Baby Bricker is a Girl!
I can’t believe it’s been over three months since we shared that we’re having a baby. Time flies when you’re having fun…or preparing for a seismic shift to your lives? Either way, we’re in the home stretch and some of you have been asking how things are going, wanting to see more photos, etc., so we’re back with a final update on the pregnancy!
Let’s start with the main update, which is that Megatron is a girl! Obviously, this is not new-news to us, but we wanted to keep some details private early on. I wish I could share some fun and interesting anecdote about learning this news, but this was entirely uneventful for us. I suppose you could put on some music (Lion King soundtrack feels right), do a little dance around the room while reading this blog post, and have an impromptu little virtual party.
On the plus side, “entirely uneventful” is good news in its own way when it comes to this sort of thing. It means that we also did not have a party that caused a plane crash, deadly explosion, or wildfire burning down thousands of acres. Megatron will be entering the world without having caused any tragedies, a small parenting win for us right out of the gate!
Although some of what you see on the blog might suggest otherwise, we’re pretty practical people. There’s so much of pregnancy and parenting that we’ve been mulling over for years, and we’ve always been on the same page that we’d want to know our baby’s sex as soon as possible and without any surprises or fanfare. To each their own on that and all things, we’re certainly not knocking those who choose to share their news differently. (After all, we are writing a blog post about it.)
As such, our ‘story’ isn’t so much a story as a sequence of events. Sarah was at home, eagerly awaiting an email from our doctor. The instant this arrived, she called me and read it aloud. I was at Walt Disney World in my natural habitat, eating at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. There were a lot of tears of joy and excitement, and what Sarah was saying didn’t really register at first. I just remember when she said, “we’re having a little girl…we’re having a baby girl!”
Pretty much everything else leading up to and after that is now a complete blur. About the only thing that I do remember was hearing Sonny Eclipse perform “Bright Little Star” sometime afterwards when I was coming back down to earth. That’s always been a special song to us that holds a lot of memories from past trips, but holy cow has it taken on new meaning. So if you see either of us crying in Cosmic Ray’s in the future, now you know why…it’s not (necessarily) due to the food!
Part of our rationale for wanting to know that we’re having a girl was to “properly prepare.” But I’ll be honest with you…I can’t think of much that we’ve done that would’ve been different with a boy versus a girl. Most of the stuff we’ve bought has been in neutral colors, or based more on our preferences than anything else. (We like blue.) Maybe with the exception of baby clothes, but some of those were purchased in advance of this news, anyway.
We haven’t painted a nursery, but even if we did, all of my undeniably awesome ideas–dinosaurs, dragons, mountain lions, manatees, trolls–are excellent for both boys and girls. It’s fair to say the same about Winnie the Pooh and his posse, who are undoubtedly going to have a huge presence in our household going forward.
More than anything else, knowing that we’re having a baby girl has helped us mentally prepare. The news was another milestone that made it even more “real” for us; another small step forward that brought a bit of certainty and lessened unease. Each one of these mile-markers that we’ve passed, so to speak, have brought comfort and peace of mind.
Let’s turn to an update on mom, as we receive reader questions and comments about this every time we share a photo of us. There have been several additional doctor’s appointments since the last update, and they’ve all gone well. Both Sarah and baby are perfectly healthy, and Megatron continues to be very active. It’s fun to feel her move, but I’ll be honest that I didn’t realize I’d be able to see her move. Admittedly, that kind of freaked me out at first, but probably because I immediately associated it with Alien. (Apologies, I’m a dork with an unchecked imagination.)
Beyond that, I’ll give you my standard diplomatic answer when asked how Sarah has been: she’s doing really well given the circumstances! What does that mean? Whatever you think it means–that’s the beauty of the vague statement!
Choosing my words a little less carefully, I’ll just say this: you can see the photos here. Sarah is a very small person. Adding a baby to her front section is a significant increase–in percentage terms–in load for her petite frame to bear. It’s like rollover risk in vehicles with a higher center of gravity versus a station wagon. Hopefully that makes some degree of sense. If not, I believe this subject is covered by Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land.
In all seriousness, Sarah is experiencing more pain in her third trimester. This started with her hip and back, and has now extended to her legs and feet. Those are often swollen, especially after extensive time walking. She also frequently has shortness of breath. Nevertheless, she persists. We’ve spent a lot of time walking on the beach and in the parks, and just wrapped up a long weekend at Disneyland. In order to continue closing her rings and hitting step goals, she’s taken to wearing compression socks at all times and elevating her feet when she’s resting.
Aside from the rare research trip to Salt & Straw (for science), Sarah continues to be an incredibly healthy eater. I mentioned last time that she has, somehow, kicked that up a notch during the pregnancy. Since then, she has kicked it up another notch, and has been very conscientious about nutrition and exercise.
Megatron being our miracle baby, we both have this heightened sense that we need to do everything “right” and in our power to ensure she’ll be healthy and okay. There’s undoubtedly a bit of overzealousness with this. Logically, we understand that a lot is certainly beyond our control, but emotionally, we’d rather err on the side of caution than regret making a mistake.
Suffice to say, Sarah is already frequently in “Mama Bear Mode.” I’m incredibly proud of her diligence and determination. Sarah has been a (reverse) rockstar throughout the pregnancy, which is to say that she takes very seriously what she puts into and does with her body.
As mentioned above, “we” did a long weekend at Disneyland. More accurately, Sarah did a long weekend at Disneyland with a couple of her girl friends and I did a mostly-solo weekend at Disneyland. We stayed at the Westin Anaheim in a theme park view room, which was fantastic and much better than our dumpster-view room last time, but that’s not really the point.
Sarah’s friends stayed at Disneyland Hotel, and Sarah was not on the reservation. She did, however, drive to and park at Disneyland Hotel on several occasions. I mention this seemingly inconsequential detail because on the last night, Disney left the following for Sarah in their room at Disneyland Hotel:
That right there is pure Disney magic, and exactly the type of thing that made us fall in love with the parks in the first place. The little things like this, the way Cast Members go above and beyond to make moments for guests and everyone feel like a VIP. This is all still very much alive and well with frontline Cast Members…even if some of the executives could stand to learn a thing or two from the true stewards of Walt Disney’s legacy.
These incredibly sweet and generous gifts had to have been due to the parking lot attendant Cast Members, who had gone above and beyond even before this. Another great reminder that there’s no small role at Disneyland. Every Cast Member is important to the magic, and those parking lot attendants were the ones who absolutely made Sarah’s weekend.
In our last update, I shared some of my misadventures in stroller testing. As discussed there, my Dwight Schrute style stroller testing trials were a massive failure, outside of one fateful day driving down the ransacked aisles of a local BuyBuy Baby that was going out of business. I’m sorry to report that things haven’t gotten any better on that front, and it’s looking less and less likely that I’m going to be a certified stroller expert.
On a positive note, Sarah’s stroller-of-choice went on sale during Amazon Prime Day, so we’re now the proud owners of a Babyzen YOYO² Stroller. She did a ton of research on this, and felt it was the best option for our circumstances. I’ve been practicing folding it one handed while holding our dog to simulate preparing for rope drop bus rides at Walt Disney World. Obviously, not quite the same as the real thing, but so far we’re both really pleased with the stroller. We’ll see how it holds up during actual use at the parks, though!
In reluctantly coming to terms with the likelihood that I probably won’t become a certified stroller expert, I’ve developed a new obsession: babywearing. I’ve really gotten deep into this one (or gone off the deep end, if you’d prefer), poring over blog posts and lurking the babywearing community on Reddit. After careful consideration and way too much research, I ordered the BabyBjörn Baby Carrier Mini. The first of many options I plan on testing in my new quest to become a certified babywearing expert!
Now, before you pass judgment and voice your opposition to this idea–as just about everyone I’ve talked to in real life has–please hear me out. First, I recognize that it’s impossible to know how this is going to work out until Megatron arrives and I’m actually able to, you know, wear the baby. Reading about the thing is obviously very different from doing the thing, and I’m well aware of that.
However, so many of the ‘critiques’ I’ve heard from family and friends about babywearing is how tiring and uncomfortable it can be, especially in hot weather (like at Walt Disney World approximately 44 weeks of the year). That’s a fair point, but keep in mind that I carry a 20 to 30 pound camera bag day in and day out at the parks.
From my perspective, babywearing is like a living camera bag. Also, it’s one baby, Michael. What could it weigh, as much as a Nikon D850 + 70-200mm f/2.8 lens?! Now I’m no orthopedist, but my understanding is that wearing a baby on my chest should offset damage I’ve done to my back by wearing such a heavy camera bag for so many years.
Anyway, I’m really excited about babywearing while also recognizing that my preconceived notions may not comport with the practical reality of wearing a baby. The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, etc. I also recognize that very few people share my enthusiasm, which is probably why the online communities I’ve found feel a bit cultish, as we babywearing zealots are spurned by polite society.
If anything, this babywearing experience has been a good early lesson that not everything is right for everyone, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting. But I’ll shut up about babywearing for now. You’ll either hear much more about it later, or you can enjoy a quiet sense of vindication as I fail miserably at it and never speak of this again.
This is getting pretty long, and we don’t want to bore you with more mundane details about continuing to get ourselves prepared to be parents. Beyond the above, we’ve been attending classes at our local hospital, reading everything we can about newborns, buying a ton of necessary (and some unnecessary, probably) items, and getting our home ready to welcome a baby.
We’ll be back with another update once we welcome Megatron or Baby (Girl) Bricker or Disney Tourist Baby (etc.) into the world. In the meantime, we’ll return to your regularly scheduled programming. Thank you all so much for your kind words of wisdom, support and opening your arms and hearts to us as our family grows. It really means a lot to us–more than you can probably imagine!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Any thoughts you have in response to our update on Baby (Girl) Bricker and Sarah? Are you “excited” to hear about my misadventures in babywearing? Anything else you’re interested in reading about with regard to Megatron, pregnancy in the parks, etc? (Again, we don’t know how much we’re going to feel comfortable putting ourselves and our child out there, so we’d greatly appreciate you granting us grace and patience as we find our footing and prepare to be parents!) Hearing your feedback is always appreciated, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
So excited for you guys!!! Can’t wait to meet baby Megatron when the time comes!
Can I share with you the most important advice I was given when I was pregnant; be kind to yourselves and don’t assume you have to do everything perfectly, give yourselves permission to do what works for your family (even if someone well meaning makes a disapproving comment).
Parent guilt can be really bad, I didn’t believe in it until I had it – especially when you are sleep deprived, your baby has colic (endless colic!!), or you have to make an unplanned switch to formula milk. No-one is perfect at being a parent (if they are, be suspicious), other parents are not judging you (they are sympathising with you; they know your pain) and your baby won’t remember.
Little girl tip; put an old hand towel on your changing mat before you lay them on it to change them. Whilst baby boys are well known to have a pressurised fire hose system on exposure to cold air, girls seem to have an amazing ability to produce sneaky puddles if their behinds contact a chilly changing mat.
+1000 to all of this! Congratulations. We called baby #1 the Alien Invader when the visible moving started. She’s a happy healthy responsible teen now who is my favorite Epcot partner!
Also if you make a manatee nursery please share pics!
Baby wearing at Disney is absolutely the way to go for lines and shows. I went through a few carriers before landing with the Tula which was the easiest and most comfortable I found – also higher weight limit which meant I could use when they were older as well. Baby is going to get tired and want to be held and what better way to maximize time than napping in line snuggled on mom or dad? Congrats and can’t wait to hear about your adventures with a little one in tow.
As a baby-wearing fan I support your decision. Baby wearing in the parks was great for us and even better for end of park day transportation. When we went with two families, kids were 3, 4, 5 & 6…the four of us each wore a kid…littles on the mommas and bigs on the dads. It meant kids could sleep on the bus ride home. Dads became pros of collapsing double strollers while Mums hiked on the littles and helped Dads strap in the bigs. I always loved baby wearing and recommend it to all new parent, ESPECIALLY at Disney. Congrats on Megatron.
How exciting!! I can definitely see you as a “Girl Dad”! They’re a very special breed if Dad, and you’re going to live being one! Sarah looks incredibly beautiful and I think you’re glowing as much as she is! Enjoy these last days sans Megatron, and get lots of rest!! Praying all continues to go well!
Baby on the front, and camera on the back will just balance you out perfectly. 🙂 I’m team babywearing – check out the k’tan for when she’s itty bitty and the Tula Explore when she grows! Big congrats to you both – what a blessing!
So very happy for you both. Enjoy the journey. Kids are great and there are as many ways to do it as there are parents. You don’t need input or advise from anyone. You love you baby, that’s what it takes You guys have got this!
Tom and Sarah, My husband and I have been following your blog for several years, and read every word. It’s not just full of practical tips and info, but we find your writing style downright entertaining! We love your candor and intellectual twist (vs the sensationalism of other “info” sites!). Somehow you and Sarah have felt like family to us, and when we first read your Baby announcement I was so happy for you I cried! Just this morning my husband asked, “Doesn’t Tom have another baby update yet?”
Our family began 43 years ago, when we spent our honeymoon at Walt Disney World. We have been back (from Wisconsin) to celebrate many family milestones and make some of our favorite memories over the years, eventually including our four children. This year we fulfilled a dream of mine to experience WDW with our 3 very Princess-y granddaughters! Seeing the World through the eyes of a child introduces you to a whole new level of discovery and, well – Magic! We are SO VERY HAPPY and EXCITED for you!! We know you’re going to be great parents, even though there is so much about parenting that you just cannot anticipate or prepare for. Sometimes it’s just complicated and messy. But, in our experience, there is nothing more rewarding in the world!
Praying for Sarah’s endurance, your perseverance, and for a safe arrival of Baby B!
The Brady “Bunch”
Such happy news! Congratulations on having a little princess soon,!
So happy for you and Sarah and baby girl Bricker!
My three kids and I loved the baby carrier. They would fall asleep snuggled up against me about 10 minutes after going into the baby carrier. They would sleep for hours in there and I knew they were safe and happy.
My best advice to you and Sarah as parents is to continue doing what you are doing. I recommend doing your own research, making your own parenting decisions, and then don’t be swayed by others. It sounds cliche, but it’s easier said than done!
Love the update! I had a Baby Bjorn way back in 2007 for both my son and daughter and it was hands down my number one best baby product purchase. It made many trips to Disney World and everywhere really, including the grocery store because I never wanted to sit my babies in the cart seat lol. Our tots walked Disney fairly young and the most gear we ever brought there was the Baby Bjorn for the youngest and a Chicco umbrella stroller for our oldest. Thanks again for you update and so excited for you both!
Looking forward to seeing you roaming around the parks with a sweet baby girl hidden in that blue carrier! And the timing for it should be perfect weather wise in SoCal. All our best wishes!
Tom, Sarah, and soon-to-be Baby Gal Bricker, keep the pregnancy adventure news and updates coming! That is, to the extent that you are comfortable doing so. Personally speaking, I find your updates uniquely uplifting. Hearing good news about good people has that effect on me!
Very excited for both of you, Baby Megatron has some fun parents. Just wanted to post some thoughts- keep an eye on that edema. It’s totally normal in pregnancy but it can also indicate other issues. At the same point in my pregnancy I was already getting monitored for my BP, but there was a noticeable uptick in swelling towards the end and it turns out I had preeclampsia. Not something to lose sleep over but good to be mindful of noticeable changes. I ended up getting induced 3 weeks early as a result.
And I’m here for the baby wearing, and there’s nothing hotter than a baby wearing dad (literally and figuratively). I live in Hawai’i and can attest that baby wearing is warm, but baby never seemed to mind. Our go to carrier was a Mei Tai and I used it with our son until he was 4 (wish I could post the photo of us at Disney with him on my back). Good luck to all of you and (once again) so excited for you both.
In it for the Yossarian sighting – the best baby content is baby + pet = buddies content!
I really appreciate how you in no way buried the lead in your title. And congratulations. I’m very happy for you both in general. And as the mom of two girls a tiny extra happy.
We were BIG fans of baby wearing–I liked having my hands free. The Baby Bjorn was great with our super wiggly first one until he weighed 25 lbs or so I have big babies somehow for a small person). My daughter started out tiny, and I loved the sling. My husband wouldn’t have been caught dead in it. After they hit probably 25 lbs, we used a framed baby backpack until they started running (really, my son was the only runner, and he started doing that at 9 months). Once the running began,the harness and baby leash were a lifesaver. We used a retractable dog leash to extend his range. In Disney, just the harness and it’s lead were fine. He loved the freedom of not constantly holding our hand or being trapped in a stroller, and he was strong and wriggly, so carrying him wasn’t fun for anyone. Our daughter was happy to ride or be carried. I think at 20, she’d still be happily carried around if that were practical, but she’s always been a princess. Best wishes. Every kid is so different, so try stuff out, but be willing to adapt to their personality.
Yay a girl! Just a note on the baby wearing – I found the baby bjorn to be the absolute best for travelling with baby! It makes airports a breeze and also any city so much easier. Often people are only thinking about going to Target but when you travel especially internationally there is not so much space or ease of use with strollers and the baby carriers really help. I had a huge baby so couldn’t carry her for long but for the 1sr few months it was great.. And yes pacifiers are required for plane travel!! Wishing you both a safe and healthy delivery. No go sleep – that is really all you two should be doing now.!
Congratulations to you both!! Parenthood is such an exciting adventure. We are first time parents with a now one year old. We have been taking our daughter to WDW since she was 2 months old. I really enjoyed baby wearing especially in the fall and winter, and she definitely enjoyed the snuggle time. I hope it’s a successful endeavor for you!! I wish you both all of the best. I hope for a great last trimester for Sarah and a healthy and safe birth! I gave birth at celebration hospital and my room was great – my nurse turned my bed and I could see Epcot fireworks!! Amazing!! Good luck and welcome to Club Parent! I hope it is magical for the Bricker Family:)
So exciting!!!!
Baby wearing is awesome, so are strollers – live in the best of all the worlds 🙂
Hang in there, Sarah. Pregnancy is so hard, and can be really hard to acknowledge how hard it is at the same time as feeling grateful for the little person. So yeah, hard and wonderful is the mantra here on out.
I’m excited to see how you optimize the Disney experience with a kiddo! We’re planning our first parks trip with the little for next Oct (she’ll be 4) & MNSSHP. I’ve not been able to stay fully away, though, and dined at Chef Mickey’s last year for Valentine’s (Mickey gave her a Valentine!).
I love the person I’ve been becoming since the start of parenthood, and love the experience. I wish you the same! (Not to say it’s not hard, exhausting, etc., but also happier than ever).