sometimes too much research is not a great thing..

i went to the dentist today and got a cleaning.. here's a little secret about me.. i hate flossing.. i do it because i have to.. and in reality.. i don't do it half as much as i should.. and obviously.. you can't lie about that.. so i got called out on it.. and i know she's right.. so mark my words.. i will do a better job starting today.. it seems that there's a thing called "pregnancy gingivitis" and there's no way in hell that i want to get that.. imagine that on top of everything else??

speaking of everything else.. i know you don't know me very well.. at least most of you don't.. so here's something that is important information.. i'm a research freak.. i like to know as much as possible about anything that i might be experiencing.. in this case.. childbirth.. since i have NO clue what will really be going down.. i've been doing my research.. and honestly, there is such a thing as knowing a little too much.. feel free to stop reading at this point because i'm about to tell you something that most people had NO idea about.. ok.. if you're still reading, it's at your own peril.. so here we go.. did you know that after you've been pushing for hours.. and finally see that teeny tiny baby.. your work is not done.. that's where all the movies end.. that's what most of your friends have probably told you.. but guess what.. you're not done because you still need to push out the placenta!!!!! have you heard of such a thing????? yeah.. me either.. so you get the cute baby and then you push for another 15 minutes or so.. and get this placenta out.. i'm told it kind of looks like a deflated water balloon.. how sexy is that?? barf barf barf.

i wanted to share this information with you because as i said in the beginning.. this blog will be unfiltered.. i'm not here to sugarcoat pregnancy.. we've all heard all the wonderful parts time and time again.. i'm just here to spread information.. as i find it out.. i'm sure that there is just so much that i have yet to discover.. but readers.. believe me when i tell you that i will share that information with you.. that's a promise.. i will warn you ahead of time though.. i'm not here to shock you or to make you throw up your lunch :)

cuppy

having a belly is acceptable.. but ONLY during pregnancy

forgive me for repeating the following, if i am indeed repeating it.. but did i mention my insane shopping spree at the maternity store last week?? honestly.. you'd think i was in the desert and just saw water.. i full on went nuts.. and by nuts.. i mean i spent more money than i have spent on clothes in years.. in my defense.. because, hey.. i have to stick up for myself sometimes.. so in my defense, i haven't really shopped in years, if you're wondering why.. it's simple.. we ladies, we like to do this thing that when we're a size we don't like.. we just don't buy anything in that size and walk around uncomfortably until we decide to do something about it.. this is a strategy that hardly ever works.. but still.. one that i am a full subscriber to.. so, at the maternity store, i bought all the cute stuff i haven't been buying for years.. cargo pants.. shorts.. cute tops.. pants.. a pair of jeans.. other pants.. dresses.. i could go on and on and on.. and i also rationalized by saying i would be wearing this stuff afterwards as well.. which isn't to say that i plan on not losing weight.. but honestly.. have you seen how cute maternity clothes are these days?? even major brands make clothes for the one time in your life where it seems it is acceptable to be "heavier".. all those jeans that go up to a size 12 max (rock & republic.. seven for all mankind.. you know which ones i'm talking about).. anyway.. turns out they make jeans for pregnant women too.. i just don't understand why they can't service all the in-between sizes.. i mean.. honestly.. it's ridiculous..

ok.. i'm done with that rant.. today marks 17 weeks.. which means that puncakes is now 5 ounces and 5 inches from crown to rump.. or like we adults call it.. head to toe.. AND the major development is that the skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone.. baby is becoming more real by the day!! :) one more thing about puncakes.. by this time next week.. we could possibly know if puncakes is a he or a she.. how cool is that going to be?? i am taking all the mommy advice to heart.. they say to drink something cold and with sugar before the ultrasound so that we can get the "money shot".. isn't that a lovely way of describing it.. but still.. fingers crossed!! :)

well.. i'm off to run some errands.. or more likely.. to kill a few hours before the hubs comes home.. hope everyone's having a good week so far..

cuppy :)

information overload...

so.. last night i get a call from my doctor's office.. they say.. sorry.. but we have some bad news about your last blood test.. and i'm thinking.. oh oh.. this is where this all goes downhill.. so i take a deep breath and ask what the problem is.. this was a blood test for the second trimester screening.. it is meant to be taken between 15 weeks and 18 weeks (i believe).. turns out that they drew my blood at 14 weeks and 6 days.. and i guess one day.. makes a HUGE difference.. can you sense my sarcasm?

anyway.. i went in.. got it done.. and for the first time in i don't know how many blood tests.. the nurse actually found my vein on the first try.. and i think that i might get away without a giant black and blue this time.. fingers crossed!! afterwards, i treated myself to a fruit cup.. and it was fantastic!! :)

other than that, all's been well.. i am planning on visiting my family next month in mexico and we will have a baby shower while i'm there.. and then another one when i come back here.. but that's not till summertime.. anyway, i was looking at baby stuff online, because.. why not? i have all the time in the world.. my friends and husband have jobs.. and i need to find ways to entertain myself.. anyway.. it's insane how many stroller brands are out there.. honestly.. click here for a list and a short breakdown of what's what and which parent's lifestyle fits with which stroller.. it's insane! anyway.. all i really want is a stroller that the baby will be comfortable in.. that i can store baby's stuff under.. and.. that's not so heavy that i want to die every time i lift it and put it down.. and then.. that's not enough.. they even sell "travel systems".. ever heard of those?? nope.. me either.. well.. that's when you do the stroller / car seat combo.. you know.. so you can be color coordinated and so on..

it's actually kind of crazy how much baby info there is out there.. the more i read, the more stuff i think i have to buy.. so i will put it in writing.. and when i start shopping.. if you see me veer too far off this list.. feel free to call me out.. ok.. so here's what i think we need in terms of products (clothes, diapers, bottles, diaper cream, blankets, stuffed animal or two.. are a given.. here's what else we need):
1. car seat - ideally that goes from newborn to whatever the maximum age is.. most newborn car seats seem to go to 1 year and according to research need to be rear-facing for that first year.. oh yeah.. i also want the material to come off the car seat so i can actually wash it.. something tells me babies are a bit on the messy side :)
2. stroller
3. changing table
4. bassinet (i think someone's letting us borrow this part)
5. crib (just wait till i start the research on this one.. i know that the ones where the bars actually come down are no longer being manufactured.. so whichever we get.. i will need to be able to get my 5'1" frame over the bars to reach puncakes
6. baby swing (it's the only product that's been recommended by every single mom)
7. bouncy chair (i'm debating if we need this one.. i feel like a swing might be enough.. but we'll see)

ok.. so that's all i can think of.. if there are any mamas or papas reading this and thinking.. omg.. she has no clue.. feel free to share!! :)

well.. guess it's off to lunch for me.. later readers!

cuppy :)

my little caterpillar

readers - so i have news.. remember that whole dilemma about interviewing and being preggers and all that jazz.. it's all done.. the position is not mine so back to focusing on the baby! :) a part of me is a bit disappointed.. only because if i'm not qualified for this position.. then i can't imagine what i am qualified for.. but the other part of me.. the ever growing part of me is a bit relieved.. i have always wanted to stay home with my baby.. and at this point.. i don't exactly have any other choice.. plus, the fact that newborn care is super expensive.. and if i don't have a job that pays well.. then there's really no point if all the money goes just for childcare.. know what i'm saying??

today marks 16 weeks.. and according to babycenter puncakes is the size of an avocado and for the next few weeks will be doubling in weight.. and increasing in length!! and even more importantly (or maybe really not) puncakes now has toenails!!!! is it just me that finds that exciting?? yes, probably..

i turned 33 this past weekend.. as i mentioned in my last post, we did the grown up thing and had dinner.. i also ended up having, what we call in my parts, a "mexican beer".. know what is?? i will paint the picture.. imagine a hot day.. you're all sweaty and feeling gross.. on a day like that.. there's nothing that tastes better than an ice-cold beer.. in a chilled glass.. with a salt rim and some lemon juice.. are you drooling yet?? that's exactly what i had.. and no one report me.. it was a non-alcoholic beer (o'douls) and it tasted FANTASTIC!!! i almost bought myself a 6-pack of o'douls today.. but that may be going just a bit overboard..

jeremy got me the cutest charm to add to a bracelet he bought me years ago (valentine's 2007).. on our wedding day, he bought me a little pink cupcake (for obvious reasons).. and this last weekend.. a really dainty butterfly.. i asked if it was supposed to represent anything.. and you know what he said?? he said a butterfly starts off as an egg.. then a caterpillar and eventually becomes a beautiful butterfly.. and guess who that sounds similar to??? yup.. puncakes!!! how cute is that?? my little caterpillar is slowly becoming a beautiful baby.. love love :)

cuppy!

week 15

today marks the first day of our 15th week - what does this mean exactly? well, in the last few weeks puncakes has grown by leaps and bounds.. currently the size of an apple! in addition to that, puncakes can now pee (yup... that makes me feel all warm inside).. can make faces (grimace, smile, scowl).. and is currently growing eyelashes! on top of all that.. though puncakes' eyes are still shut.. if i shine a flashlight on my belly today, it will instinctively try to move away from the light.. i will definitely try that experiment a little later.. maybe when it can react to that light with a kick or a punch.. it'll be a game! :)

other than that.. we're firmly and solidly in our second trimester now.. and honestly, what a DIFFERENCE!! i've been able to sleep.. i've been able to enjoy food again (hopefully not too much) and i've been feeling much better all around.. they all say this happens around this time.. but when you're in the middle of wanting to die in weeks 6, 7, 8 and so on.. it doesn't seem like this time will ever come.. but here it is.. and thank goodness!!

that job that i wrote about last time is still up in the air.. i'm supposed to hear back at the end of this week if i will be moving on to round 2.. the reality is that i did as well as i could have.. i was honest.. well, as honest as i could be without mentioning my growing belly.. and should they choose to go another route.. i will take that as a sign to stay home with baby for at least the first 6 months.. i still believe that everything does happen for a reason.. and that we are exactly where we're supposed to be in our lives.. so if this is in the cards.. then i will enjoy staying home with my first baby.. what's better than that?? :)

my birthday's coming up this weekend.. i turn the big 33.. we'll probably be laying low (dinner with friends like grownups tend to do) and as long as i get my strawberry shortcake i'll be good to go.. that's been my favorite cake since foreverrrrrr and hopefully jeremy will buy a giant cake and then i can have leftovers for breakfast, lunch and dinner.. notice the discrepancy?? earlier i mentioned that i hope that i don't enjoy food TOO much.. and here i am.. planning cake for every single meal.. sometimes even i don't understand myself.. oh well.. but on a positive note.. i haven't gained weight yet.. lost 8 pounds in my first trimester.. and this last visit (yesterday).. went up about 2 pounds.. so i'm still at -6.. which technically leaves me room for shortcake!!! :)

the reality of puncakes is slowly starting to sink in.. i still have moments of "NO WAY!".. but those are getting fewer and farther in between.. maybe my brain has caught up with my body? i don't know.. this week, we made things even more official by signing up for our prenatal education classes.. sounds fancy, i know.. but we'll be doing a birthing series.. consisting of breathing techniques and pain management stuff.. and this also includes a maternity tour.. yay!!!!! not sure if they'll take us to where all the little babies are, but i hope so!! :) the other two classes we signed up for are a breastfeeding class.. supposedly it's a lot harder than it looks.. we'll see about that.. i've been pretty well endowed ever since i could have boobs.. i've had them.. so if they're not functional after all this time.. words will be had! finally.. we'll be taking a newborn care class.. that's the one i'm probably most excited about.. i have no clue about teeny tiny babies.. and neither does jeremy.. we'll be needing all the tips we can get in a 3-hour class.. as long as they show me how to burp the baby, bathe the baby and diaper the baby.. i'll be good to go :)

ok.. that's enough writing for now.. on may 5th we get to go in for a part of our second trimester screening.. if puncakes cooperates we'll even be able to officially say HE or SHE.. fingers crossed.. let me put this in writing.. so you'll all see it.. i have a feeling it's a boy.. as does jeremy.. my bbf.. she's been calling puncakes "she" from the get-go.. we've done the old wives' tales and don't come up with anything definitive.. boy according to the chinese calendar.. girl according to the mayans.. girl according to holding my wedding band over my belly with a string (goes side to side).. boy according to hair growth (no need to get into that).. girl according to my imperfect complexion.. and so on.. and so forth.. basically puncakes is a baby of mystery.. hopefully we'll be able to crack the code on the 5th!!!

wish us luck..

cuppy :)