The Girl Scouts are "On Notice" Bordering On "Dead to Me"

Reduced Fat Lemon Pastry Cremes are being retired to make way for some new fangled "next generation", i.e. lame, cookie concoction, so enjoy them in this, their final year. Apparently sales for Reduced Fat Lemon Pastry Cremes account for a measly 7% of total cookie sales and the Girl Scout organization can't justify the cost of production in their fancy new factory. The delicate "pastry" base cake is actually a cracker that requires unique equipment to produce.





The Girl Scouts are shying away from this cookie challenge like a bunch of sissy little girls. Girl Scouts, if you make good on your threat to pull these delicious tangy treats, you are all cowards.

Two Hot Babymammas

This is me with my friend, Amy. I'm 37 weeks, she's 34 weeks, and we're both bakin' boys.

Babies Love Marxist Revolutionaries

This onesie can be purchased in either blue or pear at Black Wagon.

"If you can’t fix it, you got to stand it"

More where this one came from here.

Week 36 - What's Going On in There?

Another internal exam today. "No progress", which is very good news because the baby is not yet full term.

Dilation: 1 cm
Effacement: 80%
Station: between -3 and -2
Baby's Position: Head Down

My Sister-in-Law is Awesome

My sister-in-law, Kristin, was in town last week and brought some of my nephew's old clothes and toys.





These are all the clothes separated out from newborn to 12 months.

Selecting a Crib Mattress

There is one decision that you need to make early on when selecting a crib mattress. You will need to decide if you want a foam mattress or an innerspring mattress.

Innerspring mattresses are what most adults sleep on- think heavy gauge metal springs that are coiled and conform to your body. Foam mattresses are, well, foam. Foam mattresses for cribs that are manufactured today are made of high density foam materials and are widely considered to be the firmer of the two options.

Some things to consider (some of which helped us make our decision):

1) The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) suggests the following to reduce the risk of SIDS: "Make sure that your baby sleeps on a firm mattress or other firm surface."

2) Innerspring mattresses convey durability and familiarity, and many of the brand names we use ourselves make high quality innerspring crib mattresses- Sealy and Simmons for example. What I found disturbing was how many innerspring mattresses were described as "soft" or "luxe" or "ultra", all qualities in direct opposition with "firmness".

3) You will have to constantly be lifting the baby's mattress in order to change the sheets, sometimes in the middle of the night. Innerspring mattresses weigh 15-25 lbs. High quality foam mattresses weigh 6-9 lbs.

4) On the top 5 list from a leading consumer magazine, the number one rated mattress was made from foam.

5) Foam mattresses are banned in the state of California (hippies) due to flammability laws.

After some research, we decided to buy a very reputable brand, Colgate. We chose a foam mattress called the Classica Supreme that has ventilators (allows mattress to "breathe") and border rods (provides support), weighs 8 lbs, and features one very firm side for the crib and can be flipped to a less firm side to accommodate a toddler bed. Babycatalog.com sells this mattress online, and there are only a couple of B&M stores in the city of Houston licensed to sell Colgate. In fact, this brand is the only brand Baby's 1st Furniture stocks. Baby's 1st Furniture sells this mattress for $139.99 plus tax, but I paid $97.99 plus $16 shipping from Babycatalog. All Colgate mattresses have a 10 year warranty.



Another very good brand that I recommend based on my research is the Starlight Support line of products made by Moonlight Slumber. This company was a little out of our price range, but makes similarly high quality bedding products.

An employee of USA Baby tried to shame us out of our foam decision, lamenting that foam was so hard and so uncomfortable for little babies. It's easy to emotionally side with the innerspring mattress because it is what we are familiar with and we hate to think of tiny little babies being uncomfortable. The truth is what adults need is different than babies. Babies have softer bones and don't need cushy bedding to get comfortable. They don't need pillows or fuzzy blankets. They don't need Tivo. They don't even need water. Babies are just different from adults. So comparing or modeling their bedding to ours really doesn't make any sense. Bottom line is their bedding needs to be firm, clean, and dry and it might as well be easy for you to lift.

Week 35 - What's Going On in There?

Not my first internal exam, but technically the first one that matters, in that my doctor should observe some cervical changes in the next few weeks. I had to have internal exams during my second trimester to ascertain the quality of my cervix, so I had some idea of what to expect. Internal exams are uncomfortable and they do hurt. If your doctor tells you that what he's doing doesn't or shouldn't hurt, remind him that he is a man and doesn't have a cervix. If your ob is female and says this, I have no snippy reply, but rest assured she is not human. I would describe the after exam feeling as "bruised" and this discomfort does last for several days. You may bleed or even lose your all or part of your mucus plug after this type of exam.

The Baby has dropped!

My OB's exact words were "This is a low kid!". He said he would be amazed if I went to my due date and said the kid would probably be here at least 1-2 weeks early, but could be here anytime. I have been begging for this to happen and am truly astonished that all I have to do is wish for something and it comes true. I've decided to start making a list of things I want, because apparently my mind is very, very powerful.

Dilation: 1 cm
Effacement: 80%
Station: -3
Baby's Position: Head Down

Week 35 - Group B Streptococcus (Strep B) Screening

If you have no complications, most OB exams do not involve you getting naked. This appointment changes all that. From this point on, each exam will involve nudity and humiliation along with vigorous violations performed by your doctor.

The Strep B Screen is performed a few weeks before delivery to determine if Mom is a carrier of the Strep B virus. Strep B is harmless to adults, but can be pretty nasty if contracted by a newborn. The doctor swabs your neathers and analyzes the results to determine if you are a carrier. If you are a carrier, antibiotics will be administered prior to your delivery once you go into labor. If you are a carrier, it doesn't mean you are diseased and gross, about 10%-30% of women carry this harmless bacteria.

This is the last prenatal test administered before birth. We are getting awfully close!

Infant Care Class

Our last prenatal class was last night, offered by Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. The NICU nurse who taught a portion of our Childbirth Preparedness Class was teaching this one also. We got a little more information on what to expect in the hospital, as well as some take home advice regarding diapering, bathing, swaddling, and caring for the circumcision.

This is a pretty good class if you are totally clueless. There is so much to read about infant care, and it is nice to have an experienced person walk you through the high points.

Pho Shizzle

Diaper Disposal Systems

Up until this point, the only brand I'd ever heard of in the way of diaper disposal systems was Diaper Genie (Playtex). Now I discover there's also Diaper Dekor, Diaper Champ (Baby Trend), and Neat (Safety 1st).

After some research, we decided on the Diaper Champ. This is because all the other brands are truly "systems" and require you to purchase bag refills at an extra cost made by their company. This is not a commitment I'm prepared to make. With Diaper Champ, you can use the recyclable plastic bags you get at the grocery store, or regular kitchen garbage bags.



There is one tip, that all these product reviews have in common, and that is that diapers stink, and no magic product can completely control that. The biggest thing you can do to fight odor is to remove diapers from these contraptions regularly.

Buying a Glider/Ottoman Combo

My Grandmother told us to pick out a glider as a baby gift, and not wanting to disappoint or disobey, I promptly went out this weekend and ordered one.

We had done some research and decided the brand we wanted was Dutailier, and the features that were important to us were that the glider recline and lock, the back of the glider be nice and high, and the width be wide and comfortable. The ottoman feature I wanted was a padded foot board accessory (called a nursing footrest) that slides out to render the ottoman stationary. You can't fully appreciate how amazing the recline option is until you actually sit it one - it would be terribly easy to fall asleep in this fabulous chair. The style we decided on was called the Dutailier Grand Chair Sleigh Style Glider with Multiposition, Natural Lock, and Recline.

Dutailier has introduced the "Grand" chair as an enlarged version of their best selling sleigh style chair. The dimensions of the chair are 32.5"wide x 34.5"deep x 45.5" high. It is about 5" wider, 3" deeper, and 4" taller than the popular 978 series gliders.

I consider the glider a luxury item, because they are so expensive (more than the crib!) and you obviously don't need one to care for a baby. But I know it will be a wonderful way to soothe the baby and keep Mom and Dad comfortable doing it.



Babies 'R Us offers some nice in-store inventory and quick ship options, but you are locked into some limited wood and fabric choices (i.e. cheesy). We wanted a glider that would coordinate with the baby furniture, but knew we couldn't precisely match it. The fabric we wanted would be something that wouldn't show dirt and wear easily, and that ideally could transition into another room of the house and not be kiddie or dated. The finish we chose was called Colonial Maple, and the fabric we selected was a mid-weight canvas-like material in a pattern called Candy Stripe Blue.





Baby's 1st Furniture had the exact same glider and ottoman combo for nearly $300 more than Babies 'R Us. They had a few more fabric options, but we simply couldn't justify the cost difference. Plus I had a $20 coupon for Babies 'R Us.

Our glider should be here in 10-12 weeks, so baby will beat the chair, but that's ok because we are getting exactly what we want!

Breastfeeding Class

You want me to do what? And how often do you want me to do this?

This class was both reassuring and scary. I recommend taking a class like this if for no other reason than to have an actual human being tell you how difficult breastfeeding is. Apparently it is hard and babies are very demanding. Babies must have drinks every 2-3 hours, and often they want drinks much more often than that (cluster feeding).

We were very aware that during this class 24 was on, Jack was probably torturing somebody, and we were missing it.

Papa Loves the Steelers

Go Steelers!

Childbirth Preparedness Class

Childbirth Preparedness is a one day course offered by my hospital. The class is designed to educate new parents on what to expect during labor, when to come to the hospital, and included a tour of the Birthing Center. Two nurses teach the class- one an NICU nurse and one a nurse recruiter for the hospital. Both were good-humored and well-suited for teaching this type of class, each having many years of experience in L&D.

We learned about the stages of labor- Early, Active, Transition, and Pushing. There are 2 events that should cause you to go to the hospital - contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute each, for 1 hour (5-1-1) or if your water breaks. If neither of these events have occurred, you are supposed to labor at home. We learned about the different breathing styles through contractions in each stage of labor and how to use props and massage to both put you in a relaxed state and also to help encourage the proper position of the baby in the pelvis.

I went to this class halfway expecting to be bombarded with a bunch of hippie propaganda about being natural and getting through pain just by breathing. There was a big breathing component to the class, Lamaze techniques were discussed in depth, but I really did find the breathing work to be very relaxing. I fully intend to be on the maximum amount of drugs the laws of science and the state of Texas will allow. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that all exercises, weird positions, and massage can actually help labor along in a scientific way. They provide birthing balls (Pilates balls) at the hospital, and encourage you to bring tennis balls, music, aromatherapy, etc to get you relaxed, loose, and ready to do some birthin'.

The part of the class I was looking forward to the most was the tour. I had no idea what to expect from the rooms. The labor room is for laboring (duh), birth, and 1 hour post partum. Once the baby comes and an hour has passed, you are moved to a post partum room that has a cushier hospital bed for Ma, foldout couch for Pa. Both rooms thankfully do not look too much like scary, ultra sterile florescent light-bathed hospital rooms. The lights and temperature can be changed to accomodate each individual room. The labor room has a special bed that breaks apart right before delivery. For birth, the bed is tilted up to a nearly vertical position, and stirrups are put in place to help you make a "C" shape with your body that is optimal for pushing. There is a baby warmer right by the bed that the baby goes on after the birth to help him regulate his body heat.

As you might expect, there are some videos. And they are graphic. One of the most disturbing things about birth is how many women chose to be completely naked for it. That is a little too primitive for me. When I queried the instructor about this odd practice, she said that once the baby is born that skin on skin contact is a very special and natural contact to have with newborns. I think I'll pass. I am finding that nature is pretty darn gross.

Maternity/Pregnancy Reviews, Opinions, and Wisdom

Information:

Babycenter.com - I live on the messageboards here and the articles are great. You can join in on a birth club of women all due the same month you are, so you can "chat" about all the things you are going through together. It is a great place to vent and to get reassurance. I even briefly joined the Plus version of their site. Very highly recommended.

What to Expect When You're Expecting - Heidi Murkoff
This book is terrifying. It should be called "You Are Going to Die and So is Your Baby" because it really just seems to address the things that can go wrong in pregnancy.



The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy - Vicki Iovine
I found this book entertaining but not very useful. Get your own girlfriends' opinions or go to the messageboards at Babycenter for free.



The Everything Pregnancy Book: What Every Woman Needs to Know Month-By-Month to Ensure a Worry-Free Pregnancy - Paula Ford-Martin
This is a very useful, straightforward reference book. Well presented by month.



Consumer Reports Best Baby Products - Sandra Gordon
I got a lot of use out of this book. Although it doesn't necessarily have a comprehensive brand comparison, there is some really great practical buying guide information. It helped us make some buying decisions we were pretty clueless on.



Fit Pregnancy magazine - Out of all of the cutesy pregnancy magazines, this one is consistently practical and useful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hydration/Stretch Marks:

Nothing will prevent stretch marks except for good genes. However, hydration is really important in pregnancy because your belly will itch and you will look like a monkey trying to scratch it.

Palmer's Tummy Butter is my product of choice. It is an oily balm, not a lotion. Its texture is waxy, but unlike some similar products, it melts quickly with minimal manipulation. Lotion does not absorb as effectively as this product and rubs off on clothing much easier. During one OB visit, the nurse practitioner who was measuring my fundal height commented on how moist my belly was. I had applied Tummy Butter the night before and was wearing a camisole, and my skin still remained very hydrated from this product. It costs about $5 at Walmart or Babies R Us and can be found in the lotion section.



The problems with this and any topical product are absorption and residue. Apply after a shower to maximize hydration, but then you are left with a greasy tummy and you definitely don't want to goo up your new maternity clothes. My solution is the cotton camisole with shelf bra- see "Undies" below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clothes:

The "buy your pre-pregnancy size" philosophy is crap. I tended to wear Small or Medium shirts and Medium pants/skirts pre-pregnancy. In maternity I wear Medium or Large shirts and Medium or Large pants/skirts. As I progressively get bigger, some of my Medium tops are getting to be too small.

Dressing during the Awkward Period From Bloat to Bump:

There is nothing glamorous about this period of time. You are not showing, but your hormones will bloat your gut really early on. If you try and wear maternity clothes you will look stupid. Regular bottoms can be made larger with rubber bands and elastic hair bands. Maternity bottoms (non panel) can be made smaller with binder clips from the office or large safety pins. I have personally used both methods successfully. Be aware you will have to reconfigure your creation after each trip you make to the restroom.

I discovered this little jewel a little late, but really liked it. Bella Band is a wide piece of stretchy fabric that can be used to disguise issues you are having with clothes. I wore it a few times and really like the concept. I didn't see much use for it after I started showing.



Tops:

Believe it or not fitted shirts will make you look like less of a house than roomy, flowing maternity shirts. This is gospel truth. Old Navy has some great fitted knit shirts.

Examine the sleeves. A lot of maternity shirts don't bother to do basic detailing like tapering or cuffs on the sleeves. This truly blows my mind, since sleeves don't need to be cut differently on maternity shirts. It is just downright sloppy styling, but it is a frighteningly prevalent practice.

Do not wear the ultra roomy 'tie-in-the-back' maternity shirts unless you want to look really, really pregnant. They create a crease under your bust that is unflattering but very maternal if this is the look you are going for. 'Regular' shirts that are cut larger for a belly look much more natural.

Button-up cuffed and collared maternity shirts should be worn only when you are really showing. Otherwise they will swallow you and look really stupid.

Bottoms:

Full Panel is scary. We all know it. But truth be told they are comfortable and provide nice support. Be prepared to wear a dark top if you don't want everyone to see your scary full panel pants. Some full panel pants will roll or fold down. I wouldn't wear these to work, but I have a couple of pairs of fold down sweat pants from Target I wear around the house.

Demi Panel is slightly scooped wide elastic and is worn around the full part of the belly but doesn't come all the way over it. I like the support of the demi panel- Gap does this style very well.

Under-the-Belly is hit or miss. Technically, this is a style that could take you from day one of your pregnancy through delivery day. In reality, some versions of this style can ride too low and sometimes you'll feel like your pants might fall down. Give this version a good workover when you are trying them on in the dressing room. Japanese Weekend and Luna Blue brand from Ross does under-the-belly very well and Liz Lange does it very poorly. Note the location of the crotch with under-the-belly. The crotch should be in a natural place, not halfway down your knees. Look around your OB's waiting room and see all the women who sadly didn't get this quite right.

Undies:

You will have to do something different bra-wise almost immediately. I recommend using camisole style tanks with shelf bras for accommodating your fluctuating size. They also work well to provide a barrier between your tummy hydration product and your clothes. I have worn these since I started showing, and still wearing them at 34 weeks. I have 2 tanks in flesh color, 3 in white, 2 in black, and 1 in light blue. I have to do laundry often, but it is worth it. I like the maternity tanks at Old Navy and the Oh Baby! brand at Kohls.

The Nursing Bra- even if you don't nurse, you will probably leak and be sore and gross at some point. Bravado makes a great stretchy cotton nursing bra that is super comfortable and doesn't look as scary as some of the other nursing bras. They make nursing bras with underwire, but because your size will fluctuate so much, this seems like a very bad idea to me.

Maternity panties are a total scam. I have worn my regular panties the entire pregnancy.

Mama Spanx Capri style pantyhose provide awesome support in the third trimester. There is also a full leg version. I typically don't wear hose, as I find a way to destroy them after one use, but the capri style are nice if I know I'm going to be doing more walking than usual. I cannot stress how important it is to not buy your pre-pregnancy size. The packaging lies and the saleslady at Motherhood was kind enough to advise me of such. Suck it up and buy for your current weight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Favorite places to shop for Maternity clothes:

Ebay - Great deals on boutique store items. The mediums are popular, scarce, and get bid on quickly. I wouldn't recommend buying pants or skirts unless you are really familiar with the brand in question.

Old Navy - The basics. I got some great tops, under-the-belly corduroy pants, a track suit and most of my camisoles here. Dirt cheap.

The Gap - Expensive. But I LOVE the stretch demi panel pants. They have a nice amount of support and the cut is very cute. Well worth the price to have a couple of pants that are so comfortable and can be worn the whole pregnancy. Tops are cute, and in some really nice soft fabrics. Again, a little expensive.

Target - Liz Lange is the predominant brand. I don't like the pants or the jeans here that much, they can't get the waist quite right for me, but they have some cute tops for work. Many of their shirts are cut a little small, so buy up a size, or prepare to retire them sometime in your third trimester.

Steve's side of the closet - I wear his T shirts around the house. And then tease him that he is as big as a woman who is 8 months pregnant. That never gets old.

Ross - There is a teeny rack of maternity clothes somewhere in this store! I got a couple of great pairs of Luna Blue brand under-the-belly jeans. Lots of inexpensive basic pieces at affordable prices.

Kohls - Most of the clothes are pretty frumpy, but I've found some nice useful pieces. The camisoles are a good fit, and I've picked up some drawstring pants and a couple of sweaters. Worth a look.

Some thoughts on boutique maternity shops - Motherhood and Pea in a Pod are a total scam. The clothing is way too expensive and they don't allow returns. I bought a couple of shirts on sale and still felt ripped off. I do recommend a look at Japanese Weekend because of their awesome jeans. This is something worth spending the extra money on. JW has some great tops but everything is pretty much priced at $80/item.

All-Time Favorite Pieces of Maternity Clothing:

Drawstring/Elastic Waist Pants - Any pre-pregnancy drawstring pant can be worn under the belly including pajama bottoms.

Cotton Camisole with Shelf Bra - see "Undies" above

Japanese Weekend Stretch Boot Cut Jeans - These are Under-the-Belly style and I've been able to wear these since from about 16 weeks on. They are an adorable boot cut and well worth the price if you wear jeans a lot.

Bella Band - Wide piece of stretchy fabric worn over skirt or pants. Disguises the weird things going on in the transition weeks and provides support. Appears to others as a clothing "layer" not a weird pregnancy contraption.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Exercise:

Walking - You can walk your entire pregnancy. Keep heartrate under 140.

Cross Trainer - I was able to do this until I hit about 7 months. My hips were a little loose by this time, I got winded easily, and I just felt a little too big and awkward. Keep heartrate under 140.

Recumbent Bike- I also had to retire this at around 7 months. Your legs will start to hit your belly and you will find yourself spreading your legs awkwardly to prevent it. Before that, it's a really great exercise. Keep heartrate under 140.

Weights - I chose not to do any weights, but my doctor said it was ok as long as you don't exceed 25 lbs. I simply felt unqualified to modify my weights routine for pregnancy.

Yoga - I loved doing yoga, although the DVDs are a little on the crunchy granola, hippie side. Too much talk about your "heart essence" and "connecting spiritually with your growing baby". The stretches felt divine, and I really liked doing them. There are modifications for different stages of pregnancy. The poses you learn are great for moving the baby when he starts using your innards for kickboxing practice.

Crunch Yoga Mama - Prenatal Yoga

Prenatal Yoga With Shiva Rea

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drugs:

Prenatal vitamins - Not an option in my opinion. Advanced RF-Natalcare is what my OB prescribed and they do not upset my stomach. Use your mail order drug plan. I pay about $13 for a full three months supply.

Expecta DHA Supplement for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers - This is great for the third trimester because Baby is making a lot of brain matter at this point. Beware, this will make you burp up a very nasty fish taste, so take with food. Every pregnancy magazine has coupons for this stuff, and your doctor's office will give you a bunch of samples for free.

Tylenol and Tylenol PM - Let's be honest, Tylenol is not hardcore. If you have an ache or a pain, Tylenol is not going to do all that much for you, except on some psychological level. The PM version however will help you get to sleep.

Diet Coke - My doctor says caffeine in moderation and aspertame are ok. He said he'd rather me drink a Coke than suffer with caffeine headaches. I indulge in one per day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miscellaenous:

Boppy Prenatal "Cuddle" Pillow - Buy this pillow. It is shaped like a paisley- the fatter part winds around your belly and supports your tummy when you lie on your side. The skinnier part goes between your legs. You will need this pillow. You will use it every single night and thank God every day for the Boppy company. I got mine at Target.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stores for Baby Products:

Babies 'R Us - This is the predominent place for baby shopping in Houston. It is run by the Toys R' Us company and is a one-stop shop place for all items baby. If you do not love Graco, you will have limited options, as Graco seems to have some kind of racket going with BRU in the car seat and stroller department. The furniture department has good points- great selection and inventory and bad points - floor models are broken or assembled incorrectly, certain finishes are special order only, nonexistent or uninformed staff, no delivery options offered. We had planned to buy a Babi Italia brand crib and changing table until we found out the model we liked was marked down and discontinued. The sales staff told us we could try and order from their warehouse, but they couldn't guarantee we'd get it. We then visited another location and found the same model appeared to be available. BRU seems to do lots of sales and will mail out good coupons on a pretty regular basis.

Baby Depot (Burlington Coat Factory) - More brand diversity than BRU, but very disorganized. Has a disturbing return policy- exchange for store credit only for any reason.

Target - Most furniture is internet only, and they charge an arm and a leg for shipping. Website is a good place for reviews. Has a nice exclusive lines of designer accessories Amy Coe (bedding, toys, clothing) and Eddie Bauer (diaper bags, gagetry). Target's return policy is very strict, and if you have the misfortune of needing to return something be prepared to be met with disdain, apathy, and incompetence.

Babycenter.com - Does a lot of free shipping promos. Good site for reviews.

Babyuniverse.com - Great shipping prices on furniture and crib bedding sets like Brandee Danielle. Seems to only posts positive reviews of all products.

Walmart - Have been able to find super amazing deals online (Kolcraft car seat carrier - 59.99 at USA Baby, 39.47 at Walmart.com). They will ship for free to Dallas area stores and you can pick up yourself. In-store selection is sparse, but I've been pretty spoiled by BRU.

Baby's 1st Furniture - Boutique style store that sells mainly Baby's Dream brand furniture and bedding. Will customize gliders. There are a three locations in Houston, and the location on I-45 is really amazing. Prices will floor you, but there are gems to be found here, as we discovered. Christy at the Sugarland location will do car seat inspections for free.

USA Baby - There is a store on FM 1960 here in Houston. The prices in this store blow my mind. I don't know how they get away with it, I truly don't. Any reasonably informed shopper should make a pass around the store and ooh ahh over the cute baby stuff and then promptly leave pocketbook intact. Also a retailer of Baby's Dream furniture. Lots of diversity in product brands- I'd probably recommend going to do some hands-on, but then purchasing somewhere else.

Assembling the Crib

We couldn't wait, had to try and get this thing together the day it was delivered!