Birth Center Photo

For some reason I couldn't get these in the earlier post... Oh well, here's a picture of one of 3 rooms at the birth center!

Eeny Meeny Miny Moe

Although I can't wish the time away, because I'm enjoying every minute (yes, even the miserably sick ones) of being pregnant, I'm excited that the first trimester is done. I've read that in just 3-6 weeks I will probably start feeling the baby move around. I can't wait!

My kids at work love to share the excitement with me. Yesterday, when two of my 3rd grade girls found out for the first time, they immediately grabbed my tummy to try and feel the baby (unsuccessfully of course). We spent the next hour with writing down names that they liked for a boy and a girl and drawing pictures of babies. The eeny-meeny method was quite successful in narrowing down our long list to just one, but something tells me that Ross and I will be a little more discriminate when deciding on our child's actual name.

A very generous couple from church gave us a crib that their grandchildren have just outgrown and we put it together on Monday. It's sitting outside the baby's room since the room is still functioning as extra storage, but I get so excited just passing by it every day! We're hoping to be able to collect most of the necessary gear second-hand from friends and on Craigslist, so it was a great boost for our plans. Thanks to all of you who responded with suggestions on what you liked/didn't like and needed/didn't need for your kiddos!

We visited a birth center on Monday to decide if it was the place where we want to give birth. It's very cozy, the rooms are nice, the staff was super helpful and friendly, and there is a great hospital just a couple blocks away where we would transfer to if anything doesn't go smoothly. We decided that it was definitely the right place. It was great to see it in person (rather than just looking at pictures online) and of course, as everything does, it got me so excited for the day when we get to hold our precious little one for the first time! I've had a few dreams about the baby in which it is always a boy, and he always starts growing up too fast (but they are still really good dreams). In the last one, he was already talking intelligently while he was still nursing. "Slow down!" I kept thinking... before waking up and realizing that unless he's a vampire/human, he will not be growing up that fast. :)

Ross & Ally Plus One

Sunday will make 11 weeks for the little one growing inside me... I can hardly believe Ross and I are going to be parents in just a few months! It's at least a little more real to me than to Ross, since I feel sick 50% of the time and am constantly aware that something is different in my body. Thanks for letting me know you're there, Baby!

Today we got a big surprise when we got to hear the heartbeat at our midwife visit. Inexpressible joy. :) As my midwife was rolling the little monitor over my belly, she asked me if I had any sense of where exactly the baby was at that moment. At first I thought, "Nope. Not a clue." But then I remembered I'd been feeling some strange sensations on one side, so I let her know that. Sure enough, there was Baby, heart pounding away! I just can't wait to be able to feel the moving around and kicks and be able to share with Ross so he can feel it too.

It is such fun getting to share our news with family and friends! I can only imagine how exciting it will be to get to announce to everyone when Baby is born... "It's a ____ and ___ name is ____!" Since we don't plan to find out if it's a boy or girl until the day we meet face to face, it will be an exciting surprise.

To any new or recent mothers out there, I would LOVE to have some suggestions on what kind of products you found helpful with your little one(s). Especially when it comes to the basics (since we don't want a bunch of unnecessary stuff), what brands/types did you like best and why? What were some things that you were really glad to have on hand? What things were a waste of money, or at least not useful for you in particular?