Team Heike!!

Over the summer, our friend Heike (Audrey's mom) was diagnosed with breast cancer. I can't tell you how heartbreaking it was to hear the news. But if anyone can get through this, it's Heike. She's a wonderful, loving, strong, brave woman and there is no doubt in my mind she'll get through this tough time! Heike is going to kick cancer in the ASS!!! :)

To show our support, Claudia came up with the idea of doing the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer walk  next month. It's such a wonderful idea! So I made some shirts for everyone and we surprised her with the idea today. Unfortunately for me, the walk is October 15th and my due date is October 20th. Heaven forbid I were to go into labor during the walk!!! So I won't be able to participate. :(  The thought occurred to me that maybe I could just go and cheer them on, but the walk is in Miami, about an hour south from here - and I'm planning on delivering in Boca, which is 45 minutes north from here! I was  so bummed not to be able to go. So in lieu of participating, we donated to help find a cure. You can donate too!

http://miamiftl.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/MIA_MiamiFtLauderdaleAffiliate?pg=team&fr_id=2299&team_id=183451

We love you, Heike!!!

Baby This Week: 37 Weeks

Congratulations! Your baby is full-term! This means that if your baby arrives now, her lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away. She weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long.

Playdate at Heike's

The kids having some fun.

Audrey

Jayden

Mila barely stands still long enough for a picture, hence the blurriness! 

Bijou

Hangin' in da crib!

Miss Bijou, lounging.

Mila wanting to give Bijou a hug! :)

Mila's Entourage

Some of Mila's entourage!

The "pandilla"(the gang) is made up of Dolly and Mimi (the bunny). Also Kitty, but he's not pictured. Lately, she's added "Vaca Moo" (Cow Moo) and the two flash cards, Meow Meow and Guao Guao.

Too cute!

Belly Picture: 36.5 Weeks

36 weeks, 4 days pregnant

I don't know how people do it. Being almost 9 months pregnant with a toddler running around is just too much! I have to lay down all the time because I'm so tired. I feel so bad because I know Mila wants to play, but I just don't have the energy. I'm hoping this baby will come sooner, rather than later!

When I was pregnant with Mila, I was so worried about the actual labor that I didn't give much thought to how it would be after she'd arrive - which was the part that turned out to be the toughest part: dealing with a newborn!

This time around, I've barely thought about the birth at all and I'm just thinking about how it'll be having 2 kids around. I'm worried things with Mila will change - and things with her are going so perfectly! She's eating well; she's napping awesome - I can even leave the room before she's fallen asleep! I'm afraid she's going to be jealous or that maybe I won't have enough time to play with her because I'll be busy with the baby... I mean, I know ultimately everything will be ok and we'll work it out, but I just worry that the transition will be hard on her, ya know? I remember how difficult things were with Mila when she was born, between the sore nipples and the sleep deprivation... it was just so rough! How will it be with G2? I know this time I'll at least have an idea of how to take care of a newborn, but I don't have any experience with two kids! Thankfully, I have my parents, my sister Cathy and my sister Cindy, as well as my sister-in-law Blanca that will be coming over frequently those first few weeks. It's so nice to have family close by... it makes me feel better knowing they're there. I don't know what I'd do without them!

Baby This Week: 36 Weeks

Your baby is gaining about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy hair that covered her body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, your baby will be considered full-term. Most likely she's in a head-down position, but if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version, where she'll try to turn your baby by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

Toddler This Week: 20 Months, Week 4

Don't let your toddler's unpredictable behavior keep you from enjoying an occasional meal out. Treat yourself! Choose a family-friendly restaurant – any place with a kids' menu, crayons and paper, and a din loud enough to drown out squeals and whines. Take along a few small toys and snacks (crackers, cubes of cheese, cut-up fruit) to keep your toddler occupied. These diversions should buy you enough time to enjoy most of your meal.

Pacifier and bottle use often linger far into the second year. With moderate use, neither will harm your child at this age. But if she always has one or the other in her mouth, it may be time to modify or squash the habit. Here are some ideas for modifying or quitting these toddler pastimes:

Still uses a pacifier: Try limiting pacifier use to naps and nighttime, and praise your child when she manages to go without. Find ten effective ways to help your child give up the binky on our pacifier page.

Still uses a bottle: Start by limiting bottle contents to water, and serve milk and juice only in a cup. Allow the bottle only at the table or in the highchair, so your child doesn't carry it around all day or depend on it to get to sleep. Encourage comforting substitutes, like a blanket.

The hard-to-give-up bedtime bottle is definitely worth banning, because milk sitting on the teeth all night causes serious tooth decay. If you want to keep a bedtime bottle for now, it's fine, as long as it contains water. You can simply hand your child a bottle of water at bedtime and she may be fine with it. Or, ease the transition by substituting water for part of the milk very gradually, a little more each time.

Frustrating though it may be when your child freaks out over a broken cracker, it's normal. She's developing strong ideas about the way things are supposed to work – and that's a good sign. Once a toddler figures something out (crackers look like this), she doesn't like it to change, especially when it's as comforting and familiar as a favorite snack.

Be patient. Eventually she'll learn to take the little disappointments and transitions of daily life in stride.

-BabyCenter.com

Surprise Baby Shower!

35 weeks, 4 days pregnant

Can I tell you what wonderful friends I have? We had a playdate this morning at Claudia's house and they totally surprised me with a baby shower! It was so incredibly thoughtful! I felt so bad I got there late! They had even called Jorge to find out if I'd gone into labor the night before, haha! When I opened the door, the yelled, "SURPRISE!!!" I was so surprised! The whole place was full of adorable decorations that Claudia made and there were croissants, chicken salad, cookies and cake! And I've been telling them about my addiction to Coca Cola lately, and they totally indulged me with Coke floats! They are just the most awesome, most thoughtful group of girls. They really made me feel so special. ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Mila and I with Spencer, Bijou, Liam, Audrey and Claudia. 

Heike had left for a doctor's appointment and Nikki stopped by later. 

Wish I could've gotten a picture with everyone!

In the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant

35 weeks, 4 days

Yep... that's me, barefoot and pregnant making dinner! I was so hot (ugh, hormones gone wild!) and Jorge thought this deserved to be documented... LOL!

Baby Shower for G2

35 weeks, 3 days pregnant

My aunt Martha and my uncle Ricky hosted a lovely baby shower for G2 today! Cathy and my mom also helped out with the cake and the sweets and the food. My family came over to help us celebrate. It was so wonderful! :)

 

My aunt Martha and I

Silly Mila

Cindy, Justin and Baby Mini Cooper in there!

Mila and Tia Tatti

My cousins, Lily and Rafaelito

 

My aunt Laurie

 

 Cathy with Mila

Mila chasing Tico...

Tico, the cat

Jorge's sister, Blanca

Dolly and Mimi

Cathy with our cousin, Glenn

My mom and I

My aunt Carmen Julia

My uncle Carlos and Lupe

My uncle Rafa and Sandra

Me and my grandmother

Can't wait to meet G2!!