Your Third Trimester Checklist...

1. Determine your maternity leave plan and notify your employer. More information on planning for your maternity leave.
2. Have your baby shower.
3. Send thank you cards for the gifts you received.
4. Attend the baby care and safety classes that you signed up for in your first trimester.
5. Send your pre-admission forms to the hospital you will be delivering at.
6. Visit the Checklists section to print handy checklists that will help get you prepared for baby's arrival.
7. Choose a pediatrician. More information on pediatrician interview questions.
8. Purchase an infant car seat. More information on choosing the right car seat.
9. Purchase a bassinet and/or crib and mattress. More information on purchasing a bassinet, crib and crib mattress.
10. Purchase a changing table and/or dresser. More information on choosing the right changing table.
11. Assemble the bassinet and/or crib.
12. Assemble the changing table and/or dresser.
13. Complete your baby's nursery.
14. Take a tour of your delivery hospital's maternity ward.
15. Decide who you want or don't want in the delivery room with you and notify them accordingly.
16. Get a pre-natal massage.
17. Call your insurance company to notify them of your delivery due date. Find out if someone needs to call them once you are admitted.
18. Go to your OB/GYN for GBS Culture. You will now visit your OB/GYN every week until delivery.
19. Make sure you have a camera and/or video camera in good working order.
20. Complete your birth plan, no matter how simple. More information on making a birth plan.
21. Install the car seat and have the installation checked.
22. Gather the phone numbers and e-mail addresses of those you wish to notify following the birth.
23. Pack your hospital bag. Use our hospital bag checklist so you don't forget anything.
24. Be sure your partner's bag is packed.
25. Confirm the hospital received your pre-admission forms.
26. Choose your baby's name.
27. Get with your partner to write out your wills.
28. Purchase at least one pack of newborn size diapers.
29. Purchase 2 nursing bras and pack in your hospital bag.
30. Purchase a large box of overnight maxi pads for when you return from the hospital.
31. Wash all of your baby's new clothes and put them away.
32. Consider cooking and freezing some meals to help save much needed time once baby arrives. More information on freezing meals.
33. RELAX and get as must rest as possible before the BIG DAY!

Greyhound Gets the Second Chance to be Loved...

A Good Samaritan alerted animal control to 12 severely underweight dogs at a home in Fort Worth. When they arrived, they found 28 greyhound mixes shockingly malnourished and neglected by their owner. Unwilling to submit to a search and seizure warrant, the dog’s owner surrendered them to authorities. Landry, 7-years old, was found emaciated with large mouth warts, leaving him unable to eat full meals before stopping in severe pain. He was 40 pounds underweight, covered in ticks and days away from dying. Vets explained that surgery on the warts would cost over $1,200 and that Landry needed to gain weight quick before his body shut down. It took 30 days before Landry weighed enough to have the surgery. Now, adopted by a family in New Jersey, Landry lives with a loving family. Healthy and finally at a normal weight, he’s able to thank his new family every day for the gift of rescue.

MICHAEL VICK RETURN THE KEY TO THE CITY OF DALLAS!

Dallas Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway has landed in the national spotlight after giving disgraced Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick a key to the City of Dallas.

"You deserve it, you've earned it," Caraway said as he presented the key to Vick, while an audience of children watched.

Dogs are more important to the lives of children. And someone that has done this to a dog like Lucas and 22 other dogs should not ever receive a key to the City of Dallas.  The Best Friends Animal Society in Utah, the group rehabilitating Michael Vick's dogs should receive a formal key to the City of Dallas--if anyone should.
Radio host Richard Hunter, who says he adopted one of Vick”s former fighting dogs, posted a video of what appears to be a confrontation with Vick’s entourage after the quarterback was presented with the key. In the video, Hunter of 1190 AM Dallas/Fort Worth asks Vick to answer questions and look at a picture of “Mel” the dog. He appears to be cursed and pushed around by Vick’s bodyguards one of whom says: “We don’t care about the dog." Click on this link to view the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Ra0J-V7ZM&feature=player_embedded

CNN REPORTS JULY 17, 2007:  Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick faces criminal charges and a possible prison sentence for allegedly participating in an enterprise that trained pit bulls for death matches in which spectators bet on the outcome, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. Vick, 27, and three associates were indicted by a federal grand jury in Richmond, Virginia, on a conspiracy count alleging they bought and sponsored dogs in an animal fighting venture and traveled across state lines to participate in illegal activity, including gambling. According to the indictment, dogs that didn't show enough fighting spirit, or that lost matches, were put to death by a variety of methods, including shooting, drowning, hanging and electrocution. Prosecutors allege that on one occasion earlier this year, Vick participated in killing eight dogs.

Pregnancy Week 34...

Your Baby...

Your baby can - and does - respond just as a newborn would by opening his eyes while awake and closing them while sleeping. Your baby can also grasp firmly and his little fingernails may need to be trimmed shortly after birth. This month also offers more time for your baby to build antibodies and for his skin to continue to thicken. Your baby is approximately 18 inches long and weighs about 4.5 pounds. It's wonderful to know that if your baby was born now, it has a 95 percent chance of full and normal survival with medical intervention.

This time next year your baby will be 46 Weeks Old!