"Don't worry, it will all work out." Those words -- along with "relax" -- are just about THE WORST things you can say to me. If I am worried and/or upset, these words are the last thing I want to hear, especially since they will no doubt make me even more upset. I'd rather you give me chocolate or sympathize with me, even if I am being my usual over-compulsive, anal-retentive self. NO ONE ever believes you when you tell them not to worry -- or relax -- so I feel they are truly ridiculous pieces of advice that do nothing more than actually cause more stress.
HOWEVER, I have to say that 9 times out of 10 there really is NOTHING to worry about. Rewind to my post a few weeks back about nothing being done on the baby's room. Well, here we are -- May 23 -- and I have a beautifully painted baby's room, a glider, a rug, all of my bedding (although still awaiting the quilt), and a changer and crib due in any day. I was actually able to stand in the baby's room yesterday night with the rug in place and the glider in the corner and breathe a sigh of relief. Despite all of my worrying, it is all getting done -- well before the baby is even close to due. If all shipments arrive on time, we could very well have this room furnished next weekend (except for the armoire, which we should be able to order in about a week). So pray that I can make it through some of the more important worries I have ahead of me without acting like the world is going to end. (And pray for Jeff too -- his wonderfully patient soul can only take so much... :o)
Other news...
We STARTED the whole registering process on Friday, but we are nowhere near done. I'll let you know when we're finished so you planners out there don't get too far ahead of us. Hopefully we'll finish up in the next week or so.
We also got some stuff marked off our "general house" to do list, although there is still much to do. Even so, I AM NOT WORRYING. I know we'll get this stuff done before the baby comes -- or at least most of it. Heck, we've lived four years without this stuff being done, so we'll survive even if we don't get it done.
Had our 26-week doctor's appt. on Friday and all is well. I had to cancel my Thursday night appt. because of a church commitment, but rescheduled for Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, this meant Jeff had to miss his first appt. He was pretty bummed, but it worked out okay because my mom got to come with me. It was really cool having her there. She got to hear the heartbeat and meet one of my doctors (Dr. F) It was actually the first time I met Dr. F, and I may even like him MORE than Dr. D, which I didn't know was possible. He's a very calming spirit, but very thorough. I like that A LOT.
Baby's heart rate is 148, and I'm measuring just where I should be. That last part made me a lot feel better since some random strangers have taken it upon themselves to tell me I look "too big" or "too small" for being 26 weeks (actually 27 weeks tomorrow!). I have made an oath to myself to never say this to any pregnant woman I meet because the fact is EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT, which means there is no "normal." And why do some people pretend to even know what's "normal?"
Sooo many people told me I wouldn't show until like 6 months, but I've been showing since 12 weeks. I remember telling Cara (my girlfriend in Maryland) that she seemed to be showing early -- I even thought she was having twins! And we actually ended up showing at about the same rate. I FEEL HORRIBLE that I may have made her feel "abnormal" for even a second!! Lesson learned (sorry Cara!). And based on the "too small" and "too big" comments, obviously no one really even knows what is "normal," otherwise they'd be telling me the same thing -- not complete opposites. Anyway, that was pretty random... sorry!
Also signed up for our birthing classes. We start June 23 and it goes for 5 weeks. I'm pretty excited, but also a little nervous. This is where we talk about all of the stuff you know is coming, but put off thinking about because you have time. Well, starting this class is kind of admitting that time inching closer, which makes everything more real. For the most part, that makes me ecstatic, but there's a part of me that is still scared to death. And, yes, I know that I won't learn real parenting skills in a class -- nor will anything prepare me for labor -- but I have to say I'm a firm believer in education and reading. I wouldn't know how to balance my check book if I didn't read my 2nd grade math book. Of course there's a balance, but I am not about to blindly go into parenting without preparing myself with some knowledge. I would never do that with anything else in life, let alone the most important responsibility I'll ever have.
Okay, well, I'm obviously in a venting mood today, so I'll give you all a break. I'll post pictures of the nursery soon and update you on my glucose test --the next milestone -- although with my newfound approach, I can honeslty say I'm not too worried about it!
:o) Lisa
Monday, May 23, 2005
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Friday, May 13, 2005
Bunch o' Stuff
Well, I was going to title this post "Two Baby Bonnemas!" but I thought it would be a little too misleading and might cause some of you some unnecessary excitement (or worry!). So, no, I am not having twins, but my beautiful sister-in-law, Alicia, is having her third baby!! I am so excited! She has already blessed me with the most adorable niece and nephew ever, and now I get a cousin for my little one! I think everyone wants their children to have a cousin close in age so that they can grow up and be best friends, and now I get that too! The blessings keep coming I swear! Alicia's due in December, so the babies will be about 4 months apart. Can't wait to see if they're the same sex. In fact, Alicia and Brian will find out the sex of their baby before we find out ours! And as much as that tempts us to find out, we're still sticking to our guns on this one (sorry Grandma Bonnema! :o)
Lots of other stuff going on this week. Besides my meltdowns about not being able to any cribs we like (or can afford), Jeff and I did manage to decide on a few things (funny how I don't feel that much better -- I think I require stress to live!) Anyway, we have ordered our changer (courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Bonnema), which I absolutely love. I'll try to post a photo from home this weekend (not that any of you believe me on that one). I actually borrowed the idea from my partner in pregnancy, Cara, who has it in black. Thankfully, she is willing to share her good taste, although mine's not quite as hip as hers -- mine is white. I actually considered the red, but my unofficial Dutch side came out and I picked the "classic" choice. I always like to think my style isn't predictable, but in the end, it is. I always go the conservative route when there's money involved. I guess I was destined to be a wooden shoe after all! :o)
I also bought our glider today. It is white with blue and white striped cushions. I actually managed to find one that doesn't look like it was sold at a craft fair, which was my goal. It looks just like a traditional white rocking chair, but it glides. I also found a fun braided rug that has all my colors in it. I surprised myself on this one because I'm not a braided rug kind of person, but this one was fun. Maybe I just fell in love with the name – "The Braidy Bunch" -- but it had a unique twist to it (no pun intended) that I really liked. Plus the colors were a little brighter than my bedding, so I thought it would complement what I already have without being too "matchy, matchy" (as my mom would say!). Again, hoping to post some photos so ya'll can see what I'm talking about.
The furniture dilemma has yet to be finalized, but Jeff and I have narrowed down some options and will most likely make a decision soon. We're buying the paint this weekend, but we decided against the denim finish. Besides the fact that it costs $50 to buy the tools to simply attempt the finish (not including paint or glaze), we're not convinced it's going to turn out the way we want. Plus, sometimes simple is better (especially in a small room), so we're going that route. We picked a denim blue and a light yellow that I think will be strong enough for a boy, but soft enough for a girl. The chair rail will also dress things up, so I'm happy with what we decided. Hopefully it looks as good in person as it does in my mind!
Phew, that was probably more than you wanted to know about the nursery (which is currently a very unorganized office), but it's nice to finally have a plan, even if it isn't complete. I also managed to embark on a few milestones this week -- I did end up getting my line "negra" down my belly. It's very faint, but it's there. Not all that exciting, but my mom never got one, so I didn't really expect it. (It's also nice to have some proof that my overactive hormones are not a figment of my imagination!) I also had to put a Band-Aid over my belly button twice this week so that I wouldn't gross anyone out at first glance. It even shows through pants! I've always considered my belly button quite small, so I'm a little surprised (and disturbed) by how much it sticks out. Oh well, there are worse things I guess…
I'll close with a final random thought... one pregnancy symptom they didn't mention in my books was wrinkles. No not on my face, but on my clothing. I swear, ever since I have been pregnant, no matter how much I iron, I always look like I'm in desperate need of a dry cleaner. And it's not just my belly area that's wrinkled... it's everywhere! Maybe it's some sort of secret conspiracy the maternity clothing people have created so that I'll somehow think it's my fault I look so horrible and that buying a new shirt will help, I don't know. All I can say is that between the wrinkles and my protruding navel, I might as well wear sweats to work. At least then I'd be comfy! :o)
Have a great weekend everyone!
Lots of other stuff going on this week. Besides my meltdowns about not being able to any cribs we like (or can afford), Jeff and I did manage to decide on a few things (funny how I don't feel that much better -- I think I require stress to live!) Anyway, we have ordered our changer (courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Bonnema), which I absolutely love. I'll try to post a photo from home this weekend (not that any of you believe me on that one). I actually borrowed the idea from my partner in pregnancy, Cara, who has it in black. Thankfully, she is willing to share her good taste, although mine's not quite as hip as hers -- mine is white. I actually considered the red, but my unofficial Dutch side came out and I picked the "classic" choice. I always like to think my style isn't predictable, but in the end, it is. I always go the conservative route when there's money involved. I guess I was destined to be a wooden shoe after all! :o)
I also bought our glider today. It is white with blue and white striped cushions. I actually managed to find one that doesn't look like it was sold at a craft fair, which was my goal. It looks just like a traditional white rocking chair, but it glides. I also found a fun braided rug that has all my colors in it. I surprised myself on this one because I'm not a braided rug kind of person, but this one was fun. Maybe I just fell in love with the name – "The Braidy Bunch" -- but it had a unique twist to it (no pun intended) that I really liked. Plus the colors were a little brighter than my bedding, so I thought it would complement what I already have without being too "matchy, matchy" (as my mom would say!). Again, hoping to post some photos so ya'll can see what I'm talking about.
The furniture dilemma has yet to be finalized, but Jeff and I have narrowed down some options and will most likely make a decision soon. We're buying the paint this weekend, but we decided against the denim finish. Besides the fact that it costs $50 to buy the tools to simply attempt the finish (not including paint or glaze), we're not convinced it's going to turn out the way we want. Plus, sometimes simple is better (especially in a small room), so we're going that route. We picked a denim blue and a light yellow that I think will be strong enough for a boy, but soft enough for a girl. The chair rail will also dress things up, so I'm happy with what we decided. Hopefully it looks as good in person as it does in my mind!
Phew, that was probably more than you wanted to know about the nursery (which is currently a very unorganized office), but it's nice to finally have a plan, even if it isn't complete. I also managed to embark on a few milestones this week -- I did end up getting my line "negra" down my belly. It's very faint, but it's there. Not all that exciting, but my mom never got one, so I didn't really expect it. (It's also nice to have some proof that my overactive hormones are not a figment of my imagination!) I also had to put a Band-Aid over my belly button twice this week so that I wouldn't gross anyone out at first glance. It even shows through pants! I've always considered my belly button quite small, so I'm a little surprised (and disturbed) by how much it sticks out. Oh well, there are worse things I guess…
I'll close with a final random thought... one pregnancy symptom they didn't mention in my books was wrinkles. No not on my face, but on my clothing. I swear, ever since I have been pregnant, no matter how much I iron, I always look like I'm in desperate need of a dry cleaner. And it's not just my belly area that's wrinkled... it's everywhere! Maybe it's some sort of secret conspiracy the maternity clothing people have created so that I'll somehow think it's my fault I look so horrible and that buying a new shirt will help, I don't know. All I can say is that between the wrinkles and my protruding navel, I might as well wear sweats to work. At least then I'd be comfy! :o)
Have a great weekend everyone!
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
On a Misson...
Okay, so we're finally going to get our butts moving on the baby's room. So far, we've been trying to tie up loose ends around the rest of the house, but I finally realized yesterday that the general house list is much too long to finish before starting on the baby's room. So, I started my frantic mission yesterday, searching the Web for everything from cribs to wall art.
So far, the only thing we have is the baby's bedding (courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Bernard), which is a good start. I have the crib sheet, crib skirt, and window valence, but I am on a waiting list for the bumper still. That's supposed to come in next week. The bumper is actually the "inspiration" for the room, so I'll feel much better once I have it in hand. You can check it out at Pottery Barn Kids.
As some of you may have already heard me say, the room won't really have a theme, but be more of a primary color "hodgepodge" of everything baby. That's my goal at least. So, I'm only doing the Kasey bumper and some mix and match bedding. The sheet is green gingham, which matches one of the stripes in the bumper, and the crib skirt and window valence are primary color animals that are just adorable -- a lion, a chicken, and my favorite, a green frog with a yellow crown. He's so cute!
Paint colors will most likely be yellow and denim blue. Yellow on top with a chair rail separating it from the blue paint on the bottom. We're going to attempt Ralph Lauren's denim finish, but we'll see what happens. Our experience with faux painting hasn't been so great…
The rest is, well, still up for grabs. I know I want to do wooden crib and armoire cabinet and possibly a white changing table and glider. My struggle has been to find affordable, cute furniture that is also safe. It's a little stressful buying this stuff, knowing that it is going to hold your little one. Do I get a drop-side crib for convenience and take the chance that the hardware might loosen? Do I get a crib that converts to a toddler bed or is it a waste of money? Everyone has their opinions -- and I've heard them all -- but we have to figure out what ours is. It's just so much to think about.
Accessories will most likely be the fun part, although I feel like I can't focus on those until the big stuff is finished. I know I want lots of red in there and some fun lamps. I may even get creative and make a lamp shade I saw on the Web that I'm too cheap to buy. We'll see how that goes. I guess I can blame that on the whole nesting thing (and all the HGTV shows I can't seem to get enough of!) ;o)
Well, I'll keep you posted on our progress, but I can assure you something will be finalized by this weekend! Just pray that Jeff survives my very determined agenda!!!
So far, the only thing we have is the baby's bedding (courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Bernard), which is a good start. I have the crib sheet, crib skirt, and window valence, but I am on a waiting list for the bumper still. That's supposed to come in next week. The bumper is actually the "inspiration" for the room, so I'll feel much better once I have it in hand. You can check it out at Pottery Barn Kids.
As some of you may have already heard me say, the room won't really have a theme, but be more of a primary color "hodgepodge" of everything baby. That's my goal at least. So, I'm only doing the Kasey bumper and some mix and match bedding. The sheet is green gingham, which matches one of the stripes in the bumper, and the crib skirt and window valence are primary color animals that are just adorable -- a lion, a chicken, and my favorite, a green frog with a yellow crown. He's so cute!
Paint colors will most likely be yellow and denim blue. Yellow on top with a chair rail separating it from the blue paint on the bottom. We're going to attempt Ralph Lauren's denim finish, but we'll see what happens. Our experience with faux painting hasn't been so great…
The rest is, well, still up for grabs. I know I want to do wooden crib and armoire cabinet and possibly a white changing table and glider. My struggle has been to find affordable, cute furniture that is also safe. It's a little stressful buying this stuff, knowing that it is going to hold your little one. Do I get a drop-side crib for convenience and take the chance that the hardware might loosen? Do I get a crib that converts to a toddler bed or is it a waste of money? Everyone has their opinions -- and I've heard them all -- but we have to figure out what ours is. It's just so much to think about.
Accessories will most likely be the fun part, although I feel like I can't focus on those until the big stuff is finished. I know I want lots of red in there and some fun lamps. I may even get creative and make a lamp shade I saw on the Web that I'm too cheap to buy. We'll see how that goes. I guess I can blame that on the whole nesting thing (and all the HGTV shows I can't seem to get enough of!) ;o)
Well, I'll keep you posted on our progress, but I can assure you something will be finalized by this weekend! Just pray that Jeff survives my very determined agenda!!!
Thursday, May 05, 2005
6 Months... only 4 to go!
Well, we hit the 6-month mark this week, which is just crazy. It seems like just yesterday I was (very!) anxiously waiting for a positive PG test, and here we are -- only 16 weeks away from meeting our baby. It's strange because at the same time, I don't remember what it's like to not be PG anymore. I've forgotten what it's like to have more than three pairs of pants, what it means to not stress about the nutritional aspect of every morsel I put in my mouth (not to mention what won't give me heartburn), and how to sleep through a whole night (yeah, yeah, I know, just wait...)
That doesn't even account for the fact that my "charming" tendency toward clumsiness has somehow exponentially multiplied. You should have seen me shaving this morning! As my sister and mother can attest, this is one task I have NEVER been good at (with the scars to show), but me trying to hike my leg up on the (very) high shelf in the shower was quite entertaining. What's even scarier is the fact that I will have to do this ALL SUMMER LONG!!! Oh, to be pregnant in October...
The only thing that might have been equally as entertaining was me trying to teach 11 little girls how to do a chaîné turn at ribbon dancing practice the other night. I'm sure you can imagine what a perfect picture of balance and grace I was... The good news is that 10-12 year olds can be pretty sweet when they want to (although my loving and, um, sympathetic sister-in-law had more than a few good laughs!)
So that's physically. Now the mental part. I swear this week the baby must have pressed some hormone button in my belly because I'm beyond bipolar. I've gone from crying for joy (literally) because one of my good friends mailed me an early Mother's Day card (thanks, Katie!) to yelling my head off because Jeff and I are disagreeing about credit cards (sorry, Jeff!) -- all in like 5 minutes flat. And yesterday I was exhausted to the point of hallucination, and today I was wide awake at 5:45am cleaning every inch of our bedroom. I'm a little afraid of what the next 12 hours will bring… :o)
Well, I know I've been bad about posting pictures, but if my energy levels maintain high until tonight, I will definitely post some updated photos. I'm due since my last round was at 19 weeks. I'm not sure how well it will translate in photos, but I have to say I feel like twice the size lately. And the baby is kicking and moving like crazy now. Last night I swear he (or she!) was doing flip-flops. I could feel him (or her) rolling around. It's the most amazing feeling in the world.
Okay, I could probably babble on forever, but I guess I'll spear you all the risk of a major mood swing mid-sentence! :o) Have a happy Thursday!
That doesn't even account for the fact that my "charming" tendency toward clumsiness has somehow exponentially multiplied. You should have seen me shaving this morning! As my sister and mother can attest, this is one task I have NEVER been good at (with the scars to show), but me trying to hike my leg up on the (very) high shelf in the shower was quite entertaining. What's even scarier is the fact that I will have to do this ALL SUMMER LONG!!! Oh, to be pregnant in October...
The only thing that might have been equally as entertaining was me trying to teach 11 little girls how to do a chaîné turn at ribbon dancing practice the other night. I'm sure you can imagine what a perfect picture of balance and grace I was... The good news is that 10-12 year olds can be pretty sweet when they want to (although my loving and, um, sympathetic sister-in-law had more than a few good laughs!)
So that's physically. Now the mental part. I swear this week the baby must have pressed some hormone button in my belly because I'm beyond bipolar. I've gone from crying for joy (literally) because one of my good friends mailed me an early Mother's Day card (thanks, Katie!) to yelling my head off because Jeff and I are disagreeing about credit cards (sorry, Jeff!) -- all in like 5 minutes flat. And yesterday I was exhausted to the point of hallucination, and today I was wide awake at 5:45am cleaning every inch of our bedroom. I'm a little afraid of what the next 12 hours will bring… :o)
Well, I know I've been bad about posting pictures, but if my energy levels maintain high until tonight, I will definitely post some updated photos. I'm due since my last round was at 19 weeks. I'm not sure how well it will translate in photos, but I have to say I feel like twice the size lately. And the baby is kicking and moving like crazy now. Last night I swear he (or she!) was doing flip-flops. I could feel him (or her) rolling around. It's the most amazing feeling in the world.
Okay, I could probably babble on forever, but I guess I'll spear you all the risk of a major mood swing mid-sentence! :o) Have a happy Thursday!
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