Baby Love

Angie and sleep (or lack thereof)

2011-02-24T20:12:00.001-08:00

Lately we've been having some difficulty with Angie sleeping at night.

Ever since Angie was little, she would softly rock herself to sleep in her crib. Basically, she would be sitting up in her crib while rocking until she fell asleep. A few months ago, she started to climb out of her crib during the night, so we purchased a regular size bed.

Since then, we've been experiencing some difficulty at night. Angie has been waking up during the night and has been sitting in the living room rocking in Alfonso's chair. I think waking up in the night is nothing new to her, but since she no longer has her crib to lean against, she now needs to calm herself by rocking in Alfonso's chair.

Not only is this disturbing the household (she often wakes up in the middle of the night and is very vocal- singing and talking, while waking up the household) but she is not sleeping as much at night. Every morning we find her lying in an uncomfortable position in Alfonso's chair. She is often very irritable during the day, and will try to fall asleep in the afternoon. We generally try to not let her sleep during the afternoon (because then she cannot fall asleep at her bedtime), but often we cannot handle her irritation.

I am not sure what to do about this, other than I hope she grows out of this stage. :(

LIke little lost sheep

2011-01-28T21:40:00.000-08:00

hmm, I know this won't be the case in several years, but my kids are very attached to me. As Alfonso would say, "they follow you around like little lost sheep." And literally, they do. If I go upstairs to brush my teeth or put away clothes, I immediately hear my kids saying "mama?" and follow me upstairs. Or if I go downstairs to take the garbage to the big bins, I hear them say "mama?" and follow me downstairs.

My kids are two and three, what is going on? Are they still fearful of abandonment (or whatever stage those psychology theorists have come up with)?

I love the bond that I share with them, but it's difficult for me to have a moment to myself. And they still cry if I leave them home with Alfonso. At least after I have worked for two days, Angie is ready to give me plenty of kisses and hugs. I love having her run to me and sharing a long hug with her. She will often sigh and rest her head on my shoulder. And I love seeing Christopher's little face pressed up against his bedroom window when I am pulling into the garage after being gone for 14.5 hrs at work. When I am walking inside the house, I will hear him shouting "mama!" from his room.

I love my babies and I know that I will miss this time in their lives.

A year later....

2011-01-28T21:05:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I last posted. A little too long! I am doing well, much has been going on in our lives. I was reminded of my blog earlier this evening while skimming through old emails. I remember the reason why I started this blog nearly 5 years ago. It was when I first became pregnant with my son Christopher and I wanted to share our journey of parenthood and marriage.

These last several years haven't always been easy. Both of our immediate families live in other states. We also work (myself part time at 2 days/week and Alfonso 3 days/week) and we have children that are a year apart. Our lives have changed quite drastically over a very short period of time. Last year I was diagnosed with an auto immune disorder that has led me to undergo numerous tests and requires me to see two specialists every couple of months. I am doing well, but at times I feel fatigued.

I am back in school (I joined this past fall) and I am taking classes part time for my BSN. I hope to have my degree completed by Fall 2013. Speaking of which, I need to start my readings for this next week.

I love the rain!

2010-01-22T15:50:00.000-08:00

I never thought that I would say this, but I am tired of seeing sunshine 360 days a year. This week has been amazing since it has been raining for the last several days. Not just a little sprinkle or two, but a downpour that has threatened the closing of freeways, and has caused neighborhood evacuations from potential landslides.

Now onto more serious matters. On Wednesday I had my bone marrow biopsy. It was very painful and I hope to never go through it again. I am sure half of the office heard me crying. It was like having a nail driven into your hip and then a sharp, pulling, aching pressure that traveled down my left leg. I should've taken the sedative... I will find out the results two weeks from now. I am still hobbling about in pain, and taking ES Tylenol every 6 hrs. It makes picking up kids and changing diapers a little painful, but laying them down on the floor makes it a little easier.

The haps

2010-01-13T20:52:00.000-08:00

Back in November I went to have my blood drawn for a routine set of tests that my PCP ordered for me. A few weeks later, I found out that my WBC's were low (3.2) so she ordered another blood test to double check. It was still low (3.5, normal is 4.4-11) so I asked for a referral to see a hematologist. I actually had to insist upon it, since my PCP thought that "this could be my norm." I didn't think it was my norm, and went to the extent of retrieving my blood work for the last two years. I got my way...

So, I've been seeing this hematologist since December (and let me tell you how depressing it is to be sitting in a waiting room with people with cancer) and after a series of tests to determine why my WBC's are low (latest is 2.5) they are going to be doing a bone marrow biopsy in the next week or so. Maybe something is depressing my immune system... or maybe it's my norm. But you start to feel your own mortality after hearing words like leukemia, hepatitis, or lupus being spoken. So far no lupus or hepatitis, but we'll have more insight after this bone marrow biopsy.

Starting over....

2009-12-11T21:44:00.001-08:00

Okay blog, it's been a super long time since we've last corresponded. I guess I've been experiencing a bit of a writer's block. And life with two kids, a husband and a part time has kept me pretty busy.

I took the kids to the park yesterday. It was a perfect fall day; the air was clean and crisp, the sky was a perfect blue and the leaves on the trees were a golden yellow. I had the best time with the kids. Besides playing on the swings and climbing the jungle gym, I was able to sit back and watch the kids play. I didn't have to supervise every step the kids took.

I remember a year ago when Angie was 5 months old and Christopher was nearly 18 months. I remember having to hold Angie in my arms while pushing Christopher on a swing or bfeeding Angie while watching Christopher run across the park into a neighbor's yard. I am thankful that times have changed and it's gotten a bit easier.
The first year with the kids was difficult, but I am a stronger person beacause of this.

Hiii!

2009-04-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a little rough these last few weeks. We were all sick with the flu last week. The kids got it first, and then Alfonso and I were sick. We ended up calling off from work for a few days while we all recuperated. Then a few nights ago, Christopher woke up at 1:30am and vomited all over his crib. Poor Alfonso had to clean him up (I was working the next day). Christopher is doing ok now, it was probably something that he ate that didn't agree with him.

My mom is officially on her journey to Africa to see my sister Crystal. She flew from Traverse City-Detroit. And then from Detroit-Paris. They have a stop over in Paris for a day or two, and then from there they are flying to Niger (West Africa). She is going with a childhood friend of my sister. This is the first time that my mom has travelled outside of the US. I hope that she will be okay... Niger is very hot and windy, so I hope she doesn't have a flare up with her asthma.

We have Angela's 9 month appointment this week. She isn't crawling yet, but moves around by creeping. It's hilarious to see her moving around the house. :) She is eating very well; loves most foods with the exception of pears and applesauce (too sour?). She even eats her vegetables! I am still bfeeding her, but not nearly as often. I will be a little sad when she is weaned. I will not miss pumping while I am at work. I get so stressed when I can't pump (because I am too busy and such) so it will be nice to not have any additional stress while at work.

I plan on posting some more pics soon. I ended up dropping my Olympus digital camera (I've had it for almost 5.5 years) so it would cost too much to fix it. I am now using Alfonso's camera, but the camera doesn't take the best photos. I hope that once we have some extra money saved for our emergency fund, I can store a little extra for an entertainment fund. I have my eye set on the Canon Rebel. :)

I smell teething

2009-03-05T20:41:00.001-08:00

So.. this may be a little odd. But I can tell when my children are teething by the smell of their breath. It reminds of blood, but a little more medicinal. I could tell when Christopher was teething (I was pregnant at the time with Angela) and since having Angela, I've been breastfeeding.. So maybe it's hormone related? I was asking my dentist about this, but she had never heard of it. But I googled "teething breath" and a few hits showed up, so I am not the only one.

The reason why I bring this up is because Angela is teething, and a tiny little bud is starting to pop on the lower left part of her gums. She's been gnawing on me a bit more than usual, and has been fussy this entire evening.

It's been a long (long) time!

2009-03-04T21:57:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, sorry for the tardiness with this blog. I figured I should put something out there, since it's been several months since my last update.

These last few months have been busy with the holidays and my return of going back to work. It's been quite an adjustment for everyone, especially for Alfonso. However, I think we are doing okay. Work has been going pretty well for me, despite the annoying politics and the layoffs that were going around the hospital. I think it has settled down for now, but for a couple of weeks it was pretty high strung. We are always hearing about "the budget" from the management, so it can be tiresome.

I am only work two days a week (12.5 hr shifts) but I am so tired on my days off. I don't usually sleep well (I sleep downstairs in the guest room) while Angela is upstairs with Alfonso. I always wake up during the night feeling uncomfortable (I am used to feeding her during the night at some point) and I can hear her crying upstairs for me.

I am still pumping while I am at work, (usually twice, sometimes three times) and we've been giving her solids for the last two months. She loves her meals.. she makes screeching noises when the spoon is not in her mouth. I can't give her the food fast enough. She is quite the piggy.

Christopher is doing well. We think he is going through a growth spurt, since he eats all of the time (literally two breakfasts in the am, lunch, snack, dinner, dinner snack). It's crazy... and think about how many diaper changes coincide with all of this eating.

I am turning 30 in two weeks! I am feeling pretty excited. I loved the second half of my twenties, so I hope my thirties are just as amazing. And this will be the first time Alfonso and I have been in the same decade with our ages. Haha!

Here are some recent photos of the kids:

Angela at 5 months

2008-12-02T23:18:00.001-08:00

Angela is 5 months today... Such a big girl. And totally loves to be held, especially by mama. She has been doing complete rolls for the last several weeks. Depending on what part of the floor we lay her on, she will occasionally roll into furniture and then get stuck. I am usually in the other room when I hear her squawking, so I have to run out and rescue her.

We had our first family photos taken last week. After rushing to meet the photographer, I was picking Angela up from the carseat and saw that her entire back was covered in poop. Normally this wouldn't be a problem (we carry extra clothing for this type of occasion) but this time we didn't have an appropriate outfit to change into (the pink and white striped Nike onesie wouldn't have coordinated with the rest of the family). Poor little girl.. She didn't seem to mind though. Here is the finished product. We plan on sending this out with our Christmas cards.

We had a very nice Thanksgiving. Our friends from Berkely came down and visited us. Rather than cooking a turkey with all the fixings, we made carne asada on the grill and had corn tortillas, rice, beans, homemade salsa and homemade guacamole. Yum! It was sooo good. Then we had pumpkin pie for dessert.

I have so much to be thankful for. A wonderful husband, two healthy and beautiful children, my wonderful family and friends, and a great career!

Video of Christopher walking on Halloween

2008-11-06T21:09:00.000-08:00

Angela at 4 months

2008-11-05T20:19:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that Angela is now 4 months old. She is no longer considered an infant, but a full fledged baby! We had out doctors appointment yesterday; Angela weighed in at 13 lbs, 2 ounces and 24 inches long. She is in the 40th percentile for height and weight.

She is noticeably more alert; enjoys smiling, squealing, and cooing with us. She has started grabbing objects and will bring them to her mouth. She loves to roll onto her stomach and prefers to lie on her side while sleeping.

Christopher has adapted quite well to her. I will occasionally find him trying to touch her mouth and eyes, but otherwise doesn't pester her too often. It's cute when they smile and interact with each other. I hope that they will play together when they are a little older.

We had a very enjoyable Halloween. We spent the early part of the afternoon at a Halloween party with other mothers and their babies. In the evening we went to the mall and Christopher enjoyed his first carousal ride.

I am looking forward to starting my job in December, as staying home with the kids can be quite mundane. I feel that I will be a better wife/mother with the occasional break from home. I hope that this will work for the family.

Christopher walking

2008-10-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

What we've been up to...

2008-10-09T21:42:00.000-07:00

This week has been going a little bit better. Christopher is still teething, and two molars are popping through his gums. I've been giving him tylenol, especially before bedtime to help alleviate the pain.

Last week Angela hit her 3 month growth spurt and wanted to nurse every 2-3 hours day and night. I was getting a little worried that this was going to become a habit (especially at night) but for the last 2 nights she has only woken up once. Thank goodness, especially since the sleep deprivation was starting to hit me hard.

Still doing stroller strides; every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It can be a little hectic getting everyone out the door by 8:30 every morning, but I am always glad to get a good workout in.

We took the kids hiking last week. Angela is finally able to handle the car rides without having a complete meltdown, so now we can go places. Last week we went to malibu and enjoyed a nice sunset over the ocean. This weekend we are attending a fall festival in nearby Palmdale.

Here are some recent photos:

A weekend of growth spurt, teething and stomach virus

2008-09-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

Blaaaa! It's been a rough week! I started feeling sick Thursday (stomach cramps, nausea, poor appetite, achy joints, fever) and spent Thursday and Friday schlepping around the house.

Poor Angie decides that she is going to enter her 3 month growth spurt a little early, and has been eating every 2-3 hours night and day. I've done my best to keep myself well hydrated while munching on toast for two days.

Then, Christopher developed a fever on Thursday, so we just treated it with tylenol and fluids. I figured he was going through whatever I was going through. Then yesterday he started to get the "teething breath" (I have super acute smell and can smell when his teeth are breaking through) and sure enough he is popping two molars on the bottom. This morning he puked up his breakfast, so we have been giving him fluids and toast. He had a slight fever this afternoon, so I gave him tylenol and he seemed to be feeling better.

What a weekend! I hope everything is resolved by Monday!

stroller strides

2008-09-23T11:27:00.001-07:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks. I recently started a work out routine so that I can get back into shape. I joined this group called stroller strides, which is apparently nationwide. www.strollerstrides.com

Stroller strides involves walking with your stroller along a route and doing various work out stations along the way. We use bands to work on triceps/bicep curls, while also doing lunges, squats, stairs and other activities. I have noticed a difference in my shape in the last three weeks, and I have lost 5 lbs so far. It is a good way to work out, meet other women and expose the children to the nice outside air. I figure that since I cannot join a gym, this is the best way for me to get back into shape. We have been doing stroller strides 3-4 times a week, which has kept us pretty busy.

I've also been keeping myself busy with baking. I love baking, and recently I have been baking zucchini chocolate chip muffins (thanks to AJ for posting the recipe on her blog) and banana bread. Today I am hoping to try a pumpkin-oatmeal muffin recipe. I bought wheat flour, bran, and flax seed, and I've been substituting with those ingredients to increase the nutritional value in the muffins. I've also been using applesauce instead of vegetable oil and you can't tell the difference. I figure I can just freeze the muffins, and we can use them for a snack or quick breakfast.

Christopher has recently started taking step (4-5 steps at a time), which is really cool to watch. Angela has begun "talking" to us; which sounds similar to someone softly blowing their nose (it's really cewt!). She really enjoys her play mat and get's really excited when she makes the toys move.

yargh!

2008-09-10T11:54:00.000-07:00

Just got off the phone with HR.. it's like pulling teeth to get any information. To make a long story short, I won't be going back to work until December 22nd (was pushing for January 5th, but am maxed out on leave of absence). Then when I restart work, I will be part time.

geesh

2008-09-07T22:10:00.001-07:00

So the other night I was making dinner.. I had Angie on her play mat in the living room while I was preparing our meal. All of a sudden I hear her crying (more like squawking) and I ran over to investigate.

Angie had managed to roll onto her stomach and was lying on the play mat looking rather discombobulated. Poor baby...

A recent photo of our Angie:

Crystal's Camel

2008-08-25T22:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it seems that Crystal is wanting to raise money to buy a camel for her village. She will use this camel to transport large/heavy items for her tree planting project, and if she is able to buy a female camel (they are more expensive) she will have it mate. Of course she will donate the camel to the village once she has finished her service with the PC.

My mom (Ruth) is collecting money for those that are interested in donating. She will send the money via Western Union. You can send a check or money to my mom:

Ruth Pilon
1175 AuSable Trail
Grayling, MI 49738

Thank you!

Just photos- enjoy!

2008-08-21T21:11:00.000-07:00

What we've been up to...

2008-08-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

Alfonso went back to work on Sunday, so I've been at home with the kids for the last 3 days. It's been a challenge, but hopefully it will get easier. I am working on re-establishing a routine with Christopher, and that way it makes it easier on him and me.

Usually we are awake around 7 am (courtesy of Chris and his internal alarm clock), and I feed him breakfast at 9:00. He takes a morning nap (!) and then I feed him lunch at 12:30/1:00. We play in the living room for a few hours (Christopher plays with his toys, but on occasion will raid the cupboards and drawers and sometimes goes to the extent of pushing his high chair that is on wheels around the kitchen floor). The afternoons get a little hairy, as Angie likes to eat and eat and Christopher will start to get cranky. Today he went down for another nap at 2:45, and didn't wake up until 4:15. So, I am pretty lucky to have such a good sleeper on my hands.

As for handling two babies... lots and lots of diaper changes. I forgot how much infants need to be changed. Christopher can have a wet/dirty diaper and not complain. Angie on the other hand, gets worked up and agitated (ok, she seems to be a little high strung... maybe this is a personality trait). Frequently during meal times, I am nursing Angie with the assistance of my boppy pillow and simultaneously spooning food into Christopher's mouth. Often times I am consoling one baby, and then having to console another. It's very tiring...

After dinner (and after Alfonso has left for work at 6:00pm) I will load up the dishwasher (no longer time to wash dishes by hand) and start to get the kids ready for a walk. I make a point to walk in the evenings, as I find it relaxing for myself and the kids. Angie usually cries if she is riding in the stroller, so I often carry her in the baby bjorn.

I try to give Christopher a bath at least every day, as he gets stinky from the sweat and slobber he produces. Angie is bathed every other day. I brush Chris' teeth (with him threatening to bite my finger every time) and then put him in his crib (both babies sleep upstairs with us). We have a CD of bedtime lullabies, so I play the CD for him. He usually falls asleep pretty easily, no later than 8:30.

I used to read to him, but since Angie is usually screaming/crying during the bedtime routine, I haven't been able to. I try to be in bed by 10:30 at the latest, as Angie nurses twice during the night. Lately Christopher has been waking up during the night, and crying his head off. I try to console him, but he only cries harder. I wonder why??

Anyway, this is week 1 of me being with the kids by myself. I am sure that it will get easier, especially when Angie doesn't need to be nursed/held 24/7.

Pictures from Grandma Pilon's visit

2008-08-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

The visit with my mom awesome. I wish that she could live closer (my parents live in Michigan). She was such a wonderful help with the babies. We shared good conversations, went on evening walks, went for pedicures and hung out with the kids. :)

My sister Crystal

2008-08-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

I miss my sister Crystal. For anyone that doesn't know, she is a Peace Corps Volunteer and is currently in Niger Africa for the next two years. She wrote me an email the other day, which was awesome because I don't hear from her too often. She lives in a very small village and has to take a bush taxi to another village for inet service. I think it's a dialup service and the power outages are pretty frequent. Here is a link to her blog for anyone interested.

Apparently she wants a camel (so that she can use it for transportation and as a pet---she wants to love it and pet it's neck too) so she is interested in raising money for this camel. She just wrote my mom the other day as well, so I will post the email onto her blog.

Chris 'n Angie

2008-08-06T06:24:00.000-07:00

We are all doing well. Slowly we are adapting to life with two children; never-the-less two babies.

Angela is doing wonderful; she is eating well, gaining weight and is more alert. She had her first real smile yesterday at 4.5 weeks. It was very cute, she smiles with her entire mouth open so you can see her top and lower gums.

Christopher is starting to realize that Angie is here to stay and she isn't going to leave. Last week was a little difficult; Chris seemed to be more whiny than usual and required more attention from us. But, he is coping and learning to adapt. I am trying to give him extra attention when Angie is sleeping or being held by Alfonso.

Chris has started to do the cutest thing... We have this stuffed monkey that has been in his toy chest for the last several months. I have never seen him play with it, so I was surprised the other day when he pulled it out. Since then, he has been carrying the monkey around the house and has even put it on his shoulder (like in a burping position). I think he is imitating me with Angie! I will have to catch him in the act and take a photo!

I have some photos to post from when my mom was here, but I will do it later on when I have time. It was such a wonderful visit, and we miss her so much!

2008-07-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry, it's been a few weeks since I last blogged. We are forever being consumed with feeding the kids, changing diapers, naps, laundry and cleaning. It seems like one day runs into the next!

In the evenings we try to go for walks, since it is so hot here in the daytime. Angie doesn't like the stroller/carseat setup too much, so I have been using the Baby Bjorn on our walks.

Angie has been doing well with the eating, she now weighs in at 8lbs, 2 ounces; so she has gained about 7 ounces in one week. Her face is starting to fill out a little more and she is losing the yellow/jaundice look.

Grandma Pilon is visiting from MI tomorrow, so she will be here for a week with us. We are all psyched to see Grandma and can't wait for her arrival!

1st week with Angie

2008-07-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

It's nearly been a week since we brought Angie home with us. Overall, things are going quite well. Angie has taken well to the breast, and since I have started taking the herbal supplements (More Milk Plus made by MotherLove- it has a combination of Fenugreek Seed, Blessed Thistle, Nettle Leaf, and Fennel Seed) the feedings have improved.

Yesterday I kept track of how much I breastfed her, and how many wet/poopy diapers she had. In a 24 hour period, she had 9 wet diapers and 7 poopy diapers and this was with 11 feedings. Sorry for the TMI, but being a nurse, measuring how much is going in and coming out is very important!

Tomorrow we are going to have her weighed and she will have a repeat bilirubin drawn. On Friday it was 14, (higher than it was when she was discharged from the hospital on Monday) so the MD wanted to recheck it on Monday. I am sure that it is lower, since she has been feeding really well without supplementation and has had many wet/poopy diapers.

Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure:

Angie

2008-07-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

This is coming out a bit late. I had originally written it on Thursday.

Angie was discharged from the hospital Monday afternoon after her last bilirubin test was 11.8 (MD wanted less than 12 for discharge).

So far it has been pretty good at home. We are working hard on the breastfeeding, and I think that we are making progress. I went to a breastfeeding support group today at the community hospital. The lactation nurses were really helpful and offered me some good pointers. We start the session by each baby being weighed (with nothing on, including no diaper) and then doing a post feeding weight. Angie had taken in 40ml (just over an ounce) with her post feeding weight. I haven't had to do much supplementation (which messed things up with Christopher) and I started to drink mother's milk tea and an herbal supplement to help with increasing the volume of breastmilk.

Tomorrow we are going to have her bilirubin level drawn again. Hopefully it has not jumped up. :/

Angie

2008-07-05T21:25:00.001-07:00

This is my 100th post! Wow :)

We went to go see Angie today at the hospital. She is doing really well and will probably be discharged on Monday. I was able to feed her for 35 minutes, and it went really well. Afterwards I held her against me, and it was heaven to have her so close to me. The NICU staff is wonderful and taking amazing care of our Angie. We plan on going to see her tomorrow.

Angelita update

2008-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Despite being under photo therapy for several hours yesterday, Angie's bilirubin levels were higher, so she needs to stay in the hospital for a few extra days.

She is now in the NICU getting triple photo therapy, IV fluids and formula feedings to help clear up her jaundice. Alfonso called the hospital last night before we went to bed, and she was doing fine. They had redrawn her bilirubin level and it was slightly lower.

We plan on going to visit her today, so it will be nice to see her little self again.

It was very heart breaking to leave her yesterday at the hospital. I know that she will be fine, and is in very good hands, but to be separated from her is very heart breaking.

update with Angie

2008-07-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

Angie's bilirubin levels are very high, so right now we have her under photo therapy. She looks pretty cute lying in her space suite. We are going to have her levels redrawn at 1600, so we will find out then if she needs to stay here overnight or if she can go home with us.

Thank you for your prayers and kind thoughts.

Angela is here!

2008-07-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

Angela Renee arrived yesterday, July 2nd at 5:13pm. She weighed 7lbs, 10 ounces and is 19.5 inches long. We are all doing well, and are expecting to be discharged tomorrow morning. Here are a few photos of Angela:

By the way, she looks a lot like Christopher when he was first born!

Baby!

2008-07-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

Went to see my doctor today. I am 3 cm dilated and "the cervix is ready" (100% effaced??). Apparently she is going on vacation next week, so I could either (a) be induced tomorrow (Wednesday, July 2nd) or (b) wait to go into labor and have the baby with her associate (of whom I never met).

So, we chose to be induced tomorrow morning (Wednesday, July 2nd) at 0600. :)

Hope that it will be a good labor. Getting the pitocin drip, so I will most definitely have an epidural as well! Photos and updates to continue :)

Close, but not yet

2008-06-29T21:52:00.000-07:00

We had a very near hospital visit earlier today. After feeding Christopher his lunch, I began to have contractions. I was resting in the chair watching the soccer tournament on tv when this occurred. I felt the contractions (every 12 minutes or so)for an hour, and then mentioned to Alfonso that I was having contractions. They started to get worse, so we started to pack up our stuff to drive to the hospital.

And then, the contractions stopped and I started to feel normal again. Besides having the contraction episode, I have felt intense irritability (it's like being on steroids with the mood swings). I think the irritability is from the high level of hormones in my body. I've also been feeling nauseated and haven't been eating as much either. Tomorrow is another day!

Bla bla

2008-06-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Sunday and baby is still not here. I am not exactly hitting my due date, but I was hoping that she would be here by now! I've been feeling pretty rough today; lots of nausea, cramping and generalized cruminess. I am considering calling my MD tomorrow and seeing if I can get in tomorrow instead of Tuesday ( a whole day early!).

Christopher is taking his nap now, so at least I can chill for an hour or so. I need to do more laundry and pick up the house, but I feel like vegging out instead. I don't know how much more I can take of this, so I hope this baby is coming soon!

ta-da!

2008-06-26T15:54:00.000-07:00

Yay! I finally finished Christopher's scrapbook. I've been working on it now for almost two weeks. This was my first scrapbook, so it was a definite learning experience. Over the past year or so, I saved ultrasound photos, hospital bracelets, footprint markings and other small keepsakes. I plan on making scrapbooks of every year for the children until they are 18 (or whenever they want me to stop). :)

Discomfort...

2008-06-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

Woke up this am with contractions.. I had about 3 within one hour. Now I am just feeling kinda crummy and bla. I have noticed that when I am having contractions, I start to feel nauseated and sick feeling. Anyone had the same feelings before? I think it's related to the increase of hormones (?).

I am making carrot bread for Chris.. he won't eat carrots otherwise... along with most of the other foods we try to give him.

update

2008-06-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Went to the doctor's today.. I am 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. She said anytime now...

Going to see her again on Tuesday next week, if not sooner. :)

Waiting and more waiting

2008-06-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

Less than a week now until my "due date" of June 30th. Later on today I will be seeing my OB, so maybe, just maybe I will be a little dilated. The last few days have been more difficult, with lots of cramping, pressure and a few contractions here and there. Sunday night from 12am-1am was really uncomfortable, with contractions every 15 minutes, but then they went away (!) and I was able to fall asleep.

It's been really hot here (in the triple digits) so that hasn't been adding to my level of comfort either.

I took Christopher to the park yesterday evening and he loved it. He loves the swings, dogs and playing in the grass. He always cries when we have to go, but I reassure him that we will be back again.

We also went to Malibu the other day, and spent the afternoon at Zuma Beach. Christopher was very into it, and had a lot of fun walking into the water with Alfonso and playing in the sand. He sampled the sand a few times, but didn't seem to like it.

We celebrated Christopher's 1 year birthday on Thursday, the 19th. It's hard to believe that he has turned a year, it just seems like yesterday that he came into our world. As my dad always says to us, "I remember the day that you were born, it just seems like yesterday" now I understand what he means.

Christopher is doing a lot of crusing around furniture, but not able to walk or stand independently. I expect in the next couple of weeks he will learn to walk. He learned last week to set himself down from standing to sitting position, so now he doesn't cry out when he needs help sitting down.

More updates to continue...

Comment...

2008-06-11T10:09:00.001-07:00

Yesterday while we were standing in line paying for our lunch at this mexican restaurant/bakery, this lady asked me if I was having twins! I couldn't believe that she asked that! So I just stood there for a moment, answered "no" and walked away.. grrr..

Btw, I don't think I am *that* large. I was pretty big with Christopher, but he was 8lbs 8 oz and 21.5" long!

Becky who?

2008-06-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

Ah, it's been forever since I posted. Life has been so busy, and I expect that it will get even busier. I am currently on maternity leave, going into my 37th week of pregnancy. I remember that the last month is the most difficult, and I can attest to that. I have been having difficulty with sleeping (waking up at 3/4 am and then not going back to sleep) and my body is hurting everywhere. I would kill for a chiropractic adjustment and massage... The discomfort I feel when I get out of bed in the morning kills me. Blech.

I've been trying to keep myself busy since leaving work last week. So far I have reorganized the baby dresser and closet, reorganized the garage, cleaned out the cupboard in the hallway, and cleaned and reorganized the storage space downstairs. I have a few more chores that I want done, but I will have Alfonso help me with those.

Christopher is almost a year old. I can hardly believe how fast the time has gone. He is currently crawling everywhere and getting into everything. He reminds me of a little bull, the way he charges across the floor. He is well versed in pulling himself to standing position, and is even taking small steps from the table to us, but is still not able to stand independently. He has eight teeth (4 on top, and 4 on bottom) and is eating 3 meals of solids per day, along with 3 bottles of formula. Soon we plan on introducing whole milk and dropping the bottle feeding to twice a day.

Christopher is such a happy baby, it is such a joy to watch him change into this little person. He has become very affectionate; enjoys hugging and "kissing" (aka slobbering) me. He is very curious, and enjoys opening drawers and cupboards. Overall he is quite mellow, and very sweet. Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure:

2008-03-16T20:01:00.000-07:00

Not much of anything new has been going on in my life... which is a good thing. Between working full-time, managing Christopher and baby girl, doctors appointments, balancing the house (cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, maintaining our budget) life has been fairly busy. Long gone are the days when I would go to the mall and buy a new outfit, or share an evening with Alfonso that included movie and sushi for dinner. The focus of my life has shifted to my family instead of me, myself and I.

I wonder how much of our lives will change with a new baby in the house. I remember those first few months of Christopher's life, when he required our complete attention. I fear that I will not be able to serve my duties as a wife; keeping the house in order, making sure Alfonso and Christopher are managing well, along with taking care of the baby. I can't even imagine going grocery shopping and running errands with a 1 year old and an infant. I will have to keep Christopher strapped into a grocery cart, and the baby strapped to my chest in a carrier. Thankfully we have our niece here, so she will be able to help us out.

On a lighter note, Christopher will be 9 months this Wednesday, March 19th. I will be turning 29 on the same day. Christopher is doing quite a bit of scooting around the floor. He has this funny little scoot where he rolls onto his right shoulder and pushes off the floor with his feet. He reminds of a wounded soldier crossing a battlefield. He now has four teeth, and will happily put any objects into his mouth and chew on them. He really enjoys walking around with the assistance of Alfonso, and complains when we cannot walk him around the house 24/7. He has filled out quite a bit these three months, so we are curious to see how much he weighs at his 9 month appointment. Baby girl is moving quite a bit, and is growing to be very big. I hope that I don't have another 8 1/2 pounder, but we will see!

Until next time!

23 weeks and counting

2008-03-06T18:50:00.000-08:00

Today I had my OB appointment with my doctor. Overall it went well (usually the appointments are brief and to the point). According to my ultrasound with the perinatologist, my due date is June 30th instead of July 4th. It's not much of a difference between due dates, but I really do believe that this baby will be born in June!

I've been having quite a bit of leg discomfort, especially in my thighs. I think I may be starting to have varicose veins, so tomorrow I am going to the pharmacy for Teds stockings. Working on my feet 12 hrs a day, three times a week definitely has it's toll on my body.

Christopher is doing well as usual. He now has three teeth (two on the bottom and one on top). He enjoys playing on the floor with his toys, and is starting to scooch around a bit with his arms. He also enjoys walking (with assistance) around the house and really enjoys his exersauser. With all of this activity, he is very tired and takes a morning and afternoon nap. We are so lucky that he sleeps so well. I am holding my breath for the next baby, but I don't think that we will be as lucky!

Here are a few pics from this weekend. Last Saturday we went downtown and watched part of the LA Marathon and then went to eat Birria (goat) at a Mexican restaurant. Yum!

Stroller advice!

2008-02-10T14:17:00.001-08:00

Question to those moms out there with children that are close in age.. What kind of stroller do you recommend? Since Christopher will be turning a year when the baby is born, I am going to need a stroller that will carry both babies. Preferably the tandem kind (I can't imagine navigating an extra-wide double stroller through doorways and store aisles). I have seen the Graco duo-glider, but what other brands are out there? Also, I would like to be able to have the infant seat snap into the stroller, so I wouldn't have to wake a sleeping baby!

Ultrasound!

2008-02-05T10:50:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we had our ultrasound with the perinatologist. The baby is healthy.. and we are having a girl! The doctor seemd quite sure of himself, so hopefully we will not be mistaken.

We are so happy to be having a son and a daughter. I am already checking out the little girl clothes!

Mama!

2008-01-30T09:32:00.000-08:00

Christopher has learned how to say mama! It's very exciting and cool. He has said it a few times now, mostly when he wants my attention (like when he wants to be picked up). He is getting better at taking his naps in the crib. Before, he was used to being fed and then being held while he napped. We quickly broke him of that habit and now we lay him down in his crib when he starts to get cranky. He will play with his toys for a few minutes and then fall asleep. Usually he sleeps for 30-60 minutes, in the morning and afternoon. Overall, he is a very good baby.

Next week we are going to the perinatologist for the big ultrasound. We should be able to see the sex by then. I can't wait! Ultrasounds are always a lot of fun. :)

Here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure:

Little shark tooth

2008-01-20T20:38:00.000-08:00

Christopher is cutting his first tooth! I realized it the other day after seeing a white speck on his lower gum line. I had him suck (chew rather) on my pinkie finger and I felt a sharp little tooth gnawing on me. He has been chewing on everything for the last month, but this week has been especially bad! He enjoys chewing on furniture and the plastic on his carseat. I guess whatever works to alleviate the pain!

I've had so much fun with him these last few days. Today we went to the Farmer's Market down the street with Ilsa and Carla. We also took a nice, long walk in the CA sunshine (it's in the 60's here) and tried out new carseats at Babies. Tomorrow is open with the exception of me cleaning the living room and upstairs bathroom. Otherwise, more walks and smiles! :)

Just like old times...

2008-01-18T15:09:00.000-08:00

Alfonso left yesterday to take his mom back to Georgia. So, it's just me and Christopher at home now. It's been an enjoyable two days; we've gone to the mall with our friends Elsa and Carla (Carla is Elsa's daughter), went on walks in the stroller, and today we went to Trader Joe's for groceries. Tonight we have an invitation to join Elsa and Carla for dinner in their new apartment, so it should be fun.

I enjoy spending my days with Christopher. He has grown so much in these few months! He can now sit up by himself and occupy himself with his toys. It's been such a joy to watch him grow and change. He currently has a fascination with my hair, he loves pulling on it and putting it into his mouth. I caught him the other day trying to pull himself up to standing position while he was in the crib, so we'll be lowering the crib soon. Still saying lots of dada's and baba's, but still no mama's!

I still wake up during the night "looking" for him in my sleep. I do better when he is upstairs with me in bed. It seems that I sleep better when he is nearby; I guess it's my motherly instincts kicking in.

Baby #2 is doing well. We are seeing the perinatologist next month for an ultrasound, so we hope to find out the sex then! Till next time...

It's been a long time baby...

2008-01-08T12:34:00.001-08:00

I know, it's been forever since I last posted on my blog. I have been going through a difficult time, and whenever I feel upset I do have the inspiration to write and share my life with people.

Anyhow, we are officially in 2008 and it's time to turn a few pages and start writing again.

Christopher is doing well. He is now 6.5 months old and is continuing to amaze us each day. Around Thanksgiving (he was 5 months then) he started to talk more and say bababababa and dadadadada on a regular basis. He is a very happy baby and smiles often, even at strangers which can be kind of scary. I just hope we won't have problems later on with him being too friendly towards strangers. He has been sitting up by himself for the last few weeks. He will fall over on occasion, but overall is able to sit unassisted for a few moments at a time. He also enjoys standing, and can stand with us holding onto his hands.

When he was born, his hair was light brown. He lost most of his hair, and has regrown honey colored hair that is very similar to mine. His eyes are quite large, similar to mine as well. My parents commented that he looks like me from when I was a baby. I love his smile; when he smiles, he will smile with his entire mouth open. He has been teething quite a bit, but still no teeth have appeared. He will stick anything and everything into his mouth and chew on it. Here are a few photos that we taken in December before Christmas:

Christmas went well. My sister Crystal visited us for a few days before joining the Peace Corps. She is currently in Philadelphia undergoing a few days of training, before she leaves for Niger on the 9th. She will be gone for 27 months, so we won't see her for a long time.

Alfonso's sister and her two children joined us for Christmas from Georgia. We opened Christmas gifts on Christmas Day and ate freshly make tamales that Alfonso's mother and sister made for us. Alfonso gave me an Ipod nano and my parents sent us a boom box that can play CD's and my ipod. I gave Alfonso a jacket from Banana Republic that he has been wanting for the last year or so. We did some sightseeing, and ended up seeing Kat VonDee (she is on TLC with Miami Ink/ LA ink) on Olvera St in downtown LA. We also saw Vince Vaughn at The Grove. He was walking down a sidewalk when my niece Mayra pointed him out to me. He looked very tall (like 6'2") and was walking with another girl.

Our Christmas Eve family photo:

We didn't celebrate New Years much (I worked New Years eve and then the day after New Years). We went to Philadelphia on January 3rd, and came back yesterday on the 8th. Alfonso was the best man in our friends wedding. We had a good time; did some sightseeing and finally had a "real" Philly cheese steak. I think I gained at least 5lbs in the last week, much of it eating cheese steaks on our quest to look for the real deal.

I have my next doctor's appointment on Thursday, so maybe we will be able to find out what the sex of the baby is (I have a feeling it's a boy though). I am starting to feel some subtle kicks, so the baby is definitely making his/her appearance known. Till next time!

Thanksgiving this week?!

2007-11-19T14:24:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe that it's nearly Thanksgiving. Where has the time gone? Today is officially 5 months since Christopher was born. It's strange how you start to measure time based on the age of your children.

I am working tomorrow and Wednesday, but then I have the next 5 days off. We aren't sure what we are going to do for Thanksgiving. It would be nice to take a little road trip and venture out of Los Angeles, but as of now we aren't sure where to go. Originally we wanted to drive out to the Grand Canyon, but it's a 500 mile drive and what options do we have with a baby? It would be better if we had more time and could make a vacation out of it.

Christopher is very cute. The other day he said "ba ba". Since then, I haven't heard him say it, but it was sweet when he said it the first time. I love seeing him wake up in the morning. When he finally notices me looking at him, he will smile and coo at me. He makes a lot of random noises, ranging from grunting like a little dinosaur to squealing like a piglet. It's all very cute.

Baby #2 is keeping me on my toes with the intermittent nausea, thirst for water, and fatigue. It's not quite as bad as when I was pregnant with Christopher, but just enough to be slightly uncomfortable. We went to a going away party last week for one of Alfonso's coworkers. We announced our pregnancy during the dinner, and received quite a response from the 20+ people that were sitting at our table. It's all very exciting. :)

Big news

2007-11-17T20:57:00.000-08:00

We are officially pregnant! I found out a couple of weeks ago through a home pregnancy test, and on Thursday we went to our first OB appointment. She did a ultrasound and estimated that we are 7 weeks pregnant. The heartbeat was apparent, beating at 171/bpm.

It's a little shocking, but we are both very excited. Christopher and the new baby will be a year and a few weeks apart! At least we have most of the baby items with a few items to buy (additional crib, car seats). If it's a girl we will need some clothes, but if it's a boy, we are pretty much set.

Chunky-Chunk (aka Christopher)

2007-11-12T15:05:00.000-08:00

Last month, Christopher was going through a big time spit up phase. We would feed him his bottle, and then within the next 30 minutes he would spit up (for what seemed most of his bottle). When we went to his four month check-up, I mentioned to the pediatrician that Christopher seemed to be having quite a bit of spit up after eating. He wasn't crying while spitting up, indicating that he would have reflux, but he would stick his fingers into his mouth and practically gag himself. Alfonso and I used to joke to each other that Christopher was self-inducing bulimic, and that was why he would spit up so much.

Thankfully that period has passed (it was about a month of this) and it seems that Christopher is making up for lost time. He is now eating about every 2-3 hours of 6 ounces of formula. Before he would sleep through the entire night and wake at 6 or 7 to eat. Now he his waking up at 4 am for his bottle. I am happy that his appetite is back (and he is starting to fill out more and is heavier to pick up) but the early morning feedings are taking it's toll on the household.

We have our 6 month appointment on December 19th, so we will see how much he has gained. Just for kicks, I looked at my old height/weight records that my mom recorded on my immunization cards during my first year. Christopher is now 24.5" in length, and weighs at least 15 lbs. When I was 4 months, I weighed 11 lbs, 7oz and I was 23.5" in length. Granted this was 28 years ago, and nowadays babies are bigger. Also, there are height/weight differences between boys and girls. I was just curious to see how Christopher compared to me. I wonder if Christopher will take after us (we are 5'4 and 5'5) or be tall like his uncles (6'2 and 6'4).

Griffith Observatory

2007-11-08T20:42:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, we went to the newly renovated Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park. If you have ever seen the movie "Rebel Without a Cause" with James Dean, there is a famous scene with the observatory in the background. So famous that there is a James Dean statue on display at the observatory.

We had a good time, and Christopher behaved himself quite well. We had a lot of fun taking photos on the upper level. Unfortunately the air was quite smoggy/foggy/dirty, so the background isn't too sharp. Here are a few photos though:

I love his little elvis lip:

In front of the Hollywood sign:

A very smoggy photo of downtown LA (the winds recently kicked up and blew ash and dirt around).

baby Chris

2007-10-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Upon numerous requests, pictures of our baby Chris. He is no longer looking at his fist, but is now lifting up one finger and staring at it. He is also working on rolling, with assistance from us. He is very talkative with many squeals, laughter, with goos and coos. More pics to follow.

grrr.. taxes

2007-10-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

Yikes, we just received the bill in the mail for our property taxes. It is awful.

You definitely pay for paradise. Gonna have to work at least 1 extra shift per pay period...

Fires in SoCal

2007-10-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, we are having a fire problem here in southern California. It seems like there is a new fire every hour. With the super dry conditions along with the 70-80 mph Santa Ana winds, this creates an ideal formula for fires.

I have been working since Sunday, and that was when we first heard of the fire in Malibu. Malibu is quite a distance from us, so we didn't feel affected. It wasn't until Monday when I hear about the fire in Castaic when I became concerned. We live less than 10 miles from Castaic. When I was driving to work on Monday, I called Alfonso (he was at work too, but on his way home) and said that for whatever reason, if we have to evacuate to gather up our valuables and important documents.

Later that afternoon I started to get a funny feeling in my stomach. I called my friends Elsa and Janet for updates. When I called them, they were saying that they couldn't talk for long because they were evacuating from their house. There was a fire on Magic Mountain (which is next to us). I then called Alfonso, and told him that the neighborhood was evacuating (he was just waking up from working the night before).

It became a little crazy at work, since many of my co workers live in the same area as me. People were calling home, other people were trying to locate their family members. As I was leaving work, I caught a glimpse of my subdivision on the news.

When I came home, they had opened up my street. There were police officers barracading the rest of the subdivision. I went to sleep that night hoping that we didn't have to evacuate during the night. As I fell asleep, I could hear the hum of helicopters and airplanes overhead.

As of now, the fire that was near us is contained. Unfortunately, many people are not so lucky. Many people have lost their homes in San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles County. It has just been horrible these few days.

Here are some photos that my friend took of our neighborhood under evacuation:

Yaay!

2007-10-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

Weighed myself yesterday at work, and I have 11 more lbs to lose before my pre-pregnancy weight. It will be nice to fit back into some of my old clothes, since I can't afford to buy new ones. It was bad enough losing 2/3 of my shoes since my feet grew a half of a size! My niece Mayra lucked out, and took home most of my old shoes.

Baby Chris and Grandma Valencia

2007-10-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

After working for a month, we decided that we needed some extra help with Christopher. I had previously looked into daycare, but since I work until 7:30 pm and most daycares close at 6pm, this wasn't an option. So, after some discussion we invited my mother-in-law to California to help us with Christopher. She arrived on Friday, and is now part of our household. So far it is going well. I hope that this will work out for us. It will be a great opportunity for Christopher to learn spanish and bond with his grandma Valencia.

They finally reopened the interstate 5 freeway just south of our house. There was a terrible accident last Friday, and they had the freeway closed all weekend. I had to take an alternate local route to work yesterday, and today I switched my day for Friday since I was afraid that the freeway would not be open.

I am doing well on my quest to lose weight. I have another 13 lbs to lose, but so far I have a weight loss of 17 lbs. I can squeeze into my pre-pregnancy pants, but it doesn't look too pretty. Alfonso and I are going to look into a family gym membership, that way we can work out together and get back into shape.

Till next time! Love, Becky

It's been awhile

2007-10-06T17:28:00.001-07:00

I wrote this last week, but wasn't able to publish it.

Much has happened these last few weeks. I started work in a new department working days (7am-7:30pm) and last week we went to MI for my brothers wedding.

Work is going well; I am enjoying the day time schedule. I feel that my body agrees with it more. Of course I am much busier working days (more doctors, surgeries, tests and such) but the routine is getting easier for me.

Last weekend we flew to Marquette for Joe and Mary's wedding. Christopher did pretty well on the plane, with the exception of the flight from Minneapolis to Marquette. He didn't handle the noisy puddle jumper plane too well, but it was also at the end of the day.

I introduced Alfonso to pasties, and we even bought a few to take home with us to LA. On Saturday we drove to Munising and viewed the Munising Falls and the pretty fall colors of the UP. It was nice to be back in the UP, and I was especially excited to show Alfonso the area I spent part of my life in. We lived in the UP until I was 7, and then I spent 3 semesters up at Northern before I moved to Ithaca.
Here are some photos of our trip:

The Superior Dome at Northern Michigan University:

Train cars with cargo waiting for transportation:

Lighthouse on Lake Superior (this is near Presque Isle). I remember walking on this breakaway when I was in college:

Christopher looking cute:

View of the Lake Superior shoreline from the AuTran boat dock. My parents used to collect rocks from this area for my mom's flower garden.

Me enjoying the clean air of the UP:

The beautiful Munising Falls. I remember coming here when I was five/six years old. It seemed surreal to have my husband and son visit the falls.

My brothers Joe (far left) and Tom (middle).

The Bridesmaids and Flower girl

Mr and Mrs Joseph Pilon

My handsome boys: Christopher (in his onesie tuxedo) and Alfonso

Our family photo:
(This was shortly before Christopher's three hour nap)

Grandma, mama and baby Chris

The Pilon kids (minus Crystal; she was finishing up with the wedding cake).

Crystal's amazing wedding cake:

Crystal's wedding cake:

First day back

2007-09-19T22:49:00.000-07:00

I went back to work last Sunday. I am on orientation (new department, new computerized charting program) so the day went pretty slow. I called Alfonso twice to see how Christopher was. I don't go back to work until Friday, but I will be working Friday, Saturday, Sunday, then Tuesday, Wednesday. Then on Thursday we are leaving for MI for my brothers wedding. I am so excited to be going back to Marquette and I can't wait to see the fall colors! I am also really thrilled to see my family again!

We went to Mexico on Saturday for lobster. I've been dying to go for a long time! The drive is quite long (4 hours each way) but it's tolerable every once in awhile. Mexico's independence day was the next day, so there were quite a bit of flags on the streets and behind cars. Here are some photos of our journey:

Alfonso practicing his trick at a rest stop near San Diego:

Just crossing into Tijuana:

The view of the Pacific Ocean from Puerto Nuevo, Mexico:

Mama and Christopher waiting for the lobster:

Lobster, Dos Equis and the Pacific! What more could you ask for!

They give you rice, beans, flour tortillas, bread and soup along with the lobster. I think it was around $17.00 per plate. Not so bad, but you also need to consider the amt of time and money it takes to drive down! I am so happy that we could go before I started work.

The Baby Walkers

2007-09-19T22:31:00.001-07:00

Since Christopher has been three weeks old, we have been taking evening walks nearly every night. It started when he would start crying every night at 7pm. My parents recommended that we go on walks, since it helps soothe a crying baby. Also I needed the exercise since I still had some extra weight.

Soon after we started our evening walks, I met Elsa and Janet. Like me, they have young babies and needed to walk in the evening. I met Elsa and Janet when Christopher was five weeks, and eight weeks later we still hold our evening ritual of walking. The other day a group of kids passed us on their bikes and yelled out "Hi Baby Walkers!" So, we are known through the neighborhood as The Baby Walkers.

Sometimes we will meet in the daytime and hang out at the park together. Here are some recent photos of the park:

Elsa and Carla

Christopher with Carla

Janet with Connor

Returning to MI

2007-09-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

I stole these quizzes from my sister Crystal:

Congratulations, you are 97% Michigan!

Congratulations, when it comes to you and Michigan, you know your stuff! You must drink pop, vacation "up north", and enjoy the many special seasons Michigan has to offer. Maybe you should write your own Michigan quiz!

How Michigan are you?
See All Our Quizzes

You are 44% Yooper!

You need a little more practice at Yooper-ism. Work on your vocab, go buy more flannel, and eat a pasty.

Are you a true Yooper?
Create a Quiz

2007-09-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

I just love this photo of Christopher. I love the way his lips form an "O", this is the expression of great concentration for him. Lately he has discovered his hands and has been working on putting his hands and other objects in his mouth. He really likes his burp cloths and puts them into his mouth.

Last night I set Christopher into his big boy bed (aka his crib)and he fell asleep in it. Since this was the first time for him to sleep in the crib overnight, I kinda freaked out and brought him into the room with me. I think I am having some separation issues.

I reenter the work force this Sunday, so it's only going to get worse. Like my mom said, it's a gradual process. One day they are sleeping in their own room, the next they are going to school. Finally they move off to CA and become married and have their own children. :)

New dress

2007-09-12T22:16:00.000-07:00

With two weddings in the next couple of months, I needed a new dress. I bought this one at White House Black Market. I don't like the way the model is wearing it, but it looks better in real life. I am still trying to lose weight, but at least I could fit into a size 4.

Also my feet have grown in length so I am now an 8.5. All of my 8 shoes are too small. Will my feet go back to their normal size (I still feel that my joints are loose) or will I stay a larger size?

Family photos

2007-09-11T22:36:00.001-07:00

Here are some family photos that we took earlier today:

Christopher is 12 weeks today!

Feeling melancholy

2007-09-06T22:25:00.001-07:00

It's 10:30 at night and I will be going to bed soon. Christopher has been asleep now for the past hr.

Today was a good day with Christopher. He loves going outside on walks and is entertained easily. He enjoys looking at new people and visiting new places, much like me.

I love his sweet little voice when he coos at me. It just melts me. It's just amazing to see this little person grow.

I truly believe that motherhood is something that I was meant to be. I can't imagine not being to fulfill this role.

It's going to be so hard to start work again and be separated from my Christopher. :(

Christopher giving me his sideways glance.

Sweatin' it out Labor Day weekend

2007-09-05T08:59:00.001-07:00

Our Labor Day weekend was probably one of the most memorable holiday weekends that I can think of to this date. Hopefully we will not have another weekend like this again!

It started Saturday afternoon. I had just woken up from a nap at 3pm and noticed that the power had turned off. I went downstairs to find Alfonso looking for flashlights. Alfonso attempted to reset the main breaker, but nothing happened. Meanwhile I called the power company and reported the power outage. Apparently we were the only house in our area to have an outage. Meanwhile, it was getting seriously hot in our house. This past week we've had a heat wave with the temperature in the triple digits. Our house was beginning to feel like a sauna. Poor Christopher was stripped down to his diaper and rocking in his swing sleeping peacefully.

The power company said that they would come to our home as soon as possible (we reinforced that we had an infant) but it could take as long as 48 hrs. Without electricity and no air conditioning, we were in a jam. Alfonso called up our good friends Diego and Julie. They said that it was okay for us to spend the night, but they had guests visiting from Philly. We would work it out since they also have an office and we could just sleep in the office.

We spent Saturday night at Diego and Julie's. We brought out pillow top and laid it out on the floor of the office room. Christopher had his own little area off to the side and fell asleep by 10 pm. Meanwhile Alfonso was calling air conditioning companies to come and repair the AC (we believed that the AC unit was linked to our loss of power). Since it was a holiday weekend, we were having difficulty reaching technician's. We were able to reach a few companies, but they would not be able to come until Monday.

Sunday morning Alfonso went back to the house and the power had been restored. He made more phone calls to technician's, but they would not be able to come until Monday. Since we purchased the house less than a year ago, we had a one year insurance that would cover us if anything went wrong in the house. Alfonso called the insurance company, but that policy had been cancelled the day we moved in. Alfonso was able to find the company on our paperwork and left a message with the insurance company, but we did not hear from them until the next day (Monday).

Alfonso had bought two fans from Walmart (Home Depot was sold out) for almost $200. After a couple of hours of sitting in 90 degree air that was being blown around by the fans, we decided to spend another night at our friends house.

Christopher sweatin' it out

Monday afternoon the AC technician visits the house. We had a bad capacitor but he was able to replace it in five minutes. Total cost was $300. Now we have electricity and AC!

We ate dinner at Diego and Julie's and then start to pack up to go back home. Earlier in the day Alfonso had a premonition that what if the electricity and AC were not working again. I reassure him that everything should be fine...

Since we had taken seperate cars, I was the first to reach the house. When I pulled up into the driveway, I am pushing and repushing the garage door remote. Nothing is happening. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I open the front door and sure enough we do not have electricity.

"Alfonso we have a problem..."

Once again I am on the phone with Edison. I am on hold for over fifteen minutes when a second call comes in. It is the Edison repairman asking if we have no power again. Indeed we do not have any power, and yes we have tried resetting the main breakers. He will be by shortly..

At 8:30pm the Edison repairman shows and determines within five minutes that we need a new breaker. He advises us to find an electrician to replace the breaker. The repairman leaves as quickly as he came.

There is an electric repairman van that is always parked on the street a couple of houses down from us. We walk over to the house and ring the doorbell. A young guy without a shirt answers us from his balcony. "Excuse us, do you know whose van this is?" He answers that it is his. "We know that it is late, but we really need your help." We briefly explain to him what is going on and he says that he will be down in a couple of minutes.

He takes a look at our main breakers and confirms that we need a new one. By this time it is 9pm. Alfonso runs to Home Depot (we aren't sure if they are open especially since it's Labor Day weekend). At 10pm Alfonso returns (he forgot his wallet the first time around) and the guys set to work replacing the breaker. By 10:30pm we have power and we are up and running. Eternally grateful for our neighbor we wrote him a check.

We slept almost 12 hrs that night. Now we are working on working on getting the reimbursement through the insurance company.

New job, new decisions

2007-09-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

Last week I interviewed for a new position on the surgery floor. The nurse manager offered me the job on the spot, so I accepted. This will be a full-time day position, so I would be working three days a week from 7am until 7:30 pm. For the past four years, I have been working nights (7pm-7:30am) and I have been wanting to switch to days for a long time. Working nights has it's benefits; there are less tests and procedures, little doctors, and usually some down time that allows you to catch up on your work. However, sleeping all day before and after a shift along with the constant schedule change on your body can be very difficult.

Now that I am working days and Alfonso is working nights, what about the baby? Not only do we both work 3 days a week, we also have to work 2 weekend days in a pay period. Also, Alfonso (for example) cannot work on a Monday night with me working the following morning (thereby his shift running into Tuesday morning at 7:30 with my shift starting Tuesday morning at 7am). Finally we agreed that I would be working Sunday, Monday, Tuesday during the day, and he would be working Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at night. We would have Saturday off together, but this does not include Alfonso sleeping until 2-3pm on Saturday after 3 nights of work. It's very difficult, but I hope that we can manage. We have thought of alternatives in case this does not work out.

We are looking into day care, since we need to consider some backup. Sending Christopher to daycare really petrifies me. Images of Christopher crying without anyone picking him up or someone mistreating him keep flashing through my mind. I know that this is not the case at most day care centers, but this is what I keep thinking about. When I was younger my mom stayed home and watched all four of us. We never went to daycare, so perhaps my fear of daycare is related to me not having an experience with daycare.

Next week I plan on looking at day care facilities, so perhaps I will feel a bit better. I do not start work for another two weeks, so I have a little bit of time left.

Christopher at 10 weeks

2007-08-28T18:20:00.000-07:00

Today we hit the 10 week mark for Christopher's age. He is definitely growing and learning each day. Before leaving for our vacation, I had placed him in the chair that has the toys dangling in front of him. He would just sort of look at them and not react. Then at my parents house he learned to use his arms to bat the toys around. Now he can hardly keep still in his chair. We even bought him a little jungle gym set similar to the one my parents have. He loves it, and gets a good work out kicking his legs and throwing his arms around. His hand and eye coordination is improving and now he is starting to understand that he can control his arms and hands.

Last week he had his two month checkup with our new pediatrician. He weighed in at 11 lbs and 13 ounces. He is now 22.75 inches in length, 1.25 inches longer than his birth length. He also got his immunizations in his thighs, two in each thigh. I felt so bad after the nurse finished, he just cried his little head off. After holding him, he calmed down, but I still felt a little emotional.

I will be going back to work September 16th. I am sort of looking forward to it, but also feel a little sad to be without Christopher for such a long time. Fourteen hours a day, three times a week is a really long time! The longest I have been without him is 4 hours, and after 2 hours I started to feel anxious. Alfonso and I have been talking about daycare 1-2 times a week. I have mixed feelings about that too, especially since I am entrusting strangers with my child. Not to mention the financial expense. Ah well, it seems that these things will work out in time. Here are some recent photos:

Our visit to Michigan and Georgia

2007-08-28T09:14:00.001-07:00

Sorry, this entry is coming in a bit late. We had a great time in GA and MI. We first visited southern Georgia with it's incredibly hot and humid weather. Due to the humidity, we were inside for most of the time chilling out. However, Alfonso did show me around his old stomping ground in Valdosta. Everyone took a liking to Christopher, with lots of cuddling and kisses. Here are some pictures of our GA visit:

Christopher with Grandma and cousin David

Christopher with Grandma, cousin Mayra and Aunt Maria

Cousin David reading Bambi to Christopher

We then traveled to MI for a week to see my family. The weather in MI was a lot cooler than GA, so we were able to do more activities outside. We went kayaking down the AuSable River, biking on Mackinac island and attended my 10 year high school reunion. We also had a family get together with my aunts, uncles and cousins so that they could meet Christopher and Alfonso.

With the exception of me contracting a 24 hour stomach virus, it was a wonderful vacation! Christopher is a great traveler, and handled himself very well on the planes and airports (with 6 flights and 5 airports total).

Alfonso kayaking down the AuSable

Christopher playing with his Baby Einstein jungle gym

The straits of Mackinac (The Mackinac Bridge is the 6th largest suspension bridge in the world. It's 50 years old this year.)

The water of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron looked absolutely beautiful. Amazing colors of blue and teal, it reminded me of the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii.

The only modes of transport are by horse and bike. No cars are allowed!

Christopher enjoying his ride in the pull along buggy that was attached to Alfonso's bike.

Sunset over the Straits of Mackinac

Crossing the Mackinac bridge

Christopher and Great-Aunt Gig

Christopher with Great-Grandma Pilon

Christopher with Great-Aunt Susie

Christopher and Grandma

Christopher and Aunt Crystal

Christopher with Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary

Off we go...

2007-08-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to get this in before we left for our vacation this Thursday. We are going to Georgia to see Alfonso's family for 4 days, and then we are visiting my family in Michigan for a week. I can't wait for everyone to see Christopher, and I am super excited to be going back home to Michigan. I usually go home twice a year, but last year I was in Guatemala during the summer. I can't wait to show Alfonso N. Michigan during the summer, since he has only visited during the winter.

Christopher is doing well, this week he has been cooing at us and he has been smiling more frequently. He has been doing well with sleeping through the night. I typically put him to bed between 9:30-10 and he sleeps until 6am. This morning he woke up at 4:30, but after a bottle he went back to sleep. He is sleeping now, so I wanted to post this before he woke up.

This past weekend Alfonso and I hung out around the house, but we also went to the Grove and Farmers Market in Los Angeles (it's an outdoor area with various shops and boutiques). We walked around with Christopher and sat on a bench and people watched. This part of LA has a lot of celebrities, but we didn't spot any (I always miss them anyway). On Saturday we went to San Pedro fish market where you chose what kind of seafood and they cook it for you on the spot. Alfonso had ordered fish and I got shrimp. We shared a huge side order of grilled potatoes, onions and green peppers. The atmosphere is very lively with people singing karoake in spanish/english.

Then on Sunday, (Alfonso had to work) I went with Diego and Julie to this party/celebration in Chino Hills to honor the patron saint (Virgin de Los Angeles- Our lady of the Angels) of Costa Rica. Basically it's a big celebration with music, food, dancing, soccer, and families getting together. There are thousands of people there, with the majority from Costa Rica. Diego's friend Eric and his wife Sandy were visiting from Hawaii, so they came with us as well. Eric is originally from Costa Rica, so he was excited to go. We had a good time and Christopher slept for most of the day. I ate some food from a vendor (potatoes and other vegetables in a curry sauce on top of a corn tortilla, I can't remember the name)and then later on we cooked hotdogs and sausage on the grill. The sausage was put on top of a tortilla, with an cabbage/tomato/cilantro mixture placed on top of the sausage. It was slightly spicy without being over powering.

All was going well, but then we noticed a large group of people moving across the field and saw that there was a fight going on. Soon after, the police showed up and then a helicopter was circling overhead announcing that this was the end of the event. We packed up our gear and on the way to the car there were policemen with swat gear stationed around the cars. As we were leaving, an ambulance and fire truck showed up. Later on I heard that there had been a fight along with a stabbing, but I am still not sure what really happened.

Here are some photos of Christopher at 6 weeks:

I use this when I have to do work and he doesn't want to put down. At first he cries, but then he quiets down and falls asleep.

The new mobile that his Grandma Valencia and Aunt Maria bought him.

I think he may have my eyes! What do you think?

The good, the bad, and the ugly

2007-08-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

I had my six week post-delivery follow up appointment today. It was so nice to see my doctor again. She is always so friendly and we always have a good time chatting. I am thinking about switching medical groups (driving down to Cedars is about an hour with traffic) but I can't bear to switch MD's!

Christopher handled himself pretty well, except for the meltdown he had in the waiting room. It started with him having gas, and then a dirty diaper. I could not get him to calm down regardless of breastfeeding or any other intervention. Finally we moved to a more private area that wasn't so crowded and he calmed down.

I am about 20 lbs over my desired weight. I am cautious on what I eat and I have been walking every night with Christopher. I plan on lifting small weights to strengthen and tone my muscles. Before I was pregnant I was in the best shape of my life, so I hope to regain at least some of my original shape. I think it will take me a good 6 months to get back into shape, but I am ready for the challenge.

Now for the ugly- our house has an ant problem. The day my parents were leaving we noticed ants in the kitchen. I thought that it was from the fruit that we had bought at a fruit stand. Then several days later I found them swarming in the cupboards over a jar of honey. I cleaned out the cupboard and the ants went away for several days. Now they are back and taking over the kitchen. They even crawl on me (I smell like maple syrup from the herbal supplements that I take for lactating). Apparently the city of Valencia has this problem, it's especially worse in the summertime when the temperature is in the triple digits. Our friends Julie and Diego had the same problem at their house and they hired a pest exterminator. So, I am going to call them tomorrow and get this problem taken care of before we leave for GA/MI.

Our weekend

2007-07-30T10:38:00.001-07:00

On Saturday we drove up the coast to Santa Barbara. The drive took us just under two hours, and that included stopping for a diaper change and feeding. I have only been to Santa Barbara a couple of times. I had forgotten how much I love this little city with the restaurants, cafes, shops, museums, ocean, mountains, and the general happy vibe that I feel. It reminds me of Ithaca, NY with its eccletic but small town atmosphere. We ended up eating a little lunch at an outdoor cafe, walked around the downtown area and then spent time on the pier watching the sunset. We enjoyed a seafood dinner at a very informal restaurant on the pier. The restaurant had a warm, friendly atmosphere where people sat along a bar that circled the restaurant. The service was excellent and the food was great too. Alfonso had fried calamari and oysters and I had shrimp ceviche with tortilla chips. We each had a pint of beer and then shared another serving of calamari. Christopher slept the entire time in his stroller, which was a definite bonus. Here are some photos of our weekend:

He is a little bald in the front.

But check out the back!

Hanging out on the pier.

Christopher napping on our bed (he was asleep for 10 minutes max)

Christopher at 5 weeks

2007-07-26T10:21:00.001-07:00

I can hardly believe that it has been five weeks since Christopher was born. When I was pregnant, time slowed to a standstill, but since Christopher has been born, time has gone by super fast.

He is definitly more alert and interactive. I can see real difference from just a week ago. He is quite happy and will smile at us when we are talking or playing with him. Here are some photos this morning, we were waiting for papa to come home from work:

Christopher at four weeks

2007-07-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

Since we are nearly into his fifth week, I wanted to write this blog before it was too late!

We are all doing well; Christopher is growing bigger and bigger! I measured him the other day, and he is at leat 22 inches. This was with his legs slightly bent. He is filling out more in his trunk and face. Two weeks ago he was 9lbs 4ounces, I would estimate that he is nearly 10lbs. He has the most expressive facial movements! I love it when he has his mouth open in an "O", he looks like a little bird waiting for food. We are still breastfeeding, but it's more for comfort and milk production. Our schedule was a little off when my family was here, but we are back on track. I am still pumping milk and refrigerating it, so at least he is getting some breastmilk. He is taking in 3 ounces of formula per feeding, so he is a hungry little boy! He eats every 2-3 hours during the day, and every 4 hours during the night.

I have been trying to work on a bedtime routine for him. Every night after dinner we go for walks together in his stroller. This usually helps settle him down. After we come home, I give him a warm bath. He enjoys his baths, but cries when we take him out to dry him. I dress him in a long onesie complete with a hat and wrap him up in a blanket burrito-style. Then some snuggling with breastfeeding and a bottle and he is out! Sometimes he doesn't need a bottle, he falls asleep as soon as he is wrapped up. Typically he is asleep by 10pm, and then wakes up at 3-4am for a feeding. Sometimes it is difficult to get him to fall back to sleep, so after much rocking, and holding he will fall asleep between 6:30-7:30am and awaken at 10:30. Of course each day differs slightly, but this is the general jist of what it's like. Sometimes I am so exhausted at 5am that I have him in the bed with me, so that I can keep an eye on him (I am worried about him spitting up and aspirating) while I rest. I wait for him to fall asleep before I feel comfortable falling asleep. I am just worried that he will aspirate, so I try to keep his head slightly elevated shortly after a feeding. I guess it's the nurse in me that is showing these concerns!

During the day he is often in his bouncy chair that my parents had bought for him. He is big enough now for it, and seems to really enjoy it. It has different features that either bounce or vibrate. It also plays music and the sound of beating heart (because that's all he heard when he was inside me). He no longer is so dependent on being held at every waking hour, so it is nice to have him in the bouncy chair and it allows me more freedom around the house.

Since Christopher has reached one month, here are developmental milestones according to I-Village:

Lifts head for short periods of time (he has done this since his first week, but now he is able to hold it for longer periods)
Moves head from side to side
Prefers the human face to other shapes
Makes jerky, arm movements
Brings hands to face
Has strong reflex movements
Can focus on items 8 to 12 inches away
May turn towards familiar sounds or voices
Responds to loud sounds
Blinks at bright lights

Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Getting kind of cranky

Uh-oh

whew.. there there Christopher

A pouch sling that a girl from my breastfeeding group made. Christopher screams when I put him in it, so I am still trying it out.

Alfonso came home from work and look what he found!

Christopher at three weeks

2007-07-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

My parents and younger brother Tommy came to visit us last week for one week. We had a good time; plenty of rest but also some activity. We drove up north to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park for two days. Christopher came with us, so this was his first road trip. He was quite good, pretty much slept the entire time in the car. Here are some photos of our road trip:

Christopher chilling in his carseat

Poor kid. We often try to hold up his head, but this is what happens when one of us cannot hold him up.

Sequoia Trees in the Giant Forest.

Alfonso and Christopher

Mom with the Sequoias in the Giant Forest

Dad with General Sherman

Me and Christopher

Grandma and Christopher

Tom and Dad

Christopher and Grandpa

Christopher in his usual state

Christopher and Uncle Tommy. Check out the flames around the head!

Christopher lying in his new favorite spot.

2007-07-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

A little late in publishing! I wrote this in eary July, so about two weeks ago!Christopher was two weeks old then.

This past week Alfonso returned to work, so I have been in charge of Christopher for the last three days and three nights. It has been a little stressful at times with Christopher crying and not wanting to go to sleep, but overall he has been pretty good. Yesterday we went for a walk inside the mall, since it has been really hot outside. I ran into some women from my breastfeeding support group, so it was nice to see some familiar faces. The local mall has a family room complete with changing areas, couches, and rooms for breastfeeding. I had to do two diaper changes and one clothing change, so this family room served us very well.

I finally got a call back from the nurse manager on Short Stay Surgery. We set up an interview for July 20th. She seemed interested in me, so I hope that I will be able to get the position. I will be working 12 hr days (no longer the 12 hr night shift that I have been doing for the last 4 years). Also, I will have weekends and holidays off. This is a big change for me, since for as long as I can remember (since I entered the working force at age 16) I have worked most holidays and weekends.

My parents and brother are coming next week, so I am looking forward to seeing them and having some extra hands!

Christopher at two weeks

2007-07-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I went to a breastfeeding support group that takes place every Thursday at the local hospital. Everyone chats about their babies while breastfeeding. Two lactation consultants overview the group and offer advice and insight into breastfeeding.

I discussed my problems with breastfeeding to one of the lactation consultants and she recommended a herbal tea called Mother's Milk and some herbal tablets called Fenugreek. She recommended that I work on increasing my milk supply while continuing the breastfeeding/pumping and supplementing.

I've been taking the tablets for the last couple of days and I haven't seen an increase in my milk supply. If anything, the tablets make you smell like maple syrup. I may not be taking in enough calories, so I have been trying to increase my calorie consumption in a healthy manner. My parents are coming next week, (and my mom is a really good cook) so I am sure I will be able to eat more then.

It's difficult eating when the baby wants to eat and you are going by his schedule more than yours. Christopher is hungry every 2-3 hrs and then it takes time to burp him and lay him back down. Most of the time he doesn't want to be by himself, so either of us has to hold him while doing another task.

He has been sleeping pretty well at night, but the other night we were up every 2 hrs feeding, burping and changing his diapers. He goes through *a lot* of diapers. We are changing him before a feeding, after a feeding and then again 30 minutes later. Then before we know it, he is hungry again and the process repeats itself.

With the outdoor temperature in the triple digits and Christopher requiring our constant attention, we have been indoors quite a bit. We try to take evening walks when it is cooler outside and we have been able to go on a couple mini excursions. The other day we drove to the ocean (45 minutes away) and spent the afternoon walking along the ocean. Christopher was pretty good and only cried a couple of times when he needed his diaper changed or was hungry. We have been to a restaurant twice now, and Christopher slept the entire time.

Thank you to everyone for offering your advice and understanding. I really appreciate your comments and emails.

Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Christopher's first real bath! He enjoyed it until we had to take him out and then he was cold and upset.

My sleeping babies

A quick pose by the beach in Ventura

Adjusting to life with Christopher

2007-06-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

This past week has been a week of transition for us. I have had many ups and downs, but each day is getting better.

After being at the hospital for three full days, we were discharged home Thursday night at 11:00pm. We had to wait for the pediatrician to make rounds and write discharge orders for the baby. Also, Christopher looked a little jaundiced, so we were waiting for his lab results to return. We didn't see the results until 11pm, so we couldn't leave until the results returned. On top of all this, I was waiting for my OB doctor to come and write discharge orders for me. Finally, we were able to leave, but all three of us were tired and cranky by the time we came home at 11:45pm.

I have been having a difficult time with breastfeeding. Ultimately I had to rent a breast pump last week and pump my breast milk. Now in the last couple of days we have tried breastfeeding, but I am afraid that my milk supply is not sufficient enought to meet Christopher's needs.

Christopher has a voracious appetite. When he was born, he weighed 8lbs, 8 ounces. He lost about 1 lb after the birth due to me feeding him my colostrum. The day we were discharged, the pediatrician advised us to breastfeed him and supplement with formula for the next couple of days. My milk was just starting to come in, but at the time we were having a lot of difficulty with latching on.

I was able to pump over the weekend, and now we have started to breast feed again. However, Christopher seems to not be satisfied with just the breastmilk. I will feed him and then he will scream because he is hungry. Whenever he is asleep I will pump, but I am only able to pump out 15ml-20ml max. I try to either pump or breastfeed every 2-3 hrs, but it is the same cycle over again. Either I am only able to pump out 15ml or Christopher feeds and remains hungry. Tomorrow I am going to a breastfeeding support group at a local hospital. I am also interested in doing an outpatient consult with a lactionist.

I feel like a bad mother because I am not able to give my child solely breaskmilk. I have had to use supplements with my milk. Christopher seems to be doing ok though. We had him weighed yesterday and he was able to regain his birth weight and put on an additional 2 ounces. He now weighs 8 lbs, 10 ounces. Every day he looks bigger, his hair and nails are growing like crazy. He keeps scratching his face up, so we have had to cut and file down his nails a couple of times.

Sometimes he is a little fussy, but it is usually because he is hungry. He eats every 2-3 hours and this is with 60ml of formula. Sometimes I will mix in my 20ml of breastmilk and then 40ml of formula. We can usually tell what is bothering him because it could mean a couple of things- (A) he is wet or dirty (B) he is hungry (C) he is gassy and needs to be burped. He has his days/nights confused and often wants to be awake at night and sleep during the day.

We have had a few accidents with him spraying on us. Alfonso likes to "test" him and leave him uncovered for a moment while changing his diapers. The first time we were doing a diaper change in the back of the 4-Runner after eating ice cream at Coldstone. Christopher ended up getting himself wet along with the folded up chair that was a foot behind him. The second time was last night before we went to bed. Christopher ended up spraying his bassinet and the carpet. Also, during his circumcision with the doctor, Christopher sprayed the doctor and everything else that was in the sterile field. We are quite proud of our strong little boy. I prefer to not test him, and instead I try to cover him up with a 4X4 gauze to avoid getting blessed.

Tomorrow we are going to the pediatrician for his newborn checkup. I am sure everything will be fine. I plan on addressing some of my concerns with my milk production with the pediatrician. Here are some photos that we took earlier today. It was hard to get him in a good mood, so some of these pictures were taken while he was sleeping.

First walk in the baby bjorn

He moves very fast, so just a little blurry

Our sleeping prince

So happy and so content

2007-06-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

Some more pics of the three of us. Right now we are waiting for the doctor to come by and write discharge instructions so that we can go home! Thank you all for your comments and kind words. I will try to keep you all updated. :)

Btw, right now I am in the waiting room (there is a better wireless connection) and I keep thinking that I hear little Christopher's grunts and sounds. Of course I am not hearing him, but I have become so attuned to his little noises.

2007-06-20T22:42:00.000-07:00

Christopher is here!

2007-06-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

Finally after 14 hours of labor, Christopher Alfonso is here with us now. I was admitted to Cedars at 10 pm Monday night and Christopher was delivered Tuesday, June 19th at 2:46pm.

Christopher weighed 8lbs 8 ounces and is 21.5 inches long. He has light brown hair with shorter hair in the front and longer hair in the back. His eyes are dark blue, but will most likely change to brown. His face looked pretty swollen yesterday, but today he looks less swollen.

He is pretty calm and even tempered. He likes to be held, but is content lying in his bassinet looking around. He is very curious and turns his head around to the sound of our voices.

Here are some photos of Christopher, enjoy!

Today is the day!

2007-06-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

I am now overdue by 5 days. My due date fell on last Thursday, and so far nothing is happening. I think Christopher is enjoying himself, so he doesn't want to come out. I have been feeling some contractions and cramping, but nothing too exciting. Thursday night I started to feel contractions, and they lasted for nearly three hours. Alfonso was working that night, and he left work early to be with me. After he came home the contractions stopped and I felt better. I had called the doctor (not my own, the on-call physician) and he told me that he could not give me advise of whether or not I was in labor, and that I needed to go to the ED to be evaluated. It's some kind of legal restriction that they have. So, I waded it out and after three hours it went away anyway. By that time it was 3 am!

I had a regular doctors appointment the next day, so I mentioned what had happened the night before to the nurse and doctor. They set me up on the monitor (that measure's the baby's heart rate and measures my contractions). I had a couple of contractions, but nothing very exciting. They did another ultrasound to check the amniotic fluid and that was normal as well. My doctor was not going to be on call during the weekend, so I was hoping that I would not go into labor over the weekend.

This weekend was pretty quiet. I felt tired and uncomfortable for most of the weekend, so I did a lot of resting. I went out a couple of times to run errands, but my tolerance for running around is pretty low. My feet swell pretty easily, and it's really uncomfortable for me to walk around. I also felt nauseated and crampy in my lower pelvis.

I saw "Knocked Up" Saturday night which was actually pretty good. I normally don't enjoy the main stream comedies (40 year old virgin, Borat) because they can be really gross, but this movie was pretty fun. Afterwards the people sitting next to me asked me when I was due- they wished me luck after I told them that I was overdue and going to be induced on Monday.

I woke up this morning at 10 am. I had to push myself to sleep in since I knew that tonight was going to be a long night. I don't know how much sleep I will be able to get tonight with my induction. I imagine not very much. Alfonso is still asleep (it's 11:30) but I will let him sleep in. I call him the marathon sleeper because he can sleep forever without much effort.

Today I plan on getting an oil change and getting my hair cut. We were thinking about going out to dinner, but we have so much food in our fridge that we need to get rid of.

I am a little nervous about the birth, but I know that there will be an end in sight and a grand prize at the end. We can't wait to see our little Christopher and finally be able to hold him!

ho hum (Week #39)

2007-06-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

Well, tomorrow Thursday June 14th is my official due date. We went to the doctors today and she placed a monitor on me to measure the baby's heart rate and to measure my contractions. Christopher's heart rate was between 140-160. I was having small contractions every five minutes apart, but nothing very significant. The other night while we were driving to Babies R Us to return my Diaper Genie II pail (waste of money) I felt very intense contractions. They soon went away after 20 minutes though. Now that I know what actual contractions feel like, I will be more attuned to them and not just try to walk it off or do some other intervention. The contractions feel similiar to pressure and cramping in the lower pelvic and abdominal region. It almost feels like a pressure on the bladder causing you to want to pee.

Afterwards she did an ultrasound to check the amount of amniotic fluid. Ideally you want 5cm total in all four quadrants. She calculated 9. something, so I am not low on amniotic fluid. We were once again able to confirm that Christopher is definetly a "he" (there is no mistaking it!).

She then checked my cervix and it was 1 cm dilated (10 cm is maximum for delivery). My next appointment is on Saturday, and then I am scheduled for induction (that is if I do not go into labor beforehand) Monday night at 10pm. It would be cool if Christopher was born on Tuesday the 19th, since my birthday, my sister's birthday and our wedding day falls on the 19th (different months of course).

Yaaaay! (I can see an end in sight)

2007-06-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

Just returned home from my routine doctor's appointment. I have my next appointment on Wednesday the 13th and then another appointment on Saturday the 16th if the baby is not here yet (I am technically due Thursday the 14th). She said that she will schedule me for induction on either Monday the 18th or Tuesday the 19th if the baby is refusing to come out. I am so happy to know that by Tuesday the 19th Christopher will be with us! (If not sooner!)

For those that would like a baby announcement, please email me your address! And to all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers and in-laws, I need your address as well!I am starting to put a list together!

38 weeks

2007-06-05T13:19:00.001-07:00

I haven't posted recently because I do not have much to write about. I have been on maternity leave from my job, and frankly my life hasn't been too exciting. My day starts at 6:00 am after a night of waking up nearly every 2-3 hrs due to indigestion (I usually wake up coughing from the irritation of my digestive juices coming up to my throat). I usually wake up at 2:00am and then 4:00am to go to the bathroom. By the end of the day my feet are pretty swollen, so all of the fluid returns to my vascular system during the night and then I have to pee several times during the night. So, after waking up at 6:00 am, I usually get out of the bed by 7:00 and eat breakfast and watch the news. I play around on the computer and then return to bed for a couple of hours before finally getting up at 10:00am. I usually watch "A Baby Story" on TLC before I get ready for my day. I run some errands and then return home by 3pm and rest on the couch. I usually hit the wall in mid-afternoon due to fatigue and swelling in my feet. I start to make dinner by 5pm, and Alfonso leaves for work just after 6pm. I clean up the kitchen, dust, do laundry, sweep the floors and do some kind of housecleaning chore. On Tuesdays I take out the garbage and recycling so that it can be picked up Wednesday morning. I used to watch "Dancing with the Stars" on Monday and Tuesday night, but now that show has ended. I usually channel surf and sometimes I go to Barnes and Noble (if I have the energy) and read books and magazines. I have been reading "Peace Like a River" by Leif Enger. I highly recommend it. Sometimes I will take a bath before going to bed, and I am usually in bed by 12midnight, 12:30 at the latest. And then my day starts over again.

I recently changed my name, so that was a little project that lasted for a week. Then I prepared my hospital bag (that took 2 days since I had to make a run to the store for mini-toiletries). I also wrote thank-you cards to everyone that has given us a baby gift. I still have weekly doctor visits, so that takes about half the day. Last week Julie and I had our nails done in Studio City and then we ate a late lunch together. We also ate dinner at Diego's mom's house with Diego, Julie, Diego's daughter and Lucy (Diego's mom). Lucy made enchiladas with rice and beans and they were really good. Earlier this week, Alfonso hung up the curtains to the guest room and to the balcony. He also hung up Christopher's window valance that I found in the clearance bin at BabiesRUs (I was sooo excited to find that it was in the clearance bin- someone had opened the package so the store had to rewrap it and mark it down.) Christopher's room is coming along very nicely. I am looking for pictures for the walls (animal/safari theme), so I am still searching for items that look nice and do not cost very much.

We finally bought our plane tickets to see our families in August. We are going to GA for four days and then to MI for a week. I am so excited to go home and see everyone. My mom is planning a family get together- a celebration of our wedding combined with Christopher meeting his family.

I have my next appointment tomorrow at 11:00. The appointments are pretty brief; checking the fetal heart tones with the doppler, measuring my stomach, and palpating my abdomen for positioning of the baby. She guestimated that he will be about 7-7.5 lbs for delivery. I am officially due next week! Yaaay!

Here are some recent photos of my belly at 38 weeks:

This is the hardest part

2007-05-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

Now that we are getting closer to our due date (and now that I am not working) waiting is the hardest part. I spent this past week washing all of the gifts that we had received from our baby shower. Then I organized it all and put each item in it's proper place. On Friday we received Brandy's gift- the baby mattress for the crib. I was really excited since I was dying to see how the bedding set looked with the crib and room. Everything turned out looking really nice, so we are quite pleased with the way the nursery is shaping up. Thank you to Dennis for the bedding set and thanks to Diego, Julie, Laura and Nancy for the crib and dresser. Here are some photos that I took earlier today:

Christopher will be sleeping here!

Dresser with changing pad.

Newborn onesies, and t-shirts. Check out the baby socks!

More onesies

Onesies that are 6months and 12months, 2 swaddlers and bibs

Hooded bath towels, washclothes, extra sheets and mattress protector pads.

Pictures from our BBQ/Baby Shower

2007-05-25T20:28:00.001-07:00

We had our baby shower last week at our community clubhouse. It was mostly Alfonso's co workers of whom have become our friends over the last couple of years. We had a very nonconventional baby shower- mostly we just hung out, talked, and ate hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, and vegetables off of the grill. The night before Brandy and Alfonso helped me with preparing a very large potato salad (we still have leftovers) and the day of the shower I made baked beans and a very tasty fruit salad (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, and banana). For a cake we had tres leches (three milks) which we bought at a Mexican grocery store. Here are some photos that Brandy had taken from the shower:

The guys (Dennis, Ro, and Alfonso) manning the grill. They did a wonderful job and everything came out tasting very good.

Flower arrangements that I had bought at Trader Joe's earlier in the day. I love the cheerfulness of sunflowers.

Steve giving Dennis a ride on his motorcycle.

Us opening our gifts together.

Christopher's tres leches cake. It reads: Congratulations for the new baby. It's a boy. :)

Our good friend Brandy helped with much of the baby shower- we owe our thanks to her. Dennis did a wonderful job with working the grill. R and his wife Veronica did their share as well with setting up and taking down. Thank you to everyone that attended and to those that have given us gifts, we really appreciate it.

37 weeks!

2007-05-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

We are approaching the end with nearly three weeks left. I am officially on maternity leave and so far it feels really good. I am still having quite a bit of swelling in my feet and hands, so I can rest when I need to and be active when I am able to tolerate it. I have been pretty busy this past week- we had our car seat installed and checked on Monday. So now I have Christopher's car seat in the back seat of my car. I like to look at it and think of when Christopher will be on the outside with us. I bought a new maternity nightgown and robe, and two nursing bras the other day. As Alfonso would put it, it's one of those bras that has the "windows." I have also been busy with changing everything over to my new name, so I am officially Rebecca Lynn Pil** Valenc** with Lynn and Pil** being my two middle names. For most of the time, I will just be Rebecca Valenc**.

I saw my OB doctor on Wednesday and everything seems to be okay. My blood pressure was 120/78 and my labs from two weeks ago were normal. She rechecked the positioning of the baby, and he has his head down. Christopher has been having the hiccups quite a bit lately, and it seems to be more frequent after meals and in the evening. I've been experiencing more heart burn at night, so I usually take two tums before I go to bed. I will be seeing my doctor once a week now and then twice a week if I go past June 15th. Hopefully that will not be the case.

We had our baby shower/BBQ last Sunday, and received a lot of gifts from our friends and co-workers. I will be having another baby shower next week with my co-workers, so I am looking forward to seeing them once again before I deliver. I will take some photos of the baby room in the next week or two. We are waiting for a couple of items that are being shipped, so the room is not complete.

Here is an update on baby's development: Congratulations! Your pregnancy is now considered full term — meaning your baby is developmentally ready to handle life outside the womb. (Babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 weeks are post-term.) Your baby probably weighs a little over 6 pounds at this point and measures between 19 and 20 inches, head to heel.

36 weeks

2007-05-18T00:16:00.001-07:00

We are almost full term with one more week left until 37 weeks. However, my due date is not until June 15th, so it could be another 4-5 weeks before Christopher makes his debut. We are not exactly ready- we still need to have the car seat installed and checked (it's the law), and we still need to stock up baby essentials (diapers, clothes, and receiving blankets). We are having our baby shower this Sunday, so I hope to knock off a couple of essential items from our list.

In the last month or two I have bought some used items from people on Craig's list, so that has helped us economically. I bought a mini co-sleeper with two sheets and extension legs for $95 (brand new= ~$170), Snugglenest delux $25 (new $50), Baby Bjorn Sporty Carrier $40 (new $120), Boppy Pillow with cover $15 (new $35) and infant carseat base $10 (new $40). We saved over $230 in buying the items slightly used.

My parents bought us an infant car seat and stroller along with a baby bouncer. We have our crib and dresser set up. Now we just need a mattress and bedding. We plan on having the baby sleep with us upstairs for a couple of months (during the day he will sleep in his crib downstairs) and before I start work we will have him sleep downstairs (hopefully).

Today we went to our breastfeeding class. The information was very helpful and we learned more from this class than at our infant care class. It's interesting to see all of the pregnant women and see how far along they are in their pregnancy. Also, it's just nice to see other pregnant women and know that they are going through the same thing as me. This one girl in our class had terrible edema in her feet and she was elevating her legs, so I could definitly sympathize. Two of the women in our class were having twins! The instructor had us play with our baby dolls and we practiced nursing them. I feel a little nervous about breastfeeding, but more confident after taking the class.

Tomorrow is my last day at work! I am so relieved to have it be over with. I worked on Tuesday, and in the last two hours of my shift I could hardly walk because my back and joints were hurting so much. :c owww

Feeling swollen and sore

2007-05-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

In the last week or two, the temperature in Los Angeles has been in the 90's. My body is not handling this too well and as a result my feet, ankles, and hands are swollen. At times it feels like I am walking on pins and needles. I cannot wear my wedding or engagement rings as a result of the swelling in my hands.

At my doctors appointment on Wednesday, I mentioned the swelling to my nurse and doctor. My doctor advised me to keep my legs elevated, stay in a cool room, and take it easy. I elevate my legs as often as I can, but the swelling has not been entirely alleviated. We talked for a little bit about preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) and she recommended that I have my blood drawn to see if there is anything abnormal. Two weeks ago during a routine urine dip, they found a trace of protein in the urine. I came back the following week and did another urine specimen that turned out to be normal. For the most part my blood pressure has been pretty stable, but my baseline is 100/60 and recently it has been 120/80.

My doctor advised me to call her at anytime if I develop severe headaches, blurred vision, pain on my right side, or sudden weight gain (most noticeable in the face, hands, and feet). So far, so good.

I am supposed to call her tomorrow to check on my blood results. I hope that it will be ok. Here are some nice pictures of my pedal edema:

Picture of me at 30 weeks and then at 35 weeks:

Here are some updated house photos:

The guest bedroom before and after:

Guest bathroom before and after:

Desk area before and after: (we still need a desk chair)

Living room:

We still need a nice painting above the mantle. We haven't found the right one yet. The white glider chair will be going into the baby's room. It is in the living room for now until we have some boxes cleared from the baby's room.

Dining area with our two paintings that we bought in Venice, Italy two years ago.

Why, thank you very much

2007-05-09T23:39:00.000-07:00

People say the strangest things when you are pregnant. I have pretty much gotten used to the steady stream of comments that I recieve from co-workers and strangers. I realize that people are excited to see a pregnant woman and want to comment on it, but a degree of filtration would be appreciated.

For example, earlier today I was at Walmart looking for a mirror for the entranceway downstairs. As I am walking through the store, I realize that people are looking at me but I ignore their stares. That was until a woman approached me and asked me how far along I was. I said that I was 35 weeks. The woman then asked how many months that was (I guess not understanding that 35 weeks/4 equals 8 and 3/4 months). I told her that I would be starting my 9th month next week, so I am almost a full 8 months. She then proceeded to tell me that I am looking very big and wondered if this was my first. I told her that the baby was indeed my first. She once again exclaimed that I didn't look as big as other women, but I was sure looking big. I didn't say thank you, but just kind of half smiled and made a quick right down the bread aisle.

Before the comments I would recieve from my co-workers would annoy me. I understand they mean well, but it became annoying pretty early on. Nothing against my Filopino co-workers, but some of their superstitions and beliefs are a little strange.

Such as:

Co-worker: Are you sure that you are having a boy?
Me: Yes, it has been confirmed twice now through ultrasound.
Co-worker: We thought that you were having a girl because you became more beautiful.

Hmm.. would I become ugly if I was having a boy?

This was last week:
Co-worker: Can you still drive?
Me: Yeah, I don't have any difficulty driving.
Co-worker: Your stomach isn't touching the steering wheel?

Only if I drove with the steering wheel up to my chin!

Then of course the usual weekly comments that I am getting so big. I can't help that Christopher is gaining weight and growing. However, I know that I am getting bigger, so I am used to hearing that comment. It's just annoying to hear it multiple times everytime I work (from the same people).

Perhaps it's a cultural thing, but can't people follow the old saying of "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"?

On a more positive note, most people are very polite and helpful. When I am out in public, I do recieve a lot of attention. While at the store, I have gotten into several conversations with women my age on raising children. Also, my patients and family members are very supportive and interested in hearing about my pregnancy. And I can't forget my dear husband, who continuously tells me how beautiful I look no matter how I feel. My family and friends have been amazing as well; supporting me through phone calls, emails, and words of understanding.

Thank you everyone!

Christopher has a middle name!

2007-05-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

We have come full circle on this matter- we have finally chosen a middle name for Christopher. Choosing the first name was very easy for us, I think Alfonso liked it because Christopher means bearer of Christ. However, the middle name has taken quite a bit longer. Last night Alfonso called me from work, and during our conversation he mentioned that he would like the baby to be called Christopher Alfonso. Finally, after months and months of deliberation we have settled on a name that we both like. I originally wanted the baby to be called Christopher Alfonso back in December, and this was before we had found out that we were having a boy! I even mention it from my December 10th blog post "So we might have a little Christopher Alfonso after all. :)" This was in reference to wondering if we were having a boy or a girl. At the time I had a feeling that it would be a boy.

yaaay! :)

Week 34

2007-05-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

We are getting closer and closer to our due date. I can officially tell people that I am due next month! I have another 5 shifts left at St Joe's and then I am going on maternity leave. I can't wait to leave work- it's starting to become too much with all the moving around that I have to do. Not to mention I am extremely clumsy and always dropping stuff on the floor. My patients and family members (along with my co-workers) have been very understanding.

We are having our baby shower on Sunday, May 20th. It will be at the clubhouse in our neighborhood. The baby shower will be informal with BBQ and a dish to pass. There will be seating indoors and outdoors (it will likely be very warm). Brandy and Julie are helping out as well, so I feel better about that.

Today we were expecting our bookcase (currently we have all of the books in the baby's room) but we were unable to pick it up at the store. The stock room had too much stuff in the way, and there was no way to pull out the bookcase without removing the other items. Also, the store did not have anyone to help Alfonso with moving the items (the only employee there was a woman) so we are going to have it delivered it to us next week for free. We were both disappointed, since we were expecting to have it arrive today and then we were going to put the baby furniture together. I guess it will have to wait until next week.

At this moment, Christopher is moving like crazy. He is normally quite active, but today he has been especially busy. Here is an update on Christopher's development:
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is probably almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her central nervous system is still maturing and her lungs are well developed by now. If you've been nervous about going into preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that 99 percent of babies this age can survive outside the womb — and most have no major long-term problems related to prematurity. (This is according to babycenter.com)

33 weeks

2007-04-26T23:13:00.000-07:00

We've been quite busy these last two weeks. It seems like we have something going on everyday; between doctors appointments, baby classes, house stuff and preparing for our wedding.

We officially married last week on Thursday, April 19th. We had our good friends Brandy, Dennis, Diego, and Julie attend the ceremony. The ceremony was in Beverly Hills at the courthouse and afterwards we celebrated at a spanish restaurant called La Paella. The ceremony itself was quite short (but sweet) and afterwards we took photos.

The day before the wedding, we bought our rings in the jewelry district in Los Angeles. A couple of days before the wedding, I bought a new dress at Motherhood Maternity and had my nails done as well. I also bought new silver sandles from Aldo, since all of my dressy shoes have heels.

I am still waiting for the official marriage certificate to come in the mail, so I have not changed my name. I am thinking about keeping my maiden name, but having it as my middle name. I would have two middle names and then Valencia as my last name.

Here are some photos from our wedding:

Alfonso and Diego

Exchange of rings

Us with Diego and Julie

Myself with Brandy and Julie

We recieved a beautiful vase from Diego and Julie, along with a photo scrapbook of our wedding made by Julie. The scrapbook is really nice, and I look at it at least once a day. My parents sent us flowers along with a card. The flowers are in the new vase and it looks really beautiful. We also recieved a card and money from our good friend Ro and his wife, and then the other day we got a card and money from my Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Mike.

This weekend my good friends Lenny and Luba are driving down from San Francisco to come visit us. I am so excited to see them! I haven't seen them since September, and this will be the first time that Luba and Alfonso will meet.

I have another three weeks of work left (6 shifts) and I am literally counting down the days. Work has been fairly decent, but I am experiencing quite a bit of back and joint pain. Alfonso is helpful with easing the lower back pain with his massages. I have also been taking baths to help ease some of the muscle tension. Generally I feel large and clumsy. I am still sleeping well, so I am thankful for that.

The other day I had a doctors visit, and she confirmed through ultrasound that the baby is head down. Hopefully he will stay that way and not flip back over. My OB doctor told me that I look great and so far everything is looking normal. She prescribed me iron tablets to help with anemia, especially after the delivery.

How your baby's growing:This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and measures 17.2 inches from the top of his head to his heels. His skin is becoming less red and wrinkled, and while most of his bones are hardening, his skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. This will help him ease out of your relatively narrow birth canal.

2007-04-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I will be starting my 31st week. I can hardly believe that we are almost to the end. In some ways this pregnancy has gone by quickly, but in other ways it has been slow. I've been feeling pretty good lately. I've been having some mid back pain, but this week I have felt better. I went to go see my OB doctor on Tuesday. She said everything looked good and that whatever I am doing to keep doing. Now I will be going every two weeks X3, then every week until the baby is delivered.

My blood count from last month looked normal, but she wrote me a prescription for iron tablets because women generally become more anemic in the 3rd trimester and I will loose blood during the delivery. I asked her if she could tell where the baby was positioned due to the movements I have been feeling lately. When she palpated my abdomen, she thought that he was lying head down but couldn't really tell because he is still pretty small. I think that he has his head down, because occasionally I will feel his head turn from one side to the other in my pelvic region, especially when I am sitting upright. Also, when he is super active, he will kick and I can see two different sides of my upper abdomen going up and down. Christopher's waking hours seem to be in the evening when I am watching television, at night when I am trying to fall asleep or in the morning when I am finished with breakfast.

I am still waiting for my desk to arrive from Pottery Barn. It was supposed to come on Tuesday, but they had to reorder it because it had been damaged during the delivery. So, we are still typing on our laps, and the printer remains on the floor in the guest room. This weekend Alfonso is going to paint the guest bedroom. I hope it turns out ok. We chose a light green in hopes that it will look nice with the cream/white colored carpet. We still need to buy a bookcase for all of our books, but it's not a big priority at this moment.

Lately I've been checking out craig's list for baby items. There are some items that I do not need brand new since the baby will grow out of it so quickly. The other day I bought a Baby Bjorn carrier and Snugglenest for $65 total from this woman in Marina del Rey. Brand new, these items would have cost $180. Now I am looking at a second infant car seat base that normally costs $40, but a family in Van Nuys is selling it for $10. Next I have my eyes set on mini co-sleeper (it's like a bassinet that is connected to the side of the bed) that normally runs $120, but is being sold for $60 by a family in Chatsworth. After I have bought my mini co-sleeper, I think I am set for now. My parents bought us our car seat and stroller (which I prefer to have new and we can also use it for another child later on) and I am waiting for it to be delivered.

I am still working by two days a week (24 hrs), but I will be taking maternity leave at 36 weeks. Work is really exhausting for me, not only are the night hours are hard on me, but the running around is getting to be difficult. Alfonso has been working a lot lately, so that we are prepared for when the baby comes. He worked extra last night and is going to be working extra tonight.

Overall we are doing well. :) Until next time.

Love, Becky

Our weekend together

2007-04-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

I started to feel kind of punky last week and ended up getting sick over the weekend. I just had a lot of sinus congestion, sore throat, fever and body achiness. I called off from work Friday and Saturday and spent my time resting and with Alfonso. Alfonso painted the baby's room this weekend, so it was quite productive. We are both really excited and happy with the finished product and hope to start decorating it in the next month or two. Hopefully our baby furniture will arrive in the next couple of weeks.

We went to Costco on Saturday and bought $300 worth of toilet paper, diaper wipes, zip lock baggies, dish washing soap, dish pads, toothbrushes, shampoo, lotion, razor blades, gum, and other sorts of items. We also bought two lbs of crab meat that was $10/pound. We had quite a feast Saturday night; this was the most crab that we had ever eaten. It was literally coming off in chunks. It was sooo good. Here are some photos of our crab feast:

At night time I like to light candles on top of the mantle. My sister gave me a little statue of a pregnant woman for my birthday that I have sitting on the mantle. When I light the candles, the pregnant woman statue creates a shadow on the wall. It looks really cool. Here is a photo of her:

28 weeks and counting

2007-03-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

We are officially into our third trimester! Yaaaay! However, I am starting to experience some aches and pains that I didn't have before. Since last week, I've been having quite a bit of lower back pain. I think it's due to my expanding belly and the stretching of my abdominal and pelvic muscles. These muscles no longer support my back as well as they used to. I've been taking Tylenol, (which does not help at all) warm baths, and wearing my belly/back brace for support. I have another 8-9 weeks left of work, and I just want to make it to the end.

I chose some paint samples for the babies room last week. I am thinking of a neutral/sandy tone to go with the dark cherry color of the furniture. Our crib and dresser should be arriving in mid-April. I've been researching glider chairs, and I am going to check out a couple more today.

Last week was my 28th birthday. My parents sent us newborn and 3 month t-shirts, 2 bath towels with hoods, and baby socks. We also recieved a hand made quilt from my mom's sister Sue. The quilt is amazing- with designs inprinted from the baby cards that my mom had when she was born. Along the pink border is an inscription that reads "To the most precious baby in the whole world. You are loved. From your great aunt Sue." The quilt is very sturdy and will be able to withstand washings and other forms of use.

This is what is going on with the baby developmentally:
Your baby's head is in proportion with body now. He appears more like a newborn each and every day! Fat continues to accumulate under the skin -- only now preparing for entering the *real world*. Your baby's brain can control primitive breathing and body temperatures. His eyes can move in their sockets. Soon he will be able to follow a blinking light. Your baby is increasingly sensitive to changes in light, sound, taste, and smell! Various studies show that your baby may indicate preferences (or disdain) for particular tastes or odors at this stage. He is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, he will move to the head down birthing position. At times you may feel as if he is performing somersaults for a circus act! Her length is now approximately 15.2 inches (38.6cm) and weight is 2.54 pounds (1153gm)

At 18 weeks and 28 weeks. What will 38 weeks look like?

Enjoying our home, preparing for Christopher

2007-03-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

It has been two weeks now since we moved into our new place. It feels so nice to be living in a place of our own and to not have the same worries as living in an apartment complex. Just before we moved from our apartment, we had our bikes stolen (they were double locked and inside a cage) and the constant noise level and destruction of common areas was just annoying. Plus the apartment complex management were just plain incompetent and rude.

We had our good friends Diego and Julie over for dinner tonight. Diego's daughter Vivian (she is almost 15) joined us as well. We made our favorite dinner of marinated chicken (using Italian dressing) placed on the grill, and seasoned vegetables (potatoes, yams, carrots, red onion seasoned with oregano, bit of salt and seasoning) baked in the oven. We also had a garden salad, corn bread, and for dessert brownies and vanilla ice cream. Alfonso and I really love marinating chicken and grilling it- it just tastes so flavorful. Next week we are going shopping for a little grill so that we can grill food and not have to use the common grill up the hill by the pool.

I have been doing some planning for the baby lately- I have most items registered at www.babiesrus.com and www.target.com Planning for the baby is a little overwhelming, so I am appreciate of any input and suggestions. I am trying to choose the most necessary items, but I really do not know what items are good and what items are not. I have been trying to read reviews, but some people give positive reviews of items and others give negative views. So, any helpful tips and suggestions are much appreciated. :)

We have our doctors appointment tomorrow. I will be fasting for 6 hrs and then taking a high sugary drink called Glucola. After drinking the Glucola, I need to have my blood drawn an hr later to see what my fasting blood glucose is. I will be in my 3rd trimester in two weeks, so soon I will be going to the doctors every two weeks and then every week for the last month.

We are starting to get excited, knowing that in just 3 months little Christopher will be here with us. He has been really active, and his strength is growing. I no longer feel gentle tapping but little thumpings. Sometimes when I watch tv, I will see my stomach move out of the corner of my eye. I believe that his head is still facing upwards and his feet and down near my bladder. Sometimes I have the sensation that he is sitting on my bladder and then I have to go to the bathroom frequently. Here is a picture of me taken earlier today. I am wearing a dress that I bought from the Gap, it's very light and comfortable. This week the temperature is in the 90's, so I have been trying to dress cooly.

Our new home

2007-03-09T17:22:00.000-08:00

I realize that it has been over a month since I last posted. Since we came back from MI/GA in early January, we started to look at houses. This time, we started to look at homes 30 minutes north of Los Angeles in a community called Santa Clarita. Santa Clarita is more of a family-friendly community with affordable housing, better schools, and less traffic and congestion than Los Angeles. Although driving to work would take 30 minutes without traffic each way, we weighed the benefits and chose to move to Santa Clarita.

Within our second week of house searching, we came across a home that we both really liked. By this time, we were working exclusively with one realtor who was recommended by a friend of ours. Also, his son works as a RN at the same hospital as us, so we had heard about him through word of mouth. We placed an offer on the house during the 3rd week of January and were expected to close February 21st.

Meanwhile, I had to move out of my apartment by January 28th (my current lease was ending) and I had to move everything into storage until we moved into our home. Alfonso had given 30 day notice on his apartment and had cancelled his utilities. We looked into hiring movers for our move-in day of February 25th. With one week left before move-in, we had everything ready.

Then we get a call from our realtor saying that the seller (who is a realtor herself) needed another two weeks on the home before we could move in. She currently had a tenant who needed more time before he moved out. We were upset since we had given notice to our apartment complex and had cancelled our utilites in advance. We were basically without a place to live after February 25th. We told our realtor this, and said he would tell the seller. Alfonso decided to check the MLS listings at work one night, and saw that our house had been put back on the market.

We started to get a bad feeling about the situation. We soon found out that the seller was trying to cancel escrow on the house. Our realtor reassured us that she couldn't cancel escrow, and the VP of our branch was involved in the situation. Our realtor reassured us that we would close February 21st, regardless of the seller. After several stressful days, (we were feeling pretty helpless at this point) we signed our final papers for the loan and waited for the bank to fund our loan. We officially closed on the house Thursday, February 22nd (a day late due to Monday being President's Day) and I picked up the keys Friday, February 23rd.

To this day, we believe that the seller was trying to get out of escrow due to a higher offer. We have heard several different stories from her- ranging from the tenant needed another two weeks before he moved (however, when I was opening the accounts for the utilities in early February, the operators were telling me that the power and water were going to be turned off on the 19th/20th of February and not two weeks later) or that she had another tenant that needed to occupy the house for only one month, so she didn't want to cancel the agreement with the other tenant.

Also, as part of our contingency, we had wanted the carpets cleaned prior to moving in. The seller did not agree to clean the carpets, so we made arrangements to have the carpets cleaned before we moved in. However, when I picked up the keys Friday evening, there was a note from the seller saying that she was willing to pay for the carpet cleaning and to give her a call. We later had her reimburse us for the cost of the cleaning, but we found it sort of strange.

Overall, the experience went well except for the last week of escrow. We didn't have any difficulties securing a loan and we were able to shop around and negotiate with various lenders. However, the other day I woke up from a bad dream- I dreamt that the seller was trying to get the house back!

Here are some photos of our new home:

Our home is three levels, with the garage, closet and entranceway on the bottom level. You go up a flight of stairs to the second level with the living room, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms, full bath and utility closet. The third level has the Master bedroom and bath.

Attached garage

Side section off of garage for storage

Living Room

Dining room

Kitchen

Baby Christopher's room

Guest room

Our new front loading washer and dryer in the utility closet

Full size bathroom downstairs

We also have a little balcony off to the side of the living room. This little nook is where we are going to have our computer station.

Balcony

Another flight of stairs to the master bedroom and bathroom

Our Bedroom

Master bathroom with two sinks!

Master bathroom with tub and shower

Now, nearly two weeks after moving in, we are very happy with our home. It feels so nice to be able to call a place home and to be proud owners. We now have all of our major appliances installed and running (washer, dryer and refrigerator) and we are slowly decorating the place. Our next big project is to get ready for the baby (I have another 14 weeks left until my due date) and we are planning on hosting a house warming party with our friends and co-workers (and family members for those who can join us) Saturday, April 14th. The baby shower will be in mid-May. :)

20 weeks

2007-02-01T19:14:00.000-08:00

Lately we've been really busy with buying the house and searching for refrigerators, washers, and dryers. We will be closing on the house February 21st, and moving in on the 25th. It's been a little chaotic lately, but hopefully everything will slow down during the next couple of weeks.

We had our 20 week ultrasound with the perinatologist on Tuesday. This ultrasound was to look at the different organ systems and make sure that the baby is progressing well. So far everything looks normal- they measured the brain, kidneys, bladder, legs, and cervix. The ultrasound tech commented on how much movement the baby was doing. She said it looked like he was pushing down on his legs so that he could change into another position. I just hope that the baby does not do too much movement and will not turn into a breech position by the time of delivery.

The screening for Downs Syndrome was negative, and the baby does not have a cleft palate (as was viewed during the ultrasound). We could see the four different chambers of the heart, and his heart rate was normal at 143 beats per minute. The baby measured 25cm in length (10 inches) and weighs 15 ounces (about 1 lb). We could see his little hands and feet and at one point he sucked on his fingers.

I can feel the baby moving- he is starting to get stronger. I had Alfonso put his hand on my lower belly and he could feel the baby moving around.

Lately I've been having quite a few nosebleeds. I think it has something to do with the heat drying out my sinuses and the increased hormones softening my mucous membranes. I normally do not have nosebleeds (I think the last one I had was when I was four) so this has been a little new for me. I don't dare blow my nose hard (even though I wake up every morning feeling a little stuffy) and I may just ask my OB during my next appointment about a OTC nasal spray for the dryness.

We are still looking at names, but we are going to narrow it down to three names by the time the baby is born. We want to include a middle name, so we will have a couple of different combinations. We'll keep everyone updated on which names we choose.

Here is the baby waving bye to everyone: :)