Go Sox!

Look what came in the mail for Aidan today!  Aidan's Great Gramma Pat and Great Grampa Paul in Connecticut sent this wonderful Red Sox bib/binky/bottle set.  Tom loves the Phillies so much, (and they've grown on me too, don't get me wrong), but I really want to share my lifelong love of the Red Sox with Aidan.  Actual tears came to my eyes when I opened this.

Aidan is a lucky, lucky baby :)

A present came in the mail, and I had no idea what to expect.  I usually am at least AWARE that something's on its way - but this one was a total surprise.

Alexis and baby Eric got Aidan his sound machine - which is even more awesome than I pictured that it would be.  It's a little sad how exciting baby electronics are these days.  But this thing is seriously cool.  There are three different discs that project pictures onto the wall/ceiling, and there are a bunch of different sounds (heartbeat, ocean, rain, and three different lullaby tunes).  Tom and I set it up immediately to listen.  The heartbeat creeped him out.  Watch that be A's favorite...

I seriously can't get over how much I love this thing.  I kind of want to sleep with it in my room.  The rain track is really, really soothing.

A gift from Maeve :)

Dear Aidan,

Maeve sent these for you.  I cannot believe your teeny little feet will fit in these in the near future.

much love, Mommy

Fun with Lankenau

Woke up late, and hit grotesque traffic on the way to the hospital for my 3rd tri bloodwork and 1 hr GTT.  Fun.

Got to the hospital around 8am.  Had to wait to "register" for my labwork until about 8:45.  The room has 24 chairs.  There are six of us waiting to register.  Somehow, sickly looking people feel the need to sit RIGHTNEXTTOME.  Waiting room etiquette, anyone?  Finally registered, and off to the lab.

Waited around the uber full lab until 9:15 just to GET my 10 ounces of syrupy deliciousness.  Drink it down, and sit around. It's not as bad as people say it is.  I just didn't expect to have to refill my styrofoam cup three times to drink it all.  Ten ounces is quite a bit, as it turns out.

I feel bad for myself, but worse for the HUGELY pregnant lady clearly there doing a 3hr test.  This room is also full of sickies, and we're packed in like sardines.  A fairly healthy older lady sits next to me.  Score, right?  Totally - until she whips out nail clippers to painstakingly clip each of her nails (that sound skeeves me out BIGTIME), then starts flossing her teeth and picking away at her face.  Foul.

10:15.  Oh god, finally, it's my turn.  I don't wait to be called - I know I need my blood drawn, so I get up and stand in the middle of the lab doorway until they take me back.  Good thing I did.  Random pregnant lady sitting nearby gets called around the same time, and it is realized that they have forgotten about her for too long.  She drank her glucola 90 minutes ago.  Sorry, pregnant lady.  Better luck next time. (I'd be murderous, but it's kinda her fault for letting them forget her there.  They're pretty clear that you should make yourself obvious in exactly one hour)

My blood is drawn - 6 vials?  WTF?  It takes another 25 minutes to have them properly label my vials.  Apparently someone in registration didn't print out labels.  So my 45 minutes there ultimately proved pointless.

I'm not feeling so great. I should probably eat.  I stop at the hospital giftshop for sustenance.  The pickings are slim.  Chips or candy.  I choose cheesy popcorn, because I love that stuff.
Construction on the hospital's parking garage means I don't even get to the street until 11.  I am preposterously late for work.  I somehow thought I could be there by 9.

I drive by my alma mater and think to myself "I could totally have GD.  I should have a last hurrah while it's still not terribly irresponsible."  So I stop at Hope's cookies for my favorite oatmeal raisin treat.  I make a mental note that I will beg anyone who comes to visit me to stop at Hope's for more of these.

I'm in a good mood now.  I'm off to work, I'm eating popcorn and cookies.  Life is good.  Life is so good, I think I'll hop on the highway instead of backroads.  How trafficky could the highway be at 11am?

Famous last words: I spoke them.

As soon as I get on 476, I see a sign.  It just says "Expect Major Delays."  Le Crap.

The delays, they are major.  A normally 15 min stretch of highway takes me 90 minutes.  Shoot me, please.  All I have for entertainment is a book on tape with a terrible, terrible reader.  And Ryan Seacrest on the radio.  I ponder driving into oncoming traffic, but the median prevents this.

12:30 - I'm home!  And holy crap, I'm late for work like it's my job.  I grab my laptop and head in. 

1pm - I'm at work. Glucola, popcorn, and cookies was not the brunch I had in mind.  I think I may throw up.  I have no idea what to eat to counteract this sugar high.  And my poor son has been spazzing out since I drank the orange ridiculousness.  I'm sorry, Aidan.  I didn't like it either.

Happy first Pumpkin, Aidan!

Dear Aidan,

Daddy made you your very first pumpkin!

Love, Mommy

Aidan's Door Letters Came!

Yay for more nursery progress!  The letters for Aidan's door came!

My little firefox

The first of Aidan's (two) newborn photo props came today.  I could have made this myself, but I'm lazy, so a lovely girl on etsy made it for me.

Aidan will be the cutest firefox that ever was.

outdone: I can't be!

I'm inspired to AW my Swagbucks achievements by Missie's swaggy post.  I joined on 9/21 and have already earned $25 in free amazon.com giftcards.  They take some time to actually show up, but when they do, I am buying something SWEET.  And it won't be for my little freeloader, either. 

I think you should join.  Free stuff is pretty sweet, free stuff for minimal effort is even sweeter, and if you join with my link, I get credit for it.  It all sounds like win to me.

Happy 99 days to us!

Double digits now until we meet our little boy.  We're excited!

Another box of happiness!

Huge thanks to Brittany for the ridiculously thoughtful baby gift.  Boy do I have a lucky kid...

We got our "must have" giraffe - and though I personally think it looks and sounds EXACTLY like a dog toy, I'm told it's the thing to have.  Baby Crack, they say.  My child clearly needs some crack.

Brittany also listened up as I worried about what kind of products to use on Aidan's skin.  I have so many skin allergies, I just wasn't sure what to try for him.  Brittany sent her best recommendation, in the form of a Burt's Bees Baby Bee gift basket!  I love the things of Burt's that I've tried and I'm sure Aidan will too!  My picture of this is kind of lame, but the basket is actually packed full of awesome loot (shampoo/body wash, a comb, lotion, dusting powder (?), diaper ointment, and apricot baby oil) in an adorable lined basket.  I fear unwrapping it for a better picture because I'm at work and I'm envisioning everything rolling around the floor of my car as I drive home tonight. 

 
Thank you so, so much Brittany :)

Aidan's room - Progress!

The pictures are really, really dark.  Sorry.  Cameraphone pics at night aren't the best idea, I guess.

All of the furniture is in.  I think the photos make it look more crowded than it is - there's actually a really decent amount of floorspace.

There are some touches that still need to be done - Grandma is making a valance for the window and a cover for the changing pad - once they are here, I'll get out the good camera and take some nice pictures :)

Jan Moms are the very best Moms :)

We got a surprise package from a fellow Jan '11 mom today.  Holy cow, the things I registered for are even cuter in person.  I did NOT notice when registering for that wipes case that it's COVERED IN MONKEYS!!  Preposterously cute.

Thank you so much, Johanna.  I wish I lived closer to VA so I could meet up with you and your little girl.

A really, really happy package :)

The first registry purchase that wasn't made by me showed up in today's mail.  Today, of all days, I really needed the pick-me-up. 

Missie, Mike, and Carina gave us Aidan's baby bed, which he will use *everysinglenight* until he goes into his crib.  They also gave us a book that I have wanted to buy myself since the day I found out I was pregnant, but held off for reasons unknown.  What a wonderful surprise :)  Thank you, Giulianos :)

25 weeks down...

I had my 25 week appointment today.  All things considered, we're doing well.

- The spinal ultrasound went very well and all looks normal.  I can't tell you how relieved I am that I haven't passed this down to Aidan.  I'm in so much pain, even while I write this, and knowing that Aidan won't have to live like this is this biggest relief imaginable.

- Aidan's measuring a little big, which is totally fine and not abnormal.  All in all, he's only 3 days ahead - although his head is measuring a full WEEK ahead and his estimated weight is a week and a half ahead.  So please note that all hats gifted to my son should be large in circumference.  Or skip the hats, and buy mommy some ice packs.  My little melonhead.

- I got my flu shot today and took it like a man.  A whiny, whiny man.  The nurse was paying no attention to what she was doing and put the bandaid on about 3 inches lower than the shot (wtf?), so I bled all over my new shirt.  Awesome.  Because someone with about 6 shirts that fit totally needs to ruin one.

- My next round of testing is in 2 1/2 weeks.  I need to pick a day to get my CBC, antibody screen, and 1 hr GTT.  Probably 10/20.  I'm sooo looking forward to it.  Oh, wait.  No I'm not.

- My next visit is in 3 weeks.  And they'll be shooting me up with Rhogam.  Probably in the butt.  How dainty.

- Visits after the next one will be every 2 weeks.  Which means, holy crap, I'm having a baby soon.