28 weeks: ducks in a row

Even though we still have eleven-and-a-half weeks left, we're already getting the house ready for the new baby.  We just set up the crib in Charlotte's room and have moved the dresser/changing table into our room for now (their room is too small to accommodate both!).  The baby won't be sleeping in the crib until he's sleeping through the night, but we figured it was good for Charlotte to get used to having it in there.  We'll have a co-sleeper in our room which is essentially a little crib that attaches to my side of the bed for easy overnight feeding and safe sleeping.  He'll be sleeping in that for the first three to six months.  I've also already washed and organised all of the baby clothes and they are now in their new home in the dresser/changing table in our room.

Overall I'm feeling very prepared!  The only big thing left is to get a comfy chair to nurse in for our room.  I looked into getting comfy cushions made for the wooden rocking chair in Charlotte's room, but decided a new chair would be most practical.  I'll be sure to keep you all posted once we get it all figured out!

-Bethie

PS:  Family and friends have generously started asking what else we need, so I've made an Amazon Baby Wish List for the remaining things we could use.  You can find it by clicking here.  It is through the UK Amazon site so you don't have to pay ridiculous shipping!  Thank you!!

PPS:  While I was at it, I also made an Amazon Wish List for Charlotte for Christmas and her birthday for those who've been asking!

Week 27: THIRD TRIMESTER!!

I am thrilled to report that I am now in the third trimester of my pregnancy!  Wahoo!!  We are slowly but surely getting ready for our new little one's arrival and are still a bit in shock as to how quickly this has all gone the second time around!

I owe you all a few updates.  First of all, I posted earlier about needing a dress to wear to sing the Messiah solos in.  By the time I was this big with Charlotte, all of my gigs were requiring black so I didn't need to invest in a colorful gown.  This time around black wasn't going to cut it, but I also couldn't stand the thought of spending a fortune on a dress I was going to wear one time.  Enter my local mum's Facebook group.  This group has been amazing for buying and selling baby/kid things and plugging into the local mum/kid community around our neighborhood.  I posted a request for a maternity gown and, amazingly, a lovely woman offered me the use of this dress and asked absolutely nothing in return!  I still can't believe it.  I offered to pay her or to repay her in some other small way and she has decided not to say no to some freshly baked cinnamon rolls.  Not only was the dress gorgeous, but it was also SO comfortable!  It felt like pajamas!  No joke!  If you are in the UK and in the market for a dressy maternity gown, check out Tiffany Rose.  I promise they won't disappoint!

Lastly, an update on my sciatica.  I am happy to report that since returning to London, my sciatica has more or less gone away!  I think the problem was going from the very active lifestyle I have here in London to a very sedentary lifestyle for the ten days I was in Miami.  I had two massively long plane flights and then lots of sitting for rehearsal and even more sitting to drive two and from rehearsals and performances.  I noticed the sciatica was always much worse after sitting for a long period of time and I was mostly sitting while in Miami.  But the good news is that I'm back to walking around a mile a day and chasing my toddler and it seems to be just what the doctor ordered!  Let's hope things continue to be comfortable as I still have three months left!

xoxo