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Thursday, August 11, 2011

Tidbits & a Little TMI

I can’t seem to fully empty my bladder. Don’t know what’s going on in there, but baby/uterus/etc. must just be taking up too much room, or my tiny little bell pepper sized baby is situated in a bladder-constricting position, but yeah. I would like to pee like a normal person one of these days, please.

I spent about $50 on a ton of clearance clothes for Gus at the Carter’s store during my lunch hour. I am preeeeeetty sure this little shopping spree was me compensating for the fact that it is DRIVING ME CRAZY that I can’t buy my child in-utero anything gender-specific. I don’t know, not finding out the gender last time was such a no-brainer for us, and I didn’t feel really all that constricted by remaining in the dark throughout the pregnancy. With your first baby, you still have all the other fun stuff to put your nervous energy into, like choosing crib sheets, purchasing a pack-n-play, deciding between the Sleep Sheep or the Twilight Turtle, or even picking out cute little gender-neutral swaddling blankets.

But now?

We have all that stuff, we don’t really need any more baby trinkets, and we certainly don’t need any more blankets. But of course this baby deserves a few of his or her own things, we will want to have a few baby blankets that don’t already have lots of Gus memories attached to them. And of course, there is PLENTY of time for this baby to accumulate STUFF and there’s a whole lifetime to acquire things that will eventually have sentimental meaning. It’s not about the things, the stuff. I realize this. I don’t know, I guess just more than last time I’m itching to give this little one his or her own identity before he or she is on the outside. I am impatient. I want to know who he or she is right now! I want to see his or her face, I want to know what my baby’s cry sounds like, I want to look into his or her eyes, I want to smell that smell of my little one, that smell that you can just taste, it is so delicate and perfect and his or her own, no one else’s. Like my mother and sister-in-law always say, “Who is that in there?!” The frustration with not really needing to buy stuff but feeling like I really really want to is just a symptom of my excitement and wonder over this whole amazing gestating and mothering process. I clearly am in love with this baby already, there is no question of that.

On the other hand, in no way do I want it to be January tomorrow. I want to really soak in the second half of this pregnancy, and I hope that in the coming months, Gus will start to understand that he’s going to be a big brother and that we will be bringing a new baby into our home. And I want right now to be right now. This is life, what’s happening now is where I want to be.

Daddy Gus

Bella Gus

Gus skateboards

Thirty

Speaking of getting Gus familiar with bringing a new baby into our home, I bought some books to read with him, of course, since books (and trucks) are pretty much Gus’s whole world. I think I bought four of them, and they were definitely hit or miss. I hate buying children’s books online, it’s so hard to know what you’re getting (thank God for Amazon reviews). It was important to me that the books be (1) a little crunchy (no thank you to lots of pictures of hospitals and bottles and jarred baby food) and (2) not focus too much on the whole sibling jealousy thing, or Gus having to be a “big boy” now that he’ll have a little brother or sister. I don’t know, of course we’ll have to deal with the jealousy thing, I’m not naïve enough to think that this will be a totally smooth transition for him, but I certainly don’t need to put ideas into his head or tell him all the things he shouldn’t do with the new baby, like push or hit, pull hair, feed him or her pennies, that sort of thing. We will cross those bridges when/if we get there. And then the whole “big boy” thing bothers me. He is, of course, constantly growing and learning and becoming more independent, we don’t need to push him. He can do his growing up at his own pace, and he certainly doesn’t need that kind of pressure from a stupid book. There will be no deadline coming from me for how long it is he stays my baby. (Forever kiddo.)

Anyway, this is my favorite book, by far, by Rachel Fuller.

Picture from Amazon
It is wonderful. Sweet, simple, great illustrations. Multiple pictures of mommy breastfeeding baby, and even a picture of baby being worn in an Ergo–like carrier! Perfection. We just need to figure out how we’re going to refer to breastfeeding with Gus, because we certainly didn’t really think that through before reading the book, which in the past month has become part of our bedtime routine. On a few occasions, Dan has ad-libbed something to the affect of, “Baby is drinking milk from mommy’s boob and Gus is eating a sandwich and an apple!” So now sometimes Gus will proudly exclaim when we get to that page, “Baby! Mommy! Milk! BOOB! Apple!” Errrrr… Is boob the appropriate word for him to use? I’m guessing not, but I honestly don’t know what else I would teach him. The idea of Gus saying “breast” makes me break into a giggle fit. I’m doing it right now! Really, how old am I? That is just ridiculous. It is a breast. It’s called breastfeeding. Period. I mean, get over it Alicia.

Finally, I’ll quit rambling and leave you with one more bit of pregnancy TMI. Undergarments. I officially can no longer stand wearing thongs, maybe it’s the warm weather, the pregnancy, I don’t know, but it is just so uncomfortable and sweaty and especially under skirts and dresses, chub-rub inducing. Ugh. Gross, I know. So last night during a trip to target I swung into the ladies unmentionables department and picked out two packages of hard core, yeah you betcha, granny panties. Yes, I purchased undergarments that come in packages of three. And in nude/white/black color assortments, so that means there aren’t even any cute pink polka dots or lace or anything to make them feminine. Just big, huge, suuuuper comfortable but relatively inconspicuous under clothing UNDERWEAR. I will also admit to have bought a size up from what I normally would wear, just because I figured I’m pregnant, and this should guarantee added comfort. However, once home last night, and taking them out of their packages, I became seriously disturbed. Because they are just MASSIVE. They look like something that should be hung on a flag pole. And yeah. I guess that’s all I wanted to say about that. Felt like sharing, I suppose? Maybe I’m hoping someone will reassure me that I’m not alone in loving some big ole granny panties. Because I do. I love them. So comfortable. (What’s it to you 21 year old Alicia? Shut it, go bong a beer or something.)

5 comments:

Lisa said...

Lol, you are too funny. I will have you know that I own several pair of so called granny panties, without even really good reason except that sometimes they are just plain more comfortable than anything else! So good for you.

I can only imagine the feeling of impatience you have this time around, wanting to know everything about this baby! You know what to expect, or at least sort of, so now you've got to be ready to just snuggle the baby already and spoil it with love. I cannot seriously wait to meet your little one either! Props to you to try to just live in the moment and enjoy it, buddy. I suppose Gus makes that easy.

And I have to say that picture of Gus and Bella in the sprinkler is freaking awesome! Bella's face getting blasted is just hilarious, and Gus looking a little annoyed that she was hogging all the water... Great photo. And that picture of Gus with all the big boys playing - love it!

Erin said...

I haven't worn a thong in like... 2 years. So you've got me beat there! :)

I'm so glad you are going through all this a few months ahead of me - that book sounds awesome and I will definitely pick it up - I share your same feelings about the "big girl" thing, and I also hate suggesting any bad behavior that may not have entered into her head already.

So, if you are looking for something to occupy your brain space since you don't have to now choose between swaddling blankets and baby monitors, might I suggest the whole double stroller debate? As in, are you going to get one? If so, side-by-side or tandem? New or used? How often will you use it? Will you choose to do baby carrier + single stroller? What about when baby #2 gets a lot bigger but still doesn't want to walk, and it's hot out? Just trying to help you stay away from the urge to buy clothes :)

Freckles said...

I totally agree w/ Lisa and Erin - LOVE granny panties! I bought some after having Kellen and wear them about 75% of the time now. I just haven't been able to get used to wearing thongs again...just feels wrong. I was actually wearing my maternity underwear up until about 6 months p.p., and the only reason I quit wearing them was because they were falling off of me. I'm sure the second I get pregnant again I will toss the thongs in a separate drawer.
I love that you did some research into these books. Like Gus, Kellen is obsessed w/ books, and I hope he continues with that obsession, because, hey, what an awesome thing to love! I'm totally going to get that book for Kellen when we do have baby #2. I didn't even consider that we will have to have the conversation about breastfeeding with Kellen, but we will cross that bridge when we get there. I love that Gus says, 'Mommy, milk, boobs!' Hilarious.
Lastly, I agree w/ you about finding out the sex. I totally loved not finding out last time, but I can already tell that I'm going to want to find out the second time around. But I still don't think I'm going to. Maybe I will do that little urine test that Betsy used, but maybe not. Ah, all these thoughts that I shouldn't even be thinking about because I'm so not there yet. Anywho, like always, love this post. :)

Betsy said...

Oh God. My underwear is enormous! I also bought the 3 pack of hideously large underwear. Nothing sexy at all. I can't even imagine wearing a thong!! I went up a size too...and thank goodness. My ass has never been this big. EVER.

I think I need to order that book, ASAP. I haven't really prepared Isla much for Brevin's arrival, and I've got less than 6 weeks! I agree with you on the "big boy" and "big girl" stuff. Too much pressure! I still call Isla my baby sometimes (but when I do Isla looks at me, and then looks at my tummy and repeats "Hi, baby" to my tummy...so she clearly doesn't think of herself as my baby anymore!)

Do the urine gender test! Everyone I personally know who has used it has had accurate results. So it's 100% in my book :)

val said...

I think it's a good idea to be prepared for Gus and jealousy, though it may not even happen.

John was too little to be jealous when Dan was born, so when Heidi arrived, Dan's reactions caught me completely by surprise and I have always felt bad I missed the boat and let him down.

There were things I could have done, awareness I could have had, but I didn't. We muddled.

My kids didn't say boob, but said "Milk-milk" so enthusiastically it was almost as bad.


http://www.jockey.com/products/Elance-String-Bikini-3-Pack

This is the only underwear I've been able to stand for years. I order it a size larger than the measurements indicate, and I'm a happy woman, and they're not scarily granny.

You couldn't use them as a flag or sail on a boat.

There could easily be blankets that are not Gus attached. What color are we talking about?

Even if he acts like he doesn't get it, keep talking to him as though he does because you never know. love, Val