Tag Archives: pregnant

Hello World!

22 Friday Aug 2014

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Dear Bundle,

Welcome to the outside! Your due date was today, August 22nd, 2014. However, you were so excited to be here that you decided to be born early and came into this world on August 5th, 2014! Weighing in at 6.25 lbs and 19 inches in length, you are healthy, happy, and every ounce of joy that a little bundle like you was meant to be.

B-Day Bump

We decided to name you Anthony Joseph, after your father and mine. May you be blessed with their eternal love and devotion, and may you carry on their names in wisdom and in legacy of those who came before you.

Hello TJ

Sweet Baby,

Your journey in this life has begun, already fleeting, ever so short. The world is full of things to do, to see, and to learn. Explore it with integrity, compassion, mindful observance, and a healthy sense of humor. Travel this road with a full heart and an open mind. There is no limit to how far you can travel or how high you can climb. I cannot tell you where all the roads will lead or even which ones to always take. But I promise to always be here for you, and I will do my best to help guide you along the way. You will forever be a part of me. Good luck on your journey, my Bundle, my Boy, my Anthony Joseph.

Love You Forever,

Mom

Rounding Out at Week 33

07 Monday Jul 2014

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Dear Bundle,

We’re rounding out at Week 33 and things are starting to get really busy around here. Our doctor appointments have been bumped up to every two weeks. And by week 35, they will increase to once a week. Weight gain up until this point has been slow and gradual, but starting about now that velocity will ramp up significantly as well. To put it into perspective, you are only about 4 pounds now, but from here until B-Day (about 7 weeks away) you will probably double in size.

Week 33 Bump

At this point in my pregnancy and with the nearing of the much anticipated event, I am preoccupied with a palpable feeling of excitement and joy (you’ll be here soon!), coupled strongly with an equally overwhelming feeling of trepidation and anxiety (you’ll be here soon!!).

I have also been spiked with some sort of inexplicable energy that has me buzzing frantically about with a mission to clean, organize and obsess over everything in the house in preparation for your arrival- some things more random than others. The other day, for example, I fulfilled this incredible unfounded need inside of me to scrub all the baseboards, door jams and light switches in the house (what??). I suppose this is what they mean by the “nesting phase?” Evidently so, I have decided I need to harness this energy (which is undoubtedly fleeting) toward some much more focused and meaningful applications….

So Operation Nursery, get ready! Over the next few weeks I am blessed to have some family and friends coming into town to help me with this. We will be intently working on things like painting the nursery, organizing closets and assembling, well, tons of stuff! We also have plans to take my creative abilities to uncharted territories involving a sewing machine (… Handmade curtains and pillows are the vision)! In addition to this, your dad will be starting on a unique project to build you a custom built-in bookcase bench that I designed just for your bedroom! I can’t wait to see how everything will come together. Stay tuned, as Operation Nursery is well underway!

xoxo,

Mom

Hail to the SnOoGLe

29 Thursday May 2014

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Dear Bundle,

Getting into a comfy sleeping position at night is becoming more of a challenge, and for the last couple weeks I’ve been tossing and turning a lot more throughout the night. So a couple days ago, your dad came home with a surprise…

Snoogle in Box Hail to the Snoogle!! Every pregnant woman I’ve ever met swears by these giant wrap around body pillows, so I was eager to put it into use and see for myself what all the hype was about. My first impression as I opened it up and rolled it out onto the bed was this is going to pose a bit of a space challenge. Me + Bundle + Snoogle = not a lot of room for Daddy. I envisioned myself trying to flip sides with it in the middle of the night and consequently smothering him or battering him with it in the process.

SnoogleB copy

But as I lay there wrapped in my own personal life-size nest of soft feathery fluffies, I must attest that this thing is truly a dream invention. Although it’s longer than me, it can curl up into various shapes and sizes. It’s also surprisingly squishy and wraps snugly around my body in any position I want to lay in. Adjusting positions during the night can be done easily without a lot of effort or chaos because you can leave the Snoogle in place and just flip yourself to face the other side of it. But to be honest, I barely need nor want to move at all once I melt into it! I even find myself wanting to go to bed earlier than normal just to indulge in my new pillow.

All in all, my review of this notorious body pillow is well-favored, and I will join the testimony of people who recommend it as a certain survival kit staple for any woman with a bump.  Comfortable rest is possible once again!

Happy Snoogling!

3 Months to Go!

22 Thursday May 2014

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Dear Bundle,

Grow, Baby, Grow! We have 3 months to go!

Finishing up the second trimester and boy, are we growing. You have literally doubled in size over the last month. I use to feel you hanging out on one side of my belly or the other, now you are taking up that whole space. I’m having to eat smaller meals just to fit my food in there without feeling incapacitated.

26 Week Bump

To date, it’s been a very textbook pregnancy. So far I’ve hit all the milestones and had all the typical (mild) symptoms.  I’m experiencing some discomfort here and there, and hormones are up and down. But all in all, I’ve been managing it well. I realize this may all change very soon! So here’s hoping for continued health and endurance. Grow, baby, grow!

Love,

Mom

 

 

The Balance

18 Friday Apr 2014

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Dear Bundle,

Being so far away from my family has been increasingly hard on me throughout this pregnancy. And as my employment situation continues to take shape, it continues to pressurize and test the balance of good faith, hard work and financial capacity. As my pregnancy progresses, I have been challenged emotionally and spiritually as I continue to search for avenues of support, substance and self-purpose. It’s difficult trying to communicate how I can feel so happy and blessed and excited for your arrival and for my life right now, and yet feel so lonely and misplaced at the same time. balance 1 I think it’s important for me to recognize that these feelings exist and that it’s okay and normal to have emotional ups and downs. And for me, the best thing to do when I start to feel the onset of anxiety or doubt or depression, is to turn inward. My inward place focuses me toward my creativity… to my writing, to artwork, to crafting, to yoga, to music or simply to my meditative place.

When I decompress in this way, it does many things. It opens up my right brain, where I am my most productive and comfortable. It inspires insight and self-awareness. It re-energizes my level of vitality and confidence. It allows me to be more in tune with my holistic body and resets my physical battery. And probably most importantly, it allows me to be more receptive of my spiritual guides and to the wisdom that there are forces at work that are greater than me. And that these forces are working through me to create life, to create challenges, and to create opportunities for me and for others to learn, to grow and to love.

I am so grateful for this journey. And my pledge is to continue striving inward, and to remain in constant pursuit of my mission statement below so that I may be the best version of myself for you and for all who know me. My Mission Statement is as follows:                                                                                              

“I strive to live my life with integrity, compassion, mindful observance, and a healthy sense of humor. In both large and small matters, may I always be true to my deepest principles so that my integrity may be a gift to others. Living now in a constant state of questions, answers, and fortitude… ‘I know that if I continue to advance in the direction of my dreams, and endeavor to live a life in which I have imagined, I will meet with a success unexpected in common hours,’ (H. Thoreau)”  ~ Leonie Marie.

I am so looking forward to everything we have to learn from one another. Love Always, Mom

Flutters

28 Friday Mar 2014

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Dear Bundle,

Welcome to Week 18. Your presence is undeniable. I can feel your movements now. You feel like a little butterfly fluttering around in my tummy. You are about the size of a bell pepper and still have plenty of space to roll around and turn about (although I think you’ve found your favorite spot in my lower left abdomen). Your dad is convinced you gave him a high-five the other night and I’m convinced you gave me heartburn.

Bump

 

Your First Pictures

11 Tuesday Mar 2014

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Dear Bundle,

Today we had our 16-Week Appointment. To date, we’ve been to 3 official prenatal doctor appointments, had 3 blood tests, and 2 ultrasounds. We count our blessings every time we get affirmation that you are healthy and progressing normally.

At the very first visit, you had been in my belly for 8 weeks. Your dad and I got to hear your heart beat for the very first time.  It was so cool! And this is the very first picture of you ever taken.  You were the size of a raspberry.

01.17.14 Ultrasound

A few weeks ago, we got to see even more pictures of you, and it’s amazing how much you’ve already grown and developed. This is you at 13 weeks, the size of a tangerine!

1.2.276.0.26.1.1.1.2.2014.81.58234.162763.46031872.57bfc6a6fc6.0000000000

 

Today the doctor let us listen to your heartbeat again. It kinda sounds like a galloping horse, rapid and strong. When we came home, your dad put his head on my belly and cuddled with you for a long time… He already loves holding you.

 

.

 

 

15 Week Bump

06 Thursday Mar 2014

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Dear Bundle,

I think it’s safe to say you and I are both growing. I definitely have a “bump” that was not there before. Here’s a picture of me today, about 15 weeks along.

03.06.14 Bump

It feels funny having a rounding belly. My normal clothes are starting to wear kinda tight, so I’ve been soliciting around for maternity clothes. So far my friends have been great and I’ve even acquired some used items from some local moms here in Poolesville.

Goodbye waistline… I hope to see you again…

Dear Bundle

28 Friday Feb 2014

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Dear Bundle,

The secret is out. Just a couple short weeks ago, your father and I shared this picture with friends and family to announce the most wonderful news.

Look what's cooking

You are due to come into our world August 20th 2014 and we are all so very excited to meet you. I am now in my second trimester, and I’ve decided to create this journal so I can write to you about all the things that are happening during this special time as we prepare for your arrival.

We have a little catching up to do.  This journey started for me exactly one week before Christmas, when I found out I was pregnant. But I kept it a secret from your dad until Christmas Day. Christmas this year wasn’t suppose to be anything particularly special or extraordinary. In fact, with our families back in Albuquerque, and no funds for travel this year, we had planned on a pretty lonely holiday. But you changed all that…

I spent that week making an ornament and camo baby booties (you know that whatever gender you end up being, your dad will have you in camo booties!). I also ordered a T-shirt that said it all.

When your unsuspecting father opened his gift, he was immediately overcome with joy. I don’t think the tears or smiles ever really stopped that day. That was the happiest Christmas we’ve ever had.

We look forward to spending next Christmas with you, and so many more to follow.

Love Always,

Mom