Week 34, 22", 5.5 lb

I can already foresee that these next few weeks are going to seem the longest and hardest. Baby Ng may not grow any taller/longer, but he'll keep getting heavier (at the tune of 1/2 lb or more per week). And with amniotic fluid at its peak amount, no more cushioning from the punches and kicks Baby Ng delivers almost constantly now. Nevertheless, Alan and I are in great anticipation for his arrival. I can't wait to hold him, feed him, and try to stay calm while he's screaming at the top of his lungs ;). At our last Labor & Birth class, the instructor asked us what we are most looking forward to. I said a play date...but I gave it more thought since then and I can't wait to take him on his first bike ride on Valley Forge Trail. Like in a little trailer or seat...and then eventually on his own bike! Aw, how adorable!

(all images from REI)

Moneymaker on 4x6 HP Photo Paper

Get this deal before it ends Sat, Jun 19th! (see weekly ad here for more $1 deals. I got the 12-pk Bic pens)

Buy 1 HP Everday 4x6 photo paper, 100/pack for $9.99. Use this 15% off coupon and pay $8.49 (excluding tax). You'll receive a rebate receipt & form from the cashier. You can either mail the rebate in or go to Staples Easy Rebates website and submit for $8.99 rebate. That's a $0.50 moneymaker! Hey....you save $0.50 here and then you go somewhere else and save $0.50. Then you go to the Dollar Store and buy yourself something else! (paraphrased from Russell Peters below)

Cute plates

These are the cutest appetizer plates from CB2 ($1.95 each).

Lightening

A noticed by belly is lower than it was yesterday. I think he's right (!) which means our baby has dropped lower into the pelvis. I have more room to breathe and eat, but have more pressure on the bladder.

Week 33 - 19", 4.9 lbs

I can't believe it's only 6 more weeks until the (expected) birth of our baby boy! We went to Babies R Us (BRU) on Saturday to buy the remaining items off our registry. They give you 10% off and if you open up a store card, you get another 10% on top of that (which is like 15% off entire purchase). We didn't want to wait too long to get things ready for his arrival.

So we get to BRU and the salesperson tells us that those 10% completion certificates are mailed out by "corporate" once every month, and not printed by each store. So that means that we can expect the completion certificate either 2 weeks before our due date or 2 weeks after! Neither sounded reasonable to us. Why would they make first time parents, who have only the baby things they've received as gifts, wait until 2 weeks before their due date to complete their registry?! (I know this is fuel for the fire for those who have strong feelings against BRU)

Now, I kinda knew this in the back of my mind when the salesperson explained it to us when we first started our registry, but A and I were still upset by the fact. The best the salesperson could do for us is to tell us to call the store manager a few weeks before our due date and see if he/she can get corporate to send us the completion certificate earlier.

In the meantime, A and I will start purchasing items one at a time using those 20% coupons (either online or in-store). It's a better deal anyways, as long as we don't have to pay for shipping.

Deals @ CVS

I couldn't help but share what I bought today at CVS. It'd only be appreciated only by my fellow deal hunters ;)

4 Skinny Cow cups, reg. price $1.69, on sale for $1.00
- (4) $1.00 coupons (get here or through Facebook - "Like" them and go to Fan Exclusives for coupon)

1 Dawn Hand Renewal dish detergent, reg. price $1.99, on sale for $0.97
- (1) $1.00 coupon (from P&G Brand Sampler). Cashier adjusted this coupon to $0.97

1 Colgate Wisps 16-pk, reg. price $8.99, clearance $2.25
- (1) $1.00 coupon for 16-pk wisps (got this with a pregnancy-related sampler)

1 Borghese Nail Polish, reg. $7.99, clearance $1.99
- (1) $3.00 coupon (received at the end of a receipt last week). Cashier adjusted this coupon to $1.99

TOTAL = $1.25 (+$0.10 tax). So basically, I paid only for the Colgate Wisps!

BIG kicks

I was lying on my side last night on the couch and A asks, "Are you breathing hard or having contractions or something? Your chest/abdomen is moving really fast." I tell him that it's the baby kicking and he's like "Whoa! That's violent!".

Yea, baby Ng is kicking pretty hard these days!

Progress picture

I can't believe we waited 8 weeks between taking pictures of the expanding belly! Below is Week 22 and Week 30, which we took at Ridley Creek State Park where the baby shower was held.

He weighed in at over 3 lbs Week 30. He is DEFINITELY a mover and a shaker. I feel like he's constantly moving around in there, practicing for his big debut! He'll be growing at about 1/2 lb a week from now until he's born. So counting from Week 30, that's 10 more weeks to go. He'll put on about 5 lbs! I can't believe there's still room in my belly...

It's Week 31 now, and he's already turned to get into position to drop into the pelvis and eventually be welcomed into the world. Apparently, he's also close to his birth length and will just spend the remainder of the time gaining weight.

And in case N wonders what she'll look like pregnant ...

Did it to me again!

So A's family was planning to have a BBQ this past Memorial Day Weekend. I knew we'd start late because the family was traveling and had errands in the morning. No problem with me - I just wanted to make sure that we got there before everyone to get the coal fire started on the picnic grills. You do not want to make a pregnant woman wait to eat! Anyways, so the night before, I asked A to make sure that the pavilion his sister had reserved wouldn't be taken by someone else if we didn't claim it by a certain time (sometimes that happens at other parks). A and I got into this stupid fight because I kept asking him to check with his sister (I didn't want to show up to the park and not have a place!) and he kept saying to trust her and we shouldn't have to ask.

We arrive at the park the next morning (or should I say afternoon). As we drive past our reserved pavilion, I notice a lot of cars and am thinking, "Wow, a big crowd BBQing next to us". Once we turn in, I see two families from our fellowship on the swing set, and then I'm thinking "What a coincidence. They must be doing a social outing. We'll be BBQing neighbors!" But then I see a lot more people, as well as a decorated pavilion and gift bags lined up on a picnic bench. Then it suddenly dawns on me that this is the surprise baby shower that his family was planning!

I can't believe I got duped for the second time! And both times A and I had an argument about timing (that'd we'd be late or something)! I can't believe he puts up with me :D.

What's funny too is that I had emailed my sister about the picnic to see if she'd be in town to attend. (I assumed my mom was working, since it was a Saturday). She had a lot of reasons not to come and I totally understood. Friday night comes around and I think about calling her to see if she's coming or not, but decide not to - she must be busy. And of course she helped to plan the shower and surprised me by being at the park, along with my mom. Haha.

It was a GREAT surprise! Thanks for planning everything, family! And thanks to our friends for attending! I can't wait to post pictures of everything - tiger box favors, tiger cupcakes, food, etc.