Voluptuousness is Goddessness

Being pregnant is weird!! There are just no consistencies. I spent the entire first trimester of my pregnancy feeling nauseous and awful but never threw up! At about week 13 I finally started to feel a little better, and then at week 14 I threw up 4 times. Once in the parking lot at work. How embarrassing! I almost didn't even make it. I opened that car door and blop... there it all went. When I walked in to work, my coworkers said I looked white as a ghost! I then proceeded to vomit twice more in a span of about an hour and a half.

But then there are blissful moments. Recently, I took a long bath with some relaxing Lavender bath salts that Babydaddy gave me for my birthday. I soaked and read a great book that Tía Adri sent me called Hot Mama. I laughed so hard. But, that little funny book really did help to change my perspective on being pregnant. I now embrace my voluptuousness, especially since it is all happening as my body nurtures a living being inside me. How beautiful is that!!

Every Pregnant Woman Should Have This Book

It has also been fun spending time with Daddy and planning for our little angel's arrival. Rico is a planner, so I have a feeling everything will be perfectly ready for this child when s/he arrives. In fact, this past weekend we bought a video camera. I might add some video clips to my blog soon!

So there are good days and there are bad days. The other day I was exhausted, and I told my friend Nubia, "My goodness you would think I had run a marathon!" And she replied, “My goodness, you would think that you're pregnant!" And that's exactly it. Being pregnant means feeling tired, nauseous, emotional, sensitive, elated, excited, and exhausted sometimes all at once! It's pretty crazy. But every time I think about that beautiful hapa baby growing inside me, I know it is unquestionably worth it!

Baby, You Are Perfect

Last week we went to do the Nuchal Translucency Screening. It's an ultrasound and a blood test. We got to see Baby at 12 weeks. It was pretty amazing. Baby was moving like crazy and making it really hard for the doctor to get the views he needed to capture. He asked us if we wanted to know the baby's sex. Of course! It's really too early to tell, but his guess is that it's a boy. The doctor (who we found out later was a pioneer in ultrasounds for pregnant women) said that everything looked really good, and Baby looked healthy. Here are Baby's ultrasound pics. He's cuddling with mama, he's right up against my uterus.

They called me this week with good news about my blood work. It came out negative for Down syndrome and Trisomy 18 which is lethal to a fetus. Yeah!

The day after the ultrasound we had our second visit with our practitioner. We got to hear the baby's heartbeat with the Doppler baby heart monitor. It's fast and strong.

So, hapa baby is doing just great! Mama was feeling a little better, too, though the last few days have been a bit tough. And Daddy is definitely recovering well from stomach surgery. He had enough energy to paint my basement.

Getting the House Ready for Baby's Arrival

Church on Sunday

A Stroll on the Trail by My House

The fact that I had enough energy to go for a walk is pretty amazing considering how sick I was during the first three months. I even went to yoga this week for the first time in over 7 weeks. The nausea is not completely gone, though. But, I am a bit better. Things are looking up for our little family. :)

Childhood Friends

While I was in Maryland three weeks ago, I got to see a my childhood friend, Mary. We used to play together in the barrio back when kids played outside till dark. I hadn't seen her in seven years, and then when I see her I'm pregnant! It was wonderful to catch up. These are the friendships to be cherished, and the kind that I hope for my baby. Mary is a breast cancer survivor, and she's currently mentoring two women fighting breast cancer right now. I'm very proud of her!

Mary and I at Vapiano's

PJ's for Baby from Tia Mary

PJ's from Tia Mary

Baby, We Made it Through the First Trimester

Well, today I'm 12 weeks pregnant, officially done with the first trimester. I wish I was officially done with the symptoms. The nausea persists rendering me useless. And I have so much to do!! And, oh the emotions! What a roller coaster! I had no idea pregnancy would make me so needy.

I still don't really look pregnant. I'm just starting to look chubby.

Five Weeks Pregnant

Twelve Weeks Pregnant

This week I have an appointment with the OBGYN, and another appointment for an ultrasound - the Nuchal Translucency Screening which I'm doing because I'm over 35. It's non-invasive, and we get to see the baby. We can't wait.

Unfortunately, Rico is in the hospital again. They told me they'll make me a CD with pics and some clips of the baby in action for Daddy, if he can't make it.