Everything happens in 3s...

It's thirty three weeks!! 6 weeks and 4 days left till Ava's due date (dd.)

Size of a pineapple and I am definitely feeling the growth. Getting out of bed is a little harder. Walking far distances, harder and bathroom hang outs?? Well I'm a regular now :) I'm still pregnant and in heels, sometimes.

Ava, your room has been delayed. So many things have happened this week that I'm in a whirlwind. hopefully this weekend, daddy and I will have everything done. It's gonna be so cute!! Majority of the things are done, just gotta dazzle it up with some diva touches :)

Wishing my brother Dom a happy birthday week!! Welcome to papa for coming home!! And yay to all the bad stuff over with so we can make more happy memories.

This weekend is our 7th year anniversary! Time flies!! Married for 7 and now having a baby... Lucky 7 :)

Love you Ava! I can't wait for you to come.
Xoxo

Baby baby baby babies everywhere!

A group of my friends are pregnant. I know a total of 7+ that are pregnant this year and baby showers galore. It is so fun to be able to share this experience with my gal pals.

On July 9th, my friends and I, who I grew up with and met in college, decided to do a group maternity shoot together. Such a fun time! Washington square park just opened downtown. Renovated and such a pretty place. Thanks to Son for taking our photos and his adorable soon to be wife helping us!

In the photos, we are due August, September, October, November. Haha so cute! 3 boy dragons and 1 baby girl... Enjoy!

Baby adventures galore!

It's been quite a while since I have blogged.  Between juggling a business and keeping my personal life sane has been quite an adventure, but I'm still going, just very slowly now.

It's 32 weeks now!  8 weeks to go and Baby Ava is kicking so much!  It's so funny to see my belly jiggle and wiggle and squirm.  She's so strong!  My belly has definitely grown, and many of my friends have commented "You finally look pregnant!"  hahaha

So what's been going on for the past 3 weeks??  I have so many great memories and I have so many people to thank.  During my 30 week, I had 2 baby showers all in the same weekend.  Crazy huh?  That's how I do it.  I like to make my life as stressful as possible and cram in everything at one time.  It was a very exciting weekend full of laughter and joy and tears.  I had such a wonderful time seeing everyone.  Baby Ava is such a lucky girl to be surrounded by people who love her.

I have to thank Taylor and Ginger for the AMAZING Sassy Baby Shower on Saturday.  I cannot thank you both enough for throwing me this shower.  I am so blessed to have wonderful clients, who have become great friends and now family, to share this special moment with me.  And all the cute cute gifts!!  Thank you to all my clients who showed up and to those who couldn't make it and sent gifts, THANK YOU!  As some have seen me, the room is all set and ready.  I got it all organized and cleaned! haha  Love you all very much!  

After that, we had friends and family from out of town coming in.  Saturday night ended up as a big party and a big reunion for Paul's buddies.  Some flew in, some drove in and we couldn't have been happier.  We then continued onto Sunday at the shower and after.  A HUGE thank you to my sister in laws: Erin, Michelle, and Nancy.  The baby shower was adorable and I was so happy to see both sides of the family together in one room.  They did amazing job and it was definitely a moment to remember!

Ava received so many great gifts, but one that stands out is this painting my brother, Joe, made for Ava.  The story behind this was, when I was thinking of getting pregnant, I was roaming on Pinterest.  I came  across this art photo of this elephant and it made me smile.  It reminded me of my childhood watching DUMBO with Jeff and how my mom would always have statues of elephants all over the house.  I asked Joe one day if he could paint it, since he's so artistic.  Of course, typical brother told me to just take it to Kinkos and get it printed on canvas.  So I was going to do that, till the shower...TA DA!!  I unwrapped the brown paper and saw this!  The original was actually with a red balloon, Ava's pink.  I love it!!  I def teared up and am so thankful!  Thanks big bro!  Nee loves it!  and Ava will too!

Thank you to everyone who has sent gifts.  Paul and I are truly thankful and we cannot wait for Ava to see it all!  Moments like this I really get emotional and I know my mom is looking down and smiling.  She's also thanking you for being such supportive friends and family!  

Thank you!!

As for the 32 weeks so far, my movement has been slower.  I'm still working and getting the house all ready for Ava.  Paul's been extra awesome and has been having dreams of Ava.  It's so cute!

As of right now....

Weight gained:  6lbs.

Clothes:  still normal, but pants are getting really irritating, so dresses it is!

Baby kicks:  so strong and so big!

Cravings:  raisinets and bun or soupy things

Next doctor visit:  Monday ...starting my 2 week check ups

Today:  started feeling tightness, could this be the mini contractions prepping my body for her arrival??

Swelling:  none as of yet...

Sleep:  getting harder, waking up at night more.  God's preparing me Ava!  

More updates soon...i cannot believe 8 more weeks!!

XoXo:   Nee

Week 29 ... Starting kick counts and countdown!

As I'm soon approaching to 30 weeks, I can't help but go.. Time flies!!!
I feel like it was just yesterday I told the world "I'm pregnant!" and now she's coming soon.

It's amazing how everything works. Day by day I'm amazed of the baby kicks. How strong it has gotten and how she flips. It really makes me giggle. I'm thankful that everything has been good and strong. I'm still staring at those 3d photos thinking, does she look like me or Paul? Haha

Every morning and night, I've been counting kicks. It's kinda like my bonding time with her. An hour of isolation. We listen to Enya and classical music, then transition to mediation. Lately, my train in thought has been monkey brains! Pregnancy brain has definitely hit me hard and I hate it. I've always been a super organized, say one time kind of girl. I find myself repeating, forgetting, and just plain lost. At work, haha, I'm just there. My receptionists laugh bc I'm so like whatever's now. Maybe this pregnancy will help me mellow out. So far things have been chill except when I'm hungry, that unleashes the dragon in me lol or maybe Ava.

So today is Sunday. Finally got a morning where I can breathe, relax and just enjoy resting. Ava is kicking me a ton. I can't wait to hold her.

So my updates:

Kicks: much more, stronger
Cravings: milk and cereal and chocolate
Weight: still the same
Clothes: same except leggings are starting to flip around the belly band :)

Baby's room: daddy is working on it this week I hope. He has some things in mind and told me not to worry. He's been researching.

Baby shower countdown : one week!!
Started to get gifts and I'm so touched and thankful. Ava is one lucky child to have amazing people around her. She's not even here and the room is almost full. Thank you!!!

Baby Ava in 3D

We got to see Ava today and my heart totally melted!! I'm so in love with her!! We went to the ultrasound and with us joined my daddy and niece Michelle.

It was so fun and I couldn't be happier. Ava had her moments where she didn't wanna show her face. She kept hiding behind her hands, but it's comforting to know she has 10 fingers and toes.
I cannot wait for her arrival. It's going to be so much fun!

Tonight, we had our "newbie parent" dinner and our group maternity photos. Our friend's friend, Son, took them. Can't wait to see it and see how they look. Ava got her first pair of booties today. Of course it's pink and girlie. Our first purchase for our baby. So in love!!

I can't stop staring at her ultrasound photos. It's like I can imagine her here in my arms. Ava I love you! Can't wait to hold you.

Xoxo

July baby heat wave

Whoa! What a wave of heat! This week, KY broke record high in temperature. Thank goodness for air conditioning and swimming pool :)

Today we celebrated my dad's birthday. It is so cute to see him laugh and smile. Showed my dad my baby projects so far, and you could see how amazed he is with all the new things. Tomorrow is the ultrasound appointment!! He is excited to go and see the 3d/4d. Hopefully baby will move more and we get to see her eyes!

I'm about 28 weeks and 4 days. Our babymoon was amazing and I definitely feel relaxed. Baby mission is on. Can't wait to take pics with my girlfriends who are all pregnant. Our group pics tomorrow!

It has been a fun journey being prego and I'm so ready for Ava to come! She has been kicking so much! I placed the phone on my belly to see her kicks and my niece and I couldn't help but giggle at all the wiggles. Really cool experience.

Updates on my belly:

Cravings: cherries and strawberry shakes
Kicks: a lot harder
Weight: up to 4lbs
Fashion: still normal clothes :)
Heels: most def!
sleeping: still trying to adjust from the time change
energy: I have my moments where I'm wiped out and then super energized
Baby room update: finally decided how to decor the room

Few more weeks till the baby shower!! Can't wait! Xoxo

Aloha baby!

Well we made it! 2.5 days down in Hawaii!! Adjusting to the time difference has been quite an interesting moment but overall, we are having a blast!

Baby Ava did amazing in the plane. No pains and slept well! Upgrading our seats def helped with the 10 hours plus flight. Paul has been loving this place. All we do is eat! I think Ava will have her dad's appetite. Things I usually don't eat, I try and love it, so I think my taste buds is starting to turn like Paul's.

Daddy Paul is an adventure foodie man. So I gave him a quick Maui tour in one day. I wore him out. We went to 4 beaches. Ate at 5 places and shopped a little bit. Second day, he was tired haha! So today is starting day 3 and we are laying again on kaanapali beach. Beautiful sands, blue waters and a cabana for me and baby to shade in. Feeling very blessed to have an amazing Hubbie and loving family who has helped me be who I am today.

More photos later. Babymoon 2012 is amazing. 2 more days in Maui then off to Honolulu!!