21 Weeks & Transitions

Baby carrot is developing right along. Eyebrows and lids (and more personal parts) are on the agenda for this week. Appropriately enough, my email told me that it would seem my baby is "practicing marital arts," which makes baby ninja all the more appropriate of a nickname :)

Exhaustion is a big battle nowadays. I get excited at the beginning of the day and forge on to accomplish a billion to-do list items, only to find that I can barely function by 1:00 PM and my girl's nap time/my work time (anything that correlates with my Editor Joy business) is severely jeopardized by sheer exhaustion. Thankfully, my laptop allows me to accomplish most work on the couch--so I can rest while I work (that's possible, right?). But I do find I'm most productive when someone watches my girl (thanks, Mom and MIL), and I just camp at a cafe and work with no distractions (except the Internet--okay, that's a MAJOR distraction, but at least housework, cooking, books, etc. aren't tempting me too).

I started playing around with registries today. My SIL is planning a diaper shower for me, but I'm throwing together a couple of registries just in case people want some guidance on what to buy--since I'm a cloth diaper mama, this is particularly helpful if anyone wants to buy me cloth diaper supplies. I'm finding that my registries are more of a wishlist since I have the basics, but I also know that the things I'm registering for would be greatly appreciated and used often based on my previous-baby knowledge.

I started the standard BRU registry. This is definitely where I've put all my "basics" that I still don't have and greatly need. Then I started a registry on MyRegistry.com. I wanted to use a registry service that allows me to add items from various stores. I like the concept, but I'm not thrilled with how it functions. Every time I try to add an item to my registry, it makes me log in again (for some reason this only happens on my laptop--it works better on my desktop). Very annoying. It also doesn't automatically link with BRU--grrr. I'm going to have to go to BRU and manually add each item to MyRegistry. Not looking forward to that. The good points--it allows me to register for cloth diaper supplies not available on BRU. And it allows me to register for handmade items (non-etsy) from vendors I've discovered over the past couple of years and have been wanting to try their products (i.e. ResaDesign, DearJohnnies, CottonBabies, etc.)

I'd love your recommendations--especially the lesser-known vendors that offer high quality, unique items for babies. I've noticed the recent trend at baby showers is to give a gift that you ordered online (or someone local made) that someone introduced you to, and you couldn't imagine living without. Some real treasures are found this way. Do you, dear readers, have any treasures to share? Maybe some I could add to my registry =)

The first major transition--toddler bed is in progress. After reading all of my friends' advice about which order to transition (toddler bed, potty training, paci), the common message among them all was "go with what's natural." The bed's the most natural for us, so that's where we started.

We just took off the front panel of her convertible bed to make the transition. The first nap she was pretty freaked out, so I stayed in the room with her til she fell asleep. That night she fell asleep at my parent's, so we woke her and laid her down in the bed, and she went right to sleep. Since then, no fears. BUT these last couple of days we've found her either on the pillows we set up on the floor or in her play tent. My hubby thinks she's rolling off, but I think she's getting up and trying new places to sleep. Personally, I don't care where she sleeps as long as she stays in her room (and since she can't open the door herself yet, this isn't an issue). I'll keep you posted. I do really like not having to hoist her over the big crib rail.

Remember to give me your links to high quality, unique, can't-live-without baby items!

17 Weeks Prego

Ahhh, transitions. I've been thinking about them a lot lately. It's funny how most transitions seem unreasonable therefore we dread dealing with them; but they inevitably turn out to be easier than we imagined, and the results are something we swear we would now never live without. This dialogue parallels nicely with my new morning ritual of planting seeds and preparing my yard for the summer. I find that my little girl is not quite old enough to be excited about the new seeds sprouting through the soil; yet I'm more-than-ever-before impatient to see those little buds break through. You'd think I was the two year old here!

As a mom I'm thinking this in particular in regards to changing nap times, changing food preferences, getting rid of the paci, potty training, changing to a toddler bed, even experiencing a newborn transition from crawling to walking. I dread/have dreaded all of these changes, but without fail I've come out with a greater appreciation for the new and an unexpected willingness to let go of the old.

That said, I have three big transitions that I want to glide through before baby #2 arrives: potty training, eliminating the paci, and changing to a toddler bed. Again, moms, I implore you to offer your advice. My questions, in no particular order, are:

1. Did you follow a method/book for potty training? Did it work?

2. Which order would you do these three in? (My daughter is almost two. She's shown all the signs of being ready to potty train.) For example, a friend suggested I potty train, then get rid of the paci, and finally transition to a big girl bed. Your thoughts?

3. If I have to give up one (which would be really hard for me to accept because of my type-A-ness that screams, "If it's on the to-do list to finish before baby #2, it better be done!"), which would you recommend?

So far I've read On Becoming Pottywise. Next on my list is Potty Training in a Day which I believe is going to be very similar. Any other titles I should peruse before taking on the challenge? I must admit, with every book I read, I find myself skimming the parts of the book I know I don't agree with. I doubt there's a parenting book out there that I'd follow 100 percent, but I think it's important to do your research, glean the good stuff, and let your mother's intuition guide you.

As for baby turnip, he/she is moving A LOT. I try to get my hubby to feel it, but while the kicks are prominent in my mind, they're not quite strong enough to be felt through the layer of leftover baby fat courtesy of baby #1. I feel the same as week 16--creeping nausea; but I've decided to ignore it and continue life as if not prego. This has translated to hours of yard work followed by even longer hours of sitting, catching my breath, and self-deprecating inner dialogue for being such a woos.

On a completely unrelated note, garage sale season is upon us! I've already got my list of baby "must-haves" that I avoided the first pregnancy, wished I had, but never got the courage to drop the money and go ahead and buy. The answer: buy it all used for baby #2! I'm looking for a Bumbo, Boppy, bouncy seat, and monitor primarily. A co-sleeper in good condition would be great too. I'll probably go with new, but I need an infant carrier, crib & mattress, and double stroller as well. If you see any good leads on Craigslist, let me know! :)