Week 26 Update

Total weight gain:

Not sure, around 15lbs

Body changes:

Everything is growing and widening at this point. I feel pregnant lol

Sleep: 

Not so good. I’m starting to feel more uncomfortable and I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night more.

Best moment this week: 

Thanksgiving, getting our Christmas tree and spending time with my family.

Gender:

Boy!  

Food Cravings / Aversions: 

Sweets and carbs. Sigh.

What I miss:

Feeling skinny and the usual I mention every week.

Symptoms:

Braxton Hicks contractions.

Movement: 

Lots of kicking and movement this week. Little guy is excited for the holidays!

What I am looking forward to:

Holiday time and listening to Christmas music. It’s my favorite time of the year!

Milestones: 

I have so many things on my to do list at the moment, I feel a little overwhelmed. One thing at a time I tell myself. I just hope I can get lots of it done by end of the year.

Thought of the week: 

Gobble Gobble J

I'm a Doctor!

I still can't quite believe my final defense is over and it all went out down successfully and I was announced a doctor of marriage and family therapy November 19th! It's the best feeling in the world. All the hard work over the years has finally paid off. The day was unforgettable. It was so nice having my family and some of my close friends there to watch me defend. Then we celebrated the day with a delicious lunch at St. Regis, followed by some quality play time with Maia. I went for my usual walk with Maia and Lucky and at 4pm and it was nice to have that time to myself and just reflect on the entire day. Then we had drinks at our house and ended up at Michael's Genuine for a wonderful dinner. It was just family, small and intimate and just how I wished it to be.

My presentation went really well. I kept it just on time and didn't feel like I missed anything either. I felt calm and relaxed and wasn't as nervous as I usually am during presentation. Maybe baby boy helped me with that ;) and probably because I simply new the information all too well and that gave me confidence. I did have a case of prego brain during the Q&A but what can ya do. My brain was fried and I was quite exhausted. Nevertheless it was a lovely discussion that ended in tears around the table.

Now as the end of a long journey ends, the beginning of a new chapter starts and I couldn't be more excited. I know I want to make my dissertation into a book and that is going to require lots of hard work but for right now I am focusing more on my clinical work and getting licensed. It will be nice to not have to worry about deadlines, writing chapters, editing etc. and to finally get paid for my work on a consistent basis.

Today I am already seeing a substance abuse group at the barn with my team so that should be interesting. Too bad the weather isn't better but we'll power through. Then it's a quite night at home with some cooking and tomorrow I'm off to a baby shower with Maia and then we meet our paradise farms group for a reunion dinner.

Things are going to get busy down here now that the season is about to kick off. Art Basel is around the corner and the rents and Villanueva's will be down here for a week so that should be fun. Then we had to Atlanta for pre-christmas time and are back down in Miami for the week of christmas.
We are getting our tree next weekend, and I already started decorating so I'm super excited to decorate the tree and make our house into holiday spirit. We didn't do anything last year because we weren't here and still Brad gave me such grief for that so this year I will make it extra nice ;)

Ok, I have to run and get ready and maybe start some of my last edits on my paper before it's off to the publisher yippie!

Week 25 Update

Total weight gain:

15 pounds.

Body changes:

Veins are showing more on my belly. Breasts and belly bigger.  

Sleep: 

Ok. I wake up sometimes and can’t fall back asleep. Back has been fine though. Sometimes I just can’t sleep even when I’m tired. Arrgh…

Best moment this week: 

Defending my dissertation and becoming a DOCTOR! I still can’t believe it! I’m on cloud 9!

Gender: 

Boy.

Food Cravings / Aversions:

Nothing specific. Maybe cereal. Chocolate.  

What I miss:

The same things I’ve been missing…sushi, hot bath, yoga and champagne.

Symptoms:

Feeling really great with no complaints. Oh, wait, big time prego brain. Wow. I ordered Maia’s name to put on her door and I ordered the individual letters and put it together with a shoelace. It read Maiai and I didn’t realize it until Brad pointed it out to me. Not only did I order it that way, I put it together thinking it read completely normal. Wow, scary moment. Prego brain you suck.

Movement: 

Oh yes. This week so much more than last week.

What I am looking forward to:

Getting the nursery done! Our beloved bed is leaving this weekend. It will have a new home with our nanny. It’s our gift to her and she’s so happy! Now I can start planning things. If only PB  had a damn sale right now!

Milestones: 

Making my dissertation into a book…sigh.

Thought of the week:

Just call me doc ;) 

Week 24 Update

Total weight gain:

We’ll know more on Thursdays. I am guessing around 12-15 pounds.

Body changes:

Strong nails. Thick hair. Pregnancy mask more visible in face. Water retention. Bigger belly. 

Sleep: 

Pretty good. No real back pain.

Best moment this week: 

Having a couples dinner with my bestie and her hubby. I wish they lived closer, wah!

Gender: 

BOY. Junge. Chico.

Food Cravings / Aversions: 

Chocolate and dairy. I’ve had more yoghurt and milk (cereal) than usual.

What I miss:

Feeling in shape.

Symptoms:

Low energy when it comes to psychical workout. Prego brain.

Movement: 

Yes, a little less than I felt the past two weeks.

What I am looking forward to:

My final defense next Tuesday! It’s finally here. So happy it will be over soon.

Milestones:

3^rd trimester ;)  

Thought of the week: 

My prayers go out to the Phillipines. It’s so sad to the see the devastation the typhoon has caused in some of the cities. Why do the people with the least infrastructure often get hit the hardest…heartbreaking.

Tired but with a Glow

I've been feeling awesome and have no complaints with this pregnancy except the occasional back pain but I really just need to be happy things are going so smoothly. I hope it stays that way and I'm very grateful for how it's been so far. When I think about women who are sick for nine months or have other issues, I am lucky. I simply wouldn't know how to manage given I have a 1.5 toddler to take care of. It would be so tough if I was sick and or had nausea half the time. How do women do it?! Maia wants to be carried a lot these days, and I'm not sure if its my growing belly that she likes as a cushion or if it's just her age lol. It sure is keeping my arms in shape but sometimes I wonder how much I can do it the more pregnant I get. It's especially hard on my walks with Lucky, the stroller and Maia. Maia hates being in her stroller once we get to the park, but then half way through she wants to be carried and refuses to go back in the stroller. So there I am, carrying Maia, hold lucky on the leash and pushing a stroller…not to mention the big bowling ball of a belly I carry around. Phew, it's tiring. I can definitely tell that at the end of the day I am more tired than usual. My days are so busy from the minute I get up and then once I get to cooking dinner I am pooped. I've definitely been planning easier meals that don't require me to stay in the kitchen for too long. Sometimes I prep in the afternoon or I cook so I have leftovers for at least one night during the week where I don't have to cook.

Maia just over another teething phase that was quite painful. Now she's back to her cute self and just so much fun. She makes us laugh every day with the things she does it's just too cute. The girl loves to be outside. She is so outdoorsy it's great. She will roll around in the grass/dirt, pick up stones, berries, and just be totally content exploring nature, it warms my heart. I think there is nothing better for kids to be outside as much as possible. To be in touch with nature. We simply don't encourage that enough in our society. She loves her hello kitty crocs and it's hilarious to watch her form her own opinions now. She is such a girl. She already tells me what shoes she does or doesn't want to wear. Most of the time, it's only one pair she wants to wear…her hello kitty crocs, go figure. Most of her words end or begin with a "sh" which is so funny and cute to listen to. Papish is a big favorite. I think it's because in swiss german so many words are pronounced with a "sh" that she is practicing …a lot LOL.
She is becoming more and more interested in potty training. Although we haven't started yet I am thinking once she turns 19 months we will give it a try. My sisters believe in the once you start, you never go back method. Meaning, diapers are taken away all at once and never used again (only at nights). So, it begins with the weekend training of going basically naked all the time, showing them the potty a lot, especially at the times they usually go. And so on, until they get it. It's not going to be easy but I want to do it before baby boy gets here. It would be so nice to have at least one child out of diapers :)

My final defense is just around the corner! So excited to get it done and move on with my life! I so excited to relax the month of december and just enjoy the holidays. I have all kinds of plans to garden, xmas shop, bake, cook, and just have some me time.

Today, I bought Maia an outdoor slide, and a water/fountain play toy with all kinds of sea animals that go in it. I'm so excited for her to see it, I think she's going to love them both. I also got her 3 new pairs of shoes. I can't believe how expensive kids shoes are, and you constantly need new ones! They grow so fast! They are soooo cute though, it's hard not to buy more than you really need.

Ok, I'm going to call it a night or at least head to bed to watch some tv. I'm computer'ed out!

ps: oh with the title of this post I meant…I am more tired with each week of pregnancy but I do feel like I have a glow with this pregnancy that I didn't have before. Must be the boy. My skin is also so good and my belly seems rounder and pointier than it did with Maia. I guess what they say about having boys is somewhat true…

Week 23 Update

Total weight gain:

Not sure, I will know more next week at my 6 month check up.

Body changes:

Bigger belly. Dry skin. Pregnancy mask.

Sleep: 

Better, but awake early mornings. I can only sleep so long until my lower back starts hurting.

Best moment this week: 

Spending precious time with Maia. Seeing Maia in her first Halloween costume J

Gender: 

Boy!

Food Cravings / Aversions:

Cereal. I caved. I waited this long but this week I bought a box of rice crispy (chocolate) and I’m so enjoying it! Funny enough, another prego girl was picking out bad cereals when I was at the store, and even though I wanted cocoa puffs or reeses captain crunch, I pulled it together and chose the somewhat healthier option haha.

What I miss:

Not being out of breath walking a flight of stairs. Seeing my vagina in the shower (sorry, just had to say that), ….the usual…sushi, baths, champagne, over medium eggs without feeling guilty when I do have them.

Symptoms:

Lethargic especially at day’s end. Lower back pain at times.

Movement: 

Yes, quite a bit.

What I am looking forward to:

My next massage ;)

Milestones: 

Getting my garden back in shape, and finishing…I mean starting…nursery.

Thought of the week: 

I can’t wait to meet my baby boy!