Speaking of lists, I really wish there was one for pregnancy. When we got married, I used The Knot. It was a fabulous resource; lists of things to do, when I should have them completed, recommended places to shop, and even helpful hints along the way. I have yet to find a resource of this type for pregnancy. (If anyone knows of such a place, let me know. I’m not looking for a forum-I want check lists!) So I have pretty much been left to my own neurosis (and those of people asking me if I have done such-and-such yet, to which I reply, with horror, “Should I have?”).

That said, Simeon and I finally completed the daunting task of creating our registry. Ta-da! We decided to have the bulk of our registry at Babies R Us, but there were a few things they didn’t have so I created one at Target as well. Sure, there are a few things I need to research a little more and will add online (I was not about to make my poor husband stand around while I contemplated breast-pumps. That I can do on my own, thankyouverymuch.) But we got the majority of the if-we-ever-think-we-might-need-it-then-scan-it-with-the-gun shopping done. Now I have to warn you, Simeon got a little excited with the scan gun once we got into the toy department, naturally.

We even tried to be conscientious of those who would be buying these gifts for us, by selecting an array of items in a variety of price ranges. (It always annoyed me when I went to buy something off a registry-wedding, baby, etc.-and there wasn’t a single thing under $75. Way to force me to put a price on our friendship.) Everything from our crib and travel system, all the way down to rattles and Butt Paste. You know, so
Nick would have something to get for us.

Yep, I am actually going to go so far as to ask for your advice and opinions. Normally, I don’t go asking for such things, people just tend to offer them so willingly, why would you need to ask? But I want all of your opinions. God knows you have ’em!

Here is the deal: Simeon and I need to actually start doing some things to prepare for our daughter. On our list of things is to create our registry. Simple enough, right? Well, that is where you would be wrong. Have you been into Babies R Us lately? Totally and completely overwhelming. Not only are there a million and one things in there they claim you “need” to have, but there are also five or so kinds/types of each thing. So what I want to know is 1) the most valuable thing(s) you have for taking care of your baby (what made things so much easier for you?) and 2) the thing that was completely useless (Now if you simply never used it, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. I want actual experience. Like you tried it but it just made things worse.) Any help you provide will be greatly appreciated….that is unless you all contradict each other. Then I will really be screwed!

Turns out being bored at work can have its advantages! I finally found a site I have been trying to find for ages. I read about it awhile back and for the life of me could not remember where or what it was called. Then today I found it! Babes in Blogland is a site listing bloggers (and their respective sites) by their due dates (or child’s age, if the case may be). Their tagline is, “Bringing together bloggers who are making or raising babies.” Very cool, right? I think it will be a great resource. For me, it is comforting to know that others are going through the same things as I am. Plus you can see how different people deal with the many facets of pre-parenthood.

I have many friends and family members who have had children or who are expecting, but few who really get into the details of things they are experiencing, let alone blog about it! I think it is great that there are women out there (and quite a few, based on the December 2006 due dates alone) so willing to share/document their pregnancy. Plus, it couldn’t hurt to have more Internet friends, right?

Already I have found one blogger, Bringing Home Baby, who is not only expecting a daughter on the same day as me but who is also my age (ok ok, I am actually 22 days older, but who is counting). How cool is that? I am looking forward to reading through the other December 2006 due dates to find others I can relate to and maybe even correspond with. I am always looking for partners in pregnancy!

I just had my 24 week doctor’s appt and have this to report back:

Urine: Normal
Weight: 3 lbs (total gain)
Blood Pressure: Normal
Baby’s Heartbeat: Normal

Just the same ol’ drill. Except this time they sent me home with a little bottle of “Glucola” for the Glucose Screening Test at my next appointment. From all the horror stories I have read about the Glucose test, I was expecting to have to drink like a 1 liter, but this thing is tiny (I understand it may seem worse when I have to drink it all within a 5-10 minute period). And my doctor even gave me the choice of lemon-lime or orange flavor. Since I heard so many bad things about the orange one, I opted for lemon-lime, natch. So that is all I have to report. Things are going well and my daughter is currently jumping on my bladder. Fun times.

Ever since we found out we were having a girl, everyone has been asking us about her name. Scratch that. Actually, from the moment people found out we were expecting the questions came first of when the baby was due (followed promptly with “Oh…a Christmas baby.” Can you hear their disappointment? Yeah me too, and they can all suck it.) then of whether we had any names picked out. And, of course, we do.

Simeon and I had talked about baby names long before we even started trying to get pregnant. Isn’t that something that all married couples discuss? And while occasionally we would change our minds or we would stumble across a name and add it to the list of potentials, we were pretty set on the finalists.

If we were having a boy (which we know can never be completely ruled out until I have that squirming little bundle in my arms) we were planning to name him Alexander, Zander for short. We hadn’t decided on a middle name and thankfully we don’t have to worry about that…for now.

As for a girl, we have not changed our minds in years. Her name will be Ana Diann. Ana, (AHN-ah, not Anna) which means gracious, has always been “my little girl’s name.” For no other reason than I simply love it. Diann, which means divine, was Simeon’s late mothers name. We thought it only appropriate to name our first daughter after her. Luckily, the two names not only sound good together, but with our last name as well. So in answer to your questions, our daughter’s name will be Ana Diann Bateman.

Oh but I totally reserve the right to change my mind at any point, clear up until we sign the birth certificate. So there. 😛

Well, it is official. My little girl is totally kicking me. The other day Simeon and I were driving home from Petco (we like to make sure we actually have enough food for our dogs or they would eat us out of house and home) when I suddenly felt something…strange. I held my breath for a moment to, I dunno, freeze all my own movements as much as humanly possible. Then I felt it again. I looked over to Simeon and said, “I think I just felt the baby kick.” Simeon instantly went into full alert. “Really? Are you sure? What did it feel like?” And I have to say that it was nothing like I was expecting. All the baby books say things like “fluttering” or “bubbles” and this was nothing like fluttering or bubbles. The best way I could describe it is like when you are walking down stairs and you miss a step. The way your stomach kinda jumps and you feel all weird. It was a lot like that only all concentrated in one spot. But now that I know what I am looking for (feeling for?) I have noticed her kicking me a lot lately. Especially after I eat or am trying to fall asleep. I have to say it has been a wonderfully reassuring little blessing. A gentle reminder that my little girl is in fact “alive a kickin’.”

Another new pregnancy experience happened to me just last night: my first leg cramp. It woke me from a dead sleep and I bolted straight up in bed. I grabbed my leg and started rubbing it while I flexed my foot and rolled my ankle. Then just as it started to subside, it cramped up again. So I started the whole massaging/stretching process over until it went away. Then just for good measure I got up to go to the bathroom and “walk it off” as much as I could. I was still a little stiff this morning, but ok none-the-less. And from all I have read, it is only going to get worse from here on out. Fun times ahead, my friends, fun times.

The final thing happening this week is that Simeon and I finally accepted that our little girl will in fact want out of the womb some day and we should probably educate ourselves about what that is going to entail. So I signed us up for our Childbirth Preparation class at the hospital. Since Simeon travels a lot in the fall and with all the holidays near the end of the year, we were fairly limited as far as which class we could take. Thankfully I managed to get into the class we really wanted (I checked dates/times ages ago), but just barely. They typically allow 12 couples in a class and once I signed up there were only two slots left. Whew. Apparently I am not the only person who is anal about planning everything in advance. So there ya go. I am gonna learn how to birth me some babies. Heh.

Editor’s Note: Now before you all go saying how disappointing or horrible your own classes were, I just want to say Simeon and I are really excited about ours. While I have read a lot of books, websites, pamphlets, and just about anything else I can get my hands on, Simeon hasn’t. So I really think this will be the best thing to teach him all he needs to know. (Plus you never know, I may learn a thing or two in the class.)

I think, I think, I just felt the baby move for the first time. I am standing by to make sure it is not just a case of gas bubbles. We had a follow-up ultrasound today and I think the technician must have really moved things around down there. Either that or my daughter enjoys Ben & Jerry’s as much as her mama.