My guide to surviving a (mostly) natural childbirth

That's a super annoying blog post title, isn't it?

I don't really have a guide. I just have five tips. But I work in the business of writing snappy headlines, and I just thought that one might get me some more clicks. Please forgive.

Anyway, because I'm the ultimate over-sharer, I'll give you some background here before I dive into the topic at hand: Last time I was pregnant, I was between jobs. Meaning, I had to switch insurance providers around week 18 (and I was actually UNINSURED for at least a full month. That wasn't stressful at all, nope). I even missed my 20-week anatomy scan completely because of this, and I had to get it done once my new insurance plan kicked in, at like, 28 weeks. Awesome.

So, once I finally got enrolled with Kaiser Permanente, a lot of the doctors and midwives were all, "OMG, yes. We need to get you seen and scheduled for 90 things and more bloodwork has to be done and did you make a birth plan and MAN your due date is soon. You signed up for childbirth class, right? Tell me you signed up for childbirth class."

I had not.

Apparently I was supposed to do this STAT, like, upon my enrollment with KP, but I was way behind, and working a million hours a week, so I had to stalk this one phone line and try to sneak our way into a class. These fill up months in advance and are only offered on Saturdays.

I finally was able to schedule something ... for when I was 38 weeks. I think the woman manning the phone line just felt bad for me. Haha, and then my class was filled with all these tiny little things who were like, "I'm due in May! Teehee!" Meanwhile I could barely see over my bump, and I was all, "yeah, I'm due in a week or two." Our instructor was even like, "OMG you're to term! Why are you here?"

Good question, ma'am. I'm irresponsible.

Also, we were definitely the least serious people in class, despite my impending due date, and I remember laughing so hard that I cried and possibly peed a little. Just over something stupid with James. Oh and I followed the MSU-Maryland football game on my phone all morning. It was an eight-hour class! Although I will say, I was glad we went, even if I used approximately ZERO of the tips they provided. It did give me some idea of what to expect, what the different phases of childbirth entailed, etc.  It was nice to check that item off my list.

HOWEVER. At one point, we had to go around the room and say how we envisioned labor unfolding. Like, did we want the epidural upon arriving at the hospital, or were we hoping to go natural, or what? I gave my usual answer: "I'm not like, dead set against the epidural, but I'd like to give labor a shot and see how it goes before I decide if I need the drugs."  And then after class, one of the instructors who had identified as going all-natural several times, was available for questions. So I asked her how she did it. She said that she and her husband used the Bradley Method, but there obviously wouldn't be enough time for us to follow suit (for those of you who are unfamiliar, classes run for 12 weeks if you go that route).

When I asked if she had any other recommendations on how to survive without an epidural, she kind of ... laughed at me? I mean, she was nice enough overall; there was just something in her tone that seemed kind of condescending. And her giggle was like, "Oh, this silly girl who didn't even pay attention in class. Best of luck to you!" Anyway, she advised me to read "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" and kind of sent me on my way.

This is when I kind of panicked.

I was all, "Damn it, why didn't we take a class sooner? Or research the Bradley Method or hypno-birthing or SOMETHING? Did I honestly believe I was going to survive this on my own?"

And James said something like, "Yes. You will because you're stubborn. I doubt you'll get the epidural, just because you're difficult like that and now you have something to prove, and plus, didn't our moms survive natural labor? I doubt they enrolled in like, a special 12-week class. Women have been doing this since the dawn of time."

He's my ride or die, fa sho. Also, solid points.

So, I proceeded to order that book on Amazon (it was pretty good actually, although I mostly skimmed it), and then I think I borrowed a book on hypno-birthing -- that, or I Googled the absolute shit out of it -- and I just kind of made a plan: I would pretend labor was a super long bikram yoga class, I would play dead in between contractions, keep my mind CALM and low-key af, and breathe. I think I ended up pretending each contraction would only last seven deep breaths. I would survive.

And, spoiler alert, I did.

I think for the sole purpose of proving that childbirth class instructor wrong, I didn't get the epidural. Also, I felt largely in control of my labor, with only one section where I kind of felt overwhelmed (this was transition). You can read my full birth story here, if you choose, but without further ado, I'll (finally) share five tips on how to survive without a needle in your spine.*

*And for me, that's really what this thing came down to, outside of wanting to test my body and my limits: Did I want a needle in my back? For some reason, I was very freaked out by the idea. I really wasn't trying to be a hero -- and I'm also not saying I'm dead set against an epidural for baby #2, if the situation really warranted one. I'll just have to think long and hard about that needle.

A quickie reminder of why we endure this at all. Baby snuggs! (This was snapped about 3 seconds after pushing her out).

Also, final final aside, but I just wanted to say that I give 0 f's about how you delivered your baby: C-section, epidural, no epidural ... I truly don't judge. I just wanted to do what felt right for me, which was attempting a drug-free, vaginal childbirth. I say that my experience was MOSTLY natural because I recently heard some girl say hers didn't count because she had to get oxygen at the end. WHAT!!! In that case, I had a Tens Unit on my lower back for an hour or so (which is a fancy massage tool), something slipped into my IV for an hour or so (I had been awake 24+ hours, and had been in hard labor for awhile, so we decided I needed to rest up before pushing), and the nurses slipped me some oxygen for the major event itself. (Actually, I didn't even get to weigh in on that. I was just gassed and they put it on me). I would say zero of these interventions made any damn difference in my pain level -- I still felt ... basically everything. But if those are gonna stop me from claiming natural labor, then so be it. I was *mostly natural,* sorry to let you down, Kaiser volunteer who I'll never see again.

(Actually I bet that lady's so pumped that she was right).

ANYWAY ANYWAY.

I just wished I could have read something like this before I gave birth. So in the hopes of helping just one of you, here are my five tips on surviving without an epidural:

1.) Either zone in or zone out. No middle ground.

This applies to contractions.

For me, contractions were the tough part. K, maybe not till I was like, a 5 or a 6, but once they started coming in hot and fast without much recovery time in between, is when I had to put in the bulk of the work. When I say "zone in," I mean, if you're gonna ride the wave of the contraction, ride it. Breathe through it. Envision how good it will feel once it passes. Remember that the pain is temporary and manageable. Each step brings you closer to meeting your baby. Concentrate on your breath and remain calm, above all else. On the flip side, if you're gonna zone out, zone tf out. I had SportsCenter on my TV in the background, and I had watched the same Redskins highlights about 94 times (mostly because SC kind of plays on a loop overnight). I didn't think about the game, I didn't think about what was happening down below, I just focused on the shapes on the TV and put my head somewhere -- anywhere -- else.

Just arriving at the hospital. I clearly had no idea what I was in for. PS should I bring my own hospy gown this time?

2.) BREATHE.

I know, breathing has already come up a few times, and it's kind of a theme here. But I mean it! You will not survive if you get all panicky and you cry and you overthink things or you're scared for the pushing or what's to come down the road. Stay in the moment. Follow your breath. I swear I mean it when I say, I didn't have time or energy to panic. (And I kind of wanted to, at times). But I knew it would throw off my ENTIRE GAME PLAN if I freaked. So I held off. I breathed through my nose sometimes, through my mouth other times, I alternated nostrils, and I tried to get as many deep ones in as I possibly could. I learned this from hot yoga, but breathing really feels good if you're doing it properly. It's like, medicinal. Plus, I thought my body would take cues from my brain, so I knew the key to mental relaxation involved as much airflow as possible. The only downside was, my lips got chapped af probably halfway through, and I was so focused that I really didn't/couldn't slather on some Chappie until I was done. Also I lost my voice.

Another yoga tactic for you: Take a few minutes (well, take as long as you can, really), to focus on releasing each part of your body. You never know where you might be holding onto tension. Relax your hands. Your fingers. Your neck. Your throat. Your shoulders. Until you're melted into a puddle on the bed. Repeat every few hours. Breathe evenly throughout this process. You need distractions, and this is a really helpful way to go.

3.) Try different things.

I actually did not take this tip that I'm doling out, but I hope to with #2. The nurses kept being like, "Try a new position! Wanna walk around? Let's have James massage your lower back!" And I shook my head in silence: nope, nope, nope.

The nurses did seem to want to help. I thought I'd want to be mobile: walking the stairs, bouncing on my birthing ball, taking a hot shower ... but because my water had broken, and my hips/lower back were in excruciating pain (Ana was sunny side up), all I could do was alternate between sitting and lying, and I wanted nothing to do with anyone.

So like, if the tip "try different things" doesn't apply to you either, just know that listening to your body is just as important. I thought I was letting the nurses down at first, for being so unwilling, but James was like, "this is your show. You do you." <--- A wise one, he is.

But I still like the idea, in theory, of mixing it up.

#goals

4.) No talking.

Save your energy for the breath. Unless you truly have something to say, I found it to be easier to STFU and get into my zone. I dismissed James (politely) and he largely slept all night.

It's like, have you ever been so truly exhausted that you couldn't even lift a pinkie? I think back on track practice in high school where we'd have to run four 400-meter dashes in a row, all under a certain time, or we'd have more rounds tacked on. God those were painful. I was pushed to my limit so bad, I could just collapse in the infield during my minute or so off, and I swear I couldn't even lift my hands over my head. I would just die for 60 seconds. I needed all my energy for the next round.

It's kind of like that. If you're in transition, or you're getting close, even talking will feel like a major task that might derail you or knock you out of the game. I found it easiest to just avoid. And that's big time, coming from me. I'm chatty.

5.) Save your strength.

This is kind of what I just touched on. Don't waste your energy on dumb shit -- pour it into the task at hand. And eat a full meal before you go in, which will give you strength -- I thought a handful of pretzels was cute, but then we snuck in a large Jimmy John's order right before I got IV'd up, and I honestly don't think I would have made it through without that sub.

(And this is despite the fact that I went through a nauseated period where I was like, "Damn it #2 with an oatmeal raisin cookie, I will VOM on my bathrobe if someone doesn't bring me a bucket!") <--- Guess I broke the no-talking rule for that little tirade.

And yes, I know, I know. Most hospitals won't let you eat once you get checked in. Kaiser was boss. But don't be like me. If your water breaks or you feel like you might be heading to the hospital soon, get some FUEL in there! Eat a big meal with protein. Also, who knows when the next time is that you might be able to eat?

Also ALSO, ain't no hunger like a post-birth hunger. So start brainstorming now on where you'll send your husband for take-out. We did Indian after Ana, but this time I'm thinking Italian.

-----

The best thing I can compare labor to is a race, if you've ever run any type of distance. Toward the end, when you have 0 in the tank, you just kind of have to power forward anyway, keep your legs pumping and your breath moving, envision the end, and the next thing you know, you'll be done. Of course, I've only had one baby. (Again, and this was just MY experience and I realize a lot of these go differently). I don't mean to make it sound too hard or too easy. I think my mom made it sound WAY too easy, and I remember thinking in the heat of the moment, "CHRIST this is hard!"

And then I was so scared to push. I even told the nurse right when I thought it was time, "I don't know how to do this! This is the part I've mostly feared!" and she was all, "You've done GREAT. Just follow our instructions, breathe, and the baby will be here in no time." She was right. Pushing felt weirdly good, and even the moment Ana's head finally slipped out -- it wasn't so bad. I'd way rather push her out than be dialated to an 8 all over again, questioning if the end was near.

I don't even remember "the scary part" all that clearly -- I swear, I couldn't, even like, a few days postpartum. You just go into this zone and it's almost an out of body experience.

But I really think that if you go in expecting to put in the work, and you want to labor naturally, you can do it. (It is called LABOR, after all). I mean, and if you don't wanna do it, that's cool too! But don't be intimidated by the process, and don't read or listen to the horror stories. I promise it doesn't have to be that bad.

8 pounds, 13 ounces of pure chunk.

Now someone please remind me that labor No. 2 is typically a lot shorter! Because I half wrote this post to renew my own confidence. I remember the intensity and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still a touch nervous.

xoxo and good luck!

What the hell should I buy for Baby G the sequel?

I'll start this by saying that we have a TON of stuff in our basement. There isn't a lot that we need, I have to imagine.

Still, when Ana was teeny tiny, I wasn't working, and I had no plans to go back (possibly ever).

Meaning, there were a few things that I never got around to buying. I felt weird about dipping into James' money (OK, *our* money), on every last product that caught my eye. Because a LOT caught my eye.

For example: a Sophie the giraffe. People swear by that thing! I contemplated grabbing one probably only every time I was at Target in the early days, but I could never justify the $25 price tag for just another chewie, when we had a million at home. Similar sitch with the Mamaroo. GOSH, ever since I saw it in action (also at Target), I was mesmerized. Like, "Why didn't we register for that again?" ... But for $220, plus the newborn insert, I never pulled the trigger. And once we were back to being a two-income family, I felt like Ana was too big for a lot of this stuff, so it just never got purchased.*

*Update: I found a Mamaroo for sale in one of my Facebook moms groups -- for $40! I've seen them on resale sites for about $100, but never as low as $40. I dashed out in my sweats on my dinner break about 3 minutes after I spotted the listing, swung by an ATM and picked up that thing tout suite. I've tested it out and it seems to work out so far! Also it's very clean and new-looking.

This wonderful car is from Jenny and Jared. THANK YOU guys!

Anyway ANYWAY. Tell me what baby stuff you love, or loved! I'm now taking any and all recommendations: for a new baby, for older babies to keep them occupied through nursing sessions and such, to use on both of them, etc.

Is there anything you regretted not buying sooner? Or an awesome item that kept you sane with two under 2? (Ana and new baby will be two years + 1 month apart, so we're not EXACTLY two under 2, but we're pretty close).

Anddddd just for reference ... we already have: a Rock n Play, a Pack n Play, a bassinet, way too many clothes (even for each sex at first, seeing as we didn't know if Ana were a boy or a girl), nursing stuff, pumping supplies, most toys, two strollers, an infant car seat, a video monitor, bath stuff, a crib, bedding, hella books, a Bumbo seat, high chair and probably about 40 more things I'm forgetting.

Still, here are some of the items we're considering --

-- A Dock-a-Tot (for travel, or even to more safely bedshare with new babes, if it comes down to that).
-- That crazy Magic Merlin sleep suit (everyone loves this, right?)
-- A better baby-wearing system (the K-Tan was fine when Anz was tiny). But she started feeling claustrophobic in there maybe around 6-8 months. What should we get? I'm leaning toward a Tula.
-- A white noise machine? (I don't know, should we?)
-- Humidifier? Nose Frida? (Ana still hasn't really ... gotten sick. So I'm unprepared in this arena).
-- Will I need two of anything? High chairs, perhaps?
-- A cheapie monitor, perhaps? (Like, not even the video kind?) To listen in on both of them?

And we'll definitely need a double stroller, although new babes will be born in the dead of winter, so I feel like there's kind of no rush. Also, I'm feeling incredibly overwhelmed with all the options and indecisive about it. ANDDDD many are like, $500-1,000, so ... this is one spot where I'm counting on you, dear friends, to tell me which double stroller I need.

Because we have the necessities, I'll likely wait a lot of this stuff out and see what I *actually* need <--- which I recommend to all new moms. Still, I feel like it's helpful to narrow the field and see all the items I might be purchasing in the near future.

32 weeks today, y'all. Finally getting BIG.

Finally, someone is selling a Mima Xari stroller (which is not a double) on one of my FB groups for $100. It looks like it's in really good shape, and I just found out the thing retails for $1500. Is it impractical to buy it, because we already have two strollers? Or should I hope on that shit ASAP because that's one hell of a deal and this thing looks amaz? Please weigh in, please and thanks!

All our baby favs!

I don't know about you, but I love reading about what products people use. You name it -- makeup, kitchenware, etc.

So I thought I'd share some of our baby favs!

I will say, some products that I swear by, might not work for your baby. So many kids are diff; it can be hard to find what's effective for you guys. Because babies are people too, you know? A shampoo that you're obsessed with, might make my hair greasy. Or a lotion that clears up your dry patches might not be enough for my stubborn skin. You feel?

But I will say, my sister-in-law has been asking me for recommendations from time to time -- ever since she gave birth to our adorable niece, Emma, and it got me thinking: I should write a list!

Just because.

---------

So here are our favs, nearly 2 years in:

Shampoo: Johnson & Johnson, just that stuff in the classic yellow bottle (honestly, I always knew I wanted to go this route. The smell is so classic BABYish; I love it). Also, we only ever wash Ana's hair probably twice a week. Unless there's like, food in there, or she's had a sweaty week, why bother? (Also, we only JUST started using conditioner, like, this month. I just use a tiny spot of whatever's in the shower, which likely means cheap V05 stuff that I use on myself).

Body wash: Mustela 2-in-1 cleansing gel (is a touch expensive), but probably the best stuff we've found. It's sold at Target. (Sometimes when I'm feeling cheap, I'll skip it and just buy whatever, but if you truly want to know my recommendation on the best of the best, this is it).

Diaper rash: Desitin, duhhhh. This is honestly the holy grail of baby products. I swear, you'll spot some skin irritation, rub on the Desi at night, and the whole sitch is cleared by morning. HOW? It's magic.

Teething remedies: Baby Tylenol or ibuprofen, depending on how old the baby is. Why waste your time with amber necklaces when you could just nip it in the bud and treat the problem directly? Also, as we learned, just because Ana didn't cut her first tooth until ... 7 months? 8 months? Didn't mean she couldn't start teething months in advance. Because oh, she did. The drool was REAL.

Lotion: Aveeno -- fragrance-free and for delicate skin.
***Although, I was highly opposed to lotion until she truly needed it. Infant skin is so soft and precious on its own, you know? I wouldn't use lotion unless you notice your baby is especially dry, or she really needs it. Anyway, during the cold winter months, right after Ana's first birthday, she got crazy dry on the backs of her arms and legs ... rough and scaly, almost. Our doctor's office gave us like, 10 samples and told me to pick a fav. Aveeno definitely won out. (Although I will say, a lot of the brands did a pretty stand-up job. The only real dud, I thought, was Honest Company lotion).

Cradle cap: Coconut oil or rose salve (we did a combo of both), massaged into the head daily or near-daily -- although yes, this makes for a greasy baby. Gotta love that. Ana's CC was pretty stubborn, so I was just ripping through household items, trying anything and everything at some point: Vaseline, argan oil, etc.  We were at my aunt and uncle's in Chicago when my mom randomly stumbled across the rose salve in a bathroom drawer, and she was just like, "why not?" and I remember smearing it across Ana's head, loling at how silly she looked. For those who are unfamiliar, rose salve is kind of like chapstick. It's thickkkkk. And once you get the product on there, you kinda have to get aggressive about working it in and then picking out the flakes, once they're loose enough to grab. Truth be told, Ana still has a few CC pieces (even now) under all that hair, but we kind of stopped tackling the issue at some point. She'll grow out of it, based on everything I've read. It's mostly hormonal, and it doesn't bug the baby or anything. I'd never even heard of cradle cap until the flakes showed up one day, but as it turns out, a ton of babies get this in some form.

Diapers: Best of the best? Parasol Co.! SO SOFT YOU WILL DIE. A more affordable option? Up & Ups, which are just Target brand, but they definitely get the job done.

Overnight diapers (we started needing these once Ana would sleep for crazy long hauls, like 12+ hours): Full disclosure, I truly believe Honest Co. makes the best overnight diap on the market. When Ana was really springing leaks often, those blue ones with sheep really held up to even the longest and wettest of sleeps. And I don't even like their regular diapers! (Too stiff). However, maybe Anzie just isn't peeing as much anymore, or I'm too cheap, but we can usually get away with Target brand overnights, so we usually do.

Wipes: Water Wipes or the Babyganics kind. (Although, I believe most wipes were created equally). Whatever gets the booty wiped, you know? The only kind I haven't loved -- I don't know; they felt slimy or something -- were Kroger brand, which we only bought in a bind, just once.

Formula: (We obviously don't use this anymore, but we supplemented from pretty early on, and eventually switched over to full-time formula when Ana was ... 7-8 months, I believe). Anyway, I realize different babies have different needs, but Anz was an easy eater. We just bought those huge yellow cans from Costco, which were like, $14.99 apiece, and even just one would last for months. When I first started supplementing with formula, my lactation consultant at the time told me to just pick one, Enfamil or Similac. She said to start with the normal baby kind (typically in a yellow can; powdered) and go from there. Ana never needed the gentle tummy kind or (thank god) -- what are the really expensive kinds? -- Elecare? Nutramigen?  So TFG! But anyway, if you read the ingredient lists, Enfamil/Similac/Costco/Target/any of the yellow canned products ... are all basically the same. Go cheap if you can! Costco-Target were our jam.

*And then when it was time to switch to real milk, we just started giving her whatever we bought for ourselves. Now she's on a combo of mostly coconut milk + some dairy milk, but that's a story for another day. Don't sweat it. Also, I find soy to be disgusting, so that was never an option in my head.

Pacifiers: These are some of those products where I'm like, they're all probably created equally, right? (Like wipes?) How many variations could there really be, brand to brand? We were gifted a bunch of pacis and they all seemed to work out just fine. Ana was reluctant to take one in her first month, then she embraced, and then she randomly started spitting it out around the 8-month mark. I think the one time I purchased a set on my own, I picked the MAM brand (just because they were cute, probably).

Cute just like this face!

Bottles: Dr. Brown's all the way. These were recommended to me early on, seeing as we were first attempting to nurse + supplement with a bottle of pumped milk. The slow-flow nipple is pretty similar to a human boob, or so I heard. Also, there's something in the flow that's supposed to make the baby spit up less. We had the least spit-uppy baby of all time. Who knows if this was just good luck, but ... Dr. Brown's certainly couldn't have hurt.

Pump: The one that my insurance provided was fine, and I used it a ton. I'm blanking on the brand though! I also experimented with renting a Medela hospital-grade pump, through Kaiser, but I found absolutely no difference in what I yielded. What you really want, especially if you're going back to work, is the Freemie. I was gifted a used one, so I just had to buy new parts + tubing. You NEED to be able to go hands-free if you're gonna exclusively pump, or pump often. You just slip the cups into your bra and go about your business. Game changer.

Sippie cups: We tried a bunch, but have had the best luck with the brand Nuk (which are referred to as "Knuck if you Bucks" around this house).

PJs: If you're looking for quality material and ones that stand up to the test of time, Hanna Andersson. I swear, these grow with your baby. (Pricy though -- I think we only have like, two pairs, tops). Old Navy makes super cute and affordable PJs as well ... my only complaint is, the inconsistent sizing. I just bought Ana a new set of fall + winter pajamas, and you'll lol at this, but I bought 4Ts since she currently complains everything is too tight. "Tiiiiiight!" she'll wail. One pair of the 4T fits her perfectly already. Another pair -- same style and everything -- looks like she'll wear them on her first night away at college. They're ginormous. I might borrow them tonight, who knows.

Clothes: Cat and Jack (by Target), Old Navy, Ralph Lauren (only if you have an outlet; that shit is way too expensive to buy regularly priced), OshKosh, Zara, H&M.

Headbands/bows: Precious Girl Shop on Etsy, Cat and Jack, and if your baby will still allow headbands, those SUPER soft kind from Nordstrom -- I am super against those hard, stiff ones. Look for the brand Baby Bling (which, surprisingly enough, doesn't contain any bling).

Reader!

Books: We are often gifted books, or we've probably received 90% of our collection as hand-me-downs -- also, my mom's house still has 9 million -- but I will say, when buying books, never buy full-price from somewhere like Barnes and Noble. Go to Amazon. Type in a title. Under where you'll select hardcover or paperback, you'll see options that say like, "33 used from $3.24." Do that! If you're not a Prime member, I think you have to spend like, $25 for free shipping? But when books are $3 apiece, you can get a ton for $25. (Which is a whole lot better than the 1-2 books you could have bought from B&N). Or, just go to the library. But you'll want a LOT of books on hand! More than you're even imagining.

Sunscreen: I think we've used Babyganics in the past, but honestly, anything over SPF 40 I think is probably fine. We have like, five cans (I do like the spray stuff for a squirmy baby) hidden all over the house and I'm no longer that picky about brand.

Car seats: We went Britax on our infant setup; now we have a convertible Graco 4Ever. I've learned so much ever since I joined the group "Car Seats for the Littles" on Facebook. Basically, there is no "best" seat -- all seats have to pass the same safety standards. It's all about finding the seat that you can get the best install on -- and what will work best for your family and your car. Also, I bought our Graco as an open-box item on Amazon. Meaning, someone probably just didn't like the color and returned it. Great way to get a discount ... open-box is the way to go on a lot of this stuff, esp. bigger items and toys.

Toys: Melissa & Doug are def the gold standard. I don't know -- I do get asked about toys every now and then, but they vary so much by age range. If you're in Royal Oak, go to Toyology and ask one of the associates what would be perfect for a baby your kid's age. They've given me a lot of helpful tips and product recommendations. And when in doubt ... Melissa & Doug.

Hope that helped! Let me know if there's anything I left off the list.