23 weeks: registry is done!

so after much research, reviews and consumer report ratings I feel one step closer to being a baby expert. but of course there's nothing like experience so I can't really call myself an expert just yet, but I at least don't feel overwhelmed in not knowing what you need or what things are used for. I started registering at Babies R' Us (BRU) but then realized they didn't have certain "must have" items I had in mind. I tricked mark into going to buybuyBABY (BBB) and found the perfect crib set along with a couple other items that BRU wasn't carrying. so ultimately the store we are going with is BBB—I felt everyone was very knowledgeable and helpful too. and they're owned by Bed Bath and Beyond and always have 20% coupons on hand!

then of course if you know me well—I love Amazon.com. although I love shopping and seeing things in person and checking if quality holds up, I prefer online shopping 7x out of 10. since I had already browsed BRU and BBB in person I picked up on the brands I really liked and thought they had good value—so it made making an online registry that much easier. :) amazon BABY also has a universal registry button where I add any item from any web site. so the couple items I love at potterybarn kids  or the bumbleride indie stroller that isn't listed anywhere else still can be added. another great thing is that they let you prioritize items into "must have", "like to have" or "nice to have". we all know with registries there are things you really need and things that just catch your eye, so it's great to mark what is more important.

I feel great having all my favorite items in one place. some things do overlap—we still wanted to give the option to those that love traditional shopping at BBB. ultimately, this wish list is to help with preferences and if better deals are to be found on the same item I say go for it! I'm all about deals and saving—coupons are free money :) amazon BABY gives you the option to mark things completed even if you bought it elsewhere.

so here are links to our registries:

please offer any advice on items. my good friend aubrey offered great advice and things I was missing and things that I didn't even think of. if there's something you swear by let us know!

so enough about baby gear. I keep looking at my pictures and this week's especially I can't believe how big my bump is. definitely don't feel like I'm lugging around that much more weight... honestly it feels more like something is slowing blowing up my belly with air vs. a lil person.

miss baby girl is kicking a lot more often and was actually able to see the vibration of a kick while I was watching her one night. mark caught it too and got weirded out—gotta love my husband. every time he puts his hand to feel kicks she ends up stopping—so she either loves daddy being so close or she's not sure what's going on. i'm sure once she gets bigger we'll be able to feel it better.

well that's all for now. next week is our trip to new hampshire and maine to visit mark's friends—hopefully it warms up by then!

(still the size of a papaya,
click on the image to see it full size)

cravings: geez I like dessert a lot. I made mark go buy me a dutch apple pie and french vanilla bean ice cream sunday night. it hit the spot, but I would like to crave veggies again. now that I've admitted it and I need to do better.
aversions: overall, other than dessert it's hard to decide on what to eat. everything falls into the "ehhh ok I guess I'll eat it" category.

what's baby up to?
baby's little face is fully formed...minus the baby fat, of course. if I turned on the radio and swayed to the music, with her sense of movement well developed by now, our baby can feel me dance. and now with her being more than 11 inches long and weighing just over a pound, I may be able to see her squirm underneath my clothes. blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. loud noises that become familiar now—such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner—probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.