I bought the dress. I got it for $50, but I am feeling guilty about buying it.

Well, not guilty enough to not be looking at jewelry, but guilty.

I have shoes, though! I don't need shoes!

These are the shoes I have. [link]

I don't know why it says pink, I've never found them to be pink. But I've never worn them so I'm excited.

You are going to look gorgeous in that dress, Aims, and the shoes are great too. Is this for the reunion or another event?

Does anyone have recommendations on good pregnancy books, blogs, websites, etc? No, I'm not pregnant, but things are headed in that direction.

It's for the reunion. And any other other fancy thing I can go to. I love fancy things.

It's for the reunion. And any other other fancy thing I can go to. I love fancy things.

Me too! Which remind me I need to get my dress altered for the wedding I'm going to next month and figure out if I have something to wear to the rehearsal dinner.

No one should feel guilty about spending $50 on a dress, Aimee. Plus it's so purty.

sj, I found that most pregnancy books were pretty ideological. We had one good one that was just about what parts of the baby were developing at what time but I can't recall what that one was called. Much as I hated it, I tended to consult What to Expect most often because it was so easy to use, but I also rolled my eyes a lot.

One book I loved was Happiest Baby on the Block because it gave actual useful advice on how to soothe and calm a newborn. Plus it was written by the doctor who gave Franny her first exam.

sj, I found that most pregnancy books were pretty ideological. We had one good one that was just about what parts of the baby were developing at what time but I can't recall what that one was called. Much as I hated it, I tended to consult What to Expect most often because it was so easy to use, but I also rolled my eyes a lot.

Thanks. What about blogs websites, etc? Especially what to eat and not to eat? I'm going to try to adjust my eating habits starting now.

One book I loved was Happiest Baby on the Block because it gave actual useful advice on how to soothe and calm a newborn. Plus it was written by the doctor who gave Franny her first exam.

I just bought that book for my cousin from her registry. Nice to know it is a good one.

I think I only ever used What to Expect when I was pregnant the first time, for the same reasons Burrell mentions (and also, wow, that was pre-internet for us), but I love and wholeheartedly recommend Your Baby and Child by Penelope Leach when it comes to baby care. Sensible and straightforward and wonderful.

wholeheartedly recommend Your Baby and Child by Penelope Leach when it comes to baby care

Oh yeah, that's a good one too. I second Amy's rec.

What to eat also turns out to be a bit ideological, which means you have more wiggle room than you think. Like here in the States we caution against rare and raw meat including fish while the Japanese continue to eat sushi while pregnant, and in France they worry about raw vegetables. I think if you just eat healthy foods mostly and take a good prenatal supplement you're fine. Be sure to get your folate up now, before you get pregnant.

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn is a pretty standard book - more modern, IMO, than What To Expect. [link]