Baby Shower Time

My baby shower has come and gone, and it went wonderfully!  My best friend hosted it for me, and she did a great job.  Even though we have different personalities and styles, everything came together for a great party.  It was held in a church coffee shop, so hardly any decorating was needed.  There were already mosaic tables and wrought iron chairs, and the environment was very relaxed and encouraged conversation. 

Food-wise, it was all about what baby and I wanted…which was awesome.  Since it was held in the afternoon, between lunch and dinner, we opted for more appetizer and snack type foods.  There was homemade chicken salad with sesame crackers, cheese cubes and grapes, baby dill pickles, cucumber sandwiches, spinach and artichoke cream puffs, and watermelon.   

In terms of gifts, the husband and I had already purchased the really big stuff, like the crib, dresser, and glider.  And, my mother-in-law (MIL) ordered the car seat, stroller, and swing for us, while my mom got us the breast pump and way too many adorable baby clothes.  So, the shower was really about those smaller and last minute items that we needed.  I was shocked that every single person who attended brought an actual gift; I didn’t receive a single gift card.  I was touched that everyone took the time and effort to do that. 

However, even though we registered at both Target and Babies R Us (BRU), we don’t have a BRU in town.  The closest one is located about 30 minutes away.  So, while we were pretty set for the Target registry, we still had a bunch of missing items from the BRU registry.  Looks like we’re going to have to make a shopping trip soon! 

Baby Classes

Since this is our first baby, we decided to sign up for prenatal classes.  I obviously have never given birth before, and my husband has never been around babies, so we both had a lot to learn.  We’re very lucky that these classes are offered for free through our hospital.  We opted for the 5 week class, with each session lasting about 1.5 hours.  While there was some common sense information that probably wasn’t necessary, I’m really glad that we went.  I’m a firm believer that knowledge is power and that you can never be over prepared.  And, like I said, my husband needed all the information he could get on taking care of a baby!

The classes were broken down into 1) Pregnancy, 2) Labor and Relaxation Techniques, 3) Pain Management, Medication, and C-Section, 4) Newborn Testing and Care, and 5) Post-Partum.  All of the sections were very helpful and contained at least some useful information for both me and my husband.  My favorite part was teaching him how to diaper and swaddle a baby doll…it’s an image that I won’t forget :).  At the end, we even received a certificate that said we completed the course.  Whether we think so or not, at least someone says that we’re ready to have a baby!

5 Years!

The husband and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary this June.  It seems like such an important milestone, and I’m so happy that this is the year we were finally able to start our family.  My husband has been amazing throughout our marriage, and has taken his vows of “for sickness and health,” “for richer for poorer,” and “in good times and bad” seriously.  Along with my pregnancy and every other wonderful memory preceding it, we’ve also dealt with hardship, from medical issues to debt to IF.  I feel so fortunate to have a partner who is so loving and supportive, and who I can count on to stay by my side.