Thanks. I don’t have The Birth Partner yet.
She already has The Girlfriend’s Guide and likes it. I gave her every single “What to Expect” book (my ad sales rep for What To Expect.com sent over the series as a gift).
It’s questionable as to whether I’d be considered a “New Parent”. However, I still feel like one! Our Little Monkey is 13 1/2 months old, on the verge of walking but stubborn as ever and holding out because, well, why bother when you can crawl faster?? 
She’s a sweet, happy little girl, and is so much fun to hang out with!
I’m just about 14 weeks along! We had our second ultrasound yesterday, and it was so cool to see the little thing squirming around in there! I am very happy and excited, which is great because I do suffer from depression and am type II bipolar. I went off all my meds cold turkey when I found out I was pregnant - that sucked really bad - now I know what withdrawals feel like. But I guess I’m one of those lucky few (about 25%) of bipolar women who are (relatively) asymptomatic during pregnancy. Not that I don’t have some manic days here and there, and lord have I become a couch potato the rest of the time. But no major problems and I truly am excited. My husband and I got married in July and people keep saying “You sure didn’t waste any time!” It irritates me because we planned this for a long time, before we even got engaged, so I’ve been wanting this for so long…to have people treat us as though we rushed into this sort of offends me a bit.
I have a recommendation for her and one for both of you. For her, she should absolutely read The Big Book of Birth. She’s probably not ready for it quite yet, however – it’s all about labor, and it is FANTASTIC. It goes through the stages of labor very clearly (but without fear-mongering), and it tells you what you’ll probably be experiencing physically, mentally, and emotionally. It gives you the range of normal for every step, and tells you what the medical personnel will probably be doing along the way. It’s definitely pro-natural birth, but not egregiously so (IMO). I had my husband read it, too, and it wouldn’t surprise me if your wife encourages you to do the same.
The book for both of you isn’t so much about pregnancy/parenthood as it is about all the baby stuff. Interrobang!? recommended it to me when I was pregnant, and I second the recommendation for Baby Bargains. There are so many options out there for baby gear that we were completely overwhelmed – this book helps you choose which items are right for you, which are safe, which are well-designed, etc. It’s great, and relieved a great deal of our stress.
One other book that I had was the Pregnancy Countdown book. It’s fun to read a new chapter each week, and they had some great advice, too.
Good luck, and have fun!
I always feel bad about this, since, as the father of the World’s Cutest Baby, showing off pictures of her only reminds you that my baby is way, way cuter than all of yours. But, if I must.
Aubrey will turn 9 months tomorrow. She now has two teeth, bottom center, and can crawl, although she hasn’t figured out “forward” yet, which means she tends to back her silly butt under the entertainment center. She’s been a really easy baby, and we’ve been incredibly lucky parents.
And the red hair is growing in faster and faster.
Hey, good timing – it was just yesterday that I was wondering how the Angel Care worked out for you. Glad to hear things are good, and that Baby Small is doing well!
Don’t hold out on us, brendon!!! We want pics!!!
I had a similar experience while I was pregnant. If we were to go to Babies-R-Us or look at furniture or do anything baby-related, I would get very anxious and have to leave the store. We planned it as well, but the thought overwhelmed me, as I never felt a “maternal instinct”.
Be prepared that you may not fall instantly in love with your baby after you give birth. I remember being so upset that I didn’t feel like I was bonding with my baby and didn’t feel a connection for the first month or so.
Now she’s 22 months old and I can’t imagine being any more in love with her than I am now. My heart swells with love and pride. Here are the 3 of us last fall.
stargazer, I thought I was done after one child, but I have to try for a boy now. He’s so adorable!
No, seriously though. One is enough. I’m done.
Okay Dopers…I’m sorry about making you all wait. I just got back to the University and uploaded a few pictures to flickr, but apparently it is slow, and I have class at 11. I will upload some more during my hour break at 12 and organize them a bit, then get you all a link to Baby Small. Promise you won’t disown me for making you wait an hour?
Brendon Small
Here is the link to the Photobucket page. I was using Flickr, but I hit the 200 picture limit today, so I just registered for this to show off my little boy to all of you.
It works, but I’m adding more pictures now, so there may be some later. Also, ignore the pug. She is a camera-hog and I forgot those were in the folder, but I might as well leave them up. They are slightly out of order, so to go chronologically, use the “back” link on the right side.
Brendon Small
Cool, another person with a new baby and a pug!
So, how has your pug been with the new family member? For the most part, ours has been really good: she just sniffs the baby, and “smooches” her, and has never snapped at her. Although we did get worried the other night, when the pug was really moody and the baby kept trying to “pet” her (which sometimes results in pinches or pulled fur). For her part, the baby has never been the least bit afraid of the pug, even when she gets right in her face. She just closes her eyes and smiles.
Most amazingly, the pug knows which toys are hers and which are the baby’s, and she doesn’t even try to play with the baby toys. And when the baby cries, the pug comes to find us, as if to say, “There’s trouble, Daddy! Come fix it!”
I don’t know, I still think mine is at least in the top three (and I find it hilarious that she looks exactly like her grandfather in that pic). It’s hard to believe she grew into this little girl already!
Anyway, her little sister is due February 18th, and she is still kicking my butt - now almost literally. ENugent - don’t worry about that anterior placenta. Mine’s in front too, but at 35 weeks now, you can actually see Claire’s knee go by, never mind feel it! I got my belly cast done today, and she was kicking/punching/headbutting the plaster all out of place.
I think she’s moving down to engage, I’m feeling so uncomfortable. Chloe came at 37 weeks, so I’m trying to be prepared without relying on going early. We’ve got everything pretty set, so I’m just playing the waiting game now.
I had labor induced on November 10th and delivered a scrawny 8 lbs., 10 oz. Calliope.
She’s now 15 pounds at 10 weeks of age.
She does all the standard 2+ month-old stuff like standing on my belly, holding up her head, sucking her hands, and practicing her laugh. Her laugh is “Oooo-oooo-oooo” said through a smile and delivered with a little head thrust.
This baby is a pure bright spot in my (and her dad’s and brother’s) life.
(Yeah, I know all these pictures are fuzzy. I still like 'em.)
Aw, I LOVE the chub!
Funny, before you give birth, it’s like anything over six pounds “is going to be a BIG baby, let’s all panic about her ability to be born!”
Then as soon as they’re born, everyone wants them to be as large as possible as fast as possible - “*My *toddler is in the 105th percentile for height and weight! Your son is so skinny/short/tiny!” [/competitive bitch]
Then once they get, oh, past preschool, we all have to obsess about keeping them as thin as possible (and then they obsess about it themselves, especially if they’re girls, starting around 11).
OK, I’ll stop rambling now . . .
OK I feel obliged to get into this despite my “long-time lurker” status… 32 weeks in on cooking my first now, deep in the thick of pre-natal classes, wrapping things up at the office, and rationalizing away all the things left to do at home…
Here is a picture of the little tapeworm, gotta love the 3D/4D ultrasound stuff… I have to say seems pretty cute for a -16 week old!
:Focuses eyes blearily:
Nathaniel will be five days old at midnight tonight. I think. It’s all a little fuzzy. Especially since he fed nineteen times between yesterday at three in the afternoon and now.
He was born January 15th at 11:50 p.m.
He’s gained four ounces since yesterday. Lord. Greedy child.
Ohhhhh, Lissla, he’s beautiful! Congratulations!
And, I’m here to tell you as someone who was recently in those trenches: IT GETS BETTER. It gets easier and more fun and you and the baby both get things figured out.
Oh, and Jonah says “hi” to Gnat – I know this because he blew a raspberry at his picture. 
Get some rest!
So far, things have been great. She has recently started trying to cuddle with him. When he’s on the floor rolling around, she gets near him and rolls as well. She likes to try to bring him her toys…
Every time he cries, she runs as fast as possible and gets near him. It seemed like she was curious at first, but now it is almost protective. Something funny, Mrs. Small’s brother, who will be referred to as Ken, came to her parent’s house one day while they were watching Dylan. Quick back story - Ken harasses dogs. He play-fights with them when he’s in the room, mostly just makes barking noises at them and kind of lets them bite at his hands. He reached to pick up Dylan off of the couch and the pug sprung into action. She jumped in front of Dylan, growled, and went off the couch toward Ken. He jumped back, rather surprised, and she ran off into the other room and back, barking at him the whole time. She must have thought he was going to play-fight with the baby, and she knew he shouldn’t. I was pretty proud of that little dog.
She will lay in the rocking chair beside Mrs. Small and Dylan, letting him pet her and pull on her hair, and she doesn’t seem to worry about it at all. She hardly even seems to notice. Thank goodness…
Brendon Small