A few updates...

I had my 32 week prenatal check-up yesterday morning, and it seems as though all is progressing well. I am measuring 31 centimeters and Ivory’s heart rate was jumping around in the low 150s. I weighed about 158 pounds, so my weight gain has been about 28 pounds so far (over 20% of my previous weight!). I’ll be going in again at 34 weeks, on 6/12, to have my next check-up and our final ultrasound to measure Ivory and see her sweet cheeks once again. Appointments have switched to every 2 weeks and will be weekly after week 36.

Today was officially my last day of work for Touchpoint Contact Centers, where I've been employed since May of 2012. I started in a sales position, which lasted about two months but felt like a lifetime, then that department went under and I was fortunate enough to be offered a job working with Insurance Auto Auctions in the same office. Last spring, in May, I believe, I was offered a position as a team lead, which gave me my first experience working on a managerial team. In July, though, I had decided to return to school full time and requested to work from home part time. My boss was very flexible in working around my class schedule and making that possible, so I left the office for good and started making calls from my couch instead. In early November, I decided that working nearly full time and taking a huge load of credit hours wasn't going to work out for me as I adjusted to life as a wife as well. After talking to Felipe about our options, I put in my 2 weeks notice and finally declared my college major as English. Just days later, we found out we were expecting our baby, and I made a very awkward phone call to my boss requesting to revoke my 2 weeks notice and resume full time work at the end of the semester. She accepted happily, and I dropped the classes I had registered for the coming year. Despite the great excitement I had felt about my new major and the fact that we hadn't intended to start raising a family so quickly after getting married, I never felt the least bit sad about making necessary decisions to prepare for our baby. I remember the terror I felt when I had the scare of a subchorionic hematoma followed by the endless hours of tearful prayers that the baby inside me - just the size of a seed at that point - would make it through. I learned that love sprouts in a mother's heart instantly upon news that she's carrying a child, in a way I never could have imagined. The next several months were filled with discussion of how we would care for our baby and whether I would go back to work after he or she was born. We decided that we were both willing for the sacrifices that would be needed in order for me to stay at home with him or her for as long as that was made possible for us. One of the hardest challenges we faced in that decision was a few months back, when I received a phone call from my boss with the offer of a salaried position as a supervisor with a very significant pay raise. I hardly knew what to tell her, so I said I would discuss it with Felipe over the weekend and let her know the following Monday. As I hung up the phone, I knew in my heart that this didn't actually change things, that the time we'd spent deliberating and praying to make the decision that was right for our family hadn't been wasted, but I was still struggling with the idea of being able to provide more for our baby in the long run. So of course I called my mama, as I always do, but this time I was in tears. I poured out my feelings and concerns and babbled on to her while she, in her wise, calm way, listened and mmhmm'd until I'd run out of things to say. She never gave me actual advice, only said that she thought I already knew the answer before I'd called her. And when Felipe got home from work that night, I waited awhile before I asked for his opinion. In his wonderfully kind way, he congratulated me on the opportunity, and then he reiterated my own thoughts, that nothing had really changed. Afraid I wouldn't be able to hold it together in a phone call with my raging pregnancy hormones, I sent an email to my boss on Monday morning explaining why I wouldn't be able to accept her offer. She responded that she completely understood, and somehow, I knew that she really did. At the beginning of this month, I called her again to tell her I'd be able to work through May and would then be officially resigning, and she again responded with understanding. I am so grateful to have worked for someone who treated me so well over the last couple of years.

We are going to look at a few houses for sale in Ashland tomorrow, as we are considering the option of purchasing before we have to sign our lease again this summer. Neither of us have any experience in this area, so we're trying to be extra careful and not fall for getting emotionally attached to anything before we make an offer and it's accepted, and the home has been inspected. Whether we find something or not, we're still looking forward to getting some information. If you have any tips to share, feel free to comment! We'd be happy to hear them.

Week 32

I found this at a garage sale this morning and bought it to use for Ivory's birth announcement photos. Happy May 24th!

I also finally went to Enjoy! Boutique in Ashland and spent the gift card my mother- and sister-in-law gave me for my bridal shower last September. I thought a cute apron would help my cooking skills develop, and also play a role in the way my kids remember me when I'm old.

Third Trimester Checklist

[✓] Pre-register for hospital maternity services
[✓] Pack baby's bag for hospital
[✓] Pack cloth diapering supplies for hospital
[   ] Pack Mama's hospital bag
[   ] Pack Papa's hospital bag
[✓] Enjoy a wonderful baby shower
[   ] Finish sending out thank you notes for shower gifts
[   ] Maternity photo session
[✓] Wash all of baby's blankets, clothing, burp cloths, bibs, towels and wash cloths
[✓] Organize all of baby's clothing and toys in nursery
[   ] Finish painting nursery
[✓] Take birthing class
[   ] Buy remaining baby items, namely an ERGObaby carrier & changing table pad
[   ] Create a vaccination plan
[   ] Hire grandparents for shifts of keeping baby happy while parents begin their postpartum exercise plan
[   ] Create said postpartum exercise plan
[   ] Decide on birth announcement design and prepare a template as well as addressed envelopes
[✓] Choose a pediatrician
[✓✓✓✓✓]  Fluctuate constantly between extreme anticipation for baby to arrive and a deep sadness that time alone with your spouse will soon be gone forever
[   ] Endure labor and deliver baby into the world!

Week 31: Showered with Love

I'm taking a break from writing thank you notes to share a little bit about our weekend while it's still fresh in my memory. Yesterday afternoon, we celebrated Ivory with a beautiful shower hosted by my mother-in-law, Wendy, and my mama. It was so encouraging to be surrounded by so many wonderful ladies (and a couple of men, too), and now that the shower is over, the countdown seems even more real.

We hardly know how to express our gratitude and surprise at how many beautiful, meaningful gifts we received. It's safe to say that our daughter will never have to go cold or naked in the first 9 months of her life, even if I do procrastinate a little too much with laundry, which I may have a tendency to do. It would take far too long to list every treasure we were given, but I'll share the few photos I have of the event instead. My sister-in-law's boyfriend took about 600 photos, so there will be more to come.

Here I am opening a gift from my friend Abby, and if you can't tell, I'm pretty psyched about the contents of this box.

Our friend Karen, who came quite a way to celebrate with us.

A few of the guests watching us unwrap more gifts

Wooden blocks: table decorations and a gift for us!

Pregnant ladies eat first: my dear friend Amberly is due just 4 weeks after I am, on August 15th!

Our beautiful cake: Celebrating Ivory Victoria

30 Weeks (and some days): Perfect Weather

Ending the 29th week

It’s that time of the week again: the start of its end, when we get to take a moment to breathe and realize again just how few of these days are left before our pregnancy countdown is ended.  I just glanced at the calendar and it dawned on me that between now and our due date, we have only 10 more Saturdays. Whether we give or take a few from that number, it just doesn’t sound like a whole lot of time to accomplish everything I’d like to before I’m a mama. Before I was pregnant, I used to look around and think those months during which babies are developing in their mothers’ wombs, the mothers themselves are a lot like caterpillars. They’re hairy and roly-poly and it takes them a long time to travel by foot, but when the time is right, a transformation occurs, and no one would ever know they haven’t always been able to fly about with their flashy mothering instincts on display. I also remember wondering often as a small child how in the world parents seemed to just know what their babies were asking for by their cries, and I suspected there was a secret language which only those adults who bravely swallowed watermelon seeds were privy to. Being the youngest sibling, I never actually figured this out (thanks, Mom). I'm afraid, though, that the answer is really going to boil down to experiences and a whole lot of unsureness.

On another note, since the theme of this blog is and has always been pregnancy, I think I may be starting a sister blog with more of a personal growth spin. Much to my disappointment, Growing Garcias was already taken, but Growin’ Garcias wasn’t, and I’m not above a little abbreviation and throwing in a drawl to get my way. I couldn’t justify taking Grownup Garcias since, well, there are several years of living that need to go on before I’m willing to take on that kind of label. Anyway, I’ll provide the link and more details about that in the future, but at this point, I believe Felipe will be a co-author, and we will share posting privileges to write about this and that or nothing at all, and if it ever seems to be monopolized by yours truly, feel free to send some anonymous emails to my husband letting him know how important his contributions really are.

Happy, happy 29 weeks!

Can't wait for there to be a little baby in that adorable crib.

I painted one wall of the nursery (light coral) and we're going to do the other three in gray when we find a good day for it.

The best mama in the whole, wide world is getting promoted to Grandma!

How'd I manage to also end up with the best husband in the whole, wide world??

Basking in the sunshine