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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Equal.

By now you've probably seen those red and pink equal sign pictures on Facebook, and have figured out what they stand for. Marriage equality. If you're viewing this post through my Facebook, then you'll have noticed that I'm sporting it as well.


I don't use my Facebook for anything really deep or personal. Mainly cute baby pictures, stalking keeping up with people, and random posts. I feel like everyone has beliefs, and reasons for those beliefs. I didn't set up a Facebook account to try to change people's political or religious views.

But who knew a tiny picture could cause my newsfeed to blow up.
Well, I'm actually not that surprised.
I'm friends with some pretty passionate people.

That said, it did cause me to click the old "unfriend" button a couple of times for people who were being ugly. As entitled as you are to your opinion, you should also be respectful of others. No matter what side you stand for.

My opinion is that love is love. No matter how you look at it, it is what it is. You can't deny it. Any of you who have been in love can attest to that. And the beautiful thing about love is that it doesn't hurt anyone. You can argue with me that God intended for marriage to be between a man and a woman, and you may very well be right. But I don't feel (in my heart) that God would want us to deny people something that made them happy, if it didn't hurt anyone else. And on top of that, I don't feel like it's any of our places (nor the government's) to tell someone what they can and can't do in regards to love. Denying people marriage equality won't make them stop loving each other. What are we gaining by taking that away from them? 
Nothing.
But what are they losing?
What if it were you?

You can say "Well it's not me, I'm not gay."
What if you were?
Or your child?
Or someone you loved?
Would you want everyone to tell you no?
Would you wish that on your child?
Would you want the world rallying against your loved one?

I'm not trying to change people's opinions. I'm merely expressing my own. What I don't appreciate is rude people who use these situations to question other people's Christianity. My belief doesn't make me me any less of a Christian, and yours doesn't make you any more of one. Vice-versa. The amazing thing is that only you and God know what is in your heart. So who are we to judge?
And for those of you who like to argue and say,
"But it's a sin!"
The Bible tells us that no sin is greater than another.
I hope your glass house is shatter-proof.

"Love knows no limits"

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Rodeo

Last weekend was the big "Holy crap I'm going to leave my baby for the first time" weekend.
Needless to say, we all survived.

Cody left for Florida about 7 am Thursday morning, a day ahead of me. I just couldn't bring myself to stay away from Cade for 3 nights. My flight left at 6am Friday, getting me to Orlando at 8:35. Hooray for short trips! I was paranoid that Cade would decide to be up all night, or at least at 3am when I was trying to get all my shit together, so my mom stayed the night. Of course he woke up at 1:15 and didn't go back to sleep until 2:45 so I got a grand total of 2 hours of sleep. Oh well. My plan was get a nap in on the plane, but I was sandwiched between a woman who kept talking loudly about how the two kids behind us were talking loudly, and a man who flung his hands in the air every time there was a bump.
No nap for me :(

He didn't wake up for pictures at 4am.
The rodeo was Saturday, and it went pretty well. Cody's team got 100 points in all 5 of their events, but unfortunately their times weren't good enough to win a trophy. We won't even get into how 3 of the top 5 teams did things to get deductions and the judges let them slide. Especially since the team who won first place was from the company hosting the whole event, and a judge totally looked the other way when he dropped his hard hat on the ground and had to put it back on when they finished. 
Soap-box over.



We did have a good time overall. It was nice to have a whole weekend of adult conversation =) but I missed my sweet baby! Cody kept saying, "Ok the rodeo is over, I'm ready to go see Cade now." I'm pretty sure we didn't put him down until bedtime Sunday night. We're definitely looking forward to the next rodeo. It's in June in Memphis, and hopefully little Cade will be in attendance.

We missed each other =)

In other news...


Cade is finally smiling!! It's so cute when his eyes light up and you know it's coming. He's definitely not smiling on demand, he likes to make you work for it!

I'm looking forward to putting together Cade's Easter basket this week (of course pictures will follow). He's finally going to meet Uncle Caleb Friday :) and then Sunday will be his first church service. Busy busy week ahead!


Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Storms

I freaking hate storms.
(I mean really)

And if you live in Middle Tennessee you know that Monday morning we were under tornado warnings. I found myself calling my husband in Nashville and saying "What do I do?"
"What do you mean?" he said.
"I have a baby now!"

Never before had I really found the need to shove myself in the back of our walk-in closet behind Cody's sweatshirt section...until then. 
Clearly I have no sense of self-preservation.
So I wrapped up Cade (who was napping) in his fluffy owl blanket, grabbed his pacifier (??), a towel, my phone, and iPad and we crammed ourselves in the corner. I could hear wind and the power was flickering. I couldn't get the radar to load on my iPad. I called Cody and said "Call me when it's over."
As I sat there surrounded by hoodies, sitting indian-style with Cade in my lap wrapped in a blanket, I thought, "So this is motherhood."
"So we're napping in the closet today? I can do that."

Because right at that moment I was a bundle of nerves. I said about 30 Hail Mary's (a habit in moments of crisis) and watched him. I knew I'd do whatever I had to to keep him safe. Don't get me wrong, the first time I saw him I couldn't imagine loving anything like I love Cade. But this was the first time I'd been scared for him. Not for myself. Just for him.
Cody called after about 10 minutes of our closet hideout and said it had passed our town. I asked him 3 times if he was sure before abandoning our post and checking out the news myself. Of course the storm was over for us. I'm quite sure this post sounds way more dramatic than it really was, and all we experienced was some bad wind. But in the moment, I was in panic-mode.
Of course, right before we came out of the closet, I heard a howling. Not wind howling. Cat howling.
Shit.
I forgot to snatch Chloe off the end of our bed and bring her into the closet with us.
She had decided 10 minutes of being locked out (because that's how she sees it) was enough and she was pissed. 
Next time I'll grab both my children.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Smile Baby!

This is not a post about how Cade has finally smiled, because he hasn't. Not on purpose anyway. He has many gas smiles, dream smiles, and smiles that turn into grimaces or grunts. 
So I'm patiently waiting...
He's very serious, and probably thinks I am insane while I sing to him, make faces, blow on his belly, and basically act a fool. But I appreciate the fact that he watches me with extreme interest while I do all these things, as well as dance around the living room to Luke Bryan's "Cold Beer Drinker" while I clean the house. He's such a good baby :)


Other things making me smile right now (since Cade refuses to do so):

Sunshine in Tennessee (finally) and the fact that next weekend I will be in 80 degree weather for 2.5 days. I will miss my sweet boy though :(

Finding things that prove I'm not alone in my thoughts...

Finally meeting Caitlin's sweet Lexi Brooke! Cade and Lexi had their first date (supervised, of course) and she is a doll! Can't wait until these two get a little older start babbling to each other.

My sweet friends who get their phones blown up because I'm sometimes stir crazy but just can't leave the house. You know who you are!

DVR.
Do you know how hard it is to keep up with all your shows when they come on at baby's bedtime?!

Being back in the gym. Ok, that's another love-hate relationship... but I do feel better!

Finding new places to shop online :)
Through blogging and Instagram I've found some really cute online stores. I have a shopping...fetish. But I do like to support small businesses!
P.S. I Adore You is an online shop that features deals every day from different vendors. Super cute stuff at discount prices, and part of their proceeds go to support childhood cancer.
Hello Apparel has cute clothes! I found them through P.S. I Adore You, and this shirt will probably be mine soon. Hello Apparel is part of a website called HelloMerch which features lots of little shops all in one place!
LittleHipSqueaks has truly adorable blankets, leggings, hats, and headbands for your little one :) Love their modern prints!
BrickYard Buffalo is similar to P.S. I Adore You, offering daily deals on goods from multiple vendors.
ShopReminiscence on ETSY is where I ordered Cade's First Year Memory Book from. It's not like regular baby books with pre-made pages where you fill in the blanks. These are actual notebooks she makes, divided by months. Perfect for the writer like me who just wants to jot notes down. I've loved his baby journal, and it's really cute too :) These make good gifts people!

Easter is almost here! I broke down and bought Cade's Easter basket last weekend and it came in the mail yesterday. All his goodies are ready to be packed inside :) My husband said "What are you going to do, make up his basket and then open it yourself?"
Yes. That's exactly what I'm going to do.

My husband.
I'm not going to get all mushy, don't worry.
But he is awesome. And last weekend he took Cade for the day so I could go shopping for some new clothes (since all I've worn for the last 9 months are maternity clothes). He just loves spending time with Cade, which makes me happy. I'm soaking up time with Cade while I can because I know those two will soon be inseparable.

Pictures of the Easter basket coming as soon as I get it put together!

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Hello Spring.

Not that Tennessee has had a brutal winter or anything, but this weekend warm weather made it's appearance and it was more than welcome. Allergies, not welcome. But the weather definitely was! I'm a cold-weather person for sure, but after being pregnant through the winter I'm ready for a change in climate. Plus Cade has lots of cute spring clothes to wear :)

It was that first warm weekend that makes you open your windows and makes you say "Ah! I need to spring clean my house go shopping for new clothes!"
Seriously, I do need to spring clean. But since I cleaned out my closet last week and got rid of 3 trash bags of clothes, I did go shopping first.
I'm loving all the neon colors, and pretty much everything Gap/J.Crew is selling right now (for me and Cade). 
It's starting to get more fun shopping for him because he's finally outgrowing his newborn clothes. Lots of boys clothes are covered with sayings and/or animals, but I have found some really cute things that look like little men's clothing. I'm a sucker. Shopping for myself is a different story. Since I'm still trying to lose baby weight, I'm not buying a ton of new stuff. I'm also trying not to get stuck in a color rut, but everything I bought was navy, white, mint green, lavender, and hot pink. Including (but not limited to):

Spring for Mom and Baby
J.Crew Factory, Old Navy, Gap

I also bought new running shoes...because what is better motivation to work out (other than losing weight) than cute new shoes??
They look gray, but they're lavender and neon yellow :)

I've been back in the gym trying to lose these last 10 pounds...and thankfully three of them have already disappeared. (Insert iPhone fist-bump emoji here)

I really am going to spring clean my house this week sometime soon. 
Promise.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Leaving...on a jet plane.


I've been kind of perplexed by "mommy guilt" which started when I couldn't nurse Cade, and decided to stop pumping and switch him to formula. Don't worry, we aren't going to talk about that again. But like I said, Google is not your friend. Neither is Pinterest. Or most blogs for that matter.

Last week I made a decision. I decided to purchase a plane ticket and go with my husband to Florida in 2 weeks. Without Cade.
Wipe the horror off your face =)

My husband is a Lineman (not to be confused with a linebacker...which I randomly get asked). He works for Nashville Electric Service and competes in Lineman Rodeos every year. They are competitions based around pole-climbing and work scenarios. Sounds boring, but they're so fun! We go for long weekends, which are nice little mini-vacations. Cody started competing when he was an apprentice the summer before we got married, 4 years ago. I've never missed a rodeo. So last year I was pumped when they announced the national rodeo would be in Florida this year. 3 days of summer weather in March? I was already packing my bags.



In June, we found out I was pregnant. I told Cody at that point to count me out. I was sad, but I just knew I wouldn't be able to leave my 7-8 week old baby at home. How did I know that? Because everyone told me so!
I didn't think much about the rodeo after that until sometime in December, when he started talking about it again. Cody never made me feel guilty about my decision, but would make random comments about how I'd never missed one, how he wished I was going, and how it wouldn't be the same without me there. But that he understood why I couldn't go. We talked about it off and on, and I never budged. Cade came a week early, and when Cody went back to work after being home with us for 2 weeks, he started rodeo practice. 
This is when I started wondering...
Could I go?
I mean, not am I physically able.
But could I leave Cade?
Because I really wanted to go. Not because they're so much fun or because I get to have a mini-vacation. I felt guilty because I've never missed one. It's important to Cody. These rodeos are something he looks forward to every year.
Who will take pictures?!
(Just Kidding. I'm sure that's the furthest thing from his mind.)
I still just knew I wouldn't be able to leave Cade.
Because people told me so.

Then I found myself looking up flights. And the hotel information. And at the rodeo agenda.
Then feeling guilty for considering leaving Cade.

So I prayed about it. I talked to Cody about it. I talked to our parents about it.
Then I decided to go.
Because as much as I am Cade's mom, I am also Cody's wife. His wife who has never missed a rodeo. And he would never make me feel bad for not going, but I know it means a lot to him. So I need to be there.

Last weekend Cade stayed with Cody's parents for the first time. He was 4 weeks old and he did absolutely fine (and so did I). Not only that, but we had a nice date and went to bed at 8:30! This weekend he will stay with my parents for the first time. Trial runs for when I'm in Florida (I'll be gone 2 nights, so the grandparents are splitting baby duty).
I know I'll miss him and I'll be ready to come home on Sunday and see him.
I also know that he will be in good hands and he'll be just fine.

Now you're probably saying, "What's your point in all this?!"

Well...
I struggled with this decision. I felt in my heart like I should be in Florida with my husband, supporting him. I knew Cade would be fine here with our parents and if anything happened they would call me in a heartbeat. They obviously know what they're doing...we turned out ok!
I think I struggled so much because of the expectation of what I should do. I had listened to so many people tell me I wouldn't be able to leave him, so I assumed that was true. But I didn't feel anxious or upset about him spending the night somewhere else. And then when I felt a little ok with leaving him, I felt guilty. What was wrong with me?

Then I realized, this is how Cody and I are. We are on-the-go people. We don't sit at home much, we like to keep busy. Mostly doing our own things, but we do a lot of stuff together too. So why would that change after a baby? Obviously a kid changes everything, but Cade won't change our personalities and who we are. We will be molding him instead. And as soon as he is big enough, we will pack him along everywhere we go. I'm pretty sure Cody is already planning hunting trips.
I should have realized all of this when we took him out to the park 2 days after being discharged from the hospital. We've been out and about ever since.
I'm not saying anything against people who aren't ready for their little ones to be away from them for a weekend, or even a night. I just realized that I shouldn't feel guilty for my own decisions. Parenting is unique to every person, and I'm starting to appreciate that more and more.

Monday, March 4, 2013

{1 Month}

I can't believe my little booger is 1 month old!
I keep looking at him thinking, "Is this the same kid?!"
He's growing so fast, it seems like over the last week he's doubled in size!






Notice the 2 week picture is sideways? Blogspot would not rotate it. Arg. I've tried everything.
You can see Cade likes to lay back and relax =)

Cade is still awesome (well duh), and he definitely keeps us on our toes. He's goes from sleeping to starving in 5 seconds flat in the middle of the night, and you don't stand a chance of getting a bottle in his mouth before he has a meltdown. Hence the reason I was creeping in WalMart at 9:00 last night, because he decided he didn't like the formula we bought. Picky picky. 

Here are some things that we've loved in our 1st month...some are literally lifesavers!

Fisher Price Snugabunny Bouncer: Lifesaver! This bouncer is awesome! It's soft and snuggly, perfect for newborns. It plays lullabies, outdoor sounds (birds and frogs), and vibrates. Cade naps in this during the day...he seems pretty smitten with it! Chloe thinks the birds hanging from it are cat toys...

Chicco Lullaby Magic Play Yard: I went back and forth on which play yard to buy and registered for 2 different ones. I originally picked a Graco with a changer and bassinet, where this one only has a changer. I'm so glad we chose the Chicco instead. The play yard itself has the largest mattress size, and the changer itself is bigger than the Graco. Cade moves a lot in his sleep, so the bassinet would have probably only worked the first week for him anyway. It also has a mobile in the corner that plays music and white noise. On this mobile is a soft-glow light, which is wonderful. Multiple times a night when Cade fusses we find ourselves crawling to the end of our bed and hitting the night light only to find he's spit a pacifier out. Much easier than turning on the big light and waking him up.

SwaddleMe Swaddle Blankets: One of the best inventions. Ever. Cade will bust out of a swaddle faster than you can explain to your husband what a swaddle is. This nifty little blankets Velcro around baby but leave feet loose so they can kick. Our only issue is when Cade got to about 3 weeks old, he started moving a lot more in his sleep (he will literally do a 180 in the bed) and with his arms wrapped in his swaddle he would sometimes end up totally on his side or rolled over almost completely. We now wrap the swaddle under his armpits, leaving his arms free. This way he stops himself from rolling over.

Aden & Anais Swaddle Blankets: We only use the SwaddleMe blankets at night with Cade. During the day I'm in love with these muslin swaddle blankets. They're thin and stretchy, but large enough you can double them for warmth if you need to. They'll be perfect car seat covers in the summer :)

Carter's Zip Up Sleepers: Ok, you will get tired of animals all over your kids clothes (especially if you have a boy). But we love Carter's zip-up sleepers. They hold up well when washed over and over and they're reasonable priced (you can find them pretty much anywhere). I'm specific about zippers because when you're up in the middle of the night trying to change a diaper, getting your kid in and out of a sleeper that snaps all the way down is like trying to solve a Rubik's cube. After a few nights, husband said whoever put zippers on sleepers was an ______ genius. (I'll let you pick the expletive you think he used.)

Chicco KeyFit 30 car seat and base: Love this car seat so far. It's not a travel system, so if you buy from Babies R Us, you purchase the car seat, base, and stroller separately. Not a big deal for us, and they work together seamlessly. For the baby on the go it's perfect. I have a base, husband has a base, and both sets of grandparents have a base. This makes it super easy to swap vehicles without hassle. The Cortina stroller that coordinates is easy to use as well, and the car seat just snaps right into it until baby is big enough to ride on his own. 
(Downside: the basket in the bottom of the coordinating stroller is small, room for the diaper bag and that's it. Not so great if you have major shopping planned.)

Medela Pump In Style Advance: Ok I said I have a love-hate relationship with this pump. I love the pump, I hated my attachment to it. But it really is a great product. It is more expensive than other brands, so save some gift cards, but it's reviews were so much better. It's the brand most hospitals use. It's an electric double pump, so it's very efficient. You definitely want something that'll get the job done quick! Parts are a little pricey too, but you get what you pay for. I've been using my pump around the clock for going on 5 weeks now and haven't had the first problem.

BabyMel Diaper Bag: This link isn't to my exact bag, because apparently they don't sell it anymore. I'm pretty sure this is the same style though, the material is just different. Mine is an olive green and white print instead of quilted material. Either way, I love it. It looks cute, and it's roomy with lots of pockets inside and out. It also has Velcro tabs on the strap so you can attach it to your stroller handle. Again, a pricey item but you get what you pay for. And you're going to be carrying it everywhere so get yourself something nice!

Hope you enjoyed all our favorites =)
My dilemma now is the Easter basket. Should I go ahead and buy the Pottery Barn Easter basket I've been looking at? And what do you put in a baby's basket? I've got a couple of books and an outfit picked out, but that's it. Filling it with Cadbury eggs that Cade can't eat will not help my "I need to lose these last 10 pounds of baby weight like, yesterday" diet.
I made the mistake of trying on summer clothes this week.
I need to go to the gym.
Blah.

-Rheanne

Saturday, March 2, 2013

{Hospital Bag}


Since I'm officially tired of blogging about breastfeeding, let's visit a happier subject! When I was in the last couple of months of pregnancy, I read tons of blogs and articles on what to take to pack for the hospital. The blogs were by far the most helpful (hello real people!) so I decided to post on the subject as well. 

I am notoriously an over-packer. I'm that person who likes to take 3 changes of clothes for every day I'm gone, plus pajamas. So when it came to packing my hospital bag I automatically found myself thinking of a gazillion things to take with me. After reading info online, I narrowed it down to what I considered necessities (which was still too much) and typed out a list. I typed a list for a reason. As it got closer to my due date and I added things to my bag, I crossed them off the list. This list stayed on top of the bag in the nursery. It worked out exactly how I wanted it to, because my water broke in the middle of the night and I was super sleepy. I was able to grab the list and see what needed to be added to the bag at the last minute before we walked out the door. This was also a back-up for my husband in case we had some crazy labor scenario and he had to meet me with the bag somewhere. Then he would know what to pack as well. What can I say...I like to be prepared.

Mommy Bag

Pajamas: After you deliver that sweet baby, you won't be feeling so hot. What will make you feel better is changing out of that sweet open back, 4 sizes too big hospital gown and into something you own. I recommend a pair of pajama pants, yoga pants (for during the day when you have visitors), and maybe a nightgown. If you plan on nursing or attempting to nurse, get at least one nursing tank to wear and a button down nightgown. It just makes life easier.
Going Home Outfit: Unless your Heidi Klum you won't be back in your favorite skinny jeans for the car ride home. Bring something comfy (again with the yoga pants), maternity clothes (I was around my 6 month size when we left), or a loose dress if it's warm outside. Remember there is always a possibility of a c-section, and you don't want clothes that are going to rub your incision. We took a picture before we left but I honestly was so ready to go home I didn't care what I was wearing. You won't be going shopping on the way home, so you don't need to get all dolled-up ;)
Slippers/Flip Flops: I stuck with flip flops because they give you tons of fluids and you will most likely not be any less swollen after you deliver your baby. Slippers may be snug depending on what type you have. Lots of blogs I read said to bring those socks with grippers on the bottom. Let me just say that I work in a hospital and thinking about walking around one in socks freaks me out. Put some shoes on.
Underwear: Obviously. But go buy yourself some that are full coverage and that you won't miss if you have to get rid of them. You'll be bleeding like an extremely heavy period afterwards, and you'll have to wear thick pads. So if you want your own underwear and not those sexy mesh panties the hospital gives you as a prize for making it through labor, I suggest getting some that will work with those pads.
Nursing Bras: And for real, go buy a size bigger. I should have bought 2 sizes bigger apparently, but who knew. Take one for during the day that has some support (no underwire, it's uncomfortable), and then one to sleep in. Target has cute, comfy nursing bras for regular wear and sleep. 
Robe: During the day I wore pajama/yoga pants, nursing tanks, and a robe over the tank. This worked easiest because you're chest will automatically increase in size and wearing a nursing tank and bra alone made me feel...indecent. Especially will all those Sunday afternoon visitors =) Plus the lactation nurse will come in the middle of lunch when you have 12 people in your room and want to teach you how to breastfeed and pump, and the robe is easy on, easy off.
Pillow: Bring your own. Hospital pillows are approximately 2 inches thick. Enough said. (And a good tip, buy a cute pillow case. I bought a lavender one because our sheets on our bed are brown and it would look bland in pictures later. Vain? Maybe. Plus I didn't want to mess up my pillowcase from home).
Toiletries: I never saw any toiletries in my bathroom, although I'm sure there was some shampoo and soap floating around had I asked. But my first shower was so much better with my own stuff. Plus my husband appreciated having shower stuff to use too. Just don't bring anything with a really strong scent, your baby might not like it. Also, make sure you pack some Chapstick. Hospital air is dry anyway, and the mouth breathing while you're pushing will have you wishing you had it. I literally stopped between pushes and had Cody fish mine out of my bag.
Make-up: Even a little will make you feel better the next day. Remember, pictures!
Hair Dryer: I didn't get all fancy and fix my hair, but I did take a blow dryer so it wouldn't be soaking wet when visitors came.
Ponytail Holders/Headbands: For delivery, if it's long like mine was you may want all your hair out of your face. And like I just said, it'll be easier later to just dry your hair and pull it back. You probably won't feel like fixing your hair the next day. I definitely picked the extra sleep over getting ready.


Baby Bag

Oufits: Lots of people suggested multiple cute outfits for the hospital since the baby gets to stay in the room with you. Our hospital put Cade in a onesie and provided a Sleep Sack for him, and that's pretty much what he wore. Newborns sleep pretty much around the clock after they're first born, so he stayed wrapped up. We did bring outfits but he never wore them.  You might want to pack a cute hat/headband for your babe though, because those hospital ones are ugly!
Mittens: Cade came out in serious need of having his fingernails clipped, which we couldn't do until we got home. We kept mittens on him while we were at the hospital so he wouldn't scratch his cute face off.
Socks: I'm sure the nursery would've given us some had we asked, but we brought our own.
Swaddle: Like I said, Baptist provided a Sleep Sack while we were there. If you aren't sure about your hospital, you may want to bring some sort of swaddle blanket with you just in case. Babies (generally) love to be swaddled.
Boppy: Truly a lifesaver. After 15 hours of labor and pushing for 3 of them (on 2 hours of sleep) I was literally too tired to hold Cade in position to really nurse him. The Boppy allowed me to rest him where he needed to be. Not only is it great for nursing, but also for visitors. We had grandparents visit who used to Boppy to help them hold Cade too.
Pacifier: I packed 2 different types. Your hospital will have pacifiers available if you ask, but they're most likely the Avent Soothies. There is nothing wrong with these, but if your kid is like mine, he's picky and only likes a certain type. It took us a couple of tries to figure out which one he'd take.
Going Home Outfit: There will be pictures, so find something cute. I was totally unprepared because at every ultrasound they told me Cade was a big baby, in the 97th percentile in fact. I packed a really cute 0-3 month outfit for the last day. Too bad when we left the hospital he weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces, and  his clothes swallowed him. I had one newborn outfit with us, which was a pair of gray pants and a gray zip jacket that I bought 2 days before I went into labor on a whim. It was still big but wasn't falling off of him, so that's what he wore. By the way, don't bring that sweet gown Aunt whoever had monogrammed for you and try to take your kid home in it. Gown + Car seat = Nurse looking at you like you're a fool. Don't say I didn't warn you.

The hospital will have the other basic supplies you need, including diapers, wipes, blankets, an aspirator, brush, Vaseline (circumcision), and alcohol wipes (umbilical cord). Unless you're just particular about your own brands... you won't need to pack any of that stuff.

Extras

Camera: A necessity. Don't forget a charger/extra batteries and the memory card!
Snacks: We packed trail mix, granola bars, and cookies so we'd have something to much on in between meals. Nice for whoever is staying at the hospital with you and parents who may visit for long periods of time.
Spare change: For the vending machine. The nurses will be more than happy to supply you (the patient) with drinks and snacks, but will probably frown if you ask for a Coke for everyone in the room. Have some change so your hubby can go get himself a drink without making a trek to the cafeteria (which isn't open in the middle of the night).
Chargers: Obviously! You know your phone will be blowing up with calls and texts of people wanting to see that baby!
Car Seat: We put ours in my car the week before I delivered, so it would be there and we'd both know how it went in and came out of the base. You'll have to have the baby in the car seat before you leave so the nurse can check and make sure your he or she is secure. You'll then get walked to the car to make sure you know how to strap that baby in!

Anything you would add??