Thursday, May 6, 2010

help me please!! :)

Okay…here is what I need your help with.  I have many of the big items I need to bring baby girl home.  No, they are not out of the closet, not cleaned, not set up, but I do have them.  However, it has been nearly 6 years since I have brought a baby home and it amazes me how many things have changed, so I need some advice from those of you who are doing this now or have done it more recently than me.  Please feel free to give me your input on the items I am struggling with making a decision on and anything else you may think I need to know!!

First of all…I need a diaper bag.  I have no idea what I want.  I have looked at Pet.unia Pick.le Bott.om and like theirs, but just don’t know what else is out there.  I want something cute and fashionable, but not over the top…it is after all a diaper bag.

Next, a sling.  I was going to buy this baby sling from Ser.ena & Li.ly.  It was on sale even!  But the sale ended on April 25th, Sophia & Ellie’s birthday, and I forgot to order it.  So now I am thinking about what else is out there…what slings have you used, who makes a good one, who doesn’t?  I just don’t know!  And with the recent recall on slings, should I even be using one at all?

I also will be buying a new breast pump.  I am looking at Med.ela’s which is what I used in the past, but want to know if you have tried anything that you maybe think is better.  And if you have a recommendation, where did you purchase it?

I want a cover for the infant carrier I have.  My carrier is black and gray, not very cool for the warm summer months ahead, so I want something to cover it.  I know I could make a cover, but I really don’t feel like finding a pattern, getting the material, and figuring it all out right now.  So if you know of a good brand, please let me know!

I have been looking at inclined sleepers too.  Baby girl will be in a bassinette for the first few several months, actually she will probably end up in our bed, but I saw this sleeper and this one.  They are very different, and I don’t know which one would be better to use!  So please give me your thoughts!

And one last thing that we need some major help with…her name!  Hutch & I NEVER agree on names.  We have not had names for any of our children before they were born, not because we wanted to see what they looked like and then decide, just because we can never make a decision.  Actually, we did have a name picked out for Brady, but we thought he was a girl, so we had to re-pick!  Anyway, a few months ago I thought of a name…it is a little different, so I was apprehensive when I told Hutch about it.  I asked him to have an open mind and think about it before reacting and saying NO!  So I told him the name and he said he had been think of it too!  So weird, but we had watched slept through a movie a few weeks prior to this and it was one of the character’s names, so I think it had been planted in our brains.  Within in the next few days, I was at work.  I have a crate that my students put their library books in when they are ready to be returned.  I was teaching and happened to look in the basket and there sat a book titled with this same name.  A little while later, I heard a girl at our school being called by this name, and then I was telling my hairdresser (we really haven’t told anyone IRL) about the name, she thought it was cute and we should go with it.  After she put my color on, she was doing another client whose daughter is pregnant with a girl and they are going to call the baby this same name.  So, you see, I keep getting these little signs, but we are still unsure.  The name is unique, and to some it may sound more like a nickname or something you would name a pet, but I love it and keep coming back to it.  Hutch has came up with an alternative that I really like too, but we still aren’t sure.  He has also came up with a middle name that I love…see if you can figure out why!  So here they are…please leave me your honest opinion, it will not offend me.  I want to know what people think of it, so I know if I want to subject my child to it.  Now you are all probably thinking it is really bad, so anyway here they are…

Original Name with Hutch's idea for a middle name:  Gigi Elia

Alternative first name and middle name:  Gia Gracie

Please give me your thoughts on all these things…I need all the help I can get right now!  Baby girl will be here within the next 5 weeks and I really need to have things more ready than they are right now.  Thanks for your opinions!!

19 comments:

  1. Take a deep breath! ((hugs)) Love the names, we too are going for different! I have a medela pump that I got off line, free shipping and even got 15% off. I will have to hunt to see if I can find the site. We got a diaper bag at BRU and I think its too small, just from the amount of shit I took back and forth from the NICU, I would like a Kate Spade or Coach big bag, but its a bag like you said. You will do great even if she rides home in a black and Grey car seat, she wont know the difference! Can't believe we are 1 day away from 35 weeks-2 weeks away from FULL TERM!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my goodness I just LOVE LOVE LOVE both of those names!! I like the first one best, but I want to make sure I'm pronouncing it right in my head, so tell us for sure! They are both great!

    I am so excited to see what everyone tells you, so that I can just copy (: The one thing I know about for sure is the nap nanny, when I say that I've heard nothing but RAVE reviews about this I'm serious! My friends with new babies say they aren't sure how they did their first ones without it, one friend didn't have it the first few months and said it's a life saver. You click them into it and can take a shower without worrying that they are going to hurt themselves!! You can just set it on the bathroom floor a little ways away and tada, shower and watching little girl GiGi or Gia (the GiGi books and DVDs are amazing, I bought some for Cala the other day after hearing Sheila Walsh speak!!). My other thing was the Kalencom diaper bag was recommended to me b/c it's slick on the outside, but could still be monogrammed if you wanted and it's super easy to clean. I ordered one in yellow, but it's not in yet. They have them where I got my furniture for the cheapest price I found. They're make in New Orleans (which I admit with my love of Louisiana made me like them more!!).

    I'm so excited for you and can't wait to meet little miss priss!!!! Almost there! Congrats, I'm going to have to check back later to see comments! Love and hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  3. first, LOVE the names!

    diaper bag: petunia pickle all the way! i started with something else, a messenger style, and it just did not have enough space. LOVE my PP boxy backup in the glazed material. wipes off easily...durable...love the zip out changing pad, 4 bottle holders, wipes case, stroller hooks, etc. SO worth the money!

    sling - moby wrap....amazing when they are teeny tiny! after that, i say ergo...LOVE me my ergo!

    breast pump - i rented one from the hospital. worth it to me since i exclusively pumped!

    surreal to be thinking about all this, huh?!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've had ring slings (maya), pouch slings (hotslings), mei tais, moby wraps, ergos...
    I love mobys when they're little and ergos when they're sturdier.

    I love my skip hop duo diaper bag- it clips to the stroller. http://www.skiphop.com/product/20000.html I found an old color that they discontinued online somewhere for like $30.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh geesh. I swear by Medela pumps still, my trusty pump got me through over four months of solely expressing and I don't think I would have succeeded without it.

    I used a Kari Me sling, which is just like a massive piece of cloth which you tie and knot around yourself and the baby. Takes a bit of practice but it's lovely to wear.

    I don't have one because it was something I thought of getting before the twins were born and afterwards I couldn't face it somehow but I love Pink Lining diaper bags. Don't know if you get them in the States but they are super cute.

    I like all the names! All really pretty and cute in any combination. xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the names. I am a unique name person myself. Juanito was going to be Breeza or Brisa (spanish spelling) if he was a girl.

    My first question for you is... Is your car seat older than 4 years? If it is you need to get a new one. I was certified in car seat safety and after 4 years the time the car seat spends in the sun, heat, cold etc.... causes the plastic to weaken and if you were ever in an accident the back of the seat could break out.

    I am a firm believer of the Medela Pump in style. It is equivalent to a hospital grade pump. We always recommended them to our patients and also rented them out when I worked on Mom/Baby. As for a good deal I have no idea.

    The rest I have no idea on sorry =(

    Good luck! You are at the home stretch of things. I can't wait to hear the good news.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just wrote all my answers and my computer decided to reboot...grrr. Okay so here we go again.

    First and foremost I reccommend the Angel Care Monitor. From one bereaved mom to another...it is a must and completely worth it.

    Slings. Scare the crap out of me. I prefer mei teis and LOVE my Baby Hawk. It is wonderful. You can carry from newborn to like 30 lbs. Super comfortable and great resale value. LOVE it.

    I had a Lansinoh double pump and it worked great. No it isn't as pretty as the Medela, but great value.

    For incline we just has a normal regular one and it worked fine.

    Diaper bags. I am so not a frilly girl so I have a messenger back pack type that I got on clearance for $10. Love it. My friend does have a PP bag she is selling for cheap in almost perfect condition (green with a tiny bit of pink i think). Let me know if you are interested.

    I am so excited for you!!! Yipee!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I had a baby bjorn, whcih killed my neck (I have a prior serious injury), not exactly a sling, but as close as I got.
    I never found a diaperm bag I was completely happy with, so good luck with that one :)
    I think your husband's idea for the middle name is so touching. I love it.
    Funny, both your first names were on my "list" last time, so I don't think you could go wrong with either ;)
    Best wishes!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Vera Wang makes cute diaper bags. I love www.heavenlybundles.com for slings---they make them to fit!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Okay...so, I have no clue on the baby items, but take good notes cause when my day arrives I will be asking for your help :)

    As for the names, I love Gigi, adorable name for a little girl. As for the middle name, I'm not sure if I am pronouncing it correctly and need a little help, but I like it :) Whatever you select is going to fit her perfectly, promise. Just so happy you are well.

    Much Love
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  11. I ordered a Petunia Picklebottom bag from their outlet site when they were doing a sale a few months ago - it is super-wicked-cute, but it seems like it may be a little small. I'm hoping it's sufficient, though.

    A friend loaned me her Moby, and I'm waiting to figure out how to even use it! :) It's supposed to be very ergonomic, though.

    I LOVE those names! They're so feminine and cute!

    ReplyDelete
  12. So I am finally de-lurking ;-)

    I am dusting things off that have been in storage for 4 years myself, but here is my input...

    The Petunia Picklebottom diaper bags were too $$ for me, but I have a Shanghai Mommy diaper bag that I love. Much less $$ and I have gotten lots of compliments on it. It can go over the shoulder or be a backpack.

    The sling never worked for me, hurt my back and shoulders, but I love wraps and Mei Tei carriers. Check out Cat Bird Baby . I got alot of use out of that for years. I am also a fan of the Moby wrap.

    I used an Ameda Purely Yours breast pump which was cheaper than a Medela, but worked well. Used it daily for a year and it is still pumpin'!

    Love both of the names! Cute and girly.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love the names, both of them!
    As for slings...hmmm I could talk all day, I have a huge array of slings, and used to be in the business, plus run a babywearing group.
    I love love love a stretchy wrap for a newborn, either a moby, Kari Me or Wrapsody.
    They might look intimidating at first,but it's actually very instinctive after a couple of tries.
    I'm not much use on the other stuff,I'm afraid, but if you ever want to pick my brains on slings you know where I am. If you are feeling brave you could check out The Babywearer, though it's so chock full of info it can be intimidating at first. This UK site is very informative and a little less intimidating, plus the info is relevant wherever you are in the world. http://www.slingguide.co.uk/ They have info on there about the recent bagsling (Infantino) recalls too.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love, love, love the name Elia. For so many different reasons.

    And I think Gigi is an adorable name for a little girl, but I wonder if she might someday like the option of a more formal name. So everyone could call her Gigi, but her full name could be something like Gia or Giana or Gianna or Giara or Giada or Georgina.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I like Elia too. Is it supposed to play off your twins' names? Because that's the first thing I thought of. :) (Take the first part of Ellie and the last part of Sophia)

    And I was also thinking that if you called her Gia Gracie, you could still call her "Gigi" if you wanted to, because those would be her initials! G.G.

    I like any of the name options! Either way, it's very cute and girly.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Tina !!

    I think it's so funny your have trouble with names yet all of your kids have awesome names !!

    Names- I love Gia Grace ... Or even Gia Elia beause it does seems like a play off the twins' names.

    I am also HUGE fan of the angelcare moniter !! I used one with Aubrey after I lost my triplets and it did help ease my mind a little ....

    Babybag- Whatever feels right to you is waht you should get because if your like me you will have several of them. I think Aubrey has 5 diffrent bags we use & she is 2 ....

    I never used a sling because Aubrey was a chubby ham so it was strollers all the way !! LOL !!

    ReplyDelete
  17. How about Gianna for a first name? You could still call her Gigi for a nickname. As a PP stated, as an adult she may want or need a more formal name. I like Gianna Grace but Elia is a pretty name too.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I like Gianna too. I love both names. I know a GiGi and she's adorable!

    I have a ppb bag. I've decided it's too small inside. My girlfriend who always has the latest trends just got a Reese Li. It's really cute and larger inside than the ppb.

    My dr loaned me her medela pump n style. I have no idea how to use it.

    The one thing I want, but haven't gotten yet is an ergo baby carrier.

    Have fun with all the shopping! I'm so excited for you, Tina! You're up first. Then, it should be my turn. :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have a Vera Bradley diaper bag that I really like. Lots of room and it's cloth so I can wash it in the washer. I bought it at 50% off (Lord knows I'd never buy something that expensive at full price!!!).

    I've tried the pocket slings before but don't like them b/c they make my back hurt. I got a custom wrap made like a Moby and love it! So much more gentle on my back.

    I've only tried Medela pumps but I've always heard they're the best.

    ReplyDelete