expecting the unexpected

Expecting the unexpected is probably the hardest thing one can do.. I'm sitting here wondering and thinking about the unknown. It drives me insane that someone can't just give me a date and time for me to go into the hospital and check in to have Baby Chon. Sitting here, waiting for her to make her appearance is more brutal than actually going into labor (for what I know at least).

Waiting for the unknown.

Someone said that they think I'll be going a week late, great. That's exactly what I want to hear. I know a lot of first time moms go late with their first, but I was just hoping I'd go on time or even earlier. I'm going to try and do some Old Wives Tales to see if it results in labor. Eugene and I have been walking more often, up and down our street which is about 2 miles total which is said to help with labor. I'm also going to try and eat some eggplant parmesan. I'm not really sure what else I'll try as of now but we'll see what happens, either way my body won't be ready till its ready so I'm sure there's not much I can really do. Either way,

the wait is the kill.

marks of love

Oh the joy of looking into the mirror and seeing tiger stripes also known as stretch marks. I am now officially a mother and can embrace my body. I find it amusing that I thought I was in the clear and right when I hit the 36 mark I get these love stripes. I'm not complaining though, I'm embracing my ever changing body and this is just part of the bigger plan. I love my body and know how important it is for me to have a perfect body for baby, perfect in its own way. Not perfect to anyone else's standard but perfect enough that I can create a living, loving being that will appreciate what I've done for her when she grows up and matures into a woman.

ready.. set... GO!

I'm finally updating. I don't know what I've been doing for the past few weeks that I haven't updated but I guess there just wasn't a lot going on. For the past week though, Eugene and I have been in nesting mode, really more me and him doing everything because I'm asking (ordering) him to do them. Here is a picture update of what's been going on.

On Saturday, 6/4, Eugene and I went to BuyBuyBaby and used our 20% off our entire order coupon to buy the rest of Baby Chon's things. We bought her bath tub, shampoo, lotions, diaper rash creams, baby bottle cleaner, toys, and just about everything you can imagine. Mind you, we don't need half the things until she's at least 6+ months but knowing me and how much I like to stock up, I just had to get everything I knew I would use. 

After we got home, I just had to organize and get things ready so we cleaned the house, set up her pack n play, brought her swing downstairs from her room, and moved the bassinet into our room so the dogs would get used to something else being in the room with them. 

Here's her pack n play, Graco Dempsey, and her swing - all ready for her to use.

Here is her bassinet in our room, all we need is Little Miss to fill her clothes.

This is my glider that is finally finished. I wasn't able to post a picture of it before so I'm finally updating. My mom took the original covers of the glider and sewed new covers for so that the glider accents the room perfectly. I <3 my glider print, my mom did a fantastic job and it works in the room so well!

We're just on a roll with getting things ready for Baby Chon's arrival. We finally got her infant car seat from my nanny family (they donated theirs to us) and it is now installed in my car and the seat is ready to go!

All these things we've done for Baby Chon are just making it more real that she will be here in a mere 4.5 weeks (tentatively of course). Can't wait for all these things to be used and filled with love. 

Hello HONEYdew

How Far Along: 33 Weeks

Size of Baby: Baby is the size of a HONEYdew

Other things baby is up to: Baby's senses are continuing to improve -- when light peeks in through your (extremely) stretched belly, those tiny eyelids and irises blink and dilate. And, baby can now recognize and react to simple songs... time to start practicing your lullabies! Growth (at least inside your womb) is starting to slow, and you may notice baby descend into your pelvis at the end of this month.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 20 lbs at my 32 week appointment, which is great so far. Hoping I gain just 10 more lbs but we'll see what ends up happening! 

Movement: She is just a mellow fellow. She doesn't move very often, no hard kicks but I do feel her all the time. She is definitely laying on the right side with her head down - perfect for delivery. 

Sleep: I won't jinx myself but I'm still getting very good sleep and I am thanking God every night that I do get sleep. 

Symptoms: Acid Reflux, having a sweet tooth (which hasn't changed since the BFP), and a lot of weight on my stomach (I can tell she's gaining weight).

Belly Button: Can you believe it, I'm still an inny!!! My belly button is probably the size that a normal person's belly button is when not pregnant. I tell you, I had the black hole as my belly button!

Milestones: Next week I have my 34 week appointment and then appointments every week afterwards. I just hit 50 more days, can you believe 50 more days? I can't wait to meet this baby girl!!

Looking forward to: How about what am I not looking forward to? Eugene is going on a bachelor party next weekend and I'm not looking forward to being home alone for the weekend -=( 

Next appointment: May 26, 2011

Other: I'm spending some time with some of my sisters this weekend which I'm super excited about. I haven't seen some of these sisters for 2 years or more so it will be a great reunion! <3

my UPS guy stinks

#beginVENT

Here is the list of just some of the things I cannot stand about this guy:

#1 Since I've moved I've been so unhappy with the UPS guy. I used to get things shipped all the time with no problem and the UPS guy would just drop my package off at the door. I know a lot of people might not like the idea of having things just dropped off at the door but its the convenience factor. I was thrown off by this in the beginning too but with so much being shipped to the house, I'd rather him drop things off then having to pick it up at the UPS station  (which is 15 minutes away from the house without traffic) every time something is shipped (and some weeks I get things shipped daily - like this one).

#2 He doesn't come at a certain time slot - alright, that's understandable; sometimes you might have 100 packages and sometimes you might have 50. But I'm talking he comes at 9am, 1pm, 5pm, or 8pm. There is NO set time AT ALL and it drives me up the wall. Especially when the slip says he'll be at my house for the second attempt at 1-3pm and I schedule around it to make sure I'm there and he comes at 9am instead.

#3 Now going back to #1, he doesn't leave anything at the door BUT the one time he does decide to leave something at the door its diapers and wipes that are VISIBLE to the public of what they are. I've gotten TONS of packages in brown boxes that nobody would know what the heck it was inside that I have to pick up at the UPS station, but the one time you can actually tell what the heck is inside the box, he leaves it at the door. Where is the common sense in that? Not only that but of course the one day he decides to leave things at the door it RAINS. The irony in that one boggles my mind.

I just had to vent, I can't stand this guy and I hope I don't have anymore horrible run ins with him or else UPS will be getting a second phone call (yes I've already called them because of his stupidity but that's a whole different story). What Eugene likes to call this is - BULLDOGGING.

definition of BULLDOGGING - someone getting a piece of my mind when they do something idiotic.

#endVENT

showered with love

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing moms out there. Today is a day to acknowledge all that mother's sacrifice and do for their loved ones.

Yesterday was Baby Chon's shower of love. Thank you to Linda and Christina for putting together an amazing shower. I appreciate each of you in my life and I can't imagine having anyone else be better aunties than you two.

I don't have too many pictures just yet since my brother has yet to upload and edit. For now, I'll just put the most important pictures up - the FOOD!

This is a picture of the food table - brats and cheeseburgers/hamburgers, chips, potato salad, coleslaw, the fix ins for the cheeseburger including pickles (which everyone laughed at.. why? I guess pickles aren't that common to put out at a BBQ, I sure thought it was! Everyone just made fun of me for being pregnant), fruits (watermelon, strawberries, pineapple, canteloupe), and a veggie platter. 

More pictures will come with the cupcake reveal but this is a picture of the cupcakes that were created by Gen (and Dee). Gen has some amazing talent and did a great job with these cupcakes! Can you believe she doesn't do this for a living but just a hobby? She really should think about opening up her own business, she is so talented!

This was the mini cake that was created for us, goes with our baby shower theme "What's the Baby going to BEE?" I haven't cut into the cake yet but I'm sure I'll be cutting into it pretty soon, it's too pretty to cut into but I definitely want to try it (the bees are edible)!!

With the baby shower, we had a gender reveal. We asked everyone who was invited to wear either blue or pink, color coordinating what their guess of Baby Chon's gender.

Here is TEAM BLUE (other than Stella - who wore blue but really thinks we're having a girl), everyone here guessed we were having a BOY

And here is TEAM PINK, (other than Dee who knew we were having a girl but said she guessed girl from the beginning), everyone thought we were having a GIRL

Sadly I don't have pictures of the cupcake reveal as of now, BUT what I can say is that everyone was super excited and shocked. Wouldn't you be when more than half the group thought we were having a boy?

Here is a picture of Mom and Dad  -to be with our reveal t-shirts. 

Yes, we are HAVING A GIRL!

________________________________________________

Along with the shower on Saturday, we had our 3d/4d ultrasound. I'm so glad we got to experience it for FREE especially because I definitely don't think it's worth it to pay for it, I just didn't think it was that necessary and I think there is just too much hype. Either way we got a $99 3d/4d package absolutely free so I'm not complaining! 

To end today's blog post, I just wanted everyone to please check out Yippy Momma, a Mommy Blogger from New York who featured Baby Chon's nursery!! Definitely a very cool experience and I'm so glad they chose Baby Chon's room to feature for their very first Friday Feature, PLEASE check them out!

you will be outted

Baby Chon,

Today is the day, the day that you are outted to the world if you are a boy or girl. Can't wait for everyone to find out so that I can stop hiding and watching what I say to people. It's been 11 weeks since we found out if you were a s/he and not a day has gone by where it gets easier to talk about you using "the baby" instead of just saying he or she. 

Not only is today the day you are outted, but today is spoilage day for you. Your Godmother Linda and Auntie Christina have put together a shower to celebrate your life (that will soon be) and I can't wait to see all my friends! There are friends I haven't seen since the wedding and friends I haven't seen in a couple days, but either way I'm excited to see everyone. 

But wait, there is still more happening today. Today we get to see you in 3d/4d, we're getting a complimentary 3d/4d ultrasound from Stork Vision Chicago and I get to finally see your mommy cheeks and really see if you have daddy's nose or you've got mine. I had this image of you looking just like me, a mini me, and I can't wait to see what features you have that are mommy's and what you have that are daddy's. Updates will come shortly, I promise!