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.

Weigh-In: Week 23+1

This is my bare belly.  I know.  It just has to be done sometimes, though, because how else will I remember.  I like watching my belly grow, even if I don't like gaining weight.  But more on that later.


At 23 weeks, the baby is almost to viability, which means nothing more than, were she born right now, she'd have about a 50-70% chance of surviving -- up from the 20-35% chance before 24 weeks.  It's amazing to learn that 90% of babies born at 26-27 weeks survive.  Survive, of course, doesn't mean lead a normal, healthy life, but I know, like any pregnant woman, that no baby, even born at term, is not guaranteed that.  This is about the time, though, that I start to think seriously about the fact that a baby might actually be born in a few months -- and I have an overwhelming desire to prepare for that in some way.  Since we pretty much have everything we need, and I know more or less what I need to know about childbirth and infants, this mostly involves doing the few things that still need done, short of unpacking the baby stuff (since it's still a bit early for that -- I'm saving it for the beginning of winter break in December).  

I did start to get a few of the things we need or want for her, though.  A friend bought us a few girl clothes right after we found out the gender, so we have a few onesies and a pair of pink ruffle-butt pants.  My mom added some sleep sacks and pink baby socks.  I've also bought a few things I've seen and liked, including her "coming home" pants and some cute denim rompers for when she gets a little bigger.  I also got two Jamie Rae hats, which I've given in the past as gifts to moms expecting girls.  The darker one on the left is for her coming home outfit, also.  Mom also contributed an outfit that will likely not get much wear, but will certainly show up in some pictures -- a precious, newborn, yellow-rosebud gown with matching bonnet, with a white ruffle-butt diaper cover and the tiniest little slippers.  It was a gift given to her when I was born -- finally, a girl for the Neiheisels -- and now our little girl will get to wear it.  I, of course, was born in May, and our daughter is due in January -- so like I said, she probably won't make a lot of appearances in it.  But special nonetheless.  I have a few more things coming in the mail -- a few cute onesies that were on sale, some Baby Legs (never used before, but I like the idea of them for keeping warm without needing pants).  Also, in what has become a family tradition, I got the baby her own witty t-shirt for her coming-home outfit (Oliver's was #3 on this list, and baby girl's is from the same website).  I figure each of our kids will have their own coming-home outfit that doesn't get passed down to younger siblings, but with this common thread among them.  And then, like my mom, I can pass them on to them when they have kids or are just ready to inherit some of those kinds of memories.  I also ordered the baby her very own pink blanket (the same Oliver's blue one from Little Giraffe) and a lovey.  I had already decided to get her one in the same line as Ollie's, which is the Nici Plush line.  When I started searching, though, I remembered that Lovie is German.  Nici is a German line and is sold almost exclusively in Europe (and, as it turns out, Australia).  This caused me to remember that I bought Lovie in a German airport my senior year of college as a gift to Wes, which explains Lovie's ethnic origins.  Fortunately I found a great online store that sells the line with a reasonable flat rate for shipping to the states.  I hemmed and hawed about getting back-up loveys for both of them, but Ollie isn't overly attached to his, and since I know where I can get more, I'm going to sit on my hands for the moment.  There's more on the list, of course.  Mostly clothes, an infant seat (for keeping her off the floor but among the action in the living room), and a few things for me (like a nursing cover), but those can wait.  For now, I like the idea that we have our version of the essentials for this new person, even if she is a few months away from coming home (we hope).

I've also started to do something I did with Ollie from pretty early on -- read to her.  I don't remember when I started with Oliver, but I did it almost every night.  I read him board books, the ones others or we bought for him, and even worked up to at least one chapter book (The Phantom Tollbooth).  I actually saw a study the other day that said that kids read to in utero were more vigorous eaters (which clearly worked with Ollie), so hey, couldn't hurt.  Plus it's like I'm starting to work in some time just for her.  I know a lot of parents worry about their first when they're having a second -- the older kid won't get enough attention or whatever -- but that doesn't concern me.  Ollie does fine, will have his moments, but will ultimately get through it all, I think.  And I know Wes likes his age better than newborns, so G will always have dad for focused playtime.  I'm actually more concerned about the littler ones getting to be their own people -- getting some version of the attention and special focus that a first one usually gets (and Ollie certainly has).  It's never the same, I know, but I just want each kid to feel like he or she has some special place all his or her own in our family.  And so the baby gets her own reading time at night.  I decided that this time, though, since I'm already reading a lot of the board books and kids' books every day, that the baby and I will do a longer piece, a few pages at a time.  So last night, Wes off for a night shift, we snuggled into bed and read Chapter 1 of Anne of Green Gables.  I've seen the movie version of this many times, but I've never read the book, so I thought it was a good choice.  The book was written in the early to mid-1900's, so the vocabulary and syntax are pretty mature for a 23-week fetus, but I think she appreciates the narrative.  I swear I could hear her laugh last night when I read about Mrs. Rachel Lynde seeing Matthew Cuthbert go by in his best clothes on his way out of Avonlea, wondering to herself -- and then to Marilla -- about where he was off to.  And clucking at Marilla when she found out what he was up to. I figure if we're still not done when she comes (it's a long book as it includes Anne of Avonlea), we can read it together at bedtime nursing sessions.

So that's us in a gourd (it's fall, and it just doesn't seem like all that would fit in a nutshell).  For those who are wondering, I was 130.5 on Friday and then 132 on Sunday and today.  How, I ask, does one (or even one plus) gain 1.5 lbs. in a day?  I know she's growing, I know I'm supposed to gain weight, but I just can't stop myself from looking.  My only consolation is that most websites say I'm likely to have gained around 15 pounds by now, and I'm at 7-10, depending on what you count as my starting weight.  So I'm going to try to lay off the peanut butter cups -- always my nemesis -- but not let myself go hungry.  I'm not fretting about it, honest.

Out of Town Daddy

Wes left today around noon for his residency retreat in Michigan. He's definitely a bit ancy about being almost two hours away so close to my due date. He's called twice in the last hour just to check in and then to let me know his pager doesn't work out where he is. Were I not pregnant, I doubt we would even talk for the 36 hours he's out of town. In truth, Wes has been particuarly vigilant and a bit on edge the past few days. Last night, I went into the bathroom, turned on the faucet in the tub, and let out a yelp when the shower head sprayed down on me unexpectedly (someone forgot to push the plunger down after his shower). Wes ran into the bathroom at top speed to find out what had happened.

Needless to say, we're both watching and waiting. There's tons of pressure down low, and the kicks have moved down from ribs to the side of my belly. There's still enough movement to know he's doing okay, but it's slowing a bit. Wes put down chux (the blue, waterproof pads they use in the hospital) under the sheets on my side of the bed yesterday -- just in case, I suppose (we do love our mattress). While I'm glad the mattress is protected, it is a bit odd hearing the crinkling when I, with great effort, roll over at night.

The weather here is turning cooler -- 50s and 60s for the past few days, low 70s forecasted for the next several. It's making me run to the baby's dresser to recheck our 0-3 month stash -- all short-sleeved onesies! I guess he'll have to stay wrapped as a baby burrito until he starts fitting into some 3-6 month sweatpants. Fortunately, I have an impressive stash of warm baby blankets for any outings in the car seat or stroller.

Pretty in pink

Emme has moved up to her six month clothes.  I have a few 3-6 month items that she still wears, especially t-shirts, but she needs the bigger size in bottoms and onesies and rompers because of her diaper and long torso.  This is something I got from Zulily.  It's the kind of cutsie, girlie, pink thing I would never wear myself but don't mind putting on my daughter until she's old enough to complain about it.

Ollie's Journal, Weeks 4-6

Things I did:

1. Settled into something like a schedule.
2. Visited with Grandma Kay, who brought me presents and carried me around whenever I fussed. Yay for grandmas!
3. Grew and grew -- my 0-3 onesies don't fit anymore, although the pants are still long. Evidently I got mom's body proportions but dad's long arms (per the sales lady at Macy's, who sold Wes his sport coat, "monkey arms").
4. Started blowing spit and milk bubbles. Gross, yet surprisingly cute.
5. Showed some interest in toys that make noise. Fun!

Right now:
Thinking about dinner.

The rodent

Everywhere I go shopping for clothes for Emme, I see little pink onesies, often with rhinestones, that proclaim, "Daddy's little princess."  So it kind of surprised me when Wes landed on his most recent nickname for Emme -- the rodent.  Oliver has also now picked it up.  I'm not sure he realizes that it's being used to refer to Emme or if he even knows what a rodent is.  But he thinks it's funny nonetheless.  I do not.  My usual nickname for her is "Sweety Pea."

I mean, I do kind of see where he's coming from.  Emme's scampering little crawl and the fact that she gets around like crazy are a little rodent-esque.  She is constantly underfoot these days, especially since she's started trying to pull herself up on my legs when she wants me (adorable, unless you're trying to put groceries away -- or, as was the case this morning, use the bathroom).  She's starting to get into things.  Today we had to take my power cord away from her lest she pull the whole laptop on her head.  I guess we might be Oliver-proofed but are not really baby proofed in some spots.

Wes insists that this nickname is meant as a compliment.  Rodents are survivors, he claims, especially the ones that periodically visit our home and manage to avoid the traps we put down for them (the poison, it seems, is another story).  I just don't know, though, that Emme is going to look back as a young woman (by which time Wes will hopefully have thought of another nickname -- Emme-Em is the usual referent) and think to herself -- My dad sure must have loved me when I was a baby, comparing me to vermin and all.

Would make for an interesting onesie, though.  Even with rhinestones.  

Vote for the best baby onesie

After weeks of scouring the internet for funny baby onesies we'll probably never buy ($18.00???), I nominate the following five designs:

#1. That's How I Roll
#2. iPoo'd
#3. I Wasn't Born Yesterday (actually, Wes and I do plan to buy this one, and then bring the kid home from the hospital in it -- we're ironic like that)
#4. I Can't Read (probably funny only to my family)
#5. It was the dog. (no picture available that I could swipe to post)

Please vote in the comments.

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!