Baby Beignets

and they just keep a-comin'....yesterday my über groovy boss took me and some of my favourite ladies out for a celebratory-bun-in-oven lunch. I had never been to George. What a fabulous restaurant. The artichoke soup and duck cannelloni were divine! Not to mention....dessert!

mmmm...chocolate filled baby beignets

These delectable chocolate beignets covered in cinnamon sugar came courtesy of George. Kim had brought me a little prezzie (some Body Shop butter for my belly and yummy lip gloss). I'm thinking that the gift bag triggered the waiter to ask, "Special occasion? Someone's birthday?" "Well kinda. Some time in May." It took everything out of me not to lick that congratulatory chocolate right off that plate! Thanks Michael and Kim and Jodi and Jillian, from me and the bump. xo

Angel of Love

The well wishes, congratulations and prayers just keep coming. And we love and very much appreciate it! My sister-in-law, Lori, gave me a very special gift. It's a small medal of Saint Gerard Majella, Patron Saint of Expectant Mothers. I carry it everywhere I go, it's pinned to the inside of my wallet. It looks something like this:

and on the flip side is Mary holding baby Jesus.

I had never heard of St. Gerard. Guess I'm a lapsed Catholic. Lori, on the other hand, is very committed and keeps us all safe in her prayers. Although Jay and I have been baptized and gone through both communion and confirmation, we did not get married in the Catholic church. What will this mean for Baby Flores-Holz? We've never really talked about it, perhaps we should. For now it's good to know that we have Saint Gerard (and hopefully all of the angels and saints) watching over us. Oh, and Lori Flores too - of course!

Baby's First Track

We rented a doppler. We researched and researched and ran it by our doc. Everyone gave us the thumbs up. The only drawback that we were advise of was that not finding the heartbeat or not knowing what to listen for could cause us stress. We have had no trouble finding the heartbeat. Listening to it is like hearing the growing baby say "¡hola!". The doppler came as a kit, with the gel and an instructional CD all in a pretty velvet bag. I love it. We took it to my parents' place over the weekend for Show & Tell. A moment I will never forget -- lying on my parents' bed, surrounded by loved ones, listening to the newest family member's heart beat away. I don't think we've ever been that quiet! Jay, being the musician/armchair sound technician, set up our mini studio at home in order to lay down baby's first track. You can click play on the recording in the side bar and have a listen for yourself.

thumpedythumpthumpthump!

Everything is Fine

We got our test results back from the nuchal translucency screening and we rocked the report! My doctor's nurse left a message on my cell and I can't stop listening to it! "we got the report back and it is fine...it puts you below a 15yr old, which is basically negative....everything is fine." Yabba dabba doooo!!!

With that news under my ever expanding belt I've been able to start telling some more folks at work and last night I was able to freak out a table of knitters. We had just come from a new knit shop launch and we were cozying up in a booth at a nearby restaurant when the girls pulled out their loot bags and started talking about swapping the balls of yarn they were given. I suggested that they all keep what they had so that they could knit booties for the baby I'll be having in May. For the most part they thought that I was just messing with them, but once they realized that I was more than serious they were full of congrats and support. Phew!

It's getting easier and easier to say it out loud. Fun, even! Here are a few of my favorite ways of spreading the news so far:

• telling my mom, at her birthday party, that we had one more birthday present for her.
• telling Jay's parents that we had a great picture to show them and then presenting them with the shot of the 7 week ultrasound.
• Jodi asking me "what you knittin?" and me responding with "a maternity sweater".
• after declining a glass of wine and refusing the caesar salad made with raw eggs, Jillian asks "whut's up?", I respond "bun in oven."
• telling Kathryn that I need to talk to her about maternity leave.
• telling the knitters to save their yarn for baby booties.

a few memorable reactions:
• my mom bouncing up and down like a little girl while my grandma puts her hands in prayer and gazes up to the heavens in thanks.
• Jay's mom gasping and tearing up at the shot of the ultrasound.
• Bonnie hugging me over and over and over again.
• Kathryn jumping up and down while trying not to make a sound.
• All of the knitters faces as they registered the information.

I must keep adding to these lists. The support and excitement has been amazing. The non-stop hugs and words of encouragement are helping to keep me calm and at ease. Just like nurse Barb said, "Everything is fine."

(not) Coming Out

We've hit week 13 (aka the first week of the 2nd trimester). wooo!! But we're still hiding safely in the closet. I'm kinda shy about the whole thing. I'm just not sure how to tell people. And part of me doesn't want the extra attention. Hard to believe, I know, but true. Slowly but surely I've been telling some of the folks at work. Quietly. One at a time. And, of course, making them promise to keep the secret safe. My knitter pals don't know yet and after last week's sobriety at the monthly Drunken Knitters Night, I have a feeling that they're starting to get suspicious. We're still waiting to hear back regarding the results from the nuchal translucency tests. And even though deep down inside I know that all is good and progressing accordingly, I'll still blame the lack of information for keeping the babe in the bag. And I also know that any day now I'll have to just bite the bullet and throw on this sweet little number...

Testing, testing, 1...2...3...

12 weeks and a day...

Bubba

What an amazing sight! It moved. It did a little dance and then it seemed to settle in for a nap. It was probably full from the delicious EggMcJay breakfast we had brought to us in bed this morning and it just wanted to sleep it off. We went in for the Nuchal Translucency screening and according to our techie, everything looks "normal". Fetal extremities - good; fetal movement; good; nuchal translucency measure: 1.6mm - good. After the Dancing Fetal Show I was sent for some blood letting. Only one vial! Thank the good Lord! In a weeks time, we'll have the results, which we're sure will be "low risk". We've never made it this far before and we have every intention of making it all the way to the finish line! A low risk result will keep us away from the dreaded Amnio. Not that I fear needles all that much, it's the risk of miscarriage that has us completely freaked out.

All nerves and freakyness aside, we are ecstatic! This is definitely one of the happiest days that Jay and I have shared so far in this journey that is Our Sweet Life Together. What I'm loving about this pregnancy, besides the fact that I'm carrying our baby, is that Jay and I are getting closer and closer every day. How much more close can ya get!? He is just such an awesome person. Who else can make me laugh through nausea and senseless tears? or bring me soda water in the middle of the night? or have the patience to wait by the fitting room while I try on yet another maternity top even though it's just not in the budget? Who else can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan and never never never let me forget he's my man! I *heart* Jay!!!

Pre-Maternity Leave

I was thinkin' what a wonderful world this would be if once you reached week 6 you were sent home to relax and deal with the barfiness and the dizzyness and the shear exhaustion. Then you could return to work during your 2nd trimester, stay until 2 weeks before your due date and then go off on maternity leave for a year. With full benefits and pay, of course! A gal can dream, can't she?

I've been feeling a little better lately. Meaning the nauseous moments are farther apart. Woo! But the tiredness seems to be hanging on. I'm ok though. I'm looking forward to the day when I can say (out loud), "I'm really not this fat, I'm pregnant!" I realize that I should not be gaining all that much during the first trimester, but when the only thing you can stomach is pasta marinated in butter, french fries, ice cream and popsicles, the calories are bound to catch up to ya!

My wardrobe is shrinking. I just want to put everything in a box and shop shop shop. I had to give in and get a pair of those maternity jeans and they ain't all that bad. They kinda feel like they're gonna fall right off, but I guess that I just need to grow into them a little more. Week 11 may be a bit early for the maternity wardrobe but I just couldn't help myself. And why buy regular clothes when you're just gonna grow out of them in a few months. Any excuse to shop! I've been lucky though, Old Navy and The Bay have some awesome deals. Good for the ol' budget!

Jay and I are counting down the minutes to Monday's 12 week ultrasound. If all goes well (and it will) we can celebrate with a new t-shirt that announces "baby on board" or something just as cheezy. Spreading the word across my chest!