This morning I was watching an old re-run of "Designing Women." It was the one where Quint, Mary Jo's son, was curious about where babies come from and that got me thinking... one day we will have to explain to Little No Name about how she came into being.
I imagine the conversation will go a little like this: "Well, Little No Name--you know you really need to pick a name for yourself by the way--when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much they take themselves down to the fertility doctor and he puts the baby in the mommy's stomach..."
Monday, July 9, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
Nursery 101...
So I'm ready to start tackling the baby's nursery. For months now, that has been the last thing on my mind... and I was starting to worry that I'd never find the want or the motivation. A few weeks ago, I felt like something was majorly wrong with me because my mother-in-law had picked out fabric and was talking about painting her crib for her house. Listening to her plans that she was making for my baby, well-- it made me want to turn inside out... just one more area that I'm defective in--parenting! I knew I needed to get a crib and I knew that she would need certain items, but for the most part, I've been less than interested in turning the guest bedroom into a baby nursery.
I think this "lack of motivation" is a common problem with women who have undergone fertility treatments. For months and years you start to think that you aren't meant to have babies and because of the nature of each cycle, you get your hopes up only to have them taken away-- and you have no physical way of controlling it... which is so frustrating. So I think it is only natural that one's thought process tends to lean towards the idea of, "good things will be taken away from me" which creates a self-protecting mental construct: Don't get too excited about this good thing because it may get taken away from you!
But I'm pressing forward and I'm finding myself increasingly interested in creating a nursery for the baby. Here's what I do know:
1) I do not want to paint the nursery room. Our house is brand new and the paint color in that room is neutral. I was talking with my contractor over the holiday and he suggested keeping the color as is and when the baby is older and the house is older, painting then as she goes from baby to toddler.
2) I have a built-in desk in the nursery room that I would like to use as either a changing table or an organizational area for assorted baby items.
3) I want the nursery to have an elcetic feel that does not neccessarily scream: BABY'S ROOM! when you walk the door... meaning, I want a collection of new and antique furniture and I plan to use broad range of colors, rather than design around a certain theme.
Knowing these three important factors, I also would like to steer clear of overly-girlie decorations. But that is easier said than done, as I am naturally attracted to pinks and greens and frilly, girlie things.
I think the first step is to decide on a color palette that I really like, that the Husband can tolerate, and go from there. I think if we were having a boy, I'd try really hard to put my influence into the room to keep it from being overly masculine. Therefore, I think it is important to put some gender-neutral influences into the room so Husband is not completely left out. Ideally, I'd like to take some of our interests and early influences and put these into the room.
I really like the idea of putting wedding pictures in the room, maybe even a maternity session-- if we get around to that. I have seen some really cool, and cheap, art installations that I'd also like to incoportate with sewing hoops, fabric and cheap picture frames. I'd include pictures, but I'd like to avoid getting lost in Google Images and online bulletin boards... I did that most of last night.
But at least I've got a start... and that is so much better than nothing.
I think this "lack of motivation" is a common problem with women who have undergone fertility treatments. For months and years you start to think that you aren't meant to have babies and because of the nature of each cycle, you get your hopes up only to have them taken away-- and you have no physical way of controlling it... which is so frustrating. So I think it is only natural that one's thought process tends to lean towards the idea of, "good things will be taken away from me" which creates a self-protecting mental construct: Don't get too excited about this good thing because it may get taken away from you!
But I'm pressing forward and I'm finding myself increasingly interested in creating a nursery for the baby. Here's what I do know:
1) I do not want to paint the nursery room. Our house is brand new and the paint color in that room is neutral. I was talking with my contractor over the holiday and he suggested keeping the color as is and when the baby is older and the house is older, painting then as she goes from baby to toddler.
2) I have a built-in desk in the nursery room that I would like to use as either a changing table or an organizational area for assorted baby items.
3) I want the nursery to have an elcetic feel that does not neccessarily scream: BABY'S ROOM! when you walk the door... meaning, I want a collection of new and antique furniture and I plan to use broad range of colors, rather than design around a certain theme.
Knowing these three important factors, I also would like to steer clear of overly-girlie decorations. But that is easier said than done, as I am naturally attracted to pinks and greens and frilly, girlie things.
I think the first step is to decide on a color palette that I really like, that the Husband can tolerate, and go from there. I think if we were having a boy, I'd try really hard to put my influence into the room to keep it from being overly masculine. Therefore, I think it is important to put some gender-neutral influences into the room so Husband is not completely left out. Ideally, I'd like to take some of our interests and early influences and put these into the room.
I really like the idea of putting wedding pictures in the room, maybe even a maternity session-- if we get around to that. I have seen some really cool, and cheap, art installations that I'd also like to incoportate with sewing hoops, fabric and cheap picture frames. I'd include pictures, but I'd like to avoid getting lost in Google Images and online bulletin boards... I did that most of last night.
But at least I've got a start... and that is so much better than nothing.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Adventures in Maternity Clothing...
My sister suggested that I buy a Belly Band because her friend really liked using one when she was pregnant. And of course I was really not excited about wearing a stretchy waist band around my midsection when I was basically flat stomached for the first 13 weeks or so. I had it in my mind that a belly band would be 1) uncomfortable, 2) hot, 3) restrictive... and I could go on.
But when I realized that finding maternity shorts that didn't look like camp counselor shorts was going to be next to impossible, the idea of wearing a belly band as a method to hold up my regular skinny girl shorts wasn't such a bad idea. I bit the bullet this past Saturday as the temperature and the humidity quickly rose above 105 degrees.
The majority of maternity shorts come in three exciting camp counselor colors: khaki, black, and white. Many of them are cargo in nature. Apparently, not just cute, trendy, sophistocated little girls like me get pregnant, but so do out-dated, frumpy, utility workers as well... utility workers that would want camp counselor shorts.
There are some maternity shorts that come in fun colors-- but many of those are colored jean shorts, colored jean shorts with cuffed bottoms... and I don't wear cuffs or jean shorts.
So the belly band is holding up my shorts for me... my unbuttoned and sometimes unzipped shorts and suprisingly I'm loving it. Being able to wear my normal clothing makes me very happy.
On the opposite end of the dressing field-- my upper half---I really like the maternity tee shirts. They have this handy little gathered side that seems add a little interest to a plain tee-shirt and emphasize the ever-present, ever-growing baby bump in a nice way.
So to wrap-up, I would recommend a belly band, especially if you find yourself pregnant during the hottest part of summer and the only alternative is camp counselor shorts and you aren't down with the khaki, white and/or black color choices... and really want to wear your normal clothing.
But when I realized that finding maternity shorts that didn't look like camp counselor shorts was going to be next to impossible, the idea of wearing a belly band as a method to hold up my regular skinny girl shorts wasn't such a bad idea. I bit the bullet this past Saturday as the temperature and the humidity quickly rose above 105 degrees.
The majority of maternity shorts come in three exciting camp counselor colors: khaki, black, and white. Many of them are cargo in nature. Apparently, not just cute, trendy, sophistocated little girls like me get pregnant, but so do out-dated, frumpy, utility workers as well... utility workers that would want camp counselor shorts.
There are some maternity shorts that come in fun colors-- but many of those are colored jean shorts, colored jean shorts with cuffed bottoms... and I don't wear cuffs or jean shorts.
So the belly band is holding up my shorts for me... my unbuttoned and sometimes unzipped shorts and suprisingly I'm loving it. Being able to wear my normal clothing makes me very happy.
On the opposite end of the dressing field-- my upper half---I really like the maternity tee shirts. They have this handy little gathered side that seems add a little interest to a plain tee-shirt and emphasize the ever-present, ever-growing baby bump in a nice way.
So to wrap-up, I would recommend a belly band, especially if you find yourself pregnant during the hottest part of summer and the only alternative is camp counselor shorts and you aren't down with the khaki, white and/or black color choices... and really want to wear your normal clothing.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Dining in Style...
So around the time I started looking for a couch... which was probably a little over a year ago... I also saw a dining room suite that I really liked. At the time, purchasing a major furniture group was not something I wanted to tackle.
Dining room furniture, especially formal dining room furniture is not the sort of thing one rushes into buying. Buying a dining room suite is one of the most adult purchases you are going to make. It goes like this: 1) house, 2) car, 3) dining room suite. So maybe not always in that order... but you get what I mean. This is not a impulse buy... this has to be well thought out and considered for many months... at least when you're me.
Dining room furniture, especially formal dining room furniture is not the sort of thing one rushes into buying. Buying a dining room suite is one of the most adult purchases you are going to make. It goes like this: 1) house, 2) car, 3) dining room suite. So maybe not always in that order... but you get what I mean. This is not a impulse buy... this has to be well thought out and considered for many months... at least when you're me.
For me I was not interested in an overly ornate suite nor did I want an overly traditional suite as my taste tends to lend towards to more contemporary-traditional than traditional. Most of what I have looked at over the last year has not been formal enough or was the complete opposite-- very heavy in appearance and overly decorated with brass hardware and bold carvings.
A little over a year ago, I saw the above suite from Better Homes and Gardens Fine Furniture by Universal at Whitley Galleries. I immediately was drawn to the X-back chairs and how that detail was mirrored in the hutch. Another plus-- the hardware on the suite was not bright brass and very minimal in size and scale. My walls in my dining room are metallic silver and in my opinion bright brass hardware would not be as nice next to metallic silver walls.
So when I got a letter in the mail advertising a sale at Whitley Galleries, I jumped on the idea of finally getting the above suite.
But then I got to Whitley Galleries and they didn't have any pieces of the suite on the showroom floor except the round version of this table and the captain chairs that I was not interested in purchasing. The idea of buying something that I haven't seen in well over a year, except in pictures didn't appeal to me. We've got to buy a crib and baby bedding and all sorts of other things and putting money down, hard earned money, on something sight-unseen... well, that wasn't going to happen.
I was depressed about the situation... I felt like I had missed my chance at a really good deal on the one dining room suite that I actually liked. So my mother suggested that I call around and see if there were any other furinture companies that carried this brand or particular suite... if nothing else, I'd get to see it again and really decide if it was the one I wanted to get...eventually.
Turns out Bullard Furniture had the hutch and buffet in stock and on the showroom floor... and they were having a very similar sale as Whitley Galleries... so I decided to bite the bullet and purchase the dining room suite, of course after going and seeing it.
I'm excited to say that by the end of the summer I will have my hutch and buffet (coming next week) and I will have my table and six side chairs! I'm so happy this worked out and I can finally check this off my house list.
On to nursery...
Thursday, June 28, 2012
And the Waiting Ends...
So week 20 sort of sneaked up on me. And for the most part I was so distracted with the idea of purchasing a dining room suite, maternity shorts and an inflatable pool that I barely paid any attention at all to week 19.
Since being pregnant and feeling very sick almost everyone supportively told me that during the 2nd trimester I'd experince the "Honeymoon" phase of being pregnant. I half-heartedly believed them... being as sick feeling as I was, I didn't think I'd ever start to feel normal again. I remember my friend, who is about 10 weeks ahead of me, telling me that if she didn't have the ever-present baby bump, she'd not even feel pregnant.
I remember thinking, while she told me this too-good-to-be-true news, "Liar." It seemed to me at the time, she had had it much better than me, so at best I'd probably start to feel mildly better--if at all. But sometime around week 13 or so, things started to get better. And I'm pleased to say that in the last three weeks I've not thrown up or been nausous or anything... and I feel so much better physically. And sometimes, I even forget that there is a baby growing in my belly.
But yesterday we got confirmation and a rather visual reminder, that there is indeed a baby in there. Yesterday was the anatomy ultrasound that would among other things, determine our baby's gender. We are not the variety that wanted to wait to find out if we are having a boy or a girl. After going through infertility, I don't think we are much on suspense. I guess for normal couples that get pregnant easily and "I can get pregnant?" is never a question, then waiting just might be their cup of tea. For us, those of us that spend months and years wondering... we learn to dislike the waiting and therefore when the ultrasound technician waved her wand to just the right spot, we wanted to know.
There would be no silly gender reveal party. There would be no waiting. So at 20 weeks and 1 day of being pregnant, yesterday we found out that we are having a... Girl!
We both thought that we'd be having a boy. Not that we were sold on a boy... again, after going through infertility, the goal is to have a healthy baby regardless of the gender. But from the moment we embarked on the IVF journey, everything has been a boy. The nurse and I would joke about the little guys on the monitoring screen when referring to my eggs. When the embryos were replaced, again they were boys.... at least in my mind. And from the moment we found out we were pregnant, the only thing that made sense to me was that we were going to have a boy.
All my stuffed animals were boys... Mr. Pillow, my oldest object and most important object that I'm unnaturally attached to, is a boy...
So boy, was I wrong.
The girl is about 16 oz. in weight and is 19 weeks and 6 days along according to the technician. We saw the right amount of toes and fingers and everything seems to be in working order, which is good to know...
In the meantime, besides waiting for my dining room suite to arrive, figuring out my new maternity "look" and trying to tan the baby bump in the blow-up pool I now get to start pulling together my nursery for the baby girl.
Since being pregnant and feeling very sick almost everyone supportively told me that during the 2nd trimester I'd experince the "Honeymoon" phase of being pregnant. I half-heartedly believed them... being as sick feeling as I was, I didn't think I'd ever start to feel normal again. I remember my friend, who is about 10 weeks ahead of me, telling me that if she didn't have the ever-present baby bump, she'd not even feel pregnant.
I remember thinking, while she told me this too-good-to-be-true news, "Liar." It seemed to me at the time, she had had it much better than me, so at best I'd probably start to feel mildly better--if at all. But sometime around week 13 or so, things started to get better. And I'm pleased to say that in the last three weeks I've not thrown up or been nausous or anything... and I feel so much better physically. And sometimes, I even forget that there is a baby growing in my belly.
But yesterday we got confirmation and a rather visual reminder, that there is indeed a baby in there. Yesterday was the anatomy ultrasound that would among other things, determine our baby's gender. We are not the variety that wanted to wait to find out if we are having a boy or a girl. After going through infertility, I don't think we are much on suspense. I guess for normal couples that get pregnant easily and "I can get pregnant?" is never a question, then waiting just might be their cup of tea. For us, those of us that spend months and years wondering... we learn to dislike the waiting and therefore when the ultrasound technician waved her wand to just the right spot, we wanted to know.
There would be no silly gender reveal party. There would be no waiting. So at 20 weeks and 1 day of being pregnant, yesterday we found out that we are having a... Girl!
We both thought that we'd be having a boy. Not that we were sold on a boy... again, after going through infertility, the goal is to have a healthy baby regardless of the gender. But from the moment we embarked on the IVF journey, everything has been a boy. The nurse and I would joke about the little guys on the monitoring screen when referring to my eggs. When the embryos were replaced, again they were boys.... at least in my mind. And from the moment we found out we were pregnant, the only thing that made sense to me was that we were going to have a boy.
All my stuffed animals were boys... Mr. Pillow, my oldest object and most important object that I'm unnaturally attached to, is a boy...
So boy, was I wrong.
The girl is about 16 oz. in weight and is 19 weeks and 6 days along according to the technician. We saw the right amount of toes and fingers and everything seems to be in working order, which is good to know...
In the meantime, besides waiting for my dining room suite to arrive, figuring out my new maternity "look" and trying to tan the baby bump in the blow-up pool I now get to start pulling together my nursery for the baby girl.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Just to Catch You Up...
My summer vacation has officially started now that the wedding is behind me. Yes, I survived directing my friend's wedding and surprisingly, I'd be happy to do it again! I had been really dreading the whole process, worried that I'd find a way to mess something up and ruin my friend's happy day.
I'm not going to say that it went off 100% perfect. We all know that isn't possible. The parents' were a little delayed in getting seated because the flower girl pushed the emergency button in the elevator... the elevator that contained the bride and the mother of the groom. When you push the emergency button it stops the elevator and immediately dials 911.
Besides the mother's seating being delayed the bell ringer did not chime the hour and about that time, an usher tripped on something causing a loud noise. Again... nothing is going to go 100% perfect and those were the only things that didn't go off perfectly.
The bride was beautiful. The groom was happy, laughing and smiling through most of the ceremony. The reception was lovely... all in all, I'd call it a success!
And with the wedding officially behind me, I feel 100% much more relaxed.
This week marks the 18th week of pregnancy. For the most part I'm feeling really good. For the last couple of weeks I've felt much more myself and my appetite is finally returning to what it was pre-pregnancy or in other words, I'm no longer considering getting a feeding tube. Next week we go for another doctor's appointment and at this appointment we will get to see what we are having.
I'm getting excited about the confirmation... I'm convinced that we are having a boy. Last week I started to online shop for cribs and bedding. I found a website that will take custom orders and even though I'm convinced I'm having a boy, I'm having a hard time picking out boy fabrics... being a girl I think I'm having trouble taking my femininity out of the equation.
Ideally, I'd like to pick a crib and fabric that could be used for more than one child... because I'm at the point now that I could fathom having more than one now that the sickness is fading. But I realize that I may not be able to do just that (as in picking out a gender neutral fabric) and if so, that is fine because if I were a second child, I'd want my parents to pick out fabrics with me in mind and not my older sibling... regardless of how impractical that is.
My husband would point out that I feel this way because I'm a girl. Boy's could care less and in his words, "are less complicated."
Either way, I don't think either one of us cares either way as long as it is healthy...
In the meantime, I'm starting to show a little more each day and so yesterday I ordered some maternity shorts... I couldn't bring myself to purchase a pair when I went shopping a few weeks ago-- it was all just too traumatic.
But I think this latest burst of summer heat has made me realize that hot, binding jeans probably aren't the most practical summer attire. My next concern-- blow up baby pool to lay out in-- I figure big tan belly's are better than big pale belly's any day.
Stay tuned for more!
I'm not going to say that it went off 100% perfect. We all know that isn't possible. The parents' were a little delayed in getting seated because the flower girl pushed the emergency button in the elevator... the elevator that contained the bride and the mother of the groom. When you push the emergency button it stops the elevator and immediately dials 911.
Besides the mother's seating being delayed the bell ringer did not chime the hour and about that time, an usher tripped on something causing a loud noise. Again... nothing is going to go 100% perfect and those were the only things that didn't go off perfectly.
The bride was beautiful. The groom was happy, laughing and smiling through most of the ceremony. The reception was lovely... all in all, I'd call it a success!
And with the wedding officially behind me, I feel 100% much more relaxed.
This week marks the 18th week of pregnancy. For the most part I'm feeling really good. For the last couple of weeks I've felt much more myself and my appetite is finally returning to what it was pre-pregnancy or in other words, I'm no longer considering getting a feeding tube. Next week we go for another doctor's appointment and at this appointment we will get to see what we are having.
I'm getting excited about the confirmation... I'm convinced that we are having a boy. Last week I started to online shop for cribs and bedding. I found a website that will take custom orders and even though I'm convinced I'm having a boy, I'm having a hard time picking out boy fabrics... being a girl I think I'm having trouble taking my femininity out of the equation.
Ideally, I'd like to pick a crib and fabric that could be used for more than one child... because I'm at the point now that I could fathom having more than one now that the sickness is fading. But I realize that I may not be able to do just that (as in picking out a gender neutral fabric) and if so, that is fine because if I were a second child, I'd want my parents to pick out fabrics with me in mind and not my older sibling... regardless of how impractical that is.
My husband would point out that I feel this way because I'm a girl. Boy's could care less and in his words, "are less complicated."
Either way, I don't think either one of us cares either way as long as it is healthy...
In the meantime, I'm starting to show a little more each day and so yesterday I ordered some maternity shorts... I couldn't bring myself to purchase a pair when I went shopping a few weeks ago-- it was all just too traumatic.
But I think this latest burst of summer heat has made me realize that hot, binding jeans probably aren't the most practical summer attire. My next concern-- blow up baby pool to lay out in-- I figure big tan belly's are better than big pale belly's any day.
Stay tuned for more!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Director of the Wedding
Tomorrow starts a weekend that I've been looking forward to and dreading for a little over a year: I'm directing a friend's wedding on Saturday!
It's not exactly how I imagined spending my own 5 year anniversary... but I've always wanted to direct a wedding and I'm not about to pass up the opportunity. To be perfectly honest, I'm a little worried that things won't go perfectly.
They probably won't. I realize that nothing ever goes exactly as planned, no matter how well you plan... and plan I have. I have time lines, VIP reserve seating tickets, and diagrams of how the uneven bridal party should enter and leave the church. One of my co-workers reassured me a few weeks ago that if things do get messed up, no one will know. And she is right. But I'll know.
I couldn't ask for a better bride to work with. She is calm, cool and collected... or at least she appears to be that way. For the last few weeks I've been trying to sit down with her to review the order of program, and she's been almost impossible to nail down... and I think mostly because she just is through caring.
I remember feeling that same way five short years ago. For a year and half I planned and stressed... and worried. And then by the time the actual wedding rolled around I was just through worrying and stressing. It was going to happen, ready or not. For sanity's sake, I think most brides' have to reach that mindset... or else.
However, I can't say every bride I've worked with has adopted that same disposition... and let me tell you, it has ended our friendship. Honestly, I don't know how you stay friends with someone that has no sense of humor... or makes you wear bright red lipstick and black liquid liner against your own will.
Regardless, I'm ready for this experience to be behind me. And soon it will be over. I hope and pray that things go well, that the mistakes are few and far between and that the Bride, above all else, is happy.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!
It's not exactly how I imagined spending my own 5 year anniversary... but I've always wanted to direct a wedding and I'm not about to pass up the opportunity. To be perfectly honest, I'm a little worried that things won't go perfectly.
They probably won't. I realize that nothing ever goes exactly as planned, no matter how well you plan... and plan I have. I have time lines, VIP reserve seating tickets, and diagrams of how the uneven bridal party should enter and leave the church. One of my co-workers reassured me a few weeks ago that if things do get messed up, no one will know. And she is right. But I'll know.
I couldn't ask for a better bride to work with. She is calm, cool and collected... or at least she appears to be that way. For the last few weeks I've been trying to sit down with her to review the order of program, and she's been almost impossible to nail down... and I think mostly because she just is through caring.
I remember feeling that same way five short years ago. For a year and half I planned and stressed... and worried. And then by the time the actual wedding rolled around I was just through worrying and stressing. It was going to happen, ready or not. For sanity's sake, I think most brides' have to reach that mindset... or else.
However, I can't say every bride I've worked with has adopted that same disposition... and let me tell you, it has ended our friendship. Honestly, I don't know how you stay friends with someone that has no sense of humor... or makes you wear bright red lipstick and black liquid liner against your own will.
Regardless, I'm ready for this experience to be behind me. And soon it will be over. I hope and pray that things go well, that the mistakes are few and far between and that the Bride, above all else, is happy.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!
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