Checking In

Well, after a busy couple of weeks (graduation! family visiting! getting the car's AC fixed!) we're settled back in Madison for the time being.  The Nestling was a good traveler, seeming to sleep for most of the car rides.  Long may it continue.  I can feel kicks, somersaults, hiccups and such pretty regularly now, and we've both felt, and seen, some of the more spectacular ones from the outside.  I also got some great maternity stuff while in Cincinnati; three cheers for Snooty Fox and the Kenwood Gap having a maternity section (mostly the maternity stuff is online only, and I really prefer to be able to try things on).

I've still get a bit of queasiness/morning sickness a few times a week, but it's definitely an improvement over the first several months.  This is week 26, and the pregnancy emails say the Nestling is about 14 inches (crown to rump? or including legs? I don't know) and 2-2.5 pounds.  The two books tend to say varying things, though.  It's sort of fun to compare the different measurements/fruit comparisons.

So I've put in a link on the sidebar to the registry I put together, for the benefit of those who made inquiries.  Please don't feel obliged to, on the one hand, give us anything at all, or, on the other, to give us only things from the registry*; it's just a few suggestions: some basics, some splurge items we wouldn't buy for ourselves, and some books that have been recommended to me.  I'm using the site MyRegistry.com, which I've never used before, so as to be able to list things from different stores.  I'll be interested to hear if it's working properly, is easy to use, etc.  From my end, some of the managing functions are a little wonky, but the ease of the bookmark bar button "Add to MyRegistry" is great.

Thanks for stopping by!

*I guess the exception to this would be the car seat.  My Mom picked up a Graco stroller secondhand from a coworker, so having the car seat be a Graco also would be best.

Baby's First Denim, Apparently

So I've been putting together a registry, as a few people have asked about one, and I thought this page was kind of hilarious, and wanted to share.  Coming soon: an actual update.

Twill-Trim Boot-Cut Jeans for Baby 

The Nestling will need to know about their Cincinnati roots

I've been on a Charley Harper kick lately, so just wanted to share the adorableness of these:

ABC's

Coloring Book

Giant Ladybug Floor Puzzle

And, possibly best of all:

A Memory Game!

Though, let's be honest, I really want the coloring book for myself, not the Nestling, who's still several years away from coloring at this point.

It's a Baby Sea Monster!

On Tuesday we had our 20-week ultrasound. One of the pics of the Nestling's spine looked like some sort of sea monster.  So you can guess who has a new nickname.  Here are some of the other, non-sea monster images:

Some with the new-fangled 3D imaging:

And this one is my favorite- it's not the clearest image, but I love the classical, dramatic pose (and apparent thumb-sucking!):

And, more importantly, the ultrasound tech and doc said everything looked good.  So we're just over the moon over here.  It was a good day yesterday (even with the subsequent vomiting in the clinic's restroom because I didn't get my late morning snack in before the appointment).  Cheers!

This is what the cat thinks of the pregnancy...

. . . my belly makes a comfy pillow, apparently.

Also, Pinterest

PS: If you're interested, I've also started a Pinterest board for baby-related ideas & images.  I don't think you have to be a member of Pinterest to view it:

http://pinterest.com/firepurplefly/the-nestling/

How things are just now

So, yeah, I kinda forgot I had a baby blog for a while.  But, really, there hadn't been much going on, Nestling-wise.  But now!

This past Tuesday, April 17th, was our first childbirth class.  We sat in uncomfortable chairs, learned about the stages of labor, saw a video of the birth of someone who, judging by the parents' hair and glasses, is about as old as we are.  It's a 6-week class, with the second half focused on newborn care.

Friday we had another OB visit, and everything seems to be going well.  We heard the heartbeat, and a couple of kicks on the heartbeat monitor.  My thyroid has been borderline the past few visits, so it's being tested again.  Since pretty much every woman I'm related to has either hyper- or hypo-thyroidism, I knew this was coming sooner or later.

And then yesterday, we went to the Spring Half-Pint Resale and scored a tidy haul, our first baby purchases:

All for about $50!  From top left, clockwise: portable changing pad, green hooded bath towel, duck-head bath robe, 3 short-sleeved onesies, 3 long-sleeved onesies, green sleeper, 3 swaddling blankets, 5 burp cloths, baby bjorn carrier, and green fitted crib sheet (backround).  And also, on the less practical side, an awesome dragon marionette: 

Speedy photobombed the pictures, because he needs to sniff the tail of whatever creature comes along, be they other cat or green dragon.

I'll try and remember to post more regularly again, which shouldn't be too hard now that there's a bit more going on.  20 weeks on Tuesday!