"D{elivery} Day" in {Minus} 20.

Soooooooooo...just 20 more days to go before I'm "officially" due. I say "officially" because I feel as huge as a house and as if there is just not possibly that much more room to keep growing for another 20 days!

With my first child, I was 2 days overdue...not pleasant. I mean, we {pregnant mothers} go 9+ months counting down to the due date, so when it arrives, we expect it all to be over then! So I'm hoping {pleading!} that I do not go overdue, at the very least. A week or 2 early sure would be nice.

With that being said, I'm trying to be patient and trying to remember that pretty soon I won't be getting much sleep, so trying to enjoy myself. It just isn't easy. When you can barely roll over from side to side at night, keep getting up to go to the bathroom, keep getting larger, keep getting {uncomfortably} kicked {then again, is it ever comfortable to be kicked?!}, it's truly hard to enjoy yourself.

With this being my second pregnancy, I definitely am more calm about the whole birthing process. I mean, I know what to expect. Of course, knowing what's coming can also work the other way - you KNOW the pain just waiting for you around the corner, and how tiring and draining and seemingly impossible {at the time!} it can be. On the other hand, I know I'll get through it...just hopefully a little {okay, a lot} more easily this time!

So how about you guys? How early {or late} were your births? Were the labors easy? Any tips?

Can't wait to introduce you to her when she arrives!


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Best Baby Names 2009 - Vote and WIN!

It's always tricky finding the right baby name for your soon-to-be-angel-on-earth, isn't it? You don't want something everyone else has, yet you don't want something too bizarre, you don't want them to be made fun of (like "Sandy Beach" or "Candy Cane" -- no joke, I actually know people with these names!), & you don't want people mispronouncing or misspelling it all the time. What's a couple to do? Here are some interesting names Parents magazine has deemed as the best for '09 depending on the "style" (interesting method, I thought) of a name that you want.

"Jet-Setters"
Boys - Denver, Troy, Brooklyn, Houston, Milan, Phoenix, Austin, Dallas, Cairo, Jordan
Girls - Aspen, Florence, Charlotte, London, Kenya, Geneva, Savannah, India, Sydney, Dakota

"Royalty"
Boys - Henry, William, Harry, James, Louis, Andrew, George, Edward, Albert, Charles
Girls - Diana, Victoria, Catherine, Mary, Christina, Elizabeth, Isabella, Anastasia, Cleopatra, Anne

"Rock Stars"
Boys - Jagger, Iggy, Sid, Kurt, Elvis, Axl, Rilo, Kanye, Lenny, Billie Joe
Girls - Janis, Stevie, Avril, Miley, Fergie, Alanis, Joss, Beyonce, Madonna, Ashlee

"SuperHeroes"
Boys - Charles Xavier, Angel, Logan, Bruce, Kalel, Peter, Clark, Anakin, Hero, Robin
Girls - Elektra, Storm, Rogue, Domino, Buffy, Mystique, Jean Grey, Phoenix, Angela, Shera

"Gods & Goddesses"
Boys - Jove, Jupiter, Apollo, Sol, Tempus, Shai, Kairos, Enamerion, Gleneus, Hercules
Girls - Athena, Calliiope, Chloe, Dia, Gaia, Flora, Helen, Iris, Phoebe, Venus

"Movie Stars"
Boys - Brad, Tom, Johnny, Will, Ashton, Orlando, Clive, Jude, Ethan, Keanu
Girls - Gwyneth, Angelina, Cameron, Uma, Julia, Drew, Demi, Halle, Renee, Scarlett

"Hola, Baby"
Boys - Enrique, Jose, Emilio, Alejandro, Carlos, Eduardo, Miguel, Pedro, Tomas, Javier
Girls - Carmen, Antonia, Luisa, Maribel, Carlota, Valeria, Yolanda, Selena, Esmeralda, Sofia

"American Idols"
Boys - Clay, Ruben, Bo, Taylor, Constantine, Sanjaya, Blake, David, Justin, Chris
Girls - Kelly, Fantasia, Carrie, Jordin, Melinda, Kimberley, Jennifer, Katharine, Lakisha, Syesha

"Francophiles"
Boys - Francois, Jean-Paul, Gerard, Jacques, Claude, Antoine, Gilles, Marcel, Pierre, Sebastien
Girls - Genevieve, Soleil, Elisa, Amelie, Brigitte, Celine, Dominique, Juliette, Madeleine, Simone

"Country Clubbers"
Boys - Chase, Archer, Alistair, Beaumont, Blair, Barron, Penn, Stanford, Alfie, Harrison
Girls - Avery, Brynley, Ives, Heatherly, Virginia, Grace, Poppy, Eleanor, Paige, Georgia

What do you think? Do you agree? Do you have a better one? I have many pregnant friends clamoring for just the right name, so I thought I'd put the task in your hands to come up with some fantastic ideas! Comment to this post with the name/s you think are best and why ~ I'll sort through the recommendations and pick my Top 5. Those lucky winners will then receive a coupon code for 20% off any one regular-priced item from Adam's Blankie! (Please be sure to leave your email address when commenting, so I have a way of contacting the winners!).

NakedPaint Belly Butter

So if you're an expectant Mama, heading to a baby shower, or trying to conceive, here is a great product to get your hands (and belly!) on: NakedPaint's Belly Butter. It was made for pregnant bellies to hydrate and improve elasticity while minimizing stretch marks, and has a light scent of jasmine and heather oils. The Hollywood stars themselves have been seen using this stuff, and reviewers out there are acclaiming its non-greasy feel. But you'll have to pay for the "butter" that celebrities like Jennifer Garner and Mira Sorvino are using, of course - it comes at $29.00 for just 8 ounces, but a little does go a long way.