Monday Morning Update - it IS Monday, right?

Short of the long – nothing has changed!

BAH!

Friday night the Bebe moved every ten minutes for almost 3 hours – little bugger mocking me and my lack of contractions? Then I puked. It was fun! Finally fell asleep around 3, I believe, but slept until around 1pm. YAY!

Saturday night I couldn’t fall asleep and finally around 3am I went into the guest room thinking maybe the change of scenery would help me fall asleep – it did! And then around 5am I was woken up with cramp-like pains!! YAY!! Yeah, not so much. Just gas pains. And then after an hour of having cramps just about every 10 minutes, I went to the bathroom and fell back asleep until 2pm without another cramp.

Last night we fell asleep around midnight! YAY! And woke up this morning around 8:30 to Matias bringing Mystic kicking and screaming into the bedroom cause she pee’ed on the dining room rug. AGAIN. Thankfully, I’d gotten enough sleep but I wasn’t really prepared to get up and out of bed and onto my hands and knees cleaning up pee (damn maybe I should START getting prepared for that…) from a nice, new, non-cheap rug…

Every once in a while (and I’m talking maybe every three hours here, people), I will feel a little TWINGE that I know is not the Bebe head butting my cervix. BUT that TWINGE only lasts for as long as it takes me to recognize it. So how about 2.3 seconds? It IS a different TWINGE than the head butting cervix sensation that I’ve grown so fond of in the last 6 weeks or so that this little Bebe has been hanging around upside down in his?her womb BUT it’s not amounting to anything, she screams.

This is the pattern of Contractions that your doctor wants you to follow before showing up at the hospital:

Contractions every 3-5 minutes that last 60 seconds each for a duration of an hour.

Y’all can see I’m no where near this, right?

BUT tomorrow things are being put into action!!

At 9:45AM we have our appointment at my OB/GYN for the hour long stress test on the Bebe to make sure everything is still A-OK. Matias is coming so that he may ask all the questions his little heart desires about being induced and drugs and etc. AND his little heart desires a LOT of questions. I want him there to ask for himself and not use me as his Reference Source – he also needs to HEAR IT from a Doctor, I think. Someone (cough) got it into his head that we should forego the induction procedures and just wait it out naturally. I’m no doctor but I don’t REALLY think that’s a viable solution. So instead of arguing about it I’m bringing him to the source of knowledge (and I’m talking about the LICENSED OB/GYN here, not someone (cough) else).

THEN at 4pm, I have an appointment at Labor & Delivery for the insertion of the Prostin Gel* & after the gel is placed, I will be monitored for an hour or two and then allowed to go home. Eat a light dinner & try to get some sleep – per my instructions. My family is coming up that afternoon to prepare for the Big Day on Wednesday!! DELIVERY DAY!! BEBE WILL FINALLY BE HERE!!

(oooh, I had another dream ((3^rd one)) on Friday night where the Bebe was a GIRL but Matias missed the whole thing because I was induced and he was pissy about it & then my mom was the birthing coach and she totally failed cause she let them give the GIRL a bottle of FORMULA!!)

Wednesday, our schedule looks like this:

• Between 6-6:30AM call Labor & Delivery to confirm that a labor room is available for us
• Plan to arrive at 7:30AM
• Upon arrival on Induction Day, a fetal monitor will be placed and my blood pressure and temperature will be taken (please, lord, I hope orally!!)
• An IV will be started to administer the pitocin and to keep me hydrated (something we didn’t want…)
• The dose of pitocin is slowly increased until I am in a good pattern of labor (contractions every 2-3 minutes, lasting at least 45 seconds)
• My water may be broken to also help start labor
• Internal monitors (something else we didn’t want…) may be placed after the waters are broken to monitor my contractions and/or the baby’s heartbeat

AND THEN BEBE WILL BE HERE!!! YAY!!! STOP FOCUSING ON THE NEGATIVES OF HOW THIS MIGHT ALL TURN OUT AND JUST BE FUCKING HAPPY YOU’RE BEBE WILL BE HERE IN TWO DAYS!!!

(and repeat until you can think about all of this and read your instructions over and over WITHOUT crying)

* prostin gel is applied to the cervix of the uterus to aid in 'ripening' of the cervix in preparation for induction of labor. On occassion, Prostin gel may stimulate labor - if so - return to Labor & Delivery.

Baby Pool updated

Danielle	12-Jul	8:20AM
April	10-Jul	5:20AM
Neil	9-Jul	11:05PM
Auntie Leanne	10-Jul	3:23PM
Grandmamacita	11-Jul	4:00PM (after GH!)
Shayna Dunn	13-Jul	7:18PM

BUNCH of work folks out of the Baby Pool running & the majority of my family – Brother Chris is still in the running though – ALTHOUGH I just totally fucked him up by the 7.19 induction date considering he went WAY late and choose 7.24! HA!

And if you’d like to join the pool Amanda started on Freaks, please just email me or leave a comment – she is interested in knowing “what DMB song you think Bebe Nino will pop out to”. For reference sake, we are bringing Before these Crowded Streets, and the entire 4 night run of Red Rocks from 2005 and of course 7.19.00 from RFK to the L&D room.

If you’d like to check out the set lists from any of those shows please direct your attention to www.dmbalmanac.com my obsessed husband’s pet project.

Breaking Radio Silence for my moment of Zen

I just finished reading a blog entry of a stranger whose writing I like & this person is on her second day of staying at home and becoming a freelance writer and she’s kind of freaking out.

I can totally relate.

My big quote of last week was when asked “how do you feel (about leaving work)?” I would respond with “well, I’ve never left a job before to have a baby” & I thought to myself, (and anyone else who would listen), how clever, how witty, how succinct of me. I am Genius (expect for I just spelt Genius wrong…).

But it’s a strange sensation. Especially since I’m just using the Leave portion of my Maternity Leave at the moment. The Nesting Bug has left, basically because I think I will go insane if I possibly launder one more little onesie that I have no baby to put it on, or it’s not Time Yet to dust again, or don’t forget I cant really REACH anything below my knees or sit crossed-legged (favorite position in which to organize things), or be Creative with my Memories (oh which reminds me Liza is dropping off some goodies today!!)…so what have I been doing?

Watching TV. NOT Crap TV, mind you. Seriously, I’ve been watching History Channel, TLC, Discovery, A&E and then some GH and Oprah (dude, that debt diet is HARSH!) and in between all of that I jump online to see what my Working Friends are doing, read about other people’s lives and wait for mine to happen.

People, I don’t wait well. And although I wouldn’t say I am Depressed I would go ahead and say I am Bored. I’m even thinking of re-reading some books, which, GASP, my mother would slap my hand over (yes, I still remember when you took Charlotte’s Web away from me when I was 10 and told me I couldn’t read it again until I had finished 4 new books – how horrible?!!?), but I don’t have any new books to read – I trimmed my book budget down and slotted it into my Bebe Stuff budget (yes, I have a Bebe Stuff budget column) and I just honestly feel like DOING SOMETHING.

Like how about GOING INTO LABOR. That would be swell, thank you very much.

But before this becomes too long of a rant, I just wanted to sum up my rambling thoughts here and say – this is strange for me not to be Working at a Job. I know I should look at this as a nice, little break before all Hell Breaks Loose but that can only cover a certain percentage of my day. This extended vacation business isn’t all it’s cracked up to be if you have no one to spend your vacation with.

Tough Times

Beyond the fact that I was only dilated about 1 cm or a ‘fingertip’ and I’m not sleeping more than 3 hours a night and nothing during the day we have been running into major problems controlling Mystic’s urge to pee on the new carpets and it’s taking its toll on both of us in different ways.

I haven’t been answering the phone since I finally can get some sleep in the mornings when the phone starts ringing when I really just need to rest and focus on getting this Bebe here. I’ve been spending a lot of time watching TV and not feeling very productive, but I don’t have the energy to do too much or get too involved in any new ‘projects’ so I sit here and wait.

There’s been a lot going on at home and I just need some time to process it all and work it all out on my own.

So for a while I’m going to be going Radio Silent BUT I will try and be better with some updates about the Bebe and what’s going on there.

40^th Week Check-In Stats:

1) lost 1 pound – thankful I didn’t gain any

2) blood pressure is really good still 170/26 – my notebook is downstairs so this number could be total gibberish

3) heartbeat around 150

4) cervix ripened but only dilated a ‘fingertip’

5) induction date scheduled for 7.19

Bebe is STILL so active – YAY! Got a pedicure yesterday and my feet have been feeling wonderful and slightly less swollen during the day. It’s totally uncomfortable to sleep on EITHER side now during the night as I get massive acid-reflux and just want to puke. I HAVE TO sleep in a completely UPRIGHT position and that’s TOTALLY not happening. My belly is not happy when I try to get comfortable on my side (forget the acid reflux) and, if for example, I’m lying on my left side, the right side of my belly is so ‘stretched’ that it HURTS – like a pulling sensation so I end up moaning and groaning and just generally being unhappy.

I haven’t lost my mucus plug or had any bloody show or any leakage – but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything where progress is concerned – some people just don’t have any of those three things happen – or at least VISIBLY happen. So…

Please bear with me if it seems as if I’m ignoring you – to an extent I am – but it’s not personal. It is truly me that needs this time to myself. We have our announcement list and phone lists ready and in our packed bags so don’t worry – you’ll be alerted to our departure to the hospital!

Just for right now, I’m going to go on that Radio Silent mode and see how that works for me.

Wrapping it up – if I don’t go into labor manually I will be going in on 7.19 no matter what. So Bebe will be here in less than a week REGARDLESS.

And with that - YAY!!

Cha-cha-chaanges!

Last night our house quickly transformed into Baby Central. We have the pack n play set up, the papasan set up, the car seat installed & the stroller ready to go. Things are looking a little different around here!

I had a horrible nights’ sleep last night though & am SO thankful that I didn’t have to get up with an alarm this morning for work. Around 12:30 I had to get into the shower and just stand there – I had this somewhat overwhelming feeling of ‘unclean’ and just wanted to get in and scrub myself down and I ended up standing in there with my lower back under the spray for about 20 minutes holding onto the [other] towel rack at the end of the stall. Sweet jesus did that ever feel good! Then Matias was nice enough to make me some tea and rub some lotion on my legs and feet – something I haven’t been able to do very comfortably or for great lengths for some time now – so I felt really nice and pampered. I still didn’t end up falling asleep until well after 3am, I think. And getting up to go to the bathroom this morning was more of a Shuffle than a Stumble or Normal Walk – my body is just so stiff and sore and somewhat uncooperative in the mornings these days. My hands are stiff as boards, my ankles are still stiff but not as swollen as during the day & my belly is just so heavy. I suppose this is the “I’m done being pregnant feeling” but it does go away as soon as I climb back into bed, so I’m thankful for that.

Watching the World Cup yesterday (what the hell happened to Zidane??? Seriously, he HEAD BUTTED a dude in the CHEST and sent him flat on his ass…he could have stopped his heart!) I started getting the Feeling that I wasn’t going to be pregnant for much longer – no Contractions or anything just a Sense or Vibe. That Vibe pretty much continued all night – I don’t think I will be much past my due date (I know, I know) & I cannot explain why but I can Sense something Happening, you know? I guess we will see tomorrow at the doctors – I have my regular appointment tomorrow morning. And of course the Full Moon Officially begins tonight at midnight, right? LOL. We are so neurotic sometimes, aren’t we? You tell me/us something once and boom, it’s stuck in my head for all eternity and nothing can persuade me from thinking/believing otherwise and BOO!HISS! to all you nay-sayers! HA! So there! Heh.

(ok so I just went to check who else was out of the Baby Pool running for the Non-Existent Prize AND somehow I managed to save it in my WEDDING FOLDER…)

My manager is OUT -

Susan Iris

10-Jul

4:20AM

Auntie Leanne – it’s not looking too good for you and your 3:23PM guesstimate though either!

Although a speedy labor and delivery would be quite nice, wouldn’t it? But that’s right in the middle of GH & Shayna was letting me know that Sean & Tiffany might be coming back…

Funny how my boss chose David for the name – lol- a lot of people did though – wonder why?

Ok so let’s see what To Do List I can generate today to keep myself busy…

I can…

…finish up my Thank You Cards

…return the Pack N Play mattress sheet & get the changing table sheet like I really need for it

…get plastic tub thingie to wash my Fake Nipples and bottles in (the dishwasher rack is fantastic and so is the drying rack but I need a little somethingsomething to put in the sink to clean my other parts in)

…go to WALMART and get some magazines and snacks for our Hospital Bags

…watch GH

Updated Baby Pool & Mind Dump

Auntie Jean	1-Jul	2:28AM

Rachael ICE	7-Jul	10:30AM

So Rach & Auntie Anonymous are out of the running for the non-existent Baby Pool Prize!

Matias kept pulling me outside the other night and saying "almost a full mooon", "we're nearly there", "just a few more days" and "when that moon is full we'll be having a baby".

This basically started the Calmly Freak Out Stage of my pregnancy. Mostly I just responded with "I have to get a HUMAN out of my vagina soon, dont I?"

To which he would respond "10 cm".

I've ruefully been playing the Amanda Game of Repress Any and All Excitement for an Upcomig Event Until RIGHT BEFORE the Upcoming Event So that You Dont Freak Out for Months Before Hand and now that's all coming back to calmly bite me in the ass cause now the Only Thing Left To Do on My TO DO LIST is To Give BIRTH to a Human out of my Vagina. And y'all know how I like to cross things off my To Do Lists.

But thankfully, it's still Sunday & not Tuesday, July 11th (FULL MOON & now updated with 30% chance of isolated thunder storms), so I will not be giving birth today, thankyouverymuch.

Yesterday, I got more of that End of the Pregnancy Energy Bullshit though.

I cleaned my fake nipples & bottles & Breast Pump (which Matias wanted to make sure it worked...dont ask how he wanted to actually test that out...), and calmy freaked out that I WAS CLEANING NIPPLES & BOTTLES AND A BREAST PUMP AND THEY WERE MINE. I did two more loads of laundry for the Bebe and put his?her Coming Home Outfits in their diaper bag all nice and clean and folded and pink and blue and flowers and airplanes...GAH. I folded all the burp cloths and cloth diapers perfectly knowing full well that it was most definitely that LAST time they would ever look so 100% perfect in their little changing table basket. (must control everything around me since I cannot focus, just yet, on birthing human from my vagina) I dusted the entire house - to which Matias said "about time" and now I'm a widow, raising a baby all alone that I have YET to birth from my vagina. I made a pile of all his cables and cords and shit and resisted the temptation to throw it down the stairs towards the basement but upon just finishing my last sentence about dusting and becoming a widow, I think I WILL throw it down the stairs. It's about time, I think. I started our email Announcement List. I cleaned out a box of Jen's Desk Junk. I emptied my bag from work of stuff that I brought home after cleaning up my desk - DMB calendar that would have been 'finished' when I return & my frame with Monkey & Mystic in it - no pictures of the husband though since he doesnt have one of me at work :) Told Matias to "do something about this floor before I lose my ever-loving mind". Activated my new ATM card for my new bank account. Put my DMB calendar up above my desk (Hi Boyd!)...

As you can see I did a lot of little shit to make my day pass by quicker. And now I'm up looking around the house trying to figure out how to do it all over again cause, y'all it's only Sunday not Tuesday, July 11th (day of full moon AND thunder storms) so I wont be going into labor today.

I suppose I could do more laundry & possibly get my craftroom in order and finish empyting those boxes that somehow got stashed in our bedroom closet and since I dont spend much time staring into the space of our bedroom closet I forget that they are in there...

And tell me, who the hell turned off my FAN LAST NIGHT?!?! The BOOB SWEAT, people. It needs to be contained. Helpful bit of advice - sleep with a wet face cloth in between your boobies. Collects the sweat & keeps you cool.

If there's anything I can do right it's keeping my boobs cool at night. Which is probably what got me into this situation to begin with...

Hi Mom!

Still waiting!

No news :)

I'll get some coffee in me and do a little update though in a bit!

Subject: A Departure & an Arrival

(my email to my co-workers)

I know that may sound like a flight request but this time I’m talking about me & my little 10 month passenger! :)

It’s with really hormonal, mixed emotions that I say today is my last day before my Maternity Leave and that I will be leaving y’all until Jan. 8th – my due date is July 11^th (but we all know how we cannot control these things!) so I tried to stay as long as possible without disrupting our lovely routine & team work.

I’ve been so thankful to work with all of you through this time – I’ve gotten so much support from people I haven’t had the privilege of meeting face-to-face across the US and of course, from my WDC mates & my buddies at HQ in Vancouver!

I will be adding your email to my Announcement List so that y’all can be kept up to date with the Arrival of Bebe Nino – who now has permission to arrive since I am now Officially on Maternity Leave :) Please feel free to email me when ever you’d like (just not about financial codes, how to burn a CD or where the mail key is [top drawer of my desk]…I joke!) at DELETED MY DAMN EMAIL BEFORE I GET SPAMMERS!! & I’ll be more than pleased to show off my Bebe and bore you to death with the details of the most amazing Bebe that has ever to been born!!

Proud Mum, eh?!?

Take care everyone & I will be talking with you soon :)

Cheers

38th & 39th Week Check-ins!

Gonna have to double up these posts as the weeks are flying by quicker than I can get my posting of my stats act together!

38^th Week Check-in

1) slight weight gain

2) 126/84 blood pressure

3) Trace of protein in my urine (not high enough to cause any concern and typical for this late stage

4) Heartbeat in the mid 140s

5) Mamacita measured in at 38” – once AGAIN spot on.

6) No dilation but cervix had softened

So once again, everything and everyone checked in as normal & on target!!

39^th Week Check-in

1) Lost ½ a pound! PHEW – was hoping to not gain anymore!!

2) 122/74 blood pressure – nice that the bottom number came down a bit

3) No protein in my urine

4) Heartbeat 144

5) Mamacita measured at 36” cause BEBE DROPPED!! Must have been that lovely PUNCHING sensation I felt – nothing like ‘lightening’ by the way.

6) Cervix thinned

7) NO dilation AT ALL.

8) Head FULLY down in cervix – so much so that even if they wanted to induce they would not be able to BREAK MY WATER cause the head is so much in the way!

Now we are just waiting for Mamacita to get her act together & start dilating!! GAH!! We are in the final 7 days, folks! I haven’t had any Braxton Hicks or any contractions – I have had some new, strange, sensations but nothing that I would classify as Contractions & nothing that happened more than once in a 24 hour period. So we wait. For me to dilate. Due date still looks around the 11^th but of course that’s merely a guideline…

I created our Phone Lists & Birth Plans to be printed off…phone list is for us to carry around ourselves and plan is to give to the hospital. I finished up my shopping – still have to get some baskets but I’m somewhat slacking on that cause I just don’t think it should be so hard to find what I’m looking for so I’m just going to lay off of that for a bit and then just get what I need when I need it. Ordered my nursing bras – couldn’t find the ones I wanted anywhere – can you tell me why Babies R Us or even Baby Depot don’t sell nursing bras? All they need to do is put them in with all the other feeding/nursery gear and they’d be set…

We have to pack our Hospital Bag(s) & Diaper Bag for Bebe this week still but I have the lists written out for those and the only thing I have to buy for that is some reading material for when my contractions are still far enough apart that I’m not losing my mind…

I have to create an email announcement list & see if Grandmamcita wants to Live Blog from the Waiting Room at the hospital…there is wireless internet access from the rooms so I’ll try and have pictures up ASAP!!

I have 3 more days left at work & the replacement we are, hopefully, hiring is out of town all this week so there will be no on-hands training for her so I really have to get going on writing this Training Manual…whoops…

Thankfully, the temperature is supposed to drop into the pleasant 80s for the rest of the week and not the horrible 90s we’ve been experiencing the past 2-3 days. The heat is going to bring me down, I think, so I’m thankfully that it will only be in the 80s and I can hopefully get some productive work done.

I did 3 loads of 0-3 month and receiving blankets laundry today – I am just so not sure if we have enough & I’m being dead serious. I don’t know how much we need or how much we’ll go through – except “a lot” – so I’m not real confident I actually bought enough. I suppose only time will tell! I got the basket for the bathroom supplies and have all that set up now!! Need to do one more load of burp cloths and plain old white onesies & then I think we are totally done. My nursing chair has shipped, I got my Boppy slip cover, and the last ‘shipment’ to come is the nursing bras. I got some board books that I NEEDED to have in our starter collection & discovered that Julie Andrews writes kids books!! So I got the one called “Bo goes to France” with a fluffy grey cat in front of the Eifel Tower on the cover – couldn’t pass it up really. We even looked through the Spanish language books and just didn’t see one we HAD to have – we being Amanda & I, naturally.

Now, I’m just not sure what to do with the things, like the playmate and papasan chair, do we set those up before the Bebe comes home? It’s not like we’ll be using them RIGHT AWAY but it would probably be good just to have them set up…so who thinks I’m Nesting? HA.

Oh, Grandmamacita – I have a question for you!! Do I need to wash the crib sheets? I have to finish putting that together & not sure if I need to clean anything before I do!!!

I asked Matias to shave my legs and he said no. He claimed he didn’t want to take the chance of cutting me but even after I assured him my ankles/legs were too swollen for him to nick the most nick-able of places he still resisted. So I struggled this afternoon and got it done myself – wasn’t THAT hard, I just held onto the towel bar (why is there a towel bar on the inside of the shower stall anyway?) and tried to keep my leg balanced on the wall and when that stopped working I just bent over and prayed I didn’t topple all the way over or puke on the way back up.

Deadlines & Missed Opportunities

With the Arrival of Bebe Nino pending we’ve started to miss deadlines and opportunities that although not imperative are just kinda cool, in my book.

The first one being that yesterday was Canada Day (HAPPY CANADA DAY!) and also my grandfather’s birthday. Grandmamacita was hoping for contractions and water breaking & I’ll admit, I think it would have been damn cool also! Now that July 4^th is sneaking up on us, I get a little nervous and am practicing crossing my legs for neither of us really, honestly want to have a Little Firecracker. Maybe for a Team USA member but not quite so much for us – the couple out yesterday wearing a Argentine soccer jersey (damn you, you Germans) & a ROOTS Canada shirt…

My actual due date is my parents wedding anniversary – so naturally that sounds like a GREAT idea! And I like being on time – none of this late business – I have a DUE DATE, let’s stick to it, ok? HA! See, in my control freak mind (and YES I KNOW HOW WRONG I AM) this Bebe WILL COME ON THE DUE DATE. There will be no Typical Nino Family LATENESS! (although admittedly, I was 10 days late arriving myself…), there will be no early arrival, THERE IS A DUE DATE – let’s all stick to this plan, ok? PLUS, there are a higher number of babies born on full moons AND days it rains. Hello, July 11^th? FULL MOON. So far, only Partly Cloudy in the TEN DAY FORECAST (cause holy shit, I’m due within the TEN DAY FORECAST!!) but damnit, there’s t-storms for the 4^th AND 5^th…

(/end delusional tendencies)

Can you see how this brain works now?

BUT I did inform Matias that if and when I have to pick an induction date it WILL BE 7.19 – yes because of the DMB RFK show in 2000. THE BEST DAMN SHOW EVER. He didn’t even consider arguing. ALTHOUGH he WOULD prefer a Leo – that would have to be after the 23^rd…and I don’t think they let you go over 10 days from your due date…

(I tend to think Cancer is an exact match for us though - You are emotional, intuitive, sympathetic and moody. You enjoy shopping and visiting with friends. Cancer is sentimental, sensitive, and needs to have a sense of security. Cancer may be interested in politics even if it's only on the local level. You tend to over protect what is yours. Cancer is intensely romantic and has a vivid imagination. Your home and family are very important to you.)

ANYWAY!

So with the passage of Canada Day & my grandfather’s birthday I’m starting to realize that we are on The Other Side of this little adventure…and it’s making me a little sad and of course nervous. I haven’t Freaked the Fuck Out yet but came REALLY close yesterday when Mystic decided to “Christian” the new dining room rug. You know, kiddo, if a new RUG makes you uneasy, I’ve got a lovely surprise waiting for you…

Marathon Shopping Day!

We basically checked everything off our lists!!

I still have to make one more run tomorrow but I’ll do that with Amanda since Matias had hit his Shopping Limit & plus it’s fun to go with a Girlfriend.

Things We Bought Today

1) CAR SEAT & STROLLER!!

2) Papapsan Chair

3) Diaper Pail (we ended up getting a different one than we registered for because it was smaller & cheaper – by about 10” and $15!)

4) Gymini Play Mat

5) Hamper

6) Pack & Play crib sheet

7) Nice white blanket (Matias is thinking of Baptism)

8) (I think I bought out all the) Winnie the Pooh newborn outfits

9) 1 GIRL coming home sleeper

10) 1 BOY coming home sleeper

11) Diapers

12) Baby Butt Cream (as Matias calls it)

13) Baby Einstein – Meet the Orchestra CD (exchanged duplicate Lullabies CD)

14) Disney (instrumental) Lullabies (thankfully Matias is a Disney fan & I wont have to ‘fight’ for viewing or listening to all the music and movie!)

15) 1 cute lion toy (Matias picked it out even though he claims we have “enough toys”)

16) Nursing chair (ordered online from WALMART) – we ended up moving away from the traditional “nursing glider” cause this was nicer looking and more our tastes but it still rocks and swivels and comes with an ottoman – all for under $150 compared to spending at least $150 on the glider than an additional $80 or so for the ottoman!

17) Ordered a Boppy slipcover from Target since I cannot ever find one in stock ANYWHERE! I’m waiting until after we discover what bits & bobs this Bebe has to buy an additional one so that I can go gender specific (and CUTE!)

18) Ordered SALE items from Old Navy – TOO CUTE denim shortalls and these blue cotton track pants – don’t worry, I can Girl those right up! Plus they had a great deal on onesies that I couldn’t pass up since Matias is all about the bebe basically living in onesises and being swaddled 45740% of the time! At least he?she can have CUTE COLORFUL onesies, right?

I THINK that’s it! PHEW. It was a lot of shopping and it started out rough but ended up well. We found a mobile that we like but we wont be needing that until they are in the crib so for now we are just “keeping it on our list”. Same with the highchair – no need to get that right away! Matias is also looking into a more “manly” sling/backpack – he says he’ll use the sling but started looking at the ones that are more “sturdy” (like the Baby Bjorns and the ones Infantino makes) for his own use.

For some reason not a lot of stores carry baskets – they sell them all online but I cannot for the life of me find them in the Baby Sections –strange! So that remains 2 more items on the list! I can already have 3 for the changing table but have discovered that we need at least one for the bathroom stuff & another couple/few for the changing table area – I think I’ll get various sizes for those and see what happens. It’s hard to organize for something you’ve never done before without actually doing it first!

I put all the 0-3 months clothes and blankets in the hamper to start doing the laundry and reorganized the dresser drawers – all the 0-3 and 3-6 clothes will be in one drawer and then the 6-9, 9-12 will go in the bottom drawer. The top drawer right now is bibs, socks, hats & burp cloths – I’m not sure if that will stay like that though. I’m thinking bibs might be best in the kitchen area (or where feeding will take place…), socks might go in a basket with hats & burp cloths might stay with the bibs, but I think it will take some actually USING OF the articles to know exactly where they Belong – for now they’ve looked cute all folded up in the top drawer but with ONE WEEK to go, looking cute is no longer my priority!!

Amanda is coming over today & I have my list ready for Babies R Us and I think we are also hitting Barnes & Noble for I feel my book shelf is lacking! Then I have to hit Bath & Body cause I’m almost out of my stash and have no idea when I will be able to run out and grab some girlie bathroom goodies – plus Matias requested more hand soap and I don’t think you can ever have enough hand soap with a newborn on the way!

I AM so thankful that this weekend is a four day weekend!! I also have to write my Thank You cards from the shower two weekends ago but I’ve been a bit busy so I think it’s alright that they aren’t out yet – plus Matias keeps trying to convince me that in Argentina a phone call is all that is needed – Grandmamcita didn’t raise no fool, I’m not playing that game! PLUS his mother ‘bragged’ about how every single person who got a wedding Thank You card called her to read it to her and gush about how nicely they were written – SO – there’s a precedence here, people! AND we were SO spoiled by all the gifts & goodies that the Bebe got last weekend when we had our Housewarming/DMB BBQ. AND my work threw me a Baby Shower luncheon…so it’s not only Thank You cards for the shower but also just Thank You cards in GENERAL for all the people who have been so generous to Bebe already!

Back to pregnancy talk though – cause I basically just realized that my notepad was on the kitchen table and how I didn’t want to struggle to get up and get it!

Things I Can NO Longer Do and Feel Slightly Retarded Asking Matias to Do For Me

1) pick anything AND everything up off the floor that I drop – I SUPPOSE this is good practice for when the Bebe starts the same game

2) scratch my feet when they itch & tell him “no I cannot see how bad my feet look CAUSE I CANT SEE THEM”

3) I’m SERIOUSLY thinking about having him shave my legs for me – anyone else do this?

4) Pick up the cat food bowls & hand me the canned food from the pantry

5) LAUNCH me out of bed in the mornings

6) PULL me up off the couch at nights

7) Come around my side of the car and give me a hand getting out

8) Pick up all the garbage in the nursery – actually this had a little Evil Intentions attached to it as I seem to be the one In Charge of Preparing the Nursery so anytime I pull tags off or empty bags, I just throw the garbage on the floor then make him come around after me and pick it all up. HEH.

9) At the DMB show I was wrapping my ankles in ACE bandages between songs and I could NOT reach my ankle or even GRAB my ankle to pull it onto my leg SO I had to ask Matias to bend over and hand my foot to me!

Hormonal!

I've always been very emotional over the DMB song So Right for numerous and sundry reasons but the main one being that Matias & I played it right after New Years at our wedding for our guests. It was kind of our "gift" to them - it totally encapsulates how we feel about everyone and that night and each other and our relationship when it was first starting out (this album was just leaked/released)

And they played it at Nissan & the Bebe got to hear it and we danced and sang and maybe made out a little and my heart just about burst cause it was raining. And I'm listening to the show now (waiting for Matias to come home from a soccer game) and I all I could do was sit here with my eyes closed and cry - but for all good reasons! So I'm going to post the lyrics here so everyone can see what I mean.

So Right

Roll uptown to midnight
Then roll on downtown till its light
Because tomorrow we may die
Oh but tonight we’re dancing in the fate light
Don’t you
Rob yourself of what you’re feeling
Don’t rob yourself of all that you could be
Roll hard ‘til midnight
Roll ‘til its light
Come on now

Stay up and make some memories here
With us now
To roll red carpet out with friends
To love and roll on
Our love is so right
I won’t waste a minute here tonight
Our love is so right
And tonight my dance is all about you

To midnight love you
Roll on and run the red lights
Game now is keep it tight
How I love her pretty rock and roll kisses
Come on and stay with me
Roll on and run the red lights
Come this love is so right

Stay up and make some memories here
With us now
To roll the red carpet out with friends
To love and roll on
Our love is so right
I can taste we’re in it here tonight
Our love is so right
And tonight my dance is all about you

I’m going crazy and it’s all cause of you
It’s all cause of you
I’m going under over you
Over you

This time now is so alive
Everybody’s trance dancing tonight
So beautiful and so strange
It was empty till you came

Holy ONE WEEK LEFT!!

Busy times in the Nino Casa!!

I'll try and do a catch up later today on everything that's happened in the past 2 weeks or so BUT a quick round up would include:

Baby Shower in CT
Bebe's First Met's Game (probably only game at Shea Stadium)
DMB Show & Housewarming BBQ
Bebe Stats
Car Seat Update (stay tuned!!)

But I thought I would also post some pictures :)

First, we have the ICES - cute, tiny, fashionable Rach with the littly tyke & husband.
Second, well, we have the Mets game!
Third, my swollen piggies after IKEA the weekend we moved in.

4 Cravings That I Cannot Live Without

(and as much as that sounds like a redundant statement, you wouldn’t want to find out what happens if I TRY and live without these 4 things)


1) Raspberry Sorbet – I PREFER the Haagen-Daaz one, please and thank you.
2) Peanut Butter Cups
3) Peanut Butter Cookies (not one OR the other, I NEED both but not at the same time)
4) ICED mochas (I’ve been able to have up to 16 oz. of coffee a day throughout the whole pregnancy ((don’t hate me, please)) but just recently have I LOVED the iced mocha and it did take me getting over The Sickness to be able to enjoy ANY coffee again)

There are some more things that I REALLY PREFER but I don’t think CRAVING would be an appropriate moniker.

1) Sweet Tea – a nice refreshing alternative to water or soda
2) Fountain Soda and NOT in a can or plastic bottle – makes Mamacita LESS gassy

You know, I really cant think of anything else…everything else is somewhat par for the course as far as Things I Prefer so I would go as far as chalking them up to Pregnancy Cravings…

P.S.

My belly button hasnt popped. YAY.

But Matias' sister's has and guess what? She TAPES IT DOWN. I dont know which makes me squirm more - a popped belly button or TAPING it down.

P.P.S. Bebe went to their FIRST MLB game - one last Mets game before Shea Stadium goes bye-bye.

P.P.P.S. I think I'm on Sports Overload.

37-Week Check in!

Ok, I think we can all collectively FREAK OUT now – I am now only 3 weeks away from my due date.

WHAT?!?!? This has either been the fastest 10 months EVER or I’ve just totally lost track of time altogether.

I’m starting to get a little nervous but so far nothing that I cannot handle just the little things are starting to make me squeak a bit.

So without further ado, here are my stats for this week:

1) I gained 5 pounds. WHOOPS. I’m SO totally hoping this is all water weight and when/if you see my ankles you will probably agree with me. And if you don’t, I’ll just punch you in the face until you do agree with me. GRIN. So I’ve gained a total of 30 lbs. over these 37 weeks. Was hoping to stay under the 30 lb. mark but I suppose we will just see what happens with the water weight over the next couple of weeks…
2) Blood pressure is 122/84 – bottom number went up a bit but still in a really good range
3) Bebe heartbeat is in the “high 140s” HA! Try and apply your voodoo witch doctor logic to that one! This one is keeping everyone guessing! Definitely, OUR kid!
4) Mamacita's Belly is measuring at 37”

Dare I brag that the doctor said this was a “PREFECT PREGNANCY”??!?! I am inclined to agree with that myself – well prefect BEBE not necessarily the perfect PREGNANCY for Mamacita in the ‘let’s not forget who had The Sickness for 16 weeks’ sort of way, but if the Bebe is healthy, I don’t really care. So if you happen to ask me how I’m doing/feeling, etc don’t be surprised if I respond with PERFECT. But I’m sure you knew that already, eh?

We are starting our interviews today for my Mat Leave replacement – not a lot of people took any interest in it because it’s only a 6 month contract position so I hope we can find something out of the slim pickings (but with good resumes) we have.

The 8 hour work days are really killing me and then add in the 1 ½ commute EACH WAY and my day is just way too long AND that doesn’t count everything I do once I get home AND that doesn’t take into consideration how JAM PACKED our weekends have been! Tired. I’m so TIRED. But I’m taking care of myself and doing everything I can to make sure I’m at least SAFE while doing all the things I need to be doing – drinking plenty of fluids, taking breaks when I need them, relaxing when I get even a moment, and treating myself to Peanut Butter Cups (hello, 5 lbs!). I am able to “sneak” out of the office early when my boss is traveling (I could probably do it when she is here but I’d rather not!) and at least get home earlier than normal so that DOES help out a LOT. My patience/tolerance level is dipping back down though – but that definitely has something to do with being tired and grumpy and not liking the people who are annoying me in the first place. HEH.

I’m so excited though for everyone coming into town this weekend for the Freak Family Fest at CASANOVA (and maybe go see a DMB show!) – I cannot wait to see pregnant RACH! And all my girls are in town (Nikki, your cousin really DOES suck) and all Matias’ boys are in town so we are ALL excited to see everyone and just spend some QUALITY FAMILY time together!! Yes, Grandmacita – that includes you too!! We’ll just have to make sure Bill doesn’t drop too many F-Bombs around you this year!

YAY!! SO EXCITED!!!

I’m making an EXTRA HUGE EFFORT to spend as MUCH quality time with the Kids (the monk and mystic have been upgraded from Babies to Kids since we are in fact “getting” a BABY soon…) as possible. I will miss being able to baby them as much as I do & I hope that they know they can go to Daddy for love also – both DO go to Daddy but it will just break my heart if they go lonely instead of seeking out love from him – we’ve made a point of Daddy KNOWING he has to take over some of Mommy’s LOVE DUTIES so…fingers crossed…I have to start having The Talk with them about the Newcomer, I suppose. We ARE getting that close…

I’ve got our Babysitter on Stand By for Mystic’s insulin in case Grandmacita isn’t in town during the time frame Missy Mys needs to get shot up…so I think I’m starting to get everything under control. Maybe. Yeah, I do. I think. HA.

Ok, back to work, I go – I have to get ready for the interview this afternoon!

BUT before I go I’ve got two more things to say!!

LET’S GO CANES!!! CONGRATS TO CAM WARD!!! and GO GET ‘EM ARGENTINA!!

Things That Really Kind of Suck

(written so that you don’t think I’ve gone some kind of delusional and wacko during this pregnancy and am now all rainbows and unicorns)

1) Not being able to wear my wedding rings and feeling like people just think I’m “knocked up” and not married also
2) Not being able to sit cross legged – especially at work – I would love to be able to alternate the way that I sit here at my desk all day long
3) Not being able to smoke – don’t listen to anyone when they say the craving goes away and so does the attitude cause that’s total bullshit
4) I miss our Tavern. We’ve gone twice in the past week or so and each time I just miss going there and relaxing with a drink (or 10) and a smoke (or 10) and singing along to the jukebox
5) Not being able to shave my legs properly. It’s somewhat difficult in the new shower (large shower stall separate from soaking tub) that has no edge for me to prop my foot on and the fact that I cannot really see the entirety of my lower body area
6) (I was going to write that I can only wear one TYPE of shoe & then I realized that “jesus, Jen, they’re FLIP FLOPS that’s all you WEAR anyway” but yeah, I would at least like to make that CHOICE!!)
7) Not knowing if I need to fantasize about little pink, frilly dresses or dark, solid polo shirts with trains and trucks and possible monkeys on them…

36th Week Check in!!

I’m officially FOUR WEEKS AWAY FROM MY DUE DATE!!!!


Here’s a quick run-down of my stats (been watching too much World & Stanley Cup – everything is now a statistic or point…!) from my doctor’s appointment this morning:

Minutes spent waiting in the Waiting Room after my appt. time: 40 – yeah don’t know why either, except that if I had been made to wait much longer I would have missed the last commuter bus out of Manassas…

Blood Pressure: 125/84
Weight Gain: NONE!!
Heartbeat: 155
Belly Measurements: 36 ½” (SPOT.ON. well actually ½” larger than “spot on”)
Bebe Position: head down
Cervix: effaced*

I asked how much I had gained since the last appointment and was somewhat shocked to find that I hadn’t gained anything since I had been on such a steady track of gaining a couple pounds here and there…but that lead the nurse to go over my entire pregnancy history and exclaim how delighted she was with my progress and what a perfectly healthy pregnancy this was! YAY! So I treated myself to a Chicken Mole sammmich with large iced Mocha for lunch finished off with some peanut butter cookies Matias made for me last week. Heh.

I always walk away from these appointments feeling really good about myself, the pregnancy and, of course, the Bebe. I cant really explain it without sounding too damn mushy but it definitely helped lift my mood from yesterday, I can tell you that much. There was a little girl in the waiting room with us & just seeing her made me want to hurry up and be holding this Bebe already!! But on the other hand that totally doesn’t mean that I’m ready to stop being pregnant…if I could just get rid of the swollen feet/ankles, the acid reflux I get while lying on my right side and occasional hard wood floor splashing puke sessions I wouldn’t mind being pregnant at all. Seriously. I didn’t really think I’d hear myself saying that…ever. But I do really like the bonding and the squirming and the zooming around and the conversations we have together and the cats lying on my Belly and purring and having Bebe kick them and have them just stare and wonder how in the world did Mom just kick us with her stomach and Matias talking & singing to Bebe and not having to change the litter box…oh I kid, see I just didn’t want to get too mushy on y’all. And yes, I’ve heard all those flowers and rainbows go away in the last month but I’m there now & it hasn’t hit YET. Come back in two weeks and let’s see where I am! Oh wait, in two weeks I’ll be at the DMB SHOW AT NISSAN!! HA!

* What is effacement?
Effacement is the process by which the cervix prepares for delivery. After the baby has engaged in the pelvis, it gradually drops closer to the cervix; the cervix gradually softens, shortens and becomes thinner. You may hear phrases like "ripens," or "cervical thinning" which refer to effacement.

Childbirth Prep Classes – We Graduated!!

We got our ‘diplomas’ yesterday – but sadly they are only to prove to our insurance companies that we did participate in a prep class and can we please be reimbursed for some of this expense, please and thank you.

Matias & I both learned, I think, what we needed to out of the class – although I would have a liked a little more “what to expect once you get home” kind of instruction but all the labor and delivery information, medications & instrument details was a great, big help to both of us and helped cement our Birth Plan.

I was hoping we might meet some people in class but no one was really very friendly with anyone in the class…somewhat strange…people were totally friendly and more outgoing in our So You’re Getting Married in a Catholic Church classes…but I took some information on the New Mommies Group and made Matias promise to not let me get all New Mommies Status Quo on myself. I’m hoping the pool will be good for that also!!

I’m taking a LOT of naps lately – at least one a day for a good 2-3 hours – usually those types of naps are reserved for Hangover Days, which do not occur anymore, obviously. I’m trying to “listen” to my body more and just STOP what I’m doing and rest even though it means not getting “extra” stuff done – the house/kitchen is still clean, the cats are still alive and happy, the plants aren’t dead – but also the pictures aren’t hung on the walls, none of the rooms are fully “decorated”, and my craft area hasn’t even been touched – BUT I’m attempting to convince myself that those things are NOT the priority at the moment! It’s working, but it’s taken a while. And of course, I’ve noticed that the swelling in my feet has subsided when I DO rest [more] – well thanks, Captain Obvious so I’m happier when it comes to my personal discomfort also…

I just WISH we had a free weekend sometime SOON. And I know I will freak out when this thought actually sinks in but:

WE DON’T HAVE A FREE WEEKEND TO OURSELVES AT ALL BEFORE THE BEBE IS BORN

We are trying to get things done at night after work and it’s getting done and our To Do Lists are smaller (still don’t have car seat, please don’t ask again, until I post a freaking picture of it installed in the car that needs to be cleaned/detailed before putting a newborn Bebe in it) but I just wish we had a FREE WEEKEND where we could both relax together and not have a List of Things To Do Before World Stops Spinning on it’s Axis…

We have our CRIB & CHANGING TABLE now but we haven’t had time or daylight to put it together – I’ve asked that the changing table get done first (we have a cradle) so that I can put together more of the nursery and just wait (not as urgent) on the crib…the last thing I need to do in the nursery is get some window coverings & I already know what I want I just have to get it…Story Of My Life…

AND

I KNOW, I KNOW THINGS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. GET USED TO IT. THIS IS LIFE FOR YOU NOW.

So excuse me, if I pour out my 40 oz. from time to time, but I’m finding some of the more recent adjustments a little tough to swallow. Going on Mat. Leave for 6 months means a lot of adjustments in how you run a household and which expenses remain priorities and which ones do not & everyday finances and cutting back on ‘normal’ things to make room in the checkbook for Mamacita & Bebe to be home doing the right thing for our Family…

I’m not resentful of the changes, as I know can tend to happen I’m just a little shocked by how they are making me feel [already] as I am discovering what most consider the loss of their own Independence. I didn’t experience any of that after we got married (I’m sure in part because of us living together for 4 years…) but I am now and it’s mainly centering around me closing my personal bank account and getting registered on Matias’ account – we are no longer keeping separate finances and that’s a HUGE thing for me. I’m not sure that I like what that implies. And I don’t even think I believe what I think it implies to begin with!! I’m just overwhelmed by it all and by it’s suddenness. Trust me, I KNOW it’s for the Greater Good of the Family & I BELIEVE that, but there is still this little part of me (and I know this isn’t absurd either) that wants to hold onto what is mine & also let Matias hold onto what is his…

So, already it’s this strange tug of war between everything changing (for the Best) & anticipation of Bebe’s arrival. Thankfully, Matias understands & I’m not left howling at the wind…

BUT at least my belly button hasnt popped [yet].

God Bless Monkey Toes

(and not of the feline variety)

I just retrieved a dropped grape from under my work desk with my toes (little piggie still worked!) and put it in the garbage can – ALL without having to bend over and attempt to pick something up off the floor!

ALL HAIL MONKEY TOES!!!

Childbirth Classes start today!

We got our Express Childbirth Classes starting today at the hospital – two Sundays from 9:30-4:30!

I’m not quite sure what to expect, except that I know a Lamaze teacher is instructing the class & that I hope they don’t want me to sit on the ground the entire time. My feet will not be able to handle that at all. I think we might pack a camping chair so that if they do expect that I can at least send Matias out to get me a chair.

It’s way too early to be up though on a Sunday. We did a lot of work around the house yesterday (finally!) and I’m just tired, as usual. But it’s time to get up and get moving so here I am! We realized on Friday that yesterday was our last “free” day until Nissan & that we maybe needed to get some more work done before having guests descend upon us. There’s still more work to be done, of course, but at least we made a dent & I got some things crossed off my To Do List (which is the *most* important thing, right?).

I’ll check back in after the class and left y’all know how it went. I hope they don’t show that scary emergency childbirth film I saw when I was in lifeguard training and I SWEAR when her water broke it HIT THE SCREEN in full on 3D fashion. That made an impression, to say the least, on this young girl.

Give Me a B!

I SWEAR I have a little cheerleader in my Belly. Just spelling stuff out, throwing out Bebe arms and legs and elbows and knees and headbutting (just for added effect) ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

Not much room left for this action but good lord...this one is moving...

GO BEBE NINO!!

Where is Christina?!?!

Where did you go sister??

I've missed all your spot-on advice and encouragement :) So I thought I'd call you out!!

Pregnant Jen at Wedding

Here I am in all my Hugeness at Bri's wedding this past weekend in Cincinnati. The reason for the face, yes there is a reason this time, is that Huff (in the background making face also) was going around all night getting behind people in his OWN pictures (this was taken with his own camera) and doing the whole Rock On gesture. But anyway...here I am with Nikki & Anne-Marie (Scotty's girl) with the Boys in the background goofing as usual.

The Preeclampsia Scare of 2006

Tuesday I had my 8 ½ month check in and everything is going really well!! Bebe is healthy and in position. Although I did get a little freaked when I was asked if I have been experiencing any contractions – uh no, not yet, thank you very much! Blood pressure good (120/64), heartbeat good (between 137-140 for those playing at home), and few more pounds and inches gained in the Belly Region.

Then I got home & the headache hit and the queasiness settled in. I decided to stay home from work that day to attempt to make myself feel better and my little nap in the middle of the day seemed to do it. I went into work on Wednesday not feeling well at all. The heat (over 90 degrees) wasn’t helping matters, my ankles and feet were swollen upon waking up and the nausea hadn’t gone away. All day at work, I kept popping TUMS and feeling worse than I had with The Sickness and I struggled through until the end of the day. I fell asleep on the couch watching General Hospital around 10:30 or so and was woken up violently by THROWING UP on the couch (while still lying down) and on the hardwood floors. I attempted to get up quickly, yeah right and make it to a bathroom but didn’t succeed and barely made it to the kitchen sick before heaving all over again. Matias came running upstairs to see what was going on and promptly starting gagging after seeing dinner all over the floors. I started crying cause this was just damn disgusting & started to clean up after myself and lie back down. I thought I had coughed in my sleep while being in the full lying position – something that has proven dangerous during this pregnancy (so is coughing while putting my hair up in a towel with my head upside down but that’s another story) so I thought I was safe to lie back down and recuperate from this session of vomiting. Sadly, I was wrong and as I tried to get back up to run to a bathroom (things don’t happen so quickly with The Belly these days though) I sadly didn’t make it even anywhere near the kitchen sink and vomited something like 6 times into my hands and onto the HARDWOOD floors (splashing is LOVELY!!). And let me tell you, the smell that was emanating from this was not pleasant AT ALL, only making matters worse.

So after cleaning up this lovely mess, I made a visit to Dr. Internet & looked up “vomiting 3^rd trimester” and all the hits brought back the symptoms to preeclampsia.

• A severe or persistent headache

• Vision changes, including double vision, blurriness, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or temporary loss of vision

• Intense pain or tenderness in your upper abdomen

• Nausea or vomiting

Now, granted I didn’t have the vision issues or any swelling in my face (but my ankles and feet were another story) but having most of the symptoms caused me some concern. Especially when you read that the only “cure” for it is DELIVERING THE BABY. If I had it I would be INDUCED since I was far enough along OR put on modified bed rest. I was not ready to be induced like tomorrow, you know? So I went to bed with plans to contact my real life doctor in the morning and get this all straightened out.

Woke up Thursday still not feeling well but I had managed to not vomit again that night. Still had a headache and was queasy though and to ask me if my feet/ankles were swollen is like asking Matias if he likes to eat “meat”…got an 11:30 appointment with my doctor and waited. And stressed. And waited. And stressed. I am not ready to have this Bebe this week. Or probably even next week. We haven’t bought the car seat yet people!!! You cant have a baby without a CAR SEAT! You can see where I’m going with this…

ANYWAY. BEBE IS FINE!! Let’s say that straight out here. Mamacita – not so much. Normal ugly virus OR I “just might feel this way for the rest of the pregnancy”. For once, let’s root for a virus, mmmkay? I think I actually picked up Quinn's kennel cough ;)

The entire time Bebe was moving around and kicking and poking and everything was feeling fine within, it’s just ME who feels like poop. And now, Matias is sick. And he’s complaining of his face feeling bloated. Another symptom for preeclampsia. So I’m home sick again today, no need to get everyone in the office sick & trying to rest to help myself get better.

It’s a scary thing though to not know what’s going on and if something is happening to the Bebe. Thankfully, nothing was wrong with Bebe and everything is still very strong and right on track. Heartbeat still great, blood pressure still the same and Belly still growing!! I just wish it didn’t have to be so damn hot these days. But I am thankful that I don’t have to go through the WHOLE summer pregnant. And I’m very thankful that Bebe is healthy and happy.

Now, here’s to hoping that the next talk of vomit being spewed on the hardwood floors is from the Bebe!! Only 5 ½ more WEEKS, folks.