5 Weeks & 20 Weeks:
Only 20 more weeks to go!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
First Swim
Yesterday was my first swim at the Simpkins Family Pool in Santa Cruz. After two failed attempts at making their open swim hours (totally my fault in reading the schedule wrong;-) I finally got in yesterday afternoon.
I don't know why but I was nervous. I bought a kickboard and a new bathing suit (with room to expand). Luckily I put sunscreen on my face in the am cuz I forgot to put any on when I went to the pool. Also, I didn't have goggles and it was a bright, bright sunshiny day, so I closed my eyes a lot during the swim.
Still being nervous, I used the kickboard the entire time. I did 20 laps of the 50 meter pool and halfway through another preggers mom joined my lane. She had on a regular cap visor, which I thought was smart for the sun. Actually when I looked around, there were a lot of preggers momas in the pool!
It was really nice to have the feeling of weightlessness, even though I've only gained 6 pounds, it felt good to have the belly floating. Glad I bought a 20 swim pass cuz this will be great for me in the months to come!
One thing I forgot about swimming, though, is how hungry you get afterwards! And I was swimming so slow, it didn't really feel like I was burning any calories during my swim! I had to go straight to traders joes and get some grub!
Anyone want to join me anytime after 9 am for a swim, just give me a ring!!!
Simpkins Lap Pool:
I don't know why but I was nervous. I bought a kickboard and a new bathing suit (with room to expand). Luckily I put sunscreen on my face in the am cuz I forgot to put any on when I went to the pool. Also, I didn't have goggles and it was a bright, bright sunshiny day, so I closed my eyes a lot during the swim.
Still being nervous, I used the kickboard the entire time. I did 20 laps of the 50 meter pool and halfway through another preggers mom joined my lane. She had on a regular cap visor, which I thought was smart for the sun. Actually when I looked around, there were a lot of preggers momas in the pool!
It was really nice to have the feeling of weightlessness, even though I've only gained 6 pounds, it felt good to have the belly floating. Glad I bought a 20 swim pass cuz this will be great for me in the months to come!
One thing I forgot about swimming, though, is how hungry you get afterwards! And I was swimming so slow, it didn't really feel like I was burning any calories during my swim! I had to go straight to traders joes and get some grub!
Anyone want to join me anytime after 9 am for a swim, just give me a ring!!!
Simpkins Lap Pool:
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Happy Birthday Grandma!
Today is my Mom's Birthday and while unfortunately I haven't had a chance to see her since telling her I'm preggers, Baby Flores & I wish her a Happy Birthday!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Almost Halfway Spa Day
Celebrated my halfway point with my two best buds Christine & Goldi. We had a nice day filled with yummy food, lots of shopping and super fancy manicure/pedicures! Thanks Ladies for such a lovely girlie weekend!
Christine & I and Goldi:
The spa was nice cuz they had a separate semi-private room for us and we took advantage basking in the relaxation for over an hour and a half! They offered us 'champagne' (martinellis in champagne glasses) and some trail mix. With rose petals in our spas and nice relaxing leg & arm massages, we had fun being pampered.
After more shopping and even more eating, I stayed at Christine's that night and the next day we 'celebrated' Easter by pigging out some more. With yummy French Bakery for breakfast and then Dim Sum for lunch!
Anastasio meet us for lunch:
At 19 weeks, you still can't tell I'm preggers, I just look overweight. This weekend I'll get a halfway point pic and do a side by side.
Christine & I and Goldi:
After more shopping and even more eating, I stayed at Christine's that night and the next day we 'celebrated' Easter by pigging out some more. With yummy French Bakery for breakfast and then Dim Sum for lunch!
Anastasio meet us for lunch:
At 19 weeks, you still can't tell I'm preggers, I just look overweight. This weekend I'll get a halfway point pic and do a side by side.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
New Parenting ABC's Class #2
This second & final night of the class was focused on Baby Equipment: Car Seats, Strollers, Cribs/Bassinets, Carriers, Swings, and Walkers/Exercisers.
Wow talk about restrictions, restrictions, restrictions...Sometimes I think people go a little over board on the 'you can't do this or that' mentality. It tends to get really annoying and I'm definitely one of those people whos model is 'if it doesn't hurt you or someone else, then whatever goes'.
I swear, I grew up with all kinds of 'hazards' around and I turned out great. 1st in my family to graduate from College and even worked for NASA for several years. And I'm sure I ate lead paint and had a crib bumper as a child! (okay, I agree with the no-lead-paint, but just trying to make a point.)
This second half on the class seemed to be telling us everything we can't/shouldn't do or buy. Don't buy swings, don't do tummy time, no drop bars on cribs, no blankets, no walkers, no solid food for 6-9 months, no, no, no.
I honestly don't know what to think. The class had good info when it came to explaining the different types of equipment, but then it was so negative on everything out there.
So what I got from it was, just do whatever I think will be best to do. We'll figure it out as we go along and I'm not gonna be one of those overbearing mothers who won't let their kid do anything because someone else told them we can't. Yes, I strongly believe in safety but really, some of the concerns were just over the top.
Wow talk about restrictions, restrictions, restrictions...Sometimes I think people go a little over board on the 'you can't do this or that' mentality. It tends to get really annoying and I'm definitely one of those people whos model is 'if it doesn't hurt you or someone else, then whatever goes'.
I swear, I grew up with all kinds of 'hazards' around and I turned out great. 1st in my family to graduate from College and even worked for NASA for several years. And I'm sure I ate lead paint and had a crib bumper as a child! (okay, I agree with the no-lead-paint, but just trying to make a point.)
This second half on the class seemed to be telling us everything we can't/shouldn't do or buy. Don't buy swings, don't do tummy time, no drop bars on cribs, no blankets, no walkers, no solid food for 6-9 months, no, no, no.
I honestly don't know what to think. The class had good info when it came to explaining the different types of equipment, but then it was so negative on everything out there.
So what I got from it was, just do whatever I think will be best to do. We'll figure it out as we go along and I'm not gonna be one of those overbearing mothers who won't let their kid do anything because someone else told them we can't. Yes, I strongly believe in safety but really, some of the concerns were just over the top.
I Love Daddy
Anastasio's 40th Birthday was this last Sunday. We celebrated all weekend with some fabulous meals and lots of cycling action. The weekend was wonderful and culminated in a birthday dinner with much loved friends & family.
He got Diapers, Bottle Nipples and pee-pee tee-pees (see below) but I was happy to give him his first Onesie:-)
He's gonna be such a great daddy!
He got Diapers, Bottle Nipples and pee-pee tee-pees (see below) but I was happy to give him his first Onesie:-)
He's gonna be such a great daddy!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Baby's First Present!
Thank you so much Laura, Steven & Anthony! Exactly what we needed! (and have been looking for) the peepee teepee! And the closet dividers will be fun:-)
I know this present is for Mom & Dad, but I still think it's awesome!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Baby's Kickin'
So I started feeling him kick at week 15, but it was those 'flutters' that you're not sure if it's the baby or your tummy telling you something...but starting last night, I could definitely feel him kicking around!
Since it's Anastasio's B-day tomorrow I want him to feel it too, cuz I've been telling him about the movements but knew he wouldn't be able to understand/feel the flutters. So this morning right when we woke up I made sure to have him lay his hand on where the baby's kicking. Unfortunately he still couldn't feel it, but we'll keep trying.
I can feel the baby when I lay my hand on my lower belly, but I can't feel it otherwise. I'll keep you posted!
Since it's Anastasio's B-day tomorrow I want him to feel it too, cuz I've been telling him about the movements but knew he wouldn't be able to understand/feel the flutters. So this morning right when we woke up I made sure to have him lay his hand on where the baby's kicking. Unfortunately he still couldn't feel it, but we'll keep trying.
I can feel the baby when I lay my hand on my lower belly, but I can't feel it otherwise. I'll keep you posted!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
New Parenting ABC's
In my crazy thirst for knowledge, I signed us up for a 2 week course titled New Parenting ABC's at the Palo Alto PAMF. Due to schedule restraints and our pending trip to Italy, we had to take this class on the early side. A plus for Anastasio though, is that we don't have anymore prenatal classes until June...
The First night of this class consisted of covering yet more books for me to read, yay, child proofing (they say you need to start now!), and baby care basics.
We went over Bathing procedures: I didn't know you aren't suppose to use any soap/lotion/products on the baby for the 1st whole month! Also, a good tip was to lower our water heater temperature to 120 degrees Ferinheight so as to avoid accidental water burns. And that babies only 'bathe' 1-2 times a week for the first couple of months.
Safety Basics: wash all baby stuff and mom & dad's clothing in clear & free of dies laundry detergent before contact. You never think that not only is the baby going to have contact with it's own clothes and blankets, but also with the parents clothes when they're being held. Another big shocker was no sun screen for the first 6 months. All poisons (even if in a child proof cabinet) need to still be stored up high cuz babies can figure out how to get through child proofing! Also, so called Child Proof Caps can also be opened by babies/toddlers. Interesting since you'd think child proofing meant a child couldn't get into this stuff!
The Toilet Paper Rule: anything that can fit through a toilet paper roll can choke a baby, very, very good guide to know!
Diapering: Now I know I'm gonna receive one of these, but Baby Powder is actually really toxic for babies! Especially when the powder fluffs up and the baby breathes it in. Wow, we use to use sooooo much baby powder when I was a kid...also, along with the no products on the baby for the 1st month means no wipes and no diaper rash products. Gotta air dry the little bugger:-) Good news though is that vaseline is actually a plus and you can put it on the baby with new diaper changes to help remove tough stickies on the next one! I hope I remember that!
Ana got to change his first ever diaper! I wish I took a pic of that cuz he did an awesome job and even remembered to make room for the belly button. He's so cute:-)
Burping Basics: Ana had fun demonstrating how not to burp the baby...
Clothing: Babies should wear hats for at least the 1st month. This makes since cuz they were in such a warm setting for 9 months, then they pop out into a shocker of a climate. Better keep that baby nice and toasty! Also, Baby Gowns, which I never thought of, are a huge plus for easy/nighttime baby changing and shirts that button on the side are easy for on/off, I'll have to look into those.
Swaddling: We got to swaddle our baby dolls. Now I've done this countless number of times so I let Ana have a go at it. He had a bit more trouble with this than the diapering, so I'm gonna buy some of the pre-fold velcro swaddle blankets for him:-) I did get a pic though and he did a great job...
Ana's first Swaddle attempt:
I'm looking forward to next weeks class. We're gonna cover Baby Equipment and Tummy time. I'll let you know how that goes.
Belly Watch
Even though I've started my 5th month of pregnancy, there really isn't much of a 'belly' yet, I just look fat. Reason is cuz I lost 8 pounds during the first trimester and after gaining those back, I've only managed to gain another 2 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. The weight gain (even the re-gain of lost pounds) has only gone to my stomach, so my legs and fingers are still on the leaner side for me!
So here I am now at 17 weeks 2 days:
And finally these are of me the day before I found out I was pregnant!
So here I am now at 17 weeks 2 days:
Here I'm at the end of the 1st trimester:
This is me in the middle of all the morning sickness:
And finally these are of me the day before I found out I was pregnant!
Amnio
So back in February, we decided that we were going to have the Amniocentesis Genetic Testing done during week 16. I made the appointment for a Friday, at 16 weeks and 5 days, and made sure Anastasio took the day off.
I got absolutely no sleep the night before and woke up super early to make us breakfast. We head down to the Stanford Clinic, and low and behold, they have us scheduled for the following week! Well I just couldn't take the wait, that along with our trip to Italy in three weeks, it would have been really tight timing for the appointment. So they were able to fit us into a modified schedule, meaning we had the counseling in the morning but then had to go back in the afternoon for the actual procedure.
Ana was really upset with the mix-up cuz he knew I was stressing out, but we enjoyed a couple of hours of window shopping and lunch. Back at the clinic, we had the ultrasound and our technician was hilarious so she had us laughing, which she was probably trying hard for cuz we were pretty straight faced for the first 15 minutes cuz we were so nervous... She got all kinds of great shots of the baby and then was having a bit of a hard time getting it into the 'right' position to determine the sex. But she knew of our schedule mix-up fiasco (and said it was pretty common) so she kept trying and finally the baby cooperated and we found that it is a Boy!
Results take 2 weeks so lets hope for the best!
I got absolutely no sleep the night before and woke up super early to make us breakfast. We head down to the Stanford Clinic, and low and behold, they have us scheduled for the following week! Well I just couldn't take the wait, that along with our trip to Italy in three weeks, it would have been really tight timing for the appointment. So they were able to fit us into a modified schedule, meaning we had the counseling in the morning but then had to go back in the afternoon for the actual procedure.
Ana was really upset with the mix-up cuz he knew I was stressing out, but we enjoyed a couple of hours of window shopping and lunch. Back at the clinic, we had the ultrasound and our technician was hilarious so she had us laughing, which she was probably trying hard for cuz we were pretty straight faced for the first 15 minutes cuz we were so nervous... She got all kinds of great shots of the baby and then was having a bit of a hard time getting it into the 'right' position to determine the sex. But she knew of our schedule mix-up fiasco (and said it was pretty common) so she kept trying and finally the baby cooperated and we found that it is a Boy!
Ana laughed right away and said I had called it cuz earlier that week we were talking about names and decided on a girls name but couldn't figure out a boys name! ha! But for know it's still Baby Flores.
Both of us never had any preference on the sex, so it was a welcome surprise (I really had no idea.)
Then the amnio procedure took place. I have a high tolerance for pain so needles never bother me and this was no exception, but I could totally feel it piercing the uterus so that was really weird. The doc took way more fluid than I was expecting, but he said everything went perfect and that all the baby's measurements looked great so I was good to go and not to worry. So we soon left and went to Marrianne's Ice cream for a Chocolate Chocolate Chip & Fresh Banana Shake!
Well that night and the following day I had lots of cramping so we stayed home for most the weekend. Then on tuesday I had some major abdominal pain and had to go back to the clinic for a check up. Ends up my gallbladder is in protest but everything with the baby looked ok!
Results take 2 weeks so lets hope for the best!
Trying to Eat Healthy
I already have a very healthy and well balanced diet, that is for me. We eat mostly organic, local fresh farmed and raised food without any additives. I cook a ton and prepare around 80% of our meals. Unfortunately I found this quite difficult during the 1st trimester since I had such a hard time eating. I found that the few items I could stomach were french fries and broth soup. So my so called healthy diet went down the drain (pardon the pun.) And poor Anastasio gained about 12 pounds while I lost 8!
But then I started feeling better and got obsessed with a healthy pregnancy diet. I bought pregnancy cook books and even went as far as setting up a nutrition spreadsheet to make sure I was eating the right amounts each day! Lots of veggies, fruits, no additives and little fat. Thing is, ever since I got pregnant I haven't been able to eat much chocolate or cookies, which was always my weakness, SO my diet is better than ever!
I'm making sure I get in dairy, which use to be made up of yogurt & many, many different cheeses, but now I'm actually drinking glasses of milk (organic non-fat from Straus Creamery) which I still don't really like, but I haven't been able to eat much yogurt, which I love! I think it's cuz of the heartburn I've been getting:-( And I've been eating some milder cheeses like montery jack and brie, though I really miss the stinky cheeses...
My portions of protein have dropped, but I do still eat protein at least twice a day. Lots of organic eggs, which before I only ate in my baked goods, and getting pickier on the leanness of our meats.
My veggies are still basic, lots of salads, corn, potatoes, bok choy, carrots, butternut squash, spinach, onions, beets, zucchini and artichokes. But I can't eat broccoli or cauliflower. And I'm so happy its fruit season! I'm overdosing on oranges, mangoes, pink lady apples and strawberries! I love living in California, we're so spoiled!!!
No major cravings so far. I have had some 'I think I want this to eat' moments but nothing like I have to have, but it's still early I guess.
And no Vino for me! And the great thing is that I haven't craved any either! I'm hoping that I'll be able to taste & spit when we go to Italy, cuz Ana's gonna do some wine tasting for sure! But man, when this baby comes, I'm gonna definitely put a dent in our 10 case storage!
Oh, and of course I'm taking my prenatal (hourse pill) vitamin every night. Though I sure wish they were easier to swallow!
But then I started feeling better and got obsessed with a healthy pregnancy diet. I bought pregnancy cook books and even went as far as setting up a nutrition spreadsheet to make sure I was eating the right amounts each day! Lots of veggies, fruits, no additives and little fat. Thing is, ever since I got pregnant I haven't been able to eat much chocolate or cookies, which was always my weakness, SO my diet is better than ever!
I'm making sure I get in dairy, which use to be made up of yogurt & many, many different cheeses, but now I'm actually drinking glasses of milk (organic non-fat from Straus Creamery) which I still don't really like, but I haven't been able to eat much yogurt, which I love! I think it's cuz of the heartburn I've been getting:-( And I've been eating some milder cheeses like montery jack and brie, though I really miss the stinky cheeses...
My portions of protein have dropped, but I do still eat protein at least twice a day. Lots of organic eggs, which before I only ate in my baked goods, and getting pickier on the leanness of our meats.
My veggies are still basic, lots of salads, corn, potatoes, bok choy, carrots, butternut squash, spinach, onions, beets, zucchini and artichokes. But I can't eat broccoli or cauliflower. And I'm so happy its fruit season! I'm overdosing on oranges, mangoes, pink lady apples and strawberries! I love living in California, we're so spoiled!!!
No major cravings so far. I have had some 'I think I want this to eat' moments but nothing like I have to have, but it's still early I guess.
And no Vino for me! And the great thing is that I haven't craved any either! I'm hoping that I'll be able to taste & spit when we go to Italy, cuz Ana's gonna do some wine tasting for sure! But man, when this baby comes, I'm gonna definitely put a dent in our 10 case storage!
Oh, and of course I'm taking my prenatal (hourse pill) vitamin every night. Though I sure wish they were easier to swallow!
Ultrasound #2
At my second prenatal appointment, week 11, I had yet another ultrasound! Everything was perfect, my doc just couldn't find the heart beat using the Doppler so she did an ultrasound. The baby was totally kicking and swimming around during the ultrasound, it was actually kinda funny:-)
You can actually kinda see a baby in these pics!!!
You can actually kinda see a baby in these pics!!!
Of course we're still going to Italy!
We had planned our Italy trip before we found out about Baby Flores. At our prenatal appointment the doctor told us I'd be safe to fly since we were going during weeks 20-22 of the pregnancy and that that was actually the best time to travel!
So Italy here we come! May 5-22! Fly from SFO to Amsterdam to Milan, Italy. Then head to Torino, Parma, Tuscany & Rome then fly back home!
Also before we found out about Baby Flores, we had decided to get married in Italy! Unfortunately with the baby coming and the preparations that go into a destination wedding, we decided last month that we would postpone the wedding cuz I was just getting too stressed out over it. I'm really bummed cuz I wanted to get married in Italy, but the baby and my health come first. So we'll plan something and let you all know!
But for know, I'm so excited to go to Italy! It's also part B-day present for Ana who turns 40 this month so we'll be there to watch a few stages of the Giro d'Italia, which is one of the major bike races in the world (same caliber as Tour de France!) And a triple plus to really enjoy this trip stress free is that this will be our last major vacation before the baby is born. So we're really looking forward to our 2 weeks away!
Sienna will be kenneled for the first time! We decided on this cuz she's been acting up since I got pregnant, yes she knows! and so we thought it'd be good for her to have lots of doggies to play with! She'll be at Sundowners Kennel in Gilroy which is also an Emergency & Rescue Dog Training facility! So we're pretty happy with the idea!
We'll definitely post pics from Italy and I can't wait to buy the baby something to mark the occasion!
So Italy here we come! May 5-22! Fly from SFO to Amsterdam to Milan, Italy. Then head to Torino, Parma, Tuscany & Rome then fly back home!
Also before we found out about Baby Flores, we had decided to get married in Italy! Unfortunately with the baby coming and the preparations that go into a destination wedding, we decided last month that we would postpone the wedding cuz I was just getting too stressed out over it. I'm really bummed cuz I wanted to get married in Italy, but the baby and my health come first. So we'll plan something and let you all know!
But for know, I'm so excited to go to Italy! It's also part B-day present for Ana who turns 40 this month so we'll be there to watch a few stages of the Giro d'Italia, which is one of the major bike races in the world (same caliber as Tour de France!) And a triple plus to really enjoy this trip stress free is that this will be our last major vacation before the baby is born. So we're really looking forward to our 2 weeks away!
Sienna will be kenneled for the first time! We decided on this cuz she's been acting up since I got pregnant, yes she knows! and so we thought it'd be good for her to have lots of doggies to play with! She'll be at Sundowners Kennel in Gilroy which is also an Emergency & Rescue Dog Training facility! So we're pretty happy with the idea!
We'll definitely post pics from Italy and I can't wait to buy the baby something to mark the occasion!
But I NEED those 10 Days!
Ana went with me to our first prenatal appointment back in February when I was 7 weeks pregnant. He was supper supportive until we found out that we were actually 8 weeks and 3 days pregnant! We looked at each other and I swear you could see crazy shock of being 10 days closer to having this baby!
All in all the appointment went well. We even had an ultrasound and got to hear the heart beat! It sounded like a hummingbird! Everything looked good and we were told that with the strong heartbeat, there was now less than a 5% chance of miscarriage.
It took me about 3 days to overcome the shock! and then we decided to tell our closest friends who we knew would be involved throughout the pregnancy and boy were they shocked!
Can you find a baby in these pics???
All in all the appointment went well. We even had an ultrasound and got to hear the heart beat! It sounded like a hummingbird! Everything looked good and we were told that with the strong heartbeat, there was now less than a 5% chance of miscarriage.
It took me about 3 days to overcome the shock! and then we decided to tell our closest friends who we knew would be involved throughout the pregnancy and boy were they shocked!
Can you find a baby in these pics???
Baby 101
Those of you who know me well, know that I like to research and I LOVE to take classes! So of course this would apply to baby classes as well.
As soon as we found out about Baby Flores, I signed us up for an OB Orientation Class (at El Camino PAMF) and a Partners in Parenting class (at Palo Alto PAMF). These worked out great cuz Ana's been working in Foster City so I meet him over the hill before the class, have a nice dinner, and then educate away! Both classes were focused on new pregnancies and first time moms & dads. The OB class was super basic and covered most of what the doctor had already told us. But the PinP class was much more informative.
It was lead by the PAMF Educational Instructor & an OB! Its was so great to have that kind of access and to be with other soon to parents that brought up all kinds of questions, comments and concerns that we didn't think to ask. They also gave out great informational handouts so we were able to go home and discuss the different topics.
The big one for us was the prenatal screening (this is when they look at your blood tests & baby measurements of the spine, curvatures, etc., and tell you what the calculated/estimated risk of any abnormalities of the baby) & diagnostic tests (this is when they actually take a genetic sampling from the baby through amniocentesis).
Me being the crazy planner and stresser that I am, decided that I didn't think a prenatal screening alone would be enough since I'll be 34 when the baby is born and 35 is when the risk of abnormalities increases. So in talking with Ana, he completely agreed with me cuz he's just worried period. We got a lot of good info and statistics from the OB at this class which made it easier and more comfortable for us to make our decision.
They also had great pointers on how to deal with morning sickness: Lemonade & Ginger! Lemonade really did help me, though not all the time. and I hate ginger, but the sickness got so bad that I went ahead and bought a pack of Trader Joe's candied ginger. YUCK! It lasted about 3 days and then I couldn't swallow the stuff anymore...plus it only helped about 1/2 the time so I gave up on the ginger.
My morning sickness lasted from about week 6 to week 12. It sucked, but I didn't get it nearly as bad as some. Mostly I just couldn't eat at all and was lucky if I got in 1300 calories in a day. Some nights if I was feeling up to it, Ana would get me a milkshake to help get dairy & calories in me, these days were more like 1600 calorie days! Of course with all the no-eating and some vomiting, I ended up loosing about 8 pounds.
Plus I was always tired. So tired in fact that I stopped riding and was able to hike about twice a week, and short 45 min hikes at that. Going up my driveway was real work and Sienna would have to drag me home! I slept a TON and we stayed in/home most nights & weekends. Between weeks 9-11 I couldn't do anything and didn't hike or exercise at all.
Migraines, migraines, migraines and nothing to be done about them:-(
Then week 12 I went for a nice MTB ride and felt great till I got a cold later that week (Ana had had it previously as well as most of my friends) and so I was out for another 2.5 weeks! And I mean out! I couldn't get out of bed for 6 days (Ana's cooked/ordered out the entire time) and then I was just recovering and also lost my voice for about 2 weeks. But then I started feeling better with the morning sickness gone and able to hike again and so we started telling everyone about Baby Flores!
Lots of fun learning & experience in Baby 101.
As soon as we found out about Baby Flores, I signed us up for an OB Orientation Class (at El Camino PAMF) and a Partners in Parenting class (at Palo Alto PAMF). These worked out great cuz Ana's been working in Foster City so I meet him over the hill before the class, have a nice dinner, and then educate away! Both classes were focused on new pregnancies and first time moms & dads. The OB class was super basic and covered most of what the doctor had already told us. But the PinP class was much more informative.
It was lead by the PAMF Educational Instructor & an OB! Its was so great to have that kind of access and to be with other soon to parents that brought up all kinds of questions, comments and concerns that we didn't think to ask. They also gave out great informational handouts so we were able to go home and discuss the different topics.
The big one for us was the prenatal screening (this is when they look at your blood tests & baby measurements of the spine, curvatures, etc., and tell you what the calculated/estimated risk of any abnormalities of the baby) & diagnostic tests (this is when they actually take a genetic sampling from the baby through amniocentesis).
Me being the crazy planner and stresser that I am, decided that I didn't think a prenatal screening alone would be enough since I'll be 34 when the baby is born and 35 is when the risk of abnormalities increases. So in talking with Ana, he completely agreed with me cuz he's just worried period. We got a lot of good info and statistics from the OB at this class which made it easier and more comfortable for us to make our decision.
They also had great pointers on how to deal with morning sickness: Lemonade & Ginger! Lemonade really did help me, though not all the time. and I hate ginger, but the sickness got so bad that I went ahead and bought a pack of Trader Joe's candied ginger. YUCK! It lasted about 3 days and then I couldn't swallow the stuff anymore...plus it only helped about 1/2 the time so I gave up on the ginger.
My morning sickness lasted from about week 6 to week 12. It sucked, but I didn't get it nearly as bad as some. Mostly I just couldn't eat at all and was lucky if I got in 1300 calories in a day. Some nights if I was feeling up to it, Ana would get me a milkshake to help get dairy & calories in me, these days were more like 1600 calorie days! Of course with all the no-eating and some vomiting, I ended up loosing about 8 pounds.
Plus I was always tired. So tired in fact that I stopped riding and was able to hike about twice a week, and short 45 min hikes at that. Going up my driveway was real work and Sienna would have to drag me home! I slept a TON and we stayed in/home most nights & weekends. Between weeks 9-11 I couldn't do anything and didn't hike or exercise at all.
Migraines, migraines, migraines and nothing to be done about them:-(
Then week 12 I went for a nice MTB ride and felt great till I got a cold later that week (Ana had had it previously as well as most of my friends) and so I was out for another 2.5 weeks! And I mean out! I couldn't get out of bed for 6 days (Ana's cooked/ordered out the entire time) and then I was just recovering and also lost my voice for about 2 weeks. But then I started feeling better with the morning sickness gone and able to hike again and so we started telling everyone about Baby Flores!
Lots of fun learning & experience in Baby 101.
Baby Quilt
So a few weeks after we found out we were pregnant, our local fabric store (Hearts Fabric) was having their annual sale which is the only one they have each year! So I decided that I wanted to try and make a baby quilt!
No experience in quilting and no pattern to boot, I set off and went crazy. $150 later, I had all kinds of fabric swatches & yards of fun fabrics, and went straight home to hopefully find an easy quilt pattern online. I googled 'baby quilt patterns' and found this one: http://quilting.about.com/od/blockofthemonth/ss/irish_chain_3.htm
So I began work. First I thought I'd use several different fabric patterns for the blocks:
But then I decided to use just the one Owl & Monkey fabric pattern & then use the Hot Dog fabric for the start & finish of the quilt. Those two mixed with the brown as the main boarder and I was left with the ABC fabric pattern to use as the inner boarder and decided to have it as the back side of the quilt as well, instead of the plain brown.
I had a lot of fun with this quilt, though I did make one mistake, I sewed the backside upside down, but the thing is, all the fabrics, except the ABC one, can be viewed either way, so you can't really tell! It took me a total of 4 straight sewing days to make this. That's about 25 hours! (of course this was my first and I had a lot of trial, error, and what the %$&! going on:-)
Since I used all flannel fabric it came out really comfy and you can even catch me cozying up with it! Definitely need to make a full size one of these for me! (Lots of work though!!!)
And I even gave it my personal little touch. I just hope that the baby will enjoy this and keep it for many, many years:-)
No experience in quilting and no pattern to boot, I set off and went crazy. $150 later, I had all kinds of fabric swatches & yards of fun fabrics, and went straight home to hopefully find an easy quilt pattern online. I googled 'baby quilt patterns' and found this one: http://quilting.about.com/od/blockofthemonth/ss/irish_chain_3.htm
So I began work. First I thought I'd use several different fabric patterns for the blocks:
But then I decided to use just the one Owl & Monkey fabric pattern & then use the Hot Dog fabric for the start & finish of the quilt. Those two mixed with the brown as the main boarder and I was left with the ABC fabric pattern to use as the inner boarder and decided to have it as the back side of the quilt as well, instead of the plain brown.
I had a lot of fun with this quilt, though I did make one mistake, I sewed the backside upside down, but the thing is, all the fabrics, except the ABC one, can be viewed either way, so you can't really tell! It took me a total of 4 straight sewing days to make this. That's about 25 hours! (of course this was my first and I had a lot of trial, error, and what the %$&! going on:-)
Since I used all flannel fabric it came out really comfy and you can even catch me cozying up with it! Definitely need to make a full size one of these for me! (Lots of work though!!!)
And I even gave it my personal little touch. I just hope that the baby will enjoy this and keep it for many, many years:-)
January Suprise
When we found out that Mary was pregnant, back in Mid-January, we were very, very surprised. As most know, we weren't planning on having kids and have had some difficulties coming to terms with such a huge change in our life. That being said, we are getting ready and excited for this new adventure! We hope to be good, fair, stern but kind parents. And we know we'll love our little bundle of blue, yes it's a BOY!
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