I must have it!

I can feel my little girl more intensely these days. As the space inside gets smaller and smaller for her to manoeuvre (and I get more uncomfortable), when I look down at my belly, I can bits of her protruding out. I can't make out body parts yet but my belly is jumping all the time. It's the weirdest and most wonderful feeling/thing to experience/watch.

Every time I call Hein to come see and feel, he runs to put his hand on my belly and then LG (little girl) suddenly stops moving. I wonder if she knows it's daddy - maybe he has a calming effect on her.

As I mentioned yesterday, I don't care what the 'what not to buy' list says, I'm going to get me, ahem, I mean her this bath. Isn't it great? Course it'll only last for 0-6 months but I must have it. It's so safe and easy to use. Damage: 15 pounds. It's called a Shantala bath and only available overseas... figures.

What not to buy

Every parent I think wants to buy their LO (little one) everything of the best and latest and I've often wondered whether we're completely wasting money - as Hein pointed out about the wooden cot - or it's about personal preferences. So I rounded up all the advice from moms about what not to buy according to their experiences. I'm still getting the moses basket for R950 from www.weavingdreams.co.za though... see image. I like the actual basket but the linen wasn't my style so going to look around for some soft linen.

WHAT NOT TO BUY

* baby-perfumed products

* newborn clothes - buy from 3 months up

* two-piece newborn suits

* powder

* bottle warmer

* more than six bottles

* baby monitor

* compactum - normal chest of drawers will do

* breastfeeding cushion

* baby bath - I still want one

* rocking chair

Camp cot -tick

I had to give up on my dream of the wooden cot. 'It's not really practical is it babe? It's purely aesthetic,' said my husband, gently. This was after I had managed to find a cot for R700 through gumtree - and the woman emailed to let me know two days before we were supposed to pick it up that her husband had sold it to a colleague. Rude!

Oh how I wanted one to paint in a buttercup yellow and decoupage those pretty animal prints on them. But Hein was right. It's an unnecessary expense and baby girl will grow out of it in under a year - that's even if she likes it. Yesterday afternoon, Hein came home with a camp cot. He came in looking so proud of himself, boasting about the fact that he got a really good deal as the cot had vibration mode, musical mobile, detachable play pen, changing table... many more extras that the Jeep cot had that he initially wanted to buy for a grand less. I just stood there nodding proudly while he pointed all the thingies out, smiling at him and oh so happy that he'd chosen the right colour - yellow. It looks exactly like the picture only the green parts are yellow.

I so wanted to unpack it and set it up but that would have been stupid as we're moving house soon and can't afford to lose any boxes or unwrap already well-wrapped things. Much like some of our belated wedding gifts, which are still sitting in boxes.

So now I'm on the lookout for a Moses basket. Baby girl will be sleeping in our room for the first three months and then by December holidays, we'll move her into her own room. Mom and dad have to get some decent sleep albeit brief at some point - and preferably before I have to go back to work...

Growing larger... and larger...

My belly is getting heavier. When I get up out of my chair and start walking, I can feel the strain under my belly. This morning when I got into the office I was bursting for the loo, and attempted to run. Ouch! It's just not possible! It feels like my belly will explode and my pelvis will rip in two pieces. Plus my legs felt like lead. What an unpleasant feeling to be so unfit. Now, I've never been a gym bunny but still, I've never felt so unfit that I've panted walking up a flight of stairs and literally had to roll out of bed. I know it's all about 'saving' the pelvis from damage but it really feels like even if that danger wasn't present, I couldn't if I tried. 

I just can't believe she only weighs just over a 1kg. I met a family relative on Hein's side who is three weeks shy of her due date. She was looking ready to pop, and waddling. But still gorgeous and looking happy. I think the thought of her little girl arriving so soon keeps her positive. Anyway, she told me her little weighed 3.4kg! Jassus! All this time I thought anything over 3kg was a large baby! But that's average apparently - I went back to my pregnancy books.

I picked up a copy of Your Baby over the weekend, partly because an acquaintance's baby is on the cover and also because I need to stop focusing on the pregnancy and now start to think about what I need to do when she arrives. She's so cute - little Isobel. that little ensemble she's wearing though is bloody expensive - yes I made some enquiries! My mom could knit that I thought to myself... Anyway, finally I've found a representative magazine featuring black, indian, coloured mommies and babies... I'm considering taking out a subscription - I've never had one before and it's definitely a money saver. If there's a nice subscription drive then I'll definitely do it! How nice would it be to receive the next issue at our brand new home!