Busy, Busy, Busy

Tripp and I were lucky to have my mom this weekend for a last-minute visit and enjoyed a thoroughly baby-filled 3 days! Mom flew down Friday and returned home Monday (just in time). While she was here we visited Trader Joe's in Midtown, and did some baby shopping (of course).

Friday afternoon we stopped at Georgia Baby and Kids to try some wheelin' and dealin' for those prints Tripp and I wanted so badly. Hillary, our friendly and helpful sales associate, "made a call" and said she could offer us 20% off the three prints. I wasn't happy with that (still over $400 - and one of the prints needed to be re-framed) so we were ready to leave without them, again. On our way out, Hillary asked, "So if I could do better on the price you'd buy them?" I said, "Yes, I really like them but I just can't justify that price."

"How about $300 for all three?"

"Sold."

Tripp and I had discussed offering $250 for all three, which would have been a little less than 50% off, but we all agreed $300 was a good deal and we loaded them in the car. Tripp hung Chloe and Walking the Dog on Saturday morning and I dropped Circus Man off at the frame shop for a new frame.

Almost finished!

Saturday we hit Rattles and Rhymes which was, of course, sold-out of almost everything I wanted to show Mom. Luckily, while we were there, I was able to fill her in on the latest in our long-running carseat debate. Although it seems like it should be, it is not easy to pick out a carseat. After literally months of discussion, Tripp and I finally came down to two choices: Chicco KeyFit 30 or Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30. Things didn't get any easier when, a few weeks ago, we met the sales rep for Peg Perego and were given the run-down on the safety features and benefits of the that seat ($100 more) vs. any other. Ultimately, though, our concerns boiled down to comfort - the Peg doesn't look like it would be comfortable for a larger baby and the Chicco just seems more cushy and comfy. So we got the Chicco (ON SALE!).

The rest of Saturday was spent at the mall, visiting various children's clothing stores (Gymboree was our favorite) and spending too much money on what is sure to be the best-dressed baby in Athens. (We shopped the sales racks, honestly!)

Sunday, Mom and I went to Kohls and then met Tripp for dinner at Doc Chey's in downtown Athens and Monday we stopped at REI to buy the BOB - 20% OFF! I was worried they wouldn't have the color I wanted in stock (no one ever seems to) but they did! WOOHOO!

It's called Mesa Orange but
I like to think of it as HOKIE Orange!

So, yeah, we had a great visit with my mom and feel like we're finally "ready" to bring this little guy home when he's ready to come out. At our last midwifery group meeting we were reminded that babies born after 26 weeks are considered "viable" - that is, able to survive outside of the womb. So while we would prefer that he continue to bake until at least mid-November, if he decides to make his entrance sooner, I feel like we're actually prepared to care for him. Scary, huh?

Spot has arrived!

And we couldn't be more pleased! The colors are rich, the patterns bold, and the fleecy parts are squeezably soft! We both agree it is the perfect fit for our family and can't WAIT to see it in action! Check the nursery gallery for more photos of the crib.

The dogs love it too!

Closeup of the sheets!

After weeks of searching all over Athens and Atlanta, we have finally found a glider for the nursery. Our insistence that the chair be affordable, comfortable and not too big was beginning to make me think we might never find what we wanted. Luckily, we made a stop in a furniture store in Atlanta (while looking for a dresser for US) and found just the chair. AND - because it's not a baby store, we were able to order it for nearly 1/2 the price of a "Nursery Glider" - and we got a custom fabric at no extra cost!

This may not be the exact chair,
or fabric, but it's pretty close.

Finally, we have been searching for unique artwork for the baby's room and have been really drawn to two artists we discovered at Georgia Baby and Kids in Atlanta. Unfortunately, we've had a little trouble finding any...eh hem...affordable prints, so the search continues.

The first artist is Annora Spence. We really love the bold colors, exciting scenery, and of course the ANIMALS! Here are some of our favorites.

Circus Man

Lady and Cat

Man and Giraffe

Walking the Goat

The other artist we like is Mackenzie Thorpe. It turns out we prefer his early work because the prints on his website now are very modern and some are pretty dark. Nothing like this:

Chloe

Together

Other than nursery changes, we've been plugging along with no problems or concerns. The baby is becoming more active, especially at work in the morning and after dinner. In the morning he tends to kick low - like my cervix - which is not the most comfortable thing in the world. But at night he kicks much harder and primarily on my right side. Although I thought Tripp felt the baby move 2 weeks ago, he insists he hasn't felt anything yet. Because he isn't active around the clock yet, it's hard to get Tripp to feel it. Soon, though.

I posted a belly picture in the photo gallery for an update. There are a lot of pregnant people around to compare myself to, and I'm constantly being told I "barely look pregnant." Is that supposed to be a compliment? I most certainly do look pregnant and I definitely feel pregnant. The belly is constantly being bumped on doorways that I can no longer shimmy through, and Tripp can definitely feel the difference when I sit in his lap!

Our visits with the midwives have changed a little. Instead of going in to the clinic every four weeks, we're attending a prenatal group every two weeks in a different location. There are 3 other coupls, all due in November, and one midwife. We, the moms, are responsible for performing our own urinalysis and getting our weight and then the dad's take our blood pressure, do belly measurements, and use the doppler to find the baby's heartrate. It's a very different environment designed to emphasize the "normalness" of pregnancy. So far we are really pleased and have met some neat people too!

I'm looking forward to starting our birth classes next month and our breastfeeding class in October. It seems like the time is going by more quickly lately so our days are running out to get prepared for our little one. We talk to and about him all the time - we just can't WAIT!