Once a Poppyseed, now a Honeydew!

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What an incredible journey!, another week goes by and now we are only 23 days away from welcoming Lucas into this world! Once in my dreams, then the size of a little tiny poppyseed, now the size of a honeydew, our little man could breathe on his own if he was born right now!

As he is getting into position down in my pelvis, he is also sitting comfortably on my bladder! This kid is making me pee about a million times a day...and night!!!! But he will be off my bladder and in my arms in no time and that image keeps me going!

Today I saw the OB for our weekly appointment and things didn't really go as I hoped. The truth is that the last 3 days have been a little rough! The discomfort and pain that I haven't felt in 9 months of pregnancy, I'm suddenly experiencing...the back pain, the cramping, some nausea, pressure, and even crazy itching in my arms, legs and chest!

Anna, the nurse practitioner, walked into the room today and right after her usual "hello my sweet girl", she paused and said "you are not looking very good today!" and indeed, I wasn't! My blood pressure was a bit high, my heart rate was 130 and I gained 3.5 pounds in 1 week so I think preeclampsia crossed her mind! She said fortunately my urine was negative (no protein) so that's a good sign but I have to start "resting" again! She suggested I drink "much more" water and lay down because kidneys function better that way! I also have to keep an eye on the itching because it can mean that the baby is pushing on my gallbladder and blocking or putting pressure on my bile duct, which could turn into a complication! I have to watch my weight, my blood pressure and of course call immediately for any concerns!!! Needless to say when I got back to the shop and saw my mom, as soon as she asked "how did it go?', I lost it and cried :(

On a brighter note, this past week I continued working on getting things ready! Lucas's room is almost done, laundry was done, folded, hung and the older clothes put away, swing was built, car seat installed, stroller put together, and my mom and I started putting the last touches on the mural/growth chart that will brighten his room!....we also got some pictures taken and we can't wait to see them, so stay tuned for hopefully some good shots!!!

His table with his books and piggy bank!!!

Crib is made and ready for night night!

Swing is set in the living room and
 ready to soothe our little man!!

Carseat installed....check!

Zebra is ready to go! 

I can see you!

Dear Lucas:

These are ten of my greatest hopes for you, my son...

1. I hope that daddy and I instill in you a love of education, books, and seeking knowledge. Read everything! Fill your head with philosophies, math, history and science. Education is one of the few things in life that can never be taken away from you. No matter what you become, be the BEST!

2. Travel the world. Experience as many different countries and cultures as possible. Learn from them and respect them, take every opportunity to go and do and see!

3. Seek out your passions. Grow them! It doesn't matter what they are, know that you are capable of reaching whatever goal you can dream up and set for yourself. Invest in you.

4. Do not be afraid to speak up when you feel something is unfair, unjust or harmful. We are all deserving of kindness. There is no cause or difference worthy of belittling or bullying others. Doing the right thing is not always the popular thing but it will always be worth it.

5. I hope that one day you know what it feels like to love another person with all of your heart. Take your time and never rush into the matters of the heart. Enjoy your youth and be carefree but when you're ready, loving someone else faithfully and completely will be one of the greatest gifts of your life.

6. Of course, I hope that you know what it feels like to be loved by another person with all of their heart. When you do fall in love, make sure that person is willing to give the same to you. You are worth the effort and always remember that true love is an equal partnership.

7. May your heartbreaks in life be minimal. They will happen and although they can feel consuming and paralyzing, know that they are a part of your story. The hurt will shape you and it will make you a wiser and better person. Learn from every experience. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is allow yourself to be vulnerable.

8. Have a group of friends who will be loyal and encouraging. Over the course of your life you will hold many friendships so don't waste time on anyone who is not good to you. Let the lessons from all of these relationships allow you to build a circle of friends who will always be there to stand with you in the highest and lowest moments of your life.

9. No matter what happens to you, remember that daddy and I are here to care for you, guide you and support you. Even if we disagree with you, don't ever be afraid to come to us for help. We may not always have the answers or the means, but we'll be in it together. Our love for you is without limits or conditions and it will always be that way.

10. Never forget your faith and love for Jesus. I know we don't go to church often, but we feel very blessed to have everything that we have and we thank Him often. Please develop a relationship with Him and let Him be the north star that guides your life.

When I think of your future, my heart can barely contain the hope it holds for you. You are still in my belly now, but the days are moving fast and I'm taking every opportunity to be purposeful and open about my dreams for you. But these words are just that! Merely a launching pad for the possibilities of your life! Who will you become? What will you achieve? Only time will reveal those things. I am certain that the very best thing I will ever do in my life has already begun. In whatever you accomplish, you will be my greatest legacy.

Te amo con todo mi corazon,
Mommy

I'm going coco-NUTS!!!!!

Today turned out to be a pretty wonderful day!!!! Even though it started with a doctor's appointment this morning where I learned I have gained a total of 25 pounds since the beginning of this pregnancy (which sounds crazy to me!), the highlight of the day/month/year was that we got to schedule the BIG day!!!!

Our little Lucas will make his debut June 21st, 2012 at 10:30a.m.

Although I really thought that it would be a couple of days sooner (we had originally thought of the 18th), the nurse practitioner explained to me that since it was written on my chart that my original due date is June 27th, doing it any sooner than the 20th would be grounds for liability for the doctors...I guess I can see how people could sue the practice for doing something "sooner" than they should have....I tried to talk to her and tell her that from the very beginning it was written wrong and never changed but I guess it was the official document so there was no argument!!!! No matter what, the real countdown now begins....31 days until my little stinky booty is in my arms!!!!!

At today's appointment, Lucas's heart was beating strong and beautifully at 147 beats per minute and I have to admit that hearing the drumming of that tiny heart is always magical! I look forward to the appointments just to hear that "thump, thump, thump"...It truly solidifies the bond and oneness I share with this little one!!

As far as baby this week, it is all a matter of continuing to add that adorable baby fat as he gets ready to make his entrance! He will continue gaining about half a pound a week until delivery and the stem cells in his bone marrow will continue making red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets to maintain his immune system.

Another Week Flies By!

How far along am I? 34 weeks and I still can't believe this journey is going to end soon!

Total weight gain? Well as of last week at the doctor's office, I have gained almost 22 pounds! Holly Molly!!!

Sleep? Not much AT ALL!!! Lucas loves keeping me up tossing, turning and kicking usually between 3am-430am and I have to admit that I'm not very good at going to bed much earlier than 11pm-12am, so I really can't complain!!!! Also having to get up and pee about 2-3 times a night interrupts any possible "resting" time!....ALL worth it :)  

How am I feeling? I'm still feeling pretty good although at times feeling a little anxious about the BIG day! Normal, right? I also feel much bigger than I look (apparently!), getting more and more tired, fatigued, occasional heart burn and crazy Braxton-Hicks remain pretty frequent and now my legs and feet are starting to swell noticeably!...again, ALL worth it :) !!!! 

Best moments this week? Mother's Day was yesterday and it was wonderful to hear everyone congratulating me on my very first one! Even though Lucas is not here yet, it was wonderful and sweet to be acknowledged as a "mom"...My mom also made this bag that said it all! and it brought tears to my eyes when she gave it to me. A bag full of M&Ms (my favorite!) with  a special message: "Green is for the inspiration you give me each day, Blue is for the passion you are showing along the way, Orange is for your warmth and caring style, Yellow is for the way you always make me smile, Red is for my life that you have touched for 30 years...You place a light in my hands that melts into my heart and lives forever. You are "Magnificent & Marvelous", Thank you for being my M&M. You will be the "best mom", Lucas is already very proud of you. Love you :)" it was so simple and yet so perfect! Thanks Manis!!!

Movement? Lucas seems pretty active although he remains shy! not a lot of people have been able to feel him kick!!! I do love feeling him move around and looking at my belly getting deformed at times because of his movement is just awesome!

Belly Button? Well, it is definitely not an outie but not an innie either....just plain flat!!!! Weird! 

Food cravings? Not really having any specific cravings, but I was SOOOOO happy to find these at Target for $1, because they take me back to my younger years!!!!

What am I looking forward to? Finishing up the nursery!!!

Baby milestones? Our weekly email says that Lucas is now urinating about 1 pint per day so we better get those diapers ready!!!! Also, the protective vernix coating on his skin is becoming thicker and the lanugo hair is almost gone!!! It also says he will be getting in the "ready-position" for descend (head down) but this child is already and overachiever, he has been head down since week 26!!! (Stay in there buddy, you don't need to get TOO ready!)

34 Weeks and loving it!

Lucas is as big as a WHAT???

No idea what this fruit (a durian) is but it is absolutely amazing that my little man has reached this size!!! According to our weekly email, Lucas is growing quickly and constantly changing in preparation for his arrival! He is keeping his eyes open while awake, he is starting to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing, his bones are hardening and his brain continues to go through major development!

Today we had that ultrasound that I was having such a hard time being patient about because when the nurse practitioner scheduled it 4 weeks ago, she had mentioned that it was because my belly was smaller than what it should be or had to be at the time.  Even though she never made me think that she was concerned about Lucas's growth, that was a thought that I couldn't escape from and it truly hunted me for weeks!....that was until I saw his little face on that screen today, until I saw him "waving" to mommy and grandma Manis, who I felt so blessed to have there to share that moment with (seeing him even brought tears to her eyes), and hearing his heartbeat, seeing his little spine, his head, his brain, his femur, even his "pieces" (yes, he was showing off!!!)...All I could think about was "God, I'm just so in loved with him already!" but then the ultrasound tech asked "how tall are you mom?" I answered with some hesitation, then she asked, how about dad?", when I said 5'11", she smiled and said something like "well, looks like Lucas is going to be a BIG BOY, he is measuring perfectly and he is already weighing 5lbs 3oz!!!!" I couldn't believe it!, he is already bigger than Craig was when he was born and we still have 7 weeks to go!!!!!!!, Nonetheless, I couldn't stop smiling...my belly may not be that big but I think because of his size, I can really feel him kicking my right kidney, crushing my ribs and "bear-hugging" my heart and lungs depending on how I'm positioned!!!

After the ultrasound, the nurse got my weight (which didn't change much from last time) and took us back to the room. We waited to see Anna (the nurse practitioner) and after looking at the ultrasound pictures and readings, she shared my excitement about Lucas's development! She had a medical student with her so she asked if she could measure my belly, and of course it measured small...again!!!! I'm measuring at 27 weeks even though I'm 33 weeks today!!! But there is no more worrying :) Anna then asked if I had spoken to the cardiologist about delivery and I told her that he had voiced his concern about the possible length of time a woman can be in labor since that is one of God's great mysteries! She then stopped me mid-sentenced and said "well then, we will schedule a c-section to make sure you don't go in distress". I was happy....I know not many people get happy at the thought of major surgery, but I really felt a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. We tentatively scheduled it for Monday June 18th with Dr. Datell but will make it official in 2 weeks when I go back to the office!!! "What if I go into labor early?" I asked a little bit concerned right before I left, and she replied "when we determine that it is truly labor, then we will take you to get the c-section right then!".....with that said, I left that office with my 6 week countdown, a BIG smile on my face, ultrasound pictures of my baby boy in hand and more ready than ever to meet him!!! June 18th is one day before my mom's birthday and she says this will be the "best gift ever" :)