Week 33
Last Saturday, Topo Chica and I were showered with lots of love (gifts and food too, of course) by close friends and family. I am so grateful to have such caring and supportive people in my life.
That evening over dinner, Rene and I read through the stack of advice cards for mom & dad and well wishes for baby. I came close to tears a few times but we mostly shared some good laughs! Some takeaways: be flexible and forgiving, learn to accept help when offered, enjoy every moment, and sleep when baby sleeps!
I finally got around to enjoying some pool time at my mom’s. My pregnant belly welcomed the buoyancy of the water! Looking forward to spending some more time swimming and exercising as the summer heat strengthens.
Week 32
According to my weekly pregnancy guide, Topo Chica is practicing sucking, swallowing and breathing. What a multitasker! She has also started kicking which is such an interesting sensation. I can’t help but wonder what position she currently is in. Babies typically change position to being head-down around this time. We’ll find out in a couple of weeks when I have my last ultrasound.
Yesterday, Rene and I took a 4-hour virtual class about prepared childbirth. It was even the express version. Lots of information! Today, we pre-registered at the hospital. This is all feeling very real! I’m taking each day as it comes and enjoying every pregnant moment!
Week 31
Sharing a bird’s eye view of my bump - yay I can still see my feet! I’ve been feeling more pregnant than ever this week. Work has been extra busy with our biggest sale of the year. I’m learning to take more frequent breaks and am grateful for such supportive co-workers. Topo Chica is apparently learning to move her head. I can definitely feel more pronounced pokes and kicks! It still blows my mind that I’m growing a small human…
Week 30
How is it already week 30?! Coming up with the idea of keeping a blog and writing my first post feels like it was yesterday! Topo Chica is getting heavier each week. My back can definitely tell… I had another prenatal check-up today and everything is on track. My doctor commented that I’m really doing a good job staying on top of things. On our way out of the hospital, I told Rene that I felt like the good student getting praised by the teacher, to which he commented that he feels lucky for having such an awesome lab partner. Ha ha!
Week 29
Happy to write that I’ve been sleeping so well these past few days! I hope I’m not jinxing myself when I say this but Topo Chica seems to be on a regular sleep schedule already: she sleeps when I sleep! By the time I have my morning cup of tea, she’s awake and warming up for her first boxing match. She is getting strong! Throughout the day, I’ll feel her push and kick, often localized to one side. It’s so strange observing my belly move!
Despite the summer heat, I try to make time to get outside. Mom and I spent Mother’s Day at a local bird sanctuary where we enjoyed a leisurely hike and rested beneath the shaded trees to watch the turtles sunbathe. Looking forward to the day I can explore it with my little one!
Week 28
This week marks the beginning of my final and third trimester! Prenatal check-up today went well. It still blows me away to hear Topo Chica’s heart beating so steadily. She is increasingly active (as is my poor bladder) and about the size of a pineapple. Last night, while watching a movie, I felt the strongest jab on my left side and let out a loud yelp! Was that a kick or a punch? What position is she in? Is she dreaming? If so, what in the world is she dreaming about?
As I enter this final stretch (pun intended), I find myself needing to adjust to the limitations of my body. Some day to day things are certainly becoming more challenging, like getting out of bed. Where have my abdominal muscles gone? But it’s little moments like the one pictured above that help me laugh and appreciate the incredible transformation I’m experiencing.
Yes, that’s a dish of cookies resting on my bump.
Week 27
I cannot believe it’s the last week of my second trimester. Topo Chica is on the move! I regularly feel little twitches which apparently is her new talent: hiccuping. As for me, I definitely need to remind myself to take it easier these days. Little things are becoming more challenging with the extra weight I’m carrying. So far, I’ve gained five pounds during my pregnancy. I’m sure there’s more to come…
This week’s photo was taken with my very dear friend Maria. I am so grateful for our relationship. She is one of several wonderful aunties my little one is lucky to have!
Week 26
Topo Chica continues to stay active in the womb! She is typically awake when I’m horizontal and resting, or when I’m winding down to get some sleep. A night owl like her dad perhaps?
Photographs taken from below are not my favorite, but I had to share this one! She really is growing fast. I’m trying to savour every moment with her. Feeling very grateful that my pregnancy has been such an enjoyable experience!
Week 24
My topo chica - little peak in Spanish - isn’t so little anymore. I’ve been happily showing off my bump! I find dresses the most comfortable to wear right now. They also make me happy and help me feel good about myself as my body goes through this incredible transformation. Meanwhile, Rene’s beard continues to morph as well!
I spent a beautiful day at the Houston Arboretum, soaking in the sun and the sounds of birds, hoping our daughter will find peace in the outdoors as we both do.
Daughter. Parents.
Wow.
Week 23
At 23 weeks, baby can hear my voice and loud sounds, a perfect time to dust off my ukulele! Rene and I had a fun little jam session yesterday. He was on bass and I sang the few songs I know: Brown Eyed Girl, Let it Be, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. We both grew up playing instruments - guitar and piano. Perhaps our little one will as well in the future. For now, we’ll enjoy making music for her, whether she likes it or not ; )
Week 22
This week, my little beach ball is about the size of a papaya or a Classic Game Boy, so 11 inches roughly. I’m noticing changes here and there, and am accepting things as they come! I’m a very good sleeper by nature but my growing stomach has me making more frequent nightly trips to the bathroom. Sleeping on my left side has also become the most comfortable position and I am very grateful for the wedge pillow Rene bought me several weeks ago!
Yesterday, the four of us - I guess I should say the five of us - enjoyed some much needed time outside once the crazy storms passed. Memorial District Park is another one of those hidden gems. The only reason we knew about it was when Rene spotted it months ago from the Hermann Hospital Tower during a prenatal visit. The sun and breeze felt so good, and best of all, I slept like a baby last night.
Week 21
Writing to you with a full belly! Enjoyed a delicious homemade burger for dinner: grass-fed beef, Gruyère cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, and portobello mushrooms. I’m so grateful Rene grew up helping his mother in the kitchen!
Baby bump has definitely grown and I’m feeling her squirm from time to time, although movements are still subtle. This afternoon, I stumbled into a store and couldn’t help but browse the baby section. This is the first time I’ve allowed myself to actually shop. To avoid getting carried away with all the adorable outfits, I focused my efforts on finding some cute sleep n plays (I already sound like a mom!) with zippers, soft materials and simple prints. Love these two I came home with!
Week 20
This week not only marks the halfway point of my pregnancy but also the anniversary of my first date with Rene! This afternoon, over coffee at our favorite French bakery, we discussed the existence of the chocolate almond croissant. It is the pastry symbolizing our union: Rene’s love for the pain au chocolat and my passion for the almond croissant. I was overjoyed, spotting them on the counter from across the room. It was a serendipitous way to celebrate our relationship as well as our little one’s healthy growth and development thus far. She was very active throughout the ultrasound, showing off her beautiful beating heart and leaving us with a glimpse of her sweet face.
Week 19
This week I’ve been trying to figure out if the flutters in my belly are from baby or just gas. It’s still quite early but I can’t help but wonder if she’s stretching out an arm or a leg. Baby is the size of a mango to which Rene responded, “Mexican or Filipino?”. Good question. So I came up with something I knew he’d get: Magic 8-ball.
Week 18
This week, baby begins to hear sound. So I started a lovely new bedtime routine: reading to her. Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein has been such fun to read out loud! Rene grew up with these quirky poems and bought the book a few months ago. I have very fond memories of my father reading me bedtime stories throughout my childhood. It’s never too early to start!
Week 16
I like to think Seamus and Loki can sense a change in our family. Loki has always been the more affectionate one. Seamus, in his old age, has become quite needy and high maintenance. But yesterday, we had a fire going and we all just snuggled up on the sofa: me and my two bodyguards.
