Ultrasound Picture of Susanna

Here is a picture from Susanna's ultrasound. It was taken using 4D (real-time) technology. It's like having a video camera in the uterus! For a few seconds, we got to look at our little girl open and close her eyes and yawn!!

Isn't she just beautiful??

School, Shower, and Sonogram; Oh my!

It's been a busy week here in the Money household:

• Last Thursday, Simon started obedience school. We discovered that he's very good about "sit", 'off", and "down", but really needs to work on "heel". It's probably because he doesn't spend much time on the leash. Maybe I'll start taking him to the park a few days a week. In the meantime, I can always walk him around the yard. He got along very well with the other dogs.
  
• On Sunday, my Pastor-Parish Relations Committee (or at least the female members of it) threw me a shower at church. It was loads of fun, we had a great turnout, and Susanna got lots of clothes, diapers, toiletries, towels, nursery decor, washcloths, etc. Now I have to hunt down some notecards for thank-you notes!
• On Monday, James and I headed down to Greensboro for my THIRD ultrasound. Praise the Lord; I do NOT have placenta previa. My placenta has migrated far enough away from the cervix that there is no danger. Yay!!! Everything else looks great, although Susanna is currently in the 70th percentile of weight for her gestational age. If born full-term, she could weigh 8 lbs. They're not worried (and they could be wrong) but I really don't want to push out an 8 lb baby. James and I were both under 7 lbs at birth. Yeesh...maybe I'll start eating more protein. Or maybe she'll be born early. :) We did get some more photos of Susanna, and I will post them soon. Our scanner at home isn't hooked up right now (more on that later) so I have to use the one at church. Which of course means that I need to remember to bring the photos with me when I go to church...

Baby preparations are in full swing. Right before Annual Conference, we moved our office stuff into the guest room. So our former office is now the nursery, and the guest room is now a guest room/office. It's a large bedroom (12 x 14) but a little crammed with two desks, two chairs, and a double bed. I still have to put stuff away, and take some of my books up to church. In the nursery we have a glider-rocker (so comfy) with ottoman and the dresser and crib should arrive within the next few weeks. The nursery isn't painted yet, but we should get to that soon. We've received our Pack-n-Play, the crib bedding, and a few pieces of decor as gifts. We have baby towels and washclothes, enough diapers and wipes to last us the first few weeks, and plenty of 0-6 month clothes. The only big ticket item that we're missing is a car seat, which we'll buy in the next couple weeks. We're getting a Graco SnugRide, because it has the highest safety rating and EPS foam. There's a bunch of little stuff that would make our lives easier (changing pad and cover, swaddling blankets, sheet savers, diaper pail, etc) and I still need to buy some bottles for storing breast milk. However, we can buy that stuff here and there over the next few weeks. My goal is to have everything ready by the first week of August, just in case she comes early. I'm notorious for setting lofty goals and not meeting them, so we'll see how this one turns out. Most likely, I'll finish everything two hours before going into labor. :)

I'm off to write a sermon for Sunday. First step: figure out what scripture to preach on...

Ok, Folks, this is Woody again. I spoke too soon. The Petsmart is now opening

July 2!!!!!

You may now resume your regularly scheduled program.

Aren't you impressed I can type without opposable thumbs? If so, you may reward me with a visit to the Petsmart grooming salon for a "Top Dog Package."

From Woody: Exciting news!

Hi folks. This is Woody. You know, the REAL firsborn child. So I'm furry, nonverbal, and have four legs; I still have feelings too! Anyway, I snuck onto Mommy's computer to tell you something very important:

PetsMart is opening in Danville on July 14.

Yes, that's right. In less than a month, my favorite store will be a mere eight (8) miles away, instead of 50 miles! I love PetsMart, mostly because they let me come inside the store with my parents. They carry everything I could ever need or want, and have a great grooming salon.

Poor Simon has never been to PetsMart. Maybe we can take him since it will be so close.

Love,

Woody

Kylee and Brent's wedding

I performed my first wedding a few weeks ago. It was for my friends Kylee and Brent. I went to E&H with Kylee, who is my Little-Big (She's my Little Sister for Delta Pi, she's my Big Sister for Alpha Psi). It was a lovely wedding, and I was really honored that they asked me to officiate!

I've put up a few pics. The first one was taken at the beginning of the ceremony. Don't you love Kylee's turquoise sash?

The second is of the happy couple, the bridesmaids, and groomsmen.

I did get a picture of the three of us for posterity, but it's not very good, so I won't post it.

I am back from Annual Conference, obviously. It was fun, I learned a lot, I am now officially a probationary elder, and I am EXHAUSTED. Three days of waking up at 5:00 a.m. (early Minutes Committee meetings) will do that to you. I will post a report later. Unfortunately, I was a dork and forgot our camera at home. So, I have no pictures whatsoever.

Off to Annual Conference!!!

Tomorrow afternoon, James and I head to Roanoke for the 225th Virginia Annual Conference. It's the annual gathering of all the United Methodist clergy in (most of) Virginia and an equal number of lay delegates. Last year I was a "rookie", so this year I know more of what to expect. On Monday night, I (along with 20 or so other clergy) will be commissioned as a probationary elder. I get to have one clergy representative (an ordained elder-my friend Amanda) and one family representative (my beloved husband) up there with me when I'm commissioned. My mom is also coming up to see the big event. Dad and Bart are saving their energy for my ordination in three (or so) years.

This year, I'm also looking forward to serving as an "Assistant Secretary" for the whole event. Basically, myself and one other guy take turns being on the stage and helping the Conference Secretary (a clergy person who gets elected/appointed for several years) accurately write down the daily proceedings, catching names, and verifying data. I was honored to be asked, and I'm looking forward to the experience. I think I'll learn a lot. A nice perk of the job: I got a free hotel room for four nights!

It will be nice to see some clergy friends whom I haven't seen in a few months and catch up with them. I'm also hoping to get some good ideas about evangelism projects to bring back to my church. The theme this year is, "Let's Get Growing: All for Jesus!" There's going to be an Evangelism Expo on Tuesday and Wednesday, so hopefully that will provide some "food for action."

Susanna is doing well; she likes to kick her mommy and perform somersaults. On June 18 I have my test for Gestational Diabetes, which I'm praying I "pass". I go for a third ultrasound on June 25; my placenta was sort of low (close to my cervix) at my 19-week ultrasound, so they want to see where it is now. There's an excellent chance it might have moved up (and away from the cervix), but my doctor wants to make sure. Fine by me...if it's low enough, they'll diagnose placenta previa, and that would place all sorts of restrictions on me...

Welcome to the third trimester!

I love Susanna...I am blessed to be pregnant...I can't wait to be a mom...How much longer?

I am now in my third trimester of pregnancy and am "enjoying" everything that goes with it. The symptoms began showing up around week 25. Apparently I am doomed to be uncomfortable (at best) or miserable (at worse) for the next 10-13 weeks. I hit "term" on August 11, even though my due date isn't until September 1. Maybe she can be an early birthday present for her Uncle Bart? Now, on to my recital of symptoms...

First, I began getting Braxton Hicks contractions. At first, they were no big deal. I simply felt my uterus tighten for 20-30 seconds, and then it went away. This happened maybe five times a day. On Pentecost Sunday, I began to feel them fairly strongly while I was serving Communion to my beloved flock. My back hurt/felt stiff, too. They stopped that afternoon, but began again on Monday. I called the doc on Tuesday morning, and they said if they became regular and intense, to head to Labor & Delivery so I could be monitored. Well...Tuesday night they came back, and really seemed intense and were fairly regular. Being the paranoid first-time mom that I am, I made James take me to L&D. Keep in mind that right before this I had consumed about 40 oz of water and lain on my side for 30 mins, to no avail. The nurses at L&D were very nice; they hooked me up to a contraction monitor and a fetal monitor and gave me a shot to stop the contractions. One of them gave me a cervical exam to verify that I was still "corked" and hadn't begun dilating. Of course, my contractions stopped almost as soon as I set foot on the unit (I guess the water and rest did their job). I'm sure they were having a good laugh at my expense. After two hours, they released me and told me to come back if my water broke, regular contractions began, or I had any vaginal bleeding. On Thursday, the contractions came back. They were still irregular, but more severe and slightly painful. I even felt some of them in my back. More of the same on Friday. Saturday and Sunday weren't as bad, and I've had hardly any today or Monday. Apparently part of the trick is to drink lots of water. I've been doing that, and it's helped. So does sitting with my feet propped up every few hours.

Second, I have back pain/stiffness if I stand or move around for more than 15-20 minutes. This is only helped by me sitting/lying down with my feet propped up. Warm baths help, too. If I ignore the warning signs, I start to feel aches and cramping. I may need to invest in a maternity belt before too long. I've already forsaken fashionable shoes for sneakers and Birkenstocks. Of course, most of my shoes are tight because my feet/ankles are swollen...especially my left foot/ankle. I'm thinking that from now on, I'll stand to preach and preside over Communion, and have lay people do everything else. Otherwise, I may find myself needing to be carried out on a stretcher by 12pm.

I'm also short of breath a lot, which is highly annoying, yet normal. It takes me awhile to get to sleep, because I'm supposed to sleep on my left side, which I find uncomfortable. Most of the time I just flop over to my right side, because I figure that's better than sleeping on my back. Of course, it takes a minute for me to change positions, since I'm slightly awkward right now. I think James may kill me one of these days...or knock me out with a sledgehammer. Lack of sleep doesn't help my slight fatigue...I hope it doesn't get as bad as it was during the first trimester.

The good, reassuring news is that I feel Susanna moving a lot, so I know she's doing well. Seeing her at the end of this journey will make it all worth it...hopefully the weeks will fly by!

Deep cleansing breaths...

James is teaching a summer class on Monday-Thursday evenings, which means he has Fridays off. So, for the next few weeks, guess what my day off will be? Anyway, on Friday we headed up to Lynchburg to a shop called Mother Goose to order nursery furniture. We had picked out the collection (Young America by Stanley) and finish (Serenity) that we wanted and knew what the prices were going to be. We decided to get the "Built to Grow" crib and a four-drawer dresser that can double as a changing table. Of course when we added the crib mattress (Colgate Classica I foam) and toddler/full bed conversion rails, it was a little bit more than we were expecting. But, as we keep telling ourselves, this is high-quality stuff that should last for years.

After a brief break at home to nap and let "the boys" out, we headed to Greensboro to Babies R Us to look for a glider (Lynchburg doesn't have a Babies R Us, and the shop we got the furniture from doesn't sell them). The good news: we found a comfy glider that we both like (important since James is 14" taller than me) and they're having a big sale (20% off). The bad news: the glider is "a little bit more" than expected and we'd have to special order it in order to get one in a matching finish. And of course, the sale price doesn't extend to special orders. Nor does it apply to ottomans. I'm debating between going ahead, saving the money, and getting the glider in a "sale" finish OR going for broke and special ordering the glider in a finish and fabric that will match the nursery. The sale ends tomorrow, so I need to decide soon.

This baby thing is expensive...and we haven't bought any "gear" (car seat, Pack n Play, bathtub, changing pad, diaper bag) yet. My cousin Lieu gave me some stuff (stroller, breast pump, exersaucer, etc) which definitely helps. And of course, some things we won't need right away...we can wait several months to buy a high chair, baby gate, solid feeding stuff, etc. I'm currently scouring yard sales and secondhand shops in the hopes of finding gently-used items. However, it's amazing what people will charge for clothes with stains on them, filthy/ancient bassinets or high chairs, etc.

I still have 10-14 weeks! At least Susanna has someplace to sleep, a place for her clothes, and (soon) a glider to be rocked in.

Surgeon General Nominee: Jim Holsinger

OK, this is kinda cool. An ATS graduate has been nominated by President Bush to be the new Surgeon General!! Dr. James Holsinger received a master's degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. He has also served on our Board of Trustees, is president of the Judicial Council (the Supreme Court of United Methodism), and has been a delegate to the World Methodist Council. Naturally, he's a medical doctor with degrees from Duke and was the Chancellor at University of Kentucky Medical Center for years. His wife is in charge of the Supervised Ministry program on Asbury's Kentucky campus.

Woohoo! Yay for Dr. Holsinger! Another person putting ATS on the map!

Here's the link to the story in today's Lexington Herald-Leader:
http://www.kentucky.com/454/story/79500.html

Oh, the joys of pregnancy...

Not much to blog about these days, but I didn't want to keep seeing Bill's obituary as the most recent blog entry. So I thought I'd share about some of the good and bad aspects of pregnancy. For those of you who have "been there, done that", you can remember your days as the Goodyear blimp. For those of you who haven't, this will give you a good idea of what happens to some of us.

First, the good stuff:

• I usually get first preference for the bathroom if there's a line.
• I had a great excuse to buy a whole new wardrobe.
• I can blame mood swings, food cravings, and voracious hunger on the baby.
• I'm constantly amazed at what God is doing and has done in creating this child.
• I got to register for gifts again...even though almost none of them are for me. :)
• People are very solicitous and concerned about whether I'm getting enough rest, how swollen my ankles are, how stressed I am, etc.
• Feeling Susanna (the baby) move inside me is INCREDIBLE.
• We made our mothers and my maternal grandmother happy.

Next is the not-so-good stuff. Before I get to this list, all0w me to say that I know several people who, for one reason or another, have not been able to conceive a child. I am very aware how blessed I am to be able to get pregnant, and to do so fairly quickly (five months after ending birth control). I know there are many women who would give all their limbs to be in my position. I also believe that Susanna is worth all the following symptoms/drawbacks and more. Having said that, there are some drawbacks to pregnancy:

• It's hard to find maternity clothes, especially if you're not a size S (small) or M (medium). I'm currently trying to find a dress for Brent & Kylee's wedding, but not having much luck. There's literally nothing in my size...
• People are just plain inconsiderate/rude sometimes. They think they have the right to make comments like, "You're due in September? Is it twins?"
• My boobs have gotten ENORMOUS. James, of course, loves it. I don't. I was perfectly happy with my pre-pregnancy chest size; I've now gone up TWO cup sizes. By the time I give birth, I'm afraid that I'll be wearing a ZZ cup or something...
• Stretch marks. 'Nuff said.
• Braxton-Hicks (aka "practice") contractions. They began about three weeks ago, and are sometimes downright uncomfortable. Not painful, just uncomfortable.
• My sheer bulk...and it will get worse. I can no longer squat down without needing help to get up and rolling over in bed is tough.
• I find myself constantly worrying over every little symptom and what it could mean. At first, I was scared of miscarriage. Now that she's viable (barely), I'm scared of premature labor, stillbirth, or other complications. Of course, once she's born I'll be worrying about her for the rest of my life. No relief on that front...
• I feel like an invalid sometimes. I used to be able to run around all day and not feel really tired for eight hours or so. Now, if I'm active for more than a couple hours, I get winded. I also can't stand up for more than 30 minutes before I feel the need to sit down.
• HORMONES. I find myself crying or getting mad at the drop of a hat sometimes.
• No roller coasters for me this summer. :(
• No trip to Zurich, Switzerland this year. James was going to present a paper at a conference, and I was going to tag along. Maybe in a couple of years...

After Saturday, just 14 more weeks to go! Hopefully this weekend we'll be able to go up to Lynchburg and order our nursery furniture. It can take up to ten weeks to arrive, so we want to order it soon. Our plan is to use a Pack 'n' Play with bassinet for the first few months, so she can sleep in our room. But I would like to have the nursery set up before she arrives.

Bill's Obituary

From the May 14 edition of the Indianapolis Star:

William E. Elick 83, Indianapolis, died May 12th at his home. He was born in South Bend, IN the son of Victor H. and Bernice E. (Scheuerman) Elick. He retired from the U.S. Army in 1972 after 29 years of service; he was a Sergeant Major. After retirement, he worked as a supervisor of the Overpayment Benefits Division at the Indiana Employment Security Division for 16 years, retiring in 1993. He was a member of American Legion Post # 276, Beech Grove, IN. Survivors: wife, Nina (Ladd) Elick; daughters, Kaye (Jackson) Sturgis, Patricia (Ronald) Danforth, and Diana (Kevin) Yutmeyer; sons, William (Judith) Elick Jr. and Victor (Marilyn) Elick; step-daughter, Diann Fulton; step-son, James (Patricia) Money; sister, Roberta Wray; 21 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Ruth, in 1992; brother, Floyd Elick; brother-in-law, Ernest "Buddy" Wray; step-son-in-law, William Fulton; and granddaughter, Autum Danforth. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 16 at Flanner & Buchanan Washington Park East Community Life Center. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 15 at the community life center. Entombment will be in Washington Park East Cemetery. Contributions may be made to AMVETS.

Grief and Surrealism

Bill died this morning at 8:50. He had a couple spurts of alertness last night and early this morning. Apparently, around 7am, he became so still and his breathing so shallow that everyone was positive that he had died. However, when the hospice nurse arrived to pronounce death, she heard his heart still beating...very faintly and slowly. That continued for another hour or so, before she stopped hearing a heartbeat and pronounced him dead.

Nina was present when Bill died, as were many other family members. He died in bed, knowing that he was surrounded by people who loved him. Now our focus has turned to Nina and supporting her as much as possible in the next few days. Please keep her in your prayers, as well as the rest of the family.

I'm discovering that there is a surreal element to grief. There are times when it just seems like nothing's changed and then all of a sudden it hits me that Bill will never poke fun at me again or make us pancakes in the morning. I went into the bedroom and saw his body, and instantly knew that Bill was no longer there. All that was left was a shell, and I really had no attachment to the shell. I took a peek and ducked out of the room. But when the folks came from the funeral home (they came in a minivan with the seats folded down, btw) and took him out on the gurney, suddenly it hit me what that shell meant; that I'd never see Bill again. I desperately wanted to see him alive again, just once more. At that point, I broke down and sobbed in James' arms.

I'm trying to view my grief in the proper perspective; I've known Bill as a daughter-in-law for six years. Nina has known him since she was four years old; first as a sister-in-law/friend, and later as a wife (long story there---it's kosher, though). James has known him all his life, first as an uncle by marriage and later as a stepfather. Bill's five children, 20-some grandchildren, and 15 or so great-grandchildren haven't known a life without him. In other words, I haven't known Bill for very long at all. If my grief is so painful at times, what must they be feeling?

In short, this is teaching me what an absolute novice I am to the intricacies of dying and grief.

Bill Update

Right after I posted the previous entry, I got a call from James. Bill is not just declining, he's NOSEDIVING right now. The hospice nurse has highly advised the family to get to his bedside ASAP. After contemplating my options, I decided that it would be better if I bought a one-way ticket from Raleigh to Indianapolis, since James is already out there and I didn't want to have to drive through the night. I'm leaving at 6:00 a.m. and arriving at 9:30 a.m. Please continue to pray for Bill and Nina and the rest of the family. Especially pray that I, along with all of Bill's children and in-laws, will have a chance to say good-bye to him. He is a very loved man.

I'm thanking God for my church leaders...everyone has been so supportive, loving, and accepting of the fact that I'm having to leave town on such short notice, especially on a Friday. I was able to get everything covered within an hour. The only thing left is the bulletin, which I'll do once I finish packing.

I still haven't done a funeral...but I think that's going to change very soon.

Prayer Request and Reflections

Please keep Bill (James' stepdad) and Nina (James' mom) in your prayers...fervently. Bill has been fighting cancer for over eight years now. Over the past week, we (meaning the family) have had to accept the fact that the battle is nearing it's end. In other words, Bill is dying. He is receiving Hospice care and from my conversations with him over the years, he's ready to die whenever it's his time. Our prayers at this point are focused more on him "dying well" (meaning peacefully, with little pain, and surrounded by love) than on any hope of healing. Of course, James and I are worried about Nina and her grieving process. James is actually in Indiana right now and will drive home tomorrow. Please pray that Nina will receive strength and comfort from God in this time...whether that comfort comes supernaturally or from fellow humans.

We've known this was going to happen for years...and God has granted Bill (and us) several extensions on time. The best one...and the true miracle...began in fall 2003. The doctors found a cancerous spot on Bill's lung and gave him 18-24 months. While we were up for Thanksgiving that year, we went to a worship service and people laid hands on Bill and prayed for him. We also began talking about Bill's wishes for the funeral, and his desire to see James get his PhD. The cancer didn't spread. In fact, the doctors couldn't detect it...although they knew it was in there somewhere. It lay dormant for over three years...until this winter, when it began to rear its ugly head again. A round of radiation did nothing to stop it...and Bill and Nina deciding to stop fighting and focus on the time he has left. He's starting declining so rapidly; just two weeks ago we were wondering if he'd still be alive when Susanna arrived. Now we're wondering if he'll be alive for the planned family reunion over Father's Day weekend. Only God knows; we're just staying ready to dash to Indiana when the time comes.

The awesome thing is...that three-year "reprieive" has allowed Bill to see so many things happen in his family. Two weddings have taken place, three babies have been born, and one (Susanna) is on the way. James defended his dissertation and received his PhD. Children have grown older and been impacted greatly by "Uncle Bill/Grandpa". Most importantly, Bill has been able to see God working in powerful ways in his life, and gives Him all the credit.

So, please pray...for Bill, for Nina, and for the rest of his family, including me and James.

Those Goats Aren't So Bad After All...

My younger brother, Bart, is involved in a ministry for individuals with disabilities called Capernaum. It's under the "umbrella" of Young Life, and Bart absolutely loves it. Anyway, the leader of the Capernaum Hampton Roads group (that Bart's involved in) wrote a cool story about Bart on his blog. Check it out:

http://koehlerville.blogspot.com/2007/05/bart-goats-milk.html

The title of this blog will make more sense when you read the story. :)

I'm Biblically Literate...

...which is a good thing for a pastor to be!

You know the Bible 100%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
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And Baby Girl Money will be named....

Susanna Patricia

We decided on this name about a week ago, but "sat" on it for a few days before telling anyone just to be on the safe side. But we've definitely decided on naming her Susanna, after one of Jesus' early female followers and the mother of John Wesley. We chose "Patricia" as her middle name because that's my "real" first name.

It's amazing how extremely REAL she seems now that she has a name. Adding to that is the fact that in a mere four weeks, she will be "viable", able to survive outside the womb (albeit in an NICU).

I have begun the task of "stocking up" on things for Susanna. Stuff like diapers, wipes, baby powder, etc. Apparently I should have about 600 diapers on hand when she comes home, because she'll go through about 100 diapers a week at first. I bought some yesterday, so that's 40 diapers down with 560 to go...

And the winner is...

So, here it is...the nursery theme that we have decided to go with. It's called Alphabet Soup and it's by a company called Cocalo. I think it's adorable, and I really like that it has bright colors and lots of images to stimulate Baby Girl. I'm currently watching eBay and scouring other websites to see if I can score a "deal" on at least the crib set (bumper, sheet, quilt, dust ruffle), which is the most expensive part.

I also bought a baby book, an archival-quality pen (so she can read what I wrote 90 years from now), and some photo corners. I've filled about as much as I can, although I still need to add some photos.

Oh, and she has a name now. However, I'm going to have to keep you in suspense for another few days. James hasn't told his parents yet. :) But I will tell you that her first name is shared by two women in history...one in the New Testament and one in the 1700's. Wanna guess? :)

Stupid Indianapolis hotels!!!

OK, so James has a family reunion-thingy in Indianapolis that's scheduled for Father's Day weekend (June 15-17). Since Bill (his stepdad's) health isn't that fantastic, we figure we need to go, even though I'll be 28 weeks pregnant.

So tonight, James got on the computer to reserve a hotel room. Keep in mind, this is six weeks in advance. There are virtually NO available hotel rooms in the Indy area that weekend. The hotel that we normally stay in (Quality Inn) only had smoking rooms available, at $150/night. The Holiday Inn Express had rooms available for $150+/night, but it wouldn't guarantee our smoking preference AND they wanted the whole thing prepaid. So we finally "settled" on one of their suites. We're paying an exorbitant rate, but we didn't have to put down a deposit/prepay and we're guaranteed a non-smoking room.

After some searching, I found out that the US Grand Prix is being held that weekend at the Speedway. That's probably why hotel rates are SO high and why there are so few rooms. Sigh. If this doesn't prove our love to Bill, I don't think anything will. :)

Nursery theme: a probable winner!!!

OK, so I think we've decided on a nursery theme: outer space/rockets. It's something that's traditionally "male", but this is 2007, and we don't want to place too many gender sterotypes onto Baby Girl. She can be into astronomy if she wants to be. Plus, so many of the crib sets out there are BORING...unoriginal, very light in color and they don't provide a lot of stimulation for baby. This one is kind of bright and fun. It's by California Kids and is called "Rockets". We're going to bring out the yellow and other colors in the rest of the decorating, so there's not too much blue. What do you think?