Yesterday I had my 10 week appointment and did not have an ultrasound.
🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁
Apparently there was a misunderstanding. David and I understood the doctor to say that we would have another ultrasound at the next appointment and then we would have a picture to take home. (The ultrasound at six weeks didn’t show enough to hang on the fridge!) He MEANT the next ultrasound at around TWENTY WEEKS!!!! BUMMER!!!!!
We were obviously disappointed and I think he felt badly about it. (At least I hope he did!)
Lesson #1 with new doctor: Do not assume you understand each other. I’m going to be a lot more explicit with my questions and answers from now on.
In the meantime I’ve been trying to keep up with all the shopping recommendations from yesterday’s entry. Wow!!! So much good information! Thank you!
I had to finish proofreading a psychology textbook that has to be in Phoenix tomorrow. I got that done and shipped out in time.
Today our realtor came over to give us an estimate on our house. We are tentatively thinking about trying to buy a bigger house in the next couple of months, but are largely undecided. I’m not sure if I want to move in the summer while pregnant. We’re not sure if we want a bigger mortgage payment. Do you have any idea how hard it is to know what to spend on a house when you are self-employed and have no idea how much you will make from year to year?
On the other hand, if we don’t move, I lose my office to the nursery. This three bedroom house seemed more than adequate when we bought it. David was working a full-time job and I worked part-time from home. We shared an office in one bedroom. Six weeks after we moved in, David’s company went through some major downsizing so he was let go and ever since he has worked at home full-time. We shared an office for awhile, but eventually went to two offices because we work so differently. Neither one of us can see us going back into the same office now because we just have too much work “stuff”.
So we are exploring our options. And praying.
Tomorrow I plan on blogging on something I have discovered is far, far worse than morning sickness. Stay tuned!
Tips For Registering For Baby Gifts and Baby Showers
I am so sorry to hear about the ultrasound not being done this time around.
Moving in the summer while pregnant – hm – I don’t think I would do it. But then again, every women is different. Isn’t there a part in your house you would be able to convert into a small office, like a corner in the family-room? Or add a little part to the house?
Looking forward to read your entry tomorrow. Not sure what could be far worse than morning sickness.
Hi Iris!
Thanks for the suggestions about the house. We’ve tried every which way to think of, but there just isn’t room. We’ve tried rearranging our master bedroom to put the baby in there, but there isn’t room even for a basinette and changing table/chest of drawers. We don’t have a family room, the basement is not large enough to finish off, and we definitely can’t add on (very small yard). Plus we know we don’t want to stay here much longer anyway – baby or not – so we don’t want to put any more money into this house. The only alternative we’ve come up with is a corner in the formal dining room and neither of us wants that. We’ve just had to face the fact that this house was not designed for two adults running a business out of it and raising a child. Now we just need to decide what to do about it! 🙂
Sallie
Sallie,
This is just my suggestion. So many women feel the need to nest and move to a bigger house while pregnant. I personally have had to move once while pregnant, and it’s extremely stressful and exhausting. If you have the choice, I think it would be best to wait until the baby is delivered safely. There is so much involved with a move. Pregnancy should be a relaxing time, which is best for the health of the baby (and the mother — especially during the last trimester. You never know if you may have swelling or need bedrest.)
I wish I could remember where I read this, but there was an article somewhere about how baby nurseries are really not needed. You could easily share a home office with a baby nursery — we’ve done this several times. I mentioned earlier about how my favorite piece of baby furniture is the rolling bassinet, and this is because the little baby can sleep anwhere — in any quiet room — when you can roll the bassinet in there. Your baby could sleep in your or your husband’s office at night — you don’t even have to repaint or do an elaborate nursery like most people do — especially if you’ll be putting your house on the market in the future.
By the way, you may be interested in ClubMom.com that is looking to hire a pregnant blogger to blog about her pregnancy (for $500 per month.) I posted about it here:
https://mom2momconnection.com/2006/03/09/get-paid-to-blog-for-clubmomcom/
I agree, they don’t need much room when they’re little. Put a crib in your office and a pack and play under the table in the formal dining room. When you need to use your office during a nap, you could put the baby down in the pack and play. You could put the changing pad on a low dresser somewhere. A friend with a small house and 2 young kids put her changing table in her bathroom. It was a little tight in there, but it was the best spot for it as there was not room for it anywhere else. Or, just change them on the floor on a towel (Some people use the bed, but this is hard on my back. On the floor is better.)
My daughter didn’t start playing in her room until she was three. Up until then, they like to be near you all the time (Plus up until 2 1/2, they still try to choke themselves on small things. No matter how careful you are, they’ll find something or break off something and shove it in their little mouths.) My kids play with a small basket of toys in whatever room I’m working in. In the kitchen, they get to play with some of the tupperware, measuring cups, and wooden spoons. Their favorite toys are actually my rubber pancake flippers!
Do you really use your formal dining room? You could take the table out and use it for something else if not.
Now, on moving: being military, I’ve moved a lot. I’ve moved while pregnant and also with young children. Neither is much fun, but it’s easier to move when pregnant than with young kids around. If you wait until after, the best ages to move during are 3 – 6 months or once they’re over 2. (After 6 months they move around and get in the way of moving stuff around.) After age 2, they start to obey better and will stay in one spot and play for a while. The worst possible age is between 18 months and just before 2 years. During this time, they obey sporatically when told to stay in one spot (no matter what you do, I’ve had lots of friends with young kids and have seen the gamut of discipline techniques.) They’ll obey better about other matters, but staying in one spot just isn’t in their nature at this age. Plus, after 18 months, they’re fast! Up until then, it’s easy to catch them. If you decide to move after, I can send tips for moving with young kids, having done it 4 times now, with another move on the way sometime within the next 2 years.
I ditto Elizabeth about the changing table. I forgot to mention that. For our last three children, we haven’t even used a changing table. I discovered these nice, thick changing table PADS at Babies R Us. You can buy terry cloth covers that fit them, which can be taken off and washed. They’re wonderful.
When we had four kids in a 3-bedroom house, we used the bigger master BR for our homeschool room/playroom/office, then we kept the baby in our bedroom in a bassinet, and put three kids in the other. We used our bathroom sink counter as a changing table with that pad, and the baby loved seeing himself in the bathroom mirror!
Now, we change our baby on our bed using that pad — I’ve discovered navy blue to be a good color for terry cloth! (Even though light blue and pink are so sweet for newborns.) 🙂
See why some of us moms had to get our own blogs — we just can’t stop giving advice! Sorry to be so long-winded! I also can’t help but think that moving during a pregnancy can cause some financial stress to a couple — you may have to think about a higher house payment when all you really want to do is hold your little baby and enjoy!