Happy Wednesday!

How is everyone this morning? I am HERE and I consider that being ahead of the game. Planning on a good eating day, I've done well so far.  But then again, it is still pretty early in the morning.  Gonna get some exercise in later.  Got my meds in - almost forgot -but saw them as I was running out the door.  Hopefully, I can remember the ones I take in the PM.  Those are the ones I have the most trouble with.  Soooo, is everyone excited about Melissa's Birthday party this weekend?  I am looking forward to it.  Some of you LCBB's need to come on down and make a day of it!   It will also be a great way to celebrate some formerly morbidly obese people running their first 5K that morning!!  Melissa and Chris are AWESOME.  I am hoping that I can keep up with them.  If I can, I'll consider myself a success. Keep me entertained today guys.  I'm still pretty busy at work but my boss is on vacation today - woo hoo!  Needless to say, I'm scheduling in some goofing off time too.

Well Good Morning, Sunshine. I've missed you lots.  So proud of you and Melissa and Chris ... go on with your bad runner selves. 

Got a few errands to run today, then lunch with my daughter somewhere ... I'd STILL rather be at the beach.  Damn, all I need is that one lottery win, and I'd be set.

What's the absolute BEST gift I can buy for my daughter-in-law's baby shower on Sunday?  Was there anything you got when Teagan arrived that you cherished and adored?  (Besides Teagan! )

I'm soooo glad you are back!!! Baby Gifts!  I these are the things I always give as gifts because I loved them sooo much.  You can find most of this stuff at babies r us. I LOVED THIS For when she was teething and starting solid foods. http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=63 56&parentCategoryId=85181&categoryId=85206 This is great for when you eat out and they typically eat off the table... http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=30 7765&parentCategoryId=85181&categoryId=85203 This was good for not  having to schlep around the entire diaper bag. http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=67 67&parentCategoryId=85182&categoryId=85209 Always good... http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=51 6755&parentCategoryId=85180&categoryId=85200&subCategoryId=1 17218 This reclines, so we used it from when Teagan was a couple of months old all the way until she was 3 or so.  I would take the top shelf out of the dishwasher and throw it in there to clean it. http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=39 0&parentCategoryId=85181&categoryId=85205 WE LOVED THIS THING!!!  We bought more than one.  It made life so much easier when the she was screaming, but we could not stop to feed her.  I think you can still find it at Babies R Us. http://www.pacifeeder.com/ We traveled alot, so most of this stuff has to do with making things easier when traveling. That, and of course all the usual stuff.

i second ALL of those items!!! LOL We had all of them too! I loved our pacifeeder mainly for karington bc she was a high maintenance child who always wanted her bottle in the stroller but was too lazy to hold it LOL.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  You are brilliant, with these ideas!  I went to Babies R Us last night, and added the Pacifeeder and the Safe Feeder to the basket of goodies I'm putting together.  They didn't have anything like that back in the dark ages when I had babes in the house!  I'm headed back over there this morning to finish up with a clearer head.  I'll probably add some more from this list to the basket.  Thanks again, Chiquita.

hey dawn!!  things i couldn't of lived without : -my co-sleeper basinette that went beside our bed.. (although the kid only slept like 2 nights in it and then was in bed with me, it became a good changing table to have right beside the bed lol) -my sling.. they sell these at Babies r US now, newborns love it bc they feel snuggled up like they do in the womb, and you can carry them around and wash dishes, do laundry, and everything while they sleep soundly and when you have a colicky baby this is PERFECT bc youre holding them, but not "holding " them all day long keeping you from chores and whatever else you want/need to do.. and if she breast feeds its PERFECT for breastfeeding in public, no one can tell what youre doing bc its covering the goods.. lol -Bottles.. even if shes planning on breastfeeding an Avent Starter box is a must to have for an emergency bottlefeed in case the baby needs to supplement for some reason or in case she decides after a day or so that breast feeding isnt going to be for her she has what she needs there already.. (although with kassidy my breast fed child i used playtex drop-ins.. they were easy to use and she wasnt gassy from them and a hint for the avent bottles, after you tighten them up to shake them, after shaking loosen the top until you hear the "Fizz" like the air seal is released, then barely re-tighten a little bit so it doesnt leak.. this will prevent the baby sucking air in.. and make it easier for them to drink) -Microwave Avent bottle sterilizer.. easyyyy to use, best sterilizer without all the big plug in types in the way  -Diaper CHAMP- not genie.. this one you just drop the diaper and turn the top and it drops down into the trash bag.. you dont have to do all that twisting and crap.. and when you take the bag out the diapers dont fly out everywhere lol Diapers! LOL No one bought diapers for my baby shower lol.. i would buy 1 pack of newborns and more packs of 1's than anything.. they outgrow newborns so fast. A good idea for a shower is to buy a huge wicker basket, and buy essentials for babys that others dont think of.. like baby washclothes, finger clippers, diaper rash cream, wipes, baby shampoo, infant tylenol drops, etc etc the list could go on, and decorate it real cute and she can use the basket for other stuff too.  Anything you give her will be great youre the Nana! Your love and support will be the best gift you can give her.. congrats on the baby let us know when the baby comes!!!  jen

Hey Babe! Thanks SO much for adding your list of "must-haves" ... I truly need all the help I can get!  I'm using almost all of your ideas!  She had registerd for a few bottles, she is planning on breastfeeding, but is also planning to return to work after 2 months ... only she didn't register for the Avent ones.  I don't know why, since they look so much better to me than the Playtex.  I think I will get her some of both ... she can always take them back if she doesn't want them. Thanks again ... you and Kathy have saved the day for me.  And this isn't the first time THAT'S happened!

XOXO

P.S.  Her doctor says the baby is growing faster than they anticipated, so they are suspecting the due date of mid-November is wrong.  They're doing an ultrasound in 3 weeks to measure again, but they're thinking now that the baby will come in late October!

Dawn- We used the Avent bottles too.  We tried everything else, but these were the best.  The nipples and everything are great.  They even have the lids and stuff for storing breast milk. The bottle lids and sippy cup lids (and covers) are interchange able AND they have a "soft" sippy cup spout for when they are first going to the sippy cup.  I LOVED those things! Word of warning though, you will need a bottle warmer that can FIT the Avent bottles since they are wider.  Especially since you are not supposed to heat breast milk in the microwave. Kathy

Thanks for the advice, Kathy.  I bought the Avent starter kit for her yesterday, and will tell her about the other things you mentioned, especially the warmer.  She's done so much reading, and been to a breastfeeding class, but didn't register for a bottle warmer.  I'll have to make sure she knows about the microwave and breast milk thing.  I didn't ... they didn't HAVE microwaves when I was breastfeeding!!!  HA!!!  (I bought my first microwave in 1986 or 1987 ... Emilie was already Teagan's age by then. LOL) Oh God, I have bought so much from Babies R Us over the last 2 days, it's SCARY.  They will probably take half this crap back and use the money to get what they really want, but oh well.  My theory is:  The person who buys the most baby gifts gets to hold the baby as long as they want. 

 hello!!!  im working on getting re-addicted to my skinny latte's for breakfast.. maybe that was the trick to a fast metabolism last winter?  lol.. i hope so.. my fat rolls are trying to come back so i gotta stop eating junk!  i had decided i was going to run the 5k with yall saturday and then i remembered karington has a performance at the Harvest fest Sat AM sooo i cant do that now.. plus id probably only make it like 3/4 mile and die. lol im gonna try to make it out sat night for melissas bday.. rob will probably be with me and a couple thats friends with us maybe. I got my new date for plastics.. Nov 1st.. which kinda sucks bc its so far away it seems but in other ways it gives me more time to prepare. it does give me time to get karingtons orthodontic work started. yea shes only 4 but they want to start now, since she has a 11-12 mm overjet they need to start working on her jaw problems now. she has become soo self conscious over her mouth , and its not THAT noticable , it breaks my heart.  i never mention it in front of her, and when she is trying to hide her mouth i emphasize that her smile is beautiful and she shouldnt be hiding her mouth etc.. im going on a field trip with her class tuesday to the Apple Farm and then we go see the orthodontist again that afternoon.  yall make sure you take pictures of the 5k sat! Im so proud of all of you.. thats awesome. you should frame one and give it to Dr Bour lol.  hope yall have a good day!