Sayonara Scion...Hello Mom Car

Thinking ahead, as I've been known to do, I started researching the safety ratings on my little Scion xB. Unbeknownst to me, the little box isn't really all that safe. Yes, it has safety features such as traction control and an air bag or two...but by parent standards, the thing is a death trap. It actually received "poor" ratings on side and rear impact crash testing. (And why didn't I look into this when I bought the thing?)

As much as I still adore the brave little toaster, it's just not a good fit for a family. Besides lacking in the area of safety, it also lacks trunk space. But it's great for commuting, which is the primary reason I bought it. Now, we just need to sell it – any takers?

...enter the "Mom Car." For about six weeks now, I've been scouring sites such as Cars.com, Automotive.com, and Edmunds.com looking for a vehicle that has everything I need, while not losing sight of the things I want. For example, I need a car with high safety ratings and gets good gas mileage. I want a car that looks sporty and doesn't have tan interior. I think you get the drift.

I started looking at the Honda Element then moved onto the new Saturn Vue. Jeremy quickly put things into perspective when he noted we already have an SUV and we don't 'need' two of them. The voice of reason spoke and I agreed. Less than enthusiastic about a sedan, I changed my path of research. I liked the Volvo S40, the Mercury Milan and the Mazda 6.

All this research led to me to CarMax.com. For those of you unfamiliar this company, they are the hub of used cars at no-haggle prices. We have two in-town, so I was hoping one of the locations would have a couple of the cars I was interested in, which would save us the hassle of test-driving all over town. Kind of like one-stop shopping.

The beauty of the on-line CarMax search is if they don't have the exact vehicle you are looking for, they provide you with what they think are 'similar' or 'alternative' vehicles. This is how I stumbled across the 2007 Toyota Camry SE.

Jeremy put the Camry bug in my ear weeks ago and I just wasn't buying into it. Camry's are mom cars with no style. And who doesn't have one...I need uniqueness! At least that's what I thought. Dare I say my husband was right.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still not crazy about the CE, LE, or XLE trims available on the Camry. But the SE, the sport trim, I LOVE! And although I didn't find my beauty at CarMax, I did find it at another dealership in town.

Here she is...safety and style all in one hot mom car package.

Our 3 Pound Toe Picker

On a number of occasions, my husband has jokingly questioned whether or not the baby is really his. (I know...ha ha...really funny.) If there actually was any doubt in his mind, today his concerns were laid to rest.

This morning, at our first visit with the high-risk doctor, an ultrasound was administered to determine the size of the baby. The baby is 3 pounds and apparently has a big head...2 weeks ahead of schedule, to be exact. :)

As we were watching our little one on-screen, the tech paused and took a picture of what she thought was 'so cute'...our baby had a firm grip on his/her foot.

I agree, this is very cute. However, the majority of you don't know my dear husband is an avid toe picker. He used to be a finger picker, but has since moved his focus to the feet. I'm always nagging at him to stop the damn picking, but it's a mean habit, and I have yet to successfully break him of it.

Apparently he's been a "picker" since he was born. In fact, his hospital picture clearly shows him making little fists and picking his fingers. Now he's passed this trait onto our unborn child. Lovely.

The baby also has Jeremy's guns...

Where the baby gets its flexibility from is still up in the air...

The Maternity Tour

Last evening Jeremy and I attended a maternity tour at The Ohio State University Medical Center. We met with two nurses, who took us through the entire hospital process...everything from where to park, registration, the LDR (labor/delivery/recovery) suites and postpartum care. We even got to sneak a peek at the little bambinos in the nursery.

I was very impressed with the staff and facilities. The staff supports keeping the baby with the mother/father at all times, which is why everything needed for a vaginal birth is in-room. If complications were to arise, OSU has a state of the art neonatal intensive care unit and is partnered with Nationwide Children's Hospital. I'm confident we'll be in talented hands!

Jeremy was most excited by the fact we could see The Horseshoe lit up from the LDR suite we visited. I think it put him further into baby-mode though, as he bought an OSU beanie, bib, and slippers for the baby.

Below is a picture of the LDR suites...crazy nice!

The Friends Shower...

to end all Friends Showers took place this past Saturday evening. My friends Krista and Tara put on the shower, and my Mom provided the beverages.

Ladies, thank you soo much! The decor was perfect, the food was perfect, the games were perfect (I loved the frozen baby one!), the cake was perfect and the company in which I was surrounded by, was perfect as well!

The baby and I couldn't have asked for a better shower. In fact, there isn't anything I'd change about it! Just check out this amazing center piece, made with 78 diapers and tons of baby trinkets...a Krista original!

I was, and still am, truly overwhelmed by the love and generosity the baby and I were showered with. I received baby care products, diaper bags, a swing, ExerSaucer, high chair, play yard, clothes, and so much more than I can even list. In addition, each guest brought a book for the nursery, which I absolutely loved! Out of nearly 20 people, there were no duplicates! I can't wait to put everything to use!

As suspected, there were a couple surprises. I'll start with the "good" surprise...this one-of-a-kind drunk baby onesie! (Which matches my 'drunk-girl' shirt in my blog picture above.) Julie, you are one crafty chick!

And then there is the "bad and ugly," or "hideous" as I so affectionately called it as I pulled it from the wrapping paper. I think I'm going to sell it on Ebay...some poor idiot might actually like this sort of thing. Carol Ann and Erin, you really got me good with this one!

So thanks to all the ladies who spent their Saturday evening with me, celebrating the little one. I appreciate each one of our friendships and love you all very much!

Taa Dah...The Bump's Nursery

The nursery is nearly complete. I'm still in search of a blue rug, ottoman and clock. But I'm so in love with how the wall stickers transformed the room, I couldn't wait to share! And trust me, these pictures don't do the room justice!

The walls are a yellow-lettuce. The caterpillar is plush and holds 26 finger puppets; each puppet corresponds to a letter in the alphabet.

The bugs, circles, and squiggles on the walls are actually removable wall stickers. The bugs are one from one set and the shapes from another...I was lucky enough to find matching colors! My favorite piece in the room is the wall book shelf. I'm hoping to get a lot of use out of it!

And yes, that is a rocket-shaped lava lamp. I read online that lava lamps give off the perfect amount of light for midnight feedings and 2a.m. diaper changes, so we couldn't resist. Who doesn't have a soft spot in their heart for a lava lamp?

I've also added pictures of Jeremy and I when we were babies.
Ahh, I just LOVE IT! To get a better feel for layout, click here.

Welcome to My 3rd Trimester

Only 10 weeks to go until I'm considered full term! Technically, full term is 38 weeks, but the majority of deliveries actually occur between 38-42 weeks.

Our little one is 2.25 - 3 pounds and is 15 inches in length (head to heels)...about the size and weight of half an average bag of sugar. The cub's eyes blink, which now sport lashes!

The baby's eyesight is also developing, and may be able to see the light that filters in through my womb. It's (yes, I'm referring to the baby as "it") also developing billions of neurons in it's brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

As for me, I can look forward to any number of the following physical side effects during the remainder of this pregnancy: constipation, heart burn, bloating, indigestion, headaches, dizziness, nasal congestion, bleeding gums, increased appetite, leg cramps, swelling, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, itchy stomach, protruding naval, hot flashes, backache, skin changes, fuller breasts, carpal tunnel, tingly hands and feet, fetal hiccups, skin eruptions, lower back and leg (sciatica) pain and clumsiness.

Two words: pregnancy bliss.

I Have G.D.

No, not V.D. silly. G.D., as in Gestational Diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women - about 135,000 cases each year.

The cause of GD is not known, however there are some risk-factors. The only risk-factors that apply to me is that I'm over 30 and am pregnant for the first time.

Gestational diabetes starts when your body is not able to make and use all the insulin it needs for pregnancy. So, extra blood glucose goes through the placenta, giving the baby high blood glucose levels. This causes the baby's pancreas to make extra insulin to get rid of the blood glucose. Since the baby is getting more energy than it needs to grow and develop, the extra energy is stored as fat.

This can lead to macrosomia, or a "fat" baby (over 9 pounds, which Jeremy was at birth...so it's not looking like my baby will be small either way). Babies with macrosomia face health problems of their own, including damage to their shoulders during birth.

Because of the extra insulin made by the baby's pancreas, newborns may have very low blood glucose levels at birth and are also at higher risk for breathing problems. Babies with excess insulin become children who are at risk for obesity and adults who are at risk for type 2 diabetes.

Luckily I have excellent doctors who are monitoring me closely. I am on a fairly strict diet and eat every 2-3 hours, 6 times a day. I check my blood glucose levels 5 times a day (the pricking is going to get old, real fast) and have to submit my numbers to the nurse weekly. What a regiment!

I'll definitely be glad when the baby is born, as GD goes away after pregnancy!