Growing Pains

I cannot begin to explain how much my belly has grown in the past week. I officially have a a basketball under my shirt. With my growing belly, little Max is growing as well so I proudly sport my glorious new body. I had my monthly prenatal visit yesterday and everything is checking in good. We listened to his heartbeat, measured my stomach and talked about my shallow breathing. Turns out, with a growing baby there is less room for my diaphragm so I constantly have short and shallows breaths that can be really frustrating when I am doing my daily busy activities.

My mom and I visited the Bay Area this past weekend to celebrate my Great Grandmother's 87th birthday and my cousin's bridal shower. It was a great little break from work and having the strong women in my family support me in my pregnancy, is very comforting. We reminisced and gabbed until we couldn't any more. It was a great girls weekend and I was sad to see it end.....but glad to return to my husband.

On Sunday, in preparation for the baby shower, Tyson did a trial taco dinner for our mommies (aka my mom and his mom). They were so delicious and perfect for our February party. He made a to-die-for mole with braised beef. Stuff that in freshly made Poncho Villa tortillas and Farmers Market garnishes and it is a suburb meal. We are also anticipating on making some deviled eggs (my favorites), fruit skewers, veggies, rice and beans. All of these have been my favorite snacks throughout the pregnancy so I cannot wait to chow down.

Tuesday marked the kick off to the first of several "baby prep" classes. At this 2-hour class, we learned about infant CPR and choking babies. It is a scary thing to think about, but so necessary to know if the worst were to happen. I am also signing up the whole family (they just don't know it yet!)

Our lives, without Max, have been a whirlwind of classes (I am also taking community courses to freshen up my study skills), get togethers with friends, family gatherings, work, beer pairings, decorating the new home (including the nursery), baby shower planning, and spending time with each other. This next week, we have MORE work, a breastfeeding class on Tuesday, walks with friends in the morning, projects to be completed, prenatal massages, lunch meetings, crochet parties, Farmers Market outings, Garage Sales to attend to, and TONS of shopping for the nursery. Any other free time is NAP TIME!

Next post I will have pictures of the new home, including of the beginning of Max's room, my big belly, and any other snapshots of our fun life.

Quick Catch Up....

Invitations for the baby shower

6 month belly

It has been nearly impossible to find time to sit and type a full post in the past few weeks because we have been so overwhelming busy with our move and everyday life. The holidays ended and the REAL chaos began. Sensing the end of January, when our plan was to move and our thirty day notice would end, we began our search to find a new place to make our home. By January 15, we are nesting in our 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 2 story townhouse in the area we desired all along. Next to our dear friends Jenn and Matt, around the corner from our family and a few minutes from work. Good schools, great neighborhood and the neighbors have been visiting us daily, welcoming us to the area. We have finally found our home. Slowly, but surely we have been putting all of our furniture together, our pictures up and buying all of our necessary home items so that we can make it more cozy for not only us, but for our baby boy.

The months are creeping closer to April and as fast as the time has gone, our list of "to-do's" are extending more and more, instead of decreasing. We have chosen a name, however.

Maxon Cruz Blake

Lil' Max.....We loved the name Max (think of Where the Wild Things Are) but wanted a two syllable name so we added the "-on" because as we played with the name, Tyson figured it would be a perfect end to Max (and who else has that name??!!). Cruz is my middle name and belongs to my great great grandma's name. Tyson really wanted my name to continue on, so including Cruz was a perfect way for this to happen. I think that Max's name is so unique and so personal for Tyson and I. I know he will be such a strong, loving little man and the name fits our image of him to the T....or M :)

I went to get my glucose test done today and was a nervous wreck. I had heard of so many horror stories of vomiting, severe headaches and fasting, that I was dreading this more than I am dreading labor. It wasn't bad at all. The orange sugar drink that they gave to me tasted like orange soda and with my thirst, I chugged it down quickly. After an hour of shopping, I returned to the lab for some blood tests and then left for lunch with friends. It was over in a wink. I am keeping my fingers cross for passing the test because if I do not, then the 3-hour test is next and a 12-hour fast is involved. No Good!

The baby shower invites went out with a little over a month to go before for the big event. Tyson will be making some yummy tacos and there will be deviled eggs, tons of fruit and CAKE! I will do nothing but eat and talk to my wonderful friends and family. It will be a perfect day.

Max is busy as ever in his womb...kicking, punching, hiccuping. He is a busy little guy and I am so glad that he is so active so that people can now feel his quick movements from my belly. If I lift my shirt up, you can even see his movements. It looks like an alien is trying to escape from my stomach...it is kind of scary! One thing I did learn about Max is that he LOVES lamb. Last night, after the horrible Charger loss, we ate our crock pot stewed lamb (which, by the way, was made with A LOT of organic and local ingredients), along with sour cream mashed potatoes, and green beans. After my first bite of lamb, he was all over the place. He kicked and squirmed until bed time. He loved it! At lunch, our friend (and new mommy) Chantel informed us that lamb is the one meat that is recommended as the FIRST meat to give children. I will have to follow up on that fact, but it does make sense to why is liked it.

This weekend, I am off to the Bay Area to celebrate my Great Grandma Boffa's birthday and cousin Karissa's bridal shower. I will only be gone for a day, but to have a few days off of work, surrounded by family and all you can eat food, I am in heaven. I need a mini vacation and this will be a perfect way to spend it.

Things have finally slowed down for us so updating Max's everyday womb life will be more constant. There is so much going on in the next few months so there will be much to write about. And with Max doubling in size over the next month, my belly pictures will be abundant as well. Cannot wait for the exciting future!