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.

Belly Picture: 12.5 Weeks

12 weeks, 3 days pregnant

Ok, we definitely have a bump forming!!! Compare it to last week at 11.5 weeks, and then to the 10.5 weeks. And if you compare it to 9.5 weeks you can see the little guy/girl is really making itself at home!



In other news, despite the fact that I'm already at the end of the first trimester this week (ack!! Can you believe it???) I'm still getting sick. This weekend I was nauseous for the most part and I'm incredibly tired. I've heard it can last anywhere to 15 or 20 weeks, or even throughout the rest of the pregnancy! Heaven forbid!

Tomorrow we have an appointment with my doctor and we'll get to hear the heartbeat! We're so excited!

Cravings

12 weeks, 2 days pregnant

So I've had a few cravings lately... I like to blame it on Baby G, but I think mommy G is mostly guilty! For the last couple of weeks, when I'm having a good day (a day that I'm not feeling sick), I've been craving ice-cream! I was craving oreo ice-cream one day and strawberry the next. Jorge was great, he indulged me and bought me both, which is HUGE because Jorge doesn't encourage me eating a lot of junk food -- especially now -- but he knows how much I love ice-cream. :)

Last week I got sick a few times, so Thursday when I was feeling better, I HAD to have some Coldstones... cake batter ice-cream with fudge and brownies... pure heaven. So good! My favorite!!

I've also had some chocolate cravings. Jorge bought some snack-sized Hershey bars -- they're teeny! I told Jorge to hide the bag and only give me a couple at a time -- I know if I were left to my own devices, I could eat them all in one sitting. He did a really good job hiding the bag... believe me, I've looked!

You know what's been weird? Water. I usually drink water and nothing else, but lately, water tastes so bad to me! Ick! It's got a terrible flavor and I can't drink it. If it's cold or if I drink it with food, it's better, but I know I'm not drinking as much water as I should. I'm trying to compensate by having soup for lunch or dinner. It helps.

For the last few days I've been craving what Jorge and I call "Pumkinammon Bars"... they are sooo good! I first made them in December last year after tasting them when my good friend Beth brought them to work. She tracked down the recipe, and to no surprise, it's from Paula Dean, so you KNOW they gotta be good! They are more actually more cinnamon than pumpkin flavored and that icing is heavenly.... Maybe we'll make some this weekend if Baby G is up for it! :)


Update: Made the pumpkin bars this weeknd! They were a hit!! :)

Baby This Week: 12 Weeks

The most dramatic development this week: Reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over two inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

Happy Father's Day

11 weeks, 3 days pregnant

Happy Father's Day to all dads and dads-to-be! Cathy and my dad came over for lunch (Cindy would've come over too, but she and Justin are in China for 2 weeks!) and I made lentils, corn, tilapia and salad. It was delicious! We had a lovely time!

Belly Picture: 11.5 Weeks

11 weeks, 3 days pregnant

I am sooo excited!!! I see a bump!!!!! Yay!! Look! :) Compare it to last weeks belly picture and you'll definitely see the difference! And if you compare it to my belly picture from 2 weeks ago, it's definitely grown!

Cathy's Birthday

11 weeks, 3 days pregnant

Yesterday we celebrated Cathy's 27th birthday at my grandmother's house. My mom made delicious meatloaf, potatoes and cream and rice with noodles... oh, so good!

During the party, I noticed that there was a card going around that everyone was signing. I thought it was for Cathy. They were trying to be discreet, but were failing miserably! Haha! When I happened to see the front cover, it says "Para los Nuevos Padres (For the New Parents)"... it was for me and Jorge! It was so nice of them, but it cracked me up how they were being so obviously discreet! That's my family for you! It was so nice of them, they all wrote really sweet messages. :)

By the time we got home though, I was exhausted! We got home at midnight and I just crashed on the bed!

Baby Gifts

11 weeks, 1 day pregnant

We've gotten a few little gifts for Baby G recently, so I thought I'd share with you our growing collection. We've gotten a cute little plushy duck from my mom and Cathy. Isn't he adorable?



Blanca is moving, so she gave us her dresser, which will be perfect for Baby G's clothes and diapers.



Cindy got us the cutest little onsies! Two are Dr. Suess themed and one has little duckies. So precious!







And she also got us a cute little book for Baby's first year. It has picture holes for every month so you can see how he/she grows! It even comes with a cloth measuring duckie, so you can see measure its' growth. It also has holes for pictures. So cute!





I'm so excited to see our little baby items! Jorge and I have yet to buy anything except for books. The latest books we're reading are: The Girlfriends Guide to Baby Gear and Baby Bargains. They are excellent in figuring out what baby items we need to get and what features they should have. We've already learned so much about the carseat, the crib, the stroller and even read up on baby clothes! I can't wait to start shopping!

Baby This Week: 11 Weeks

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden. She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

Happy Birthday Blanca!

10 weeks, 3 days pregnant

Happy birthday to Blanca! My mom and my sister Cathy joined us to celebrate Jorge's sister's birthday today. We had a lovely lunch at this beachfront restaurant, H20, right in front of Fort Lauderdale Beach on A1A. The food was delicious! And tomorrow is Cathy's birthday, so happy early birthday to her too! We'll be celebrating it next weekend, along with Father's Day.





Click here for more pictures!

Belly Picture: 10.5 Weeks

10 weeks, 3 days pregnant

Here is my weekly belly picture! Is that a bump starting to form? It's hard to tell.... Looks like maybe it's a little fuller? Hmmmm... Compare it to last weeks belly picture... what do you think?

Baby This Week: 10 Weeks

Although he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby now has completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature. If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

Spoke Too Soon

9 weeks, 4 days pregnant

I spoke too soon! :( I got sick again today. Boo.
Today has been a very hectic day at work. I'll blog about it later this week.

Belly Picture: 9.5 Weeks

9 weeks, 3 days pregnant

First belly pic! As you can see, my bump is not quite there. My clothes are feeling tighter, but it could just be gas, haha! I can't wait to see a little bump! It will make this whole pregnancy thing seem more "real"!



In other news, I've been feeling better regarding the nausea. I really hope I'm on the upswing. These last few weeks have been really rough. But I'm feeling better every day now! I'm able to eat more and I have more energy. Definitely good news! Now let's hope I didn't jinx it!

Visit From Gaby

9 weeks, 2 days pregnant

One of my bestest friends, Gaby Serrado came down from Orlando today! I just told her I was pregnant a week ago, so it was exciting to see each other! She and her boyfriend Fed are going to Costa Rica tomorrow and they're flying out of Fort Lauderdale, so we got to see each other for dinner and catch up. Oh, how I've missed her!

Good Read!

9 weeks pregnant

I've been reading this fabulous book my mother-in-law recommended called "Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth." It's fantastic! It really gives insight into pregnancy as a normal event for our bodies, that it is something that is to be nurtured. I love how it talks about giving birth in a hospital as well as going into depth about birthing centers, doulas and midwives. It also discusses birthing methods used in the US and compares it to methods used in other parts of the world. It's very educational and I can't wait to read more tonight! Thanks Mrs. Granja!! Me and Baby G give it 2 thumbs up!