As I was watching Oprah and playing on my laptop, I looked up from my computer to see a preview for tomorrow’s episode with Jenny McCarthy. I loved reading her book during my first trimester, and I am saddened to hear her son was diagnosed with Autism. Since I have worked in schools and have a degree in Psychology, I am very familiar with Autism, but most people can not truly understand the complexity of Autism. With a celebrity discussing the disorder on Oprah and being so open, Autism may finally get the attention needed to increase research and education about this disorder. Jenny McCarthy has already written a book about her heartbreaking story called Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism.

As the big day approaches, I keep over thinking everything. There are many things we need to get including a stroller. We are getting a Combi car seat from by best friend. All we need now is to decide on the stroller to go with it.

Initially, this seemed like an easy task. With so many items needed, my first choice was the least expensive one. Then, I kept reading about the Combi Urban and City Savvy which are taller than the base model. The height of the stroller seems to be a main complaint I hear from new parents. For about $50 extra, I can add an extra inch to the stroller.

My husband sent me a like to this awesome diaper bag. It is made by Diaper Dude. I registered for one at BabiesRUs, but they don’t carry it in the stories. This is a problem because many people in my family do not feel comfortable ordering things online, and they already told me they would just buy what they can find in stores. I really want one, and I hope someone decided it is cute enough to order.

Most of the diaper bags I found are very girly, and many look like a purse. If you are having a boy or your husband is every going to carry the bag, then the Diaper Dude bags are perfect. They have masculine colors and styling but still functional.

Last Christmas, I bought my mom a pair of Crocs to replace the ones she wore every day to work. She told me how comfy they are and how her doctor recommended them. Even though she kept telling me how great they are, I could not get past how they look. Shoes have always been a way of expressing myself, and these shoes seemed like total conformity.

When I became pregnant, all my shoes started to get very uncomfortable after about an hour of wearing them. I was out shopping with my mom one day, and my feet started to hurt. So, I broke down and bought a pair of Crocs flip-flops. I justified my purchase by saying the flip-flops didn’t look as much like the regular Crocs. I put on the Crocs and continued shopping. I was amazed how quickly my feet actually stopped hurting and aching.

For the past 3 months, I have not put on another pair of shoes for longer than 2 hours for special meetings. I recently got another pair that has the holes in the top, and I also discovered Jibbitz. These special little decorations fit perfectly into the holes on top of any Crocs allowing them to be personalized. I know can wear my comfy Crocs and make them look like my own.

I love to shop. So when I first started having trouble fitting in my clothes, I was excited for the chance to hit the mall. Since I am pregnant with my first child, I did not know much about maternity clothes, and I just assumed that the large department stores, like Macy’s, would be a good place to start. After eating lunch with my husband, I told him I was heading to Macy’s and asked him to meet me in the maternity department when he was done with his errands.

When I got to Macy’s, I walked around the whole store before I asked someone where the maternity department was located. To my surprise, they carried no maternity clothes. There I was waiting for my husband and no place to meet him. I called him, but his cell phone was not working. So, I wandered into customer service and asked if they could page him for me. The lady quickly replied that they only page for lost kids. With tears welling up in my eyes, I ask if it counts that I am “with child” and explained to her what happened. She finally calls a manager to page Scott for me.

After my adventure in Macy’s, I went home and search the net for places to get maternity clothes. I was extremely disappointed to find little more than overpriced specialty shops since most of my shopping consists of me rummaging through sale racks. One day, in a desperate attempt to find something comfortable to wear, I decided to try Old Navy. I was so excited to see sale racks with maternity clothes, and the clothes were not that bad looking either. Some were actually cute.

I bought a dress for $10, a gray shirt with tiers over the belly for $9, and one of the $5 flag shirts for 4th of July. Not only were the items cute, but they fit well, too. And I don’t have to worry about spending a lot of money on clothes I will only wear for a few months. The selection of the clothes in the stores is not huge, but it allows you to figure out what size you will need. Then, you can shop online were they have more items, colors, and sizes to choice from. Also, don’t rule out the “normal” size clothes. They have sizes up to XXXL which have enough room and length for your growing belly.