Growing, growing...

The end of the day, after dinner. But who am I kidding? It's getting big.

Baby Shower!

On Thursday, the seniors at school threw a baby shower for me and the other senior teacher who is pregnant (and due 4 weeks after me). The girls were very generous and terribly cute in their endeavors. They guessed our weight, our girth. We made baby words out of the letters of our names. The girls got us started on all we would need for baby -- some onesies (all blue, of course), newborn diapers (never hurt to have some disposable around), wipes, and even a bottle brush (which, and it worries me, both Wes and the other new mom first thought was used to clean the actual child).

And a very special thanks to Helen's mom (who is also expecting her first boy, but second baby), who was kind enough to send along a gently used crib sheet that we had both eyed. Evidently Helen likes to sit up at night and talk to the creatures on the sheet, hence her willingness to part with it. It is very much appreciated, as is the advice you've shared!

Dear Husband Part 16

Evidently, Wes needs a hat, too.

Clothes for baby

Anyone who knows me knows that I've been collecting baby clothes for the past few years. It is a secret I did not keep very well. Until recently, the dozen or so items were stores in our storage locker. Last week we got them out to take stock and see what we needed. After my first baby shower on Thursday, I'd like to report the following clothes store:

For 0-3 months (according to Baby Gap and Gymboree) -- September through December

• 10 short-sleeved onesies, 1 long-sleeved
• 1 t-shirt
• 2 coveralls (one with feet, one without)
• 1 hat

Need: Some kimono tops or t-shirt for pre-umbilical heal and some pants and socks for as it gets cold.

For 3-6 months -- December through February

• 4 long-sleeved onesies
• 1 coverall with feet, 1 overall
• 1 sleeper set
• 1 sweater
• 1 hat

For 6-12 months -- February through September

• 1 t-shirt
• 1 sweatshirt

For anytime

• 1 hooded towel

This is all to say that if you are among those, like me, who love to buy cute baby clothes as gifts, we could really use bigger versus smaller, and we could really use some warm stuff (like sweatshirts and pants and socks) for the winter. I know you can just swaddle when they're small, but our apartment can get chilly in winter, so we're going to need some warm stuff (plus some blankets!) for when he starts moving around more.

Watch him grow

For my pregnancy, I've been reading Great Expectations (by Sandy Jones and Marcie Jones, not Charles Dickens) for the play-by-play of each week. It's like What to Expect, but without some of the objections of that book. Plus it's much more geared towards women who want a drug-free delivery and plan to breastfeed.

One of my favorite parts of reading the book each week is hearing how much the baby has grown. But I find the descriptions of this aspect of development totally hilarious. Below is a compiling of the ways in which these authors describe the baby's approximate size (sometimes weight, sometimes length) each week.

Weeks 2 and 3 -- Fits on the head of a pin
Week 4 -- Barely visible to the naked eye
Week 5 -- Size of a grain of sand
Week 6 -- Size of an M&Ms candy
Week 7 -- Weighing no more than a chocolate chip or a berry
Week 8 -- The size of your thumbprint
Week 10 -- The size of a garden beetle
Week 11 -- The size of a peanut
Week 12 -- As tall as a squash ball
Week 13 -- The size of a medium goldfish
Week 14 -- As wide as your fist
Week 16 -- The size of a small gerbil
Week 17 -- Weighs as much as a bar of soap
Week 18 -- The size of a lobster tail
Week 19 -- The size of an apple
Week 20 -- The size of a mango
Week 21 -- The size bear cubs are when they are born

Looking ahead:
Week 22 -- The size of a small grapefruit
Week 23 -- Weighs as much as a box of sugar or a bag of coffee beans
Week 24 -- The size of a banana
Week 25 -- The size of small bag of sugar
Week 27 -- The size of a small pot roast
Week 28 -- The size of a bag of flower
Week 30 -- As long as a laptop computer
Week 34 -- The size of a bag of sugar
Week 35 -- The size of a small roasting chicken
Week 40 -- Size: Huge

I like the bear cubs and the small roasting chicken, personally. And Week 16 gives credence to our fears at our first ultrasound that the screen would show a hamster inside of my uterus.

Childbirth Classes

Wes and I are at the point in the process now when we're looking (I'm looking) for childbirth classes. Our midwife gave us a bunch of pamphlets and printouts at the last appointment for courses and services offered in Chicago -- Bradley, Birthing from Within, Hypnobirthing, and more. I spent a lot of time looking online at the websites for these classes, and while some are pretty informative, none of the sites seemed to provide comprehensive information -- the dates of upcoming courses, a description of the course, and the cost. So I've sent our emails to about half a dozen people asking for the missing information. And six days later, no response. I find it surprising that these businesses -- for ultimately that's what they are -- don't have better information.

The challenge to picking one of these classes, beyond finding out the where, what, and how much, is to decide "how" we want to deliver. I know that we're going to try for a drug-free delivery, but there seem to be so many versions of this. Is the father a "coach" or an active participant with his own needs? Is it better to embrace the pain, manage the pain, or block the pain out altogether? Should you squat or kneel? Should you cry out or be quiet? Here's a tip, folks -- I've never given birth. I have no idea. I think Wes and I find this difficult because not only do we -- more me than him -- not know what to really expect, but we also don't want to be indoctrinated with one way of birthing if it's ultimately not for us. Does someone offer a sampler?

I know, much like with our wedding, that it's the final product that matters. As long as we get a baby in the end, it doesn't really matter how it comes out. At the same time, I am a planner, and I am enjoying my first pregnancy and all the learning that goes with it. I love the pregnancy books, the breastfeeding books, and the prenatal yoga. I know we won't go through all this with subsequent pregnancies, both because we won't need to as much and we won't necessarily have the kind of time we do now. But while I know I can't prepare 100% for what awaits me, I don't see any reason not to prepare as much as I can. If only I could figure out how to do that without taking 5 $300 childbirth classes...

Wrapping

I went to a Sling Class at Be By Baby today to learn about the different kinds of slings and wraps and make sure I had some idea of what I want. Wes and I went to the store several weeks ago (partly because they carry cloth diapers), and one of the sales clerks wowed me with a wrap, which I was previously wary of. With no car, bus riding, and frequent walks (thank you, Lucy), I knew I needed some way to carry the baby that was comfortable for me and him and would grow with him. I've used the Baby Bjorn, but I'm just not in love with it.

So I went to the class today to see the different slings and wraps and try out the wraps since they have a learning curve. There were only four of us there -- one couple expecting twins, two new moms (both with babies under 3 weeks, one of whom was there -- I don't think Wes and I will get a 6 1/2 lb. baby like this lady did, but he sure was a cute little sucker!), and me.

While the pouch sling and ring sling have obvious benefits, I'm pretty set on this wrap deal. There's a bunch of different ways you can wrap the baby depending on what he likes and what you're doing (sitting on an airplane or doing the laundry) and how big he is, and it seems more secure -- when tied correctly -- than anything else. I wouldn't worry as much about him slipping out somehow. Plus, some women manage to nurse with the baby in this thing -- and pretty discreetly!