The Nausea Chronicles, Entry 9. Or: Instincts Aren't Going to Help Me Pick a Carseat.

3.19.10
10w2d

So the other night, (St. Patrick's Day), David and I went to Babies 'R' Us to look at baby stuff and see what we've gotten ourselves into. We walked in that megaplex of baby whatchamacallits... And decided that we probably should have made the trip before we got pregnant. Holy Hell there's a lot of STUFF for babies. We wandered around the store for a while... both of us completely overwhelmed by how many different things there were, and by how many of those different things do the same thing (crib, bassinet, cradle). Not to mention the variations on the same thing that do different things: crib, mini-crib, convertible crib...

It's ridiculous. How am I supposed to know what works for us if I've never had a baby, don't have any practical experience with babies, and especially how am I supposed to know/anticipate what works for us and OUR baby ahead of time? Bleh.

We did end up buying one thing at Babies 'R' Us, it's essentially a Johnny Jump up, which David and I agree is the best baby toy ever invented. It did worry me just a WEE bit when David said "Oooh, let's get this before they get recalled!" I wonder if he knows what recall really means... especially when talking about things you strap your baby into... I also wonder if David realizes that the baby won't be able to use the Johnny Jump Up for a LONG LONG TIME. Haha

So we're just past 10 weeks along. Slightly less than 30ish to go. That seems like a lot of time to plan and pull baby essentials and such together, but he'll be deployed sometime in May. I'm kinda grumbly that David is going to have to miss the last bit of the second trimester and most/all of the third. I don't want to totally exclude him from the nursery decoration and the decisions about baby furnitures, but unless we get to it before he leaves, that's pretty much how it's going to go.

I still need to decide what to do with the furniture in my extra room/what will be the baby's room. I have a queen sized bed and a double sized futon (not your crappy college dorm type futon) that can't BOTH stay in there. ::sigh::

Currently having a can of peas and then a nice slice of apple pie for lunch. That's a vegetable and a fruit, right?? ;]

· Comments ·

Patty B

lol youll figure out what works for you eventually =]

Can i have some apple pie!!!!

March 19 at 11:44am ·

Nadine

Darice had a crib with this really cool hammock that hung inside for when the baby was really small. It made the baby feel all cozy. It also had a little heart shaped pocket with a music box that sounded like a heartbeat.

March 19 at 12:05pm ·

Linzy Powers

Nadine that does sound neat!

March 19 at 12:08pm ·

Sara I

I gotta be perfectly honest with you, you'll probley spend A LOT of time downstairs, so try looking for an area in there to set stuff up. It doesn't have to stay in there forever of course. But I found myself in the livingroom most of the time with both my kids. It's very easy being next to diapers, and a kitchen.

March 19 at 12:09pm ·

Megan H

Ooh, possibly dinner at Anna Millers? Can I jump in?

March 19 at 12:27pm ·

Deb R

I completely agree Sara. That's why we never had a use for the changing table. I never wanted to tote my BFA upstairs to change him/her. There was always a tote of stuff downstairs and God knows a receiving blanket and new outfit in the laundry......since laundry became CONSTANT (that never ended BTW).
For us the following were important:
Bassinet (with Ethan we only had a crib, and went out for a bassinet, day 1...the crib was too big and far away....the bassinet portable)
Swing (this with Ryann, since she constantly wanted to be held, and I NEEDED my arms)
Travel System... See More
Receiving blankets (burp cloths are a joke! No baby spits up that little)

March 19 at 1:04pm ·

Sara I

I used burp rags with Em, but Xoie was really messy with a bottle, so I did use receiving blankets with her, and still do. They get much more of the mess, and you can reuse them a few times before throwing it in the washer.

March 19 at 1:10pm ·

Linzy Powers

Yeah, I'm kinda thinking bassinet instead of big ol' crib, but I also want to eventually have the baby sleep in it's crib, in it's room, and I feel like they'd grow out of a bassinet too quickly.

I am going to look for furniture for the living room, you're right, that's where we'll probably be most of the time. But what do I need to have upstairs ... See Moreand when do I need to have downstairs? What am I going to want/have to haul up and down every day besides baby? little things are no big deal, but i'm sure as hell not hauling anything big.

Sara, I've noticed that you use the HELL out of your pack 'n' play downstairs... what are things you like about it and things you don't? It seems like the kind of thing that can be used for a couple of years. How old was Xoie when you started using it with her?

March 19 at 1:51pm ·

Linzy Powers

Sure Megan, you can come if we actually go, hahah I"ll text you if we're gonna pull it together.

March 19 at 1:53pm ·

Beth R

you should just come to my house w a pen and paper since i do in fact have a newborn-ish baby at the moment

March 19 at 2:05pm ·

Linzy Powers

OOOh, that's a good idea Beth! What's your weekend look like?

March 19 at 2:11pm ·

Beth Runkel

if the weather is good tomorrow, then i am taking the kiddos to bellows. that is all i have planned so far. i am always home by like 7 to give baths and get them in bed and everything though.

March 19 at 2:15pm ·

Linzy Powers

ok. I might have to take maggie out to the vet tomorrow, but that's my only MUST DO this weekend (that I can actually remember). I"ll text you before I want to come over to see what you're up to. Thanks SO much for the offer, i appreciate it!

March 19 at 2:26pm ·

Sara I

I actually used my pak n play 1st, before the crib. Mine has a bassinett attachment, and it's awesome! Most of the graco ones are like that. I got a lot of use out of it, the rule of thumb is take them out when they can roll over and lift up. They aren't that pricey at all. You remember seeing it when I had it in the living room, when she would sleep in it?

March 19 at 3:56pm

The Nausea Chronicles, Entry 8. Or: PANTS, I HATE THEM.

3.13.10
9wks3days

Actually, I simply don't like wearing pants. I'm glad they exist, because there are a LOT of people who I NEVER want to see pants-less.

That said, I think my pants finally caught onto my distaste for them, because they've begun to hate me back. Just a little bit. Just around the parts that fasten them onto my waist. ::sigh::

At least my pajama pants still love me!

· Comments ·

Johanna G

http://www.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=3407242

http://www.expectingcomfort.com/belly-band.html

I found these belly bands to be awesome cuz they can also be just a layering piece, which will come in handy when your belly starts to really get big.

March 14 at 8:07am ·

Linzy Powers

I can't COMFORTABLY button my jeans. Belly band isn't going to help that. Thanks though. :]

March 14 at 10:20am ·

Johanna G

yeh thats what its for. it holds up and hides unbuttoned jeans. thats what I used til I had to get maternity stuff.

March 14 at 11:29am ·

Linzy Powers

I've just forsaken my jeans for the yoga pants I have in 5 different colors. Those should keep me for a while.

March 14 at 11:37am ·

Johanna G

tu shea (or how ever you spell it...lol)

March 14 at 11:37am

Linzy Powers

Touché. It's French. :]

March 14 at 11:42am

The Nausea Chronicles, Entry 7. Or: You Know How I Know I'm Pregnant?

3.11.10

I'm currently eating potato chips. Dipped in HONEY. And it's fucking DELICIOUS.

Honey is a vegetable, right? You know... Flowers are plants and all that.

· Comments ·

Megan H

Close....but at least it is good for you!

March 11 at 3:12pm ·

Rachael B

aawesome.

March 11 at 3:30pm ·

Beth R

thanks to chanse hart, ellie likes sour cream and onion chips w whipped cream on them haha.

March 12 at 7:35am ·

Linzy Powers

Beth, that sounds SOOOO gross!

March 12 at 8:12am ·

Nadine

Remember Babies CANNOT have honey. Something in it that they can't digest.
Of course, you can have it! So DIP away!

March 13 at 2:05am ·

Linzy Powers

Nadine, I know babies can't have honey. More for me.

March 13 at 8:42am ·

The Nausea Chronicles, Entry 6. Or: When Open Skepticism Pays Off.

3.10.10
9wks

Yesterday was my OB Check-in at the Navy Clinic. It seemed to be mostly to get my family history into the computer system and to see what kind of labs and tests will need to be ordered later (diabetes, genetic this-or-that, I don't remember what else). Then the Nurse-guy doing the check-in talked to/with me for a long time about what to expect, where to go for this problem or that, what my next appointments will be like, how I should try to eat, by the way, you should be drinking at least a liter of water every day... "So how are you and your husband feeling about all this?"

"Well, David is over the moon thrilled... I secretly think I'm actually dying. I don't believe it's really in there, despite 3 home tests and the blood test, I feel like I accidentally told someone a lie and now I have to cover my ass by telling everyone else."

He said it's perfectly normal to be in total disbelief to the point of almost denial... My words, not his. He was SO NICE about it, he even offered to try and find the heartbeat for me if I could come back in about an hour, if he was free.

So David was underway (out to sea on the submarine he works on) as of last Friday, but I got an email from the Ombudsman (the contact between the Captain of the boat and the families of the guys on the boat), saying that the boat had pulled in around 8 that morning (yesterday). Well, My appointment was from about 8-9:15 and at the end of it, I had to go get blood drawn for the labby-lab-tests and the classic pee in a cup. I made a real mess of that, let me tell you. Anyway, I sent David a text, saying "If you could escape for an hour or so around 10:30, we're going to try to find the baby's heartbeat!" No reply, but that was about what I expected. Having an hour to kill, I decided that it was time for Burger King, but I'd drive by the boat first, just to see what was going on. I saw someone I knew from David's division on the pier, and asked him if he could PLEASE ask David ti call me, it's kind of important.

David called me back while I was in line at BK, and when I told him where I was, he was like "Reeeeally? You're at Buuuurger Kiiing?" ::cue sad puppy face, complete with enormous watery eyes:: So I told him what was going to go down with the search for baby, got us food and went to the boat.

I don't know what kind of Happy Juice his Chief had drank with breakfast, but David was allowed to GO! He had duty that day (basically he's not allowed to leave the boat because it's his turn to watch the panel of instruments that make sure the boat is A-OK), so it was REALLY a surprise that he was allowed to leave for a few hours!

We ate and went back to the clinic, where the Awesome-Nurse-guy was free and we did the listening-for-the-heartbeat-little-machine-with-the-slimy-jelly on my abdomen. I felt ridiculously awkward. I was SO VERY glad I'd worn underwear that day. He squished it around on my stomach for a while and tried to find baby. My own heartbeat was RIDICULOUSLY loud, and it kinda sounded like whales in there (you know, or a particularly delicious breakfast croissant being digested)... Awesome-Nurse-guy said at one point that he heard it in the background, but we couldn't find it again. (I say WE, like I did anything but lay there and try not to breathe too deeply.)

He said that 9wks is kinda early to hear the heartbeat, but I trust him. If he heard it in there, then I guess it really IS in there. Somewhere. Internet says it's about the size of a large martini olive. Sounds tasty.

Time to go fill up my ENORMOUS water bottle. No wonder pregnant women pee so freaking much!! Chug-a-lug!

Written about 3 weeks ago · Comment ·

Nadine

I think it was 3 months for the heartbeat for me. Of course, the drs didn't even want to see me until 3 mths. which suited me fine. Wait til you try a sonogram--you need to drink so much water and hold it through the sonogram. At least I remember that. Maybe it's changed in 21+years. Oh the joys of bloodwork and tests. There will be the one where you drink some stuff and plenty more. Enjoy. I kept a pregnancy journal too.

March 10 at 10:55am ·

Deb R

I know exactly how you feel with the disbelief. As you start to grow, it'll become very real. Although even then I had my doubts...what if it was a tumor...or an alien.

March 10 at 11:21am ·

Linzy Powers

Yeah, the glucose test won't be for another long while. 12 weeks is the average, but the super-nice-awesome-nurse-guy is a Labor and Delivery specialist, and he said he's usually really good at finding the heartbeats, so he'd give it a try. He said HE heard it, but then it squirmed away and he couldn't find it again. He said if I come back in a couple of weeks we can try again when it's bigger.

March 10 at 11:29am ·

Colleen C

my mom would be so proud of you. yay h2o! and carrot sticks!

March 10 at 3:50pm ·

Linzy Powers

Your mom is a carrot stick!!!

March 10 at 4:40pm

The Nausea Chronicles, Entry 5. Or: Whose Baby Is It Anyway?

3.8.10
8wks5days

Last night was another doozy of a dream scene. I dreamed that I'd had twins (boy & girl), but there were complications, and when I came to, my MOTHER had named one of the babies. And she WOULDN'T tell me what it was because, "You wouldn't like it anyway." All she would tell me was that it was "exotic." I was, to say the least, FURIOUS. I continued to dream that I'd wanted to name the babies Alaina and Henry, but that was SHOT because of whatever she'd named the baby boy.
WOULD. NOT. TELL. ME. I dreamed that we took the babies to a restaurant to meet a bunch of mom's Charleston friends, and she went around the table whispering the boy's name to everyone but me. I woke up from the dream SO ANGRY. It still annoys me if I think about it for too long. Grr.

Everything's feeling pretty normal today. It's kinda sad that "kinda tired, kinda cranky, kinda headachy and slightly nauseous" has become the norm. ::sigh::

Yesterday's Craving of the Day Gone Awry: Cinnebon. I gathered a group of friends together and we went to go see the new Alice in Wonderland. And since it was Sunday, Cinnebon was CLOSED, whether for the day, or just because the mall closes early, I don't know. But it was SO SAD. I ended up getting yukky nachos from the movie theater concession stand. And they charged and unreasonable amount for extra cheese. Hrmph.

Ongoing Pregnancy "You Can't Have" That I'm Missing: Soda. It's so hard not to order a coke/pepsi/diet cola with every whatever meal or snack I buy. Sprite is my new best friend. Next to 3 Ritz cracker sandwiches with peanut butter in the middle.

Updated about a month ago · Comment ·

Linda D and Skylar C like this.

Jessie R

That's totally something your mom would try and pull - hilarious!

March 10 at 10:40am

The Nausea Chronicles Entry 4. Or: What's With the Cracked-out Dreams?

3.7.10.
8wks4days

So last night, and by that I mean I woke up about half an hour ago, I had what was probably the second weirdest dream so far. I was in some random house, still in my current neighborhood, and for SOME reason, a bunch of my ex-boyfriend's (T) friends decided to drop in and visit, and then The Ex himself showed up too. He laughed at me and called me an Army Wife, and I did my best to explain that I'm actually a Navy Wife, a Submariner's Wife, to be exact, and he just wasn't having any of it. (Which is really about right, if you knew this guy). It's hard to explain to a group of guys(this particular group of imaginary guys, at least) that your husband is at sea, and no, there's no phone calls, no, there's no video-chat on Skype, only email. Sometimes. Especially when they're like "When does he get home so we can ride his motorcycle into the pool?"

I'm tired of the dreams with ex-boyfriends in them. Dear subconscious, what's the deal? Our life is AWESOME now, I don't feel that those issues from the past are particularly "unresolved", and if they were, I've resolved them the best I can by marrying a WONDERFUL, SWEET, FUNNY, LOVING, CARING, etc. man and moving with him 5,000 miles around the world. Get it? Quit with the ex-'s.

If I hadn't already heard/known that pregnancy dreams were freaking weird I'd be worried. This last week has been particularly ridiculous.


In other news, the pretzel place, only takes CASH, much to my HORROR! I was crestfallen. (I've always wanted to use that word!! Hooray extensive vocabulary and nowhere to wear it. Almost makes me want to take the verbal part of the SAT/GRE again. Almost.) Anyway. Pretzel-horror. So after I shuffled off, with fallen crests, I got in the car still mourning the pretzely-goodness that was not to be mine. As I started to drive away from the mall, my mind was churning with other options for treats. And with David gone to sea, I have to provide my OWN self with treats. I settled on ice-cream. A Cake and Shake, to be exact. Coldstone makes these milkshakes, and mine had cake batter ice cream (greatest. flavor. EVER.) and yellow cake mix-in. I know it sounds weird, but they're effing fabulous. And I got a 10% military discount. Bonus.

I'm going to get that pretzel today. Look out Pretzel-minions, I'm a comin' for YOUR PRETZEL. Don't skimp on the salt.

· Comments ·

Ric F

I love "That's how I Roll" from Coldstone. They opened one last year only 3 miles from our house. Yum.

March 7 at 7:35am ·

Stephanie D

I'm a HUGE fan of coldstone, but there aren't any near me. At least that I know of. I really like having their cinnamon ice cream.

March 7 at 8:07am ·

Linzy Powers

they've got a new flavor, chocolate dipped strawberry, and it has hunks of strawberries mixed right into the chocolate ice cream! I sampled it, and it was delish, but I can never bring myself to deviate from my favorite!

March 7 at 10:41am ·

Colleen C

boo crazy dreams...sometimes i wanna tell them "shut the F*** UP!".....ice cream is usually the cure......or a can of cake icing and a spoon ;)

March 7 at 4:09pm ·

Linzy Powers

I haven't done that in SO LONG!!! (I've been trying to avoid eating things that are just plain unhealthy) Though, there's a can of coconut pecan icing calling my name from the pantry!

March 7 at 9:27pm ·

Colleen C

are you craving weird food yet? like the kinda food you'd NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS eat? like limburger cheese and squid?
maybe thats a 3 months + type of thing

March 10 at 3:49pm ·

Linzy Powers

Nothing really weird, unless you count peanut butter on ritz crackers... I think it's weird because I really don't like peanut butter!!

March 10 at 4:39pm

The Nausea Chronicles, entry 3. Or: Because You Can't Discipline It When It's Inside of You.

3.6.2010
8wks3days

Dear Bebe, if you ARE really in there,

If you don't cut it out with the bouts of nausea, you are SO. TOTALLY. GROUNDED. I haven't decided to do it right away, while you're squirmy, or wait until you're like, 15, and spring it on you. "Yeah? I'm mean and never let you do anything? Well pooh on you, you're grounded for making me have morning sickness when you were negative 7 months old. Thought I was going to let that slide? No sirree. To your room. No [insert 2025 version of iPod/tv/computer device here]." That'll show you who's boss. But you don't even have functional ears yet, so it's a little early for a lecture on Do Unto Others, and that other jazz.


That pretzel yesterday was really good though, huh? Want another one? Ok, let's go.

Apparantly,
Your... Mothe-*cough*, Mam-*cough-cough*... well, it's not like you'll be calling me anything for the first year or so ANYWAY, so I can get over my awkwardness/squeamishness/phobia later. We've still got a little over 31 weeks to go. Wooooo.

P.S. I'm serious about that pretzel.

· Comments ·

Johanna G

ur 9 weeks?

March 6 at 5:18pm ·

Amanda S

Wow. I can't believe our babies will be 15 in 2025. That sounds so futuristic.

March 6 at 5:36pm ·

Sara Ikner

"Mommy, mommy, mommy!" ;p

March 6 at 6:43pm ·

Linzy Powers

Johanna, I am, according to the calendar *I* prefer. I'm sure the doctor's office will screw that all up, but since I know almost exactly when *IT* happened, I'm using a calendar that calculates by that. Message me if you want more info.

March 6 at 6:43pm ·

Nadine

apparently--spelling fairy at work 24/7. BTW, I am enjoying the nausea chronicles and do think it could be a book or at least a blog site.

March 7 at 1:48am ·

Darice G

Me too. Looking forward to the next entry.

March 7 at 3:17am ·

Linzy Powers

I promise NOTHING! Neither regularity in posting, consistent hilarity, nor a positive upswing as the plot thickens.

Nadine, you can blame Firefox for that one, apparently the spell-checker needs to be updated. That's who I'M blaming.

March 7 at 6:48am ·

Ric F

Emmarose is also grounded for many years to come for the morning sickness. Also, the doctor's office always goes by the wheel here, so they were 2 weeks off from our calculations, and we were there, so we know when it happened, but they adjusted the due date at her 12 weeks ultrasound.

March 7 at 6:48am ·

Linzy Powers

I'll be dealing with military docs, who are ordered to care only so much from what I've heard, so I'm really hoping, that they take me seriously.

The wheel is stupid if the couple actually knows when conception happens. I do understand that 90+% don't know when it happened for them, but it really annoys me that doctors and jerk-nurses (I know one in particular) won't listen to a patient when she says she doesn't operate on a 28 day cycle with "O" on day 14.

March 7 at 6:54am

The Nausea Chronicles, entry 2. Or: I guess I'm going to Attempt a Pregnancy Journal...

3.3.2010
8wks1day

Today has been blissfully uneventful; moderate nausea, but what else is new?

I GOT TO SLEEP IIIIIN!!!!! I told the lady I work for that I want to finish out the month and then quit (which I think she may have ignored), but she's reworked her schedule so she'll be dropping her kids off at my house later some mornings, which means I won't have to drive to her house to be there every morning around 7:30 (I actually usually manage to scramble there by 7:45ish... Mornings are not the best time for me). GLORIOUS VICTORY!!! SLEEPING IN!!!! My favorite thing EVER!!

Sleeping in= less nausea. It's the best thing since SALT. (I'm really not all that enamored of the whole "sliced bread" saying. Slicing bread? Really not that difficult a concept. Salt on the other hand? DELICIOUS. From the OCEAN. BRILLIANCE in a convenient shaker!)

Anyhoo, if you're wondering why I'm not tagging anyone in these notes, it's because I can't promise that I'll be funny. If I could guarantee it, then I'd probably charge.

Uuuum, let's see what else... Oh, David's home for a couple of days (insert excited squealing and flailing here), and that's been just WONDERFUL!!! He even went out last night and got me chicken nuggets and pickles and sliced cheese singles. He's the most wonderful husband I could ever ask for. I love him so much. He's going to be a great daddy. I just hope it's a boy...

Comments:

Nadine

I hope it's a boy too. So much better for you.

March 3 at 11:31am ·

Linzy Powers

agreed. I'm not interested in any "Daddy's little princesses" and I"m sure he's not going to be able to resist! He has a hard enough time saying no to ME!! :]

If it is a girl though, I'm very interested in raising her to be a strong intelligent woman who can do ANYTHING a boy can do. I'm hoping that she won't even discover the color pink exists until she goes to school...

March 3 at 11:34am ·

Nadine

I just think a boy would be such a nice change from your mom/you. She won't have as much to comment on--it'll be different!!

March 3 at 11:35am ·

Linzy Powers

I agree, both genders have their pros and cons.

http://pregnancy.about.com/od/boyorgirl/l/blchinesegenderchart.htm says it'll be a boy. ::shrug:: we'll see!

March 3 at 11:40am ·

Ric F

Just because someone likes pink doesn't mean that they cannot be a strong intelligent woman that can do anything a boy can.

March 3 at 11:43am ·

Nadine

I remember that chart. It was right for me too.
Salt cravings--boy. Sweets--girl.

March 3 at 11:44am ·

Ric F

No offense, I am just saying.... And I totally agree with you about raising an strong intelligent woman. We are trying to raise Beth that way. She never turns down a challenge, and she is really independent. I can't stand clingy people. Hopefully Emmarose will be that way to. :) And I do hope you have a boy, too.

March 3 at 11:46am ·

Linzy Powers

I love Beth to death. She's so cool.

I'm not saying my girl can't like pink because it means she's a pansy, I hope she doesn't like pink because *I* hate the color pink. And that's the color that people automatically think of when it comes to little girls. Blech.

Nadine, I have ALWAYS craved salty (and crunchy) things, so I'm not sure how much stock I'm putting in that old wives tale...

March 3 at 11:53am ·

Kathryn C

Cosmas once told me that nukes are more prone to having female kids for whatever reason. Booo. I hope you get a boy though. I want my first to be a boy too. :)

March 3 at 11:58am ·

Linzy Powers

Actually, the way people tell it is "boy come from BEFORE a deployment, and girls come from AFTER." It's really not true, but it does seem that way sometimes.

I'm kinda hoping the baby will glow in the dark. Then David will HAVE to let me give it a middle name like "Super" or "Telekinetic"...

March 3 at 12:02pm ·

Melissa G

Hey don't hate on the color pink. You won't have to worry though. You're having a boy.

I like salty treats too.

March 3 at 2:58pm ·

Linzy Powers

Haha, thanks for your expert opinion, Melissa! A lot of people have told me that though. Not based on anything in particular scientific though.

I miss La Hacienda! I would so eat there EVERY DAY if I was in Charleston. Well... Maybe just every couple of days. But I really miss Americanized Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, and other ethnic foods. I guess I just like my food plainer and identifiable!!

March 8 at 2:26pm ·

Melissa G

I might be having LaHa anytime I want pretty soon. Be jealous.

March 8 at 2:31pm ·

Linzy Powers

I'm both jealous and SAD. If I come back to Charleston this summer, I swear, all I'm going to to is EAT.

March 8 at 2:47pm