Week 19: It's a...

Last night James and I went to Anticipation Ultrasound Studio to find out if we were having a boy or a girl! My official ultrasound isn't until December 17th, but we couldn't wait. Our little one wasn't in a very cooperative mood, though. The baby was curled up, yet the little legs were also stretched out and kicking! After about ten minutes, the tech finally said she'd seen enough and asked if we were ready to find out. And then she said "It's a..."

GIRL! 

Starting in April, James is going to be outnumbered in our little family. Of course, he is still planning on taking our little girl hunting. And I plan on enrolling her in ballet classes. She'll be very well rounded ;) 

The entire ultrasound session lasted about 20 minutes, and we left with a video of the entire session, a few printed photos, and a stuffed animal with a recording of our daughter's heartbeat. If you can't wait to find out the gender, I highly recommend using one of those studios. This one had great reviews, extended hours, and was very reasonably priced. Definitely better than waiting until December! We did get a peek at the 4D video, but to be honest, I find those a little creepy! 

After the session we texted and called friends and family, then headed to Babies R Us to register. Even though I've been around babies my whole life, I still found it overwhelming. How are you supposed to choose the right mattress, bottles, car seat, stroller, etc? We registered for a few things, but mostly we wandered around the store and I started to get a really bad headache. So instead of hitting full on panic, we left and went to dinner!

Now that we know we are officially having a little girl (I've thought it was a girl for awhile, and pretty much everyone around us thought it was too!) it's time to get serious about the nursery. I've been planning on keeping things pretty gender neutral (and still want to) but girlie things will definitely be incorporated as well. 

Plus now I can order all the frilly things from thredup! In fact, I'm going to go check that out now. Happy Wednesday!

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...

First Impressions: The Dollar Shave Club

It wasn't exactly planned, but I received my first box from the Dollar Shave Club right as No Shave November began. I've been thinking about trying Dollar Shave Club for months. I think I first heard about it on a podcast, and the idea was intriguing to me. I hate spending money on expensive razors, so this seemed like something I needed to try. (Full disclosure: I was in no way compensated for this! The Dollar Shave Club people have no idea who I am. But I had some people express interest in my opinion of my little experiment, so I thought I'd share my thoughts.)

I remember the first Venus razor I ever had. I was in high school, and it came in a "Cheer Pack". Ok, it may not have been called that. But basically it was a free goodie bag aimed at cheerleaders/dancers/pom squads, and the Venus razor was tucked inside. I think our entire team was hooked after that. I tried a few different kinds over the years, but I always went back to the Venus razor. The first one I had was the original turquoise, but since then I've had a range of colors. My current one is purple. 

Sure, it's a great razor. But the replacement blades are PRICEY. So I don't replace them very often, which pretty much makes the razor no better than any other kind. 

My husband uses some sort of Gillette razor, and his replacement blades are just as pricey. Occasionally I use his old blades to shave my legs, especially when I forget/don't want to buy new blades for my Venus. Which led me to realize that the guy vs girl razor issue is pretty much BS. They are essentially the same thing, except the "girl" razors are pastel and the "boy" razors are stainless steel/orange/blue. 

Enter the Dollar Shave Club. I looked at the options and decided to go with the Executive line. It's the most expensive at $9 a month. (There's also $6/mo and $1/mo plans; the $9 and $6 ship free, the $1 does cost $2 in S&H.) The plan comes with one blade handle, but I added another one for $4 so James and I could both try the product. It arrived less than a week after I ordered in a little box. The box had the two handles, 4 razor blades, and a sample of the shave butter. 

I've tried the razor already, and I really liked it. I mean, it wasn't anything fancy. It's a basic handle and razor blade. But it was easy to use (some razors made it hard to get those tough areas around the ankles) and very effective. I felt it gave me a very close shave; it's been two days and I don't feel like I need to shave again yet. I also just used soap to shave with. I think if I used shaving cream it would be even better!

James hasn't tried it yet, but I'll do a follow-up post when he does to share his thoughts. So far I'm pretty sold on it! 

Have you tried it yet? If not, what are you waiting for?

​Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...

Bump Update: 17 Weeks and a New Plan

Well, I've made it to 17 weeks! I feel like I've popped now. My bump still isn't massive but it's clearly visible. The picture below is from Friday, and I swear I'm bigger since then. I don't think I've felt the baby move yet. Recently I feel like maybe I feel something, but it hasn't been enough for me to really know. If that makes any sense at all!

We were supposed to find out the sex of the baby next week, but that's not going to happen now because I'm switching healthcare providers. I've been seeing a wonderful nurse midwife at a hospital downtown and I've loved the experience and care there. However, as I've done research on insurance plans and co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses I've come to realize that this baby was going to be expensive to have there. Especially since my current insurance plan is being discontinued and all the new plans are more expensive with worse coverage! A friend pointed out that since my blond haired blue eyed husband is a card carrying member of a Native American tribe that I could have the baby at the same hospital she had her baby at - for free. 

So I did some research. And it is very hard to find any information like this online! I ended up having to call the hospital/clinic directly to get my questions answered, and I discovered that yes, I can go to their hospital.

So how does that work? Because if you grew up in a town with a Native American hospital like me, you know that unless you have your CDIB card (which proves you are a member of a tribe) you can't go to that hospital. But apparently if you are carrying a baby that will also be a card carrying member of the tribe, then the hospital welcomes you in (up to 6 weeks post-natal).

I had my first appointment at that hospital earlier this week. I had to bring a copy of my husband's drivers license, his CDIB card, his Social Security card, my Social Security card, my driver's license, our marriage license, and proof that I was actually pregnant (a letter from a non-native doctor). The paperwork took quite awhile, but it's all settled now. It's a bit of a drive to the hospital (2 hours), but I'll take that and the cost of gas instead of the exorbitant cost of my other option! Plus the hospital is in my hometown, so I can always stay with my parents if necessary. And I know several people who work there and have had their babies there, and I've only heard good things. So it seems like a win-win!

I'm going back for my official appointment next week. That's when I'll find out when my next ultrasound will be, likely in December. No matter what, we should find out if we are having a boy or girl before Christmas! I feel like it's a girl, but then all my dreams lately have been that it is a boy. So I really have no idea. Any guesses?

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...