Preludes And Nocturnes

Okay, so I found a local company that does diapers (out of Vancouver) and I really really like the company and their policies. I created a wishlist and then emailed the company to find out if there was any way to hold the orders and ship as a single entitity. I didn’t like the idea of people buying me one diaper and then each person paying $7+ to ship it to me. That just seems like a waste of money from my friends/family, time and energy for the company, and packaging for - well - the planet.

So yes, they will hold all the orders (people just need to select “Local Pickup”) and then I have the option of just paying myself for the shipping of the entire package at once. This makes me very very happy. And I’m also happy that a company is willing to make these changes for the customer. So many times dealing with online companies I am faced with asinine policies. For example, I’m sick and tired of paying upwards of $6 to MAIL someone a gift certificate. This company, New and Green Baby Co, has an option to put gift certificates on your wishlist and to then select that the GCs will be emailed to you rather than mailed! Give them TWO big points on the Jenn Rating System. And given how much I love to buy online, this means a whole lot to me.

So I would love it if you moms out there (and anyone else with any ideas) could check out my wishlist and let me know if I’m missing anything. I currently have at home a selection of fitted (homemade) diapers in a variety of sizes. Let’s guestimate that I have 8 small fitted, 8 medium fitted, and two large/two XL fitted. I have one XL cover (thank you salvation army) and two small vinyl pants. I have two rolls of liners (look like rolls of toilet paper).

I’m wanting some pockets for over-night (one size seems nice). Some prefolds (all sizes) for general wear and for stuffing the pockets. Some covers (need all sizes). Some snappis (replace pins). Some pins (why not, they’re cheap and I know how to use them). What about those things that go inside the diaper? - Boosters? Doublers? I don’t know the difference there. I need a diaper laundry bag (or two?), I need to figure out what to use to wash them detergent wise, and I need to actually start BUYING more things rather than researching everything

My wishlist.

The one thing I’m waffling on is getting my prefolds from Canadia. Some things cost more in Canada. They just do. Prefolds in the states seem to run $1 - $1.50 each. I can’t find any anywhere in Canada for less than about $3 each. At that rate, it almost seems worth it to bite the bullet, buy as many prefolds as I *think* I’ll need all at once from CottonBabies. I’ll have to get them shipped to Annika as they won’t ship to Canada and then also pay the shipping/etc from there.

Oh yeah, and Indian or Chinese prefolds??

Input, ideas, general warm wishes and pats on my belly?

So I’ll keep it as a point form and not get into too many details.  Hospital policy re: baby must leave in car seat.  (There are reasons. This is - I think - Canada wide. Could just be by hospital. Whatever. And I like my Dr and will still deliver here, just having to get the blood pressure down so won’t ninja-kick nurse.)

Our car seat doesn’t click in and out.  Gets bolted in as single unit.  Best car seat out there.  Super fancy-fine.

Phone to find out how we figure out above mentioned policy.  Figure there will be something about them coming out to see car seat in car and baby into car so beeb is safe.  Remember - installation the biggest issue with car seats.

Phone lame-o nurse.  She repeats policy like broken record.  Makes me mental.

States I must unbolt car seat and bring it in.  This car seat is not meant to be carried with beeb in it. Not how it works.

Then when I try to ‘problem solve’ like a critical thinking adult human around “okay, so what can we do here because my car seat doesn’t come out like this… so how do we solve this?”  her reply is “well, until the parents bring a seat into the ward, we don’t let you take the baby out.”

I wouldn’t recommend ever saying to a seven month pregnant woman that you will keep their baby.  Doesn’t matter if there is a logical solution out there (ie: mom stating we’ll just use her car seat to get the beeb out to our car) - pregnant mom will simply enter the black rage zone.

There were a few more attempts and trying to figure out how this can work.  Then I started to try to problem solve around an illogical policy.  Then I started to cry and was told this nurse was too busy to just talk to me on the phone all day.  I’ll leave it at that because I really cannot alienate this ward (in my own mind) because I’ll need them.  And I don’t have a hate-on for nurses, just for non-critical-thinking policies.  And this happens all over the place, I know.  Jim has a story about a friend not getting a treatment on a booked day because a car service was not the same as a friend to drive you home.

So all in all, it will be fine.  And I’ll get home with the beeb.  I just need to purge this story and move on because it is not up to me (at seven months pregnant) to lobby to alter hospital policy.  I can do that in July, if I still so desire.

Oh yeah, and prenatal class was pretty useless and Jim and I could have taught a more effective class.  He would have done the communication side, I would have done the pregnancy ‘facts’ side.  I learned, I believe, three things.  I’ve decided that if I learn three more things each night (it runs for four weeks - four classes in total) I will consider it a success.

I hope to have a nice relaxing weekend.  Deep cleansing breaths…

I think this is what’s going on today.  I know that technically they start by about six weeks of pregnancy (a tightening of the uterus as a “false” labour getting everything all ready for the big show), but most women don’t feel them until past the half-way mark.  The beeb will sometimes move sideways and press against the front of my tummy making a rather hard spot that pushes outwards, but this morning I noticed it was my entire belly hardening.  I tried what the books say (drinking some water and resting on my left side) and they stopped. So that pretty much indicates that these are braxton hicks.

So yeah, weird.  I’ve been getting them on and off throughout the day.  Never getting stronger or longer, but not crazy subtle either. They don’t hurt, they are just somewhat distracting and annoying.  Plus they seem to be indicating to me that I might have to GIVE BIRTH one day here in the future.

This.  This I’m not too sure about. Giving birth. Again - weird.

Today is 29 weeks.  So about 11 to go.

We just bought our carseat, stroller, and crib!

Carseat - Britax Marathon in Platinum.

Stroller - Zooper Jazz in blue.

Crib - Storkcraft Rochester Stages in Cherry.

Whoo!

I love this one here. I also am wondering about the top two on this page (zooper twist and waltz). What I can’t figure out is if the Twist can work from newborn. Actually, I’m frustrated by many sites and strollers IN PERSON where I can’t find this information. And having had one sales person, oh I dunno - lie! about all this, I’m a little wary of them.

But yeah, I like those strollers.

I think I’ve narrowed it down.  I’m actually no longer leaning towards an infant bucket seat as our starting place.  I thought I’d get the infant seat that clicks out and then clicks into the stroller (don’t get me started on whether or not I’m getting a STROLLER-stroller.  I might get something much smaller or I might actually get something a bit more all-terrain for walks in the provincial park but not so much for in the mall).

So now I’m really leaning towards the convertible car seats.  Some don’t like them for newborns because they find them too big or they don’t like that you can’t take them in and out of the car.  But (and I’m willing to admit I might just end up buying one last minute once beeb arrives) I think I just want the convertible as the ones I’m looking at are super safe, very well made, and can last through throughout the entire car seat stage.  This is in comparison to a bucket that will only last - I believe at most - one year.  And based on Jim’s height and that it is a boy, I suspect the beeb will actually outgrow the infant seat by 6 mos.

The two brands I like are Britax and  Radian.

In other news, I need to get out more.

I got to wear a pretty dress and marry this very nice boy in a wonderful far away land (click for our wedding webpage).

In a previous post I did a little timeline to date (weeks up to 18). So I’ll catch us up from there as today I officially enter the 3rd trimester!

Whoo!

Week 19:

Week 20:

Week 21.5 and Leone’s mad skills in sweater-making!

Week 22 .5

Week 24:

Week 25.5

Week 26:

Week 26.5 (a comparison of standing and sitting):

*First year classes to teach: 6

*Second year classes to teach: 1 - but it is 3hrs long

*First year papers left to mark: 65  (at about 30 min each) - want to hand back friday

*Second year proposals left to mark: 21 (at about 15 min each) - want to hand back tuesday

*Second year quizzes to administer with ample spacing between students and then mark: 60

*Number of hours of lectures needed this week: 3.5

*Presentations to mark: 3 (at about 45min each) - also for tuesday

*Number of weekdays until Easter Break (and I’ll have five days off in a row): 9

*Other things that keep trying to distract me: new house, buying stuff for the beeb, new stamps and new ink pad (celery green!), spring cleaning, …last year’s taxes that are not done yet.. arrrhhhhhggggggggg!  And I get money back!! What is wrong with me?

*Didn’t murder student

*Got some major marking done at work this afternoon

*Bought beautiful (used) diaper bag

*Got amazing care packet in mail from Carmen (card related). I need to find something awesome for her.

*Had 2+ hr nap after dinner (doh!)

*Am now kinda TOTALLY awake at 10:32pm

*Considering making late-night snack, sitting up all evening with husband and watching Corner Gas