Home Stretch!

Time is flying by so fast these days. Christmas came and went. We are heading into New Years and into the home stretch with this pregnancy! It's crazy how completely difference this pregnancy is. I know he is a boy this time, but man, complete 360. Jan 16th seems like FOREVERRRRR away but it's just a little over 2 weeks away now. That's the day my C-section is scheduled. If Jack comes earlier then that I will be so happy, but at this point it's just a waiting game.
Over the last two weeks I came down with a pretty nasty head cold. Not to mention a really bad ear infection. I've never had an ear infection before and it's not fun. Not only am I 9 months pregnant but not being able to hear out of my ear has made life a lot harder to deal with in the last two weeks. I'm pretty sure I told Victor the other night that I would take another 9 months of pregnancy over another ear infection! That says a LOT! Losing complete hearing out of one ear has been a big pain. If you were to whisper in my ear I couldn't hear you, but every noise in the house echo's loudly in it at the same time. Makes no sense to me what so ever! But sitting in a restaurant with all the people talking or just in the house with the TV on, people talking and dogs barking. It all echo's in my ear a million times louder than normal. Super fun!
Last week when I saw my OB I was a wreck. Physically, emotionally. I was still working and training a temp under so much stress at work. My ankles and hands were unbelievably swollen. I was hacking up a lung and my nose was running out of control! One look at me last week and she told me I was to be off of work that day and on bed rest. I'm pretty sure I broke down crying in her office because I was so relived to be done with it all! Physically I was so tired and hurting. Emotionally I was going crazy. It's amazing to me what these hormones do to you.
This week I went into my OB and she was amazed at how much better I looked, felt and I wasn't crying. Haha. She's got to put up with pregnant women all day, I'm sure she is used to it. The week has been a lot of sitting on the couch, laying in bed, resting. Just what the doctor ordered. I still have the ear infection this week, but apparently with some more antibiotics it should go away soon. I'm not nearly as  congested as I was. My cough has mostly gone away but not completely yet. I'm still trying to rest. I get so bored though! I'm crazy, I know, I just can't sit and watch TV all day and lay on the couch. It just doesn't work well for me. I want to pull my hair out by 5pm. Out walking around doesn't work so well these days. I can't go for more then 10 minutes without needing to sit down. Even standing in the kitchen making dinner is so hard on my back! SOOO ready for Jack to just get out of me already!! Come on little "big" guy. Bust out already!

Christmas

Over Christmas we had so much going on and we were able to come out with lots of great pictures. Spite how horrible I feel and how bloated pregnant I look. We meet up with my sister who has the best camera ever, in Riverside to take some family pictures! 

 These girls love each other so much and always have so much fun together!

Despite one of my cousins passing away right before our Harp Christmas get together it was nice to see everyone. It was a tough week for everyone and a hard day to get through, but we did. This is the first year without my Aunt Jan too, which I know was weighing on everyone's mind. Gotta love my big crazy family though.

Some perks of Victor working at a fancy hotel this year were there Christmas parties they had! The first night Victor and I got dressed up and hang out at the hotel playing black jack, open bar, dance floor, nice dinner. Can't wait to take full advantage of that next year. Then on Sunday morning they had a pancake breakfast with Santa! It was pretty cool and Alana got to sit on Santa's lap and tell him everything she wanted for Christmas!

Christmas Eve morning we spent with my family. It's been several years since my sister was in town for Christmas so that was nice. Since my mom has died, they escape for every holiday they can. It was nice to spend time with everyone that morning and have breakfast. That night we went over to Victor's mom's house and had some awesome tamales and opened presents with them. I have to say, it was a great day full of family and love! 

Our house got decorated with all the trimmings, well at least the inside did. I didn't have the drive this year to do any of it, so at least some of it got done. Every one of our neighbors had lights up on the outside of their house and so Alana was really sad we didn't decorate with lights on the outside this year. But I told her next year we would. Christmas eve we left the tree lights on and it was amazing the memories it brought back for me. I was in bed looking down the hall at the shadow of the lights and it just reminded me of when I was little. I could always see the shadow of the lights in our room down the hall as we laid awake waiting to hear Santa come. Every year my sisters and I would sneak out to see what santa brought us and at a decent hour... 6am too early? We would send my little sister into my parents room to wake them and tell them what she got from Santa. Those were the days!

Catching up

It's been awhile, I've got lots to catch up on, so I'm sorry for the photo dump and short stories, some of these deserve their own blogs but as of right now aren't getting them. The last few months have been so busy and full of parties and things to get done!

My sweet little Lexie turned 4!



Alana and I went to Krispy Cremes and I showed her how donuts are made! She had a great time and loved her hat! I remember taking my mom to the first to open many many moons ago!

 


Alana was Jasmin for Halloween by day and Minnie Mouse by night.



FINALLY a Miguel's Jr. opened in Costa Mesa, not to far from my work, so of course I was there for both soft opening days and go about once a week now! AMAZING to have one this close. Although I don't get out to Corona as much now.

Halloween came and went! We took Alana to the pumpkin patch and she played some of the games.



 

Jack and I voted! And WON!



My beautiful God Daughter Kali turned 6 and had the coolest Girls Rock birthday party!

Chrissy always goes all out with decorations! She is pretty amazing!

Complete with tutu's she made. Wardrobe, hair, makeup and glitter tattoo's!



We got a box UPS with Jack's bedding in it from my aunt and Alana decided she was going to live in the box for the next week! She drew and colored on every inch of it! From practicing her ABC's to drawing pictures! Artist at heart!

I did my first load of Jack's laundry!



Alana helped me make meatballs for some yummy meatball sandwiches!! This girl is the BEST helper a mommy could ever, ever have! She helps me fold the laundry, clean everything, cook, you name it, she wants to help!

How I remember her.

The coolest mom ever.

When I was little my best friends mom was the coolest mom on the block. In the city maybe. She stocked the house with stuff I never got to eat like Pringles and licorice and junk food! We just never bought that kind of stuff. She would be the one to always drive us anywhere we wanted to go. To the movies, castle park or just to the mall. We would all pile into her station wagon and off we went.

Friday nights were the sleepover nights at Ashley’s house. Starting early in elementary school, the 5 of us best friends would head over after school to Ashley’s house and spend the night over there every Friday night. We would always have something good for dinner or maybe Jan would order pizza for us. We would always have enough gum or candy to last us through the night. We would stay up and watch movies, or MAKE movies! We played Barbie’s or babies. We listened to loud music and/or played Sonic the Hedgehog. A big chunk of me grew up in Ashley’s house as a kid. Her parents seemed like Ken and Barbie. They had a nice big house that was always clean and their fridge was always full. They always seemed like such a perfect happy family. Clearly I learned as I grew up that is never really the case. But regardless her parents always made me feel like part of the family! Ashley’s mom and I always had a close relationship. When they moved to Colorado in 7^th grade, I was devastated! Jan bought me a ticket to fly out and visit them. Through the years Ashley and I always stayed in contact with each other! As we got a little bit older the whole family would come out every summer and rent a beach house for a week! I would always be invited to hang with them and they still continued to treat me like I was another part of their family! Jan would always make sure there was room for me or pack me an extra sandwich. She always was so loving to me and treated me like another daughter! As we got older she would be the cool mom to hang out with us when we went out drinking at the beach. She would buy us shots and make us laugh. She always did things that I never thought moms did.

When we were young (2^nd grade) Jan gave me the nickname of Jamester which still sticks to this day. The whole Wiles family still calls me Jamester! Being Ashley’s best friend I always got to see the interaction between Jan and Ashley. They always had this funny inside language with each other that always made me laugh. Doo-doo. They always said that to each other and I don’t even know why but it always made me laugh.

I miss Janda’s smile and her tenderness! She always wanted to know what was going on with my family and remembered everything about everyone in my family. She was a mom ear when I needed to vent while sitting on the beach. She always did have good advice for me and I will always appreciate everything she was for me, and more importantly to her kids. My best girls. Amy, Ashley and Lisa were like my sisters growing up. We annoyed each other and probably still do. But I love that Wiles family like my own!

When I got a heartbreaking phone call from Ashley telling me her mom had died, all I could think about is how hard this was going to be on the girls. Going through it myself, I knew and still know what’s to come. I flew out to CO for a few days to be there for the funeral and it was beautiful. Nothing big or formal, but just perfect for Jan. Some of her ashes were spread on top of this beautiful mountain where her sister’s ashes had been spread 6 years before that. They kept some of her ashes to spread out here by the beach. Jan always loved the beach and was always that one thing that made her happy. That thing she looked forward to every single year. She would sit on the patio and read or just watch the ocean. That was her comfort place!

This was the top of the beautiful mountain where we had the service.

Ashley's dad and Jan's boyfriend spreading Jans' ashes on the mountain top.
 

Jeff spreading Ashes. Thought this was a beautiful picture!

 

Jan was an organ donor and they did take her eyes. Turns out her corneas were donated to one or two recipients that live in CA. Which, according to Amy, means she will see the ocean again. Warms my heart! I miss the lady and love the Wiles family like my own! I know it’s going to be a tough struggle with losing their mom. But now my mom and my Aunt Jan are in good company. Love you Janda Lee!

27 weeks

These weeks just keep on zooming by! 12 weeks to go!! Life seems to be skipping so fast these days, week by week it’s flying by. Life is sure getting harder the bigger and more tired I get! Jack is the size of a head of cauliflower this week! (feels like a watermelon).

 

If he is growing the way Alana grew, he surely is 2 weeks ahead of schedule. Sleeping is no fun still…. not looking forward to that not changing for a few years. I did find this “sleepytime” tea that helps me on random nights. It’s all natural stuff that is supposed to help. It knocks me out for sure, but I have a hard time staying asleep. Some random things about being 27 weeks:

Maternity clothes still suck, although I think I’m lasting a bit longer in the few bottoms I do have. I’m sure in a few weeks I’ll be crying about them again.

I learned traveling on an airplane while 6 ½ months pregnant sucks badly!

Jack is going to be a soccer player for sure! Alana NEVER kicked me so hard and moved around so much!

My sciatica is going to be the death of me – who knew this was so much pain.

Speaking of pain – My body is spreading and growing and my pelvic bones HURT. Doesn’t Jack know he’s not coming out that way and my body doesn’t need to grow or stretch that way? Wish I could tell him.

Sitting at a desk for a living is no fun while pregnant.

People who say “Holy cow, how much longer do you have to go?” annoy me.

I’m hot and haven’t felt cold in 6 ½ months!

I don’t feel like cooking, cleaning or doing anything when I get home from working all day. UH.

Alana hugs and kisses Jack every day and night and talks to him on occasion.

Alana thinks she will be changing him, feeding him and bathing him when he comes out. We’ll see how that goes.

My best friend from CO is going to fly out after he is born! YAY!

Jack’s room is almost done, just need to get creative with getting the name up on the wall.

I am ever so grateful that Alana will be 4 ½ when he arrives!

Miguel’s Jr. just opened by my work… that’s going to be a sure way to fatten him up before he comes out!

Changing insurances companies in my last trimester is scary.

 

Lots of other random things going on. Crazy to think that in 12 weeks he’ll finally be here! I can’t wait to meet the little guy and introduce him to Alana!

Apple Pickin

 We took the girls apple pickin this year! The last time we all went was 4 years ago when Lexie was just a month old! My mom was with us last time we went up so it was kind of sad, but something we plan to do every year with the girls. We went up to Oak Glen on a really beautiful day! The sun was out but it wasn't too hot! We got up there early so we could spend a few hours picking apples and then head home! Alana told everyone she knows about apple picking and how cool it was! We pretty much ate all the dozens of apples we picked right away. They were tasty!! Thanks for all the pics sis!




There were so many beautiful butterflies out and this one let Donovan get a really close picture of it!

My awesome family!

These three little girls were so happy to get their own bags to fill with their own apples!

These two were like two peas in a pod all day! They get along so well!

Daddy helping Alana reach a good one!

Smiling girs!

We visited their little pumpkin patch.

A loving Ellie!

Cheese-ers!

Group Shot

Me and my girls!

Sweet Lexie girl

Very intense game of checkers!

We had to taste some home made cider!

The Cadiente's!

Snack time

Week 23

So I'm almost into month 6! Feeling like month 10!! This heat has had me so tired and uncomfortable big time! I was so spoiled by the timing of my pregnancy with Alana. She was born in June so I got to go the entire summer post baby! What a difference the summer makes when you are pregnant. I am feeling so sluggish lately. I don't want to do anything or be outside for more than a few minutes at a time! The heat this summer has really been crazy! Last week was the first day of Autumn and it's still in the high 90's. I'm so ready for this heat to be over!!

This week Jack is the size of a large Mango! Almost a whole foot long! I am betting that like with Alana she was so big, he is bigger than the normal baby right now. With Alana being almost 10 pounds, I'm sure Jack is on his way to being a bigger second child! I had a co-working bring in his 1 month old baby and she was only 7 something. She was so tiny and I've never seen Alana that small! It was so funny to think Alana was 7 something in my belly! As I assume Jack will be as well!

 

The nursery is coming along great. The hubby has been working hard on it. We painted some accent walls in the room a beautiful blue color (and by we, I mean Victor). I did supervise though. It's what I'm good at! Alana did come in and write Jack's name on the wall before we painted! She loves being a part of everything we are doing. She is really enjoying being able to feel him kick in my stomach, she keeps saying, "that's not very nice of him to do". Haha. She hugs and kisses my belly all the time and gives him good night kisses. I can only pray she loves him just as much when he comes out!












The room is pretty empty now all except the rocking chair and some blue baskets and a few tiny little outfits I've bought him. In the next few weeks, we'll shampoo the carpets, pull out the dresser and put up his crib. Lucky for us we have everything in really good shape from Alana. We moved her to a Big girl bed and dresser set last year so we have everything ready for Jack when we are ready to put it together!

Maternity clothes still suck! Although I did pick up a few more things at the 2nd hand maternity place in Orange. I love that place,  can always find something I need in there! It's in the high 90's most of the time, but I need work clothes too! It's annoying to have to have both! I will just pray that it's going to get cold at some point before January and I'll need more pants? Who knows with this crazy weather!
I'm eating pretty well. I want lots of junk food, trying to keep it to a minimum. Trying to eat lots of fruits and keep some good eating up in the meantime, only cause it's what Jack needs. Not what I want!!
I've gained some more weight so that's good. Haven't gained all that much but I'm sure I'll pack it on this winter :) Still trying to keep to my 6 miles a week with my neighbor! So far, pretty good! Can't wait until I can get back to running though. I do miss my running time! I know it's ways away, but it's something to look forward to!

Work has been pretty stressful and very busy lately, but the good news is that they are finally bringing someone in to help me! It will be a full time temp from now until I come back. It will make the world of difference to get someone in here so early to train them and let them take over some of this stuff! Can't wait!

My hands and feet are swelling sometimes. That's NO FUN! Other than being tired, swelling, sluggish and hungry, I'm pretty normal. HAHA. Did I mention the moodiness? That's fun too! If Victor can survive it for the next few months we'll all be just fine. I think Alana is also being really moody lately. Maybe I'm rubbing off on her? Hopefully not.  Such is life right now at almost the 3rd trimester mark!

Birthday fun for all

Friday was Victor's birthday and we made it a fun party to reveal the gender of the
baby! Everyone we invited showed up and we were so excited! It all started
Wednesday night when I started to make 3 gallons of my Grandma's spaghetti
sauce for dinner! Friday was a short day at work so I headed out to pick up
Alana, then head to the store and then home before anyone could get there!

My friend Jen, who is super creative and awesome made this cute board for everyone to cast their votes! The adorable mustaches and bows were hand made by Jen! Seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen! She made is so fun!! As you can tell the majority of our friends and family were team boy. Jen even went as far as making little buttons that said "Team Boy" and were blue and "Team Girl" and were pink. Sarah and I were the only "Team pink" bows on the board!

If you read my last post about the cake, then you know I had to make a special
stop at the bakery to pick up our Team Pink or Team Blue cake. While at the bakery the girl handed me my envelope back and as I stuck it in my purse I noticed there was a pink thumb print on it.... did she really just ruin the surprise for me?

Everyone gathered around the table for the big reveal!!

After we sang Happy Birthday to the Birthday boy he cut into the cake as everyone came in closer to see a peek of the blue or pink cake. It was NEITHER!! HAHA suckers! I tricked them all!! (Thanks Jared for the brillant idea) It was just a chocolate cake I picked up and stuck in a bakery box! I snuck away right before he cut into the cake so I could go get the "real" cake I had been hiding in the closet. Everyone was so confused at what a chocolate cake meant. Haha. It was pretty funny to hear everyone say "WHAT?!?!"

And now for the real cake!

This moment was so exciting for us! I got really nervous when Victor was about to cut into it. I know it's just the gender of the baby, but it turned into such a big event at that point I was really nervous! Everyone had sit through dinner just to be there for the cake! Also to hang out and enjoy our company I'm sure, but mostly for the big event!

The first slice into the cake and he pulled out the knife. I immediately saw blue, but the big icing balloon on the top of the cake was blue so I wasn't totally sure yet!

He cut again and pulled a piece out and we were 100% sure it was a blue cake!

I cried! I was in so much shock! Honestly my family only produces girls and there was a pink finger print on our envelope. It was a blue cake! We are having a boy!!!!!!!!!!

In some of the pictures, you can see every one's face and their reaction was just so happy and everyone was cheering and so excited for us. After all, they ALL (But Sarah and I) were hopping for a boy!

I love our reveal idea and was happy to have so many of our friends and family come to share the fun time with us! It meant a lot for everyone to share in our excitement! Best blue cake I've ever tasted!

The mustaches were a big hit all night! Everyone had to wear one at some point! The girls were so cute!

Mom and dad had to get in on the action. After all, I was just converted from team pink to team blue.

Hopefully Jack won't come out with a mustache but it's amazing to know a little man now grows inside me.

The craziest thing about knowing I am now having a boy is really the shock! Every person in my family has girls, both of my sisters, all of my cousins. There are no boys in my family and between that and just thinking I am having a girl, Victor and myself both really convinced ourselves we were having a girl. I am still feeling a little confused. Don't get me wrong, I have always wanted one girl and one boy so this really is the perfect scenario for me, but I'm just shocked a little scared. Raising a girl has been so easy and Alana is such a great child. I'm scared to death to think about what we are getting ourselves into! So excited and overwhelmed!! Can't wait to welcome Jack Wyatt into our family and meet the little guy!

Thank you to my awesome friends and family for all the help, setting up, cooking, cleaning and cleaning it all up afterwards! They helped make it so much easier for me and I appreciate it!