Crib Confusion

I consider myself to be kind of OCD when it comes to organization so I'm going crazy getting our house ready for the baby. It seems we won't possibly be able to get everything done in just 5 months! I was on a mission to get a crib this week while I'm off work for the Christmas and New Year's holiday. My mom and I took a trip up to Babies R' Us in Madison on Monday and pretty much left more confused than when we started. Maybe I am being a tad picky but here's the scoop. So, being the sentimental gal that I am, I have the baby dresser that my mom used for both my sister and I when we were babies that I really want to use for our baby. Because of this, I need to find a crib that closely matches the wood color which is like a honey oak. Shouldn't be too difficult, right? Well, I found lots of cribs that look to be an almost perfect match. The real problem lies with the changing tables. Some of those changing tables are like full on dressers that they just call a changing table because you can change the baby on top of it. They run like $500 and since I don't really plan on converting the crib to a toddler or full size bed, I don't see the need to buy like a whole bedroom set. I just want a changing table that matches the crib but is simple - you know, has a flat surface on top and a couple of shelves below that I can put some cute baskets to store supplies. It's just really difficut to find a set that contains the right combination of all of those things. Oh and the other thing - I bought the book Baby Bargains that is basically like a Consumer Report of everything baby. It gives tons of great information but unfortunately, the one brand that Babies R' Us had the biggest selection of was rated an 'F' in Baby Bargains. If I'm a good mother-to-be, I can't even really consider those cribs then, can I?? How can I start my child's life off in a failure of a crib? So, I guess I will just have to keep looking. Babies R' Us' website has lots of beautiful sets that they didn't have in the store so I may just have to order one - it's a little riskier since you can't see it in person but it is helpful to be able to read all of the reviews. Any advice that anyone can give me would be appreciated!!

Reflections

It’s amazing how much can change in just a year. I’m sure that statement will ring even more true to me next year. 2009 has been both the most difficult year and the happiest year of my life so far. Last year at this time, I was just going through the motions of life and never felt really present in any situation. I just had so much on my mind and felt so lost. I would wake up every morning and no matter how well I slept or whatever fun things might lie ahead for the day, within minutes of waking up, the heartache would set in. It got to the point that I avoided people because I knew they would inevitably ask me if we had kids yet and it was just such a painful subject for me. Even if people didn’t ask, I imagined that in their heads they were wondering and talking amongst themselves. Dave and I vowed that 2009 would be the year that one way or another, we were going to have a baby. We couldn’t deny any longer that we might need some help and it was time to face reality. After that first consultation in Iowa City, we had so much hope. It just felt good to know that we were really going after it and that our chances of having a baby were better than they ever had been. The IVF process was long and drawn out – lots of waiting in between each step of the process. That was the hardest part. We’d be on such a high after an appointment and then we’d have to wait six weeks or more until our next appointment and there were times when it was hard to keep our spirits up but we just had to keep trucking along. I was grateful that the majority of the downtime was during the summer because I was able to keep busy with lots of activities that helped keep my mind occupied. Once we finally started the injections at the end of the summer, things really started moving along and before we knew it, September 24th came and we got the news we had waited almost four years to hear. I still have a hard time believing that I’m actually pregnant. I haven't really felt the baby move yet - I've felt little things that I think might be the baby but I can't say for sure. Really, I'd just like a strong kick in the stomach! I know soon enough things will really start happening and before we know it the baby will be here but I guess when you’ve wanted something so desperately for so long it’s hard to believe that you no longer have to shoulder that burden. I feel so thankful for the support of my family and friends and I can't wait to see what 2010 holds for our new little family. I just feel so full of hope!! Happy New Year everyone!!

So Sweet!!!

I think one of the things women like the most about men is that, even though they may leave their dirty socks on the floor and forget to empty the dishwasher when they say they will (I’m certainly not referring to any one man in particular), they are also capable of surprising us by doing something so incredibly sweet that we forget about those little things that we were so irritated about. Dave did just that for me yesterday. I was on my way home from work and he called me to say that a package had arrived and it was something he had gotten for the baby and I. When I got home, he came into the kitchen and was holding a little onesie with “Sugar B’s” printed on the front of it and “little helper” printed on the back. Most of you probably know that Sugar B’s is a cupcake business that my sister and I do on the side for fun. Anyways, upon seeing what he did, tears immediately came to my eyes. I was just so speechless and couldn’t believe how thoughtful he was. When I looked over at Dave he mysteriously “had something in his eye” that caused them to be all watery. Sure…Wink! Wink! He said that he pictured me in the kitchen baking with the baby next to me wearing his/her Sugar B’s onesie! Isn’t that just precious? I always knew he would make an amazing daddy but seeing him do something like this before the baby is even born just melts my heart. I just can’t wait to see him hold the baby in his arms for the first time and to see how happy fatherhood makes him!

Daycare - CHECK!

I seriously never thought it would be this easy. I have officially gotten my daycare all lined up for when I go back to work from maternity leave and it is perfect!!!! I’d always known of this lady in our subdivision a couple of blocks away who did daycare and every time I would drive by her house, I would think to myself how perfect it would be if I ever got pregnant if I could take my baby there. One day when I was driving by, I happened to notice a co-worker of mine picking his kids up there and later asked who she was. Of course, since Dubuque is such a small world, it turns out that I happen to know her son-in-law. So, the Facebook junkie that I am sent him a quick note asking for her contact information and if he knew whether she might have an opening coming up at the end of August/early September. He talked to her for me, gave me her contact information and said that she would in fact have an opening! I guess my timing is pretty good for daycare openings considering kids are going back to school at that time of year. Anyways, I talked to her on the phone and then Dave and I met with her last week. She has been doing daycare for over 20 years, her accommodations are very nice, and she just seemed like a really sweet, caring person. I checked her references, of which she received glowing reviews, and called her last night to hold our place. Her prices are very reasonable, our baby will be the only infant with the next closest in age being a 2 year old, she lives so close to home, and her husband works at John Deere which means when she takes vacation in the summer, it will coincide with the same two weeks that I am off for summer shutdown. I just feel like it is meant to be! I was sort of dreading even beginning the daycare search so I can’t believe how this all fell into place so quickly. I feel so fortunate!! Next up on the TO DO list is to start getting the baby’s room cleaned out and to start working on my baby registry! At first it felt like we had so much time to get stuff ready but it has been going by so quickly…as of yesterday, I am 15 weeks pregnant. I can’t believe that in 5 more weeks I will be halfway through my pregnancy!