They Warn You About Pregnancy Hormones, But You're Still Never Prepared
July 22, 2009
The past many weeks have been a bit of a blur for me -- a hazy, exhausting, sleep-deprived blur. As we've been in the final stretch for BlogHer '09 (Yes, I really am writing about work on this blog. And no, I don't typically do that.), work has become more and more overwhelmingly busy for everyone on the Events team. Updating this site has barely been on my radar, and truth be told, lately I've been living in fear of the BlogHerAds automated scanner. Each day I check my email, wondering if that's the day it will tell me to get myself in gear and post a new blog entry already, sheesh woman, you work for a company that is about blogging. EMPLOYEE FAIL.
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In other (baby) news: Roger and I still haven't decided on nursery decor, but we DID finally commit to bedding. Sort of. Mostly. Since we haven't been able to find anything that we like online or in-store, we asked his mom to sew something for us! She's a wonderful seamstress, so it seemed like a brilliant plan. Until we went to the fabric stores, and couldn't find fabric we liked, and I broke down crying in one store, staring at bolts of fabric, because there were TOO MANY OPTIONS. And too many of those options were TERRIBLE. I blame it on pregnancy hormones.
After re-arranging a dozen bolts of fabric, Roger hit the jackpot with one combination. (Have I ever mentioned how awesome it is to be married to a designer? It's fabulous for people like me, who don't have the skill of IMAGINING how something might look based on a tiny swatch.
) We bought the material for the crib skirt (an earthy-toned striped material with bright olive green, coral, mustard, beige and cream tones), and have to special-order the material for the interior (cream-colored minky) and exterior (coral-colored linen/cotton blend, I think) of the bumper, as well as the crib sheet (bright olive green). I am fairly sure it will be adorable.
I am also kind of afraid of getting the finished product back and hating it, but feeling like I have to use it because (a) I paid for the material and (b) Roger's mom will have invested all that time in sewing it for us and (c) we really, really have scoured stores, and the Internet, and custom bedding websites, and we really, really haven't found anything we like. So I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that after getting the finished product back, our bedding options would still be the same. And I realize that OMG THIS IS JUST BEDDING THAT A BABY WILL SPIT UP AND PEE ON, AND IT'S NOT LIKE THE BABY WILL EVEN REMEMBER ITS FIRST SHEETS, but that doesn't mean that the bedding shouldn't be CUTE. I mean, right?
We've also been going to childbirthing classes! Which is awesome, because we love our hospital, which is less like a hospital and more like a hotel. In fact, if you were driving by it I'd be willing to bet you wouldn't even realize it was a hospital. We were kind of curious about childbirthing classes, because everyone we know has talked about how horrible they are, with their out-of-date videos and crazy instructors who don't seem to know what they're talking about. As it turns out, the nurse who teaches our class is fabulous, and we hang on her every word. She's only shown a few video clips, and those that we've watched so far were recently produced, even produced well, and I can say that with confidence because Roger and I both teared up a little during one of them.
Roger is man enough for me to tell you that. Or else these pregnancy hormones are starting to get to him, too. In any case, our daughter will be here in TWO MONTHS. Which means that all my crying during cartoons and hallmark commercials and baby birthing videos will end*. Right?
* No one has actually told us what will happen to my hormones after delivery. So maybe The Crazy will end, or maybe it will continue. I really have no idea.
Comments
Jessica, I have to tell you something that may be hard to take. Once you have that baby the crying will only get worse. And sadly, it's not hormonal so it won't go away. Suddenly life takes on new meaning, and you will read blogs, hear stories, and watch movies with a completely new perspective - that of a mother. And a mother's heart is tender. Actually, it affects father's too. Even Scuba cries at movies now (but don't tell him I told you that. And don't make fun of it either, it will just make him sad.)
Posted by: Erica | July 22, 2009 10:44 PM
YAY two months!!
EEEEEEEE!!
Posted by: Lisa | July 23, 2009 08:41 AM
I second Erica's comment. Plus there's the "baby blue" though luckily I never had those much. Where are you delivering? I had both mine at Medical City Dallas and it was great.
Posted by: Jessica | July 23, 2009 08:57 AM
I second Erica's comment. Plus there's the "baby blue" though luckily I never had those much. Where are you delivering? I had both mine at Medical City Dallas and it was great.
Posted by: Jessica | July 23, 2009 08:57 AM
Hey I am going to a new mom's class starting in October where you bring your baby and cry (you cry, not the baby) and they comfort you. I am serious. Want to come with me?
I had the exact same experience with bedding and fabric. I was so overwhelmed. I have erred on the side of being possibly boring, so you are ahead of me.
2 more months!! I had a friend who posted a blog post about how she began to cry at the drop of a hat after she had her baby (I can't find the post). How embarrassing!!
Posted by: Jenny B | July 23, 2009 09:21 AM
Wait till the first time she tells you she loves you. That was a real crier for me. Now I know how my mom felt.
Posted by: Susan | July 23, 2009 12:53 PM
It will all come together! I can't wait to see pictures. Enjoy the last few months ~ glad you missed the "crazy" labor teachers :)
Posted by: MarathonMom | July 23, 2009 02:09 PM
Yeah, the hormones are pretty intense for a while after you give birth.
I can't believe how soon your baby is coming! Yay!
Posted by: -R- | July 23, 2009 10:28 PM
Geez, I can't believe she's almost here already!
Your bedding sounds beautiful. Can't wait to see pictures!
As for the hormones, good luck with those. :) I'm sure you'll be fine.
Posted by: my life is brilliant | July 23, 2009 11:47 PM
if you really want to know what will happen after you have your daughter - it will get a touch worse for a spell and then will improve dramatically BUT you will virtually not care about either because 1) you will be incredibly sleep deprived, 2) you will have your wonderful new daughter and 3) you will be sleep deprived.....
at least that is how it was for me.... only i had a beautiful new son...
Posted by: Willow | July 24, 2009 11:37 AM
The custom bedding sounds very nice. You chose it, you will probably like it. Hormones will be crazy for the rest of your life. Yours and your daughter's. :)
Posted by: nicole | July 24, 2009 01:15 PM
Haha I did very similar. Adam stepmom made Ellie and Josiahs bedding but the first run of fabric stores I ended up coming home a mush pile after trying to find something for Josiahs nursery. AND I was and interior designer I mean I got paid to look at fabrics for people! But its so much harder for yourself. Anyhow I will stop rambling, Just wanted to let you know you were not the only one who had that expirience!
Posted by: Holly Shook | July 25, 2009 12:50 PM
As a 40 something father, I can confirm that you do become more emotional after having a child.
It's been proven that testosterone levels decline in men who have children, so that may have something to do with it.
Cheers!
Posted by: Testosterone Dude! | July 26, 2009 09:23 PM
Design to your hearts content -- it's all about the parents at this point. Later, there won't be anything either of you can do to change the mind of a little girl who picks her favorite blouse and favorite skirt with no regard to the fact THAT DON'T GO TOGETHER and NEVER WILL. Teehee
Posted by: MOM | July 26, 2009 09:23 PM
Design to your hearts content -- it's all about the parents at this point. Later, there won't be anything either of you can do to change the mind of a little girl who picks her favorite blouse and favorite skirt with no regard to the fact THAT DON'T GO TOGETHER and NEVER WILL. Teehee
Posted by: MOM | July 26, 2009 09:23 PM
Design to your hearts content -- it's all about the parents at this point. Later, there won't be anything either of you can do to change the mind of a little girl who picks her favorite blouse and favorite skirt with no regard to the fact THAT DON'T GO TOGETHER and NEVER WILL. Teehee
Posted by: MOM | July 26, 2009 09:25 PM