Baby's Got Some New Wheels

You can't imagine the research that went into finally deciding on a car seat and stroller (can I pick it up, how does it fold, does it fit in the trunk, how much is it, is it safe, how long will it last?), and then actually purchasing it (where should we get it, what's the best deal, when should we pull the trigger?)

But alas, finally, I can stop fixating on this and move onto another obsession. Thank you Karen Wright for this most generous and needed gift. We can't wait to push her around in it! Jared has already taken it for a spin around the house saying, "Bye Mommy! Daddy and I are off to get coffee!" Ha!

We decided on the Chicco Keyfit 30 car seat. It's really cute. The colors are perfectly neutral -- called "romantic" for some reason. I have the feeling there's nothing romantic about car seats, but that's what it's called nonetheless. The stroller is one of those Baby Trend "snap-and-gos" (another mysterious name since it doesn't snap.) But the car seat and stroller seem to be getting along swimmingly.

Almost ready for baby!

Baby Bump - 32 Weeks!

Top 10 Ways I Know I'm Becoming a Mom

They say pregnancy makes you feel and do crazy things. It happens so gradually (it takes 40 weeks after all to create a human) that you may not even notice. But to the careful observer, here are some new patterns, quirks and tricks I've had up my sleeves lately, proving I'm on my way to Mommyhood.

Drumroll please ...

1. I'm single handedly ensuring the word "cute" never goes out of style. EVERYTHING is cute. The onesies, the stuffed animals, the sheets, the rugs, the chairs, the bows, the socks, the diapers, the stroller. EVERYTHING.
2. My vocal chords have somehow developed a whole new pitch - perfect for disciplining a misbehaving child. (I belted it out once unexpectedly and Jared and I immediately burst into laughter - frustrated Mom voice is already lurking ... right.beneath.the.surface.)
3. I no longer throw out the "junk mail" - there's buried treasure in there! (Can I get a "what what" for coupons!?)
4. Once a nuisance to put off as long as possible, my "Type A-ness" has finally overflowed into the car maintenance department, making me as diligent as ever about car safety (so on top of my 5,000 mile tire rotations - and would so do them every 500 if I could.)
5. I've bought Pedialyte twice in the last week. (OK so that was due to a nasty flu bug, but still, when given the choice between myriad concoctions from my doctor, I naturally gravitated toward this kid-friendly elixir.)
6. I'm starting to be nice to children. OK, that sounds harsh. But really, when I'm running errands and they're in the way, well, they're just ... in the way ... until now. I find myself pausing - even smiling - and acknowledging the little munchkins. They're quite cute (for the most part)!
7. I find myself planning kid-friendly outings so my mommy friends can bring their little ones. Dinner at 5 p.m.? No problem! 8 p.m. curfew? That's my bedtime, too!
8. I'm developing adult-onset A.D.D., which my mommy friends contest is a natural, not to mention chronic, side-effect of having children. I'm already doing things like putting juice in the cupboard and peanut butter in the fridge, stopping mid-email to check out Shutterfly birth announcements (really? 2 months in advance?), missing exits, and forgetting how old I am. Seriously, what's next?!
9. On more than one occasion, I've censored our TV/movie watching "because of the baby." Not that we need gratuitous violence in our home anyway, but protecting our 32-week fetus from a gangster heist? Surely, it's not interrupting her well-padded acrobatics.
10. I've started putting zip lock baggies in my purse, "just in case."

Baby Bump - 30 weeks!

Baby Shower - Salvation Army Style!

Ok, ok - so the blog post title may be a little misleading. No, I didn't have a baby shower full of "gently-used" items from The Salvation Army (although, so long as we're not talking about breast-pumps or cribs, there's nothing wrong with that!)

Rather, I'm talking about the fact my AMAZING, AWESOME, and GENEROUS co-workers at The Salvation Army HQ threw me the most special baby shower! I wanted to pinch myself. So many off-the-charts cute clothes, sweet books (like baby's first bible and The Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar), as well as tons of necessities (we're now the proud owners of a 92-pack of Pampers Swaddlers Size 1, among other essentials (diaper rash cream - woot woot!)

I'm forever grateful for such a warm welcome for our little one. Now onto some pictures! (It was a whirlwind of an hour, so we didn't have the chance to snap all that many, but I've also posted pics of some of the gifts!)

Me at almost 30 weeks

Really yummy cake and cupcakes!

This book is beyond precious!



Hippie chic!



Girly Decorations

Beyond adorable - pic doesn't do it justice

This girl is SET! Love the retro 80's look of the dress.

ADORABLE onesies with the cutest bow at the top (I've been eyeing these and was so excited to get them!)

With a little hat and socks, this could be her take-home outfit it's so cute!

Baby is 30 weeks today!