Cyber Baby Shower!

I've just been over at Mamanista and they're holding a cyber baby shower for Candace. Come join the fun and leave a snippet of advice for the expectant mum! If you'd like to be eligible for some of the fabulous door prizes, be sure to join Mamanista's bloggy party before July 17th!

My inspirational story: I was in my very late 30's and resigned to the fact that I'd never be a mom when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. She changed my life; she's not yet two, but she's taught me that life is unbearably precious and every sweet moment should be savored.
I worked until the day I went into labor. On that day I walked around feeling so uncomfortable, I had terrible back pain, but I refused to attribute it to labor because I was still eleven days away from my due date . . .

At the end of the day I left work and drove a very uncomfortable 60 miles home, where I was supposed to pack for a planned road trip to visit friends in a city three and a half hours away. Problem was, every few minutes my feeling of discomfort turned to body-rocking pain and I couldn't get anything done. It began to dawn on me that this could be labor (finally!). I called my husband but he was as much in denial as I was and he suggested false labor symptoms. I told him there was nothing false about the way I was feeling and he'd better get home!

After that, things were a blur. Myhusband got home, timed my contractions, called the hospital and said we were on our way!

I was 5-6cm dilated when we got to the hospital and, the way things were going, we didn't think it would be long before our daughter arrived. But after that my daughter took her time. In fact, she decided that the trip down the birth canal was not the way to go after all and around 5:30am the following morning, she was quickly hauled out via c-section.

I had always liked my OB-GYN, but after the birth of my daughter, she was elevated to the status of goddess. She was a calm, comforting, friend through everything: during labor, when things became problematic and finally during the c-section. What a gal!

Fabulous Nest:
Our place has just the one bedroom, so we're all in together! My daughter's 'nest' is on the one side of the room. You can see the edge of the 'big bed' in the pics (lol!). When I was pregnant, to compensate myself for not getting to decorate a nursery for her, I went out and bought the prettiest (priciest) bedding I could find: Pottery Barn 'French Rose' - isn't it lovely?!
PS: The furry beast under the toy table also resides in this bedroom . . . !





Worst Advice I've Ever Received:
I have three snippets to share:

"If I were you, I'd feed her formula, it's just as good - and much more convenient"
This when I was just learning to breastfeed and was tired, sore and actually quite proud of myself for sticking with it!

"Let her cry it out, she needs to know who is boss"
This when my daughter was not yet 6 weeks old . . .

"You need to start her on solids at one month." In defense of this advice-giver, she proved to me that a doctor had indeed given her this advice when her children were a month old (I saw the doctor's script), but that was forty plus years ago and we know better now!