Just about 8 months preggers, and I feel like I hate everyone. . .

[MartiesMom2B]

Maybe it's the pregnancy hormones and the moodswings, but I want to become a hermit and get away from everyone. I'm tired of hearing everyone's child rearing advice and when I see a badly behaved child their parent looking at me saying "Are you ready for this" No, but I think you better get your kid before he knocks the whole candy display down.

I just reamed out DH for not following my instructions to a T when copying our forms for taxes (since Martie is due right before tax time I can just imagine myself pushing yelling "We forgot our taxes!").

Then of course I'm checking my BRU baby registry every day to see what's been purchased and am sad to see that not much has. Darn BRU for putting it on the web so I become obssesive about it. We're traveling from NC tomorrow to MD for a babyshower and I'm making DH open the gifts because if all we get are clothes, like in my previous shower, I'm going to start crying. I don't mean to sound like a spoiled brat because I am super GRATEFUL for everything that we get, but I really don't think my child needs 20 pink dresses from the Gap to go out in. WAAAAA! Now I'm kicking myself in the butt for telling everyone that we were having a girl.

Actually I'm starting to regret telling anyone in our family that I'm pregnant at all, my original plan was to wait till after she was born and say "Guess what I just did, I had a baby".

Sorry that this is so long and that I'm venting to you. God bless anyone who reads this because I feel if I don't get it out I'm going to explode.

Sonia
EDD 4/14/03

[ecarley]

I feel for you! I remember so clearly with my first coworkers telling me, "Now I bet you're getting advice from everyone, but..." I wanted to smack everyone at my office.

And yes, everyone also loves to rain on your parade and tell you how rotten you'll have it. But the truth is that will pass and then you'll have the cutest, most fun and magical person you've ever met. So ignore the people who feel the need to remind you every 5 minutes how tired you'll be or how much recovery sucked.

As far as the clothes, as you open them, note which ones have tags to stores nearby and make yourself a list of more useful things you can get :) And BabyGap and BRU have very easy exchanges.

Just enjoy these last few weeks, and indulge yourself with anything you want to eat!! It's the only saving grace of pregnancy. Good luck!

[ddmarsh]

Oh my goodness you poor thing - I really feel for you. I had a girl after 3 boys and was completely inundated with clothes as well, unfortunately many of them clothes that were not my style. Some of them I did exchange and some I just gave to Salvation Army b/c I knew I would never get any use out of them. I think it's just more fun for people to buy clothes. I also knew from checking Amazon that not much had been purchased from my registry so I expected clothes at my shower and just made a fuss and acted very thankful (which I was, I was just also a bit disappointed as you are). Hopefully as the poster above said they will be from places that you can easily exchange them.

On a MIL bashing note I received one of the most unattractive outfits from her and unfortunately it will fit this summer - just in time for them to be back from FL. I am already dreading having to put it on Lily for a visit, I'm *so* particular about how I dress my children and it is just going to kill me to have to put it on her. Perhaps I could give her the old "the dog ate it" routine :).

Hang in there - you're almost at the end and you are going to be so thrilled with your new baby none of this will matter!

Debbie

[deenass]

Return Return Return! For those clothes that you get that you don't like, bring em right back to the store (and do it now, before the baby, so that you can take advantage of the time that you have). You may end up with store credit or gift cards, but you'll be able to buy what you like when the time comes ... (maybe even something for yourself!)

Most people do go the clothes route, so take heart in the fact that you are not alone. I've gotten so many ahnd me downs that I don't really need any clothes, yet know that's what I'll be getting (planning on sending my mom to the stores to return stuff since I may not be up to it once the baby comes). I console myself with the fact that when the baby outgrows what I have I'll have $ to spend on stuff I picked out!

Good luck!

[mama2be]

Sonia,

You are describing me to a "T"...I swear I was the same way. I have a closet filled with clothes...I mean filled (many I bought as the pregnancy progressed, I have a gigantic bin filled with cute girl's clothes too)...

But I had a neighbor come over and look thru all of my closet, she saw everything and has personally bought Tristan 4 little adorable outfits. BUT then she asks with her nose all crinkeled "do you have enough sleepers???" and when I looked in the closet (to me all of this soft stuff is a sleeper) I said hesitantly, "I think so"...I mean I almost started crying right there that I didn't have enough...
She was implying that I didn't and I felt just giving me something else to worry about.

I mean now that I have him I could have assured her that he has enough stuff to sleep in...but I didn't know. There were so many things that set me off.

Make sure when folks genuinly ask "what can he use/what can I get him" tell them, they too want help in finding a gift. I had more people say they would make me food (and many did) but I nervously said, "Oh we are fine, you don't need to do that"...so I actually discouraged folks from going to the registry and cooking THOUGH didn't mean it!!!!

A lot of people will go to BRU the day of your shower too...my stuff was swooped up about the date of the shower, especially since they have had soooo much snow up in DC...

I registered for so little though so that wasn't a big concern...but I do have too many clothes..

Anyway look forward to meeting you this week if you are still up for it :)...

[Momof3Labs]

Yep, agree about the returns - even if you don't have receipts, but know where things came from. They might only credit you a sale price, but hey, it's better than using the outfit only once. Or, try exchanging things for bigger sizes. EVERYONE bought us 3-6 month sizes, and were so proud of themselves for not buying the newborn sizes. *sigh* Colin didn't need 30 size 3-6 month outfits.

If someone wants to buy clothes, encourage them to buy larger sizes AND include a gift receipt - heck, Colin is moving into 12 month sizes at 5 months of age (he's a tall baby, but skinny), so it is easy to miss on the season if you get winter 12 month sizes but end up needing them in the summer.

I try not to think about how much money was poured into the baby clothes that are already packed up in our basement... and how many diapers that would have bought!!

PS - no one tells you that pregnancy is kinda like 9 months of PMS. You are very normal, and will feel better as you ride the emotional roller coaster back up again.

[gour0]

Take heart! I got lots of clothes my first shower and NONE (thank GOD!) my second shower. Also, all the stuff at my second shower came from my registry but none of it showed (they didn't tell the sales clerk) so you could have stuff, just not know it. You might also get gift cards which will allow you to go and get the stuff you really need. I went yesterday with $130 worth of gift cards and now feel really well situated. If you do this, don't forget to pick up the coupons from Toys R US first. They are good at Babies R Us and I saved a lot. HTH!

[MartiesMom2B]

LOL- about the PMS part. It reminds me of a Baby Story I saw once, where the husband said "The best thing about the pregnancy was that she (his wife) had no PMS for 9 months" Lucky for him. My pregnancy hormones are worse than my normal PMS!

Sonia
EDD 4/14/03

[MartiesMom2B]

First of all, I just want to say that I love my BB message board friends. I don't know how I'd stay sane without you guys and your advice!

Just got back from our trip, and the shower was great. My grandmother and aunt flew in from out of town and I was so touched. DH and I also got a lot of stuff, yes including those outfits! Thankfully the really ugly ones came with gift receipts, so I know what I'm doing this week. Tee Hee. I also got some beautiful handmade items that I will treasure and we did end up getting a lot of stuff that we needed too. The only bad part was my very loud MIL (yelling as I'm opening presents, did you get enough stuff to return to get your stroller?) Thank god my best friends were there to protect me.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I feel a whole lot better :)

Sonia
EDD 4/14/03