Month Two Part Deaux

I have realized that I am a bit of an idiot and on my last post about Margo said month 2 flew when it had just begun. So... I am getting on track. Margo has just completed two months and is now three months old!

To say that my Margo is amazing is an understatement. She makes us so incredibly happy and we love her more and more as each day passes! This month has been busy and I am slowly learning to get into the swing of things with her.

Margo is sleeping anywhere between 6-8 hour stretches at night, which has been an incredibly welcome change! She is also sleeping in her crib now and it was very easy to transition her from the moses basket. I think she likes the room to spread out. Due to Margo's reflux, she doesn't like to sleep on her back and it is virtually impossible to get her to sleep for an extended period of time in that way. So... against all the advice, we are sleeping her on her tummy and purchased an Angel Care monitor to detect her every move. If she stops breathing/moving for more than 20 seconds, an alarm will sound. I did a lot of research about the product and trust in it, so I am able to breathe easy at night knowing she is sleeping comfortably and is safe.

Margo is also talking up a storm! She absolutely LOVES to hear herself talk. If she is awake, she is most likely talking. I took this video the day before Thanksgiving and she is already much more verbal a few weeks later. This still is pretty cute and her little personality is showing through.



She is also kicking her legs like crazy and is a very happy baby... smiling and excited all the time. She is our true joy and we love her so much! I am already sad that she is getting so big. Sometimes I miss my little newborn, but I also love looking forward to something new every day. She tickles me pink and brings me so much happiness and laughter!

Sip n' See for my Sweet Pea!

To say that I was devestated when my baby shower was cancelled, due to the onset of my preeclampsia, is an understatement. Not only was I sad to that I couldn't go, but I was mainly upset for my hostesses who had put so much effort into the preparations.

To make up for my shower being cancelled, we had a sip n' see to welcome Miss Margo into the world! We had mimosas to SIP and go to SEE a beautiful Margo in her pink and white sweater dress--matching cake below.

My sister from Midland and her three girls all came into town, which made the day extra special. My hostesses threw Margo an amazing party with all the bells and whistles. There was a really neat "fingerprint" tree where our guests got to leave their mark with a thumbprint and I will treasue this unique little piece of art forever. The flowers were gorgeous and included my favorite--peonies--they were so amazing when they opened up and were the circumfrence of a salad plate!

The sip 'n see was held at one of my most favorite restuarants in Houston, Backstreet Cafe, and the amazing brunch menu included my most favorite, shrimp and grits. It was delicious and I enjoyed every bite, including the mouth watering dessert trio with an apple crisp, creme brulee and Margo's adorable cake!

I loved the little robin egg soaps for the favor that went along with the bird theme in Margo's room. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a soap, but I hear they smell so wonderful you want to eat them. I can't wait to receive my little shipment in the mail.

Margo was an angel the entire time and fell sound asleep about half way through. I had a most wonderful time and am so grateful to my generous hostesses for the best party a girl could ever ask for. I am so glad that despite my cancelled shower, I was still able to celebrate Margo in an extra special way and create amazing memories!

Month Two Flew

Our sweet Margo is now two months old and I cannot believe how much she has grown and changed! Besides the issues she has had with reflux, she is truly an angel baby and we are in love!

Margo now weighs about 9 1/2 lbs and is 21 inches long. Because she was premature, her percentiles are still pretty low, but she is growing like a weed:

17% for weight
10% for height
7% for her head (my head is small too)

Margo is really strong and holds up her head well. We put her in her Bumbo for the first time and she LOVES it--it is hilarious seeing how she responds to it. She can roll over from her tummy to her back. She smiles at mommy and daddy all the time and is talking up a storm. When she is hungry and we are about to feed her, she lets us know by making the cutest sound. The closest way I can describe it is to compare it to howling... it is a mix of excitement and fussing and it melts my heart every time!

She is sleeping anywhere from 3-5 hour stretches. It is very inconsistent and I am eagerly anticipating when she sleeps through the night. By the time I feed her, hold her upright for 20 minutes and then get myself back to sleep, I am often only getting three or so hours a night often times. The sleep deprivation has definitely been the most difficult challenge for me.

Otherwise, everything about my Margo amazes me and I love her more than I ever thought possible. Once we finally manage to get her reflux under control (or she outgrows it), I think she will be a near perfect baby. We are blessed beyond belief and are having fun as we adjust to this new life!

Reflux Sucks!!!

Since we brought Margo home from the hospital, she has been having GI issues... grunting, groaning and struggling all day and night long. First, I thought it was gas and started gas drops with little success. Then, it started to progress to more fussing and spitting up. Margo was diagnosed with reflux and we have been fighting the battle ever since.

We have been on two forms of Prevacid and also a medicine to coat her burning esophagus. She is now on a higher dose of Prevacid and we have another Rx to fill. She is spitting up sometimes 20 times a day and then has BIG throw-ups anywhere between 5-15 times a day. Fortunately, she is still thriving and has actually gained a bit too much weight too fast.

When I brought her home from the hospital as a preemie, the hospital and her pediatrician really stressed fattening her up. I may be have been doing it too agressively because she gained 1.5 lbs in three weeks and she has been eating about 26 ounces a day, which the MD says is more like that of a four month old... oops! I also took her off of my breast milk and have her on lactose free formula which has helped a great deal with the grunting and struggling in her sleep. I am sad that she won't be getting my precious antibodies during RSV and flu season, but am also relieved that she feels better in that sense and it is a relief to not be pumping anymore.

So... instead of filling her new Rx which is supposed to help her empty her belly faster, thus less spitting/throwing up, I am now going to let her tell me when she needs to eat and reduce her feedings to see if that helps. The MD also suggested adding a little rice cereal to her feedings which is supposed to weight down her formula a bit and make it harder to spit up. I think I am going to try that route first instead of putting more chemicals in her body.

Through this process I have started a bad habit with Margo that I SWORE I would not do. She is much more comfortable on her belly and doesn't spit up in that position when she is sleeping. When she is fussy or uncomfortable, I have been letting her sleep on her belly on my chest since she cannot sleep on her belly in bed. I do this about half of the night and sleep little myself. Just this week, I went at least three days with 3 hours or less sleep a night. To say that I am wiped out is an understatement.

I am hoping that some of the new things we try will be a success and we'll start transitioning a healthy/happy baby to her crib in the next few weeks. The MD wants her well and sleeping in her room by three months. Please pray for us as we continue to struggle with the best answer/combination to make our sweet little girl more comfortable.

Poor, Margo, spitting up yet again... she looks a bit like she has fangs--ha ha!

Now that Margo has Left the Womb, I can Finally Share her Room!

People have been asking me to post pictures of Margo's room for months, but with the bed rest and early delivery of our sweet Margo, I could never quite get to it... until now! I love birds and so that was what I mostly incorporated into her room. The colors I chose were pink and an aqua blue because I didn't want it to be too pink, so I had to add a little accent. I think it turned out pretty good and will be a fun place for her to grow in.

I LOVE our furniture and we are so lucky to have it... courtesy of my sister, Laura. I updated it with simple brushed nickel drawer pulls from Restoration Hardware (one of my most favorite stores). The chair in the corner is soooo comfortable and I spend hours in it, so I am so grateful to my dad and Connie for getting us such a big splurge from Pottery Barn Kids. Thank goodness for the slip cover, as I have already had to wash it due to Tucker's grossness and he spends all day in it. The quilt on the chair was my grandfather's baby blanket and used to be red. It has faded to the perfect pink for Margo's room and I think it is so neat to have something so sentimental of his in her room. Lastly, I had to have a pouf... I saw this on a few other blogs of nurseries and love the pop of color. The blue perfectly matches the blue accent in the crib sheet!

The precious pictures on the wall could not have been more perfect for the room because they feature a bird and nest and also a kitten that looks like Tucker. My sister purchased these for her daughter's room and never hung them. They are hand signed by the artist and I just LOVE them! You have to see them up close to see how neat they are. The letters are sparkly and the pictures are really just so incredibly sweet. The 3-D dove on the wall was given by my mother-in-law and the cross from Cary's aunt.

The bird houses on Margo's book shelf, from Pottery Barn Kids, are extra special because they were painted by Cary's grandfather who is terminally ill. I am so glad we get to have a piece of his handiwork and creativity in the room since unfortunately Margo will probably never really know him. I added the little birds and thought they completed them perfectly. There are lots of other goodies on the shelf that were lovingly given by family and friends... a music box from France, a Madame Alexander doll and much more. The lamp was also from Restoration Hardware Baby and the beautiful embroidery of Madonna and Child was purchased at an antique store--it is said to be European from the 1940's. I think it adds such a special touch to Margo's room and signifies something that is very important to us.

Margo's crib features simple bedding that is mix and match from Serena and Lily... if I was rich, I could go crazy at that store! The wall decal and mobile are from ETSY (another of my faves). It was very hard to match the pinks to the bedding and as you can see, I didn't do the best job. That is my only disappointment in the room, but I have decided that it's okay and not everything has to coordinate perfectly. The cross above her bed is hard to see, but is so neat, hand crafted of beads from my sweet friend, Hilari. I love love love Margo's chandelier, also from Restoration Hardware Baby, and cannot thank Cary's parents enough for getting it for us. I think it will be a special, girly touch to Margo's room for many years to come! The polka dot canvas toy basket from Pottery Barn Kids is so cute too and was given by my mom who was a huge help with the room. She helped me hang everything in the perfect spot and put all the finishing touches together, which she is very talented at. She added a lot of little special touches to the room and I am so grateful for her help.

I cannot thank everyone enough for all they did to help put Margo's room together. We could not have afforded such nice things without the generous help of our family and putting it together was a labor of love. I have to add that these pictures were taken with this awesome new camera that my sister, Shannon, bought us! I love taking pictures and putting together albums, so this new toy is great for us to capture Margo's life and I highly recommend it if you are in the market for a new camera. It is easy to use and takes great, high quality photos. Cary and I are truly blessed tremendously with the best family and support system you could ever hope for. I hope Margo loves and appreciates her room as much as we do!

Month One has been so Much Fun!

Today our precious Margo is one month old and I cannot believe it! It is crazy to think that her original due date was only yesterday. The first month has been absolutely amazing and sometimes trying, as adjusting to being parents has been a big change in our lives. I never imagined that I could love something so much… every time I look at Margo my heart fills with joy and bursts with an abundance of love. There is nothing in the world quite as special as having a child and I feel so incredibly blessed to be given such an amazing gift.

Margo is growing like a weed, which is fantastic! She no longer looks like a little preemie as her face fills out and her belly grows round. Her digestion has been a bit confusing. Sometimes she has projectile throw ups, but it is probably only every other day and she spits up a lot. She grunts and groans a large part of the day and night and often seems that she is in a constant struggle to poo or toot. Margo was never able to latch on properly, so I have been breast pumping since she was born. I am producing plenty of milk, but pumping 8 to 9 times a day became cumbersome, so I feed her formula 3 to 4 times a day and pump the rest. We are experimenting with formulas and trying to get her more comfortable. I do not want to jump to any conclusions or unnecessarily medicate her if she is just having normal infant digestive issues.

Other than that, Margo is a true angel baby. She rarely cries and if she does, it is only for a short period because she is hungry or has a belly ache. She loves her baths and it is our favorite time of day. Just yesterday, we saw our first real smiles as she played on her play mat/gym. She has been holding up her head very well since birth and seems to be a strong little baby. Every time I interact with her, it is pure happiness!

Funny things that happened this month… she pooped in her bath and it was a mess! We just had to laugh it off. She also was peeing and pooing at the same time as I had her diaper open and her tee shot up in the air, all over me and everything (apparently it can happen with girls too). It was another mess, but again, we just laughed. Our first outing was a few weeks ago for Mexican food and it was easy as she slept the whole time. I also went to Central Market with her last week, which was my first alone outing. Driving with her makes me a bit nervous and I had a hard time figuring out how to put her carrier in the cart. It felt so good to get out on my own though and accomplish something.

My mom and my sister have both been a huge help to us in this first month. They have brought meals, taught us to bathe, done laundry and have provided a wealth of great advice! We are so grateful to them for helping us adjust to life with a baby.

Margo had her infant pictures done by my talented friend, Deanna. Here are a few of my favorites to honor her in her first special month of life. Thank you so much, Deanna, for capturing such a beautiful time for us.

Happy One Month Birthday, my sweet girl! You have no idea how much joy you have brought us in this short period. We are so thrilled to have you and learn and grow with you. We love you more than words could ever ever begin to say.

Our Heaven Sent is in the 10%

Our sweet Margo is an absolute dream come true and the past three weeks of having her home have been fantastic! She is an incredibly good baby and has a very sweet, calm demeanor.

Watching football with daddy!

During her firt pediatrician appointment, she still had some jaundice, so we had to get an at-home light blanket to help. She hated it, poor thing, so I didn't put it on her as much as I was supposed to. Instead, I let her sunbathe which did the trick!

Under the blue light


Sunbathing in her bassinet

Margo's favorite time of the day has been her bath time. She just loves getting her hair washed and feeling the warm water pour over her. I swear, I have already seen a slight smile during her bath time. I am so glad she is a water baby!

Content baby after her bath!

Margo is progressing extremely well health wise. At her 2-week pediatrician appointment, she was in the 10th percentile across the board. Although that sounds small, it is very good for her being premature. She has gained a total of 1 lb. 2.5 oz. since leaving the hospital for a total of 5 lbs. 14.5 oz., which the MD was very impressed with. Without a doubt, our Miss Margo loves to eat!

She is our absolute delight and we could not be more in love. The more and more I adjust to being a new mommy, the more I love it! We are truly blessed!

Week 36 Brings a New Chick

Exactly at week 36, we went to see the specialist for my preeclampsia. In the doctor's office, my blood pressure was 156/102 resting and we were immediately sent to labor and delivery across the street. I thought I was doing pretty good and was completely unprepared to welcome our Margo into the world!

After getting my 24-hour urine test results that were very high and indicitive of the preeclampsia worsening, it was determined I would deliver the next day on September 10th at 10:00 am. My dad rushed into town from Pennsylvania, my sister made the long drive in from Midland and everyone prepared for our sweet girl's arrival the next day! I slept surprisingly well the night before her delivery and was excited and ready the next day!

The final belly shot at 36 weeks.

The delivery itself was a c-section because my MD felt it was too dangerous to try and deliver otherwise with my blood pressure complications. It was all very fast and easy. I thought the epidural was a piece of cake and did not hurt at all. On the other hand, I did not like being numb and not being able to move my legs and feet. I got a little panicked over it in the OR, but breathed through it and before I knew it, Cary was brought in and she was here in less than five minutes. Seeing our girl for the first time was a moment of pure joy and utter disbelief. I asked Cary, "Is that really our baby?" I just couldn't believe that after all of these years of hoping for a child she was finally here!

Cary a little shocked after meeting Margo for the first time.

Our first family photo!

Margo Faye Weaver, 5 lbs. 1 oz and 18 inches long

Margo was only in the NICU for 6 hours and I was so anxious to hold her I could hardly stand it. Although she is tiny, she is perfectly healthy despite a little jaundice. Our hospital stay was great overall and it is good to finally be home. We are so proud of our little beauty! It is so true how they say that you can't imagine the depth of love you have for your own child. There are truly no words to describe it. My heart bursts with unconditional love every time I lay my eyes on her and I am so grateful to the good Lord for bringing us the greatest possible gift on earth!

Car ride to home sweet home!

I was so Impressed, my Co-Workers are the Best!

The day that I found out I had to go on bed rest was also the day of my work shower and my MD was kind enough to let me attend. To say that they outdid themselves is an understatement! I am so glad I got the opportunity to at least have a baby shower since my friends/family shower was cancelled, and they put on an awesome party for me. There are no words to express just how grateful I am!

My co-workers had the conference room decorated so cute and I had a ton of attendees as you can see below. Not to mention, there was a whole other long table full of people!

I received over 30 generous gifts!! The embroidered diaper cover and bib above were one of my favorite gifts, from my amazing boss who has been so understanding through all of this! One good thing about the bed rest is that I have managed to get every thank you note written.

These are my two generous hostesses (above and below) who coordinated everything from the awesome food to cake to games and decorations. I am so incredibly blessed to work with such amazing people and am just sorry I have to leave them in the weeds with this unexpected bed rest.

My car was literally filled to the brim with gifts and I had such an amazing time at my work shower! I could never thank everyone enough for all of their kindness and generosity. The gifts and support I received are a HUGE help to Cary and I in the preparation for Margo!

Week 35 and Margo Still Thrives!

In week 35, I am still doing well despite the mild preeclampsia and Margo is thriving. I had three MD appointments this week and all of them were favorable. As long as I am laying down and off of my feet, I am able to maintain great blood pressure levels. This is a bit challenging for me because I think I am doing really well, get up and do something I probably shouldn't and then my BP spikes. My swelling is virtually gone, although as you can see in my week 35 photo, I am sporting a sexy pregnancy double chin!

On Friday, I got the results from my 24-hour urine test and unfortunately, my protein levels have increased from 328 to 500. They are still within a relatively safe range, but if they continue to increase, it will mean imminent delivery. My doctor had originally said we would deliver at 37 weeks, but given my protein levels, he may consider 36 1/2. It is all basically a day-by-day assessment of my BP, fetal activity, monitoring other symptoms, etc... Next week, I have special testing on Tuesday at Texas Women's Hospital, an appointment with the specialist on Thursday and an appointment with my OB on Friday. I feel like all I do is go to the MD, but I am so bored on bed rest, I actually don't mind just getting out fo the house--ha. As long as I make it to Friday without incident, I think we will set a delivery date.

Probably the only perk of all of this is I get a 4D ultrasound at the specialists office, which was super cool because we did not want to pay extra for one during my pregnancy. The pictures did not come out great and Margo clearly did not want her photo taken, but it was so fun to see a little part of her face. I am not convinced she will really look like this, but we will know soon enough. I definitely think she has my chin and it looks like she is smooshing her nose down, but I think she may have Cary's nose. I love that she has her sweet little hand over her eyes and seeing this makes me even more excited to meet her soon. I can barely stand the waiting, especially because bed rest is so hard, but I want her to keep on cooking and growing. As of Friday, she had gained almost a pound since my hospital stay the previous week and is 5 lbs. 3 oz. --Yaay!

So... please continue to keep all of us in your prayers as we get closer to Margo's arrival. Pray for my patience and for both Margo and I's good health. Pray for Cary too, as he is stressed trying to juggle so many things at once and he has been a model husband and father already!

Minor Complication=Frustration

It has been so long since I have blogged because I had been very busy and not feeling so good. As it turns out, I had lots of reason to not feel so good and had been pushing myself way too much. Last week at my regular MD appointment, he was concerned with the severe swelling in my body, as well as a very slight increase in my BP, so I was sent home for bed rest through the weekend. Unfortunately, I did not make it through the weekend after experiencing a headache all night on Thursday. I woke up Friday and went to Walgreens to check my BP. It was really high, so I drove to another Walgreens (ha ha) just to make sure and checked it again. My BP was skyrocketing, although I am sure I was a bit nervous which didn't help. By the time I got to the MD, it was reading 173/100.

After laying on my left side, it went down, but was still borderline high, so I was sent for an overnight stay in the hospital for observation. The worst part of all of this for me was that my sister had just flown into town and my long anticipated baby shower was the next day. To say that I was devestated was an understatement, but I did my best to mask my emotions and keep Margo and myself safe and calm.

The hospital stay was uneventful. I saw a specialist and had an ultrasound that showed Margo was only 4 lbs. 5 oz. which was small for 34 weeks. This was all the more reason I had to keep this situation under control, so she could keep on cooking. After a fun 24-hour urine collection test that had just slightly elevated amounts of protein, I was deemed to have borderline preeclampsia, which could be stabilized by strict bed rest and laying on my left side.

So here I am... my shower has passed me by and I am so sad that not only I missed it, but that all the effort that was put into it was wasted. I am done with work until Margo gets here other than an hour of catch-up online a day. If I stay on my feet for more than a few minutes my BP spikes, which is so frustrating! I have to keep convicing myself this is real. I look and feel so much better from the bed rest and when I am laying down, my BP is near perfect. It makes me question myself and my symptoms. I know this condition could change or worsen at any given time, so I have to keep reminding myself that I am doing this for the safety of myself and Margo.

I have three total doctor appointments this week and I know poor Cary is stressed to the max between juggling me, work, domestic household duties, trying to get last minute things done for Margo, etc... He has been a real trooper and an amazing husband through this and I feel so lucky to have him. My family has been amazing as well! My house is filled with gorgeous flowers that were supposed to be for the shower, my sister provided a fridge full of awesome food and washed baby clothes, the Weavers came to install car seats and my mom has been a big help in getting things organized. I don't know what I would do without them all and I feel so incredibly blessed!

So... I lay on my left side and wait and pray. I pray mostly for the health of our sweet little one and the hope that she will keep growing and flourishing. If all continues to be status quo, she will be delivered via c-section around 37 weeks in mid-September. Please keep up in your prayers as we face this bump in the road and ask for God to grace us with patience and understanding.

Ouch... I just want to lay on the couch!

I started this week feeling great as I felt I was easing smoothly into my eighth month. On Wednesday, I had an MD appointment that went great and all had been well. Then Thursday came and in a matter of a day, everything had changed! I am so uncomfortable! I don’t know if Margo has moved or what, but my lower abdomen now hurts and I find it difficult to even get up and walk sometimes. At the same time, sitting is painful and my rear hurts from the sheer weight of her on my spine. So… I am stuck, it hurts to move, it hurts to sit and it often hurts to lay down. I am down for the count, I guess, which is hard for me to come to terms with. It is not in my nature to relax and I have a to-do list with 23 items on it that must be accomplished by Labor Day weekend. I don’t want to stop cooking because I get so sick of eating out and I had all these grand plans to cook and freeze several meals before Margo’s arrival. I made two things… that’s not going to get us very far. Standing on my feet is not an option with the swelling and discomfort, so I will sadly give up my biggest stress reliever of cooking for the next several months until Margo is here and I can get back into the swing of things. My last issue is work, I think my boss and I are going to have to talk. By 3 pm, my butt hurts so bad from sitting I cannot stand it! She is extremely understanding so I am hoping we can work on a plan for me to do some work at home in the evenings after I give my bootie a rest in the afternoons.

Complaining aside, it has been a great week as well! A few of my co-workers who couldn’t make it to my shower hosted a little “mini” shower for me. My girlfriend made a delicious meal, had the table set beautifully and provided delicious mini pink cupcakes. I got an amazing diaper cake, from my dear sweet friend who is so talented and I got some other great gifts as well. I thought we were just having lunch together and to my surprise, it was so much more! I am so blessed to have forged such great friendships through work. That alone makes it worth it!

Being a Grad is Rad!

This weekend we headed up to Fort Worth for my niece, Morgan’s, college graduation. To say that we are all proud of her is an understatement! Immediately following her dad’s tragic death a year and a half ago, Morgan switched into high gear and found the motivation to finish her college degree early. She was already in the regular nursing program at TCU and loving the college life of sorority and friends. Losing her dad propelled her to want to graduate early in an effort to save tuition and get out into the real world as soon as possible. In the midst of her incredible grief, she interviewed with the Dean of the nursing school and got accepted into TCU’s accelerated nursing program.

This is a program that is designed for women who already have their undergraduate degrees and want to become a nurse. Morgan was only into her sophomore year of undergraduate studies, but they had confidence in her, for very good reasons, and allowed her into the program. Now, Morgan has graduated a year early and has her BSN (Bachelor’s and Nursing degree). She is the first and youngest student of her kind… what an amazing accomplishment! To be able to focus such unbearable grief into something so positive is amazing to me. I am not sure I would have had the strength to do what Morgan has done and I admire her so much. Please pray for her as she starts the search for a great job as nurse.

One proud mama!

The excited grad showing off her pin!

We had a great time watching her get her nursing pin and helping her celebrate such a momentous occasion. We had an awesome dinner out (including calf fries that I did not eat), lots of laughs, Joe T. Garcia’s (it’s as good as Texas Monthly says), great entertainment (a mechanical bull ride) from my nephew, Trey, and some fun shopping before we caught our flight.

My beautiful family!

Trey on the bull--thanks for the laughs!

The only unfortunate thing was the horror of my swollen feet from the sweltering heat and the flight. I knew my feet felt tight and weird on the plane, but did not really look at them until I got home. As you can see, they were a freak of nature! Someone jokingly asked if I had elephantitis—ha ha! Lots and lots of water and plenty of rest later and they are looking swollen, but much better now.

Week 31: Tucker has a nursery!

Our cat, Tucker, is too too funny! He has clearly claimed Margo’s nursery as his own and has been laying his fat self all over it! First, we got the bedding on the crib. Before I knew it, he was under the crib hiding behind the crib skirt every day. Next, the chair came in (thanks again, Dad, I love it!). Before I could even get the slip covers in the washing machine (literally like 10 minutes after the delivery), he was in it, claiming it as his very own throne. I am so annoyed because I have to keep an ugly blanket in my new white chair, so he doesn’t dirty it. Last but not least, the top of the changing table is sitting on the floor because I am waiting for the dresser from my sister. I have the new changing pad sitting on top of it in plastic. This is Tucker’s new favorite place! I think he thinks it is his new bed. Almost every time I walk by the room, he is sprawled out on the changing pad, loving his new “bed”.

Tucker yawning on his throne!

So sophosticated sitting cross pawed!

Here is my week 31 photo. I am pretty exhausted if it’s not obvious. I am at the point where I am tired and hormonal and want to get my baby here and my body back. I cried at my desk twice in one day after seeing myself in the elevator mirror. Clearly, it was a hormonal day (I seem to be having more of those these days). I hope and pray that it won’t be too hard to get this weight off after Margo. Will I ever be able to wear a bikini again? Will my stomach ever go back? Probably not, so I hear. I have no self-discipline with food and I hate to exercise other than my daily walks, so I hope I get some serious motivation! I can’t seem to take a picture without my double chin showing… it’s so depressing.

I am lucky though and I should not complain. God gave us this incredible little life when we wanted it so desperately! I cannot imagine the devastation that parents go through who cannot get pregnant. We are being given one of the greatest gifts on earth and I feel truly blessed. So… I will try not to wince at that extra cellulite and puffy face and be grateful for life’s amazing blessings!

Week 30: Rebelling Against Swelling‏

Last weekend was a wonderful trip to my home town, Midland, for my sweet niece, Kayla’s, baby shower. It was such a great time and I loved being with my sisters and beautiful family. I got to eat my favorite Midland fare including Jorge’s, Luigi’s and Murray’s—yum yum yummy! I saw my oldest friend, Stephanie, and had a great visit with my beautiful granny. The only downside is that it was way too short! I wish I didn’t have to save all of my time for maternity leave. Kayla got lots of great stuff at her shower and I got to see her beautiful nursery. She is only two weeks behind me, but as you can see, I am much bigger. This dress is not very flattering now that I am huge and this isn’t a great photo, but I wanted to show the comparison.

My amazing Granny and sister, Shannon

My nephew, John, is growing up too fast... with my sister, Laura

On Sunday before leaving Midland, I noticed my first real episode of ankle swelling and was disappointed that it was already starting. I guess it is here to stay because I have been working hard at rebelling against the swelling, yet my hubby is still calling my feet “clod hoppers”. I have been drinking at least 10 glasses of water a day, plus cranberry juice which is supposed to help. I really haven’t watched my salt intake because I just can’t bear to and I read that it doesn’t really help. I brought my tennis shoes to work because it is just too darn hot outside and the mosquitoes attack me every time I walk out the door. Three times this week I have walked a mile on the bridge between two hospitals and it seems to help. Other than that, I can lay on my side and keep my feet propped under my desk, but I can’t sit/lay down all the time, so I will just deal with it and try not to be depressed about it. It looks disgusting and if I get really bad cankles, I swear, I will die! If things stay as they are and I can keep it relatively under control, I will be okay with it.

One thing that made my all too short trip to Midland a little better this week was that my sister and nieces and nephew ended up coming to Houston for some doctor’s appointments, so I got to spend even more time with them—yaay! I still had to work, but enjoyed meeting them for dinner and having even more quality time with everyone. If you live in Houston and have not been to Tiny Boxwoods, go! It is a little café attached to a plant nursery near River Oaks and is absolutely fabulous. I have been wanting to go forever. We went for dinner and I had a most amazing shrimp dish with risotto. We had great appetizers, salads and the dessert was amazing too! They also have a more casual lunch menu and have brunch on Sundays. I highly recommend it!

This weekend we are working on Margo’s room. We finally got the crib together, so I can’t wait to put her bedding on. The chair is being delivered Sunday and I feel like we are finally making progress. My sister gave me a ton of her old stuff like the swing, bouncy chair and play gym, so I have lots of washing and disinfecting to do. I need to hurry up and get it all done while I have the energy! Only 10 weeks left... I can't believe it!