REI Trip/Our Unborn Child has a lifetime membership to REI

REI annual member 20% Discount/Dividend Time of Year

I purchased our B.O.B Revolution Stroller with my REI coupon, dividend and family gift card. I ordered it online and had it sent to the store. We went tonight to REI to simply pick up our already made purchases. For anyone unaware of the B.O.B. it is a "must have" stroller for the active parents. In Denver you can go to any park, walk in the neighborhood or bike path and see B.O.B.s everywhere. 

With David's member coupon and dividend we purchased our child carrier for hiking. The must have Ergo, all of our parent/friends tell us about.

The last outdoor child gear purchase we have been contemplating is the Chariot Cougar 2 (fits 1 or 2 children). To preference this purchase, about once a week in the summer we ride bikes with our friends Keri, Dan and their son Oli to go on fun bike rides, dinner and a beer or two, or Jazz in the Park utilizing their Chariot to pull Oliver. I have been looking for the best deal on a Chariot for some time. This is a fancy multi-purpose child carrier/buggy; attach it to your bike,  put skis on the bottom of it and snow shoe or cross country ski with it harnessed to your body, it can be pushed as a stroller and finally as a jogger. It is also an investment. I have been watching Craigslist for the best deal out there, to buy used (they hold their value). While in REI this evening we strolled by the Chariot section and the lovely REI lady came by to help. We discovered of the 20% off member coupons REI gives throughout the year, this is the only time of year you can use the coupon on the Chariot (excluded otherwise). We explained we had already used our coupons and she went onto say that we could get our unborn child a lifetime membership today while in utero and consequently 20% off the Chariot. I quickly concluded this was the best option for us and in time for our Charlie's arrival and spring/summertime fun.

Hopefully Charlie will join us sooner rather than later to enjoy his new toys. Next year at this time Charlie will get his REI dividend in the mail along with his 20% coupon, just in time for his 1 year birthday :)

David and I might have a problem with outdoor gear purchases. Thank you for reading my post on child outdoor gear/justification of the money we just spent at REI.

As for me I am due on Saturday. About 5% of people actually deliver on their due date so I am planning on seeing the day come and go while still being pregnant as I see many 1st time mothers do. I will be pleasantly surprised if I deliver before then. I was sick last week with an Upper Respiratory Infection and concluded that term pregnant women should not be allowed to get sick. I have recovered, thankfully. I have 2 shifts left working then start my maternity leave on my due date. I have been excited that I will have April, May and June to spend with Charlie. Hopefully we can try out some of our new gear during that time :)

A Post From A Dad-To-Be

Things are about to get real. Really real. Amy is 38 weeks tomorrow and if science had invented a baby-thermometer, right now it would be reading DONE. This is very exciting news and Amy and I are both really excited about how close we are to meeting our little guy. However, being the husband of a midwife, I am aware of the many things that could go wrong with a delivery, as well as all the things that can go right. If I had a birth plan it would have two bullet points: healthy mom, healthy baby. I feel like I'm back in college (oh, wait, I'm technically still in "college") cramming before a big test, reading through a stack of delivery and newborn baby books. I've watched numerous "birth videos" on YouTube, so I feel I'm adequately prepared for what to expect when Charlie is born. I definitely don't think I will feel like I am totally prepared when the time comes, but my goal is not to feel like a deer caught in headlights.

As a first-time father, I've definitely gone through different stages of emotions throughout Amy's pregnancy. I was initially hesitant about this whole parenthood thing. However, I knew how much Amy wanted a baby and I knew that I wanted a family, I just didn't know what was the right time. However, I now believe that there is never a right time for big life events, and sometimes you just have to have faith that you'll be up to the challenges as they come. Throughout the pregnancy, I feel like my mindset has slowly changed from self-focus to that of a Dad. Lately I have had this mantra of 'this will be the last time I  __________', focusing on what I will no longer being able to do once we have a newborn. I think this is easy to do, because some of the changes that come with a new child are much more tangible. However, I have slowly realized that some of the most rewarding parts of parenthood seem abstract to me, and thus hard to balance with the things that I've focused on what I will be 'giving up'. Amy has been really supportive through my own acclimation to parenthood and I'm grateful for that. I feel fortunate that Amy and I have such a wonderful and supportive group of friends in Denver, who are great examples of how to keep an active life with a newborn. I plan to be the Dad at the local brewpub wearing my child swaddled in a Moby wrap.

As for Amy, she's doing great! She has had no trouble sleeping and has been able to exercise without any trouble. We actually went on a 5 mile hike outside of Breckenridge (in the snow) and were passing people who were going too slow! She is counting down her shifts at work and is looking forward to her maternity leave and all the time she will be able to spend with Charlie. Amy has almost run out of nesting activities, as all the newborn clothes are washed (and sorted), nursery is all put together, and we will be putting in the base for the car seat today. Yesterday we practiced putting on newborn cloth diapers and swaddling. On a stuffed Moose.

As for Mabel, we both feel like she aware change is on the horizon. She seems to be more down when we leave and seems more excited every time we come home. She is also been suspicious whenever she walks into the nursery. Especially with all the stuffed animals that are off limits. We think she will be a great big sister for Charlie, and undoubtedly be the beneficiary of food thrown down by Charlie in the years to come. We have already had the big talk with her (see below), so I think she will be ready for the new addition to the family.