Pregnancy Predictions

We don’t know the sex of the baby yet. We’ll find out in a couple weeks.

People have been looking at me and making quick guesses as to what the baby is. Some people do it by the size of my belly, some people do it by what I look like, some people do it by a ‘feeling’, some do little tricks.

One thing I was told was that there is a belief that you can guess whether it’s a girl or a boy by how pretty the mother is. If the mother is having a boy, then the mother has an abundance of estrogen left over, making her prettier. If the mother is having a girl, then the baby girl is taking some of the estrogen, therefore taking some of the mother’s beauty, making her uglier during her pregnancy.

95% of the people who guess what my baby is say it’s a girl.

*cries*

———-

To be fair, I’ve also heard it the other way around from some cultures (like the Brazilians or something) that when it’s a girl the baby adds on to the beauty of the mother.

I’d like to think it’s that one if the baby is indeed a girl.

However, when I look in the mirror, I think I look the same. The cheeks are rosier and the neck a little plumper, but it’s still the same old me.

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Just a quick post to show you a pic I took when I got into my hotel. My belly’s getting pretty big, and based on this picture, it looks like my ass is getting pretty lumpy, too!


18 Weeks, 4 Days

Our First Dave Family Thanksgiving

I don’t have much time to write because I’m going to the airport in a bit to fly out to West Virginia or some state like that…

Anyway, the Thanksgiving party was a success. We had a ton of food, so no one went hungry. There were enough seats for everyone, and it was a good time. I don’t know why I stressed about it so much!

I did, however, forget to do a couple dishes. I had the bruschetta all ready, all that needed to be done was to spoon it on the toasted bread and bake it with the cheese, but I complete forgot about it. Which was actually quite fortunate, since I used a different kind of onion this time around which was so strong that it overpowered all the other flavors and set your tongue on fire. I also forgot to cut up the brownies, which hid in the corner of my kitchen, only to come out the day AFTER Thanksgiving.

The dirt was a hit, as it always is at parties. My dirt is made up of cream cheese, butter, chocolate pudding and milk surrounded by layers of crushed oreo cookies. Yumm…..so good!

Our college friend Walter came by to stay over for the holiday, which was pretty cool - we don’t often get out of town guests who stay over. I made sure to fluff up our guest towels and brought out my guest sample shampoo, conditioner and lotion (which of course I stole from a hotel).

I missed out on my annual family get together, so Thanksgiving felt a little different. But Fatima and my cousin Marian came by to keep me company later on in the day. We played a couple games of Spades with Dave’s cousin, and later on in the night taught Walter how to play a couple card games we used to play when we were kids. We laughed a lot.

Then we watched one of Dave’s favorite movies, “Honey”, something that everyone who comes to our place has to be exposed to at least once…

Good times!!!

Because Manny Asked For It




A Typical Manny Photo

Originally uploaded by Yano.

“Post this one on your blog!” Manny said yesterday at Brian and Thrisha’s wedding.

So here it is, Manny in all his glory!

——–

Had a busy weekend. I’ll make some posts about it after I get some much needed shut-eye!

Thanksgiving Top Ten List

This is a little late, but still pretty funny…

10 things that sound dirty during Thanksgiving

10. “Reach in and grab the giblets.”
9. “Whew…that’s one terrific spread!”
8. “I am in the mood for a little dark meat!”
7. “Tying the legs together will keep the inside moist.”
6. “Talk about a HUGE breast!”
5. “And he forces his way into the end zone!”
4. “She’s 5000 pounds fully inflated and it takes 15 men to hold her down.”
3. “It’s cool whip time!”
2. “If I don’t unbutton my pants, I am going to burst!”
1. “It must be broken ’cause when I push on the tip, nothing squirts out.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Here I am, in the midst of the Thanksgiving cookfest, and everything is looking good. The sisters came over yesterday to help out a bit, so I’m pretty lucky. They’re also preparing stuff for my family’s side of Thanksgiving, which they’ll be going to. Dave came home early this morning from work with a guest in tow - our old school chum Walter, in from San Fran for the holiday.

All I need to do now is the bruschetta and bake the salmon and lasagna, so they’ll be nice and warm for the party.

I was thinking yesterday that there’s ton for me to be thankful, this year as well as in general. After my company getting bought out again this year, I managed to dodge the bullet and keep my job. We’re having a baby, an event that a lot of people have been anticipating for a long time. We’re settling into our new home, slowly adding personal touches to make it our own (like Dave’s 100 inch projector TV that he always shows off to guests.)

I am so lucky to be surrounded by people who care about me, friends, family, and even you guys that read here that I’ve never met before. There’s my supprt group here in Chicago, but there are also friends near and far, all over the country that I’m thankful for. I’ve been lucky to meet such a wide variety of people through my various interests, be it work (though work is more of a necessity than an interest), short track, comic books, and other things. I’ve had so many wonderful opportunities and crazy adventures and experiences that they could fill a book. Which I might write someday. Under a secret name, of course.

Life is good right now. It’s not the easiest, it might not be stress free, but it’s good, I’m happy, and there’s nothing I need to complain about.

Oh, and for all of you that have been begging for a belly pic, I’ve started a belly cam over on the side bar until I get my full length mirror out of the garage.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Thanksgiving Preparations

This year, we’re having Dave’s family over for Thanksgiving.

I’m not talking about his parents and brother. I’m talking about the whole Dave family clan. Well, a lot of them - some of them had other plans already. I don’t know if we’ll beat the numbers of the annual Yano family Christmas, but it will be close.

This isn’t an annual thing for them, I guess they used to have an annual thing, but haven’t had one for a while. We were at a family party once and people were mentioning how they haven’t seen our new house yet, and all of the sudden, we’re hosting Thanksgiving!

Not that I mind. You all know that I have shindigs here all the time. But this is the first time that I’m hosting something for Dave’s side of the fam, so I’m a bit nervous. That, and when I had my Labor Day party I told everyone I wasn’t having parties anymore (because at the time I knew I was pregnant). Dave’s on call today, so he won’t be home to help with the preparations, not that he does a lot of good in terms of the cooking aspect of the parties anyway. He did clean the house from top to bottom last weekend, so that’s done.

So I’ve been trying to think of what to have on our menu for tomorrow. Luckily, Dave’s mom volunteered to do the turkey and bring over some other dishes. I’ve never done a turkey and not sure that I have the time.

I think I’ve got some pretty tasty dishes lined up:

  • Salmon baked with Basil and Herbs
  • 7 layer taco dip (i don’t know if there will be seven layers, but there will be a lot)
  • Bruschetta
  • Lasagna
  • Brownies
  • Pudding and dirt (usually my dirt and worms for Halloween, but I’ll put a Thanksgiving twist on it)
  • Weinie wraps
  • Gravy and mashed potatoes
  • Stuffing

    Hmm, I hope that’s enough. I haven’t started making any of it yet, but I’m planning on getting some of the stuff together tonight so I don’t have to do as much tomorrow morning. Luckily, my sisters are coming over to help out so I’m not alone and I don’t freak out.

    But I’m excited. It should be a fun time, once all the food is done and everyone is eating and in a food coma and we’re watching movies on our huge TV.

    What are you all doing for Turkey Day?

  • Happy Birthday, Dave!

    Happy Birthday to my lifemate, and the father of my unborn child!

    He has been so understanding during this whole pregnancy, calmly taking my verbal and physical abuse, doing extra stuff to help around the house when I pass out at 9pm, and making sure that I’m eating ok, even going on fast food runs when I get the urge.

    He’s the bestest! :-P
    Happy Birthday!

    2 Years

    Just a warning - this post is going to be really depressing, heartbreaking, and it just might make you cry.

    —–

    Today is my mother’s 2 year death anniversary.

    I remember when she first passed away, the VP at work in a rare candid moment told me that her mother died almost a decade ago, and there wasn’t a day that had passed that she didn’t think of her.

    I never knew how true that would be.

    It’s not one of those things that seem like it was just yesterday. Sometimes it seems like it wasn’t long ago, sometimes it seems like it was so far away. Life as I know it has changed so much in these past two years. Sometimes I even find myself forgetting some aspects of her. People have moved on with their lives, people keep on living. It’s weird in some ways, sometimes I wonder how often she comes across their minds, too.

    The depth of emotion I feel differs. Sometimes its a casual thought, something that reminds me of her, sometimes its much deeper and darker than that, nearing the deep darkness of the times right after she passed away.

    ——

    I know this whole pregnancy is supposed to be a joyous thing, and believe me, it has been. There has been enough happiness to go around with the coming of this baby. There’s been nothing more I’ve wanted for a while.

    But in a small way, it’s bittersweet.

    Because I want my mother here, to be here with me through this.

    It’s a selfish thought and any rational person would say, “Yes, but she’s watching from Heaven!”

    Yes, I know, but it’s not the same thing.

    I have been blessed to be surrounded by friends and family who have been through this whole pregnancy thing, so there is a wealth of information out there and people who are happy to give me advice. From my friends to my cousin to my mother in law, there are people out there who have been helping me. But the one person who I would really have loved to be here, to answer my questions about my own birth, what it was like for her, what things I might run into isn’t here. I’ve asked my dad, but really, how much does the husband really know about what their wives have gone through? That, and I don’t want to trouble him by making it obvious that she isn’t here to witness the birth of her first grandchild.

    I can’t relay to you how much I feel that I need her right now. It would be such a comfort to me to have her around, to show me the ropes, to share with me her stories of when she was pregnant with me.

    I sometimes imagine what it would be like if she was still alive. When I’d tell her, she’s be so happy she’d cry. She would say that she’s so proud of me, and that has been waiting FOREVER to be a grandmother. She’d touch my belly and talk her baby talk to it. She’d give me tons of advice, maybe little stories about her pregnancies, things to watch out for. Then she would nag me to tears about taking care of myself - eating vegetables, not eating junk, getting exercise. She would laugh and say “How did I get a crazy daughter” when I told her about my grand pregnancy schemes and the various psychological experiments I’m planning on putting my child through. I would ask her to give me a play by play of each child she gave birth to, and pressure her to tell me which one of her daughters was the cutest child, not giving up until she relented and said it was me.

    But I know she’s not here, and she’s watching me from up above.

    The selfish, childish part of me really wishes she was here, though. There are times, when I’m so tired I’m lying in bed and I can’t get to sleep, that I think of her. I normally end up crying, and the extent of that cry depends on how deeply I let myself fall into my sadness. I miss her so much, and I never had time to really let her know how much she meant to me.

    Rest in peace, Mommy.

    I love you.

    Flame On!

    One other first trimester thing I forgot to talk about were hot flashes. At times, My whole body felt warmer, I’d have the fan on and the window open to keep myself cool.

    There were a couple times where it was only my hands that felt hot. One time, my hands felt so hot that I felt like they were going to burst into flames at any moment. They were almost burning. All I had to do was shout, “Flame on!” and my hands, then the rest of my body would spontaneously combust and I’d fly away in a streak of fire.

    But that didn’t happen. I just washed my hands in some cool water and felt a little better.