"Babymoon"

So my wonderful husband decided to take me on a "babymoon" this weekend! He is such a sweetheart. We had a wonderful time and it was a welcome break! My best friend
Beth kept Heisman for the weekend so we finally got to sleep in! We stayed at the Lancaster Hotel downtown. On Friday we went to the zoo which was really fun! I haven't been to the Houston Zoo since I was little. It really hasn't changed all that much. The elephants and the monkeys always make me laugh. Here are some pictures from the zoo...

That night we went to eat at Vic and Anthony's...um....WOW! That is now my second favorite place (behind Capital Grille). It was one of the best steaks I have ever had. And the best part of all...bread pudding! Now, I have yet to have bread pudding like I had on our honeymoon in Belize, but this comes in a close second! So good!

The next day we slept, and slept, and slept (praise the Lord!)....I think we ended up just laying in bed until almost 11am...I think I was in college the last time that happened! It was so nice to just relax. We had brunch at the restaurant downstairs and literally walked across the street to the Alley Theatre to see "A Christmas Carol." It was fantastic. We both really enjoyed it. That night we met our friends Beth and Ryan at Da Marco's for dinner. It was good, but I wasn't all that impressed. It probably didn't help that my friend asked for Ketchup for her steak (I know, I know) and they made fun of her a little to close and she overheard. Here is my theory and steaks and ketchup...if you are paying for it, and that's how you like to eat it I don't care! I know it's an "insult"to the chef, but you can't help it if that's what you like!...

The one snag in the weekend was that I have a sinus infection and cannot breathe! It's horrible. I can breathe out of the right side, but not the left. I had a really hard time getting rest last night =(. Since I think it's a sinus infection that really isn't much I can take for it anyway, but being pregnant and all I can't just pop a pill to make it better. I called one of my friends that's an ER doc. and he said to use a Neti Pot. You've seen it before on the Infomercials. You put it in one side of your nose, lean your head, pour the water and it comes out the other side! It sounds absolutely horrible I know, but god bless the Neti Pot!!!! I love that thing. It really does work, even though it's short term...I strongly recommend them....last but not least here is a picture o f me at 29 weeks...

What Have I Done?!?!?....

Okay, I have had friends tell me that around the third trimester it dawns on you that this baby has to come out one way or another. I know it sounds stupid that a 27 year old health major has just realized where babies come from, but it's true....and it's not a pretty picture! Of course, I have known all along how this process will ultimately end, but it's just hit me that it is actually going to happen....to ME! The other thing I don't like is the idea of the pain meds. Now I know all you mothers out there will get a good laugh at this one, but I really don't want any! It's not like one of those "She-Ra"/Warrior Princess things either. I just don't want them. Now, I am NOT saying that I will not gladly take them...I may even walk into the hospital backwards so that they have easier access for an epidural. I'm just saying that at this point and time I would prefer not to. Compared to some stories I have heard, my Mom had pretty "easy" births with me and my sister (4 or so hours for me and less than that for my sister). Now my brother was a different story, but I think it was still only 8 hours for him (I'm sure if you talk to her "only" is not the word she would use). I hear about these women who have 48 hours of labor or more and think surely if someone can stand being in labor that long then I can take 3 or 4 hours! Here is where my logic is a little off....I don't' get a guarantee of short or easy labor. I just assume if that's how it was for my Mom that's how it will be for me.
Again, I hear the laughter exploding from all mothers, but I actually want to know what it feels like to give birth. Again, no kids here, but there is obviously an end to the pain so you just push through, right....? I know how naive this must sound, but I really am curious. The pain is not going to actually kill you (it may cause you to try to kill others...i.e. the husband), but in and of itself it will not kill you.
And here is the other side of my thoughts...I don't like pain! I am a big baby! I got a cramp in my foot the other day and you would have thought that the world was coming to an end (just ask Eric)! But here's my theory on that...I had no reason to push through that. I could suck it up or I could lay on the bed and whine and let Eric give me a foot rub! Does that even make sense??
And here is my other problem...I made the mistake of watching a birthing video and thought my eyes were going to jump out of my head...it did not make me feel good! It is no pretty, it's painful, and it's just plain gross! I know that none of that will matter once he is here, but in the mean time I know that I'm starring this right in the face!
Oh well...I guess we'll find out in about 12 weeks (I'm actually hoping for about 9 little man!) to figure this whole thing out. And by the way...that freaks me out too! They are actually going to send Eric and I home with a baby! These are the same 2 people who slept on a futon for 2 weeks when we got Heisman because we were scared he would fall off the bed and die! Oh yeah, we are going to be really calm parents, huh? =)...

2/3rd's of the way!......

Third trimester!!!!!! Yeah!!!!

Heisman and His Baby

I honestly think Heisman really loves this kid...He always wants to lay on my stomach or sniff it. I can't wait till he can really kick and just smack Heisman in the face....that should give him a big surprise! Most people would probably make the dog move, but I think it's cute...plus, I figure that if he "likes him" now he'll like him then....silly, I know. Here is a picture of him protecting his baby. Again, weird, but still cute =).

So most of you know that I have serious issues with the whole outtie belly button thing (no offense if you have one, but it creeps me out)...mine is nowhere near popping yet, but I can tell it's not quite as deep as it was before. Now I understand that some people end up with an outtie until they deliver, but I will push that sucker back in. I had a friend who did the same thing...band aids over it or whatever it takes....you won't see me with an outtie. And pregnant people don't have "regular" outties either...I saw one girl whose stuck out a good inch and a half! I guess if that's the "worst" thing I experience while pregnant I will count my blessings!

BB is big enough now (approximately 2 lbs/15 inches) that we can actually see him kick! I love watching him every night...Here are 2 videos. On the first one you can see him "roll" at about the 9 second mark. Look at the upper right of my stomach. On the second one you can see a good kick. Now, the point of the thing on my stomach was to show how he kicks it off...he missed the mark that time =). I would also like to point out that my stomach is NOT as big as it looks in these videos! I don't know if it was just the angle or what, but it makes me look huge!

Paint

Ok, so here is a pictures of me at 6 1/2 months. He has now found my ribs and enjoys kicking them. Right now it doesnt really hurt, it kind of tickles, but I'm sure once I have 5 or 6 pounds of baby punching and kicking it might be a different story! I'm not sure if a baby can really know if they like or dislike something at this point...all I know if that he gets really excited anytime Heisman is around. Heisman still likes to come and sniff my stomach, then he will usually lay his head on it (or sometimes his entire body across it). B.B. goes crazy! Again, not sure if that means he likes it or doesn't like it, but he doesn't do that for anyone else. Every night I lay in bed and watch the little jabs from underneath the skin...it's really fun to watch. Once again...when he weighs more it may not be as "cute", but for now it's fun!

His room is now painted (I'll take pictures tonight) and I really like it. It's a pale yellow and it turned out just how I had pictured it. I can't wait to get the crib and stuff in there...I held up the letters for his name (they are navy blue) and I think it looks really good!

Oh yea...I almost forgot...we painted downstairs too! I think it makes a huge difference. To me, paint just makes it look like more of a "home." Eric was not excited about doing it at first, but now he said that he really does like it. You can see the color in the picture above. I need to take pictures of that too....