30 Weeks & A Closet Full of Goodies!

So today we're 30 weeks. 10 more weeks til due date, and technically, only 7 more weeks til we're full-term. Wow! Is that seriously possible?!?! I feel so great. I seriously have so many days that I wake up and don't even feel pregnant. Then I feel her squirming around and am reminded of her tiny little presence in my tummy! :) I'm feeling very excited about this whole pregnancy chapter coming to an end - but only because we'll be so happy to welcome our baby girl into this world! I'm so thankful everyday for such a wonderful, and easy pregnancy!!!

Quite obviously, as you can tell from my picture below, I am a first-time momma (who else takes pictures of closets?!?! so ridiculous!! haha!!) I just get excited to see all her cute clothes hanging, and to see the other few things that we have gotten so far for her as well. Anyway, decided to share the picture with all of you! :) So far, we have LOTS of clothes, her car seat, diaper bag, a few toys, diapers (thanks to precious little Sofi and her growth), bottles (Although those aren't the ones we'll be using. Those are the free ones I get for signing up everywhere), towels, receiving blankets, formula, etc.... So that's our stock so far. Sometimes I go in the room in the middle of the day just to look at it all! :) Ha! Beto will be like, "are you in Little's room again just staring at her closet?!" I'm like, "yup!" :)

Can I add that I absolutely adore my husband?! He's the best, and I am so thankful for him everyday. The bestest-friend a girl like me could ask for!

Oh, forgot to mention that we got her a play mat on the weekend too! We actually got this at a MOPS yard sale for $5! :) It looks brand new! I love great deals like that!!

29 Week Ultrasound - Video

I have no idea how to actually post a video on a blog. We did, however, upload the video to youtube. So here is the link, if you want to check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHAkhJDRlO0

29 Weeks

We had our Dr. appointment and ultrasound yesterday! It all went very well, and she looked great! She's already a whopping 2 lb 15 oz (so basically 3 lbs)!! :) Yay! What a big girl already! Ha!

We just got a new camera this week (Beto won it at Verizon - long story!) so he took video of almost the WHOLE appointment yesterday! :) We were very excited. If I ever figure out how to post videos on here, I'll do it!

Here are some of the latest pictures of my growing belly...

I was very excited in these two pictures, because I finally went out yesterday and bought myself a nice pair of maternity jeans that FIT! Thus, here I am, showing them off! :)

This one was taken on the weekend, at Ethan and Kelly's wedding (28 weeks 4 days) - note to self: dresses make you look huge!

A Little Visit From Someone Special...

Sofi and Cam came over for a little visit yesterday. She's getting so big!! It's crazy how fast time goes by, and how fast they grow! She's scooting all over the rug (almost crawling!) and so busy moving and tumbling about. We had yummy popsicles (a special treat!!) and she LOVED that :) What a little muffin she is. Love her. Happy 6 months TODAY baby girl!

Ethan and Kelly's Wedding

We had a great time this weekend at Ethan and Kelly's wedding. It's always so nice to see old friends. I was so excited to see him get all married off! :) It was an adorable wedding for an adorable couple.

It was about a three hour drive to the middle-of-no-where, Pennsylvania. We got there a few hours early to practice our song a few times at the church. Wedding was at 2 o'clock and the reception was at 5.

It was a VERY long day for me, and very tiring (and very achy) to have to sit in a car for 6 hours!!! I am used to being able to lay down whenever I feel like it, and with that not being an option that day, the baby was all sorts of squished! :) I felt like she was going to poke a hand through my ribs! Needless to say, it was so nice to finally arrive home at night and jump into bed!

We have our next appointment and ultrasound this Wednesday. Can't wait to see our cute little one again!! YAY!

FINALLY CONNECTED AGAIN!

So after a very very VERY long two weeks without a computer - I'm finally back up and running again. Our new computer arrived yesterday evening! So happy!! 

Today I've spent my whole morning wasting my time away, playing around with all the new features. We got an imac, so it's very different from a pc - but looks like it'll be tons of fun! :) I also downloaded skype right away this morning so that I can video chat with my mom and my sister. So if anyone else has skype, add me as your friend! :)

We're doing well besides all the new computer excitement. I finally was able to somewhat complete my registries this morning - so that's a relief. For those of you who have asked, we're registered at Babies R Us and Target. 

OH - we also started our child birth classes on Sunday night. The first one was a tad bit boring, we both felt like falling asleep a little (could've been that we spent the whole afternoon at the pool though) :) It basically was just an overview of everything we will be going over and learning over the course of the next 6 weeks.  At the end we did some floor exercises and stuff. We all had to take a blanket and two pillows. I can't wait for breathing exercises and role play stuff. Should be hilarious and I'm so excited! :)

Besides that, not too much going on. I'm very excited to be going to Ethan's wedding this weekend. It'll be my first high school class-mate's wedding that I get to attend! Very excited for them! Beto and I are singing a song :) I'll have to post some pics sometime next week! :)

Hope you're all doing well!! 

Another Dr. Appointment...

So today I had my monthly check-up. Believe it or not, from now on I will be going every two weeks!! Ugh - time is FLYING! I don't feel pregnant enough to go to the Dr. that often! :) Oh well. So that's that. At our next appointment we're having another ultrasound done, so we should get some comfirmation on whether it truly is a little girl like we think and are preparing for :) We'll see! Ha!

They tested me for gestational diabetes today too. Basically you have to drink this really sweet orange soda-like drink 45 min before going in, and then they take your blood. I get the results tomorrow. So hopefully everything is ok...I'm sure it will be!

Besides that, not much to report on the pregnancy. The past couple of days, I've felt like she's been sitting really really low - so it's been pretty uncomfortable....but not unbearable. I've been going to the pool to swim. Oh, and our new condo has a treadmill (the owners left it for us to use)! :) Yay! So I've walked a few times too since moving in. I plan on using it everyday if I can. We'll see how that goes.

K, well I suppose that's all for now!

We Moved!!

So, I haven't been very good about blogging the past few weeks because I have been so so busy! We moved to a new condo last weekend (just a few doors down from where we lived before). We're very pleased and happy in our new place. It's almost identical to where we lived before, except it has a great big loft with LOTS of extra space! We're very excited about the extra space, because now our second bedroom can be designated to BABY, and our guest room can go upstairs in the loft :) I'm very, very excited about this because now I can actually begin on her room. It'll give me lots to do in the next few months before she arrives.

Anyway, also this week, our computer crashed. Thankfully, a new one has been ordered already and is on its way! So soon, I will be back up and connected.

SOON I WILL UPLOAD PICS OF OUR NEW PLACE! :) (Once we get all the boxes unpacked and put away).

4th of July

We had a great, relaxing day yesterday, celebrating the 4th of July with our friends. We spent the day up at a lake by Pete and Jess' house. It was so nice and relaxing. We layed out in the sun, the guys played volleyball, and we even swam to the other side of the lake to a cliff, where some of them jumped off from. Later on that evening, Albert and I went back to Pete and Jess' house and we barbequed hamburgers and relaxed some more :) I love fun holidays...

25 Weeks

6th Month Appointment

Had my Dr. appointment yesterday and all went well - Gracias a Dios!

Not too much to report on. They took my blood pressure and weighed me, like usual. Everything's fine. (I had gained 6 lb since my last appointment - which puts me at a whopping 15 lb weight gain so far!!!!! Dr. Zuckerman said it's fine and that I'm doing well. So I guess that made me feel a little better. Shocking for me. Let me tell you. I almost pass out everytime I step on that scale!!!) Anyway, then he came in to measure me/baby, and to hear the heartbeat. The Dr. couldn't believe how much she was moving. I was laying there, and he was watching her bounce up and down through my skin...and when he tried to listen to the heartbeat, she kept kicking the doppler! :) Well, more like a body nudge then a kick. Anywho, the Dr. said those were some big movements for 23 weeks...but I measured normal, so doesn't mean anything yet! :( I'm so hoping that at appointments to come, he'll tell me I'm measuring farther along then we thought, so that we can push that due date up some!!!! :)

It's been a good week for me and Albert - we've seen answered prayers! God continues to show us His faithfulness and love, over and over again. Thank you Lord! We serve an AWESOME and FAITHFUL GOD!

23 weeks...and my growing belly!!

I love my husband so very much!! :)

Ok, my belly looks HUGE in this one! Seriously, I don't feel like it really looks that big in real life! =/

For the records, 23 weeks prego!

Back, Busy, and 22 Weeks!

With all of our friends at the United Concert

Joel Houston

My girlies; Jana, Jess, Janet, and Cam

With Mom and Dad after a nice dinner outside on Melanie and Damian's deck

Me, Mom, and Mel

So I've been back from Springfield for almost a week now. I sort of hit the ground running - because I feel like we've been busy non-stop!

Springfield was very nice. It was so nice to spend some time with some family.

This week (Monday) we went to a Hillsong United concert!! It was so much fun! We had an awesome time with our friends, and an awesome time of worship. The only downfall (for me), was that we were right in front (not a downfall), but therefore had NO seats!!! It was standing room only, with a bizillion other people! I was dying half way through!!! But we still had a great time. The baby must love the music - she was dancing with me the whole time. She's the same way at church on Sundays. She kicks SO much during worship! It's awesome. Beto loves it - He says she's praising the Lord.

So not too much to update...she moves almost constantly, non-stop. I don't know when or if she ever sleeps. I love laying on the couch at night, and watching her pop up through my skin and move across my belly. It's such a highlight of the pregnancy!! What a joy! :)

Oh, and we have finalized a name....we'll tell soon! (still trying to work on a middle name, so I kind of want to wait until we have the whole name all set) :)

Besides all that - nothing new! Doing well and VERY HAPPY that Summer weather has finally arrived (for the most part - when it's not raining, like it is today!) I had my first day at the pool on Tuesday! It was FABULOUS!!!!!!!! :)

That's all for now......

Off to Springfield for the week!

Tomorrow morning, I leave bright and early to go spend a week at my sister's in Springfield, Missouri. I'm so excited!! My parents will be joining us there on Saturday night, and will be staying through the following week.

I'm excited for family time - but wish Albert could come too! =( I don't enjoy traveling without him. I will miss him lots - but am looking forward to an awesome time with my sister, her hubby, and my parents!! YAY!

I'm sure I'll have lots to post throughout the week, about my trip.

20 Weeks (well, almost! i'm tired of counting!!)

Growing, growing, growing!!! (I'll try to get another one, where I'm not making such a weird face. I obviously wasn't ready!! Ha!) And soon I'll post one of the two of us, where we're actually looking. I just loved the reflection of us in the mirror from behind - thought it was a cool picture...so wanted to share it! (We're not huge on pictures right now! We're not very photogenic in the winter/spring...we need our summer sunshine!!!!) Ha!!

And once again, I feel like the belly looks WAY larger in pictures than it actually does in real life! I don't know why that happens!!

More Pics...

We got two pictures of her face. She kept opening and closing her mouth - so the ultrasound technician was able to get one of each! An open-mouth pic and a closed-mouth! :) So cute!

(My parents just told me that they can't make out the face at all. So I'm sorry if I posted a bunch of pics that are hard to see and make out! :) I can see the face as clear as a bell, so i just assumed everyone would! Ha!)

IT'S A GIRL!!

We had our ultrasound today! All looks GREAT! We have a healthy baby GIRL (weighing about 9 oz)! :) We were both very surprised, but thrilled!!!

Here's just a few of the many beautiful pictures we were able to get.

3 days...

In 3 DAYS we find out what our little pumpkin is! I can hardly sleep at nights, I'm too excited. We had originally planned for the ultrasound to be on Wednesday, the 13th...but because of some conflict with Beto's work schedule, he wasn't going to be able to make it to that appointment. Therefore, we had to switch it - which totally worked for our advantage, since we got to push it up TWO DAYS!!

So now our appointment is on Monday at 4:00 pm.

The baby's movements have already, in a week, become more frequent and much stronger. It's so exciting to feel. I can hardly believe there's a little one inside there, squirming around. Truly brings such joy to my heart! It's the most awesome thing to feel. Everything finally is seeming real. I don't doubt there being a baby in there anymore, ha!! :)

These are an exciting couple of weeks for us. Thanks for all your love and prayers!

Baby Book

This is the baby book that I have been wanting, and decided to just go ahead and buy, since it's gender neutral (like most of the things that I have liked lately). It's so adorable and will be so cute for our little one, boy or girl.

Baby Movement!

Last week I started feeling the baby's little movements!! :) At first I wasn't positive if it was the baby or just my imagination. But it has kept up ever since last Wednesday - and at times, if its hard enough, you can even feel the kicks from the outside. It's such a sweet little feeling - like little flutters. The first thing I thought it felt like was like little muscle twitches, only softer and more smooth. 

Beto was able to feel one kick on Sunday night - he was very, very excited! (As was I, to be able to share such a sweet moment with my husband).

So that's the exciting news this week! We're now 18 weeks, and one week away from finding out! So excited!

Yesterday was my last day with little Sofi. It was such a joy to be able to watch her and spend time with her. They grow so fast at that age, and learn and develop new things so quickly. It was so fun to see it all and expereince it with her for a few weeks. Love her - my little muffin!

New pics will be posted soon...just haven't gotten around to taking any new ones yet.

17 Weeks

So, as always, time is still flying by.

We're 17 weeks along today....nothing really feels different! I'm feeling great. We're so anxious for our next appointment (2 weeks, 1 day!!) :) YAY!

I've been a little more tired lately than usual, since I've been watching little Sofi. She's a tiny little muffin, but is quite heavy for her age - so I'm pretty warn out at the end of each day! :)

SPRING IS FINALLY HERE! PRAISE GOD! We've been enjoying the nice weather so much already. Last weekend we grilled on Saturday down in DC with Jason and Kristin...and Sunday we grilled at Pete and Jess' house. Felt so nice to finally be outside, enjoying some sun!

I wish there was more to tell....but for now that really is about it. Beto is doing well...busy with work, but doing very well.

Hopefully soon there will be more I can share with you guys.

15 Weeks

So just had our third prenatal doctor's appointment yesterday (4th month check-up). It was my favorite visit so far! I should probably add too that Beto and I both like my Doctor SOOO much! I'm so happy that out of all the MANY I could've chosen from, I seemed to have picked just the right one for me. Just another blessing from God! He is so funny, and so very, very kind. He gives us all the time in the world, talks our ears off, and always, always, ALWAYS, is smiling. He is so nice. He predicted the baby to be a boy - based on the heartbeat (totally not proven to be accurate, but supposedly if the heart beat is slower, it's usually a boy. Faster, it's a girl.) The Dr. said the baby's heart was beating at 140 bpm, although, I'm not sure that was 100% accurate, because the baby wouldn't stay still long enough for us to hear it for very long! :) I had no idea the baby moved so much already. The Dr. had to follow around, looking from place to place, as the baby moved inside. Aw, melts my heart!

Anyway, now it's the countdown, because at our next appointment, we find out the sex. We're SO excited!! Yay!

Things have been well. This week I started taking care of little Sofi (Strickland), while Camille's at work. I'll be watching her for three weeks. She's so precious, and I'm so glad to be able to have this time with her! She's growing so much everyday!

Good Friday

Thank you JESUS for the price you paid at Calvary!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16

On this day many years ago, Jesus Christ gave you and I the greatest gift that can be given to mankind. He offered Himself as a substitute for our sins. He died on the cross to pay our debt so that we may live with hope and have a chance for eternal life in Heaven. On the third day, He conquered death, and ROSE AGAIN! He created us, He loves us, He died for us, He rose again for us and He wants us to live in Heaven for eternity with Him someday.

God, I'll never know how much it cost, to see my sin upon that cross. THANK YOU!

14 Weeks

Me checking out baby bump at 14 weeks

(I look GINORMOUS! Woah)

Second Trimester Begins

Today I am 14 weeks, and beginning my second trimester! Wow! Time goes by so quickly. I've been feeling great, and growing a little more everyday! (I feel like I look larger in pictures than I actually am though. Maybe?? :) Who knows!) My next appointment is next week, and we can't wait to hear the heartbeat again, and to most of all, make sure all is progressing well. 

People say that the second trimester is always when you feel your best. I can't really imagine feeling any better than I already have been, so if that's possible, then I gladly welcome the second trimester!! 

God is so great - Thank you Lord for this healthy pregnancy! We're so blessed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAQUELITA!

Happy Birthday Quels! I wish I were there to celebrate with you! Love you and miss you!!!

First Baby Purchase

I got these as a surprise for Beto. Anyway, boy or girl, he or she will be set to be a little Barça baby. Our cute onesies arrived from Spain on the weekend!

DC with Rachel

Me and Rachel in front of the Washington Monument. (12 1/2 weeks pregnant)