Nugget or Nuggette?

I can't believe the moment we've been waiting 5 (long) months for is finally almost here! In less than a week, SuperFutureDad and I will know who we'll be welcoming to our family. It's just the most exciting thing to happen in like, forever!!! Ok, besides our wedding day. And when we got engaged. Well, it's one of the most exciting things that will happen in our lifetimes. I get to be a part of the Mommyhood!

So, I'm conducting a little informal poll - what do you think we're having? A Nugget or a Nuggette??
Cast your votes here!

Meantime, some other exciting things have been developing with baby. About a week ago I was lying in the dark just before bed and all of a sudden, BLURP!, in my belly. Did I feel something, I wondered? So I waited... and waited... then BLURP! That had to be it, right? That had to be our baby!!!!

But then... nothing. For the next couple of days it was like it was all dream. I tried to figure out a way to describe it to SuperFutureDad. I've heard it called 'the flutter,' 'bubbles,' 'swishes,' things like that. Here's what I came up with: You know when you're swimming in water when there is fish present? You'll be floating along, and then out of nowhere, a fish comes and skims your leg? It's like you definitely feel something brush against you, but it's diluted because of the water. To me, that's how Butterball feels. I know - what a weird description, right?? After those first couple of days of dormancy, BB has, for the most part, been jazzercising like crazy.

My favorite moment so far came last night. I was lying on the couch after another long day at work and stuffing my face with kettle corn. I love me some kettle corn!!!! SFD and I were talking about our days when WHAM!, Butterball goes karate on my bladder. I mean straight down karate chop! I kinda laughed and told SFD baby is either angry or as majorly in love with kettle corn as I am. A few seconds later, WHAM! karate chop to the bladder. I just pictured BB taking an elbow straight down - like breaking a board - except it's my bladder! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

Needless to say I got up to pee and that was it for BB. He/She stayed quiet the rest of the night.

My First Baby

Well - I've finally done it! I've completed my first video for My First Baby!

It's been a long time coming since I found out AGES ago that SuperFutureDad and I had been picked by Meredith Video Studios to be a part of this fantastic - and fun - project.

If you haven't visited My First Baby before, you're in for a treat. It's an online community where first-time moms and moms-to-be share their experiences on their journey toward the Mommyhood. The best part is, it's all video so you get to see people's cute little nuggets or you get to watch their bellies expand (like mine is!!!).

My introductory video is live so if you have 30 seconds (the videos are only between 30 secs and a minute) please check it out and leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you now that you can actually see what I look like carrying Butterball! Plus, feel free to leave me ideas for videos that you'd like to see in the future!!!!

And don't forget that some of the webisodes will be featured on a nationally-syndicated lifestyle television show called 'Better.' You can also follow 'My First Baby' and 'Better' on Facebook and Twitter.

OH! Before I go, I should also give you an update on where I am in this journey!

I am in my 18th week of pregnancy (4 1/2 months) and feeling great!!! My energy has returned. The headaches and insomnia have, for the most part, subsided. I can definitely tell I am gaining some weight - won't be too long before I need to move fully into maternity wear. I'm getting my exercise from mowing the lawn and walking to the pool and swimming. If I could swim everyday, I would - it's the best!

As for Butterball, here's what BabyCenter has to say:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Question (sometimes of the day, sometimes of the month)?

Question, my faithful Tales readers... and, of course, the always-welcome newbies, too:

How do you feel about circumcision?

I have a dear friend who is pregnant with her first child, a boy. She has been researching why people get their boy nuggets circumcised. Since I am not a member of the Mommyhood yet, nor do I have a Lady Gaga, I turn to you for answers. What say ye?

PS - For the record, I don't think the Divine Miss G is a hermi. But if she were, I wouldn't give a flip. Long live the poker face, disco stick, paper gangsta and bad romance.

Slingin' It

My good friend from high school makes slings - those comfy over-the-shoulder, wrap-around-the-body baby-wearing things.

In fact, I've written about her Thing-A-Ma-Sling's on this blog before.

She, and several of my other Mommyhood friends, are big baby-wearing advocates. Experts like Dr. Sears (a renowned pediatrician), say baby-wearing babies cry less, learn more, are smarter and get 'humanized' earlier.

There are all sorts of baby-wearing products out there:

strap-on carriers

hip carriers 

 

 slings 

(or wraps, as they're sometimes called)

But not everyone is sold on baby-wearing. Specifically, Consumer Reports is questioning the safety of slings. A recent post on their blog highlighted what they say is a link between slings and infant deaths or injuries.

Here's an excerpt taken directly from their blog:
 
"We know of at least seven babies who have suffocated in baby slings over the past 11 years.  The cause of other deaths in slings were undetermined or may have been misclassified as SIDS.  Additionally, we have reports of 37 infants who have been seriously injured in incidents with slings over the same time period.  Those injuries include skull fractures, broken bones, and serious bruises.

We have warned readers about baby slings before and put them on our list of products not to buy for your baby. The response: Strong criticism from advocates who believe that baby wearing is the healthiest way to transport a baby and builds mother-baby bonding.  But the growing number of fatalities and injuries associated with slings makes us even more resolute in our position on this product. We’re in no way opposed to baby wearing, but there are soft, wearable infant carriers that we believe are safer to use than slings."

You can read the entirety of the post by clicking here.

Now... since I don't have nuggets yet, I'm wondering your thoughts on this whole subject.
Do you baby-wear?
If not, what don't you like about it?
If so, what do you use?
Why do you like it?
Does Consumer Reports' findings and/or opinions affect your thoughts on baby-wearing and the myriad devices available to use?

I know there are plenty of passionate mums out there on both sides of the fence... so send me a shout out! 

Author's note: As an educated and professional journalist, I have tried to maintain a balance between both sides of this issue in this post. Did I succeed? You tell me.

Blog Karaoke

Hey ya'll... it's time for blog karaoke - where you get to pick the posts!

I'm getting a bit bored with all my whiny 'baby jones' posts so I thought I'd turn the tables and ask my fabulous readers out there:

"What would you like me to write about, research, review or comment on?"

Anything you want to know about me? It can be anything - you know I'm an open book!

Are there any questions you want answered about baby products or pregnancy issues? I'm happy to do the research for you!

Trends going on in the Mommyhood that you would like addressed? Let me be your voice!

Shoot me your ideas, comments, tips and questions and I'll get right on it. This is one of my goals for the upcoming year: try to be a little less narcissistic by writing posts all about me, and instead, try to be of more service to all of you!

I can't wait to hear what you have to say!!!! 

BABY BRAGGIN' WEDNESDAY: Camden

Welcome to this week's edition of Baby Braggin' Wednesday! I am SO excited to share this nugget with you... he's been on the waiting list for a while now. And he is very much worth the wait!

But first, I want to say THANK YOU for making BBW such a smashing success. I think we have featured quite a handful of super cuties and I hope we can continue the trend! One thing I've noticed, though, is that most of our BBW munchkins are boys. And while I love me some baby boys, if you have a girl on your hands, please send her info my way. I'm an equal opportunity blogger! LOL!

If you're not sure what Baby Braggin' Wednesday is - click here.

Just shoot me a quick email (patriciacarlsonfreelance@gmail.com) filled with info about your nugget or a little story, plus some pictures. I'll be sure to put together a BBW profile for your precious one when they get to the top of the list!

This week's munchkin has waited several weeks for his turn and I am thrilled that it is finally here. He belongs to my maid of honor, Becky and her lovely husband. Get ready for:

CAMDEN

Camden was born June 5, 2009 at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Women's Hospital. He weighed 7 lbs, 7 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. He clearly wanted to make his entrance into the world on his own terms because he showed up 12 1/2 days late! Poor Becky!

SuperFutureDad and I had even made plans to visit the little guy, thinking he'd be a couple of weeks old by then and the bringing-home-baby craziness would have calmed down a bit. WRONG! Camden was (I think) two days old and there we were, interrupting the special bonding time that should have been just for his mum and dad and G-Rents. Sorry about that! As always though, Bex was a gracious host and I was so glad to be a part of her life as she made the transition into Mommyhood! And like all my besties, she is a superb mummy!

Bex and Camden have been going to a playgroup since he was 10 days old. All the babies were born in May or June 2009. "We meet every Tues at someone's house, an indoor pool, a park, go for walks, coffee shops, etc.," says Becky.

But big changes are on the horizon. Bex, her hubs and Camden will be moving this spring to Baltimore (any Maryland readers out there who can offer them some advice?). They're on the hunt for a new house and a new playgroup! Becky says it will be really sad to say goodbye to her current playgroup pals!


Of course, at 6-months-old all Camden cares about is discovering sitting up on his own, rolling all over the place ("It's very difficult to keep him confined to a blanket now," Becky says), grabbing everything and putting it in his mouth. Camden spends the rest of his time laughing hysterically at his 4-legged brothers and sister!

Becky and her hubs are trying to do things as naturally as possible with him - breastfeeding (or pumped bottles) exclusively, cloth diapers, babywearing, modified co-sleeping (in his own bed up against the side of ours).  They even plan to make homemade organic baby food in a few weeks when they begin trying out solids.

Becky loves being a mother - despite having a hectic life! "Camden's so easy going and far surpasses every expectation I ever had about having kids.  He was definitely worth the months and months of sickness!," she says.

And boy was she sick - that's no joke! It stretched long into her pregnancy but she was such a trooper.

Congratulations, Bex, on your munchkin - I can't believe he's 6 months old already!

*One final note - I'll be taking a break from BBW next week because of the holidays. But I have a mega-cutie on the way... so please check back in a couple of weeks! Merry Christmas to you all!

BABY BRAGGIN' WEDNESDAY!

For those of you who are familiar with Tales, you know that SuperFutureDad and I are still in The Land of No Nuggets.  And it seems the older I get, the lonelier a place it is.

But whatever my situation is, it does not affect my crazy excitement whenever I find out one of my family members, friends, blog followers, or casual readers is preggers. I'm overjoyed (and yes, envious) each time one of them calls, texts, or writes with the news that they're entering Mommyhood.

It is for this reason that I'm announcing a new weekly column called Baby Braggin' Wednesday!

BBW, for short, is so you can show off your nugget with pictures, stories and fun, little facts. Each week, I'll select a little peanut to feature and write up a blog entry about him/her/them. I just need you to supply the pics and info!

Here's how it works:

Send me an email @ patriciacarlsonfreelance@gmail.com with your nuggets' name, age, birth date and where you live

Attach up to 3 pictures of your baby (toddlers and big kids accepted, too - I love 'em all!)

Include some baby braggin' info - this can be anything from birth stats or their first word to a funny thing they do or the moment you knew they were wicked smart

Once you've been picked, I'll notify you by email and get cracking putting together your kids' Baby Braggin' Wednesday profile! 

I'll admit my motives are a bit selfish in doing this but I really just want the chance to show off all the peanuts who belong to my friends and family. I am so proud of all of you and happy that you get to be mommies and daddies!

Besides, who doesn't get a smile on their face when looking at the chubby cheeks of a brand new baby?  I know I do!

The Rebel In Me

A few weeks ago, I did something I shouldn't have. Since that day, I've been spiraling downward into the bizarre baby-making world.

One morning, I started searching the World Wide Web Highway for other people like me: Baby-Jonesing gals who think it's (maybe?) time to start a family. What I found scared the crap out of me.

Cyberspace is FILLED with any-something women trying to have kids. And it seems none of them, like me, are having any luck.

Discovering that hundreds, if not thousands, of women are in the same baby-limbo as I am should bring me comfort. 'Now I have people to talk with who won't think I'm: A) off my rocker, B) annoying as a wax job starting to grow back, C) a whiny attention whore,' I remember thinking excitedly that fateful morning.

But frankly, finding all my new 'friends' on the Internet(s) sucks; it’s more depressing than I'd like to admit. There are just so darn many of them. It makes me feel hopeless.

Worse than that, not only are all of these women NOT pregnant, they're freaks!

They speak in alien tongue. Think I'm joking? See if you can decipher this sentence:

“i hope i get my BFP tomorrow but it is still early. i am 9 DPO today so tomorrow will be 10 DPO but i should get my AF by saturday or sunday so i am hoping it doesnt come!!! i hope all you ladies have GL with the BFP's this month.”

WTF???

Where’s the good old-fashioned, full-word girl talk? The Babymoon talk? The FutureNugget Name talk? To me… everything in that sentence is so… clinical. I can’t relate. Even though there is joy in it (she’s talking about hoping to get a positive pregnancy test reading before her period is due because she ovulated several days ago. Yeah, I’ll admit it, I’ve figured out the lingo.) the acronyms sound like a bad episode of Military Medical Mysteries. There’s a reason that show never got picked up.

My intention is not to anger, insult, or aggravate any of the women who frequent these sites or parlez in this foreign language. In fact, I think it’s quite brave that they are so open about their journey into Mommyhood. And, I find it comforting to know that women who’ve only ‘met’ virtually turn to each other for support.

My beef is that I don’t want to become one of them. Perhaps this is the rebel in me, but I don’t want to be consumed by trying to create a nugget. I don’t want to have to count my DPO (days past ovulation). Or take my BBT (basal body temperature). Or measure for EWCM (egg white cervical mucus indicating your most fertile time).

Honestly, I don’t want to work at it. I just want it to happen. I just want to enjoy this time in my life where me and SuperFutureDad dream about our nugget. Where we wish for what could be.

Perhaps this is faulty logic and I’ll never get that little baby I’ve been hoping for.

But if that happens, I can always turn to the nearest TTC group, right? And I can tell all the ladies there about the next time I POAS.

One Amazing Mother

Greetings ya'll!!!

How are the Baby Jones and/or The Mommyhood treating ya??

I'm still hanging in there. This trying-to-become a parent thing is A LOT harder than I expected. Look for an upcoming post on this topic. I'm sure there's some of you out there who may agree with me!

Meantime, I want to share something with you. As you might know, my alter ego is a full-time television news reporter. I absolutely love my job! And just over a year ago, I decided to try to expand my reporting portfolio by breaking into freelance writing for magazines. Much to my delight (and a lot of hard work), I've had tremendous success!

At this point, I would like to personally thank the local publications who have hired me:

Lake and Home Magazine

On The Minds of Moms Magazine

The Village Family Magazine

As a special treat for all my dear readers on this blog, the wonderful folks at On The Minds of Moms Magazine (OTMOM for short), are encouraging me to post my latest cover story for them on Tales. Get ready to be inspired by this amazing mother!

And, if you're interested in learning more about her... click here!

Finally, I have special Facebook and Twitter accounts set up to share and promote my freelance career. Please pass the word!

Friend me on FB @ Patricia Carlson and follow me on Twitter @ pattycfreelance. I look forward to networking with you!