Ok so the nursery is almost done.. we are modifying a couple things and haven't gotten anything on the walls just yet but I kinda dig it and I wanted to share.

We have white letters that spell out "nico" that I am going to pinstripe and polka-dot and I have some frames to put up with some family black & whites.



I still have to get the vinyl saying made to go under the tree but for the most part, this is it.

( Pics this way )

I put the stroller and car seat in the car yesterday ~ making sure I knew how to use everything and to make sure the car seat was in correctly. Kinda insane he could be here any day now or in a month. Either way I am pretty prepared I think.. :o)

I'll put up finished pics in a few weeks ~ my mom lives in Georgia so we will complete everything when she comes down mid-December! :oP

• 22:40 just watched E! News for 20 minutes before my spleen, liver and gall bladder began to fail. #
• 00:23 @themightyjimbo Seriously! Between E! & Fox, the word "News" sure doesn't mean what I thought it did growing up. #
• 00:25 My sister-in-law makes an AMAZING cranberry sauce. (And cute babies.) #

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So here's a topical poll for this long holiday weekend. I'll put it behind a cut because it's long, but unless you're employed by Weight Watchers it's totally SFW.

( Turkey Day poll ... )

• 17:58 I'm traveling to DC on Monday to do a regional training. I'm bringing LOTS of toys. #
• 17:59 I don't think I have ever traveled with this much product in my life. Like a huge carry on full of sex toys. #
• 23:07 Put the xmas tree up. I'm not home a good portion of this month so I have to get my fill of lights, Hanky the Xmas Poo & snowman ornaments. #
• 23:51 Nite space monkeys. Sleep well... #

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I have a really important question to ask. I'm 23 years old, I have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and I'm pregnant. It was a surprise. I talked to my neurologist and he says he doesn't want to alter my medicine because I'm so well controlled he doesn't want to risk me having a seizure.
Unfortunately I am on the worst epileptic medicine-depakote. I also take lamictal but I think that one isn't as bad. When I was just taking lamictal I was always having seizures so there's no going off depakote :o(. I'm so scared because I read it can cause birth defects. However I was taking prenatal vitamins for at least 2 months before I got pregnant (for supplements). I also take extra folic acid. I'm hoping that those two factors will give me a good defense against depakote's effects.
Every day I worry about how the baby is because all I want is a healthy baby. I hear most women with epilepsy can have healthy babies and taking extra folic acid helps out a lot especially in the beginning of the pregnancy. So the reason I'm writing to you all is to ask all the mothers with epilepsy how their pregnancies went. Were any of you also taking depakote throughout the pregnancy because you had to to stay seizure-free? How likely is it that birth defects can occur? I'm so scared, I really need some support so please if you have any advice or information you could give me it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

I have never had heartburn in my life until today and it's awful. I feel like I'm going to throw up and I am incredibly bloated and it feels like my son is lighting matches in my stomach. I'm on fire. I ate hot wings, chicken strips, and baked beans and I'm sorry. I just came here for someone to laugh at me and say "I told you so" then feed me rolaids and rub my belly. :(


Edit: My son is apparently uncomfortable too. He keeps moving from one side completely to the other. My belly button keeps switching from being pushed over to the left to pushed over to the right.

http://www.mypapercrane.com/blog/?p=1466

The lovely folks at Storey Publishing have given me a copy of this fun cookie book Cookie Craft Christmas to give away—-and 3 sets of cookie craft cards to giveaway as well.

The first thing that struck me about the book, is its small stature. I love it, it is so cute and hardcover. The photos are all so good, and I love that so many of the cookies can be easily made using cookie cutters that most people probably already have on hand. While it is not really so much a recipe book, it is decorating how-to. The book also has all sorts of helpful hints of packing cookies for mailing, shipping, and cookie swap parties. I was very tempted to keep this book for myself :)

Here is how the giveaway works…leave a comment on this entry telling me your favorite kind of cookie by Tues Dec. 1st (at 11 am EST) and I will use the random number generator to pick winners. The first number picked wins the book, and the next 3 each win a cute little folder with 4 cookie cards and matching envelopes.

Am I the only one here who feels you're much more comfortable with an Ob/Gyn than you would be with a midwife? Haha,and am I the only one here who WANTS an epidural when the big day comes?

Please don't take those questions offensively; I'm really not meaning any criticism of anyones choices! I think it's fantastic that mamas-to-be have a choice in the type of care they get & respect that not everyone is necessarily looking for the type of care an Ob/Gyn & hospital birth offers so like I said, I don't mean it as a slight against any woman who chooses a midwife or natural or home birth for herself and baby.

I guess it's just more of a general curiosity (and because I am so very bored at work this afternoon) as to whether or not I am as in the minority with that stuff as I sometimes feel. Heck, at first even my boyfriend wanted me to do this home birth style....

Xposted to baby stuff for sale. I just thought it might be more appropriate here.

I have a few items from my baby shower that I do not need to keep.

http://www.partycity.com/product/baby+showers/hanging+decorations/carter%27s+baby+boy+hanging+36in+glitter+decoration+5ct.do?sortby=ourPicks&page=2

http://www.partycity.com/product/baby+showers/banners%2C+signs/precious+bear+blue+6+3-4ft+banner.do?sortby=ourPicks

Also have thank you notes from the Dollar Store

Some blue wire ribbon, and a "spinner" (like on a life game), that says Mom, Dad, Grandma, Nanny, and you spin it. Usually ends up on mom, though ;)

I can put it in a bubble mailer, and it will be sent out for shipping. I am guestimating about $3. Comment here or email caitlin.west@gmail.com

I am now 34 weeks and took pictures yesterday, pre-turkey feast for comparison. I added it to my collage of photos from previous weeks. The doc told me its possible the baby dropped because I was measuring 31 weeks at my 33 week appointment and when I looked at my pictures I am pretty sure she was right.

...
( BELLY BELLY BELLY )

Sorry for the delay!


Next week's theme will be ... "Perfection"




I know many of you in the US are busy this week but I do hope we can get a few more posts in here before the weekend is over. Thanks!

• 12:59 @tattoo_hunter Thank you! Is it because I am tattooed or because I come from a long line of exceptional female hunters? (Honestly, I do!) #
• 13:00 @CoyoteWhips Duck ring! (They make those for the pool!) #
• 13:00 I'm moving like a turtle today. Feels good. #
• 13:54 I just used silicone lube to stop a squeak a strap on my leather boots was making. What amI? Heloise on aphrodisiacs!?! bit.ly/7EPh56 #
• 00:38 Nite turkey stuffing. Sleep well. #

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When was everybody's first belly growth spurt?

I've just gone a week, from 13 weeks, where I had a tiny little bulge, to 14 weeks where I full on look pregnant. It's lovely and I've been so impatient about wanting the belly, but it's kinda scaring the shit out of me now that it's growing so fast!

My mum doesn't help either. She says that when she was pregnant with both me and my brother she was so big that she was a complete 'monster'. She even avoided the camera and has hid all evidence that she was ever pregnant she says it was that bad.

:D

<3 Andrea


P.S. I'm 14w1d today and would love some more mums to be on my friends list!

When is a baby head down? Googleeee says 35 weeks, but I am curious when all you ladies knew baby was engaged.

I KNOW hes head up. When he hiccups (almost every day) I feel where its coming from. I feel the kicks, they are going 'down'. So I know where hes at, I also know he goes transverse sometimes too... how in the hell does he have room for this still? Its really scary to me that he is able to move around all this much. I am pretty small myself, started out at 90lbs, and now I am around 130.

Father in law did say "You havent gained ANY weight yet!"... I scoffed and told him thank you :P

Other news, I have been trying to switch clinics to a midwife. I just realized about a month ago that I had only seen a PCP my whole pregnancy. I didnt know what was available to me. I wish I knew. To the best of my knowlege I am healthy, and so is Israel. I dont feel guilty, just mad I didnt try to switch earlier. Anyway, I guess it can take *weeks* to have my info faxed over there....

WHAT?! Weeks?!.... Holy crap. I am calling them tomorrow and asking if I can make an appointment for the midwife and having them call and ask my clinic about my most recent history..

I love having state insurance. I get the best healthcare ;)

So I was researching this online and found some helpful info. But I still wanted some advice or tips from you gals. I'm a little bit worried about having a dog around a newborn. She's a 3 year old pitbull, definitely friendly and sweet. She was actually used for breeding before we got her. She's never shown aggressive tendencies at all, she's just extremely spoiled. It's my boyfriends dog haha. But for example- if there isn't room for her to sit on the couch, she sits and whines and whines... The past few days I've been trying to make the bedroom off limits to prepare for baby- same story, she sits at the door and whines. I'm sure things will be okay once the baby's here but I guess I'm more just worried about her getting jealous and reacting badly. I don't want to take any risks and any advice/personal experiences on the situation would be appreciated. We're already getting rid of my boyfriend's 2 cats so I really really want to try to make things work with the dog so he can at least keep her around.

Also...

Does anyone know if stretch marks fade after baby's born? I've had very minor marks this pregnancy up until the past few weeks and I'm freaking out just a bit haha. Doesn't help I've gained 34 pounds so far so my self esteem is all over the place. And I'm sure the hormones don't help ;)

30 weeks...*

I wish I could remember the comfort and security and possibly joy of falling asleep on a big loving human and being carefully toted to bed and deposited there.
Getting to be that big, loving human is really the next best thing.

38w3d

Ive noticed a definite decrease in movement. its more than 6 "movements" and hour so Im not worried. but its not much and its, I guess you can say, softer movements? my mom said before she went into labor with me I stopped moving as much. maybe she is ready? we'll have to see...