Preppin' for havin' this baby!

I am happy to report that we successfully survived our first Prepared Childbirth class. For those not experiencing this whole pregnancy yet, this is a bit like what they used to call Lamaze class (except we didn't sit on the floor the whole time and practice breathing, but we still have 5 more classes to go so we'll see if we get there...). Despite a few traumatizing moments and smart alec comments by Timmy to the rest of the class (although I think he's a big hit :-), I have to say it was a good overall experience.

I can't tell you what a relief it was to see so many other couples feeling the exact same insecurities about the entire preparing for baby part as we have been feeling. I think we can most luckily just chalk it up to anxiety about the complete unknown. As much as we can prepare mentally and physically, there is still no way for us to know when she is going to come and how it's going to be. As much as we were dreading having to go to these classes, I think we'll actually be really glad that we did. Not to mention the additional hospital tour (so Tim isn't catching any babies in the back seat of our car!) and our Caring For Your Newborn class (so we can hone all of our awesome parenting skills).

I can't say I'm really looking forward to the classes where they show us labor and delivery videos, but as long as they keep up teaching husbands new massage tricks, I think I'll have to keep going back.

Also, just an update that Tazby is doing great. She's measuring perfectly for 32 weeks and already is head down and ready to go! I'm sure she'll be stubborn though and I'll go 2 weeks after my due date. I passed my one hour glucose test, don't need to take iron pills, and the doctor said my moderate weight gain is perfect. I just hope the whole rest of this crazy pregnancy thing keeps going so well! Wish us luck!

Gettin' "Knocked Up"

I feel like everywhere I go, I'm constantly being asked if I've seen "Knocked Up". I have been wanting to see it, but we're constant procrastinators when it comes to actually making it to the theater. Well, we compromised and saw "Transformers" on Friday night (which I really enjoyed despite having very little knowledge of what I was in for). And today, we actually made it to the theater to see "Knocked Up". It normally would be a movie that I would wait until it hit DVD to see, but with it being so relevant to us and my exhaustion at constantly having to listen to people tell me how funny and horribly graphic it is, we decided to see it before Tazby made her debut.

So, here's my opinion/review. While there were some very funny scenes, I think I definitely would have enjoyed the entire movie experience more if I was not currently pregnant. I suppose something about it what a little too realistic and tangible to really enjoy. While there is so much excitement that comes as your pregnancy progresses towards the end, there is also a lot fear that accompanies it and it became a little to imminent for me.

There were some things that I thought were really spot on and accurate with what I have experienced (like the roller coaster of emotion that comes when you first find out you are pregnant), but there were other things that I thought were absolutely ridiculous (aside from just her belly). First off, she looked far too comfortable putting on knee high stiletto boots and hitting up the clubs in the last month of her pregnancy and secondly, the fact that she just avoided telling anyone at work and no one bothered to mention it until she was in her 8th month? Really not realistic.

For me, the best part of the movie was that they succeeded in avoiding all of those pregnancy cliches that are easy to identify in any movie involving a pregnant woman. While there were the occasional hormonal outbursts, they were all warranted and realistic. There were no obsessive eating or excessive morning sickness scenes (as true to life as those situations can be). This woman didn't just lose her identity when she became pregnant. It was nice for me to see them explore that perspective. It was heartwarming to see this couple really experience the ups and downs of preparing for a child together...I just think I would have enjoyed it more if I had really been able to detach myself from the story line a bit more. As Timmy put it, it'll be nice to watch it once we've already been through the process ourselves and know that we can do it. Maybe then we can sit back and laugh...but that's just this pregnant girl's review. To read more of Timmy's take, check out his site here.

Check back early this week as I'll be posting about our first "Prepared Childbirth Class" that we're having tomorrow. I can't believe there are only 8 and a half weeks to go until our little girl is here! AH! :-)