Bargaining for a Breast Pump...

I've got the Breast Pump Blues.

I remember back in the day when I would say to myself...

"Hell ya, I have $150 to spend on :
~a new handbag
~a shopping spree for me!!!
~ a great night out on the town with friends and a cab ride home
~ a new piece of furniture for the house

Now...I say to myself...

"What the $%*@, are you telling me that a freaking breast pump is going to cost me $300?"  Okay, breath.  Alright let's talk.  I get it!  This is going to be expensive!!!  Gia is going to take every last dime we have to our name...whether it be for clothing, college, food, or a really cute bow...our $$ as we know it...is GONE!  But come on!  I can go out and buy the crib, the dresser, the rocking glider and ottoman.  But, you want me to take out a freaking LARGE chunk of change to purchase something that will SUCK!?  Pardon me if it takes me a minute to come to terms with this.  I look at this contraption...with no freaking clue how the hell it works---and then I think.  I know this will be a good investment...but can't someone just bargain with me here???  Can't we head to a breast pump auction..."Give me ten, I got ten, give me fifteen, I see your bid." 

My mom raised me to shop for the bargains.  Oh God, here comes a flashback.  Come back with me in time to, ummm I'd say...my 4th grade year.  I'm a tad chunky--hair all kinds of out of whack, and mom takes us to JCPenney for our back to school shopping.  I remember her words clearly..."Okay Trey and Reagan, look for the deals...that means only shop on the racks that say 50-75% off."  So we did.  (Side note, that shopping spree ended in me getting a Charlotte Hornets t-shirt 2 sizes too big b/c it was $3.49).  So in essence, she created a bargain monster! Thanks Mom.

So back to 2011, here I am...trying to come to terms with dropping big bucks on a pump that says it will help with things like:  sore nipples, engorgement, drawing out/inverted nipples, and latch-on problems or breast infection.  Well then, hell ya, sign me up...because that sounds like a GREAT FREAKING PURCHASE.

Signing off....with the Booby Blues.

Star of the Blog!

One of my friends from Brookfield surprised me with this outfit in the mail for when Gia arrives!  She said she was shopping and saw this and thought of my blog!  I just love it and appreciate it so much!!!  Daniel said, "That is perfect for you!"  I agree!  Thanks Lindsey!!! 

We also began our registry yesterday, only at Target, but we got started.  I found a bib that I registered for that says "Star of My Mommy's Blog!"   Thought it was perfect!!!  I had so much fun starting to shop for her!!!  

Halfway Marker!!!

So we have made it!  20 weeks, halfway there, 20 to go, however you want to look at it...Daniel, Brinkley, Reagan and Gia have all made it! :)  And I think we have done a fine job! Here is the baby bump!

For my knowledge:
~weight gain 9 pounds
~a glass of wine sounds remarkable
~I found out what an episiotomy is today...HOLY $#!*
~fruit in the morning doesn't work, too acidic and this leads to hurling outside at school (I have now christened the east and west sides of our lovely Oakwood Manor building!)
~I am feeling more and more confident that I can feel Miss Gia.  When I lay on my side at night, when I am still and calm, I can feel something going on in there---it must be her right!
~French fry cravings and Popsicle cravings are out, anything on the breakfast menu from McDonald's and ice cream is in!

Powder

Hey....wanna know what's really fun?  When you find out that it is quite common for women to develop VERY dry skin during pregnancy and then be told you have eczema.  Wanna know what's even more fun than hearing that God Awful word? (seriously, eczema is one of the worst words ever created)  When you find out that during a pregnancy it will really act up and there is NOTHING...oh that's right...NOTHING you can do about it.   Wait a second...hold the phones!!!  I spoke with the pharmacist and she said there is something I can do.  Wanna know what it is?  See conversation below between myself and the nurse.

Reagan:  Oh, I am so glad to hear there is something to alleviate the itching, I am seriously about to scratch off 6 layers of spray tan if I don't get some relief!
Pharmacist:  Yes, you can use Zinc Oxide on your legs.  It should help with some of the irritation.
Reagan:  Awesome, should I just head to CVS to pick it up, is it over the counter?
Pharmacist:  Yes, just head back by the diaper rash creams.
Reagan:  I'm sorry, one more time...did you say diaper rash creams?
Pharmacist:  Yes, essentially you will be using that off brand of cream to alleviate the irritation.  It's the best you can do because it doesn't contain anything harmful for the baby.  I would recommend a GREAT lotion that would clear up the eczema immediately but that has a steroid in it, and obviously you can't use that.
Reagan: Obviously (voice beginning to whimper).

The next evening at home~I apply this ass paste to my legs.  WARNING--this $h%# doesn't come off.  It makes me look like the lead actor in the 1995 box office hit, Powder.  My poor husband (who at this point, has probably given up all hope that I will resume any sexiness) watches me dig my nails into my skin for a pre-game scratch before putting on my Powder costume.

The next morning in the shower~After scrubbing for 5 minutes to rid myself of the cream, water pellets bouncing off my legs and hitting me in the eye, I give up.  After drying off and my legs dying for some relief, I attempt to add some Caladyrl to my potion.  My legs refuse the mixture.  Now they have remnants of white cotton ball pieces (that WILL NOT come off), powder cream and a shiny gloss finish courtesy of the Caladryl.

Daniel....you still love me right?

The Reason for rAd...

Chatting with my brother-in-law this weekend and we chatted about my blog and how he wonders if my followers understand the reasoning for the title.  He said that I may want to share that so they have a connection to the blog's name.  I though this sounded like and excellent idea.  Now, although there is no amazing story behind it, it does have significance.  In the Allegri family each couple has the combined "nickname."  You know, rather than write To: Nick and Sybil on everything they combined their names and created their combo name Snic.  This fits better on Christmas labels!  Mark and Michelle have always been M & M (if you need me to explain this, I am worried for you.)  So when Daniel and I got married we were trying to think of our combo name.  After letting Daniel spew ideas such as:  Raniel (pronounced RanYul), Dangan, and other ridiculous choices I looked up and the answer was right in front of me.

For our wedding we got this great gift from the Saccaro's, it was a circular mirror with our initials on it rAd.  So we hung it above our mini bar in our kitchen and that area became the RAD Saloon!  So, if you have yet to put it together the r=Reagan, the A=Allegri, and the d=Daniel.  The Reagan and Daniel Allegri Life...rAd Life! :)

Thanks for following, being rAd is.....well.......just what we are! :)

Gia Baby!!!

It's a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Talk about a shocker, for lots of people!  If I was a betting woman, my butt would be broke! :)  On Thursday at 4:00 we were introduced (via ultrasound) to our beautiful baby girl (of course she is beautiful!!!) floating around in my tummy!  She is doing great and growing like a weed.  As the technician moved around her wand checking the baby's umbilical cord, heart, brain, and other areas she kept us in suspense!  Then, Miss Gia moved her sweet legs and we say those 3 lines.  She wrote upon the screen that beautiful four letter word = GIRL!  I can't explain the feeling that surged through my body.  It was almost as everything in that moment made complete sense.  I almost said, "Well of course it's Gia in there, who else would it be?!"  **Mind you, I had this feeling it was Macks in there for 19 weeks!**  But at that moment everything became about this little angel who will be our Gia and in our arms in 20 weeks.

It is strange that for the first part of the pregnancy we said Baby A for everything and now, so quickly, it has changed to her and she for everything!  I think she already has her Daddy thinking about boys to protect her from and giving her away at her wedding!  But we will just take on thing at a time.  So now it is onto registry items, painting her room, and getting her nursery ready for her to come home!  I hear that time flies and she will be here before we know it, so I plan to use July (I'm off work) to prep for Miss Gia's arrival.

Here is a video of our baby girl.  Oh also, we may be bumping up my due date to November 6 rather that the 10th. We will check with Dr. White (OB) on this in two weeks.

Journaling

At the beginning of this pregnancy I was journaling everything every couple of days, but now with this blog I hardly write anymore on pencil and paper. Totally fine with me b/c I have mad typing skills. But just to remember where I am and to have something to look back on, I thought I should have an entry of where I am, at 19 weeks. 

Weight gain-7 pounds

How I am feeling- The lower back pain I was experiencing earlier in the pregnancy has definitely gone down on the pain scale (whoo-hoo!!!).  I see the chiropractor about every 2 weeks now and am maintaining my adjustments.  For the most part I am at at 3 on the pain scale, which is more annoying than painful for me. 

Something I have learned-Pop the Tums as soon as I feel a tad queasy or heartburn coming on.  Getting close to time to purchase the REAL DEAL BODY PILLOW!  Currently I am using my king size pillows (which are doing the trick now), but as my belly grows, I need to purchase the real one!

An Ahhhh-ha moment-When you begin this journey what you once thought was WORRY, is no longer even close to what you will experience.  I know that I have signed up for a lifetime of worry! :)

I really have enjoyed this journey so far!