The nursery

There have been many requests for a post about the nursery. Remember I wanted to do a forest theme? 

Lesson #1: Finish your nursery before you have the baby! There is so much going on as a new parent you think your maternity leave is a vacation but it's actually more difficult than your day job!

Now I know....

MJ is now 2 months old and the nursery is still a work in progress. Just take a look:

When you walk in you see a window, laundry basket, artwork from my SIL and yep, that's my bridal portrait...guess I need a new place for that.

     

Close up of SIL artwork

To your right is the crib. Baby cribs are so simple. They can't have too many pillows or blankets so there's just the sheet and a few stuffed animals. Our "nino" sign is hanging up. And yes, we still need a mobile. The one from my previous blog looks cool when you look right at it, but it's not that interesting to the baby. Weird, once you have the kid you're more interested in his needs and not your own. Someone warned me that would happen!

Across from the crib is my dresser turned changing table turned baby's dresser. My jewelry and make up use to take up the entire surface of this dresser. Not any more! I don't even have all the drawers. He has three and I have four. 

This is his favorite place in the room because of this DIY mobile I made:

Babies can see in B&W so I made this mobile out of a paper plate, note cards and a sharpie. He could sit for hours under this mobile! Ok, more like 10 minutes straight, but to a new parent that time is a much needed breather!

What looks like clutter on the dresser is a two-tiered fruit basket that is a diaper holder and diaper accessory holder. We're still going through the disposable diapers that were given to use during our baby showers. I've tried cloth diapers on occasion. One brand did not hold in a #2 while the other brand was stolen by the neighbor dog when I left it outside to dry! Gotta love country dogs.

All the baby books from my baby book shower are displayed on top of this dresser. I emptied out this dresser thinking we'd move it but it hasn't made the move and is now full of extra baby stuff. Towels, blankets, clothes in the next size up, clothes he's outgrown...so it has come in handy and won't be moved into storage.

Things on the top of the dresser include:

Baby size crucifix, baby cross, frame (that needs an ultrasound picture in it - opps!), Sophie the giraffe, digital alarm clock used for nature sound feature and static (white noise), baby's hand print will be created soon and MJ's favorite accessory: the wipe warmer! 

Now you've had a quick tour of our nursery....

We have a rocking chair in the family room but MJ prefers to bounce rather than rock. So we use that yellow yoga ball and he's a happy camper! 

High Heels! 

p.s. there is a can of dirty diapers that didn't make the photoshoot. Because who wants a picture of a trash can?

A day on maternity leave

I thought you might be wondering what happens on maternity leave.

Then I realized I was wondering what was happening on maternity leave. It's been 2 months! This time is just flying by!

My pregnant self had these amazing visions of getting so much accomplished while at home on maternity leave. Three months to just sit at home?! Sounds like a dream come true. Little did I know, it would take FOREVER to get ANYTHING done while on maternity leave.

So to prove to myself that I was actually accomplishing something throughout the day I decided to log one day. This was last Friday:

2 am: feeding, dad put to sleep
5 am: feeding, mom put to sleep
7:30 am: feeding mom and baby fall asleep on recliner
8 am: dad leaves for work
9 am: mom and baby wake up for another feeding
9:15 am: baby falls asleep on couch, mom works out
9:40 am: baby wakes up during work out, diaper change, go for walk outside take Max and Ranger
10:40 am: back from walk, another feeding
Mom wonders when she'll have time to make lunch
11 am: baby won't fall asleep, wear baby in Moby wrap and begin making lunch. Turn on podcast
11:20 am: baby is asleep, carefully transition baby into crib, shut door,  continue with lunch
12:18 pm: dad finally home for lunch, baby wakes up (of course!)
12:19 pm: mom inhales lunch because baby is crying and must be hungry
12:20 pm: mom goes to feed baby, not hungry, so tries 5 s's
12:30 pm: baby falls asleep
12:35 pm: baby is up
12:45 pm: tries 5 s' s doesn't work. Burps baby, dad eats lunch alone while mom is attempting all this.
12:50 pm: baby falls asleep

Whisper around the lunch table and try to have a conversation...didn't really work out.
1:30 pm: hubby leaves for work, baby still sleeping
1:33 pm: try to move dishes to sink, too loud!
Log on to computer. Need to be sure baby's doctor is covered by our insurance. Computer wants to update! Lovely! Don't they know These are precious minutes!

At this point I stopped taking a log of the day. If I remember correctly I did make some calls and pay some medical bills. But I also had a really hard time getting MJ to nap throughout the afternoon. 

Which means the rest of my day looked like this-

He loves being held like this. I hear it's a colic baby thing....

I'll try to log again this week just for some self satisfaction! Only 4 more weeks to be productive.

Grits,

Birth Announcements

Now that the birth announcements have been delivered I am happy to share them with the blogosphere! 

But first let me take you through the process of capturing this adorable picture! It was not easy.

I visited Pinterest and various blogs for advice and inspiration on this photo shoot. Newborn babies are so squirmy, after my first attempt in Dallas I realized this would be a big overtaking. 

The biggies mentioned on every website were:

• Keep the room warm
• Use natural light
• Be sure the baby is in a deep sleep

The first two were a Catch22 for me. It was mid March and cold outside, so if I set up near a window for natural light, it would be cold. I brought in a space heater, but it didn't warm the room well. 

And yes, newborns sleep, but not as much as they eat! MJ was up every hour so by the time I fed him, burped and rocked him to sleep, I had SECONDS before he would wake up for his next feeding. This is why he's awake in our photoshoot.

I was telling people I took over 700 picture of MJ during this photoshoot but it turns out I took less than 100! I was so exhausted afterwards I guess I over exaggerated! 

Now to the pictures....

Outtakes..

Did you see it?

Did you see the ONE perfect little smile? 

It was in 'Take 4'.

This was MJ's 2nd week on this earth so he wasn't at a developmental stage for smiling on demand or smiling in general. One smile in almost 100 photos. That one shot was a gem!!!

The other contenders were....

and

but this

is perfection.

You may remember my post about our Christmas cards and how I should have used Minted.com. Well I remembered my own advice and went to Minted.com for the birth announcements. They have a HUGE selection for baby announcements. It was very difficult to make a decision. 

I was torn between the following:

I really loved the B&W one, but I also really liked the picture being in color. 

I decided on this:

 and we couldn't be happier!

Books I've read during my pregnancy

I've always loved to read. No matter where I am I'm reading something. I give credit to my mother and my grandmother (a retired librarian). Heck, I had a book themed baby shower!

It comes at no surprise that I remained an avid reader during my pregnancy. I'd like to share with you the books I read during my pregnancy and my personal book review.

     My favorite book this pregnancy was Ina May's Guide to Childbirth which speaks to the very natural process of childbirth. This hippy book is about a midwife who lives on a farm in Tennessee. Women would come from all over the nation to have Ina May and her team guide them in natural childbirth. Each woman becomes a part of the farm during their time before and after their childbirth. They clean their own cabin rooms, help with farming and even walk the woods during their beginning contractions.
     I heard about this book on a blog and I'm so glad I did! The beginning of this book contains stories of women who had natural births on 'The Farm'. The second half of the book, written by Ina May, speaks to the process of natural birth and explains terms and medications your doctor will mention. I will say this book is very biased. Ina May is completely against a medicated and hospital birth (she HAS had to take a high risk mother to a hospital for a birth - she's not cruel). But the 1960's hippy girl in her never died as she fights for women's rights and sticks it to "the man".

     When I heard about two friends from my Catholic elementary school becoming pregnant around the same time (1 year before I became pregnant) I was so happy for them! I wanted to send them a congratulations gift. I looked and looked for what I thought would be best and I came across this book. Unfortunately by the time I found this book I thought it was too late to send a congratulatory gift. But let's face it, it's never too late to send a gift!
    This book is a week by week journey through your pregnancy. Each week is about 2-4 pages beginning with what's medically going on in your pregnancy, followed by real life stories and advice from the author and finished with a prayer. The prayers were short and always had a challenge for the week: Dear Jesus, walk with me in these final weeks of pregnancy, and hold me close to your Sacred Heart. I am looking forward to meeting this baby, but I'm not necessarily looking forward to the process that gets me there. Keep me wise as I prioritize and focus always on God's will for my every day. Amen. See?  I loved this book because it was a light read before bed. Nothing too scary or too heavy.
     I just realized this book also has a chapter on baptism. I guess I need to read that (we haven't baptized Marshall yet).

     Another Catholic book I read throughout the nine months was Prayerfully Expecting by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle. I knew the nine months of pregnancy would be a perfect novena opportunity. A novena is when you pray for nine days in a row. It sounds easy but it is really hard for me! I figured if I had nine months I would at least have 30 days to remember my novena commitment. Believe it or not I still fell behind!
     This novena is pretty intense. You really need to set aside time to pray this. Not only are you praying a rosary (which takes about 30 minutes) there are other prayers and meditations that go with each month. While this was the most challenging book to read/pray. It was also the most rewarding. If you're up for it, I say give this a try!

     Funny story. One day I was in a Salvation Army store because they were having a sale. $5 for as many books you can fit in a box. I found a What to Expect When You're Expecting and put it in the box. I figured "Hey, I'll be pregnant someday and these books are expensive!" What do you know, it came in handy! 

     As soon as I found out I was pregnant I read this book cover to cover. Seriously. And it was an AWFUL idea! While they guide you through month by month, there are many tangents you can take when you find a symptom throughout your pregnancy. Q: "I have gas, what does this mean?"  A: "Gas is very common for pregnant women, it is due to the change in hormones. However, if you have severe gas it could be a sign that this pregnancy will be horrible and you will have a severely painful birth!" I would proceed with caution with this book. It give a LOT of information, most of which I found unnecessary during my pregnancy. Just keep it by your side as a reference but definitely take your doctor's word over anything.

     When I wasn't reading I was visiting blogs, pinterest and the WhatToExpect website. One day on this website I found a message board for mothers due in March. I joined and someone shared that there was a Facebook group for mothers due in March that would work better than the message board. So I joined the March Mom facebook group. This community was a godsend. No really, God sent me this community. Without them I would have been a nervous wreck throughout the pregnancy. We were all going through similar symptoms at the same time. "Anyone buying new bras? Where are you getting yours?" "My body is doing this funny thing, anyone else?" "Is my baby bump supposed to look like this?" etc. 

We turned Wednesday's Hump Day into Bump Day and would share our belly bumps!
Faces distorted to protect privacy. It was a secret group on Facebook.

     My sister-in-law was the only person in my life who was pregnant around the time I was. This was her second baby and so she had her hands full with a toddler. With over 200 women in this Facebook group there was always someone to encourage you, comfort you and suggest medical attention. This group is still going strong today as we share milestones our babies are reaching. I've learned I'm already a competitive mom. I said to J the other day: "A baby in my mommy group is already rolling over. Should Marshall be rolling over? I'm going to see if he can roll over." yikes! It has begun!

High Heels!

Birth Story

I am so honored to share with you the story of how our little boy entered the world!

     You need to know I read tons of books, tons of blogs and watched The Business of Being Born (it's on Netflix) prior to this day. I felt fully informed and aware of my options. I was 100% confident in our doula, Danielle, and in my husband. The three of us attended a doctor's appointment 9 days before the birthday. At this appointment the doctor wanted to know the size of the baby fearing the baby was too big for a vag delivery.
      My husband and I had hoped for a vaginal delivery for various reasons. First, the recovery time following a vaginal delivery is much shorter than a C-section recovery. But along with the vag delivery we wanted to stay away from pain medication. The whole "baby comes out drugged" excuse doesn't fly any more because the drugs used now-a-days don't effect the baby like that. So for us it was a spiritual exercise. In the Catholic faith suffering isn't seen as a bad thing. Hence why our churches have a crucifix hanging at the front showing the suffering of Christ. We believe it is through suffering that we are brought closer to Christ. He suffered and we can too. Life isn't easy, even the Son of God didn't take the easy way out. Also in our faith we believe you can offer your suffering to God for a special request. I had never heard of this before, but the thought of offering my labor pains for this unborn child seemed like the most amazing opportunity to prepare for his future. Forget the college fund, let's store up his treasures in heaven!
     Our goal was an all natural birth. At that last appointment we learned the baby weighed 7lb 6 oz so he was technically small enough for a vaginal delivery. I was so happy! They estimate babies gain half a pound a week, so he would be 8lbs at birth. Hopefully that natural birth I wanted.
      Imagine my surprise when my due date came and went, when my doctor demanded an induction and I was scheduled to be in the hospital at 41 weeks and 3 days. Most doctors don't want their patients to go past 42 weeks, for the safety of the baby and mom. My doctor was the same way. I was stubborn and wanted my water to break naturally, I wanted the "It's time" moment with my husband. Instead we arrived at the hospital with water bag in tact and facing the induction we didn't want.
      In the end we realized it was better for me to be at the hospital on a schedule. I'm such a planner it would have driven me crazy to have no control over when my water would break. So we came to terms with it and thanked God for giving us what we needed, not what we wanted.
       I checked into the hospital at 7:30 p.m. My doula, Danielle, met us in the "ambient birthing suite" a larger than normal hospital room with 

• large flat screen TV (we never turned this on)
• glider rocker (my new best friend)
• birthing ball (my other best friend) 
• squatting bar (never got to this side of the room)
• XM radio with surround sound (never turned this on)
• alternative lighting (it was AWESOME to be able to dim the lights and keep the room dark during the night hours)
• mats for birthing positions (never used these)
• portable monitors  (an absolute MUST!!)

     As a first time mom the check-in process was intimidating. We had to sign contracts and liability forms for things you hoped weren't going to happen. When it came time to sign the C-section form I hesitated. "Just because I'm signing this doesn't mean you're going to cut me open right?" I found it important to ask these questions and feel I had control over my choices in the hospital. I wasn't sick, I was just pregnant. The nurse checking us in was surprised with all the questions we asked. I could tell it was going to be an interesting night... As my doula left she reminded us that first time deliveries are an average of 12 hours, some shorter some longer. We prepared for a peaceful night followed by a long day of labor.
     The plan was to dilate over night with a slow releasing progesterone insert cytotec. Following a 2 hour check in process (talk about anxiety!) we finally settled down and prepared to sleep through the night. The last time I looked at the clock it was 11:00 p.m. The next time I looked at the clock it was 11:30 p.m. I couldn't sleep through this dilation! I couldn't get comfortable on the bed and I needed to move around. Thankfully my doctor was OK with the wireless monitoring available in the doula room. Instead of being attached to a machine with wires limiting my movement I was attached to the machines through wireless monitoring. The BEST idea EVER!
     From 11:30 p.m. to 2:00 am I remember standing up, sitting in a rocking chair, eating ice chips and going tinkle a lot! I was given fluids via an IV throughout the night so while I wasn't drinking, I was being hydrated. My husband was a champ through this beginning stage of labor. He reminded me who to offer my pain for (I had a list of many people, living and deceased to offer my pain for). I remember telling him the pain was too much and that if I needed the Pitocin after this I would take pain medication because this just felt awful! His first response was silent. When I mentioned it again he gave me a vague reply like "We'll see". But I never screamed out in pain "GIVE ME THE MEDS!"
       The nurse came in at 2:00 a.m. and checked my cervix. The only time I was in the bed was when she checked my cervix and that was the only time I was in EXCRUCIATING pain. Again, so happy I went with the wireless monitoring.  She said I had progressed so much that we wouldn't even need the Pitocin or induction medication! Thanks be to God! I knew this meant I could do this natural which meant I could do this! I pumped myself up and got ready for the natural birth I wanted.
      My doula, Danielle, arrived at 5:00 a.m. her scheduled arrival time. She heard from the nurse I was dilated to 5 cm. When she walked in she said "You should have called me earlier." My husband and I just looked at each other, clueless. We thought it was going to take 12 hours...we're not even in active labor yet! While I was happy to see Daneille, I was even more happy to see the birthing ball (we couldn't find it)! This yoga ball on wheels with a kid's wagon handle. Such a brilliant invention.
      I think my husband was happy to have her there. Now we had an advocate on our side, someone who knows how the natural birthing process works and he finally got to take a break. I remember seeing him laying on the floor stretching his back. I thought he was sleeping! I felt so bad for keeping him up all night (I had actually kept him up the night before at home, he was going on 4 hours of sleep!).
     Once Danielle got there the energy in the room changed. I now had a woman's hand massaging me along with my husband's hand. The ying and yang of her gentle touch to his firm touch was distracting and helpful. I had her new voice and words of motivation and my husbands familiar voice and focused mantras. Knowing I was surrounded by so much love and support, at some point I became fully focused on laboring. I found a rhythm in the contractions. I found a happy place sitting on the birthing ball and leaning over the bed grasping a pillow while I looked into my husband's eyes. I found my previous experience with hot yoga helped me in my breathing as I exhaled "Shhhhh" during the contractions. 
     Around maybe 6:30 a.m. Danielle said to me "You're doing go great!" and I replied "Well, I keep telling myself I haven't even hit transition yet, so this is only the beginning!" The delay in reply from Danielle hinted to me that I was actually going through transition at the very moment! She never told me I was in transition and I never asked. I just kept going and expecting much more pain. 
    Then there was the throw up and my water breaking while I stood by the bed. It wasn't a gush because the bag was bulging and the baby was pressing on it. Finally around 7:30 a.m. I had this incredible urge to go number 2. I went to sit on the toilet and couldn't bring myself to sit all the way down. But I really felt I had to go number 2!! I was thinking "well, I'll just go on the floor if I can't sit down". Then Danielle called the nurse and everything began.
    Nurses rushed into my room,  they got me on the bed and said I was dilated to a 10. One nurse said the baby would slide out at any moment. I'm thinking "What?! No, I just really need to use the bathroom". They were setting up the stirrups, I couldn't leave the bed. No more walking around. I was so exhausted at that point I was happy to stay in bed. It didn't hurt to lay down anymore...then again I was just so tired!
    My doctor came in to the room and made a joke. I was so out of it I didn't laugh and he said "Come on, not even a smile?" I smiled but I have no clue what I was smiling about. Then he reached in and broke the rest of the bag. It felt weird, no pain. It sounded like a rubber band being snapped, but it felt like a balloon being pinched to exhale the air...not a dramatic POP! My team of husband, doula, doctor and now 3 or 4 nurses were telling me to begin pushing. This was when things finally got difficult. I had no clue what to do! I had never had a baby before! I didn't know how to use those muscles! They told me to hold my breath and push. I didn't hear them say they needed me to hold and push for 10 seconds. I could only hold and push until count 7 or 8. And I could tell I wasn't pushing correctly. 
     They kept saying "You can do it!" which I thought to myself "Yea, I know I CAN I just don't know HOW." The doctor got a little frustrated and left the room to check on another patient. Then a nurse stepped in and pointed to the area where I needed to focus my energy. Danielle had brought a mirror, so I could see the baby's head and understood a little better what I was supposed to be doing. They also raised up these handles I could grab on to with my hands so I could push myself into a crunch position easier. THANK GOD FOR NURSES, they knew exactly what I needed. They had me push more without the doctor and he was called back in 5 minutes later. He gave me an episiotomy and a few pushes later our son was born!
    Marshall didn't really cry when he was born, he was making noises so we knew he was ok. Hubby got to cut the umbilical cord, which, I was told, was really thick and tough. I think when the doctor started suctioning out his mouth the baby started to cry. Then they placed him in on my chest (a process called skin-to-skin), he stopped crying, I looked at his pretty little face and my husband leaned over and kissed me saying "You did so good!" A moment I'll never forget.
     There were so many nurse hands on the baby cleaning him off and taking his apgar test (he scored an 8 the first time). I don't even know if I was holding him, I was so tired my legs and arms were like jello! We began breastfeeding immediately and it seemed so easy! My doctor was stitching up my 3rd degree episiotomy and I could tell my husband just wanted to get his hands on his son. Eventually my husband held him, bathed him, put on his diaper and got his birth measurements. He was 22 inches long and our "too big for vag birth baby" estimated at 7lbs 6oz was 8lbs 11.8oz! 8lbs 12 oz baby! That ultrasound was off by a pound!

     We are so blessed and happy with our birthing experience. We know God gave us the doula, doctor and nurses we needed for this to go well. But honestly the best part of this process was growing together as a couple. I couldn't imagine anyone else by my side on that day! 
     

Name Game Journal

In the past...

We both love the idea of naming our son after our dads. Marshall & Octavio. But then his initials would be MOM or OMM. And our nephew has those same initials. We also considered Saint names. 
My #1 goal is something that doesn't translate from English to Spanish. I want it to stand on it's own. I don't want this kid to be one person to one side of the family and one person to the other side. Every BIG Saint name makes that BIG change: John/Juan -  Joseph/Jose -  Thomas/Tomas - Mark/Markos -  Luke/Lucas - Matthew/Mateo....see?

So now at mass, we'll pay extra attention to the names in the readings. One day it was Amos, that's Italian and doesn't sound completely different in Spanish. It's Amos with an accent on the O.

One thing is unfortunate for sure. We cannot name our son after my husband. His name is SO common (especially with our last name) that it causes so much trouble with international travel, customs, car registration, voting, Everything! It's so sad!! We don't want our future child to blame us for the troubles in his life due to his name (I'm sure he'll blame us for enough as it is!)

Sunday, October 7, 2013

Out to dinner at Joe's Crab Shack (will totally bring the kid here- they have a playground!) and decided to talk about names for the baby if it is a girl. We've talked about boy names before but never really girl names.

J melted my heart when he suggested naming the baby Rachel, after me! I love my name and I had been secretly thinking that would be a cool name for the baby. I also like my middle name Noel.

However, I would like a name that easily translates from English to Spanish. Something that changes in accent rather than entirety. Rachel becomes Raquel - that is a huge change in my mind. I'm stubborn and refuse to answer to Raquel. It's Rachel!

I suggested Christina. Or in Spanish Cristina. Sounds similar, one is with an accent and one is not. J suggested Caroline. He says it sounds similar in both languages. I've been leaning towards names that begin with the letter C, I'm not sure why.

We have plenty of time to think about it...

After Gender Reveal...before birth

When we found out the baby was a boy, all my name ideas went out the window. I am better at picking a girl name because I have more girls in my life, than boys. So we're back to picking boy names.

Still waiting to see what saint day the baby BOY will be born on. For now we're thinking of Marshall Jesus M. Initials MJM. Nickname MJ. Future basketball star, recording artist, who knows? But we aren't committed just yet. We still have time!

9th Month
During this 9th month my husband has become obsessed with the name Tiberius. It turns out it is a saint name so I can't argue there. But I'm not willing to give up my dad's name for Tiberius. Hubs will have to give up Jesus. So his initials will be MTM. I think Tiberius is a cool name, but it has no significance to our family history. I don't want hubby to regret that decision.

We found out if the baby isn't here soon he'll be induced on March 13th. The saints with Feast Days on March 13th are St. Agnellus of Pisa, St. Urpasian, St. Sabinus, St. Heldrad, St. Macedonius, St. Roderic and Salomon, St. Mochoemoc, St. Roderic, St. Ansovinus, St. Theusetas, St. Kevoca, St. Ramirus and Companions, and St. Nicephorus. I don't see any of those working...

Birthday!
We kept the baby's name a secret from everyone! Even our doctor. So as soon as the baby was born and we confirmed it was a boy we were asked "What's his name?!?" by all the nurses and our doctor. I was so proud to be able to say "His name is Marshall Jesus". Very very cool. 

So his initials are MJM and his name is Marshall Jesus. Well that lasted for about 12 hours. After word spread my friend nicknamed him Mar Mar, I heard my Father-in-law calling him Chuy, and my comedian of a brother-in-law met him saying "Marshall Marshall Marshall" like the "Marsha Marsha Marsha" of the Brady Bunch. I like MJ but I find myself calling him Marshall for now and it fits beautifully. 

Last Month Diary

Journal to Baby Boy as we await his arrival. 

February 7: After feeling a lot of pressure over the weekend I went to see my doctor. Doctor says I can't attend Auntie Shaena's wedding in Las Vegas on February 22. He said you are measuring too big and I will probably have you before March 6. Too many emotions to share. I'll just say I'm thankful for the support everyone is giving us.

Saturday, February 8: Daddy and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary. Hard to believe we've been married a year and we already have a blessing like you on the way.

February 9: Mommy wanted to relax all day, but couldn't! There was a family birthday party and we needed to look at car seats for your drive home from the hospital. Mommy did sleep on the drive to Lubbock. Dad said it was weird because he "missed his friend" who keeps him company on the road.

February 13: Went to the doctor with our doula, Danielle. Doctor visit went well. He says I'm a little dilated which means you're getting ready to make your appearance!

Saturday, February 15: Mommy is very excited about your arrival. She has a lot to do to prepare, but she's not worried. She knows you'll come when you and God are ready.

February 16: Mommy and Dad were surrounded by the love of family and friends at your baby shower at the local Lion's Club. It was quite a crowd and you go lots of clothes and diapers! We thought we'd get a car seat, but we didn't. That's the #1 thing we need before your arrival. You'll soon realize Mommy is a safety freak.

February 17: I think you'll come on a Monday. Every Monday I feel a little more pressure as you try and make you way out. Dad surprised me after work so we could go shopping for a car seat. When we were shopping I called my friend Sarah G in San Antonio for advice. Instead of advice, Sarah just bought us our car seat on the spot! So it's thanks to Sarah, her husband Paul and your soon-to-be friend Vinny that you will be safe and sound following your entry into the world!

February 18: Mommy and Dad finished packing their hospital bags. The car seat and stroller are put together and we are ready for you to arrive! Mommy even had the energy to vacuum, cook dinner and do laundry. Can we say nesting!!

February 19: There is a lot of pollen in the air this week. Mommy is very congested and wakes up every hour to blow her nose. Soon, I'll be waking up every hour to check on you!

February 20: Went to the doctor. You aren't ready to come out yet! I got to see you on the ultrasound (well, the back of your head). The doctor wanted to make sure you were head down. Boy oh boy! You were head down and you have a big head! When I told Grandpa Kellar that he said you probably got that big head from him.

February 21: These allergies really got to me today at work. I left work early because I couldn't focus on doing my job. Went home to rest all afternoon. Saw your cousin Carlos play basketball. He's really good! My doula is officially "on-call" for me which means she'll be checking up on us to be sure we feel healthy and happy.

Saturday, February 22: We could have been in Las Vegas today! I'm spending all day on Facebook and Instagram looking for pictures of Auntie Shaena's wedding. I forgot Las Vegas is 2 hours behind us. So I stayed up late trying to catch a glimpse of the bride. She looked beautiful! This week has probably been the most difficult week of my pregnancy. My body aches, my mind is distracted, my emotions are all over the place. I honestly couldn't imagine traveling 12 hours to be in a busy day of wedding activities. I can hardly imagine getting off the couch right now! These hormones aren't helping with the disappointment of missing my best friends wedding either :( I'm trying to get to the bottom of this ice cream tub, hoping there's a morsel of happiness down there.

February 23: Daddy and I spent the day together. I slept in while he checked the cows and the land (he's watering wheat and plowing fertilizer into the ground). We went to church at noon in the next town and ate at Chili's for lunch. That spinach and artichoke dip never tasted so good! YUM! This afternoon we just watched movies and organized the house a little. Daddy's toboggan started falling apart, but Mommy was able to sew it together for him! Can't wait until I can sew something for you!

February 24: You're still not here! No pressure this morning either. So much for my Monday theory. The wonderful people I work with threw me a baby shower for you today. I work with a lot of grandparents so they know what worked in the past and what works now! You got your first rosary (it's from Međugorje!) , Sophie the giraffe (for teething), and a nubba wub, among many other fabulous items.  I wonder if you'll be a pacifier baby. Mommy would suck her thumb when she was a little girl but she needed braces later because of that! You aren't sucking your thumb in the sonograms so maybe you'll save us some money by avoiding braces. The Bishop blessed Mommy, thanking God for new life (that's you!) and praying for a successful delivery (whenever you decide that is...).

February 24 (evening): Wow! Today was a very hormonal day. You'll learn what hormones are when you are a teenager - until then, don't worry about it! Just be thankful the mommy and daddy have such great family and friends. They also are very good at communicating to each other. Mommy was feeling sad so she texted Daddy and he helped her relax. Then your Tia Mayra called Mommy and took her mind off the emotions. Mommy also talked to Aunt Shaena and Sarah and they both helped Mommy feel better. It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a Sisterhood to console a mother-to-be. Thanks be to God for my girls (and husband).

February 25:  Met with Danielle the Doula today. She says you'll probably be here NEXT Friday. that's the day after your due date. So much for Doctor thinking you'll be early. As long as you a healthy, mommy will be happy! I had steak and pasta for dinner and you LOVED it. I guess you're a true Texas boy who loves his beef! 

February 26: An uneventful day today. You are still in there! I watched a movie called 'The Business of Being Born' it was an eye-opener to the natural birth process. Mommy is hoping for a natural birth, to keep the drugs out of your system. This documentary helped with my self-confidence about the whole situation.

February 27: Mommy was up at 5 a.m. today and couldn't get back to sleep. I had a doctor's appointment today. Doctor says I'm 50% effaced and at a -3 station. I've felt my hip bones moving around so I thought there was some change. I'm surprised it's -3 stationed. Doctor wants to see how much you weigh next week. He thinks you'll be a big baby and we'll need to do a c-section. I don't want a c-section. Your daddy was 10lbs and he wasn't delivered via c-section. If you're big that just means there's more of you to love!

February 28: A lot of people thought you'd be joining us today, but you had other plans. People are calling and texting asking where you are. I tell them you are just too comfortable right now. I went grocery shopping today to prepare some frozen meals while we're home recovering from birth. The shopping tired me out so I'll make the meals tomorrow.

Saturday, March 1: Mommy was motivated to stay home and get stuff done today. She made 8 crock pot meals from the Six Sister's Stuff blog. These should keep us full for a few weeks following your birthday. 

March 2: It snowed today! After a lazy day around the house mommy and daddy were looking forward to getting out of the house. But around 10 in the morning it started to ice and then snow! We stayed home and did some projects around the house. You decided not to come today which is good because that would have been a slippery ride to the hospital!

March 3: Mommy was so tired and hungry today! I think my face was swollen too. I tried eating spicy food because that is known to help labor start. I had black eyed peas and white rice with lots of Tabasco sauce. Oh and spinach. Then I had a dream I had triplets! Are you hiding something from me??

March 4: Mommy is nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment. How big are you? Why don't you want to come see us yet? We want to do what is right so we'll get you here as safe as possible. But feel free to get things started on your own. See that bag of fluid? Just pop it!


March 5: Doctor says you are only 7lbs right now. There is a 20% margin of error but I'm not worried. I am concerned that your head measurement was OOR (Out Of Range) which means you have a BIG head! Big head means big brain, so you're going to be smart! We got a 3D photo of you. You are so cute! We think you look like daddy, but you might have mommy's upper lip. 

March 6: Today is your due date! and you're not here.

March 9: Today is Aunt Jessica's birthday and Daylights Savings Day. You want to be a spring baby, not a winter baby. You want those long sunny days so you stuck around until the clocks changed. Actually you're still in there! Are you trying to be a summer baby?!

March 10: I didn't go to work today because I was so tired from the weekend. I spent the weekend cleaning the house and getting ready for your arrival. I thought if I'd keep on my feet today and work out more you might make an appearance. You didn't. and now my ankles are swollen.

March 11: Whew! I was so tired this morning! I drove an hour to work, parked my car and fell asleep in my car seat for about 20 minutes! I was snoring and everything! You are wearing me out kiddo! We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to check on things. I'm pretty sure there will be no change. But you will be here in 2 days! I can't wait to meet you and I pray everything goes well during your delivery!

March 12: As expected, no change in my progress this morning at the doctor. I keep telling everyone you are already a mama's boy because you don't want to leave my womb! We'll head in to the hospital this evening and spend the night. By morning my water will break and you'll be on your way!

To be Continued...

Belly Bump Update!

I promised a belly bump photo weeks ago and FINALLY got around to it!

I wanted to take it in the same shirt because what you wear really does effect how pregnant you look. 

This is one of 3 shirts that I can wear without totally exposing my underbelly! Everything else rides up *awkward.

You can tell I got a new phone within the past 4 months. 22 weeks was taken with my Droid RAZR and now I have a Samsung LG G2. HUGE difference! I got the Samsung because it's the best camera phone on the market. So proud of myself for knowing what I wanted and going for it!

Notice anything different in these pictures? Besides the basketball I swallowed...

I can no longer where my engagement or wedding ring (SO SAD!) and I can't even wear my watch! The swelling in my hands and feet is unnoticeable to everyone but me.

I have a few more blog posts sitting in "draft" mode. Hopefully I can get those published this week for you. 

37 weeks - in the home stretch!

How far along? 37 weeks

Baby is the size of Swiss Chard (source)

Total weight gain/loss: I've gained 22 lbs. I gained those 10 at Christmas which put me at 22 but since then I haven't gained any more. That's good in my eyes. It really feels like all baby now.

Maternity Clothes? Nothing else fits! 

Stretch marks?  A few on my lower abdomen, under the belly button. But they are very light and Hubby refused to feed my fear. So I'll go with "not really".

Sleep? Sleep is good. Sleep is my best friend! As I anticipate being in labor for over 6, 10, or even 24 hours all I can think is "but when will I sleep?!" I'm trying to sleep as much as I can now. I fell asleep on the couch yesterday as Hubby warmed up the shower for me. It was awesome! I'm always tired after I eat, I think this baby sucks the life out of me as he digests our food.

Best moment this week:  It feels like my belly is all baby now. So I feel every movement. It's very cool. Kinda sad that it's at the end of my pregnancy and I only get to enjoy this for a few more weeks (days?). But he is very very active! I'm sure I will miss that.

Miss Anything?  Definitely food items. Sushi, wine, rare steaks, and any over indulgence in sweets. I've wanted ice cream every day, but I can't remember the last time I had ice cream. 

Movement:  Lots of movement! Especially after eating and after taking my vitamins. I can feel him burrowing down south when I wake up in the morning and when I walk for long periods of time.

I will try and take a belly photo this weekend! Sorry these are all I have

Food cravings:  Nothing but I'm not saying "no" to as many things as I was in the beginning. I did crave and go buy orange juice and milk the other day. It was yummy.

Anything making your queasy or sick?  Just heartburn after a big meal. 

Have you started to show yet? Oh ya!

Symptoms: Sciatic pain in hip is the worst. Still have indigestion, heart burn, numbness in hands, swollen ankles, very very congested. But as I prepare for an unmedicated birth I am putting all of this into perspective and I think "this is nothing to complain about" whenever I feel like complaining.

Super Sexy right? This is after a 3 day weekend in Dallas with PLENTY of walking and not enough sitting.
The 'after' picture is thanks to my LOVING husband who kept reminding me to elevate my feet and he wrapped them in ACE bandages for a night. Back to normal! (4 days later!)

Gender:  BOY!

Labor signs:  A few cramps here and there. Doctor said I was a fingertip dilated at today's appointment. I think he was lying to make the nurse and my doula feel excited.

Belly button in or out?  Hanging IN there!

Wedding rings on or off?  Off. Still wearing that size 8 ring (1 size up)

Happy or Moody most of the time?  Happy. No complaints here. I think I have a great 'tribe' to help me through the birthing process. Loving my doula! So I'm just waiting for the big day. Trying not to think too much about it so I don't get depressed if it doesn't happen soon.

Looking forward to: My baby shower this weekend, organizing (nesting) and my BFF getting married in two weeks! Can't wait for her big day!!