Two More MONTHS until Baby Rodriguez is here!!!

Week 30, Here we COME!!!

Baby boy OR Baby girl is going to be here long before we know it.  Our Gender Reveal party is coming in a couple of weeks and I honestly can NOT fathom if I'm having a boy or a girl.  So many people keep telling me that I am having a boy.  I just say that it's a boy just to go along with everyone else.  The day that the gender is revealed, I know I will be truly surprised.

This pregnancy has been awesome in that it was pretty speedy.   these months went by like weeks.  However, I have had much more nausea than I have had when I was pregnant with Zoë.  I have also been to the hospital a couple of times because of intense pain.  I didn't know know that having gas and being dehydrated can cause so much pain. I have had nights where I could not sleep because the pain was practically paralyzing.  Well, I have been recuperating well after my major water intake.  Half a gallon of water a day has been doing the trick.

Last week was the first week I would say I actually looked pregnant! How many weeks do you usually start seeing the basketball belly? I can say mine was officially at 29 weeks!  I am excited because my baby bump is really a bump and now it's dawning on me that I am going to soon be holding my baby in my hands!

I have been taking care of my belly on the outside with Burt's Bees Mama Bee creme.  Moisturizing with that is what I think has helped me not to see stretch marks yet.  The physical changes haven't been extreme except the 30 lb weight gain.  I have 10 more weeks to go and I really don't want to gain anymore than I already have!!! :(

It has definitely been a journey so far.  I am glad that pregnancy hasn't been to mean to me.  I know have ten to twelve weeks left and so many changes can happen any time, however, I made it through most of the pregnancy surviving and I haven't tortured my husband with moodswings as much as I expected.  (I have given him a hard time here and there, though.)

Stay tuned for more updates about preparing for the GENDER REVEAL!!! I cannot wait.  What are your guesses?

Week 12! Here we come!

It has been a tiring week.  I have gotten at least 2 hours of napping a day.  That is very exciting for me.  I still feel tired.  I think that once I stopped going on the treadmill, my energy level decreased.  It sounds very contradicting but, I feel I had more energy when I was going to the gym at least 3 times a week.

My excitement has doubled since I last posted. I think I am contributing to the excitement by looking at stroller videos on YouTube.  I also am trying to build my registry.  I love that there are so many modified versions of baby gear since the last time I looked for things for ZOe.  I am looking forward to going to BabiesR'Us or another baby store to test drive strollers and baby carriers.  Looking at baby clothes help raise the excitement of bringing this new life into the world! I have a feeling it is a boy, but since I don't feel as sure about that as I did when I was pregnant with Zoe, I have been checking out neutral clothes.

My husband has been talking about having a gender-reveal party. I haven't heard of it, so I looked it up on Pinterest and it is so cute!!!! The idea of bringing my close friends and loved ones to celebrate together in finding out the sex of the baby is pretty fun!  Pink or Blue? It gives me more reasons to start baking again.

These past couple of weeks, I have been eating a lot of french fries and chicken.  I haven't had soda in a while yet.  My new craving is orange juice.  I am trying to discipline myself with drinking water, but, I still love my sweet juices.  Fortunately, this NYC summer weather has sparked lots of desire for  huge water intakes.  I know that my horrible diet this past week, all the salt I'm consuming is also helping me drink a lot of water.  I have not been worried about how my diet is affecting my little one, but I am very conscious of it! I haven't gotten any lectures yet, but I am definitely starting to meal plan after Independence weekend passes.  I really want to go back to my first healthy love, which is, anything that has to do with butternut squash, sweet potatoes, eggplant and anything that can be roasted and beautifully-seasoned.  My husband is an amazing chef so he knows exactly what magic to put into produce so that I can eat it with just the same desire that I have for chocolate.

So, my most exciting moment this week was interviewing with a midwife! She seems so amazing, so loving, so nurturing and so comfortable to be around.  She is very knowledgeable, informative and helped me understand more of the benefits of home birth.  The best part of our meeting is that she persuaded my husband to be really into it!  He is really looking forward to us having a home birth! I am still amazed an hope that he doesn't change his mind.  His comfort with it makes me feel even more comfortable with the whole idea.  I have only heard amazing things about home birth and it sealed the deal when I met with Marcy.  I am really looking forward to giving birth in the comfort of my own apartment.

Here are some fun things that I received so far from a couple of great friends that I told that I am expecting: My husband happily shared the news with everyone at his job and soon after, he was given a Bjorn from one of his Coworkers.  I got a 4mom's infant tub from a fellow mom in the neighborhood, and one of my great friends blessed me with a Burt's Bees Mama gift set!  It is becoming more real as time goes by.

I have graduated from my Size 6-8 clothes to sweatpants and T-Shirts.  I realize that I am having a difficult time buttoning my jeans, so I just have to "LET IT GO!"  No more holding on to the slim life.  I at least will have a vacation from it for the next 6 months.  I am still going to try to keep up the workout life.  It is easier since I am now always dressed like I am ready to go to the gym.  No excuses.  But this new life is very celebratory for me.  It's even more celebratory now that I am going into the second trimester where I won't feel as exhausted. Yay!

Week 10 of the Growing Being

     I'm Shelley. I'm married since August of 2008 and have a beautiful 5 year old DIVA named Zoe.  I really planned to have her be my only child, my spoiled princess for life.

However.....

     One month ago, I found out I was pregnant.  It felt like the news was broken to me ALL over again.  Six years ago felt like yesterday.  The only thing is--I wasn't excited...AT ALL.  However, my husband was happy as a pig in mud as I would tell anyone.  When we found out about Zoe, I was more of the happy one.  His excitement came after she was born. 

     Well now, it is 10 weeks into my pregnancy and I am really looking forward to my soon-to-be! My mind is pretty consumed with thoughts on how life is going to be with baby #2.  They are very exciting thoughts, like, "Where will we go during the winter while he/she's a baby?" I also think about how I will dress this one.  I am wondering if I will be able to have an easier process weening my child off of breastfeeding than I did with Zoe? I finally was brave enough to say "No more BOOBIE!" to Zoe when she was 2 and a half.  

 
      I know I have not moved into the 'safe zone' of pregnancy yet but I can't help but to blog about my excitement. My husband has told all of his co-workers and the leaders at our church.  He's not concerned at all about the 3-month wait.  I still have people to break the news to.

      Today I am sharing my story and my steps in accepting a new chapter in motherhood. I am also sharing what I am doing differently from my first pregnancy.  Today, at 10 months pregnant, I am blogging about my soon-to-be, which I have never done for Zoe.

       I am also keeping track of what I eat now. I lost 70 lbs in the past year because I changed my eating habits and jogged 6 days a week.  Now that I am trying to keep the activities at a slower pace, I am working harder at how I eat.  More fruits, less chocolate, no caffeine, low fat dairy options.  I still go to the gym, but mostly to do light weight-training and incline walking on the treadmill.  I am not nauseous as I have been for my last pregnancy, nor am I as heavy, but it has been an easy road this trimester.   I am getting a lot of sleep-- in the day time.  Night-time is hard.  I have bathroom runs 3 to 4 times a night.

       For this new one on the way, I think I am going to allow myself to wait until birth day to find out what the sex is.  I have a feeling that it's a boy.  I don't know why.  It is a feeling.  That is all I can describe it as.  We will see. 7 months to go!

       So far, my cravings have been turkey and cheese sandwiches.  I LOVE THEM! I know I should steer away from cold cuts, but it is irresistible.  I only have one maybe 3 or 4 times a week.  I craved orange soda a lot but only gave into the craving twice so far.  I am still holding onto my dream of better eating choices.  Hopefully I'll be more successful than not.

      The sleepy feeling is kicking in, so I will continue sharing my journey tomorrow!