Oh the joys of registering! Jeremy and I had an absolute blast on this
adventure. However, I will say we learned a few things along the way.
First of all, becoming parents suddenly removes you from the world of
confident, intelligent adult, to wandering, blabbering idiot. One foot
in the door at Baby's R Us, and even those armed with chapters of
information on good brands of cribs, car seats and pack n plays can be
brought to their knees in insecurities. Second of all, 8 pounds of baby
requires more stuff than we needed to fill our house when we registered
for our wedding!
Our adventure began at Baby's R Us. We filled out a sheet, were given a
booklet and handed a scanner. The lady suggested we register in two
trips. One for all the big stuff like car seats, and another for all
the infant care stuff like diapers and bottles. I know she knew what
she was talking about, but we were prepared. It couldn't possibly be
that bad! We skipped off as she mentioned something about "Most first
time parents spend at least 3 hours putting together their registry." It
wasn't long before I realized just how right she was. Somewhere between
crib sheets, crib pads, changing pads and changing pad covers we had to
do a sanity check before moving onto the bigger stuff. The real brain-numbing issues popped up when we went to register our car seats. We thought if we registered our stroller/travel system and the bases, we'd be good to go. Oh contraire. You should also plan to have a convertible car seat. I am still not 100% sure I have the rules about rear-facing, forward-facing, booster seats figured out, but after walking around aimlessly for 30 minutes, we broke down and asked someone. I think she got everything figured out for us. When she was done I asked her to point to what she recommended and we'll scan it! Dangerous I know. But I was swimming into the waters of hysteria. I swore I was going to have a nightmare about car seats marching in a line through my living room. Okay okay. So it wasn't that bad. But I was happy to leave the car seats and go do something less safety oriented and more fun! Onto the play gyms and toys we went. We registered this adorable play gym by Baby Einstein. It's an ocean adventure one. It matches nothing of our other items, but it had the coolest features! At any rate, by the time we left, we hit all the major players on the registry list.
We recharged with some fuel and enjoyed a fabulous dinner at TGI Friday's. Gotta love their green bean fries. If you've never had them, you gotta try them! By the time we left we had regrouped and were ready for Target. With the holidays around the corner we were able to stay till they closed at 11pm. Nearly 2 hours later we had wrapped up the registry list at Target. Jer was most excited to register the hooded towels. (This all began from an episode of Jon and Kate Plus 8. One of the girls ran around in a frog hooded towel saying Ribit! Ribit! Jer and I about fell out of bed laughing at her. So cute hooded towels had to make our list!) We found an adorable one that looks like a shark. It has the teeth and everything! I think I fell in love with him all over again just watching him flip out over how cute the towels were!
All in all, registering was a wonderful bonding experience. We are more excited than ever to meet our little wonder. Both lists still need some fine tuning and updating, but they are getting there!
December 13, 2008
Fun Traditions
Jer and I started a tradition last Christmas...we went and got our first real tree and brought it home to our house. This tradition wasn't new to me! It was something my family did for years when I was growing up. But for Jer it was a brand new experience! It has to be one of my favorite holiday traditions hands down. There is just something about going out and picking that perfect tree. As kids Mom and Dad took us to Bartel's Tree Farm. They served all their customers free hot chocolate and Christmas cookies. Every memory I have of doing this, it was absolutely freezing. We'd bundle up in our coats and hats and gloves and off we'd go through the tree farm. I always wanted a tree bigger than what our house could hold. I always thought for sure they'd fit. Dad had to reassure me there wasn't room! We always ended up with awesome trees - even if I wanted the 9 foot tree as big as our living room and we ended up with a 6 foot smaller version! After we cut it down, we'd take it home. Dad would get the stand set up and we'd help Mom put water in the bottom. Then we'd get in our PJ's and play Christmas records (yes I said records) while we decorated the tree. It might be this very tradition that makes me love the holidays so much! As we got older and the holidays got busier we didn't get real trees anymore. But we still decorated the tree in the same way we always did. The four of us together.
I promised myself I would carry that tradition into my own family. So last year I convinced Jer to go on an adventure. As per usual, I picked a tree far too tall for our house. Jer warned me, but didn't say too much more. We strapped it to the Exterra and home we went. When we got home we had to cut nearly 12 inches off the bottom of the tree. Once we got the tree standing, we couldn't keep the cat out of it (she is afraid of nothing) and so the ribbon and pinecone decorations didn't survive the first week. However, the lights were pretty and it smelled amazing!
I was happy!
This year...our adventure truly became an just that...an adventure. A Linoski adventure to be exact! For those of you who are unaware, our best friends are Bryan and Steff Cincoski. They are two people we can get into the most trouble with, survive 9 hour car rides with (broken rum bottles and all), and make the greatest memories with! So the Linoski's set out after lunch last Sunday in search of the perfect tree. Jer and I had the perfect spot picked out for our tree with plans to hang icicle lights and the whole nine yards. 2 hours and 4 burn-outs later, we were cruising home treeless. We scoured two of our areas most well known, but off the beaten path tree lots for trees to no avail. Tree farm number 1, had a sign that said OPEN...right next to a sign that said CLOSED. Which is it people?? Orange fencing around the entire tree lot seemed to signify that CLOSED was the ultimate answer. Enter burn-out #1 as we backed out of the parking lot. Tree farm number 2 boasted 2 giant signs. This seemed promising. Come to us. We have trees fresh for cutting! Well 2 miles past the sign they had a much smaller sign attached to a concrete filled bucket that said...CLOSED. Sold Out. What? It's December 7th. Enter burn-out #2. After leaving and then laughing so hard we were crying, Bryan drove us back to get a picture. Check out Steff's post on her blog for a picture and a hilarious version of this same story! This picture came with a price. Bryan held up 7 cars of fellow tree cutters for us to get this. Enter burn-out's #3 and #4. It's priceless!! We were tempted to cut down the tree we were standing in front of...but something tells me it wouldn't fit where we had in mind! No real tree for the Linley's this year!
At any rate, what does this have to do with a baby blog anyway? The point of this is...these traditions are the ones I want to carry on to our children. The things that make life fun and interesting! I want our kids to appreciate our family as much as I appreciate mine. And help them have wonderful memories to carry on all through their lives and hopefully one day to their children and grandchildren. What's a family tradition you love during the holidays? Respond on our blog and let us know!
I promised myself I would carry that tradition into my own family. So last year I convinced Jer to go on an adventure. As per usual, I picked a tree far too tall for our house. Jer warned me, but didn't say too much more. We strapped it to the Exterra and home we went. When we got home we had to cut nearly 12 inches off the bottom of the tree. Once we got the tree standing, we couldn't keep the cat out of it (she is afraid of nothing) and so the ribbon and pinecone decorations didn't survive the first week. However, the lights were pretty and it smelled amazing!
I was happy!
This year...our adventure truly became an just that...an adventure. A Linoski adventure to be exact! For those of you who are unaware, our best friends are Bryan and Steff Cincoski. They are two people we can get into the most trouble with, survive 9 hour car rides with (broken rum bottles and all), and make the greatest memories with! So the Linoski's set out after lunch last Sunday in search of the perfect tree. Jer and I had the perfect spot picked out for our tree with plans to hang icicle lights and the whole nine yards. 2 hours and 4 burn-outs later, we were cruising home treeless. We scoured two of our areas most well known, but off the beaten path tree lots for trees to no avail. Tree farm number 1, had a sign that said OPEN...right next to a sign that said CLOSED. Which is it people?? Orange fencing around the entire tree lot seemed to signify that CLOSED was the ultimate answer. Enter burn-out #1 as we backed out of the parking lot. Tree farm number 2 boasted 2 giant signs. This seemed promising. Come to us. We have trees fresh for cutting! Well 2 miles past the sign they had a much smaller sign attached to a concrete filled bucket that said...CLOSED. Sold Out. What? It's December 7th. Enter burn-out #2. After leaving and then laughing so hard we were crying, Bryan drove us back to get a picture. Check out Steff's post on her blog for a picture and a hilarious version of this same story! This picture came with a price. Bryan held up 7 cars of fellow tree cutters for us to get this. Enter burn-out's #3 and #4. It's priceless!! We were tempted to cut down the tree we were standing in front of...but something tells me it wouldn't fit where we had in mind! No real tree for the Linley's this year!
At any rate, what does this have to do with a baby blog anyway? The point of this is...these traditions are the ones I want to carry on to our children. The things that make life fun and interesting! I want our kids to appreciate our family as much as I appreciate mine. And help them have wonderful memories to carry on all through their lives and hopefully one day to their children and grandchildren. What's a family tradition you love during the holidays? Respond on our blog and let us know!
December 12, 2008
A pro athlete, better known as Guinness
So just a few short weeks back, Jer and I went to our fourth appointment with Dr. Talsky. I was finding myself only somewhat excited for this appointment. There wasn’t anything too new happening. I wanted to hear the heartbeat again and be reassured my swollen ankles and ever expanding waistline were progressing along as normal. But other than those few things, I didn’t really think the appointment would hold much new fun information. That is where I was totally wrong!
The appointment began with a weight and blood pressure check. According to Dr. Talsky my blood pressure was beautiful. I had just started week 23 and everything looked wonderful. After a few quick house keeping items like signing up for child birth classes and calling to find a pediatrician, he had me lay back so he could measure my belly. After a few seconds of him pushing around and unwinding his tape, he started to laugh. The next words out of his mouth were, “And there are how many in there again?” I laughed nervously and said “One…we think??” He was very impressed and made a point of holding his tape and pushing down to accentuate my belly. He looked at Jer said…”That’s impressive. You’re measuring 27 weeks.” I looked at him and said, “So what does that mean?” He said, “It means you can call the baby Guinness…or pro-athlete. I think I know who the baby will take after.” He then proceeded to laugh himself nearly to tears at his funny little joke. We all had a good laugh and then I asked him again for real, "So what does that mean?" He told us that he wasn’t worried about it at this point. In another month we would come back in and he would measure me again. If by then we were still measuring 4 weeks ahead, it would be time for ultrasound number 2. Yes everyone…ultrasound number 2. We would be in search of multiples. Twins to be exact. I about fell off the examining table and onto the floor. However at this point, the size is more than likely to do with the way I’m carrying the baby. Apparently I’m carrying the baby long in my torso, rather than across my belly and hips. He said that might explain some of the size displacement. He also said we could have some excess fluid in there which could cause the size difference. After we got over our shock, he also informed me that now is the time to start looking for pre-term labor and other things like Braxton Hicks contractions. He explained the difference between the two. I haven’t experienced either that I’m aware of. I’m guessing by Christmas my story might be just a little different. We also learned I’m going to kick off my third and final trimester right around Christmas Day! Our next appointment is December 24th, Christmas Eve at 9:30 in the morning. I go for my glucose screening and hopefully to figure out if I’m still measuring ahead of the game or not.
Aunt Jenni asked us last weekend if we had a nickname for the baby. She told us a great story about a friend of theirs who called their baby “Frosted Flakes.” Jer and I aren’t really great with nicknames so nothing had come to mind yet. Especially nothing original like that. I think the best ones are the ones that make themselves. After today I think we coined our baby’s first nickname. So thank you Dr. Talsky, though it’s not the cutest of nicknames…for now it’s very fitting - Guinness and the rest of the family are doing just fine and anxiously awaiting our next appointment!
The appointment began with a weight and blood pressure check. According to Dr. Talsky my blood pressure was beautiful. I had just started week 23 and everything looked wonderful. After a few quick house keeping items like signing up for child birth classes and calling to find a pediatrician, he had me lay back so he could measure my belly. After a few seconds of him pushing around and unwinding his tape, he started to laugh. The next words out of his mouth were, “And there are how many in there again?” I laughed nervously and said “One…we think??” He was very impressed and made a point of holding his tape and pushing down to accentuate my belly. He looked at Jer said…”That’s impressive. You’re measuring 27 weeks.” I looked at him and said, “So what does that mean?” He said, “It means you can call the baby Guinness…or pro-athlete. I think I know who the baby will take after.” He then proceeded to laugh himself nearly to tears at his funny little joke. We all had a good laugh and then I asked him again for real, "So what does that mean?" He told us that he wasn’t worried about it at this point. In another month we would come back in and he would measure me again. If by then we were still measuring 4 weeks ahead, it would be time for ultrasound number 2. Yes everyone…ultrasound number 2. We would be in search of multiples. Twins to be exact. I about fell off the examining table and onto the floor. However at this point, the size is more than likely to do with the way I’m carrying the baby. Apparently I’m carrying the baby long in my torso, rather than across my belly and hips. He said that might explain some of the size displacement. He also said we could have some excess fluid in there which could cause the size difference. After we got over our shock, he also informed me that now is the time to start looking for pre-term labor and other things like Braxton Hicks contractions. He explained the difference between the two. I haven’t experienced either that I’m aware of. I’m guessing by Christmas my story might be just a little different. We also learned I’m going to kick off my third and final trimester right around Christmas Day! Our next appointment is December 24th, Christmas Eve at 9:30 in the morning. I go for my glucose screening and hopefully to figure out if I’m still measuring ahead of the game or not.
Aunt Jenni asked us last weekend if we had a nickname for the baby. She told us a great story about a friend of theirs who called their baby “Frosted Flakes.” Jer and I aren’t really great with nicknames so nothing had come to mind yet. Especially nothing original like that. I think the best ones are the ones that make themselves. After today I think we coined our baby’s first nickname. So thank you Dr. Talsky, though it’s not the cutest of nicknames…for now it’s very fitting - Guinness and the rest of the family are doing just fine and anxiously awaiting our next appointment!
December 8, 2008
Does it always feel like that?!!?
A few weeks ago I noticed some movements in my stomach that didn’t feel quite like the normal digestion type processes. Slowly but surely they got a little stronger and a little more consistent. I noticed them every time I ate something or sat down after moving around for awhile. Finally at dinner one night I felt the strongest movements yet and my instincts were confirmed. The baby was moving around and I could finally feel it! Over the past few weeks the baby and I have been bonding. I get kicks and bumps at meals times, first thing in the morning when it’s time to get up, and even a few when I’m not expecting them. For awhile it’s been just me and the baby’s little secret. But I was anxious for Jer to feel the baby really moving too.
Finally the other night we sat down to eat our dinner and watch a little T.V. As usual, baby was busy as could be. Moving and shaking after I downed a good helping of Beef and Brocoli from our favorite Chinese place. It was delicious. I’m still not sure whether baby thought it was good or just needed to move to make room for all the rice I ate! I moved over on the couch next to Jer and put his hand on my belly. I told him we would just sit here and watch T.V. If the baby moved, I was sure he’d notice something. Just a few minutes later the baby popped Jer a headbutt right to his hand. I wish I had a camera. His face was priceless. He jerked his head around and looked at me and said, “That was hard! Is it always like that? Does that hurt?” I cracked up laughing. It was a pretty strong little kick. Jer thinks it’s was a headbutt. For now since we can’t see the movement on my belly we’re just guessing. But the whole next day he joked about our future ultimate fighter. I’m starting to see a trend. While I’ve always pictured us with a girl, having a boy is beginning to creep into my thoughts more and more. Even if we have a baby that’s ultimate fighting material, it’s not a sport I want them to play in! Let’s just stick to the fun ones. Hockey, football, soccer. No need for excessive violence right??
Finally the other night we sat down to eat our dinner and watch a little T.V. As usual, baby was busy as could be. Moving and shaking after I downed a good helping of Beef and Brocoli from our favorite Chinese place. It was delicious. I’m still not sure whether baby thought it was good or just needed to move to make room for all the rice I ate! I moved over on the couch next to Jer and put his hand on my belly. I told him we would just sit here and watch T.V. If the baby moved, I was sure he’d notice something. Just a few minutes later the baby popped Jer a headbutt right to his hand. I wish I had a camera. His face was priceless. He jerked his head around and looked at me and said, “That was hard! Is it always like that? Does that hurt?” I cracked up laughing. It was a pretty strong little kick. Jer thinks it’s was a headbutt. For now since we can’t see the movement on my belly we’re just guessing. But the whole next day he joked about our future ultimate fighter. I’m starting to see a trend. While I’ve always pictured us with a girl, having a boy is beginning to creep into my thoughts more and more. Even if we have a baby that’s ultimate fighting material, it’s not a sport I want them to play in! Let’s just stick to the fun ones. Hockey, football, soccer. No need for excessive violence right??
“Good Job! Get ‘em up way high! Gimme, Gimme that high five…” - Dynamo of Volition, Jason Mraz
November 23, 2008
My favorite thing about Jason Mraz is that Jer and I fell in love with his music together. Jer bought me his Mr. A-Z album for Christmas a few years ago and we both were hooked. His music is soulful and funky. It’s inspiring. Each time we listen we hear new things. Even in his older songs. If you don’t own Jason Mraz and enjoy any of his more popular songs, we would both recommend making a purchase. You won’t be disappointed. You can check him out on MySpace at:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=4818814
We were lucky enough to get tickets to Jason Mraz’s sold-out concert at the Fox Theatre the weekend before Thanksgiving. I heard about the concert on the radio and immediately purchased them through our recreation office at work the next day. We had just purchased his new CD and couldn’t wait to dive into another musical masterpiece from one of our favorite artist. We decided to make a date out of the evening, starting with dinner at Red Lobster. After dinner we hit the road for downtown St. Louis. We grabbed our usual parking spot and joined a bustling crowd of people all geared up for an evening of good music. The concert started at 7:30. His opening act was Lisa Hannigan. She was from Dublin, Ireland, had an amazing voice, lovely accent and played a very eclectic mix of music. She played for nearly an hour, which was followed by 30 minutes of set up for Jason Mraz’s set.
This pregnant girl is normally in sweats and ready for bed by 9pm at night and our evening was just getting started! Finally right around 9, he made his way to the stage and oh was it worth the wait. It’s hands down the best concert we’ve ever been to. He was high energy, hilarious, and amazingly talented. While doing his song Dynamo of Volition (which is one of our favorites from his newest album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things), he encouraged the crowd to forget how you look and just have fun. He taught us a handful of dance moves to go with the song. There wasn’t one person sitting the rest of the concert! Not only did he knock you out of your chair with his own songs, but his cover of Oh Happy Day and Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” couldn’t have been done better by the original artists themselves. He talked a lot about giving thanks for the little things in life. Like having another day to breathe in and out. He inspired us both with his positive attitude and fun loving presence on stage. We plan to see him in concert as often as we’re lucky enough to go. We didn’t get home until around midnight and the next work day was a bit of an assault on us both. But it was well worth Monday night’s exhaustion!
My favorite thing about Jason Mraz is that Jer and I fell in love with his music together. Jer bought me his Mr. A-Z album for Christmas a few years ago and we both were hooked. His music is soulful and funky. It’s inspiring. Each time we listen we hear new things. Even in his older songs. If you don’t own Jason Mraz and enjoy any of his more popular songs, we would both recommend making a purchase. You won’t be disappointed. You can check him out on MySpace at:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=4818814
We were lucky enough to get tickets to Jason Mraz’s sold-out concert at the Fox Theatre the weekend before Thanksgiving. I heard about the concert on the radio and immediately purchased them through our recreation office at work the next day. We had just purchased his new CD and couldn’t wait to dive into another musical masterpiece from one of our favorite artist. We decided to make a date out of the evening, starting with dinner at Red Lobster. After dinner we hit the road for downtown St. Louis. We grabbed our usual parking spot and joined a bustling crowd of people all geared up for an evening of good music. The concert started at 7:30. His opening act was Lisa Hannigan. She was from Dublin, Ireland, had an amazing voice, lovely accent and played a very eclectic mix of music. She played for nearly an hour, which was followed by 30 minutes of set up for Jason Mraz’s set.
This pregnant girl is normally in sweats and ready for bed by 9pm at night and our evening was just getting started! Finally right around 9, he made his way to the stage and oh was it worth the wait. It’s hands down the best concert we’ve ever been to. He was high energy, hilarious, and amazingly talented. While doing his song Dynamo of Volition (which is one of our favorites from his newest album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things), he encouraged the crowd to forget how you look and just have fun. He taught us a handful of dance moves to go with the song. There wasn’t one person sitting the rest of the concert! Not only did he knock you out of your chair with his own songs, but his cover of Oh Happy Day and Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” couldn’t have been done better by the original artists themselves. He talked a lot about giving thanks for the little things in life. Like having another day to breathe in and out. He inspired us both with his positive attitude and fun loving presence on stage. We plan to see him in concert as often as we’re lucky enough to go. We didn’t get home until around midnight and the next work day was a bit of an assault on us both. But it was well worth Monday night’s exhaustion!
November 21, 2008
Date Night in the STL
Okay...so contrary to the blog title...not every blog on here is going to be about our baby. We still have awhile before the baby arrives and we’re trying to have a lot of fun on the way!
A few Saturday’s ago Jer and I got tickets to go see the Blues take on the Florida Panthers at the Scottrade Center. What a fun date! We took the Metrolink into downtown and walked to this little place called Maurizio’s (thanks for the tip Josh and Katie!). The place isn’t anything special to look at, but the staff and the food are amazing. We were one of a handful of patrons. But you weren’t there long before you realized this place had a set of regulars and they did a killer carry out business. We split a 10’ special pizza and a bowl of cheese-filled spinach tortellini. They brought us a fabulous salad with delicious house dressing and our pizza and pasta followed shortly after. For info about the restaurant check out their website.
We were stuffed and so glad that we were on foot instead of in our car. We left Maurizio’s about 10 minutes to game time and walked to Scottrade just a few blocks away. We watched the Blues dominate the Panthers 4 to 0 and I fell in love with hockey! This was my second professional game ever…and when we left I was ready to buy season tickets! The game moved so fast. It was rough and the crowd was revved up. We sat near the net and could see every play. It was a blast and I can’t wait to go back!
A few Saturday’s ago Jer and I got tickets to go see the Blues take on the Florida Panthers at the Scottrade Center. What a fun date! We took the Metrolink into downtown and walked to this little place called Maurizio’s (thanks for the tip Josh and Katie!). The place isn’t anything special to look at, but the staff and the food are amazing. We were one of a handful of patrons. But you weren’t there long before you realized this place had a set of regulars and they did a killer carry out business. We split a 10’ special pizza and a bowl of cheese-filled spinach tortellini. They brought us a fabulous salad with delicious house dressing and our pizza and pasta followed shortly after. For info about the restaurant check out their website.
We were stuffed and so glad that we were on foot instead of in our car. We left Maurizio’s about 10 minutes to game time and walked to Scottrade just a few blocks away. We watched the Blues dominate the Panthers 4 to 0 and I fell in love with hockey! This was my second professional game ever…and when we left I was ready to buy season tickets! The game moved so fast. It was rough and the crowd was revved up. We sat near the net and could see every play. It was a blast and I can’t wait to go back!
November 15, 2008
Baby Bump
As one of my co-workes lovingly calls it..."the bump" is getting bigger everyday. She often asks me if "the bump" is hungry...or if "the bump" is doing ok today. It cracks me up. And I've come to find the term both perfectly appropriate and endearing. So you might ask...how is "the bump?" See for yourself. The pictures below start at week 13, then week 15 and the latest one is from week 21. It's amazing what your body can do. And my bump is a true testatment.
Week 13
Week 15
November 3, 2008
Ultrasound and Appointment Number 3
On Wednesday, October 29th at 2:15 we saw the first pictures of our little one!! What an amazing experience for us! Our ultrasound tech was fabulous. She explained that first she would do an anatomy scan…which meant measuring and taking a close look at baby’s body parts. It was fun watching her label the legs, arms, and scan photos of the chambers of the heart. On the screen when the heart was in view you could see the faintest little flicker. After the anatomy scan she started taking pictures for us. Even if we had wanted to know the sex, it would have been very difficult to figure out because our little one couldn't keep still. Apparently, we are all on the same page about keeping baby's gender a surprise. Our ultrasound tech showed us a ton of great shots of the baby. My favorite part was watching the baby yawn! Baby was fully awake and active, and our ultrasound tech found it quite amusing! I couldn’t believe with it moving all around like that, that I couldn’t feel it. But sure enough, there baby was rolling over, stretching its’ arms and moving its’ face. Baby showed us his/her face, rump, legs, arms, hands, all the good stuff! She joked with me about how if baby was that active once I started to feel it, I’d be losing a lot of sleep! A lot of people asked us if we cried. Honestly, we were both too amazed and excited to cry. Seeing the baby moved calmed my heart in a way I can’t explain. We are more excited now than ever to meet our baby!! Just 20 weeks to go!!
After our ultrasound, we had our 3rd appointment. The office was a super busy place and Dr. Talsky was in the middle of delivering an emergy c-section. Instead of meeting with him, we had the opportunity to meet with Carrie Evans, his nurse practictioner. She was amazing! We got lots of great info and a chance to talk over some questions we had. She told us it was time to think about a pediatrician and also gave us our deadline date for our all of our baby preparations. By March 4th she said we should have everything together. All of our nursery decorating done, all of our purchases made. etc. After March 4th I'll be 38 weeks and considered full term. After that date, they won't stop me from going into labor. Wow!! What a nice thing to know!
After our ultrasound, we had our 3rd appointment. The office was a super busy place and Dr. Talsky was in the middle of delivering an emergy c-section. Instead of meeting with him, we had the opportunity to meet with Carrie Evans, his nurse practictioner. She was amazing! We got lots of great info and a chance to talk over some questions we had. She told us it was time to think about a pediatrician and also gave us our deadline date for our all of our baby preparations. By March 4th she said we should have everything together. All of our nursery decorating done, all of our purchases made. etc. After March 4th I'll be 38 weeks and considered full term. After that date, they won't stop me from going into labor. Wow!! What a nice thing to know!
Check out below for some shots of the baby’s first pics! Stay tuned for pictures of the baby bump and more...
October 20, 2008
Closet space for sale…going once, going twice!
Right now Jer and I would probably start bargaining chores for a month to gain a little extra space in our closet. One month of both morning and night animal duty for 12 inches of hanging space in the closet? SOLD! Honestly it’s not quite that bad. But after piling all of our clothes onto our living room floor to begin organizing them, it became apparent we could clothe a small country with everything we own.
It all started when we came to the realization that Jer was about to lose his closet. He was quickly demoted to the smaller spare room closet when we moved in together b/c me being a girl I had WAY more stuff! At any rate…what little space he did have was going to be given up to the nursery…and we had no idea what we were going to do! Through a series of discussions and a trip to Rothman furniture, we decided to bite the bullet and condense into one shared closet and one dresser. We hoped that this would un-clutter our room. The prospect was a bit scary! But of course, we ended up (in true Jess and Jer fashion) repainting, refinishing and revamping our entire bedroom. We’ve heard too many times that the bedroom is your sanctuary and ours was no longer that. We took the opportunity to make ours just what we’ve always wanted…minus the attached bath of my dreams (although Jer offered to knock down a wall!) New paint, new bedding and a new TV are just what we needed to transform our space into a beautiful light and open room we can enjoy! Our last and final task is attacking the combining of closet and dresser space. That began last night. And though our living room looks much like a yard sale at the moment, progress is being made with as much speed as my 4 and half month pregnant self and my over-worked husband can handle!
Once were finished up we'll post some pics of our before and after progress!
It all started when we came to the realization that Jer was about to lose his closet. He was quickly demoted to the smaller spare room closet when we moved in together b/c me being a girl I had WAY more stuff! At any rate…what little space he did have was going to be given up to the nursery…and we had no idea what we were going to do! Through a series of discussions and a trip to Rothman furniture, we decided to bite the bullet and condense into one shared closet and one dresser. We hoped that this would un-clutter our room. The prospect was a bit scary! But of course, we ended up (in true Jess and Jer fashion) repainting, refinishing and revamping our entire bedroom. We’ve heard too many times that the bedroom is your sanctuary and ours was no longer that. We took the opportunity to make ours just what we’ve always wanted…minus the attached bath of my dreams (although Jer offered to knock down a wall!) New paint, new bedding and a new TV are just what we needed to transform our space into a beautiful light and open room we can enjoy! Our last and final task is attacking the combining of closet and dresser space. That began last night. And though our living room looks much like a yard sale at the moment, progress is being made with as much speed as my 4 and half month pregnant self and my over-worked husband can handle!
Once were finished up we'll post some pics of our before and after progress!
Appointment Number 2:
October 3, 2008:
On this day we had our second appointment. Like our first visit, this visit was great! We were both excited again to hear what Dr. Talsky would tell us about our progress. We were now 15 weeks and 2 days. He thought I was about the 16 weeks in size. The baby’s heartbeat was a sure and steady 160. It was still amazing…and it was easier to find this time around too. I’m almost big enough to measure. The most exciting part of this visit besides hearing that we were doing great was that it was time to schedule our ultrasound! On October 29 we go for our first picture of the baby! We cannot wait!
On this day we had our second appointment. Like our first visit, this visit was great! We were both excited again to hear what Dr. Talsky would tell us about our progress. We were now 15 weeks and 2 days. He thought I was about the 16 weeks in size. The baby’s heartbeat was a sure and steady 160. It was still amazing…and it was easier to find this time around too. I’m almost big enough to measure. The most exciting part of this visit besides hearing that we were doing great was that it was time to schedule our ultrasound! On October 29 we go for our first picture of the baby! We cannot wait!
October 15, 2008
To find out, or not to find out...
That is the question everyone wants to know!!
Jer is 50/50. I’m 80/20. His Dad wants us to find out. My Mom doesn’t. When we mention the possibility of not finding out, it’s all gasps and shrieks from people about “How can you not know?”
So here’s what we’ve decided. We want to make a choice that is us. We’ve done a lot of talking. Our nursery theme is neutral. We have a girl’s name and we’re working on a boy’s name. There isn’t a good decorating reason why we have to know. And on top of it all, I love surprises. How many big surprises are there really in life? SO…for the chance to do something fun and keep a mystery going for ourselves, we’ve decided not to find out until the day he or she decides to arrive. Hopefully everyone will have fun with it. But at this point…we’ve decide that we’re keeping it a secret for us! We want a happy healthy baby. Boy or Girl it’s all the same! So…to find out or not to find out? We’ll see what we see around March 25th!
Jer is 50/50. I’m 80/20. His Dad wants us to find out. My Mom doesn’t. When we mention the possibility of not finding out, it’s all gasps and shrieks from people about “How can you not know?”
So here’s what we’ve decided. We want to make a choice that is us. We’ve done a lot of talking. Our nursery theme is neutral. We have a girl’s name and we’re working on a boy’s name. There isn’t a good decorating reason why we have to know. And on top of it all, I love surprises. How many big surprises are there really in life? SO…for the chance to do something fun and keep a mystery going for ourselves, we’ve decided not to find out until the day he or she decides to arrive. Hopefully everyone will have fun with it. But at this point…we’ve decide that we’re keeping it a secret for us! We want a happy healthy baby. Boy or Girl it’s all the same! So…to find out or not to find out? We’ll see what we see around March 25th!
October 13, 2008
Our First Appointment
September 2, 2008:
The day after Labor Day, Jer and I had our first doctor’s appointment for the baby. It seemed like a million years since took the first test…and then the second…and called the doctor to schedule an appointment. We were both a little surprised when they said, “We don’t see you till you are 10 to 12 weeks.” So September 2 put me at 11 weeks. We schedule the day off and waited and waited and waited!
Finally our appointment day was here. I had no idea what to expect even though I’d read some information on what we would find out. It was exciting and scary all at the same time! It was the first time we got to meet Dr. Talsky and he was great! I was relieved. And from the pictures of him holding all the babies he’s delivered on his office wall, I feel like we are in good hands! When we left we had confirmed that I was nearly 11 weeks. The appointment took us about an hour and a half. Dr. Talsky sent me home with a prescription for prenatal vitamins and more information than we could possibly digest. I had forms to fill out for labor and delivery already! It was a fact filled morning for us both. By far, the coolest part of the day was hearing that little whirring heartbeat. Between a range of 140 and 180, our baby’s heartbeat was 160. There is a wives tale that talks about the heart rate being fast for girls and slow for boys. Interesting!
When we left the doctor’s office we were so elated we didn’t know what to do. We called Steff, my mom, his Dad and Stacey, ok we called everybody! Just to let them know how it went! We were so excited we decided to go to Target and browse the baby stuff. For us, it was all really happening. We were having a baby! What a crazy new step in our lives!!
The day after Labor Day, Jer and I had our first doctor’s appointment for the baby. It seemed like a million years since took the first test…and then the second…and called the doctor to schedule an appointment. We were both a little surprised when they said, “We don’t see you till you are 10 to 12 weeks.” So September 2 put me at 11 weeks. We schedule the day off and waited and waited and waited!
Finally our appointment day was here. I had no idea what to expect even though I’d read some information on what we would find out. It was exciting and scary all at the same time! It was the first time we got to meet Dr. Talsky and he was great! I was relieved. And from the pictures of him holding all the babies he’s delivered on his office wall, I feel like we are in good hands! When we left we had confirmed that I was nearly 11 weeks. The appointment took us about an hour and a half. Dr. Talsky sent me home with a prescription for prenatal vitamins and more information than we could possibly digest. I had forms to fill out for labor and delivery already! It was a fact filled morning for us both. By far, the coolest part of the day was hearing that little whirring heartbeat. Between a range of 140 and 180, our baby’s heartbeat was 160. There is a wives tale that talks about the heart rate being fast for girls and slow for boys. Interesting!
When we left the doctor’s office we were so elated we didn’t know what to do. We called Steff, my mom, his Dad and Stacey, ok we called everybody! Just to let them know how it went! We were so excited we decided to go to Target and browse the baby stuff. For us, it was all really happening. We were having a baby! What a crazy new step in our lives!!
October 8, 2008
Life is so amazing!
In my short 25 (almost 26) years of living, I have never been less than amazed at all of the blessings that seem to be put at my feet. One of the biggest blessings has been my husband. It’s funny b/c we’ve been together for nearly a decade. Wow…that’s kind of scary to type and actually read out loud! I have this warm-fuzzy memory of times together when we were first dating. He’d pick me up in his Geo Tracker with 12inch subs in the back and off we’d go. I’ll never forget the roof of that car actually flexing in the wind while we were driving down 370 one day…I literally thought the whole roof was going to cave in on us. We shared our first kiss in my parents’ front yard. Learned to drive cars together, graduated high school together, started college together. We’ve been there for first jobs, first life let downs and so many other things.
When he proposed to me, we were just barely in our 20’s. Some people thought we were crazy. Some people thought it was just what would always happen. Jeremy and Jessie would get married! I’ll never forget how intent he was at making the night perfect for me. What he didn’t realize was that the imperfections of it all are what made the night so special…and so classically Jer. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Something about a man crying in your lap because he was so afraid you’d be disappointed with the way the night went has to melt your heart a little bit! I knew my heart was safe in his hands and that he would take care of me no matter what. After the engagement we went about making plans for a future together. He and I always have seen eye to eye on one major thing. We knew our lives were meant to be together. Whatever that meant.
So we set about fulfilling some goals that we thought would be good for our future! We bought our first house, got our first big kid jobs, supported each other through school, and planned our wedding day! Oh our wedding was one crazy, amazing day. It was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. He looked amazing in his tux. I felt like a princess. The weather couldn’t have been any better. We were surrounded by close friends and family all day long and after the ceremony we danced out tails off at our reception. I could not have asked for better memories! I wouldn’t hesitate to do it all over again. Ha! I say that now...nearly 3 years later!
In the 3 years since then we’ve managed to make our humble little house into a beautiful home. We’ve taken some amazing vacations to places I’ll never forget. We hope to travel more and experience all the fabulous things God has in store for us. We’re proud of the life we’ve built and the adventures we’ve taken on!
And that is why I’m most excited about our newest adventure! On March 25th the newest little Linley should be making his OR her grand entrance into our lives! We’re so excited about it we could bust! We had our first appointment on September 2nd. I was nearly 11 weeks along and we heard the heartbeat! We’re still on the fence about finding out what we’re having. I don’t want to know and Jer does. We’re making plans for our nursery and all the big changes a baby means for us. And we could not be happier!! Keep an eye out for updates on our blog. I plan to keep everyone posted on our progress!
When he proposed to me, we were just barely in our 20’s. Some people thought we were crazy. Some people thought it was just what would always happen. Jeremy and Jessie would get married! I’ll never forget how intent he was at making the night perfect for me. What he didn’t realize was that the imperfections of it all are what made the night so special…and so classically Jer. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Something about a man crying in your lap because he was so afraid you’d be disappointed with the way the night went has to melt your heart a little bit! I knew my heart was safe in his hands and that he would take care of me no matter what. After the engagement we went about making plans for a future together. He and I always have seen eye to eye on one major thing. We knew our lives were meant to be together. Whatever that meant.
So we set about fulfilling some goals that we thought would be good for our future! We bought our first house, got our first big kid jobs, supported each other through school, and planned our wedding day! Oh our wedding was one crazy, amazing day. It was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. He looked amazing in his tux. I felt like a princess. The weather couldn’t have been any better. We were surrounded by close friends and family all day long and after the ceremony we danced out tails off at our reception. I could not have asked for better memories! I wouldn’t hesitate to do it all over again. Ha! I say that now...nearly 3 years later!
In the 3 years since then we’ve managed to make our humble little house into a beautiful home. We’ve taken some amazing vacations to places I’ll never forget. We hope to travel more and experience all the fabulous things God has in store for us. We’re proud of the life we’ve built and the adventures we’ve taken on!
And that is why I’m most excited about our newest adventure! On March 25th the newest little Linley should be making his OR her grand entrance into our lives! We’re so excited about it we could bust! We had our first appointment on September 2nd. I was nearly 11 weeks along and we heard the heartbeat! We’re still on the fence about finding out what we’re having. I don’t want to know and Jer does. We’re making plans for our nursery and all the big changes a baby means for us. And we could not be happier!! Keep an eye out for updates on our blog. I plan to keep everyone posted on our progress!
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