38 Weeks!

Getting closer!! I haven't been feeling too hot these past couple days. I can't help but wonder if this means I'll be going into labor some time very soon.
Max, Justin's good friend, was in San Diego yesterday. He and Justin played disc golf once Justin got home from work and the three of us went to dinner at Seasons 52. It's been nice having all these visitors lately.

How our baby is growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he is over 19 1/2 inches long (about the size of a leek). He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.
Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time he's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after he's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

Visit with mom!

These past few days flew by. Mom came down around noon on Thursday. She met me at the nail salon where I was getting a pedicure (getting ready for D-day). Once I finished up we headed over to Seasons 52 for lunch. We just love the fish tacos there. By the time we were done with lunch it was late afternoon and we were both exhausted so we went back to my apartment and took a little nap. We hung out at my place with Justin the rest of the evening. I made meatloaf for dinner and we just relaxed and watched T.V. We needed a relaxing day to kick off the next few days. Mom left our place around 10 to head to her hotel to check in. Unfortunately we don't have room for overnight guests anymore so she stayed at a hotel in hotel circle, about 10 miles from our place.

Friday morning I met her at her hotel. We had breakfast at Corner Bakery in Mission Valley. She had never been to a Corner Bakery, so it was something new for her. After breakfast we went to Target and Bed Bath and Beyond so I could grab some last minute things and return some things as well. Once we got the errands out of the way we headed over to the Mission Valley mall where we spent a better part of our time inside Macys. We finished up shopping at a decent time and went over to Croutons in UTC for lunch. After lunch we stopped at the grocery store and then headed back to my place to meet Justin so we could go to the beach.
We got to Pacific Beach around 5. Justin went body surfing while I read my "What To Expect When You're Expecting" book and mom worked on her blanket she's been crocheting for our baby boy.

 

 



After the beach we went back to our apartment and Justin made us dinner. That night I went back to the hotel and stayed with my mom. I would've stayed there every night but the bed really bothered my back, so I only made it through one night.

Saturday we had breakfast at her hotel. I had brought stuff to make us oatmeal. We then headed over to Fashion Valley Mall where we spent a better part of the day. It was so nice just to get out and walk around. While at the mall we stopped in at my favorite tea shop, Teavana. They were having a sale so we stocked up on some of our favorite tea so we could make it at home. Genius!! After we finished up at Fashion Valley we headed over to the UTC mall where we had lunch at Tender Greens. After filling up on delicious salads and tomato basil soup, we went over to Babie's R' Us to get some last minute items for the little guy. By this time we were wiped out so we went back to my place for dinner.

Sunday was our last full day together and we wanted it to be relaxing. After all, we did hit three malls in a matter of two days. Mom came over around 10am and we made breakfast. She helped me organize the little nursery area so it's more functional. We eventually made our way out to the pool where we sipped on our tea we got from the day before and read and crocheted (I read, she crocheted).

 

 

After being at the pool for a while Justin was ready to do his bike ride on the silver strand. He starts in downtown San Diego and ends in Coronado. I usually drop him off and then pick him up. So, that's just what we did. We dropped him off in downtown San Diego and my mom and I went over to DSW (the best shoe place) to find some flat shoes. I figure my high heel days may be over for a little bit. After DSW we drove over to Coronado to meet Justin. It was such a lovely day and the weather was wonderful. We decided to grab drinks and sit outside at the Hotel Del to enjoy the view.

After leaving the Hotel Del we dropped Justin off at the Mad House Comedy Club so he could watch some of his friends perform. While he was there my mom and I had dinner at Filippis (my favorite Italian restaurant). We had a problem finding someone to take a good picture, so this is what we ended up with. It's hard to see the background details of the place.

After dinner we picked up Justin, drove back to our place, and mom headed back to her hotel.

Monday was our last morning together. I had a doctor's appointment that morning, so I went there first and then met her at her hotel. The doctor's visit was completely uneventful. The doc was in and out of the room in 3 minutes (literally).
Once mom was packed up we went over to Corner Bakery for breakfast. It seemed fitting since that was the place we had breakfast our first morning together.

After finishing up breakfast we went to Fashion Valley so she could pick up some lotion she had on hold at Bath and Body Works. Of course we couldn't just go to Bath and Body Works. We also stopped in at Macys (can you tell we kind of like that place). Mom had to get on the road so we quickly finished up at the mall, I took her back to her hotel so she could get her car and then she followed me to Sharp Mary Birch where I'll be having the baby. She wanted to see where exactly the place was so it will be easier to find when it's show time.

Those four days flew by. I am so grateful I was able to have that time with my mom before everything changes. I am also so blessed to have such a wonderful and caring mom. We always have so much fun and get along so well together. I love you mama.

37 Weeks!

My first week off work has been going by fast. I've been able to rest but I've kept busy as well doing last minute things for our baby boy. My mom is down visiting from Thursday until Monday. We don't have any plans except to get some quality one-on-one time together.

How our baby is growing:

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb.

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (about the size of a bunch of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

 

I think we've finally settled on a name, but of course nothing is definite until he pops out. For his middle name we've decided to go with William and I do believe that won't be changing.

A Day With Chas

Chasidy and I had such a splendid day together. Our day started at 8:30 this morning. I picked her up at her hotel and we went and had breakfast at The Mission! It was so nice going on a weekday. Usually when we go (it's been a long time) we go on weekends and end up waiting at least 45 minutes to be seated. Today Chasidy and I walked right in! We shared their delicious french toast and their strawberry granola pancakes.

 

Cinnamon French Toast

Strawberry Granola Pancakes

After breakfast we went for a 2 1/2 mile walk on the beach in Pacific Beach to walk off some of that food. Side note, we did not eat it all. It was way too much food, even for a pregnant gal. It was nice to not have an agenda and be able to just saunter along.

There was a bit of a breeze

 

That belly sure is getting out there!

After our walk on the beach we decided to go peruse Bed, Bath and Beyond and Nordstrom's Rack. Once we had our fill of retail therapy we headed over to the UTC mall to have lunch at Tender Greens. Again, another delicious meal!



After lunch we stopped in to Anthropologie where Chas got her dress for her rehearsal dinner and I got knobs for our boy's dresser. We made a quick stop by my apartment to say hi to Justin, put the knobs on the dresser and just relax for a few. Sadly our day together came to an end and it was time to get her back to her hotel. We did however make time for a quick pit stop by Golden Spoon. It was such a wonderful day. I was wiped out by the end. I ended up coming back home and taking a nap.

Pampering myself

Today was just for me...
I got up this morning and went to the gym. I did 25 minutes on the elliptical and really light weights for bicep curls. After the gym I went home, showered, had breakfast and got myself ready. I dropped my ring off at Jared's Galleria of Jewelry to have it serviced and dipped. It looks brand new again!
While my ring was being serviced I went and got my hair cut. I was a little ambitious and had her cut 5 inches off!!! It feels so short! My hair has been growing so fast so I'm sure it will be fine. It does feel better to have quite a bit chopped off.

Pictures are a little blurry, but you get the idea...

 

 

 

After my hair cut I picked up my ring and went to Target to get supplies to clean the inside of my car. After giving it a quick wipe down I drove it through a car wash. It feels nice to have a clean car.
I then went home, cleaned the inside of the oven and then laid down for about 15 minutes (the nesting has kicked in). Next thing I knew it was time for my massage! I must say, the massages Justin gives me are better than the one I got tonight. They aren't aloud to apply very much pressure because I'm pregnant so it felt more like a light back rub than a back massage. A bit disappointing but I'm glad I went.
After my massage I came back home, made some dinner, and then organized our room so the baby's bassinet fit better. I also showered and restyled my hair. It's been a long day, but I got to do everything I wanted to do. I'm exhausted and my back is pretty sore, but overall it was a good day. I'm looking forward to the rest of this week as well. Tomorrow I get to hang out with Chasidy all day and Thursday my mom is coming down for a few days. I'll be taking it easy these next few days.

36 Weeks 3 Days! and Father's Day Weekend!

Friday I hit 36 weeks (9 months pregnant) and it was my last day of work before going out on disability. On my way to work I was rear ended. Go figure right? The good news is no one was hurt, it was just a fender bender. Still, it was not a good start to the day. Thankfully the rest of the day went along smoothly.
After work Justin and I went to Scripps Beach so Justin could swim in the ocean. I however brought my comfy beach chair, a blanket and a book. I cozied up in my chair and read for about an hour while he played in the waves.

Here's my cutie pie

 

Later that night my dad, Shelley, Jared and Enzo (the dog) came down for the weekend to celebrate father's day. They stayed at an RV park nearby since we no longer have room for overnight guests at our place.
Friday night we hung out at their motorhome. Brian also came down for the weekend, but he didn't get to our place until 6:30 am Saturday (he worked overtime on Friday night). Saturday day we all played disc golf at Balboa Park. None of us had played before except for Jared. I must say it's a lot of fun, if you aren't pregnant and can actually throw a frisbee. The object of the game is to get your frisbee into the "basket". The course we played had 19 baskets. I only made it to 5 baskets before needing to stop because it was too much for me. So Shelley and I went to Target instead. We met up with the guys once they were done with their game and went to Coronado Brewing Company, 57 Degrees Wine Bar, Lucha Libre for dinner and then back to our apartment to hang out. We all passed out pretty early since we didn't get much sleep the night before and the guys had been out in the sun all day.
Sunday we took it easy. We bbq'd by the pool and then had to say goodbye to the family. Overall it was a nice and relaxing weekend.

How our baby is growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long (about the size of a head of romaine lettuce). He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, that will form the contents of his first bowel movement.
At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.)

He's still head down and about ready to come out. I had my doctor's appointment today and the doctor checked my cervix to see how far dilated I was. I'm 1 cm dilated and she was able to poke the baby's head! What the heck?! She said that means he's sitting really low and getting ready to come on out. She predicts he'll be here in 2 weeks (of course it's just a prediction though). I still can't believe she was able to touch his head. No wonder my back and pelvic bones have become more sore.

Kevin and Tista came down to visit today. They took the Amtrak down from LA and got in around noon. We had lunch at Royal India in downtown San Diego and then walked around Balboa Park. It's getting more and more difficult for me to walk around for extended periods of time so we didn't spend too much time there. We took them back to our place for a couple hours until it was time for them to go back to the train station. I hadn't seen them since Christmas so it was really nice to get that one last visit in before the little guy gets here.

35 Weeks 3 Days! and Justin the comedian...

Ladies and gentleman we are nearing the end! This is also my last week of work for a few months. I thought maybe I'd be able to ride it out a little longer with being able to work from home, but my back just makes it miserable. I have a lot of things planned in the next few weeks, as far as getting stuff ready for our little guy. I still need to pack my hospital bag, do his laundry, have Justin install the car seat, schedule a prenatal massage, get a hair cut (who knows when I'll be able to get one again) and the list goes on...most of which includes a lot of reading, so I'll be spending a lot of time relaxing, which is the whole point of taking some time off.

This upcoming weekend is father's day weekend. My dad, Shelley, Brian and Jared will be coming down to San Diego for the weekend and staying at an RV park. Sadly our place no longer has room for overnight guests. My mom and Steve are currently in Israel and won't be able to join us this weekend. My parents (both sets) have been great. They know we are no longer traveling anywhere so they are more than willing to come to us, even if it means paying for a place to stay. I feel awful having them do that but we really don't have any other options.

We have transformed the dining room into the baby area and moved the dining room table and chairs into Justin's office (he's thrilled about that). The good news is the baby stuff doesn't feel so cramped.

 

 

View from front door

 



 

View from living room

 

Dining room area - AKA baby's pad

 

It's not ideal, but it could be worse. We only have to do this for a few months and it least it feels like there's some organization to it.

 

How our baby is growing:

 

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (about the size of a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

 

I really wonder how much bigger my stomach can get. I feel like it can't stretch anymore. I think Justin wonders too. He's been quite the comedian these past couple weeks. He's taken up calling me "tubs" which I find hilarous (fortunately). I now grunt and make all kinds of noises when getting up from sitting down, getting out of bed, getting out the car, etc. He always helps me up but it's usually preceded by, "come on tubs, let's get you up". Some might find it sad, I find it hilarious, and you have to be able to laugh at yourself. Some times he makes me laugh so hard I feel like I'm going to fall over...or pee.  

Last night for example, we were sitting on the couch and he was talking about stuff he wants to get for his Mount Whitney hike (he's planning to hike it in August but will be training for it before then). He said, hey, do you still have money left on Amazon (he's referring to the money for baby stuff, you know, gift cards that people got us specifically for the baby!).

I said yes, but I still have more items I need to order before the baby gets here and it will be used for that.

His reply, "I've only gotten one thing from this whole baby thing...mangria" (Mangria is an alcoholic beverage that his friend brought to the shower for him). "...and you've gotten a lot of things".

I looked at him confused and said, "huh".

He said, "yeah, you got new clothes (maternity), lotions, creams, jammies..." at this point I was laughing so hard I didn't even know how to respond. Finally I said, "I hope you are joking. Really, you're jealous that I got maternity clothes because my a** is getting bigger, lotions to prevent stretch marks, and pjs because mine no longer fit". He just looked at me. Can you tell he's an only child?!

Yes, this is the man I married, the man I love and adore, and the father of our future son. Some of the things he says makes me scratch my head, but mostly they just make me laugh.

 

34 Weeks!

How Our Baby Is Growing:
Our baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (about the size of a cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling his out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well.

How I'm feeling:
Tired and ready for the little guy to join us in the real world. Getting up every two hours to pee is getting more than annoying and uncomfortable. Getting out of bed is just not the same as it once was. I did get some new jammies, totally off topic, but I'm pretty excited about it. I've been wearing Justin's t-shirts around and there is nothing attractive about that. I actually feel like a girl now. :)

 

WHAT?! 23 Pounds!!

 

My friend Nicole says this is all completely normal and it's probably mostly water weight. I'm thinking it could also be pizza and cake :/ No, but really, I haven't been doing anything different than I was before, except exercising less. My back has been giving me too much pain to feel like getting out and getting exercise. I do still watch what I eat (as it goes into my mouth - kidding). But for some reason the scale is going up more than one pound a week. My doctor made a comment about that the last time I saw her. I felt like saying, well, at the last appointment you told me to gain weight and now you're telling me to slow down. I'm not sure what to do except to not worry about it. I keep track of everything I eat and try not to exceed a certain amount of calories a day. This is nothing new from what I've been doing throughout this whole pregnancy. I'd like to think maybe it's just our little guy packing on the pounds ;)



 

 

We got to stay home this weekend! Saturday we ran errands and did stuff around our apartment. It was so nice to not have anywhere to be.
Sunday Justin ran the Camp Pendleton 10K Mud Run. We left the apartment at 6:30AM!, parked on base, then took a bus with the rest of the runners to the site. Justin's wave started at 9:17am. Needless to say, we had plenty of time to kill. I saw Justin off at the starting area and then took a nap on the grass for about 30 minutes (It was really weird to be at a race and not participate). I was up just in time to get over to the mud pits and have the camera set up to take pictures of him crawling through. I also captured photos of him at the finish line. I was so so proud of him. He ran the race in 1 hour and 20 minutes. The furthest he's been running lately is 3 miles and this was a 6.1 mile race. Needless to say, he really outdid himself :)

                                       BEFORE                                                                 AFTER

After the run we went home, changed and headed off to the Cinepolis in Del Mar to see...Star Trek! If your aren't familiar with Cinepolis theaters you should seek one out and go. They are pretty swanky and especially comfy for pregnant women. Each person gets their own reserved reclining leather chair and service button. Yep, that's right. There's a waiter who will come to your seat at the touch of a button to get you popcorn, drinks, entrees, and whatever else it is your little heart desires. You select and reserve your seats ahead of time so there's no rushed feeling to hurry up and find a place to sit. The other nice thing is there's only about 50 or so chairs per theater, so you definitely get your own space. Each person also has their own little table to put their goodies on. As if all that isn't enough they also have 21+ theaters where you can buy alcohol. What this also means is there aren't any screaming kids in the theater. We had a wonderful time. Later that night we ordered pizza from round table and hung out in Justin's office just chatting and sharing "remember when" stories. It was a great day! Monday will start a new chapter for Justin. It's back to healthy eating, no drinking, and preparing for summiting Mount Whitney in August of this year. I'm bummed I won't be able to do the hike with him, but I'm looking forward to the home cooked meals and everything else that I'll get to participate in during his preparation.