So many changes!

Well here we are 2 months down the road. Our lives have completely changed for the better as well as adding new challenges day by day. Here are some pics of our beautiful Jesse in the last 2 months:








He is definitely growing more every day. We have been blessed!

Jesse's here!

Jesse finally arrived on the 16th of July. This happens to be the day of The Virgin of Mount Carmel. He arrived via c-section after 37 hours of labor. We're incredibly blessed with a 8 pound 14 ounce healthy baby boy.

I'm going to save the details for Clarissa to post, but let me summarize my experience. This was the absolute worst 37 hours of my life. I didn't have to push. I didn't have to feel the contractions. I didn't have to deal with back labor. But I did have to watch the person I love the most in the world go through pain that I can only imagine. My hat is off to all the mothers all over the world, in particular, my two sister-in-laws and mother, who also endure labor without an epidural for pain or Pitocin to speed things up.

But as with most things in life, the bigger the sacrifice, the bigger the reward. I'm definitely in love with the little bundle of joy God has given us. I find myself dancing through my mother-in-laws house with Jesse in my arms. They say you can spoil a child by carrying him too much or by rocking him when he doesn't need to be rocked. I don't care. "Spare the rod AND SPOIL THE CHILD." I use that completely as an excuse because I couldn't leave him alone if I tried, and I'm not trying.

He's had the hiccups lately which is not surprising as he had them near the latter part of when he was in the womb. He's not particularly fond of them which means he cries when he falls asleep and then gets attacked by the vicious hiccups. Which in turn means that I get an excuse to carry my son and not look like the foolish doting father that I am.

You'll have to forgive me for not posting a picture. I don't know how, but I would probably leave that honour to Clarissa anyway.

Still waiting!

Here we are 39 weeks and 3 days and still waiting.... We saw our midwife on Wednesday and she is says Jesse Jr will probably show up between the 13th and the 21st. I am hoping for the 13th :). I have found the trick to a semi good night's rest is taking a warm bath before going to bed. It definitely makes a difference!I walk into Jesse Jr.'s room every once in a while to make sure everything is just right, and realize how much family has helped in making Jesse's entrance to the world a little easier with hand me down furniture, clothes, and greatly needed advice. Although there were some things I bought for myself, there were many things especially clothes that were given to me by those who have had babies in the past. We are so thankful for people's generous hearts. Anywho...we'll continue waiting and will keep this updated :).

Tomorrow will be 39 weeks!

And still no Jesse Jr! All the signs are there that things are moving along, the backaches, the not sleeping, the heartburn, and the constant discomfort. If I make it till Wednesday, we will make a final trip to San Antonio to visit with ALisa our midwife for one final checkup. I have finally stopped doing TaeKwonDo as I was way too sore afterwards to walk. I am walking every day for about 30 minutes, which keeps my hopes up that this will be sooner rather than later. Here are some pics from the pregnancy evolution...


37.5 weeks (a little over 9 months)


36 weeks (9 months)



35 weeks (8.75 months)

34 weeks (8.5 months)

32 weeks ( 8 months)

24 weeks (6 months)

This is me at 12 weeks (3 months).

Getting closer

to our due date. We finally received our "birth kit" from our wonderful midwife, Alisa. It seems surreal that next month we will finally be parents. We are making the final arrangements so we can be as ready as possible. Physically, I can tell we are getting closer because my graceful walk has turned into a penguin waddle and it takes a while for my hips to cooperate with walking. Although I am still working out, my workout has been greatly modified. Fortunately, I only have to work until June 24th, and then I get a big break until the baby comes. Unfortunately, summer hours at a school district are 7:30 to 6:00, so most of the day drags. Thankfully, my baby is with me these 10 hours a day, andhe reminds me that the day is getting closer when I get to hold him in my arms by the soft kicks and turns in my tummy.

The stairs

There are a flight of stairs that lead to our TaeKwonDo school. It has been our belief that unless you are handicapped in some way, there is no excuse for using the elevator instead of the stairs. So, unless I am moving a dolly or something with wheels that is impossible to carry, I have climbed those stairs every day since we opened in August 2008. This may seem like a trivial matter. However, I am now almost 8 and a half weeks pregnant and carrying over 30 lbs extra as I walk. Every day as I approach the stairs I think to myself, "Surely I can take the elevator." But I can't get it out of my mind that if I can physically climb those stairs without endangering my baby, then I have no excuse not to, even if I am completely out of breath at the top, or my calves are screaming at me. The way I talk about these stairs one would think it entailed climbing 3 or 4 flights, but no, its just one. So day after day, I refuse to take the elevator, just as I refuse not carrying things under 40 lbs. I refuse to stop my daily activity because I am pregnant. I have known many people who use different excuses (including pregnancy!) to slow down their activity level to being almost nonexistent. I have to admit I work out about 3 times a week now, and my run/jog has turned into a brisk walk, my head kicks, are now knee level, and I have resorted to doing girl pushups (with my knees on the ground), but I have not quit. And I don't plan to....unless I have to. So those stairs are my motivation to continue doing what I do, one more day, until I can no longer do so. And when I can't climb those stairs any more...then.....and only then....I may start using a cane. ;)

Maggie is Found!

I had to admit, Jesse and I had lost complete hope in finding our little pal. After having lost her on Friday night/Saturday morning, we figured someone had picked her up and givenher a home. Well that was the case, but the kind people looked for signs and ran into one of our flyers last night. It just so happened to be Maggie's first birthday! It was heart breaking to pick her up becasue the little girl that foun dher had bathed her, fed her and obviously played with her. Her mother told me she had fallen in love with the dog over the weekend. Although their kindness was evident in their calling us, they were not very nice when I was at their house picking the dog up. I guess I would feel the same way if I had taken care of Maggie over the weekend and then had to give her up. Maggie is safely home and as happy as she can be. :)