blkladylaw

Thanks all...we are so excited! I'm so ready now to be a mom. I am glad I travelled overseas and partied and did so many of the crazy things I wanted to do in life beforehand. I am so much more settled now and in a place to give this child so much more from my life experience and financial stability. My husband is 4-5 years younger but he is in a place where he is ready also. I found a typo below...I meant mom did not think we should try for #2 since I am 38 now

I am happy to say we are awaiting the birth of our first little one...a boy any day now. I am 38 and the pregnancy has gone smooth, with no complications, we got pregnant quickly, baby is doing great is healthy, and planning a natural no meds birth with a midwife! As I live in a city that attracts a lot of highly educated/professional women who did lots of years of school and career first before marriage and kids...my midwife (and the OB I saw prior to her) said the majority of their clients in the DC area are over 35 so it is so not abnormal around here...but more the norm to be 35-45. My mom found it to be and seems to think we should try for #2 but she lives in the midwest where folks just start way earlier. I have been checked by a perinatal specialist (high risk) throughout the pregnancy just in case...and frankly I was surprised by how many younger women were coming in with high blood pressure (preeclampsia) and gestational diabetes and other problems with their pregnancys...being late 30s really isn't the main factor with being high risk anymore. In fact my midwife showed me studies where the Obstetrics community is planning to reevaluate their (over 35 being high risk) guidelines soon and push the date up to over 40 or so because the last studies for the rates of problems and abnormalties are so outdated and there have been newer studies in recent years with more valid results and many more moms are over 35 and doing just fine with no abnormalties. Those old charts everyone goes by for increased risk of this and that at X or Y age are going to be updated in the near future. Actually a factor many do not talk about as they focus on the mother is the father...the age and genetics of the father also has to be taken into account with increased abnormality rates as some research has recently discovered. Best wishes to all!

Quote: Originally Posted by blkladylaw For our Sept 2008 wedding at Lake Las Vegas Resort we have booked at the new Trump hotel which is near the Fashion Mall and across from the Wynn from what I understand. It just opened in March so I have no idea what it is like. I believe it is an all suite hotel...rooms all have kitchenettes and the best thing that I liked is that there is no casino on site and it is a non-smoking hotel. During prior stays at other Vegas hotels the smoke fumes that hit you as soon as you hit the main areas is nauseating. For my wedding night and the few days we will be there before we leave for the Hawaii honeymoon I prefer not to be in a hotel crowded with gamblers. I figure we can easily walk to plenty of nearby hotel casinos if we desire. Update on the Trump...since wedding is now long over and I've actually stayed there We got the Trump for a steal as I booked about when they first started taking bookings and had major discounts as it is a new hotel. If you can get a good deal the place was amazing! It was right by the Fashion Mall and across from the Wynn. We checked in after our wedding reception coming back from Lake Las Vegas still in our wedding gear...and they upgraded us to a luxury penthouse suite. It was amazing! It was so awesome we had to invite friends over the next night for some drinks to share the space. We had a kitchen, living room, amazing views overlooking the Strip, the gigantic luxury bathroom was off the hook! My hubby is 6'5 and I am 6' and we both could fit in the gigantic jacuzzi tub. They also had a gigantic shower with multiple showerheads...(where we consummated the marriage ) and an LCD TV in the mirror in the bathroom. I loved the Trump and would definitely stay there again. We liked that there was no casino there...so not overcrowded lobby...just hotel guests and their guests. When we did want to gamble...we linked up with guests across the street at the Wynn. Having the Fashion Mall next door was nice also. I bought some things for the honeymoon that I had forgotten to pack. The Ritz at Lake Las Vegas was amazing also. They also upgraded us to a more luxurious suite.

Hey ladies! Best wishes to all the new brides with your planning! We are now 9 weeks pregnant! I have nothing in damask or fuchsia left. I only have earrings I decided not to wear, veils, real touch gardenia, bubble wands, flower basket, some bells etc. left. See all my leftovers on my Bonanzle.com booth located here. congrats on your wedding CancunBride!

We just married in Sept. and started trying in January. Jan was a no go but thusfar this month it looks like we scored. We tried on my high peak day right after ovulation per the ClearBlue easy monitor and thusfar per most of the home tests I have taken it looks like a go. I'm 37 husband is 33 (and smokes unfortunately) and all my friends my age or older can't anymore or have had various GYN issues/surgeries in their 20s and 30s that have made the odds highly impossible or high risk so I have been nervous. I am a lawyer and it is very typical for us to wait until later in life considering how long we go to school. Most of my female colleagues successfully have had multiple kids (some after fertility treatments but most without) btwn 37 and 42 with no issues. I haven't believe all the hype though. Live healthy, avoid chemicals/smoking/caffeine/cooking on old teflon/artificial sweetners/diet coke and anything else toxic in your environment (that goes for both the future mom and dad) and I think most women 35 to early 40s should be just fine.

We just started trying in January. Jan was a no go but Feb I am waiting to find out. I'm 37 and all my friends my age or older can't anymore or have had issues so I have been nervous. We did it on a highest peak day with the lil egg symbol using the Clearblue easy monitor and I have been testing like crazy with anxiety. Well yesterday I took a Clearblue test that is supposed to make a + symbol for a yes and I though I saw a faint vertical line but not quite. Well I looked at it again this morning when I got up before throwing it away and the line looked a lil darker. I showed hubby and he said yeh it does kind of look like a line there. So I started drinking water like crazy to create more urine lol and took a digital First Response test just now and it says Yes +!!! I am still not sure yet though. Yesterday at work I thought I was starting my period because I saw a lil brownness but then woke up this morning and there is nothing going on down there. I can't wait til I know for certain...the waiting is driving me nuts!

14 ZEN CANDLE SETS CENTERPIECES Lot of 14 sets, including rich jewel tone candleholders and rocks! Tiny points of candlelight cast a rich rainbow of harmonious hues, flickering from within the hearts of five radiant jewel-toned cups. Scatter a colorful handful of polished river rocks upon the handsome wood tray; add the gleaming candles to create an instant Zen-like aura of tranquil reflection! Wood tray with glass cups. River rock and tealight candles included. 17" x 3" x 5 1/4" high. Would make a great centerpiece. You can take them all for $100 or I can also sell for $8/each. I have them listed for sale on my booth at Bonanzle.com here 14 ZEN CANDLE SETS CENTERPIECES ($8 each or $100 for all) - Fort Washington - Bonanzle Thank you to AwesomeBride for buying the first 6. These 14 are left and then I'll be rid of these big boxes and there will be space in my living room again!

....also white tulle rolls and Michael Miller Dandy Damask fabric/unfinished table runners. Sold most everything now but still have a few leftovers. See all my leftovers on my Bonanzle.com booth located here HauteLegalDiva - HauteLegalDiva's Bonanzle booth - Fort Washington Thanks to the ladies who bought some of the earlier items and best wishes to everyone on your upcoming weddings!

I wasn't going to do one and then a couple weeks before the caterer sent me the table set up and I decided to plot a chart out using theknot.com tool to plan each table I definitely wanted immediate family together at 1 table near our own sweetheart table. It was kind of fun determining which friends would best mesh and have things in common. I put similar couples together and mixed up my friends so they had someone at the table they knew and also some of his friends that they did not know so our friends could get to know each other better. I also tried to place single with some folks I thought they'd find interesting and tried to match age groups so there wouldn't be an older relative at a table with a bunch of 30 year olds. I've been at weddings like this ...being the only young and single person sat at a table full off older relatives and their spouses...horrible evening. My matching did work out well for the most part....everyone enjoyed who they were seated with though a few guests did reseat themselves elsewhere using some empty spots from people that didn't show up. I had a single guy seated with some single women and then he brought a date (only RSVP'd for himself) and I noticed he had moved to a table where there were 2 seats because another couple had not shown up. I just had a number on each table and my cousin had a list of names and where they were seated and just told them as they entered the yacht. I didn't make placecards and all that...totally unnecessary for a 60 or less group. Looking back I could have just had an immediate family table and let everyone just sit where they wanted....I doubt it would have mattered much but I think my 'assignments' let to some new connections amongst our friends especially those that had things in common and may not have chatted much if I hadn't placed them at the same table...everyone would have just gravitated to sit with who they already knew. I'm glad I did have a seating plan. The biggest pain for me in the process was trying to plan seating when I did not have final confirmations of attendance for many people. Quote: Originally Posted by JamaicaBride2009 FI and I are hoping to get buy without assigned seating at the reception. We are having approximately 60 guests, so we figured it was one less thing to deal with... after all, we went with a destination wedding so it would be easy. I do like the idea of having a table reserved for parents though. We might consider that!

Quote: Originally Posted by hayley Are the petals still left? I am interested in buying them if they are still left.. yes all petals are left...send me a PM and lets talk!

yes they are still available you can PM me an email address and I can send a paypal invoice or if you don't have paypal we can work out something else

oh i also would skip buying the disposable cameras to have on each table at the reception; most guests bring their own digital camera and email you the pics or upload them to a site and the quality of the pictures on these cameras was poor (or maybe I just got a bad batch or maybe it was because we were indoors and the lighting was dark and people didn't use the flash button)...but this is one thing I would NOT do again

Quote: Originally Posted by Kla.Kari Yes, this is extremely helpful. There are definitely some things I will not be doing now that I have seen what headaches they have caused (like everyone getting dressed together -- oh my)! oh my gosh this was a nightmare! I thought it would be special to have us all together but it was the most stress I had of the whole experience. Maybe if they had already arrived ready to go or came to the site earlier to get ready it would have been better. I assumed they were coming dressed. Now that I have seen my photos I wish I had had more time to do more with my eye makeup and used some concealer in lieu of dealing with family right beforehand but oh well. Yes I would NOT recommend this...I would have preferred the quiet peace and solitude of being by myself absorbing the major step I was about to take.

it was difficult using a lot of cash reserves and adding more debt for the wedding this year; it is scary to think about the fact that one of us could get laid off and then need that money in addition my fully paid off car died right before the wedding so I had to buy another car and have a car note that I was not expecting to have I'm glad we went ahead with it all though Actually it was probably for the best that the economy is the way it is because we ended up with just our core close family and friends and not a bunch of extraneous people who in the end cancelled due to financial concerns mostly. Neither of our families are well off people at all (and we are paying all our own costs) so I know it was difficult for many of them to attend...I even had one girlfriend get laid off two weeks before the wedding (she came anyway using frequent flyer miles for her ticket and stayed with a family friend who lived in Nevada). My guests were very resourceful in saving money on their travel. We had a few guests sign up to do go to timeshare sales pitches and got their rooms for free. We had friends who had timeshares in other places get their week transferred to Vegas for the week of the wedding and shared space with other friends who let them crash in the room. People who may have normally wanted their own rooms/beds shared rooms/beds. If you give people enough notice they should be able to work out similar ways to save money. You may consider picking a less expensive location to travel to...I know for me Lake Las Vegas, Nevada was an affordable place for most people to get to which is why I chose it though we had toyed with Hawaii. I got my palm trees, beautiful scenery, mountains, water and an intimate get away ...which was everything that I had dreamed of in having a destination wedding on an island someplace else. I was even looking at resorts near the Chesapeake Bay in my own state at first or other "local destinations" that were a short drive away. There are ways to have a "destination" without it being very far away on the usual islands/countries. In these times we all will have to cut back on non-necessities to get the things we need or that are very important to us. In saving for the wedding for several months I stopped unnecessary shopping, skipped hair/nails visits, stopped eating out and brought my lunch, sold junk I have around the house and don't use on ebay, use public transit and save on gas, etc etc. Many guests can come up with airfare by doing the same. I feel if it is important enough we all have luxuries/habits/things in our daily lives that we can cut back on to save money for something more important to us.

I also have these bachelorette party dice. My friends gave them to me afterwards. The had fun humiliating me having me wander around a club doing whatever the dice landed on. I also have the Modern Bride and some Bride magazines from the last few months. I can throw any of these in the box for free with any purchase if anyone wants them.