Does it come with 4WD and a leather seat? (Derek again)

Monday Oct 22, 2007

Suddenly, the idea that we need some new tools and equipment to take care of this new addition to our family is starting to hit us. So we journeyed to the local Babies R Us, and what an experience that was.

Does there really need to be an entire aisle for bottles and nipples? I don't think there are that many variations in the original model! And if we choose the wrong one, will our poor child fill up with so much gas that we can enter him in the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade? Obviously, we were a little overwhelmed by all the options.

When we looked at the strollers and car seats, we were similarly intimidated by the choices. Now we had to factor in price too. Some have fancy European names (isn't Prego a pasta sauce?) and some have lots of options (arm rests and cupholders on car seats--that's better than my truck). We didn't find any with an off-road package or leather, which is probably a good thing as I'm sure some magazine would imply that we are bad parents for subjecting our precious little one to a stroller with cloth seats and 2 wheel drive.

I think it is time to call in reinforcements. Any new moms (or dads) out there willing to do battle with Babies R Us again?

Posted at 09:12PM Oct 22, 2007 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[2]

Those first kicks... or was that my stomach growling?

Wednesday Oct 10, 2007

Since I first learned I was pregnant, I've imagined that moment when I would first feel the baby kick. I would feel a LIFE inside me, and I would be forever changed. (Cue soft harp music in the background...) Reality check - I can't remember it at all. For a couple of weeks, I felt this funny tremble. And I'll be honest, I didn't initially associate it with THE BABY. You know, we've all had those digestive rumblings. Yes, those. Okay, I am big enough to admit it - I thought it was gas.

But since I've learned to recognize those tiny kicks, I can't get enough of them. I sit around with my hand on my belly waiting for that little movement, hoping I could feel with my hand what I feel inside. I've made Derek do it, too, while we're sitting on the couch.
"Did you feel that?!"
"No."
"How about that one?"
"Umm, I don't think so."
(Nothing like trying to feel someone else's digestive rumblings!)

And while he's been patiently waiting, it wasn't until last week that he finally felt that tiny kick. I don't want to speak for him, but I thought it was pretty amazing for him to get to experience it for himself.

Posted at 11:44AM Oct 10, 2007 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[1]

The verdict is... (from the dad-to-be's viewpoint)

Several folks have asked about my opinion of all these changes in our life, so I figured I would post an entry on Jen's blog of my own. Jen let me take this momentous occasion for my first message.

So will it be sugar and spice or snakes, snails, & puppy dog tails? Jen's dad wants to know if he should buy pink or blue hip waders for his new fishing buddy. Will my mom finally get to buy frilly dresses for the little girl she never had? Will we have a NC State football player or cheerleader (actually there is no hope that a child of ours would ever become a cheerleader as clumsy and tall as her parents are!)?

I've been conflicted--I would like a son to toss a baseball with, but there is something special about daddy's little girls, too. We do have much better options for girl names, so that would be definately be easier if we had a daughter, but after that I think it would get much harder for me with a girl. I was boy, I had a brother, and I just don't know what to with little girls. Jen unfortunately is the opposite, and feels that she wouldn't know what to do with a little boy.

Before going into the doctor's appointment today, we surveyed friends and family, and generally most folks thought Torquil would be a boy. Jen seemed to agree with them, while I was leaning towards girl. On a side note (is the suspense killing you yet), the ultrasound is pretty impressive--I get to use one at work, but it is no where near as fancy as the one at our doctor's office. The detail on the picture is amazing! We could see Torquil's little fingers and toes even though he/she is only 11 ounces!

So in about 5 short months, NC State will have its quarterback (or left tackle at least) of the future! Yep, Torquil's a boy! Now about that name thing...

Derek

Posted at 07:51PM Oct 04, 2007 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[6]

Torquil or Torquilla?

I'm in love with ya baby and I don't even know your name!

Well, tomorrow is the big day- the ultrasound where we'll learn if "Torquil" is really a boy or a girl. I should be incredibly excited, but for some reason, I'm a little nervous. Right now, it's all kinda theoretical. It's Baby Foster or Torquil - but they are like cartoon children in my mind. Knowing the sex and seeing an ultrasound that looks less blob & more baby will make it seem so much more real. That's a bit scary. Don't get me wrong-I really WANT to know. And I really am excited about having a baby and I can't wait to meet this new person in my life. But I know that my entire life is going to change and even good changes in my life have been known to stress me out.. I was the kid who cried when Mom?s license plate changed from LKD-13 to AXW-7946. (Yes, I agree that the fact that I still remember those and can?t tell you my current license plate number proves how traumatic that was for me.)

The other thing about knowing the sex is that I feel like I need to have a girl name and a boy name ready and waiting for when we find out. We?re so not there yet! But we're continuing to narrow down the list, and I'm sure by the time the baby is 3 days old, something will hit us over the heads as THE NAME. Until then, will s/he be Torquil or Torquilla?

Posted at 11:59AM Oct 03, 2007 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[0]

Do these pants make my butt look big? Maternity clothes

Well, it's official now - my pants are too tight. I'm in that awkward stage where I don't always look pregnant but I can't fit into many of my own clothes anymore. A couple of people at work keep asking when I'm going to start showing. The hormonal pregnant psychopath inside me wants to say "So you think my belly always looked like this? You sayin' I always looked this fat?!? I know they mean well and they are excited about following along as I grow - and they want to see some progress. So I try to keep psycho mama locked up and reply sweetly "Soon, I think!? But it's tough to feel good about myself when others clearly don't think I look pregnant, and I think I look like I swallowed a football. It amazes me that my "bump" is this big already when Torquil is only the size of an sweet potato. Just how enormous am I going to be at 39 weeks? I'm not sure I'm ready to think about that yet.

I have a couple of friends who have been generous enough to loan me some maternity clothes, and I am eternally grateful. My mom has been amazed at how much maternity clothes have changed in a generation. All the pants have wide elastic bands for a waist, instead of the old rectangular panel in the front. SUPER comfy! And many clothes are made from stretchy fabrics, which have come a long way from the olden days when "stretchy" meant "spandex." The weird thing, though, is that sizes are all over the place. I normally wore size Medium things pre-pregnancy. Now, I have things that are small that actually fit, and some things that are XL, and they fit too. Word to the wise ... if someone offers to lend you their maternity clothes, take her up on it!

Posted at 03:44PM Oct 01, 2007 by Jen Foster in General | Comments[3]