Happy Valentine's Day and Comparisons

 

 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!

What are all of your plans for this special day?  














I hope y'all celebrate some way or another, whether romantic or not!  It is still fun to have a day to celebrate love and hearts and candy and all that pink and red stuff!!!!

 

Moving along .... Apparently, pictures of your baby belly are a big hit.  I had no idea they were so popular.  So, back by popular demand....baby belly pictures.


Without my asking, my Nana just happened to send me this picture on Saturday.  This is my mom two days before yours truly was born, her first baby, a little girl.

Now, here I am, today, only a matter of days before Maria is born, my first baby, a little girl.  I thought the comparison was pretty fun.

Speaking of a matter of days, I will say I do not have too too much to report on baby's arrival date.  My last appointment was last Thursday.  The doctor estimated that it would be between 7-10 days.  I was told to walk, walk, walk to help move the baby right down where she needs to be and get my body gearing up for labor. 

We also met our midwife and saw the clinic where I will deliver and stay for 72 hours after the baby is born.  It was a pleasant surprise.  I love love the lady.  She is very calm and sweet and experienced and up to date.  The clinic was also much better than I had anticipated, and I was also very happy about that!

As I may have mentioned, for many reasons, we are having the baby at a private clinic rather than at the hospital.  After seeing it the other day, I am more happy than ever with our plan.  Since we are talking about comparisons, I will say that, despite how pleased I am with the clinic's appearance, it is still very very different than what one would expect in the States.

For example, there is no "nursery" at all.  The baby stays with the mother all the time.  There is no other place for it to go.  The staff will bathe the baby once a day, but only that (and you must supply your own towel, shampoo, soap, lotion, etc. for the baby.)  The baby will receive a daily visit from your personal, prearranged pediatrician.

In addition to the bath stuff for baby, you must supply your own:  diapers, wet wipes, sheets for baby's bed, blankets for baby (including the ones for immediately after delivery,) clothes/ hats/ socks/ mittens/ etc. for baby, bottles (if you plan to bottle-feed,) basically everything you can imagine your baby may need you must provide.  For momma, she must bring her own "basic nightgown" for the actual delivery, pads, pajamas, slippers, basically everything she will want while in the clinic.  Momma does have her bedsheets provided, but I have been advised to bring my own, as, apparently, the ones that come on the bed are not an exact fit, and the actual mattress (ok, gross!!!!) usually is peaking out at one end or the other.  The food for momma is also provided, and I have heard it is really good.  I am okay with bringing all this, as long as the place seems clean enough (it does) and the staff capable enough (so far so good).

Oh, and the rooms are all shared.  Like, 4 or 6 beds.  I am hoping for a slow week.  I would really, really love not to have to share, or at least to have only one roommate.  It is for sure a far cry from the plasma-screen tv/ lazy boy recliner standard of American rooms. 

I plan to take pictures during my stay to share with y'all and let the comparisons continue.

So, we are good.  I feel good, normal.  Only major complaint I have is that I have A LOT of trouble sleeping at night.  I am not really uncomfortable, I just cannot sleep.  And, as of yesterday, the awful headache is back.  Could that be an early labor indicator????  It is all a lot like it was in the first days of the pregnancy.  Annoying, but I can handle that.  Also, for the last couple of days, my appetite has been absolutely insatiable. 

Other than that, we are still working daily to get the house as clean and ready as possible for baby Maria, and we are having a lot of fun playing with all her stuff.  Can I please just show you some of the places I have found some things....thanks to this man......

Again, I had absolutely nothing to do with any of his antics.  I only took pictures of what was already happening.

Pink bear safe in case the rocking chair decides to spontaneously eject her..  Can you imagine walking around your house and seeing things like a buckled-in pink bear in your rocking chair??  It makes for laughs.

In case you are wondering, this is one of those little chairs that sit inside the baby's bath.  It has suction cups on its legs, which apparently make for hours of entertainment.  This guy gets around...for example, I have found him attached to my fridge and the french doors in our bedroom. 

I cannot really say....Do you think he is excited about the baby?