Thursday, December 16, 2010

It's A Bit of a Shocker!

I was instructed by a 7 month pregnant co-worker to get some special lotion to help minimize and/or prevent any stretch marks resulting from the baby bump. Knowing that I am genetically likely to inherit stretch marks, I finally made my way to a Rite-Aid the other day to pick up some tummy lotions. To my disbelief, I was unable to find the one she prescribed and instead, wandered towards the ice cream service and bought myself a pineapple coconut single scoop on a cake cone. It was delicious, and to avoid eating it in the car, I scoured the baby aisles looking at the different diapers, bottles, and accessories. It didn't look so bad at all. One aisle after all.

Contrast that to my trip to Babies 'R' Us yesterday, the correct place I was to visit for the uber expensive stretch mark reducing cream, Rite-Aid's baby aisle was a piece of cake. Once inside Babies 'R' Us, I was immediately cast into a world of baby stuff. An entire aisle dedicated to strollers, another for playpens, more for furniture, a massive row of blankets, and so on and so forth. Immediately, thoughts strewn into my head such as ... when do I get this stuff? how do I know what to get? which is better and most affordable bang for my buck?

Quite overwhelmed, I quickly found the minuscule section with mommy aids, prego pops (would have been useful a month ago), lotions, and mommy bars (what an advertising genius!), snatched my cream (without looking at the price) and checked out (dropped my jaw when she rang up the total) of there quicker than you can say "baby." Looking back, I am surprised how much baby stuff there was. I mean, inherently it is a store that titles itself with babies is what they are, but it was still a bit of a shocker to me! I guess I haven't been immersed in the baby world quite that long yet. Though I know people with babies and have some friends with babies, I haven't been around for most of it and among my closest friends, I am the first with baby in belly! So we are all learning bit by bit, every week (I send them updates of how big baby is and how I'm feeling and it's very fun and amusing for everyone first time around).

Back at home, I realized I have to start planning. Though I've been subscribing to different newsletters who e-mail me everyday with a tip or word of caution, I haven't been researching any products, comparing and contrasting, or asking those more seasoned moms of expertise. I realized I have to begin now, before the bump gets so big and I am uncomfortable in my own body again.

On another note, the one not so overwhelming but very reassuring and exciting moment as of late was when Andy and I went to the doctor's yesterday to see a 3D/4D image of our baby. The doctor said, "and there's the rocket!" and we saw our baby boy. He has skinny arms and legs but apparently all the fat grows in the seventh month. Until then, he'll just be skinny. We didn't get to see his face much, he kept covering it, but he crossed his legs (it was so cute!) and apparently likes to hang out low in my stomach.

It's amazing that a little man is in my belly. What a blessing and what a joy it is to prepare and how grateful I am to start prepping now! Here we go!!!

2 comments:

OGO said...

He covers his face because he's a shy little golfer, not prone to seeking publicity. Very cool!

Deidra Smith said...

Don't get too stressed about all the baby products. So many of them are all hype and not very neccessary. You've got the right idea asking other moms. Find out what has been vital to their survival as mothers and start your list there. You're gonna' be great!