Showers, and Books, and Classes; Oh My!

So, although it seems slow lately, there's been a lot going on! Here's the 29-weel update for you: "Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day."

I had a shower last weekend to celebrate Kiddo's impending arrival. It was fun and great to see the family who made it. I drove up to Okoboji Grill in Indee with my friend Stephanie. Kira and Trey came with Shelly, so I got to see them, which is always great. Mom was there, obviously, along with my Great Aunt Mona, cousin Denise, Sara, Aunt Julie, Grandma Claudia, Aunt Ellyn, Aunt Susan and the girls, Aunt Diana and cousin Allie, and Pat. It was small, but I think that helped make it more enjoyable because I could talk with everyone, instead of trying to get around to people and not having enough time. I really wish I could have had more friends there, but it is a significant distance to travel AND I get to see most of them this weekend at Stephy Mock's bachelorette party! We also got some great things for Kiddo! The gift cards were VITAL, as on Sunday, we purchased our travel system. I'll take pics of it as we get it constructed. We also got a swing and bouncer that we really wanted, our first set of cloth diapers, some cute clothes, a goody basket for bathing Kiddo, a picture frame, baby monitor, and Mom bought me McElroy's jerky! LOL!

Aunt Julie managed to paint a storage box for us with Mario images and even painted a few onesies with a goomba and a piranha plant! Shelly found a BOX FULL of books that I had when I was little (may have been the best gift ever) and got from my Grandma Johnson. They all have my name and the year she gave them to me inside. Some of them I remember reading to her and Grandpa Johnson when I was little while we ate oranges in the morning or just before bedtime. We got other books too, which I've started reading to Kiddo in the afternoon since I appear to have become slightly apathetic about working on painting the nursery. In fairness, I think I'm just realizing that a) the project is winding down and b) Aunt Julie and Sara will help me finish up a few things next week. I took tape down yesterday and have a lot of touching up to do since the tape took paint with it occasionally. I have painted the question marks too, and I'm going to TRY to finish the peach stripe at the bottom of the world after buying a bit more paint today.

After the shower, we took an inventory of what we had and decided to do some running. We got our travel system at Target and bought two towels. We ran to Walmart for paint tape and came out with the Mario blanket, Mario placemat, and Mario notebook (for me to keep track of feedings, diaper changes, and naps during the first few months). We went to Babies R Us to get a boppy and cover (and way too many clothes, but they were SO CUTE and part of that little skull-riddled Amy Coe line). I have started to make a list of "must-haves" before Kiddo arrives too. It is a bit overwhelming:

• Yoga DVD for me (I think I just feel like stretching a LOT)
• rocking chair/ottoman from Babies R Us
• a second base for the car seat for Aaron's car
• diaper pails (one for home and one for daycare)
• blankets (we have none really, other than decorative ones)
• bathtub
• diaper bag
• towels (at least two more)
• washcloths (just a couple more)
• burp cloths
• thermometer/clippers/hair brush
• first aid kit (the baby kind I keep seeing makes me feel unprepared)
• high chair seat
• bumbo with tray
• more cloth diapers (picking up a few today)
• some disposable diapers
• another crib sheet
• nightlight
• Dr. Seuss books (we only have two, I know it's bad!)
• the breast pump accessories (since I'm purchasing a used one from a friend, thanks Abby)
• nail clippers
• Mommy needs comfy pants for after the delivery. I threw out so many when I gained weight and most of my nostalgic college ones won't be comfy enough until I've lost some baby weight. I think I'll have to invest in scrubs!
• and, and, and...

See, it kind of makes me sick. I know we'll get it, but wow...

In other news, Aaron and I attended our first prenatal class! We actually had the time wrong, we we showed up three hours early, then came home, went to dinner at Royal Mile and went BACK to the hospital. This was the start of the five-week class. I thought it would cover many topics, but it's five weeks just about labor! It was good, enlightening, and ended with Aaron giving me a backrub. Poor guy. I got to sit on a chair while he had to try to balance behind me on a labor ball that was way too small and not filled with enough air, so he had a very awkward squat going on. After the class, he asked how the backrub was any different than a typical Tuesday night in the Robinson household. LOL! I guess I do ask him to "finger-tippy" my back frequently. He also asked what I would do if a student showed up to class. I replied that I would most likely applaud the student for showing enough interest in their pregnancy and child as to receive instruction about what to expect.

The instructor had a couple of funny one-liners during class too, such as "No one knows for sure what causes labor to begin, but I think the baby has something to do with it" and "Enough about the little brown element in the room" (in reference to the unpleasant but never commented on potential for pooing during labor, which supposedly is NOT as common as people try to make it seem and results in a pat on the back from the nurse because you are pushing so hard and so well). Week one of this class done, four to go, plus two other classes (one on baby basics and one on breastfeeding).

I looked at my first daycare center yesterday too. I think I overwhelmed myself there. It's hard for me to think about someone else taking care of him when he's not even here yet. The center seemed nice and I had a good experience, but I still have this icky feeling in my gut. I am trying to learn if it's a mother's intuition telling me "not this place" or if it's just me saying "it's not home, it's not Mommy and Daddy." It wasn't too far from home, which is nice, they have openings (unlike the one center I called that cut me off while I was talking to say that unless I was delivering in November, I wouldn't get a place), and the price wasn't terrible either. It's a Christian center, which doesn't matter much when Kiddo is little, but I'm not sure how I feel about someone else teaching my child about God and how to worship him; I feel like that's my job. I want to see a few more, just to make sure that I was seeing standard things, not things that are sub-par or that need to be updated. I'll try to contact a few more places this week I think and maybe visit them next week.

Ok, I need to wrap this up and get some work done! Here are some pics of the goodies we got at the shower and of the Zutano clothing I bought for Kidlet (I have an addiction, ok? Lay off! It's not my fault there is a store in town that sells it!) TTFN!

Cloth diaper extravaganza! I think Aunt Ellyn said, "Is she serious?" when I held them up. Yup! I am! But that's the same reaction I had when my cousin said she was going to cloth diaper; I thought she was nuts!

A little blanket and hat made by Steph and Rissa's grandma, I think. It's so cute!

A sleeper from Aunt Diana and Allie!

An University of Iowa taggie blanket. I think this was a Mom gift, but my mind is blurring. It made Daddy very happy!

Granny (my mom) always finds funny clothes!

One of the gifts from Dawn and Aunt Mary Jean. They couldn't make it to the shower, but sent us a Zutano onesie (so cute), On The Night You Were Born, and a matching baby book. Thanks ladies!

Mommy's Zutano addiction rears its ugly head!

Show you more Zutano you say? Ok! The little zippy jacket was a splurge item (not that it all isn't) because it is cute and reversable. The other side is just the light blue color. Looking at the clothes, and some of the others I bought this weekend, I think I may have an addiction to the color orange too. Hmm...

Aunt Julie's hand-painted Mario onesies!

Thor, Steph's dog, bought the baby a little puppy blanket. Granny bought the Hawkeye sippy-cup, and Mommy couldn't resist the cute little Yoda hat that says Jedi-Master on the back.

A swing from Grandpa and Grandma Johnson (my dad and Shelly). I can't wait to set this thing up!

Matching bouncy seat from Mom and Tim.

Just one side of the awesome book-box that Aunt Julie painted!

Oh, and this... At least it's healing nicely. That is a bruise from painting in Kiddo's room! It's on the back of my left leg and happened while I was painting the blocks in his room. I had to stick my leg under the crib to get close enough to the wall and I forgot that it was there (the crib, not my leg) when I tried to stand up to get my phone! Whoops! Casualty of the painting-war I am fighting in there!