Christmas Weekend

Happy Monday! Is it just me or does it seem as though xmas went by really fast? This holiday was like no other because we got to share it with our baby. When I was pregnant I wondered if he'd make his appearance before the holiday and he surely did. Donnie turned 1 month on Christmas Eve and I swear that month flew by so fast! Christmas was great for us this year we took Donnie over his Nana and Papa's house (my parents) for xmas dinner and to open presents. For someone who wasn't supposed to arrive until New Years Eve he made out really well with xmas gifts! Then Sunday was the hubs birthday. We kept it pretty simple and just ordered take out and chilled. It was really our first night by ourselves with just the baby so it was nice to bond with my husband taking care of our son. My hubs finally got to see the personality that I keep saying Donnie has, he was a hand full (but what new baby isn't?). It was nice when my husband said "I have so much respect for you and what you do" and he went on to say he doesn't know how a person could do this alone. It felt good for him to finally understand that taking care of a new baby isn't a easy task but I wouldn't have it any other way. I just wanted to pop in with a quick post! I hope your holiday was a great one! I leave you with a picture of Donnie in his Santa Suit that he wore on Christmas...it's it the cutest thing ever?

Wordless Wednesday

I've seen these on other blogs so I thought it would be nice to take part in it. I plan to post pictures of the baby every week because what mama doesn't love to show off her baby?! So besides this brief introduction, my blog posts on Wednesday will be of pictures and few (if any) words. Now to kick off the first week of "Wordless Wednesday" I want to share pictures of Donnie taken at the hospital when he was three days old. Enjoy!!

Update!

Apparently having a newborn consumes all of your time and energy and I haven't had the urge to blog. I'm sorry! I hope to get into some type of routine soon! First let me start off by telling you how breast feeding is going. I'm off the meds and Donnie is latching on! I haven't gave him formula since Saturday! We are taking it one day at a time. Yesterday we went to the breast feeding clinic and they answered so many of my questions. It felt good that things I thought I was doing right were confirmed (mommy intuition kicking in!). I'm also pumping to build a supply and giving him two breast milk bottles a day (from the advice of the pediatrician). Luckily he doesn't seem to have any nipple confusion and takes them both. I know all mom's feel this way but Donnie is one smart baby, especially since he's considered a preemie he does things a full term baby should do. For instance I was told that it may take until he was "term" (which would have been Dec 11th) or even until his due date before he may be able to latch and breast feed correctly. Well so far my son has had no problems! He's amazing and I think he knew how important it was for mama to have this bond with him. Again I want to say thanks to all my readers for encouraging me, giving awesome advice and the whole nine!

Pity Party

Yep I'm having one right now. I read all the comments from you ladies with awesome advice, along with speaking with some other ladies who were successful after delayed breastfeeding. So why am I upset? Well I brought the Breast Flow bottles hoping he would take to those, well so far it has been a total bust. I originally started with Playtex Drop Ins and I think he is used to that nipple. See Donovan is a lazy baby when it comes to eating, which is normal for preemies. I understand that they get tired fast. However he also is a greedy baby! He sucks so fast and hard like he's never eaten in his life! It's the funniest thing ever but since I've tried to introduce the Breast Flow bottle it has become a real task. He will take the bottle but only drink about 1 oz and he's over it.

According to his pediatrician he should be drinking 2-4 oz, (which he would do with the other bottle) so I can't help but think it's the bottle and the last thing I want is for him not to eat enough. So I'm lost! I don't know if I continue with the Breast Flow bottles, hoping it'll get better or do I just switch back to the Playtex ones which I know he likes (this is where I need help/advice). I guess seeing him not take to the Breast Flow bottle makes me think he'll never latch on to me. This causes me so much stress!

I've been crying all night because it seems like nothing is going right. I've been trying to take everything in stride and remain positive but my delivery was a difficult one, definitely nothing like I imagined. Yes I know things don't always go as plan, and I'm pretty good with rolling with the punches but it seems like I can't catch a break. I don't think anyone understands how important it is for me to breast feed. I always intended on breastfeeding that I never looked up information about formula feeding while pregnant. I "tried" to prepare myself that breastfeeding isn't always easy, so I took classes and tried to do as much research as I could. I'm not judging those who do but some don't even consider breastfeeding and to think that I want to and it's so difficult for me is just upsetting. I just emailed the lactation consultant who held my breast feeding class for advice. I plan on scheduling an appointment with the clinic as soon as I'm done with my medication. That's some good news I can share, I went to the O.B. yesterday and my blood pressure is coming down. One of the medications I'm on for seizures she said I can stop taking once I run out ( which will be in about four days). Then she plans on weaning me from blood pressure meds starting next Tuesday. I guess that's something to be happy about seeing as how I thought I'd be on those meds for about a month.

Again  I want to thank all my readers for commenting. I also want to give a special thanks to Alex and Mrs. W for giving me as much advice as possible. All of my readers ROCK! It's amazing how I was a total wreck at the beginning of the writing this post and now I feel relieved. I really needed to get that off my chest! Once again I do plan on sharing my birth story. I honestly think that I'm avoiding it because I don't like to think back on what happened, especially since the only part of it that went right (good, great, perfect) was delivering Donovan, which is the most important part of course. In due time I will share it all in full detail. For now I'm trying to get over this hurdle and get some type of normalcy back.

Back Home and Worried

First let me start off by saying we're home!!! Well kind of, let me explain. Since I'm on all these meds for my blood pressure and to prevent me from having a seizure we are staying at my parents house. Since the baby came so early hubs was only able to take a short time off. My doctor said I needed help during this time so we are staying with my parents for a few weeks until I get off these meds because hubs works long 12-16 hr shifts and I can't be at home by myself for that long. I never imagined any of this would happen, but I'm taking it in stride. As for these meds it's a task in itself. They make me sleepy and weak. I can't breast feed while on them so I've been pumping and dumping to keep my supply up for when I can.

Which brings me to my worrying, I'm scared that once I'm off the meds he won't latch on and I'll have to exclusively pump. I so want to have that connection of him latching on and plus it would be a lot less work. I hate that I have to supplement with formula, it makes me soo upset because I think the longer he's eating it the worse my chances are for him wanting my milk. I do plan on doing a recap of the events leading up to my delivery, but bare with me, I'm adjusting to being a new mommy, I'm having health complications that I'm trying to work out and I had a baby come 5 wks early so I'm trying to play catch up. I will say my support system has been awesome. If you have any advice/words of encouragement/ articles/ links or whatever concerning delayed breastfeeding that would be great. I also want to point out that my sentence structure, grammar and whatever else is probably funky lol due to the meds and lack of sleep.

However one thing is certain when I look at this face it's SOO worth it!!!

Don't Jump Ship!

Because I had the baby! Gumdrop was born November 24th at 12:19 pm. Although 5 weeks early he weighed 7 lbs. 2 Oz. Pretty great weight for a 34 wk 5 day gestation baby. Unfortunately we have yet to leave the hospital and it's not due to him being a "preemie", which I think is too general of a term to use because he doesn't fit those "characteristics". Nope we are still here due to mama. I'm have some complications due to Pre E (I'll explain later on) and now the Docs are trying to get my blood pressure down as well as liver enzymes. If your on Facebook, congrats are welcomed but please don't mention anything about me still being here/ or my condition. Weird I know I'm sharing information with the "world" but I wanna stay "private" on there. Don't ask just roll with it lol! So now is the time I'm asking my readers for positive vibes that my body goes back into working order and I'm released. I leave you with a picture of Gumdrop or should I say:

PROUD TO INTRODUCE DONOVAN NOAH

Can't say how soon I'll be back but don't leave us now it's just getting good!

Friday Survey

Sorry this post is coming so late in the day! I received the new battery for my laptop for it to only start smoking on me within the hour! Apparently the power cord has some exposed wires. I now need to order a new cord in addition to the new battery I just brought...don't you hate when that happens?! Well I have a fully booked weekend, tomorrow I have breast feeding and a baby care basics class which I'm really excited about.  Also hubs job is throwing him a baby shower at work (isn't that sweet) so I'm looking forward to what he comes home with. Sunday hubs and I are going to the second hospital tour and will make our decision. We are leaning towards the hospital hubs works at because it's closer to the house and we should get some perks with him being an employee there. So those are my weekend plans, hope yours is filled with fun, relaxing and everything else!

How far along?: 34 weeks!


How big is baby?: As a pineapple! The actual weigh is thrown off since I was told he was 5lbs 1 oz two wks ago, I have no idea what he weighs

Stretch marks?: Yes !

Maternity clothes?: It's getting ridiculous since I'm measuring ahead my belly is HUGE (you seen the pics). I'm really trying not to buy anymore because I only have a short time left. I think its time to raid hubs closet!

Sleep?: It could always be better

Best moment this week?: How about worst moment this week; the O.B. lost my urine from my 24 hr test, mind you this was over 2 wks ago so guess what that means, I get the pleasure of having to do it Sunday. Such a pain! I was pissed when she told me this on Thursday.

Food cravings?: Food lol!
Gender?: Mommy's little (or should I say big) man!

Movement?: Lots of rolling, some punches but mostly he's trying to get comfy.

Belly button?: In but getting more swallow, it's also tender in the area

What I miss?: My feet are itchy! Man I can't wait until this swelling goes down. Oh and carpal tunnel has come on with a vengeance!

Labor signs?: No...and stay away for a while!

What I'm looking forward to?: Thanksgiving!!! Do you realize how good I'm going to eat that day ;)

Milestone?: Still head down, making it closer to full term!

Etsy Finds

I love all things Etsy as many of us do! It's such a wonderful site that I came upon when planning my wedding. There are so talented vendors on this site who can create practically anything. I've been browsing the baby parts of the sites and recently ordered two items that Gumdrop (well I) couldn't live without. First up is this adorable newborn bear hat. It's going to be his first hat in the hospital and I plan on him wearing it for his newborn photoshoot.

Here's a better picture from the Etsy site

You can visit the vendor WeeBeeUniquesByJuile

Up next is designer burp cloths which probably aren't necessary but still are too cute! This cloths are very thick and well made. The vendor uses tons of fabrics, prints etc. These will probably be used when we go outside the house to family functions, special occasions.

You can find these at PLM Dezigns

 I've just started my etsy obsession for the baby as I have a few other things I want to purchase before he arrives. So if your looking for something handmade, unique and fun I suggest you go over to Etsy.com (by the way I haven't been paid for this review I just wanted to share an awesome site I shop on)

KING OF THE JUNGLE SHOWER

I want to share a few pictures from my shower last weekend. I wish better pictures were taken of the details (I love all things detailed) but these must do. Overall the shower was great, we did have about 12 people who RSVP'd and did not show (nice..insert sarcasm). We didn't get a lot off our registry (only about 7 things). We also did a diaper raffle but the turn out wasn't great with that. I ended up getting a case of diapers and 6 jumbo packs of diapers. So that left me with a lot of things to get (basics and necessities), which I was thankfully able to purchase most of it with gift cards I received. I will say how grateful I am for the things we did get because it was more than what we started with.

 One word of advice for future mommies is to buy along the way. Please don't listen to people when they say "Wait for your baby shower" because you may end up disappointed and left having to buy lots of things in a short amount of time. I love deals so having to pay full price for things I need makes me cringe! Luckily whenever I saw an awesome deal I didn't pass it up and it worked out well because it was something I didn't receive at the shower anyways. Well here are the pics (I must stop now my carpal tunnel is acting up)

Hubs & I

Cake Table

MOH & Friend

Closeup of centerpieces

Opening Gifts

Fruit Table

Guests (don't ask why this is in b&w)

Closeup of belly!

Diaper Cake

Friday Survey!

So I ordered a new battery for my laptop today and hopefully it will arrive sometime next week so I can get back to posting more. I have plans to go with my mom tomorrow to pick up more things we didn't receive from the shower. Other than that it will be a chill weekend. Hope you all have a great one! Catch you on Monday (fingers crossed)!

How far along?: 33 weeks!
How big is baby?:  5 lbs 1 oz According to our ultrasound on Monday

Stretch marks?: Yes and they itch like crazy!

Maternity clothes?: Tops I need to, bottoms I'm living in pre preg sweats. I really need to place an order with Old Navy

Sleep?: Yes but it's becoming more uncomfortable. I pee every hour on the hour and it's really annoying

Best moment this week?: Getting to see Gumdrop during the ultrasound, it was amazing

Food cravings?: PF Changs, BB Que

Gender?: Mommy's little  (or should I say big) man!

Movement?: Lots of rolling, some punches but mostly he's trying to get comfy.

Belly button?: In

What I miss?: My feet not looking like pigs in a blanket, they are so swollen!

Labor signs?: No...and stay away for a while!

What I'm looking forward to?: Getting his nursery set up (yes we are way behind)

Milestone?: Him being head down! Now hopefully he stays that way!

Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?

Does anyone remember that kids game show or am I just showing my age?! Anyways sorry for the lack of posts I've been extremely busy! I plan on doing a full recap of the baby shower once I get the pics from my mom. Today I want to share how things have been going with Gumdrop and I. Last Thursday at my O.B. appointment I was told I was measuring ahead. At 32 wks I was measuring 36! Now I've heard of measuring two weeks either way but four weeks out was a little much. So it was some concern from my O.B. and I was scheduled and ultrasound for Monday.

Well I had my ultrasound on Monday, gumdrop looked great and everything was progressing well. The tech estimated that he's 5lbs 1 oz. Now I know these are just estimates but she stated he should only be about 4lbs. Her words were " Well he's at the very top of the chart (growth chart) but hasn't went over yet". I left with a few pictures (which I plan to share at the end) and all was well. Then Saturday after my baby shower we went to the movies to see Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls which was amazing! It was such a good movie, I laughed, cried (like really hard, as if I had lost someone..blame it on pregnancy hormones), was happy and sad. I recommend everyone to go see it! So after we finally got home that night my feet were really swollen. My hubs joked that they looked like a cartoon character! I thought it was because I was so busy that day, and figured they'd go down eventually.

Well here we are today and they are STILL swollen. I called the O.B. out of concern and they asked me to come in (yesterday). I had gained 10 lbs in FIVE DAYS! They said it was due to all the swelling/fluid. Seriously I knew it wasn't from smashing out on food because I hadn't eaten differently then what I normally do and the most I've ever gained is 1-2 lbs a week. I got some blood drawn and here we are today. I'll find out how everything went at my appointment next week. Don't worry I don't have Pre E (knocks on wood) because I was already checked for it two weeks ago and my blood work came back perfect. I pray that I don't develop it anytime soon. My O.B. believes I'm just dealing with typical pregnancy swelling but they want to be on the safe side and recheck my blood.

So readers that's what has been going on! Oh! I almost forget my laptop clunked out on me last week so I'm using my old desktop from college. I haven't used this thing regularly in years! So that's another reason I've been lacking posts. It was just so much easier to post from my couch or bed but now I have to sit on this hard chair which isn't very friendly to my bottom. I leave you with a new picture of Gumdrop doesn't he have the chunkiest cheeks!!

Taking Pregnancy For Granted

Sounds like an oxymoron to some and for others it may be true. Yesterday I learned of three different pregnant ladies I know that are experiencing or had complications recently. The first one was a former co-worker of mines who miscarried at three months. I can't imagine the hurt she's experiencing right now. I know her and her husband had been trying and was soo excited when they learned she was expecting. The second one is a close friend of my aunt who went into early labor and is now on bed rest in the hospital. She and her husband have already suffered a miscarriage so to make it to 32 weeks had really eased their anxiety. Well Monday she went into labor and luckily the hospital was able to stop the labor but now she must remain there until she delivers. Finally the third person I know is experiencing some complications at 22 weeks and is now on bed rest in hopes of the baby cooking longer.

I share their experiences because it makes you realize how blessed you are to have a complication free pregnancy. It surely woke me up to stop complaining about my aches and pains because it could always be worse. I'm thankful that so far the my pregnancy is going well and each day I get closer to my due date is truly a blessing. Sure I've had a few scares but so far all is well (knock on wood). I'm praying for each and everyone of them and ask that you say a little prayer as well. So that's where my head has been at the last few days. I've also been consumed with errands everyday this week. Hopefully I can get another post in before the weekend. Don't worry we'll be back to some sort of normalcy next week!!!

Weekend Fun!

Did you ladies have a great weekend? I sure did! I love Halloween for a few reasons: It's my father and nephew's birthday. I love seeing the little kids and doggies in costumes. Plus I love the candy, decorations, hunted houses etc! Some don't like to celebrate Halloween given it's beginnings but it think it's what you make of it, that's why it's one of my fav holidays!. Sorry I didn't do a Friday survey last week but I'll have on this week. Speaking of the week, boy is this one going to be a busy one! I've officially scheduled something EVERYDAY this week (not on purpose) but it just seemed like everything fell into place that way. I will try my best to make sure I get my posts in! I leave you with a picture of my nephew who turned 2 yesterday. He was a dragon!!!

24 Hour Toilet Confinement

That's what I'm on after coming from my o.b. visit today. My blood pressure was high at 136/70 and I've gain 7 lbs in two weeks. That's the most I've gain this entire pregnancy, at most I've only gained 1 lbs a week. I don't know if it's just because I'm in my third tri and the baby is getting bigger or if this is a sign for Pre E. To be on the safe side my doctor drew some blood and is making me collect urine for 24 hours. It's going good so far and I'll do anything to make sure the baby is safe. I had a friend who delivered on my anniversary August 8th due to Pre E, her baby was 7 wks early. I pray that we don't have to take that route. I want him to bake as long as possible! My doc has told me to take it easy and that couldn't have come at a worse time. My schedule for next week is booked! Tuesday is mid term elections, I have a docs appt on Thursday, Friday I have another appointment, Saturday is my baby shower and Sunday is our first hospital tour.

I will make sure to stay hydrated and take many breaks. I've also spoken with my hubs about stepping up more around the house and with grocery shopping. Until I get the results I'm staying positive and trying not to stress about things. Other than that the baby's heart rate was good (150's) and he's doing fine. I will definitely keep you all updated!

A Productive Morning!

I got a lot accomplished this morning to prepare for Gumdrop's arrival. First hubs set up the travel set which I was too excited about. We finally got it from my MIL after she ordered it for us. Apparently she isn't too Internet savvy (which she never told us) so when she ordered the stroller online (only available online) she didn't track the item, it ended up being delivered to the wrong address, the house it was delivered to returned it to a Target store (so kind of them) and it was shipped back to the warehouse! I knew something was wrong when nearly two weeks had past and the stroller still hadn't arrived. Well she had to place a call to Target for them to send it back out and FINALLY three weeks later it arrived and we got to set it up! It wasn't hard at all and overall I'm pleased with the quality as it will only be used for malls, light walking etc.

Then I finally called to set up the hospital tours (we are touring two different ones). My husband works for one of the hospital's we'll be touring and it's closer to the house but the second one is more convenient family wise so it'll just depend. I'm kind of leaning towards the one closer to the house as I don't want to have to travel any further than I have to. My hubs on the other hand doesn't want his co-workers snooping around and "looking at my baby" (his words lol) and I swear he's just being a little too over protective and paranoid!
Anyways the decision will be made after we look at both of the L &D units.

I also scheduled a one day breastfeeding and baby care basics class. It's 6 hrs long with a hour break. Man I'm going to be tired! I haven't been in a classroom that long in ages! It will be very beneficial though and I plan on bringing a notebook. We also got a discount on the classes since hubs works for the hospital, so we ended up paying $30 for both classes instead of the $40 it costs regularly, which isn't much but it'll pay for lunch that day! So that's my day so far. I will say to future mama's to not to wait until the last minute to schedule these tours/classes. Most of them were booked up and I had to get what was left. I couldn't take any of the 4 week classes because they would be hitting close to my due date! So while you think you have "plenty of time" you really may not! Call your hospital to be on the safe side!

Friday Survey!

It's the weekend! Nothing really new going on in this neck of the woods. I think next week I'll show the paper goods for the baby shower and try to mix it up a bit more. I want to again say thanks to those who take time to comment on my posts as sometimes I think I'm writing to myself then I check my blog hits and it steady goes up so there's someone out there (waves hi) ! Don't be afraid to comment!

How far along?: The Big 3-0!

How big is baby?: 3.1 lbs, 17 in. Big as a Butternut Squash

Stretch marks?: Same ol ones. My tummy itches more and I try not to scratch it because I hear it can make them worse.

Maternity clothes?: Yes and No. I went and got a really cute top from Motherhood on sale a few days ago

Sleep?: Getting back to the naps! I swear I thought I was in a routine but NEGATIVE! Guess I have to be grateful for any sleep huh?

Best moment this week?: MIL finally brought over the travel system! I'm trying to convince hubs to put it together!

Food cravings?: Food in general

Gender?: Mommy's little man!

Movement?: All the time! He's getting more active but running out of room at the same time. His punches are more powerful but they don't hurt and he's rolls are soo cute I can just tell he's feeling more cramped!

Belly button?: In

What I miss?: Deli Meat...yummo and not being tired after going to one store.

Labor signs?: No...and stay away for a while!

What I'm looking forward to?: The shower!

Milestone?: Making it to week 30, 10 more weeks to go!

Shower RSVP's

It's bringing back nightmares of the wedding! I thought I'd have a clean break from rsvp's since I'm not handling them but with my mother and I being so close she literally calls me every time someone rsvp. She's very excited about the shower (which I'm so grateful for) but she's never been to a baby shower besides her own and that was 24 years ago! Therefore she's a little out of the loop with things. Well the deadline to rsvp is Oct 27th but she's calling me asking why not a lot of people have confirmed. I told her some people like to wait until the last minute, some may not call at all etc. I said it was nothing we could really do until after the 27th to get a final headcount. She keeps asking me how to record the number coming, to decipher messages that aren't clear (which really are) and I honestly think she's thinking to much into things and making it more complicated. I just can't wait until all the guests are accounted for and this part of the shower is over. I just want to get to the cake and gifts!!!

How did your baby shower go? Where you involved with the planning (intentionally or not)?

I HAVE NO CLOTHES!

For the baby shower that is! As we are getting close to the shower which is scheduled for Nov 6th, the more I stress about what I'll be wearing. My first thought was to find a cute dress. Well I've been scouring the net and some stores but have yet to find that one. So next I thought about cute jean slacks and a top. Well I've found and ordered the jeans but haven't quite found a top. As for shoes that's a WHOLE other subject! My feet are swollen! I'm trying to wait until the last minute to buy shoes in case my feet get bigger. I'm thinking of doing the flats route so that I'll be comfortable. I haven't worn heels since I was 4 months, I've been living mostly in flip flops and since it's getting cool my UGGs which are soo comfy! Here's what I'm thinking of so far:

Now I need shoes! I'm headed to the mall in the next few days to pick out accessories and makeup. I'm excited about those as I haven't been jewelry and makeup shopping in a while! I've been kinda in a rut (style wise) and I think getting dolled up will make me feel much better!

Friday Survey!

Yay! It's the weekend! I'm really looking forward to this weekend as we have a lot going on. My mother is mailing out the shower invites today which means I'll begin registry stalking lol! Tomorrow is Sweetest Day, which I believe is only a Midwest holiday. It's the same as Valentine's Day just in October. When hubby and I first got together we would go all out for these holidays as many new couples do. Well  tomorrow we are going to cook dinner together and snuggle up to a movie! Sounds so like married people but I'd rather do that instead of waiting over an hour for reservations or packed movie theaters especially with me being 7 months pregnant I move much slower and I think I even waddle!



How far along?: 29 weeks! I keep thinking man I'm getting close!!!!!!!!


How big is baby?: Big as a small Cabbage! 2.9 lbs, 17 in (now they begin measuring crown to toes)

Stretch marks?: Same ol ones. My tummy itches more and I try not to scratch it because I hear it can make them worse.

Maternity clothes?: Yes and No. I did just order me a pair of jean slacks yesterday that I plan to wear to the baby shower

Sleep?: Much better I'm now getting 8-9 hours straight. I hardly take naps any more!
Best moment this week?: Passing my 3hr test! Praise God!

Food cravings?: Nothing really.

Gender?: Mommy's little man!

Movement?: Yes he does. I think it's so cute he'll give me one strong kick/punch and stop as in "there mommy I moved now leave me alone" haha!

Belly button?: In

What I miss?: Everything but it's soo worth it!

Labor signs?: No...and stay away for a while!

What I'm looking forward to?: Assembling the dresser on Monday...well watching hubby do it ha!

Milestone?: Getting to the third tri!

I PASSED!!!!

That's right! Sorry I've been MIA but I come back with great news. Wednesday I had my regular 2 week O.B. appointment and was given the results that I passed the 3hr test. It was like a relief off my shoulders. More importantly that the baby and I won't have to go through insulin shots or all the other things that GD requires. I will say that it's made me even more aware of what I eat. I had been doing a good job with changing my eating habits since getting pregnant (except those few cravings) but after that scare I'm trying to do even better. I did end up losing a pound which was probably from stressing so much but all is well. Now I can go back and focus on the baby and making it to December! On another note today hubby and I are going out to pick up the baby's dresser! I'm just happy to get out the house and I love any quality time we can get.

Patiently Waiting!

Just a quick post! I'm at the O.B. on hour two of my three hour test. So far it's been going well. Hubby has tagged along which is wonderful since he's coming off a 12 hr shift so he's been up for 16 hours straight! I'm really appreciative of this man! Hunger is starting to kick in, I haven't eaten since 8:30pm last night. I'm beyond thirsty too! I have some fruit and water that I will inhale as soon as we leave. Results should be back within two days so until then we just wait, pray and hope for the best!

Sent from my iPhone

Friday Survey!

Today marks the beginning of the third and final trimester!!! I'm so happy that I'm nearly done and will meet my little guy within 84 days! I've started my 3 day diet today and it's been going so-so. I'm a little hungry and although it says I can eat in addition to what's listed I'm quite paranoid. I wish I could click my heels like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and Monday appears. I plan on getting out the house tomorrow with my Mommy to help her pick up items for the baby shower. So hopefully that makes the weekend go faster. I'll be back Monday with updates of how the test went!

How far along?: 28 weeks, THIRD TRIMESTER!!!!!

How big is baby?: Big as a head of Cauliflower! 2.5 lbs, 16 in (now they begin measuring crown to toes)

Stretch marks?: I should just delete this question because every time I update it nothing changes (see how happy I am?) Just Kidding.

Maternity clothes?: Yes and No, I'm still able to fit some pre preg shirts which is great. I'm trying to limit how much maternity clothes I buy.

Sleep?: It's getting a lot better. I've been falling asleep for the past few days around midnight. Before I wouldn't go to bed until 6:30 am... don't ask!

Best moment this week?: This should be worst moment this week! Finding out I failed the 1hr test :(


Food cravings?:  Chipotle..which I had yesterday before I started this diet.

Gender?: Mommy's little man!

Movement?: All the time. He's doing lots of rolls and kicks and he's getting stronger too, my stomach jumps from some of them.

Belly button?: In

What I miss?: Everything but it's soo worth it!

Labor signs?: No...and stay away for a while!

What I'm looking forward to?: Passing my 3hr test and knowing that me and the baby are healthy.

Milestone?: Getting to the third tri!

Totally Bombed

That's right I failed my 1hr glucose test from last week. That's the reason I've been on a short hiatus, as I've been trying to cope with this. I'm scheduled to go in for my 3hr on Monday and the results will take a week to come back. I felt like such a failure and cried so much yesterday that when I woke up this morning my eyes were sealed shut and puffy. After reaching out to some mommies that I chat with I'm trying to remain positive.

I've heard that nearly 85% of those who fail the 1hr test pass the 3hr. I hope the odds are in my favor. Regardless I want Gumdrop to be healthy, so if that means making some lifestyle changes for 12 wks then so be it. I will say that my husband has been really supportive over that last 24hrs. He said that whatever I had to change so would he and we would get through this together as we do everything else. It's great to have a support system. He's even trying to get someone to cover the beginning of his 12hr shift so he can go with me for the 3hr. I told him he didn't have to but he said that I shouldn't have to go through this alone...such a sweet man :).

So for the next three days starting tomorrow I'll be on this special diet before the test and I can't eat or drink anything after midnight before the test. I had some Chipotle for lunch as that may be my last time having it for quite some while lol. I just keep telling myself that it could be much worse so on that note I'm thankful.

Returns 101

I completely understand that we all need to do this at times. The reasoning can vary from improper fit, no use for it, financial reasons etc. However somethings just shouldn't be returned! Remember last week when I was in awe after finding the Pack and Play that matched the baby's stroller? How I thought I was getting a great deal because it was on clearance? Well the hubby and I went to set it up on Sunday to only see that it had been used! I mean hairs on the newborn napper, some pieces just stuffed back in the box but the WORST offense was when I was examining the napper their was this white substance on it.....THROW UP!!!

Now although my baby isn't here yet I've seen my share of throw up, I have god babies who were just born last year, along with my nephew two years back. It was definitely throw up! I was heated! Yeah I know anything is possible when an item is clearance, that it could have been possibly been returned. However I didn't think this item was returned because the box was still sealed and that collection was being phased out in Target stores and is only available online. Therefore I thought it was just one of those ones that hadn't been purchased and marked down to get it out of the store.

To top it off I took it to guest services to have the clearance price checked and to purchase it. The lady nice as she was gave me this whole spiel about how it was just on clearance because it had been in the store for a while, how they are very careful with returning and repackaging baby items because the quality could be compromised and that it DEFINITELY wasn't returned. Well obviously someone dropped the ball big time because for me that wasn't the case at all! So I had hubby pack that load of crap back up and  first thing Monday we went to return it. I told the lady how it had been used, about the other lady telling me they don't repackage etc but she seemed to care less. I explained that this item needed to be damaged out immediately to avoid someone else having the same issue. I should have asked for the manager to complain even more but I was just soo over it. I could feel my bp rising.

So here's my rant and advice! People stop being so damn (this is me upset lol) trifling with returning used things. Now if there was something wrong with that PnP the customer should have informed them of it so it could have been damaged out or if Target was informed that it was throw up on it (which I honestly doubt) and they still put it back on the floor then they should be slapped! That concludes my lesson in Returns 101.

Friday Survey!

Happy Friday!!! I'm looking forward to this weekend as it's going to be a busy one. Saturday the hubby and I are going to Target to register!!! I love scanning away and can get scan happy at times :) Sunday we'll be going to church which I haven't been to since August, bad I know but we have wooden pews that really hurt my booty and sends pains up to my stomach. I couldn't bare sitting for 2 plus hours like that. Well I've purchased a seat cushion that I'm hoping will relieve the problem. After church we plan on going to dinner and coming home to rearrange the baby's room! Finally I feel like I'm making progress. We are also going to set up the pack in play! I must note that when I say "we" I'm referring to hubby doing all the work and I dictating where to put things, complaining and hovering over him to make sure he's doing it right...hey at least I'm honest!


How far along?: 27 weeks

How big is baby?: Big as a Cucumber! 2.2 lbs, 15 in (now they begin measuring crown to toes)

Stretch marks?: I should just delete this question because every time I update it nothing changes (see how happy I am?) Just Kidding.

Maternity clothes?: Yes but I'm still wearing my pre-preg sweat pants and long sleeve shirts. It's getting really cool in MI now.

Sleep?: I have gotten into a routine. I can never sleep more than 3-4 hrs at a time. I take two naps a day and I'm awake when the roosters are crowing! I sound like a newborn!

Best moment this week?: Hanging with my mom after the O.B. appointment, she's the only one who can stress me out ,make me happy and laugh all at the same time.

Food cravings?: Sweets!!! Where did this monster come from. My entire first trimester and nearly all of the second I didn't crave them. Now I must have a sweet a week. I blame my husband for wanting that apple pie a few weeks ago!

Gender?: Mommy's little man!

Movement?: All the time. He's doing lots of rolls and kicks and he's getting stronger too, my stomach jumps from some of them.

Belly button?: In

What I miss?: Everything but it's soo worth it!

Labor signs?: No...and stay away for a while!

What I'm looking forward to?: Getting to week 30. I don't know why that particular week but I guess it makes me think I'll have 10 wks left!

Milestone?: Just making it one more week closer to my EDD!

The Dreaded Drink

I had mines yesterday, totally wasn't expecting it but my O.B. gave it to me anyways. Yep I'm talking about that orange extra sugary drink (sometimes in other flavors) that tells whether or not your glucose tolerant. I knew I'd have to take the 1hr glucose test by my next appointment because it's given between 26-28 weeks and I'm nearly 27 wks but while my O.B. was asking the routine questions of how I was feeling since the last appointment, the med assistant was out there getting it ready.

O.B. : Umm do you have time to take the 1hr test today

Me: Thinking to myself (heck naw, I want to indulge some more in case my results aren't good). Well before I could even give an answer, the assistant was knocking on the door with the drink in hand. Guess I had no choice lol!

Me: Well I ate a granola bar this morning, I didn't need to fast or anything?

O.B.: Oh no, your fine just take the drink and we'll draw you blood in a hour

The drink wasn't that bad and I've heard of some horror stories of how nasty it was, how it made some nauseous. So I went in expecting the worst. Lucky for me mines was nice and chilled as I have read that it's sometimes given at room temp. I was also lucky that my mom decided to join me so I had someone to keep me company for that hour, making it go by really fast. So the verdict won't be in for about a week. I was told I'd only be contacted if I didn't pass. Please Lord don't let them call me!! I can't imaging going in for the 3 hr test and waiting that long in the lobby and having blood drawn every hour!

Wish me luck!!

BTW I'm officially far along that I go every TWO weeks now! I actually enjoy getting out the house and getting a chance to hear his heartbeat...it never gets old ;)

Things Come in Sets

Yesterday I posted about buying our pack and play. Well guess what's on it's way to join the team...the TRAVEL SYSTEM!!! My wonderful MIL informed me that she ordered it over the weekend. It's like destiny, having both items together. I doubt we set up the travel system for a while though but it's great to have that out of the way! The entire collection is by Graco and the style is Lowery. I love that it's gender neutral with browns and lime greens and dots. I wanted to stay away from all blue because I do plan on using the baby gear for when we decide to have a second baby. Hopefully they won't be too far apart to were the items are outdated. They also have the matching swing and high chair with the collection but I won't be getting those. Graco swings don't have the best reviews for longevity (motors clumping out, music stops working etc). The high chair has okay reviews but I'm swooning over this fisher price one so there you have it. I'm grateful that Gumdrop has 4 sets of grandparents which means most of the big ticket items are already being taking care of. Everyone is excited as this is the first grand baby for my husband parents and the first grandson for my mother. The Graco Lowery travel system comes highly rated online and also in Baby Bargains (the bible for all things baby).

Here's a picture of everything together on the site

I'm in love :)

Awesome Weekend Deal!

Happy Monday! I hope your weekend was a great one. I was really busy this weekend and did a little shopping too. My mother and I went to Target (seriously love this store) to see if this pack and play was still there (here's the back story). Remember when I went to Ikea last week? Well Target was one of my other stops. While checking out the baby section I swore I seen the pack and play that goes with the travel system I wanted. Plus I swore it had that lovely red sticker on it (clearance). Well for some strange reason I didn't put much thought into it (perhaps because it was tucked in behind other PnP's ).

Well I got home and it stayed on my mind. Should I go back to check it out? Should I just wait and hope someone purchases it for the shower? Well knowing myself waiting to see what others might do is not my thing. Furthermore I was cringing at the thought that if no one brought us a PnP off our registry that I'd have to purchase one for FULL Price and we all know that's not my thing. Well I take that back I purchase many things regular price but I try not to ever pass up a deal. So we headed back and it was still there hiding as if someone was going to come back for it. The box was pretty beat up so my mom suggested taking it to guest services. The lady was extremely nice. Checked to see if it was any additional markdown and gave me 10% off the clearance price.
So I got a brand new Graco PnP that's regular priced at $149.99 on target.com for only $72 after tax! Talk about a deal! Here's the model I got:

It comes with the newborn napper, changing table and diaper stacker. The PnP also vibrates, plays music and has a night light which will be perfect for a worrisome new mommy who likes to constantly check on their baby. I'm in love! This weekend the hubby will set it up just so we can make sure everything is in working order. I'm soo excited!

Friday Survey!

Another week down, 14 more to go! There's not much to report this week really. Today though my mother and I are headed to Babies R Us for some shopping (nothing too major) and will probably grab some dinner while we're out. I hope everyone enjoys the weekend. It's officially FALL! One more season to go until I meet my little guy!

How far along?: 26 weeks

How big is baby?: Big as an Eggplant! 2 lbs, 9.2 in

Stretch marks?: I should just delete this question because every time I update it nothing changes (see how happy I am?) Just Kidding.

Maternity clothes?: Yes, I broke out my maternity capris this week because we've had a few warm days still (like 80's)

Sleep?: Oh how do I miss you! Even when I try to go to bed early the baby likes to play around 3-4 am kicking my bladder..thanks!

Best moment this week?: Going to Ikea! I hadn't been there in over a year (back when I was wedding planning). I was in heaven!
Food cravings?: Nothing special, I have been wanting lots of fruits and my mommy made me a fruit salad so I was eating off of that for a few days

Gender?: Mommy's little man!

Movement?: Yes through out the entire day, most active at night. Does this mean I'll have a night owl on my hands?

Belly button?: In

What I miss?: Not being tired from doing simple things like grocery shopping or any shopping for that matter!

Labor signs?: No...and stay away for a while!

What I'm looking forward to?: The third trimester which depending on which book/site you read it starts at 27 or 28 weeks. I'm close though.

Milestone?: Just making it one more week closer to my EDD!

Double Digits!!

Yep we have 99 days left! So the countdown begins! I remember when I first was pregnant and the days would be in the 200's my how time as past! I think I need to get my booty into gear and get more things done. The nursery although not being set up is in progress ( I swear I'm slowly leaning towards putting it up anyways). I honestly feel like I'm at a standstill. Everyone keeps saying "wait until the baby shower" and with me being such a planner it's kinda giving me anxiety. The shower is scheduled for Nov 6th, which leaves me with approximately 55 days left until my EDD. That may be plenty of time for most but I'm already extra tired and it's only September. Lord only knows how I'll be in December especially living in Michigan where we could quite well be in a winter blizzard. I would like to have majority if not all of the baby's items purchased by the end of November. I plan on doing some major shopping during Black Friday. So that's where I'm at . Oh by the way shopping today was great. I made it to 4 out of the 6 places mentioned lol...my body just couldn't push any further!

Headed to Ikea Tomorrow!

Today has been a really lax day. Tomorrow I plan on heading out to Ikea to shop for baby items that I posted a few days back. Every time I go to Ikea it's like a field trip. That store is so huge that it can quickly become overwhelming! I'd never go there on a Saturday as a pregnant lady because it's too hectic. In addition to Ikea I plan on going to a few other stores that are in the area. My plan is to start at Ikea, followed by Marshalls then stop for lunch at the local coney island (yummy), then head to Target, back around to Buy Buy Baby and finally Walmart. Geez I'm tried just thinking about it..pray for my strength! I will have my water and granola bar in tow and will take constant breaks. Hopefully I don't do too much damage tomorrow and thankful the hubby is off so he can load all the bags into the house. You may wonder why he wouldn't be going along with me? Well although he would go I wouldn't go to that many stores with him, he tunes out pretty quickly. Plus he's coming off a 12 day work stretch so I want him to get plenty of rest tomorrow!

I've found a few more things I'd like to get from Ikea tomorrow and according to the website they are in stock at the store.

Plus whatever else I may find. I'll come back with a full shopping report!

Hormonal Breakdowns are REAL!

I totally had one yesterday! Pre pregnancy I would have thought it was the stupidest thing to cry over but when your 6 1/2 months pregnant I beg to differ. Remember that post where I ordered Gumdrop some clothes from Gymboree? Well I went days forgetting that I ordered it (preggo brain) then remembered, so for the last 2-3 days I begin tracking the package on UPS. Well it was schedule to arrive yesterday 9/20.

So at 3:40 I checked online and it was in transit. It begin getting late so I decided to check again around 6:30 and BAM there it was DELIVERED on the screen. I'd like to died. I don't work so I'm always at home and I hadn't heard any doorbells or knocks. So I waddle my butt down the stairs to see if it was outside...Not There. I immediately begin crying. Not like a few tears running down my face but full on boo hoo crying. My husband was gone off to work and I didn't know what to do. I just sat down and cried while looking for the number to call UPS.

I get them on the phone, the lady I spoke with probably thought I was crazy because you could barely understand what I was saying because I was crying and so upset. She says we're sorry looks like it was delivered to the wrong address. WTH! Where do they do that at? As many items as I've ordered before I couldn't believe it. She then said it was nothing they could do even though it was their drivers mistake and that I'd have to call Gymboree for assistance. Pre pregnant Kellie would have went off at this point but I was still so overwhelmed that I cried even more. After getting off the phone I decided to put my shoes on and track down this address. Luckily when I got there a really nice lady answered the door, said she had the package. My face lit up! I thanked her so much and while heading back home I STILL was crying. I mean geez I hadn't cried that much in my life!

So I decided to email UPS to tell them of the mistake they made. Well this morning I got a call from a representative apologizing and saying that the driver would be made aware of his error (he needs some glasses). They didn't offer me anything which wasn't a problem, just the fact that they called so quickly to hear this pregnant lady's horror story was fine with me.

Single vs. Married Friends

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend, I know I did. I got so much done this weekend then I did the whole week! The grandmother's meeting went very well! It was really nice seeing them all laughing and excited about the baby. I just sat back and listened.

As you see from the title of the post that I'd like to talk about single vs. married friends. Yesterday "La La's Full Court Wedding" aired on VH1 (love that network).

She's recently married to Carmelo Anthony who plays for the Denver Nuggets. Anyways she was out to lunch with her best male friend Tyrese (singer/actor) and he brought up that she only has single friends and that she should begin hanging with those who are married (mind you he isn't married).

Well this topic has since become a twitter discussion/ as well as on some wedding boards. I totally understand where he was coming from and I don't think he was saying dump all of your single friends but to get some married ones as well because your no longer in that "space" (his words). I think this applies to not only marriage but other aspects of life. For instance I couldn't see someone who has a profession hanging with their old friends who are just coasting by. Better yet a lawyer hanging with a criminal type of thing. I think you should have a balance between single and married friends. For one it may be easier to speak to someone who is in the same situation as yourself concerning marriage because it may be something your single friend doesn't understand. Also your single friend may be less understanding/quick to tell you to end your marriage as a married friend may be more inclined to tell you to work it out (again not in all cases).

In my case I've noticed that as I acquired more in life that perhaps my friends hadn't, the sense of jealousy came along and I lost a few friends because we were at two different stages of our lives. Especially at my age where your either still hanging out at the clubs, possibly still living at home and causally dating or married and settled down. I've never been the party goer and was always in a committed relationship so it was just natural that I'd settle down before most of my friends.

So what do you think? If your married has your relationship changed with your single friends? If your single did things change once your friend was married? Did you feel you had less in common?

End of Nursery Week!

Well there's much more I could cover concerning the nursery but I just wanted to keep it simple. Over the next few weeks I will be sharing more things concerning items I've purchased or plan to. For the last day I would like to cover Bedding and Decor! My favorite part to the nursery!

BEDDING

I purchased this Dwell Studio 4pc set at Target a while ago. It's very cute and modern which I like. I've been trying to find the matching changing pad and crib skirt but those things have been sold out FOREVER! Readers if you come across any matching accessories PLEASE let me know ASAP I'll be all over it!

DECOR

I'm trying to stick with the space theme without going too overboard. I've been looking at space accessories, pictures and everything else inbetween. Here's what I've found!

The pictures both won't be blue but will alternate between blue and green. So the color's of the nursery are blue, light blue, kiwi green and brown. I like what I've come across so far. I think I'm going to get the brown glider that I posted the other day. Unfortunately the nursery won't be done until after the baby is born due to us moving in May. I've gotten some advice from others that it wouldn't make sense to set it up and take it down four month later especially since I plan to co-sleep for the first 4 months. Although I'm bummed about it I've come to terms with it as well.

Friday Survey!

Wow another week has rolled around! I'm learning that the less I think about how long I have to go the faster the weeks go by. This has been a pretty great week. I seriously stayed in the house for six days straight and actually wasn't too bothered by it ! I've been so tired and I have insomnia at night so I take lots of cat naps and stretches during the day. I will say that yesterday I had a really great time hanging with my mom for her birthday. We went to eat at Red Lobster for their endless shrimp (pregnant lady's dream)! It was soo good and I haven't had Red Lobster for what seems like forever. Then we did a little shopping to walk off the food. It was great just hanging with her. I have noticed that I'm not as quick at moving or walking for that matter. I officially move slow and probably waddle a bit lol!

Survey Time!

How far along?: 25 weeks

How big is baby?:  Big as an Eggplant! 1.7 lb, 9 in

Stretch marks?: Still there and not going anywhere..my belly is more itchy which is normal due to stretching

Maternity clothes?: Sweats, jammies and some maternity tops

Sleep?: Seems as this is getting more uncomfortable each week! My hips start hurting after a while from sleeping on my side

Best moment this week?: I think Gumdrop officially has hiccups! It's soo cute (but I hear it can get annoying really fast). Their like kicks but to a beat and more rhythmic and not as forceful. Aww practice breathing practice baby!

Food cravings?: So I hadn't been to big on sweets but hubby wanted an Apple Pie so ever since this came into the house this week I've been chowing on this with French Vanilla Ice Cream!!

Gender?: Boy!!!

Movement?: Yes and he's beginning to get a routine!

Belly button?: In

What I miss?: Sleeping on my belly!

Labor signs?: No...and stay away for a while!

What I'm looking forward to?: The Grandmothers (who call themselves the 3G's ha!) are getting together Saturday at my place to discuss planning the baby shower. I'm soo excited!

Milestone?: Just making it one more week closer to my EDD!

Break in Nursery Week

Today I'm taking a little break from nursery posts to celebrate my mommy's birthday! Last year I took her to see the Phantom of the Opera, you can revisit that post here. This year I'm taking her to dinner and just spending some quality time with her. Oh how I love this woman! She's become my best friend and I share all my heartaches, joys and anything else with her. She's such a great support system for me and the hubby, our number one fan for our marriage. What I love about her is that she's ALWAYS a giver, literally taking whatever money she does have and thinking of what to get others, she's soo selfless.

Since I've found out I was pregnant she's be hands on, going to doctor appointments when hubby couldn't go or even when he did (lol)! but that's not the kicker she comes over EVERY month to clean the house from top to bottom. I'm talking those thorough cleanings, organizing and everything. I really appreciate that because cleaning has slowed down quite a bit for me (the deep cleanings anyways) so between her and hubby the place isn't neglected.

Enjoy and cherish your mothers even when they get on your nerves. You never know how long you may have them. I leave you with photos of us over the years!

Probably around 5 or 6 yrs old

College Graduation

Wedding Day

Rockers and Gliders

I would like to start off by saying thank you to the readers that chimed in regarding the dresser issue. Some even posted alternatives which I appreciate! I'm thinking the best route to go is ordering the crib first, seeing it's actual color in person (I hear it's darker than pictured online) and deciding from there. The part I don't like is getting a "lifetime" crib but not "lifetime" dressers. Don't get me wrong I understand nothing will last a lifetime but I'd like to buy a dresser that will get him past the baby years because once he grows those 3 drawer options won't be feasible, then I'll be right back to looking for a dresser that matches the bed! So it's like why not get it out of the way now instead of  what I foresee as wasting money.

Up next is checking out rockers and gliders. I'm leaning toward a glider because they seem to be more budget friendly and we are kinda limited on space. I went to BRU (babies r us) a while ago and tested out a few. Most of them ranged from $300 plus in the store so of course I wanted to go online to see if I could get a better deal. Here's some I have my eye on:

BRU $179.99

 BRU $219.99

Walmart $139 ( I love that it has pockets on the side)

Target $199.99

Target $179.99

All of them are rated at least 4 out of 5 stars. The first three are by Storkcraft, the fourth one is Graco and the last one is by Shermag. What I do like is that they all include the ottoman so that's one less thing to purchase. Jump in with your favorite pick/least favorite, brand reviews, things I should look for since all of the ones pictured are available online only so I can't go and "test" them out.

Oh and if I was to spluge on a rocker it would be this beauty!

At $429! Want the ottoman add another $150!

Thanks!

Storage Solutions: Dressers

OMG I'm going crazy finding a dresser to match the Da Vinci Kalani crib! Don't get me wrong they have one that goes with the set but I definitely don't like the price! Here's the matching dressers for the crib

$290

$290

$400! (color is skewed)

Seriously why does the dresser cost more than the crib?! It seems like anything attached to baby marks the value up ten fold ( same thing with weddings, I know this all to well from recently getting married). I would like to have enough space to put the changing pad on top with some room left while still having 4+ drawers, something like this

With a better price around $200

So now the question is do I change my crib (which I've been eyeing forever) or suck it up and buy a matching dresser which would probably be the first one or see if the last one pictured will be a close match and go with that one. Honestly at this point I just want something to put his clothes in, is sturdy and will last a year or two. I could always upgrade later but then the type A personality in me wants everything to match PERFECTLY! Ugh! I need opinions, heck even find me some alternatives (the color is espresso btw)!

So I need to take a step away from this before I explode. On another note I've found these great dresser organizers that I'll be heading to IKEA to get! Their by the Komplement line and will be great for organizing baby booties, paci's, onesies etc. I think I will only need it for the top drawer where those items will go. Here's what they look like, once I see them in person I'll decide on which one to get

So there you have it I'm completely lost on the dresser issue. Again with this being Nursery Week chime in with opinions, suggestions or reviews if you have a product I'm considering. I read ALL the two or three comments I get :)