BABIES

VeryKatie

Ok so I figure we need a thread that we can gush about babies in.
Because I'm all of a sudden going "OMG BABIES" in my head right now and feeling super excited out of nowhere even though I won't start TTC until June at the earliest.

Does anyone else get like this? I picture myself pregnant pretty often and have interesting thoughts such as...

Well, I work with one of my close friends (known her since grade 3, followed her to her workplace unintentionally). So once in a while I think - how weird is it that she will get to experience me pregnant way more than my own sister (who I consider my best friend) will?

Time for some sharing lol!

WifiresGettingFit

I experience baby fever quite often and I also have kitten fever haha I miss having a cat. :P
and just to show how well they go together: PICTURES
http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/the-top-25-cutest-pictures-of-cats-and-babies#.jxAM1wNko

and for the cat lovers: (I know this is a baby gushing thread but KITTENS! haha
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8kSCRW/:1n3S_yVd2:KByhw7_1/theriflebird.com/pets/15-cats-with-their-insanely-cute-mini-me-counterparts

EDIT: I also imagine myself pregnant often and have thoughts too, mostly sad thoughts though because I'm about an hour and a half away from my family so it occurs to me that they won't get to see my kids as much as they see my sister's kids and my kids won't get as much quality time with their grandparents.

NatashaLP2014

Before we started trying for my daughter I had baby fever for over a year. I was just ready! I had this weird fear that everyone would like my nephews more than my kids. Also terrified of having twins. I had nightmares about it while I was pregnant actually as well.

Honestly, I still get all excited for a baby, though it normally only lasts for a day or two then reality sets in and I firmly tell myself we are not yet ready. I can't help wondering what it'll be like though to be pregnant to 40 weeks, to experience labour and breastfeeding and how we will adjust to another while my daughter requires so much help and time physically.

To add your baby fever though, here is my daughter at 2 months old and still in the NICU. It's one of my favourite pictures of her.

Kirstie155

Eeeeeeek!!!! @VeryKatie , you read my mind. I was totally going to post something similar.

I don't have baby fever, I have baby rabies. lts a serious condition, and I smother myself in Pinterest baby threads to cope lol. I have a closet in my future nursery with books I have been collecting for years, as well as some from my childhood. I've snagged a maternity top or skirt here and there when I've stumbled upon something super cute and stash it away in there too. Trying not to buy many clothes though. I also bought a second hand Bobby off of a lady who never used it (is that crazy?! Am I crazy?!for some reason books don't seem cray, but the Boppy seems like I'm starting down the road to cray town--like I won't buy any baby clothes yet. It just seems way too early.)

Trying not to let the baby rabies get the best of me, and not buy a lot of things now, since it will be so exciting once I am pregnant!

@ Natashalp2014, your daughter is adorable. I love a newborn picture! @WifiresGettingFit I have a kitty fever too. My baby ran away on my honeymoon over a year ago and my heart still hurts. His picture is my backdrop on my computer.

WifiresGettingFit

@NatashaLP2014 Twins run in my family so it is something I've thought about - and I'm not really sure how I would handle it.
I love the picture! Your daughter looks so little and sweet and cuddly and super adorable!
Also, I love your profile picture, her smile brightens up a room!

@Kirstie155 I had thought about doing something similar but we currently don't have any room to have a future baby box at least the type I would want haha but I do see a lot of cute stuff. Nothing wrong with preparing for the future.
I'm sorry about your cat running away. Mine passed away two years ago and I still miss her terribly. I don't think it is something you get over, they become such a part of your life - you always feel the void.

NatashaLP2014

@WifiresGettingFit Yikes, I do not envy you that!

@Kirstie155 I don't think it's a terrible idea, especially if you get things for a really good price. I also love giving books as birthday gifts for other kids, so if you find you have too many in the end you're set for all the little friends/family parties.

I love our cats too and they are so kind and patient with my daughter; even when she's petting them on the face, they just lay beside her and purr.

WifiresGettingFit

@NatashaLP2014 Yeah....I don't envy me either haha We don't plan on starting to try until late this year or early next year depending on when we get married and find a house so I've not been spending to much time worrying about it but it does cross my mind from time to time.
I'm glad your cats are patient and kind especially with your daughter. I haven't found many cats I don't like.

puffbrat

I have been having baby fever for over a year. My husband and I keep setting goals for what we want done before TTC, but then life doesn't go as planned and either those goals take longer to achieve then expected or something new comes up. We are finally at the stage of only waiting for one more thing before TTC, which is for me to have been at my new job close to 1 year so I will qualify for FMLA leave. In the meantime I'm starting to have dreams about being pregnant.

VeryKatie

I am a bit sad. I went to the travel health clinic yesterday and found out that they are recommending to wait two months after a trip to try to get pregnant because of the zika virus. So now my TTC is postponed until August. We aren't going to a zika area but do want to be cautious.

WifiresGettingFit

Well that sucks but I would also side with caution.

MrsR130

Oh, @VeryKatie that sucks! It is smart though to be cautious, but I can understand your frustration. The unknowns with the Zika virus are terrifying though. We have changed all of our travel plans to avoid those areas.

We were planning on starting to try in October, but life got in the way and we've pushed off starting until June/July.

puffbrat

VeryKatie wrote: »

I am a bit sad. I went to the travel health clinic yesterday and found out that they are recommending to wait two months after a trip to try to get pregnant because of the zika virus. So now my TTC is postponed until August. We aren't going to a zika area but do want to be cautious.

That is good to know. I have been waiting to hear any guidelines like that. My husband and I are planning on going to Hawaii in October which is having a dengue fever problem and expected to start seeing zika virus. Sounds like it would be best for us to wait until the end of year to TTC rather than September.

VeryKatie

puffbrat wrote: »

VeryKatie wrote: »

I am a bit sad. I went to the travel health clinic yesterday and found out that they are recommending to wait two months after a trip to try to get pregnant because of the zika virus. So now my TTC is postponed until August. We aren't going to a zika area but do want to be cautious.

That is good to know. I have been waiting to hear any guidelines like that. My husband and I are planning on going to Hawaii in October which is having a dengue fever problem and expected to start seeing zika virus. Sounds like it would be best for us to wait until the end of year to TTC rather than September.

The info I was given was that zika actually was found to stay in semen longer than in other fluids of the body, so that's why the recommendation was extended to 2 months. So if you husband gets it, it's in his system for longer and can still be passed to the cells. And he may or may not show any symptoms of actually having zika because it can be really mild.

NatashaLP2014

Thanks for sharing the info. We've been thinking of going on a trip next year, though not sure where. We are leaning toward a Disney Cruise, one leaves right out of Vancouver, though I'd love to visit Europe again but I think that might be better to wait for a few more years.

I've got it in my head for us to start trying in May next year but that may change. We only want one more child and the limit would be before I'm 35 because of the high risk I have of pre-eclampsia. I'm turning 31 in a few months so we still have time. It sucks to put plans on hold but definitely better to mitigate what risks you can since there are so many things you cannot control.

Kirstie155

@WifiresGettingFit I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty too, makes my heart break.

@VeryKatie That really sucks, Im sorry! My hubs and I were starting to plan a trip for October to a tropical place like Cancun, Belize, the Caribbean for our "conception moon" and have now decided to change gears completely! By October Zika could spread to so many more places, we are planning something cold and untropical now! It really is better to be safe than sorry here zika is so serious and dangerous-those poor babies and mommas with zika, makes me so sad!
Where did you travel to? I'm planning on putting bug spray on pretty much all the time once it warms up and spraying the yard-need to make sure my husband wears spray too, he hates it. He didn't know he could get zika and give it to me he thought it was just a risk if I got bit!

We live in Northern VA, anyone have any conception moon ideas for October for us? We are planning on staying in the US now,hubs wants to check out NYC!

VeryKatie

Kirstie155 wrote: »

@WifiresGettingFit I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty too, makes my heart break.

@VeryKatie That really sucks, Im sorry! My hubs and I were starting to plan a trip for October to a tropical place like Cancun, Belize, the Caribbean for our "conception moon" and have now decided to change gears completely! By October Zika could spread to so many more places, we are planning something cold and untropical now! It really is better to be safe than sorry here zika is so serious and dangerous-those poor babies and mommas with zika, makes me so sad!
Where did you travel to? I'm planning on putting bug spray on pretty much all the time once it warms up and spraying the yard-need to make sure my husband wears spray too, he hates it. He didn't know he could get zika and give it to me he thought it was just a risk if I got bit!

We live in Northern VA, anyone have any conception moon ideas for October for us? We are planning on staying in the US now,hubs wants to check out NYC!

At the end of May we're heading to Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on a bus tour. It should be fun! None of those places currently have zika since that's more South America right now, but as you say, you never know how it will spread. So one extra month waiting is worth it if the risk is a bit lower. Not that I couldn't get zika at home but still.

NYC would be so fun! I've heard fantastic things about San Fran and I personally loved New Orleans when I went. Depends how far south you want to go! Seattle might be nice too.

puffbrat

Thanks for the information @VeryKatie.

San Francisco is really fun. Kirstie, if you both like the outdoors you could go to some national parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, Arches, Canyonlands.... I've never been to Northwest, but I agree that Seattle or Portland sound nice.

WifiresGettingFit

Right now, I have a cousin who is about 3 weeks away from her due date talking about wanting to see her baby on every facebook post and then I have an old high school friend who just recently had a baby posting pictures every five minutes and another friend who I used to work with who had her baby back in November posting baby pictures every other day (so not as bad as every five minutes haha) so basically I'm saying it's not helping calm down my baby fever haha

VeryKatie

WifiresGettingFit wrote: »

Right now, I have a cousin who is about 3 weeks away from her due date talking about wanting to see her baby on every facebook post and then I have an old high school friend who just recently had a baby posting pictures every five minutes and another friend who I used to work with who had her baby back in November posting baby pictures every other day (so not as bad as every five minutes haha) so basically I'm saying it's not helping calm down my baby fever haha

Hahaha that's pretty funny. I have one pregnant friend too and another who does nothing but post pictures of her 11 month old (ever since birth) on Facebook.

I really like the pregnant friend's post - she's very into health for baby and health for mother so she posts interesting articles. Now every time I see her, I'm like "and in that article you posted..." lol. It's fun

I unfollowed the friend with the 11 month old on account of there being more photos of him on Facebook than days he's been alive. It was excessive and against my own values (in terms of keeping babies off social media since they don't have a choice).

WifiresGettingFit

I've just decreased the amount of time I spend on facebook - seems to help. haha

WifiresGettingFit

I forgot to give an update. My cousin had her baby last week so my news feed on Facebook is filled with even more baby pictures so needless to say, I have continued to limit my time on there :P

VeryKatie

OMG I WANT A BABY!!! AUUUUGHHHH!!!

Lol. I'm having a moment...

WifiresGettingFit

I have those moments all the time. haha you aren't alone!

puffbrat

I have those moments all the time too.

Kirstie155

Only 6 more months until we start trying! So excited!
I'm thinking of baby names currently

WifiresGettingFit

That 6 months will go fast!

VeryKatie

Heheh there's an "Awesome" buttong now. Anyone see that??

I have been thinking of baby names too lol.

puffbrat

I already have a list of girls names with one absolute favorite.
The boy's name has already been chosen by his family tradition. I don't agree with it, but have been pretty clearly told that I have no choice in the matter. I will be using to negotiate for something I really want should we have a boy.

I have been pleasantly surprised lately to notice my husband talking about getting me pregnant and having kids more often. In the past he has been the one pushing that date further off. So maybe we will actually hold to this fall for TTC.

WifiresGettingFit

We have an ongoing verbal list of names we like. We also have some solid favorites but we still add to it randomly. haha

@puffbrat If you don't mind my asking why do you not agree with it? I'm assuming here but I'm guessing the baby is to be named either after your husband or one of his family members? I would also negotiate it. Perhaps it could be a middle name instead?
I'm glad to hear he is coming around more to the idea. I hope you two do get to start trying when you want to!

So, how many kids is everyone thinking of or planning on having/want?
I'm thinking 3. If I want to use all my favorite names, I'll need 6. haha

VeryKatie

WifiresGettingFit wrote: »

We have an ongoing verbal list of names we like. We also have some solid favorites but we still add to it randomly. haha

@puffbrat If you don't mind my asking why do you not agree with it? I'm assuming here but I'm guessing the baby is to be named either after your husband or one of his family members? I would also negotiate it. Perhaps it could be a middle name instead?
I'm glad to hear he is coming around more to the idea. I hope you two do get to start trying when you want to!

So, how many kids is everyone thinking of or planning on having/want?
I'm thinking 3. If I want to use all my favorite names, I'll need 6. haha

Heheh we are thinking 2. But once in a while we toss around the idea of 3 or 4 hahahahah. 3 is a possibility, 4 would be a welcome oopsie. It's a bit weird but my husband seems to really want to mimic his own family. 3 kids in less than 3 years. Which is not going to happen for me though. Because I just don't want to put my body through that if I can avoid it (though I understand why other women would want that).

puffbrat

I hope no one gets offended, this is just my own personal opinion. I recognize that their are a lot of families with this tradition and it works for them, it just doesn't work for me. I also apologize this turned into a rant, but I didn't appreciate being forced into this position before we married much less got pregnant.

My husband is the "fourth". So he is John Kevin Doe IV, his father is John Kevin Doe III, etc. His grandfather (number II is still alive). I personally find naming a child after oneself a little arrogant, although in this case in can just be called a family name, so whatever. But it is also incredibly confusing to be in the house with two, much less three or four people with the exact same name. To deal with this by giving my husband a nickname that doesn't even remotely suit him. I cringe every time I hear it and I think it's ridiculous to give your child a name that then requires they have a completely unrelated nickname just so everyone knows who is being talked to or about. I hate talking with my FIL's wife because the whole conversation is "my John" and "your John". It's confusing, annoying, and I don't own my husband. He is his own person and I should be able to speak about him without qualifiers. The same thing happens if I am telling a friend or family member a story that involves both my husband and FIL. Their is also a story from when my husband was younger in which the airline thought my FIL had accidentally booked two tickets under his name and canceled my husband's ticket. These are frustrations I just don't want to spend the rest of my life dealing with on a daily basis. What happens if I yell for/at son or husband and they can't tell who I mean?

Also, while my husband is the most lenient of his family regarding the name, this family does not have a sense of humor about it. A month before we got married we went to my husband's cousin's wedding. The groom was his cousin. The bride and her stepmom did the invitations, seating chart, seating cards, etc. They didn't realize that grandfather is John Kevin Doe II not the first, so all the roman numerals were off by one. My husband commented when we got the save-the-date that people would be mad about the inaccuracy. He commented again when we received the invitation and tried to correct it on the response card. Then we got to the reception and OMG. There was complete panic about how it needed to be corrected before some of the other family members including grandma showed up or there would be hell to pay. I just spent the whole thinking, it's an honest mistake, what's the big deal?

I have tried offering compromises like changing the middle name, which the child can then be referred to as or anything else along those lines, but since the tradition is the entire name, my husband told me no. No compromise. It has to John Kevin Doe V.

Part of my frustration is probably related to how I now get named. As soon as my husband and I got married (literally on the checks that were gifts at the wedding) I became Mrs. John Kevin Doe IV. Not Mrs. Puffbrat Doe (my name) or just Mrs. Doe (also my name) and certainly not Mrs. Puffbrat Maiden Name Doe (my new full name). Nope I am Mrs. Husband's Name. I realize that these are old rules of etiquette which are considered polite, but it makes me feel like I am no longer seen as my own person, but as one of my husband's appendages. I don't want to force a child into this same mold of old rules of etiquette and heavy expectations with generations of force behind them.

I have mostly resigned myself to this and am already planning things to use in negotiation for keeping the family name (I get to design the nursery my way or something along those lines).

On a happier note, @WifiresGettingFit we are thinking 2 or 3, but have agreed to take it one at a time. My husband said it will mostly be up to me since I have to grow them and push them out

@VeryKatie my husband and I have agreed not to follow the family tradition on his mother's side of one kid every 4-5 years. I can't imagine stretching out pregnancy/infant/toddler care over 15-20 years and he agrees.