As baby's skin smoothes out, his brain just keeps getting more wrinkled. All those grooves and indentations increase surface area, meaning more room for that oh-so-essential brain tissue. He's also adding some brawn -- his grip is now strong enough to grasp a finger.