BIG MILESTONE: 30 WEEKS!!!!

Hooray!!! I have made it to 30 weeks. It definitely feels different when I tell people I'm "30 weeks" rather than 29 :-) It feels like the big day is getting really close and we are running out of time to get stuff done. On top of our ever-growing To-Do List, my calendar is really filling up over the next 2 months! I have projects I need and want to finish....one being my mosaic bird bath.

Other things on my To-Do list include:
- dinners and happy hours with friends & couple friends we need to catch up with now....because it may be awhile before it happens again...
- baby showers!!!
- bi-weekly and then weekly doctor appointments
- dentist appointment
- hair appointment
- classes for me & hubby to prepare to bring a baby home
- dog training...as a group, to prepare our 4 dogs for Punkin's arrival
- get Dr. Seuss pages framed and up in the nursery
- get all my picture albums caught up...because I know there are going to be tons of new pictures soon!
- take all my photos now in individual frames and organize them into the multi-picture frames
- Church
- as many Yoga classes as I can fit in
- pack bag for Hospital stay
- my Birthday!
- lots of Girl Time with my Chicks: HHs, Movies, Slumber Parties, Plays, Shopping....SPA WEEKEND!
- of course I still have to work 40 hours/week

.....that is just in the next 2 months. And I'm sure I'm leaving some things out.

This isn't even touching on Bobby's own To-Do list....which is probably longer than mine!

I am happy to say that we are marking one To-Do off this list this weekend....road trip to see my Grandma in Lubbock. She is my FAVORITE grandparent, and always has been. I was her 1st grandchild and I always new I had a special place in her heart. I even suspected...and still do...that I was/am her favorite, but she will never admit it.
She hasn't been doing very well for a couple of months now and I have been trying to fit this trip in for awhile. So we are finally taking it this weekend....and I am really looking forward to seeing my Amma and other family & friends I haven't seen in way too long.
~~

29 Weeks - Uber Mama Mode

If you didn't think I was in the "Mama-Mode" before, I can assure you that I am now in UBER-MAMA Mode!!!

Proof #1:
This weekend Bobby & I made the tough decision to go ahead and get the "Mama Car". Yep, we did it.
We traded in the fun, sporty Audi and the loyal Explorer for a bigger and better family car.

- 2006 Honda Pilot -

It is a few years old with some miles on it, but it is loaded (read DVD player) and it has already been broken in by another family with kiddos.

We spent all day Saturday at CarMax getting the deal done. During our debate, Bobby made a great point: This will be our car for the messy baby & toddler stages. After that we can get a nice, new car to tote the kids around to soccer practice and music lessons.
He is right....if my toddler would have slung crap onto the roof, or punctured the leather seats in the Audi, I would have absolutely f-r-e-a-k-e-d. But in this car I can chill and spend my time focusing on the important things, rather than the car.

We are both happy that we won't have to deal with the car seat in that tiny backseat. And Bobby is especially glad that he doesn't have to see me struggle to get out of the car anymore....now I can just slide right out. Great Perk!

We are taking a road trip to see some of my family this weekend. Bobby has already informed me that he is going to let me drive while he watches movies in the backseat. I told him that is fine....I'll just take Fancy and Penny and let them ride up front to keep me company. :-)



Proof #2:
I attended my 2nd PreNatal Yoga class on Sunday morning, and it was amazing. My phenomenal husband encouraged me to sign up for the classes and go, so I did.

The class is obviously tailored to pregnant chicks so there are no crazy positions to try and contort the unwieldy pregnant body into. Instead the focus is on the core and other parts of the body that ache and hurt during pregnancy, as well as helping to prepare the mind & body for labor & delivery. Actually, I have found tons of awesome reasons to do Yoga during pregnancy.

I felt so much better and more relaxed after both the classes I attended.
I am anxious to go again!
~~~

3- Hour Glucose Test Results

I passed! No Gestational Diabetes for me!!!

I got to the Lab at 7:45am on Friday. First I gave a urine sample, then lab tech pricked my finger to get the fasting blood sugar count. At 8:00am I was given the infamous orange Glucose drink and 5 minutes to finish it. It really isn't as bad as people make it out to be. It just tastes like a super sweet Sunkist.
I drank it with no problem because I was super thirsty.... I had not been able to eat after midnight, and I could only have small sips of water until the test was complete.
After that I went back every hour (to the minute) for 3 hours, to leave a urine sample and have my finger pricked.
After the final blood test, the lab tech took me and my results to my doctor's nurses. They gave me the results. Remember, they want to see your blood sugar under 140.

1st Hour: 184
2nd Hour: 134
3rd Hour: 111

The nurse informed me those numbers mean I don't have GD, but with that first number being high (very close to the result after my 1st Glucose test) I do have to continue to maintain my adjusted diet for the rest of the pregnancy.

• Little to No Sugar (artificial sweeteners ok).
  
• Carbohydrates should equal Protein.

I am totally OK with this plan. I will do whatever is best for my little Punkin! :-) Besides, it's only for ~10 weeks.

That's Right!!! Only 10 more weeks to go......
What's even crazier than that is next week I'll be counting down in the single digits!!!
~~~

awwwww....... this makes me kinda sad :-(

Taco Bell ad star Gidget the Chihuahua dies at 15

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gidget the Chihuahua, the bug-eyed, big-eared star of 1990s Taco Bell commercials who was a diva on and off the screen, has died. She was 15. Gidget suffered a massive stroke late Tuesday night at her trainer's home in Santa Clarita and had to be euthanized, said Karin McElhatton, owner of Studio Animal Services in Castaic, which owned the dog.

Although she was hard of hearing, Gidget was otherwise in good health up to the day of her death, eating well and playing with her favorite squeaky toys at the home of trainer Sue Chipperton, McElhatton said.

"She was retired. She lived like a queen, very pampered," McElhatton said.

Gidget was found at a kennel and wasn't show quality, McElhatton said; she had an undershot jaw and huge ears.

But Gidget knew she was a star, McElhatton said.

"She was a prima donna, basically. She absolutely knew when she was on camera," McElhatton said.

In a 1997 Taco Bell television commercial, Gidget was seen as a male dog who, through the magic of special effects and a voice actor, proclaims in a richly accented voice: "Yo quiero Taco Bell" — Spanish for "I want Taco Bell."

Viewers were charmed. What was supposed to be a single ad became a campaign that ran from 1997 to 2000.

The ads made the Taco Bell mascot wildly popular, although they provoked criticism from activists who accused them of promoting Hispanic stereotypes.

While other Chihuahuas had bit parts, McElhatton said it was Gidget who got the closeups and the quips (Carlos Alazraqui was the voice).

Gidget traveled first-class, opened up the New York Stock Exchange and made an appearance at Madison Square Garden, McElhatton said.

In later years, she did other acting work, appearing in a 2002 commercial for the insurance company GEICO and in the 2003 movie "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde."

She remained the object of affection after her retirement, going on hikes and beach visits with her trainer. She aged gracefully, and liked nothing more than to snooze in the sun.

"She was like a little old lady. She'd kind of gotten smaller," McElhatton said.

Gidget will be cremated, McElhatton said. Her owners had not decided on a final disposition of her remains. Taco Bell Corp. said in a statement Gidget would be missed by many. "Our deepest sympathies go out to her owners and fans," the company said.

WEEK 28 - Happy Third Trimester To Me!!!!!

I'm so excited to be entering into the 3rd Trimester. Less than 3 months to go...

I had my Week 28 Doctor Appointment yesterday. It was a bitter-sweet appointment....literally.
My morning started early with a super-sweet Glucose drink at 7am. (Not nearly as bad as what people have told me.) I arrived 15 mins early for my 8am lab appointment. The lab tech took a blood sample exactly 1 hour after I finished the Glucose drink.

Then I waited about an hour for the appointment with the Nurse and Doctor. The nurse surprised me with a sonogram that I had not expected. Little Punkin' was moving all around, but she was being a little shy and kept her arm over her eyes. The absolute highlight was seeing her little tongue when she let out a big yawn. Super Cute!

Sadly, Bobby didn't get to see our sweet girl yawn. This was the first appointment he did not attend with me because it was just supposed to be the Glucose test and a quick talk with the doctor. Like I said, the sonogram was unplanned. I told our favorite nurse (Kristen) that Bobby would be bummed he missed the sonogram so she was on a mission to get a good picture for me to take home to Daddy. Punkin' didn't really work with us on the pictures because she kept her arm over her face, so Kristen promised they would do an extra sonogram next visit Bobby attends. :-)

Below is the best picture from yesterday's sonogram. The right side of her head is down, her left arm and hand is mostly over her eyes..... in the center you can see her nose and lips. What a cutie pie!
Little Punkin is doing great and the doctor is really happy with her growth so far.


Now for the bitter part.....I did get some bad news at my appointment yesterday, and I took it pretty hard. I failed my Glucose test.
Now I need to change my diet...
- cut out sugar -- the doctor stated that liquid sugars are the worst culprits...uh yeah, I have been having a big glass of OJ pretty much every day.
- low carbs -- this one is going to be pretty hard for me, not gonna lie
- high protein -- I already knew I needed to be better at this one anyway

Now this doesn't mean I have Gestational Diabetes.....yet.....
I have to go back in next week for the 3-hour Glucose test. If I fail that one as well, then I will be diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and will have to take insulin.

My doctor thinks that my case can be controlled with a healthier diet and will not go beyond that.
So my new diet starts......uh, yesterday.

It is as good of a time as any to get my diet on track. Even though I took this news pretty bad, I know that the changes I will be making will benefit both me and Punkin. This is the least I can do.....
~~~

The Search Is Over.............

I have finally picked my diaper bag!!!!

While in Chicago I hunted down the Storksak Claire so I could see it in person rather than just pictures online. A Pea In The Pod had 1 in stock so Bobby and I went to check it out. It is bigger than I thought it looked online...which is good. It looks really functional and practical, yet still stylish. I love that it doesn't scream "Diaper Bag!"....in fact it looks more like a big purse than a diaper bag.

My favorite feature is that it can be carried 3 different ways.

• On the shoulder, like a purse.
• Across the body, like a messenger bag.
• On the Stroller, with attached stroller straps.

* The shoulder strap is fabric so it is soft and comfortable on the shoulder.
Even Bobby said that it would not be the worst thing to carry around if he had to. But I think he plans on having his own diaper bag. Not sure if he is going to get one like the Diaper Dude, or if he is just going to convert a backpack or messenger bag that he already has into his own diaper bag.
~~~

Chicago Trip

We took our last vacation (for awhile) last week.
On July 2nd we flew to Chicago, rented a car, and drove 3 hours to Bobby's hometown.
We spent lots of time with Bobby's Mom, Step-dad, Sister, Brother-in-law, and twin nieces. It was so great to spend some quality time with all of them since we don't get to see them but 1-2 times a year.
July 4th was the big family reunion. We got to spend all day with Bobby's huge family. They all expressed (over and over) their surprise that 1) Bobby actually got married, and 2) Bobby is about to have a baby. Lots of jokes and laughs at his expense. :-)

Bobby & I headed back to Chicago on Sunday. When in the city, we returned our rental car, checked into our hotel, and had Chicago-style pizza for dinner at Lou Malnati's.
Monday we shopped til we dropped.....The Magnificent Mile of Chicago on Michigan Ave.



We paused shopping for a stop at Millennium Park to see "the bean" and the "spitting fountains".
















After a long day of shopping we decided to have an early dinner at highly-recommended Shaw's Crab House. Bobby enjoyed delicious oysters, and we shared some amazing king crab legs. We decided to stop for some dessert at Tavern near our hotel. We told the waitress to surprise us with her recommendation, and she brought us the BIGGEST chocolate cake I've ever seen in my life.....we were only able to eat maybe 1/3 of it.

Tuesday we did the Double Decker Bus Tour all over downtown Chicago. Our first stop was at the Sears Tower - Sky Deck. We stood in a super-long line to just get into the Sears Tower where several more lines waited for us. Once we got to the ticket buying line, Bobby noticed the "express pass" option and solidified his "Hero" status with me. By getting the express passes, we got to skip all the many lines and get right up to the top.




















For lunch we ate more Chicago-style pizza at the famous Giordano's. Yum! Yum!
After lunch we hit a few more top spots in Chicago that took up the rest of the day:
- Shedd Aquarium - The Field Museum - Navy Pier

After a relaxing breakfast Wednesday morning, we packed and headed for the airport.

Overall it was a great trip...I really enjoyed the few days Bobby and I got to spend together away from our daily life. We really do know how to make the most out of our vacations together. But hands down, the best part of this trip was getting out of the crazy Texas heat for a week***. During our vacation we enjoyed highs mostly in the 70s, and low 80s a couple of times. We took full advantage of the beautiful weather and spent most of our time outside. We even ate most of our meals outside. So Nice!

Trust me, it was not lost on us that this will be our last easy trip for a long time..... We did take time to appreciate not pushing strollers around the airport, or dealing with crying/screaming babies on the airplane. We know that we have lots of trips in our future that will not be nearly as effortless.

***Did you know that today is Day 28 of triple digit temperatures for Austin!?!?!? Of course I picked the hottest summer ever to be prego.......
~~~

Too Cute Not To Share........Happy Friday!!!

Woohoo!!! The Countdown Begins! ~ Week 26

TODAY IS A BIG DAY! Notice the floating baby on the left side of your screen.....

No more triple digits....99 days to go! :-)

We had a long sonogram appointment yesterday afternoon...so we gazed in amazement at our Punkin for about 30 minutes.
The Sonographer took measurements of every part of the baby girl and recorded the entire event on a dvd for us to take home with us.
She gave us great news....every part of Punkin is developing perfectly....her measurements all look really good. Early on the Sonographer said, "I hope you are not planning on having a small baby....she is on the chunky side."
Punkin's overall measurement is a week ahead of average, which is perfectly fine. Her legs measure about 3 weeks ahead of average, which means she is going to be a tall little girl.

The first Sonogram picture is of her face profile. You can see her cute nose, lips, & chin.

The second Sonogram picture is of her face...She is looking at the camera. You can see her right eye, nose, brain, and right hand.

Overall, the appointment made us feel very optimistic and happy that our baby girl is developing just as she should. Apparently the nickname "Punkin" just might fit her perfectly. :-)
~~~