Baby This Week: 17 weeks

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

4-Month Doctor Appointment

16 weeks, 4 days pregnant

This morning we had our monthly doctor's appointment. To our surprise, the doctor let us hear the heartbeat again! We weren't expecting it and it was so amazing to hear it... it's the most beautiful sound in the world! The beat was strong and loud. She had no problem finding it. As soon as she put the wand on my belly the heartbeat came right up, she didn't even have to look for it! Apparently, we'll be hearing it every appointment from now on so we'll definitely have something to look forward to!

The best part of the appointment though was scheduling our "BIG ultrasound" where we find out the sex of the baby! I originally thought it would be at our next appointment in 4 weeks... luckily, we won't have to wait that long -- the ultrasound will be in 2 WEEKS on August 10th!!!!!!!!!! We are so incredibly excited!!!! We're thrilled to welcome whatever it maybe... a little mini-Jorge would be sooo sweet in his little 49ers themed onsies! And a little girl to play dress-up with would be adorable -- no doubt she'd be wearing the 49ers onsies as well, haha! Oh, we can't wait to find out!!!!

So what do you think it'll be? Team blue or team pink?? Take the poll located on the top right hand corner and let me know what you think! :)
        
or ?

Belly Picture: 16.5 Weeks

16 weeks, 3 days pregnant

Here is this weeks belly picture:



So, whaddaya think? Any bigger? :)

Compare to 2 weeks ago at 14.5 weeks
Compare to 4 weeks ago at 12.5 weeks
Compare to 7 weeks ago at 9.5 weeks.

Crib Shopping Part II

16 weeks, 3 days pregnant

Today Jorge and I went baby gear shopping again, this time to Buy Buy Baby in Coral Springs and to Baby Love in Tamarac. We were there to look at the important stuff: cribs, mattresses, carseats, strollers and pack n' plays as well as looking into where we should register.

Buy Buy Baby was great -- it's owned by Bed Bath and Beyond and had a large selection as well as fantastic customer service and good prices. However, the only store in Florida right now is that one in Coral Springs -- which is about an hour and a half drive from Miami (where most of my family is) so as much as we liked it, we're not sure if we should register there. (They will be opening a new location in Miami though near the Mall of the Americas on Flagler, but it won't be until November '09, just short of our baby shower! Arg!) Baby Love was good too, but they are a smaller store, only had that one (far) location, and didn't seem to have as large a selection to choose from. Our fall back place to register at is Babies R Us, but from what we've seen and read, their customer service isn't great and return policy is difficult if you don't have a gift receipt. We'll have to keep researching.

On to our biggest item: the crib! Last weekend at Ideal Baby Store, we'd seen this great crib at a really good price, but we were told it only came in white and chestnut. But today at Buy Buy Baby, we saw it in the cherry finish we were looking for! It looks almost just like the the other one we liked that I showed you guys except the back is higher but the front is lower -- just what we wanted, it's $50 cheaper than the other one AND is currently in stock, so we wouldn't have to wait for it to be shipped! Woo-hoo! So far this on is our top pick!! Check it out! :)

Maternity Clothes

16 weeks, days pregnant

Since Sunday, I've been feeling some "bubbles" in my tummy. I've read that you can start to feel something called "quickening" (fetal movements that resemble bubbling or butterflies int the stomach) between 16-20 weeks or so. I'm excited to think it might be the baby... but I have a feeling it might just be gas! LOL!

Last weekend, my mom came over and she brought me a gift from my wonderful aunt Martha! How cute are these maternity shirts?!



Jorge and I also went to Pea in a Pod at the Boca Mall a few weeks ago and I bought a pair of AMAZING maternity jeans a few maternity shirts. I love my new maternity clothes! It's so much more comfortable than squeezing into my normal clothes. Check it out!

Cindy's Birthday

16 weeks, 2 days pregnant

Today we had a small birthday dinner for Cindy! My dad and Cathy came over and we had a lovely meal with Cindy and her hubby Justin. We love them so much! It was nice to spend the evening with them and I was greatful that I was feeling so well. Let's hope it continues! I'm really looking forward to getting back to my usual routine, especially where we can make plans to see our family and friends!

The Bump is Growing!

16 weeks, 2 days pregnant

This week I finally told my boss and my coworkers about my pregnancy! What a relief to finally share the news! Everyone has been so incredibly nice and excited for me! I'm now able to wear some cute outfits that show off my tummy. Here are a few! You can actually see a bump there now! There's a Baby G in there! :)

Baby This Week: 16 weeks

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length . Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too.

First Time Shopping for Baby

15 weeks, 4 days pregnant

Yesterday Jorge and I went with my mom to Babies R Us and Ideal Baby Store in Pembroke Pines to look for baby furniture. I went prepared with my trusty Baby Bargains book to reference the brand names and with my notebook to take notes. We looked at carseats, strollers, pack n' plays, cribs and rockers. And that was just the tip of the iceberg! There's so much more baby gear to consider! Babies R US had a large selection, but their customer service wasn't so great. We were struggling with the strollers trying to figure out how they worked. There was no one in sight to give us a hand. At Ideal Baby they had fantastic service though and we really learned a lot. We still have more stores to look at though!

Here's one of the cribs that we like so far (in cherry finish). (Note that the bedding is not included!)

Belly Picture: 15.5 Weeks

15 weeks, 3 days pregnant

Here is this weeks belly pic:



Compare to last week at 14.5 weeks.
Compare to 2 weeks ago at 12.5 weeks.
Compare to 4 weeks ago at 10.5 weeks.

Baby G is certainly is making room. My whole abdomen was sore all day today! Feels like Baby G is renovating in there, haha!

Visit From Aunt Gaby

14 weeks, 5 days pregnant

My good friend Gaby was in town from Orlando so we met up for dinner yesterday. She brought us a little gift for Baby G. The cutest little cow! She made his voice for him and it sounded more like "Muuuurrr" instead of "Mooooo" hahahaha! I think I shall call him Muuuuuray!

Baby This Week: 15 Weeks

15 weeks pregnant

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam.

Belly Picture: 14.5 Weeks

14 weeks, 5 days pregnant

I know it's been a few days since my last post, I've been dealing with the pregnancy side-effects! My stomach was bothering me all weekend. I even had to take Monday off from work. Ugh! But I'm feeling much better now, thankfully! Whew!

I was able to take my weekly belly picture, so here it is! Seems like I have to make more of an effort to hide it now. It really seems obvious to me these days. Even Jorge notices the difference! I'm planning on telling my job next week, so I'll finally be able to start strutting my bump! Yay!



Compare to last week.
Compare to 2 weeks ago at 12.5 weeks
Compare to 5 weeks ago at 9.5 weeks.

Baby This Week: 14 weeks (Second Trimester!)

Welcome to the second trimester! This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb. Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb. In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces.

My Mom Is Awesome

13 weeks, 6 days pregnant

My mom came over on Sunday! It's always so nice to see her. I was feeling sick all day Friday and Saturday, but Sunday I was feeling better so I was doing things around the house and she immediately jumps in to see how she could help. She is soooo incredibly helpful! She just comes over and starts cleaning and ironing! I felt like I was finally able to catch up on so much at home. I couldn't have done it without her help. I love my mom!

She also brought over some baby items that her and my aunt Martha had bought for Baby G. Check them out! How cute are these????!! I love the little Farm book (get it? Farm? Granja=Farm in Spanish! Haha!)



A little bathrobe for baby G, so adorable!



Cute little pants for Baby G...



Sleeper onsie with cap!




With matching receiving blanket...too cute!



Baby G is already so spoiled!

Kids Say The Darnedest Things

My dear friend Magaly forwarded this email to me today. It was so funny! I thought you might enjoy it!

Kids Say The Darnedest Things!

1) NUDITY
I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, "Mom, that lady isn't wearing a seat belt!"

2) OPINIONS
On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, "The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents."

3) KETCHUP
A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. "Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle."

4) MORE NUDITY
A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, "What's the matter, haven't you ever seen a little boy before?"

5) POLICE #1
While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, "Are you a cop?"
"Yes," I answered and continued writing the report.
"My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?"
"Yes, that's right," I told her.
"Well, then," she said as she extended her foot toward me, "would you please tie my shoe?"

6) POLICE #2
It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me. "Is that a dog you got back there?" he asked.
"It sure is," I replied. Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the van. Finally he said, "What'd he do?"

7) ELDERLY
While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by t he various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, "The tooth fairy will never believe this!"

8) DRESS-UP
A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, "Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit."
"And why not, darling?"
"You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning."

9) DEATH
While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased. The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: "Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes." (I want this line used at my funeral!)

10) SCHOOL
A little girl had just finished her first week of school. "I'm just wasting my time," she said to her mother. "I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!"

11) BIBLE
A little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he flipped through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.
"Mama, look what I found," the boy called out.
"What have you got there, dear?"
With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, "I think it's Adam's underwear!"

I Love My Husband!

13 weeks, 5 days pregnant

So this Thursday I will officially be in my second trimester! In 6 months we'll have a baby! That simultaneously excites, overwhelms and terrifies me!

I have been having my ups and downs this week in regards to how I've been feeling. But I'm anticipating that my second trimester is around the corner. So in honor of this occasion of being (almost!) sick-free and being at the end of my first trimester, (when morning sickness has really been the absolute worst), I want to send my wonderful husband a very, very, very big thank you. He has been my rock. He has been so incredibly supportive, caring and doting since I started getting sick almost two months ago. He's up with me when I'm sick, wakes up every time I wake up in the middle of the night... he brings me water, crackers, Cheerios, bread, Sprite, cookies, gum no matter what time it is. He cooks, washes dishes and cleans the house. He does all the grocery shopping and even ends up going to Publix several times a week because I've run out of something! He cleans everything thoroughly to make sure everything I touch is disinfected. He's put up with my moans and groans, my inexplicable crying, my gassiness and bloatedness (Baby G is quite the musician!), and is always there with a comforting hug whenever I get sick.

He encourages me to go out for a walk to get exercise. And even when it's rained, he's walked with me as we do laps around the living room, through the kitchen, down the hall and to the bedroom in our little apartment so that we at least get our 15 minutes of walking. He gives me back rubs and neck rubs and he tucks me in every night. He even sits with me for a bit as I fall asleep, even when I go to bed at 9:30 and the SportsCenter highlights are on. :)

I love my husband dearly... he's my best friend and has been my #1 cheerleader. He's been so incredibly supportive this whole time when I've been at my worst and been struggling with the morning sickness, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that I have him and how very lucky I am to be his wife.

I am so excited to share this experience with him, of having a baby together and starting a family. Together with Jorge, I know I can look forward without worry to whatever the rest of what this pregnancy may bring and to the arrival of our little one.

I already knew what a wonderful husband he was, but after seeing him in action these last few weeks, it's clear to me what a fantastic father he'll become.

:)

Belly Picture: 13.5 Weeks

13 weeks, 3 days pregnant

Tah-daaahhh! Here is my weekly belly pic! I'm both excited and a little nervous to see my bump making progress. I've been excited to see it grow, but at the same time, I haven't told my job yet so I'm hoping Baby G stays incognito for a little while longer. This Friday will be a month that I've been with the new company and I'm hoping to hold out for a couple more weeks. I feel like I've made a good impression, but I just want to give it a bit more time.

Lately when I look in the mirror, I swear people can tell. But everyone says it's not really noticeable. I think it's just that I don't think I look like my normal self... it just looks like I've been eating too much, haha!



Compare to last week.
Compare to 2 weeks ago, at 11.5 weeks.
Compare to 4 weeks ago, at 9.5 weeks.

Baby This Week: 13 Weeks

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed and your odds of miscarriage drop considerably.