First Class

33 weeks - getting closer.

Last night we attended our first of six birthing classes. Our instructor was highly recommended by our doctor and she was awesome. To clarify, these aren't the free classes provided by the hospital. We chose to do this series, pay for this series, since as with everything else in this pregnancy, we only want the best...and we hear she's the best, from our doctor who we know is the best.

In our first class, we had an anatomy overview, which was helpful so we could better understand all the parts involved with helping baby ultimately arrive safely. She even had a knitted uterus, complete with a nerf ball inside to help show a baby's head crowning. She had us mold play-doh into the different stages of a cervix effacing and dilating. Creative learning, I'm all for it!

Then we moved on to pregnancy exercises with positions very similar to prenatal yoga. The competitor in me kicked in and so I had to attempt all the positions just to show the other moms-to-be that even a tiny gal with a big belly like me could do em just as good as they could. The hubby got a bit worried. But me and baby pulled it off just fine. Whether or not I'll continue to do them at home is another story.

Our next lesson was in relaxation techniques. We had mock contraction sessions with our coaches, and so the hubby would coach me through some breathing techniques. We also had a quick meditation session where all us moms-to-be laid down on our yoga mats and pillows and just relaxed while our hubbies/coaches watched on. Needless to say the real deal, won't be as relaxing, this I know. But our instructor advises us to try our best to find our happy place and just breathe. Ride the contraction out. Though I've mastered the mock contraction drills, we shall see how good I'll do during the real thing=) The hubby doubts I'll remember my breathing.

Then we ended with some homework assignments. Seriously.

All in all, the hubby and I enjoyed our first class first class, and are looking forward to the next one.

Forecast: "Showers"

We are fortunate enough to have the best family and friends anyone could ask for.

Yesterday was our baby shower, and it was fantastic! We were checking the weather the weeks prior religiously, since at times, the forecasts predicted rain, and that would've been a disaster. But we began the day with sunshine, and although it did get cloudy and pretty cold towards the late afternoon, we were just thankful there was no rain.

But even without rain, we sure were showered anyhow. We received so many wonderful gifts for the baby! Add that to seeing old friends, new ones and family, it was a perfect day. Plenty of food, games, and laughs.

It was also the debut of my sis' newly remodeled and renovated house and backyard. She has such a huge lot, I really think we could've held our wedding there! It's a beautiful project that is now finally complete.

We've already started assembling all our new goodies, so the nursery and our bedroom is now really looking like we're expecting a baby to join us very soon. Correction: the hubby has already started assembling...clearly I'm of no help these days. Thank goodness for my hubby.

That's another great thing about pregnancy, it's a given that you aren't expected to help out with anything. Even when I try to help, everyone just tells me to sit down and rest :) So I just sat down, rested and watched as 4 car loads of gifts were transported from my sis' house to ours. 4 car loads!

So even though the forecasts ended up being wrong about it raining, it was right about expecting showers. We sure were showered yesterday with awesome gifts, the great company of friends and family and continued good fortune.

Life's Just Swell

Ah the joys of the third trimester...

So I'm just all swollen now. Swollen fingers, swollen toes, swollen face, swollen nose. Hey! I'm a poet! Yup everything is swollen, BUT not the ankles...yet! Nope no cankles here. It's all due to both the water retention and the increased blood flow, which in turn also adds to increased pounds! I'm still eating pretty healthy, and have managed to stay away from junk food pretty much throughout the entire pregnancy, still, that effort is all masked anyways, since i'm still all swollen.

As expected, the home stretch is pretty uncomfy. The baby and belly are experiencing a major growth spurt these last couple of weeks. So with the protruding belly and the swelling, getting around is mighty challenging for a little gal like me. But I'm still trying to keep active, however this trimester brings with it another old friend that I met back in the first three months...fatigue. I find myself needing to nap more often again. And finding a comfy position to sleep in, making sure I'm on my left side, making sure the belly is nicely positioned and trying to get somewhat comfortable - well that's tiring in itself. I need a nap from trying to take a nap!

So as you can see, in these last, remaining weeks, there's really only one way to put it...

...Lif'es just SWELL.

The Pill

31 weeks and counting...only 9 weeks left!

So for those who know me well, know my deep dark secret...

...I cannot take a pill to save my life. I just can't. And so taking daily doses of my prenatal vitamins that are literally the size of horsepills? You've got to be kidding. But of course, I do it. Every night it's a battle, ask the hubby.

So here's the evening ritual. I pretend to forget about even needing to take the vitamin, but of course, the hubby always remembers to remind me. So we go to the kitchen and prepare, cause there's a lot of preparation involved to take this 1 horse-sized gargantuan of a pill. I NEED to have a flavored drink to wash it down. I do not understand people who can just swallow a pill without any liquid, and I cannot just use water, cause contrary to other's beliefs, I CAN TASTE THE PILL! So my flavored drink of choice throughout this whole pregnancy is apple juice. SO I have my apple juice on hand, and then of course, I need my chaser. I mean even with the apple juice, I can still get the aftertaste of the pill, so I need a chaser. And currently, I choose pretzels.

So it's basically like taking a shot of tequila. There's a process. You lick the salt, take the shot, then suck the lime, right? It's no different for me and a pill. I take a sip of my apple juice, take the pill WHILE I am downing more apple juice, and then chase it with a pretzel. Though that middle step - it's much more complicated. For some reason, my throat knows that pill is coming and somehow closes and will not let me swallow that pill. So it's A LOT of regurgitating until that sucker goes down.

As I said, it's an ordeal EVERY night. Even now, 31 weeks into it.

The sad part is, I learned this from watching my sis take pills, and even sadder is that I already see my niece experiencing the same when she needs to take pills. And the saddest part is, our kid will probably learn the same from me.

I say it's because I happen to have extremely sensitive taste buds. My family and friends say, it's mental. Moral of the story? Can they please make flintstone-like gummy prenatal vitamins?

Happy New Year

Well it's now 2007! Wow, where did 2006 go?

Needless to say, 2006 was an awesome year for us, and so 2007 should be even more fabulous! This pregnancy has gone by so fast. I can't believe we are almost to our 8th month. We're 30 weeks and counting and the belly is certainly getting bigger.

2006 was a blur. I only remember key pieces. I remember ringing it in over at the happiest place on earth, no, not a sale at Bloomies, I mean Disneyland. And whattadayaknow, just a month later, I found myself working for the mouse. Then I remember venturing off with the hubby to Italy. And then seriously the next thing I remember is that we're all of a sudden pregnant! And then from then on, it's been about growing this little buddy inside me.

You know aside from all the hardships and changes in pregnancy, such as the hormones, the skin changes, the swelling, the expanding, the weight gain, the water retaining, the gas, the embarassing stuff and the dreaded leg cramps, it has truly, honestly been such a beautiful and amazing experience thus far. As cliche as it all sounds, forgive me, pregnancy really exemplifies the miracle of life. Tissue anyone? Cause it genuinely IS a miracle. Everyday, I can't believe this little person is growing inside me, and that it all started from a little piece of me and a little piece of the hubby.

Even though it's been a rough, roller-coaster, waddling and turbulent 8 months, I would do it all again in a heartbeat...In fact, we plan to =)

So I began 2006 as my slim, svelt self, and I rang in the new year at my heaviest ever! I began 2006 cheating my way into a size 6 pair of marc jacobs ballet flats, and now I think I will need a 6 1/2! I began 2006 shopping for new, hip, modern decor for our crib, and we ended 2006 shopping for an actual crib! I began 2006 with a cool new job, and now this year, I'll be getting ready for the best and most important job ever...

...mommyhood!

Happy New Year Everyone!