Lots Accomplished this Weekend!

Happy Belated Memorial Day! I took today off to extend the weekend (and use up one of the 3 days that I can't carry over past June 30th...right now I am able to carry over 19 vacation days to use after the baby arrives after I exhaust sick leave (over 113 of those), but I won't be using all of them - I'm sure I'll need some once I am back at work for either me or the baby! In addition I'll have another 20 vacation days that will be added to my record as of July 1st. For the first time in 8 years at Rutgers, I have to say it's a good thing I was too busy to use my vacation time and glad i don't have to scramble to try to use what I can by June 30th! If I wasn't going on maternity leave later this year, there is no way I'd be able to use 39 vacation days without more than making it up working late to get my work done! This year I only used 6 vacation days since july 1st, 2008, 5 of which I had carried over from the previous fiscal year!!!!

Anyway, the photo I've posted shows what we were able to get accomplished in today's day off - we picked out our baby's crib and dresser, which will be delivered on July 20th. The photo shows the furniture in a cherry finish (top) and black finish (bottom), but we ordered it in the "classic chestnut finish" which is not shown in this photo. We ordered 2 pieces -the crib, of course, and the 3 drawer dresser/changing table. The dresser is shown with the hutch on tip of it, but we did not order the hutch - that was not part of the package, and the dresser will double as a changing table. it's from Munire and is part of their Newport collection. They got an A rating in the Baby Bargains book, and the bed converts to a toddler crib as well as a full size bed, so this will last our little guy til hopefully he hits at least 18! The package also comes with the mattress and the changing pad. We have to thank my mom, as she really wanted to buy the crib and dresser for the baby. Thanks Mom!

On Monday, after 2 hours at the beach (what a beautiful, perfect weather day at the beach...not too hot, not too windy, though the water temp was only 52 so we did not venture in!), my mom and I headed up to Babies R Us to at least start the baby registry. After 2.5 hours, we left, with some success at least. I was exhausted and had a huge headache, and my feet hurt, but that's b/c I still had on my flipflops which are not great for walking around that long when you are pregnant I've decided! While I know there are some things I still have to add to the list, it was quite exhausting and I may even delete some stuff off. The stroller and car seat we like is not available at BRU in the pattern we'd like from our on-line perusing, so I am hoping to get to Buy Buy Baby next weekend to check it out in person to make sure it's what it appears to be as far as the colors! And the bedding...we found a cute pattern at the crib place, but of course they don't sell bedding - all the bedding was stuff they picked up to set up for show, but the salesman, who was wonderful and totally no pressure told us to check out the bedding at Baby Depot, which is part of Burlington Coat Factory - I think he was surprised we bought on our first trip to the store! The bedding could be old and discontinued, but it's worth a look. Initially I was looking to go with a green/yellow/reddish room b/c that's what the room currently is so we could keep the same curtains (we just did the room last year when we moved in) but was not finding anything in baby bedding like that until today at the crib store. Had found a few blue/green/yellow patterns that we liked, so that was where I thought I was heading. Could still end up there, depending on what I see at the other 2 stores.

As for me, I am still feeling pretty good, and am 23 weeks along! I have definitely put some weight on - I'm guessing 14lbs total since we don't have a scale at home. My next appointment is on Monday so we'll see then! I guess I am officially in my 6th month based on what the book is telling me. The book also tells me that the baby will double in size over the next month...but I won't...I hope I don't! Everyone is telling me that from behind I don't look pregnant...perhaps next update I should post a photo from that angle so you can decide for yourself. This weekend, when most people have hamburgers and hot dogs, I had none. I happened to go to parties/dinners where chicken was served at each place! For those of you who have been reading from the beginning, you may recall that chicken was one of the items I just could not even LOOK at let alone smell or eat since January! Over the past 2 weeks, I made some progress, having a small piece (I'm talking about a 1" x 1" square) at a communion party, and again the following weekend at another party(maybe 2" x 2" that time). One night last week i picked up a whole chicken at the supermarket that John and I had...I had the 2 wings and maybe 3 thin pieces of white meat. This weekend, I had chicken parm on Saturday, grilled chicken with Italian marinade on Sunday, and then TWO (yes, TWO!) pieces of chicken on Sunday - one with BBQ sauce and the other with some sort of balsamic Italian marinade. All were OUTSTANDING! I'm sure so many of you are thrilled reading about my food escapades!

In follow up to my last posting about the whole amnio situation, the lab was successful in running the full tests on my sample that had been left in the courier's car, and everything was fine. It also confirmed officially we are having a boy! And Ineed to correct myself that the FISH test, while pronounced "fish" is actually written as FSH...so if I confused any of you more scientific minds out there, remember that my last science course was Biology 101 in 1988!