Today has been so amazing!  Last night Mariella went to bed at 10 pm and slept till 6 am.  She got up, had a bottle and played in her crib for a bit and fell asleep again from 7 till 9.   I got up, put on my workout pants, grabbed a bottle, picked up Wee Baby and we went to the resident lounge and I enjoyed a cup of decaf and Mariella enjoyed her bottle. It was about 10 am and we started our walk outside.  It is a spectacular Spring day today and the weather is warm and it was beautiful and brezzy.  :-)  We went in a new direction up a hill….  and ended up talking to a nice neighbor who was working in his garden.  We continued up the river, around the bin and went to the wishing well.  I made a wish and we headed back home.  It was nearly a hour before we got back, she was getting sleepy so I walked up and down the hallway close to home incase she decided she wanted to get out of the stroller and sleep in her bed.

She fell asleep in the stroller about 11 am and  I rolled her into the yoga studio.  Where she slept as I did some yoga.  ahhhhhhhhhh boy did it ever feel good to stretch and bend and work hard to get into and hold my poses.   30 minutes go by and We head back to the apartment…  Now.. do I dare try and shower while she is still cozy?  I decided to go for it, I rolled her into the bathroom and I took a shower!  She woke up and played with her rattle as I sang and talked to her from the shower.  She didn’t make a peep.  I even was able to blow dry my hair and put on some lip gloss!  lol  and I went all out and put on a shirt with no stains!  lol

Then for the icing on the cake, we were both in blue and I decided to put us in the bunny ears her Daddy got her. 

I hope to do the exact thing tomorrow morning..  in fact every morning would be so great!

Cheers to a speculator day!  Hope you are having a good one!

~Daddy’s favorite bunnies~

~Daddy’s favorite bunnies~

So I walked, did yoga, took a shower, put on clean clothes and some lip gloss all before noon!  Heck yeah this is a perfect day!!

Any day now ~ any day now I will go into LABOR! Hard to believe…  seems like last week I just found out I was pregnant!  Time flies  when you are bare foot and pregnant!  “Pat bring me some bon bons, my soap opera just came on!” LOL

ahhhh soon Wee Baby will be here.  Soon our lives will never ever be the same.  Soon we will get to see and hold little Mariella.   :P  I get butterflies just thinking about it!

Last night I experienced a couple braxton hicks contractions…   it was interesting, not painful just unconfortable, but I think my body is preparing and gearing up for the real thing. 

I been sleepy ~ tired throughout the day ~ but besides being tired and the occasional back pain….  things  have been going nicely! My belly is gigantic! At Target last week, someone asked “are you expecting twins?“  hahahaha  I said yes….  then no.  That made me feel really big!  Well not as big as when I heard Denise over the phone talking to Pat…  when She saw my picture..  she said “that’s a huge F**king baby!”  LOL I heard her from across the room!

Behold….

My Wee Baby Belly!

Here it is ~  cool eh?  Well not totally awesome or anything…  but still pretty sweet to see my belly get bigger and bigger!  I’ll have to add a picture of Wee Baby at the end! 

I love my belly ~ I don’t think it is too big either…..  ok well it is pretty big!  But just think remember when I was hoping for twins???   Whoa!  Not that would have been a big belly!  :-)  I remember being at my first ultrasound and asking the dr to check again for another baby…  I was certain I would have twins when and if I got pregnant!  lol ah well, better I didn’t…   my back is starting to ache and my pants are pretty snug.  Plus, I would need 3 more arms or something right?

I am having the best pregnancy ~ things are moving and clicking right along! I couldn’t ask for a better experience.  I just hope the delivery is a breeze too! ok..  ok..  I know …   I know..  Any ladies out there went all natural?  I am going to try, but have on my birthing plan to let me know the cut off for an epidural! 

Enjoy your day today and everyday!

OH MY GOODNESS!

I feel pretty good still….. a couple things bothering me is my achy back, being tired and my shallow breathing. Often I try and take a deep breath to get some air in, it is workout sometimes just to breathe!

It is also a workout getting in the car! LOL All in all though, this pregnancy has been a breeze and I am so blessed that everything is so wonderful so far. I pray that Wee Baby doesn’t give me hell in labor to make up for all the smooth sailing I been through the last eight plus months. she wouldn’t do that to her mommy right? heheheheee Well if she does, I just have to remind myself that no matter what we are going through, it is temporary.

Check

out

my

gigantic Belly!

The red markings above my belly button is from my totally stretched out belly piercing.

My belly button is no longer an “innie” it is more like flushed with my tummy.

The markings under my belly button is a stretched out scar from the surgery on my ovary last year.

My left hand is holding more newly developed stretch marks!

And the gigantic flesh colored bouncing ball it looks like I am holding is Wee Baby!

Say hello to my little wee baby!

I been feeling a bit more tired lately ~ I find myself taking an afternoon nap a lot, and I find myself going back to sleep after Pat leaves for work. I used to stay up after Pat went to work to get the day started….. BUT… I been enjoying the extra sleep. Get it while I can right?

Maybe you knew, maybe you didn’t.. But I have good news! I am too “normal” to see my specialist anymore! So that is amazing news! I am on track and getting anxious and excited and nervous for the birth of Wee Baby Girl. I’ll probably take some pictures of her nursery next week. Mom and I are almost done getting it all prettyfied!

You can see Wee Baby Girl roll from left to right in my belly. She rolls to the right…. I rub her back and press on her feet… then she rolls to the left… and it looks like my stomach is being deflated and inflated at the same time… totally weird!

Well, I hope everyone is doing fine and dandy out there!

just a couple more pictures…. because I love my belly so darn much!

Here is some information taken directly from 3d pregnancy . com.

Your Pregnancy: Week 35
Now that D-day (that’s delivery day) is sneaking up on you, you may start to get nervous about what a literal pain in the you-know-what it’ll be. But instead of focusing on the “ouch!” of it all, focus on the “oooh!” of it: meeting your baby for the very first time.

Wondering what’s up with your body, your baby and your life this week? Read on …

What You’re Thinking

“Should I bring my cute bathrobe to the hospital with the matching furry slippers or is that just crazy talk?”

Your Body
As Patrick Swayze put it, “Nobody puts baby in a corner!” Doubly true for your little tenant. Your baby has pretty much taken over your entire torso by now. Over the past few months, he’s squished and mushed all of your organs out of the way. Any day now, he’ll make a final move and shove your heart up and to the left to make more room for himself. (See, he’s got your heart in his hands already.)

Before all this pregnancy stuff, your uterus was a small ball the size of your fist and was tucked neatly away behind your pelvis. Today your uterus is the size of a small watermelon and reaches all the way up to your ribs.

At this point in your pregnancy all the blood has gone to your belly … literally. Nearly 1/6 of your body’s total blood volume is chugging around in the vessels in your uterus. So that’s why you feel so lightheaded all the time!

Starting this week you’ll visit your OB or midwife weekly. Every time you go you’ll probably beg her to tell you when she thinks your babe is coming. Unfortunately, her guess is about as good as yours. Even if you’re dilated, there’s no telling exactly when baby will make his appearance (unless you have a scheduled C-section, of course.)

Your Baby
This week the final touches are being added to your mini-masterpiece and most of his development is going to packing on the pounds. While baby’s movements may be becoming less jerky, he may do his final somersault in the womb soon—to put himself into the head-down position for birth. Other fascinating facts:

Your little Karate Kid can’t quite pack the punch he used to due to the limited space inside the womb these days. You’re likely to feel more wiggles, stretches and rolls than kicks and jabs. The extra layer of fat your baby is adding will create those cute dimples on your baby’s elbows and knees. His liver has begun processing his waste products, so you know which organ to thank when he has his first blowout up the back of his onesie.

Baby’s nails are growing so long they may curl over the tips of his tiny fingers and toes before he sees a pair of clippers. He’ll be in serious need of a mani-pedi once he’s born (as will you).

Your baby is now about 5½ pounds and over 18 inches long—about the size of one of those price-club sheet cakes.

Your Life
If you’re not just a little bit scared of the pain that occurs during labor and delivery, then you’re either very brave or totally in denial. For those who are scared, it’s completely normal, but keep in mind that you are not the first woman to give birth. It may not seem like it, but women have actually been delivering babies for centuries (many without pain medication—who knew?!). The best way to get a grip on the fear of the unknown is to educate yourself about the labor process and to research your options.

I been feeling pretty good ~ some days a little blah… but I feel that is because I been procrastinating on a few things…. so I am getting it together this weekend to have a productive weekend and a productive several weeks until Wee Baby Girl is here. Mee Maw has been here visiting for the last couple few weeks and she has been a big help around the house and cooking for us and all that wonderful stuff that mommies do! Next week we are going to finish Wee Baby’s room, so I can take pictures and post how cute her room is!

Pat has been super wonderful. Like always. He still freaks out when he feels Wee Baby Girl wiggling around in my belly, but he is getting a little less creeped out and a little more fascinated as the days go by! hahahaaa Pat, I love you so much! Oh and tomorrow we attend our first baby class! Gotta bring my favorite pen and notebook!

Here is some information anout week 31 taken directly from 3dpregnancy.com

Your Pregnancy: Week 31
You’ve just entered the single-digit countdown (only nine more weeks to go!). Make a list of what you’d like to do in these final weeks: See the new Oscar-worthy movie, hear your favorite local band, have lunch with your BFF, go on a romantic date with your partner. Whatever it is, do it soon because baby is right around the corner!

Wondering what’s up with your body, your baby and your life this week? Read on …

What You’re Thinking:

“I wonder if that pregnant woman wants to be my friend?”

Your Body
Your mind may not be anywhere near ready for your baby to arrive but your body is already making preparations. One of the ways it’s getting ready is by “practicing” for labor in the form of Braxton Hicks contractions. Luckily, these are generally painless, although somewhat annoying as they can occur frequently (the middle of the night, during an important meeting, while you’re trying to focus on Access Hollywood, etc).

Braxton Hicks contractions feel like a sudden tightening of your uterus. This is just a little preview of what real contractions will feel like. They usually start to become noticeable around the eighth month and can become very strong by the end of your pregnancy.

While you can’t get rid of Braxton Hicks contractions, there are some things you can do to make yourself more comfortable, like gentle exercise (such as walking) or taking a warm, relaxing bath. Calgon, take me away. …

Your Baby
From this week on, your baby will continue to gain around ½ pound a week until shortly before birth (even though it may feel like a whole lot more with every step you take). Other highlights this week:

Due to increasing space constraints, your baby’s arms and legs stay drawn up close to the body now, known as the fetal position (oh, so that’s where that name came from!). Plus, your baby can now process information from all five senses—so she’ll be all set to smell the pureed peas, taste them, feel them as she mashes them into her hair, hear you crack up and then see the flash as you grab the camera to snap picture after picture.

By now, your baby’s lungs are the only system not fully mature. And by mature, we’re not saying that the rest of your baby’s systems are mature enough to be out past 10 PM with the neighborhood hooligan, just that her lungs need a little bit more time to bake before they can kick it in the outside world.

Your baby weighs about 3½ pounds and measures a little over 16 inches, about the same length as that miniskirt you used to wear (and will again someday!).

Your Life
Finding new mom friends is a little bit like dating. You need to actively seek them out. And while it may seem daunting meeting new people, chatting with your baby all day can get pretty lonely. But, like dating, one of the easiest ways to find new friends is online:

Search ParentsConnect Local for a parenting community or playgroup and arrange to meet up in person. This could also be a great resource during your pregnancy, since these groups often have gently used baby gear to sell or trade.

You may need to seek out new, equally round friends, but it’s your inner posse that is your support group right now. So get a group together and go out for drinks, dinner or dessert to dish about everything other having a baby.

I also feel like I am gaining and gaining weight.  I swear I am eating just fine ~ with the exception of a scoop of ice cream here and there.   I think I am gaining faster because my activity level has decreased.   I’ll be trying to keep moving ~ moving  ~  every calories counts! 

Wee Baby Girl is moving around quite a bit and she startles me constantly. I am not used to her moving about sporadically ~ I literally jump almost every time she moves abruptly. I scare Pat too ~ poor thing, he is like stop scaring me! But I can’t help but jump! ohh the joys of Wee Baby growing inside my belly!

This morning I have been feeling some tightness in my lower ab area. I had some water and laid on my left side for a bit and I feel better now! It is an unusual feeling to be pregnant ~ slightly wondrous and slightly scary ~ awesome and weird ~ all sorts of craziness in the brain and in the body. I feel pretty pregnant now! I love our Wee Baby Girl!

Here is some info about 28 weeks taken directly from 3dpregnancy.com

Your Baby
As the Big Day nears, your baby is getting ready to go towards the light at the end of the tunnel (the tunnel being the birth canal, the light being the one the doctor is shining directly into it so she can see what the heck she’s doing). Other highlights this week:

Your baby’s eyes are partially open now and can blink. Truly superior babies can actually wink. (OK, there is no way to prove that, but it’s fun to imagine, no?) Your baby can also now become a shiny, happy person as she has begun having rapid eye movement (Get it? REM? Shiny, happy person?? We’ll be here all week.)

Her eyes have color now, too. It may not be the color she ultimately ends up with, especially if they’re light gray or blue. The eyes typically don’t settle on a final hue until nine months after baby is born. So when your mother-in-law says that the baby has her eyes, you can politely inform her that they’ll most likely change soon. Sorry.

Your babe is downright chubby compared to a few weeks ago. She is about 15 inches long, about the length of an amusement park cinnamon-sugar-coated churro (yum!), and weighs 2 to 3 pounds.

WBG has been much more active in the late evening over the past week.   Maybe she has been that active all along, but now that she is getting bigger, I feel her much more.    Last week, the Dr. told me WBG weighed 1 pound 5 ounces..  and the details I read about week 24 is that she has put on 5 more ounces!    Whoa Nelly!  I have a feeling, I’ll be waddling around before you know it!

I am so looking forward to our vacation….  we leave for the airport in 45 minutes!

Here is some information about the baby taken directly from 3dpregnancy.com

Your Baby
Your baby isn’t just sitting around (on your bladder) doing nothing, he’s working hard preparing for life outside the womb—perfecting his lungs and packing on the pounds. He’ll gain ½ pound this week alone. Other highlights this week:

Things are starting to get a little crowded inside the old womb as baby grows bigger and bigger. Your ribs are probably pining away for the good old days when they didn’t have a foot permanently lodged between them. Hate to break it to you, but it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Your baby’s ears are fully functional now. And since they are, you may notice that loud noises and sudden movements can startle the little bugger. He’s getting used to the everyday sounds inside the womb: the sound of your heart beating, your lungs inhaling and exhaling air, the growling of your stomach because your partner promised he’d be right back with that double cheeseburger and he’s taking forever! He’ll even be able to hear your voice when your partner finally arrives and you ask him where the bleep he’s been! So talk nice!

Baby’s got a fully developed inner ear now. This means his sense of balance is working and he can tell whether he’s hanging upside down or right side up. He can also feel you moving, so go ahead, pop in your favorite tunes and boogie.

Your little Wiener schnitzel is about the length of a foot-long Chicago hot dog and weighs about 1 1/3 pounds.

We were excited to be able to listen to the heart beat!  It was the first time we heard the heart beat, and it was the best sounding heart beat I ever heard!

I added a few pictures of WBG to the audio clip of her heart beat…   take a listen! It is so sweet ~

I said this a million times before and Pat always placed his hand on my belly awaiting the movement and before last night nothing.  BUT last night as soon as he placed his hand on my belly he said ” I felt that! it’s that much!!” He promptly removed his hand shuttered like he had the chills and was totally stunned that he actually felt WBG!

He was totally happy and totally like OMG I can’t believe there is a baby in there and I felt her move!    It’s just another taste of reality that keeps sinking in each day.   Just like when Pat said I was 6 months pregnant ….  I was like no I’m not …. then I was like OMG I AM 6 MONTHS PREGNANT!

Have a wonderful day ~