Family, fun and sun and a butternut squash!!!

Mom and I
Neil and I

What a great weekend! SO busy, but so daunting! Thank goodness for Sundays really! My mom, brothers, sister in law and nanna came in from out of town (NY, FL) for the shower and for some family time. It was wonderful. I had not seen my nanna in quiet a few months!

For the baby shower we had a great time. The place, Charthouse Annapolis, was set up beautifully! All our tables were put up against the window so everyone had a lovely view of the harbor - the day promised views of all types of boats and sun. The windows in the lounge of the Charthouse reach from floor to ceiling. It's just a lovely place for lunch.

Seeing everyone was so much fun, I had not seen many of the Carbone family since the wedding and then even years back further for some. It was nice to see my mom enjoy the company she does not get to see often enough. These are people she grew up with. We had new, not so new and old friends, it was a wonderful time and the meal was more than enough! I highly reccommend Saturday afternoon affairs at the Charthouse if you need a private venue for a party!

As for the babe, we are 29 WEEKS now!!! He's a butternut squash size! 15 inches? He kicks plenty and is even responding to Neil's voice more and more. I tell Neil to talk to him and here soon we are going to start reading to him! A little bed time story here and there. As he grows stronger and moves more and more each day I feel full of love and find comfort in him. Someone hit the nail on the head yesterday.... she said once she gave birth to her babies, she felt lonely! You get so used to someone being there in your belly for so long, and their movement.. and then they are not there... it's a wild thought, and makes all the sense in the world. I am sure that's how I might feel it too.

Ok off to do laundry and take Marc to the airport! Time flies!!! Then it's all about getting the house back in order for another week of work!!! Yeah!! eh. Work.. that's another blog!!

Ohhhhh I fORGOT.. Ummm... Colostrum.. yeah had a dribble yesterday... first time... but so far that was it... I suppose the girls are getting ready to give milk!! I will keep that posted!

Babies are everywhere!!!

It's actually 28 weeks and +4 days! I can't believe how time is flying. A few of the gal pal crew are there... Lindy - congrats! ! I can't believe Vivian is here!!! Kristen, so close! Jen - how you feeling?

Well many of us are in shared status, waiting for our little ones! It's wild how many people have been pregnant this year that I know! ! ! Connor making his debut in March, Vivian only days old... the other Vivian I know just over a year! It's wild!

Last weekend I shared it with my mother. I had the opportunity to go to Florida and take a break and it was well needed! As it turns out I slept extra hours, I got naps in! I ate healthy and we got our nails done. Even got some new tops! I am outgrowing my clothes again!!! I can't believe how big I have gotten! It's just impressive the body can do it's thing even though I have days where I feel so great!

The weight has truly made itself apparent these past couple weeks, it's difficult to ignore the extra 20+ pounds that have gone on. I must say it hasn't been too tough to look at the scale but the mirror just reflects someone else! A MOM! It's amazing... just amazing. I walk by the mirror and enjoy looking at my belly. I can no longer see the tattoos on my tummy so the only place I can check them out is in the mirror... and yes they are growing!!! I will have to take a pictures here soon of them in particular.. or have Neil take it since I can't really reach around! Around the bump!

So vacation was so great I had to take a few more days off this end of the week, I am on leave Th and Fri since Cari (sister in law) is in town and to get ready for my mom and brother's arrival tonight! So exciting!!!!! James (my youngest brother) and my nanna is also coming in tomorrow! It's going to be such a wonderful weekend full of family and fun! The shower is Saturday at the Charthouse and I can't wait to spend some time with all my closest! I am overly excited really to see everyone! Babies are a great excuse to celebrate! We will have to have another get together when the little man arrives too! ;)

Well please enjoy the pic, they were taken today in the neighborhood.... belly is sticking out there now!!!

27 and ....

Almost to the third trimester, yeah! And I have been reading up and feeling new symptoms that come along with it. Some of the stories on babycenter.com are so humorous they make me pee a little, no really... no one told me there would be leakage!

Let me recap some of the newest symptoms I have been getting. Headaches come and go, so far the longest one had lasted three days, THREE DAYS!, I thought it was because I was over tired but not quiet sure. I am getting enough water.

Indigestion is getting fierce!! I think the baby must be leaning against my tummy sometimes as I will get a reflux for a short while and it goes away and then for no reason it comes on again. I know you do not digest foods as quick as pre-pregnancy so that might make sense.

Then there is the back pains, I have had about two days of serious pain but it's normally towards the end of the day. I hear it's the change in your center of gravity, and then there is the new found roundness... I AM ROUND! My belly is quiet round now and very pregnant looking. I am at that phase that I look like I am so pregnant that I should be having the baby soon but I still have 90+ days to go! Oh and when Neil actually makes some time to rub my back it just makes me have to go poo... I guess my intestines are all flattened against my back! So that's all interesting.

So now for the fun stuff...flat belly button! My belly button is moving outwards, I can see all the crevaces that are normally on the inside!!! My piercing is stretching too so it looks quiet odd. We will see if we go "inverted" by the end of it all!

14 inch/2lbs head of cauliflower.... well... as funny as that sounds... he doesn't feel like a cauliflower, but he does move around a lot. It's amzaing to feel all the movement. He kicks quiet hard adn some times I can feel a leg or arm on the surface that is just chilling there. Neil trys to tap at him too, super cute.

Baby brain is begining to take over! I call people and not remember who I am calling by the time they answer the phone! I am just a space cadet most days. I have to write everything down at work so I don't go too far off tangent, it's amazing how this little man does all this too me.

Cavities?? I think my teeth are suffering... but I am not sure if it's because of all the sugary yummies I eat or because baby Rubin is sucking all the nutrients from my bones!?! But I am pretty sure I have a new cavity or two... and the pain lets me know from time to time.

So many changes! Waistlines are overrated I keep trying to remind myself and the fact is that when he moves around in there and lets me know he's there, I get so happy, I forget the destruction that is going on with the rest of my physical self.

Until next week!

I see Pregnant People

Everywhere! We go to Target, saw three! Walking around Annapolis Towne Center, saw two! Whole foods, saw one, they are everywhere! It seems that the slowed economy over the past winter brought some people closer. Hmm.. It's interesting. When I asked the doc at Bethesda if she thought it was a fluke, she reassured me that there has been an increase of pregnancies this year and that its a baby boom!

See a few articles to read about the baby boom:
This one say's it's Hollywood's fault: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/976590/20062009_baby_boom.html
Some other theories: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,323028,00.html

Coming back down from the big picture, this week I have felt like I really gained inches... I have not weighed myself but my tummy seems to really be dominating my body now. The mornings are still the best and on a good day I still get out and jog for a little bit. I have been walking though still and that helps. Got some new pillows too from Sleep Number and they are stellar! They match you with a pillow that works for you, so I got on the bed and tried all the pillows... and Neil and I got some decent pillows... it was neat and my neck is not so badly cricked in the morning now! It's so nice!!!

Big vs. Large.... feeling bigger this week. We don't have a scale so I am not sure where I am at, and a part of me is afraid to find out really. I have probably gained about 20 lbs by now and we are at 26 weeks... almost to third trimester. It's scary to watch that scale go up.. 20 pounds is a LOT OF WEIGHT!!! UGH!! But on the good side, baby is kicking happily and seems he is comfortable! I hope so, I am giving him half my body's real estate! ;) It's so fun to feel him move around! It's just amazing really. All the sacrifice we have to make to foster these beautiful little guys! I can't wait to meet him, really!

Baby shower is around the corner and I can't wait to see everyone! It's going to be nice to sit down with everyone and have a nice lunch! I can't wait! Well as for the rest of the week, doing well, having bad ups and downs, Neil could be more supportive, but what husband couldn't' use a lesson in support.... Sigh... he's doing wonderful though and he's just as excited I think... you would have to ask him. He puts his hand on my tummy more often these days. Might be because he is so happy about his new ride though. His Jetta was falling apart so we had to invest in a new car. Of course any old new car was not good enough for Neil and we did need a family car so we agreed on a BMW, and he selected a used 2006 750 in burgundy with tan interior. This thing has all the bells and whistles, it's a very nice ride and will do beautifully as a family car - very roomy!

Well everyone have a wonderful week! I hope everyone had a great and safe weekend, we had a quiet one - stayed local and today we plan on going to see the Point Thomas Lighthouse as our weekend "outing"! Oh I did a chalk drawing as well, as you can see in the picture. Have a great short week!!!