All About Baby Velasquez

New Year Update

2011-01-18T16:10:00.001-08:00

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Well things have been pretty busy at our house lately! Since the last post Anthony had his 18 month check up. He is doing great. He is tall for his age and average for his weight. He is a skinny boy, but he eats like he is a bottomless pit. I was the same way growing up and so was Mike so I am not really surprised. He got several shots and a blood draw to test for anemia. Luckily he doesn't have to take any more iron drops. Also he doesn't have to go back to the doctor until after his second birthday.

Anthony is a GREAT big brother! I am so lucky he is such a sweetheart. He will pat Audrey's head and put his loveys on her when she is sleeping. He also calls her "girl." He will point to her when you ask where Audrey or his sister is. He has quite the personality. He zooms around the house all day playing with his toys. I always tell Mike it looks like we run a daycare with so many toys. He loves anything with wheels. He is saying many things now, but some of the words he doesn't say all the time. Just a few of the things he says is dog, girl, mama, dada, banana, barn, car, vroom vroom, gah (for my mom), go, bye bye, thank you, duck, cat, and more. He doesn't really use these words in sentences yet. However he does talk in his own language frequently. It is pretty dang cute to listen to.

Audrey is growing like a weed. She is still much smaller than Anthony was at this age, but she has definitely put on some weight. She had her two month check up last month and weighed 9.10. She has very petite features though. She has delicate hands with long fingers. She also has very long eyelashes like her brother. I tell her every morning did you wake up early and curl your eyelashes? That always makes her smile and she smiles a lot! She is also cooing. Audrey likes to be held so that she can stand up. I am curious how soon she will be walking since she likes to stand so much. She spends more time awake now and likes to play on her activity mat. She also loves to watch Anthony. She always smiles when he comes in her view. She is a pretty good sleeper. She just wakes up at night to nurse and then to be changed. The other day she slept 7 hours straight! Anthony didn't do that until he was much older. He still wakes up at night.

Anthony and Audrey got a new cousin in December. Hannah Grace was born at the end of December. I know her and Audrey will be best friends. The picture up above is of my dad holding Hannah and Audrey.

Audrey Elizabeth has made her debut!

2010-11-22T20:48:00.000-08:00

Wednesday Nov 10th I started feeling some regular contractions in the evening. I had been having contractions like that for weeks though and nothing else would happen. Mike was at his night class so I text him and told him it was a possible we might be making a trip to the hospital that night. As it got later they actually started hurting so I took a bath. After the bath I laid in bed to see if the contractions would go away. After about an hour they were still coming strong. I told Mike I would probably go to the hospital just to be sure. He stayed behind to watch Anthony since we both assumed I would just be sent home. As I was driving to the hospital the pain with each contraction increased. I started thinking what if this is the real thing? In the triage the nurse told me I was 4 cm dilated. The plan was to watch me for an hour and then if I dilated more they would admit me, otherwise they would send me home. About a half hour later some of the contractions were bringing tears to my eyes. The nurse still made me wait the full hour. I had to pee and I could barely walk to the bathroom the contractions hurt so bad. I knew it was the real thing. The nurse checked me again and I was at a 5! It was probably about 12:30 am and I text Mike to let my mom know that I was staying. My mom came down to watch Anthony and Mike headed to the hospital.

By this time the contractions were extremely painful. I originally told the nurse the IV pain medication would be okay at the time. By the time they finally came in to put the IV in I was more than ready for the epidural. After a blood draw I had to wait for the results before I could get the epidural. I think it was early in the morning when I finally got the epidural. My dad had come in the night and we all tried to rest in the room while we were waiting. Unfortunately they only had chairs and the room was pretty cold. I don't think any of us slept that night. At 5:30 the nurse checked my again. I was dilated to a 9, but my bag of waters was still intact. They waited for a couple hours to see if it would break on its own. Around 8 the doctor broke my water. Then he went to do a surgery and was hoping to be done around the time for me to push. When he got done I was ready. It only took about 3 pushes and Audrey came screaming into the world at 8:55 am. I couldn't believe how loud her scream was. She looked so small but weighed a healthy 7 pounds exactly and was 20 1/2 inches long.

The recovery wasn't as bad as it was with Anthony. I didn't sleep in the hospital while I was there, so I was happy to only stay a little over 24 hours after delivery. My mom brought Anthony that day and he was so sweet with his sister. He was pointing to her ears and her eyes. I was relieved that he didn't seem upset at all about the baby. He was very cute and interested in her. He just ran around the room all hyped up and happy because he spent all day with my parents. I think he had so much fun with my mom and my dad that he wasn't upset at all that I was in the hospital. That was the longest I have ever been away from Anthony though. Audrey had her days and nights mixed up for the first couple days. She would wake up constantly throughout the night and barely get up during the day. The only night I stayed in the hospital after I delivered was pretty rough. Mike was not allowed to stay the night in the hospital after I had her. She kept waking up crying and then it would wake up the baby in the room next to us. Then the baby next to us would wake up and it would wake up her. The nurses came in all night too.

She has been a mellow baby so far. She does let you know when she is hungry though. It is amazing something so little can be so loud. She sleeps most of the day when she isn't eating but she does have some awake time. She has a precious smile. She smiles when her eyes are open and closed. Hopefully I can capture some of her smiles on camera. I just never know when to expect them. Anthony likes to push her in her swing and cuddle with her. Our dog Brisa doesn't even notice her except when she is crying. We are slowly adjusting to 2 kids. Going anywhere can be difficult. We have more to pack and it seems like anytime we have to be somewhere Audrey gets hungry. We are very blessed though. We both knew having 2 kids wouldn't be easy, but it would be very rewarding.

About a week after she was born I got a horrible case of mastitis. The infection was very bad. Nursing was extremely painful on the infected breast and I had a high fever. I felt terrible like I had the flu. I went to the doctor the day I realized something was wrong and then the ER that night. Thankfully the mastitis is starting to get better. I have been taking the antibiotics religiously and doing hot and cold compresses. The first 2 days I was in incredible pain even with the pain medication I was prescribed. It still hurts but I am no longer taking any pain medication. I had heard about mastitis but I never knew how quickly it gets serious. One day my breast was somewhat painful and the next it was excruciating and I had a huge red area where the infection was. I felt worse than I did at any point in labor and delivery. I think the antibiotics with the IV fluids I got in the hospital helped out a lot. Also the doctor told me to take ibuprofen and the pain medication together. After I starting doing that the fever went down.

Audrey is a beautiful baby. I can't believe how lucky we are to have 2 sweet children. It is so fun to watch them grow.

October

2010-10-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

Every month I am amazed at all of the new things Anthony does. He is so funny and entertaining. He is still growing like crazy. He is very tall for his age and is often mistaken for a 2 year old. He doesn't weigh very much though. He weighs 25 pounds. I guess he that doesn't surprise me since Mike and I both have fast metabolisms. Anthony is always a busy boy too. He runs around the house from when he wakes up to when he goes to bed at night. He loves trucks and basically anything with wheels. Our living room is drowning in baby toys. He is pretty good about entertaining himself with his toys which is good. I can get chores done while he is playing. Sometimes he likes to help me. He will close the dishwasher or help get laundry out of the dryer. He likes to throw and kick balls around the house. It will be interesting to see what sports he is interested in when he gets older. He is a strong guy just like his dad. I always crack up when he carries his heavy toys that are his size around the house. He loves to play peekaboo and go places like the park. Anthony still loves to pretend to drive. He likes to say beep beep and honk the horn.
We went to a Japanese restaurant recently with Mike's family and Anthony was so proud of himself that he could stick a chopstick inside a straw. He is very determined when he is trying something new and keeps trying until he figures it out. We recently went to a Halloween carnival and Anthony tied first place with his cousin in animal group of the costume contest. He was a monkey which is very fitting of him, since he could eat bananas all day! We wanted to get him a giraffe costume, but we couldn't find one in his size. He is still obsessed with giraffes. His lovey is a giraffe and we got him a blanket version of the same one to sleep with. He has a collection of giraffes to go with these. He cracks me up when he walks around the living room collecting them all up to throw on the couch. He will get them together and then dance. I love him so much! He is too cute.
Still no sign of Anthony's sister. The doctor said that my body is ready to have a baby. Cervix is dilating and thinning out. However she seems to want to stay put like Anthony. I have been in a lot more pain at the end of this pregnancy than I was with Anthony. I have very painful contractions frequently and cramping. I also get muscle cramps in my inner thighs. I don't think I am as big as I was with Anthony although I feel huge. Anthony is always poking me in my belly button because it sticks out. I hate not knowing when I will go into labor. It could be tonight it could be a couple weeks. My doctor won't induce me until after my due date which is okay, but I am hoping that this baby is smaller than Anthony. We still haven't decided on a name yet, but we have a couple that we are debating on.

Early in October my mom threw me a baby sprinkle. It was a small get together of mostly family and a couple friends. My mom and sisters decorated everything so cute. I got a lot of adorable stuff for the baby that I can't wait to use. I am so lucky to have such an awesome family.

I will try to keep the blog updated and put up some pictures of Anthony soon. I have so many adorable pictures of Anthony. I just need to organize them.

Monthly Update

2010-09-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

Thursday Anthony had his 15 month check up and I had my 30 week ob appointment. Anthony is doing great. He weighed about 22 and a half pounds and is almost 34 inches tall. He is around average for his weight and the doctor said he is above average on his height. He had to get 4 or 5 shots at his appointment. It is so hard to watch him get his shots. He barely cries, but I can imagine how it hurts. The intramuscular shots hurt! He also had to have his tb test repeated. They did it at his last appointment and told me to come in that Friday and they were closed! So the poor guy had to have it done again. The medical assistant was having a little trouble doing it and he has a bruise, however I haven't noticed any bump. He has been okay about his shots. He has had a fever since Thursday, but I am giving him Motrin once a day and that has helped bring it down. He also had his blood drawn which included another check to see if his anemia has improved. Poor thing has had to take yucky iron drops the past 3 months and they are yucky! I got some on my hands and didn't realize it until I put my hand in my mouth to eat something. Wow. The doctor told me it tastes like oil and he wasn't kidding. Hopefully we can work enough iron into his diet so he won't have to continue taking the drops.

Anthony is becoming better and better about letting us know what he wants. He can say several words, but he will also push me to what he wants if I am busy. He has also started throwing temper tantrums. Not very fun, but I knew it was to be expected. Of course the temper tantrums are because he doesn't get his way about something or another. Generally it is that he doesn't get to play drive in the car or go play with his outside car that is in the garage. What can I say? He is in love with cars! He usually just bangs his head on things and rolls around on the floor. Luckily it doesn't last very long. He is also really into climbing right now. He climbs up everything which is not always very safe. I have taught him how to get safely off the coffee table and couch. He is really good about sitting down and then sliding off the edge to the floor. He occasionally pushes me to our bed to let me know he wants on it since it is to tall for him to climb up. This sometimes results in a tantrum when I will not let him up. It is unsafe for him to be up there without me sitting by him, so if I am doing something else like putting away clothes I won't put him up there.

Anthony pretty much loves doing anything outside. He especially loves the park even though he is still pretty small for the playground. That doesn't stop him from climbing up the playground and going down the slides. He also likes to follow the big kids around. They do pony rides at a nearby park on the weekends, so we take him there sometimes. He loves animals. I have added a couple new videos of him on youtube under moxiegirrl. He loves to watch himself on youtube.

My ob appointment went as usual. I have been having a lot of cramping lately, but the doctors don't know why. I just figure she has made me more uncomfortable all around this pregnancy so I am not surprised. I have also had tons of Braxton hicks contractions. A lot more than I ever had with Anthony. I have only gained 11 pounds so far despite all of the food I am eating. I have a feeling they will be pushing me to gain some more at my next appointment. The baby has a strong heartbeat and she is a mover. She wiggles all over in there. She also gets the hiccups occasionally, though not even as frequently as Anthony did. My doctor's office got several new doctors in, which is good but also means different doctors tell me different things. The doctor I saw the first 5 months told me even though the baby was measuring small she was not going to change my due date from 11-8. The doctor I have seen the last couple times says he changed my due date to 11-19, so she will be here sometime before Thanksgiving. My back has been killing me during this pregnancy! It could be that I am doing more lifting with Anthony. I don't know but I usually end up taking a bath every night before bed to help my back. I also get tired out a lot easier with this pregnancy. With Anthony I walked all over the place, with this little one I walk a couple blocks and I am exhausted.

Last weekend my parents took us to My First Peekaboo in Santa Barbara, so we could see our little girl again before we get to hold her. She has definitely grown. She was being somewhat difficult having her hands on her face when we were trying to see her face. We still got some really good pictures of her. Anna had all of the tricks to get her to move her little hands. She looks a lot like Anthony, but more feminine. I think she has my mouth. It was so much fun seeing what she was doing in there. Anthony wasn't interested in the ultrasound, but he loved being with my parents all day. I can't wait to see her in person. I will put up the ultrasound pictures on here as soon as I can. I am having a problem with my computer making them sideways, so as soon as I figure that out I will put some up.

14 Months Old

2010-08-17T20:58:00.000-07:00

Well little Anthony is definitely a toddler and he isn't so little anymore. He runs around all day and plays all day. He is go go go until bedtime! He loves anything with wheels. He spends most of his time playing with his bus or trucks. Although he does spend a lot of time getting into everything too. He loves to pretend to drive in the car too. When we put him in the car he always makes car sounds extra loud to let us know he wants to drive. Ugh, I never imagined he would want to drive so soon! He could spend all day pretending to drive. He turns up the volume on the radio, turns on the blinkers, turns on the hazard lights, turns the steering wheel, and adjust the air. He is so funny to watch. He prefers to walk wherever we are going, but unfortunately he wants to walk where he wants to walk and not where we are walking. He is starting to really get into the playgrounds. He points and yells when he sees a playground and loves watching the other kids. He likes to go down the slides with us and swing in the swings. He also likes climbing on everything, including everything in our house! He sure keeps me on my toes all day. He learned to walk backwards and thinks it is funny to do, so he does it a lot.

He babbles all the time. He has a language of his own and it is so funny to listen to. People always get a kick out of it when we go to stores. He does say several words though. He also is very good at getting want he wants across. He will point and say num num when he wants snacks, or make car sounds, or say go when he wants to go somewhere. He has a big personality and loves being the center of attention. He is eating more people food now. He usually wants to eat some of what we are eating which isn't always possible because of his milk allergy. At his last doctor appointment he weighed 22 pounds. He is tall and lean although he eats all the time. He loves new places and loves animals. It is getting harder to keep him entertained during the day. He keeps me entertained though. He is so funny. He likes to do somersaults and try to balance on his head.
Here is Anthony riding a pony at a local park. He loved it. He even rode around on his own. He had fun talking to the the other ponies on the side each time he went around.

Anthony loves playing in the park and getting dirty!

Anthony's first trip to the Zoo!

2010-07-28T13:47:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday we decided to take Anthony to the zoo for the first time. We took him to the Santa Barbara zoo and he loved it! He ran around and talked to all of the animals. His favorite were the giraffes. He was talking up a storm to them and yelling at them. Some of the animals that didn't move much he didn't notice at all. We stayed for about 3 hours and saw everything. I was so worn out when we were done. All of those hills were killer on my back. I haven't been able to be quite as active in this pregnancy as I was with Anthony. We all had tons of fun though. I was surprised they didn't have any wolves, but the snow leopard was beautiful. Anthony was impressed by the elephants. He wanted out of his stroller and he wanted to run around up and down the hills there. He liked all of the animals, but especially the ones that made noise or moved a lot. However he did talk to many of the animal pictures and statues. I think he just liked the giraffes so much because his lovey that he sleeps with at night is a giraffe and he recognized them. We went to the gift store and let him pick out a stuffed animal, and of course he wanted the giraffe. We also got him a cute shirt that says SB zoo and has a giraffe on it.

Here is Anthony sleeping on the way home from the zoo with his new giraffe (the big one) and his lovey (in his lap). He was so worn out.

Guess who is coming to Thanksgiving dinner?

2010-07-21T11:36:00.001-07:00

Anthony has a new sister coming. She is due November 8th, but I think she may be a little late just like Anthony. We never planned on having our kids so close in age, but they will be 18 months apart when she is born. We are still working on a name. I think both of us were in complete shock when I got a positive pregnancy test in March. We decided to wait for a while to tell everyone, although that was too hard for Mike and he ended up telling people earlier.

I have been much sicker this pregnancy than I was with Anthony. I never would have believed it could be possible. I had severe nausea, vomiting, and food aversions the first 20 weeks. I also experienced migraines, fatigue, upset stomachs, and an overall feeling of being ill. It was pretty difficult going to school full time and watching Anthony full time. Luckily I am feeling somewhat better. I haven't vomited in a while and only experience nausea every once in a while. Most foods sound pretty good to me, however not all foods I eat agree with my stomach. I still am in shock that we are having a girl. I thought for sure it was going to be a boy. Anna at My first Peekaboo has checked and bless her heart double checked for us just to make sure it is a girl. I can't wait to visit Anna again when I get farther along to see this little girl. When we saw her with the 3d ultrasound picture she looked so much like Anthony, just more girly.

Anthony's 1 year check up

2010-06-12T15:17:00.000-07:00

Anthony had his one year check up this past week. It was a couple weeks past his birthday, but that is how his shot schedule has been set up. Anthony weighed 21.02 pounds, he is 31 inches tall, and his head circumference is 19 inches. I can't believe how much he has grown since he was born. Ever since he learned how to crawl his weight has leveled out. Especially now that he is walking he is very slender and tall. He got 3 shots at his appointment. Anthony also got a tb skin test done. We were given orders to have some blood tests done also. We got out of his appointment late, so we had to do the blood work another day. He did really well with the shots. He didn't even cry, although the last shot he got really red faced and fussy. The doctor told us we should try to get him completely off of bottles and only use sippy cups. He also told us we could start trying soy milk. We haven't tried any soy milk yet. We are trying to use up all of the soy formula we have. The doctor said Anthony was doing great developmentally and he was impressed with all the words Anthony can say. As of right now Anthony says, bye bye, hello (although it sounds more like hedo), hi doggie, baby, oh, woah, mommy, daddy, and ut oh. He babbles a lot but I haven't made out any other words yet. When we took him to get his blood work done he was really good. He didn't cry but muttered angrily with his pacifier in and got red faced during the second vial of blood. I can't believe how tough he is. I was so worried about how he would react to it. We should be getting the blood work results back next week.

Anthony has been a little more clingy over the last month. I think he is getting really good at recognizing faces. Sometimes I notice him staring at my face for a long time. I wish I knew what babies are thinking. He is really good at walking. He doesn't walk very often if other people are watching him though. He also hasn't tried walking outside. I need to get him some good shoes before he starts to walk outside. He has big meaty feet though so I think I am going to have to buy him custom fit shoes. I have heard these can be pretty expensive, so I am going to let him build up his walking skills a little more before we invest in some shoes. When I am home alone with him he will walk all the way across the living room no problem. He loves clapping his hands. One of his favorite songs is "If your happy and you know it clap your hands." He has starting pointing at things over the last week. He really loves jumping. I have found him jumping in his crib a couple times when he is supposed to be napping. He is pretty good at eating most foods since he has four molars now.

My video camera has frozen up so I haven't been able to get any video of Anthony walking

or clapping. Hopefully I will get it fixed soon, so I can get some video uploaded to youtube.

Anthony is 1 !!!!!

2010-05-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

So much has happened over the last 2 months. At the end of April Anthony took his first steps. We were eating dinner at Ichibans with some of Mike's family and Anthony took about 3 or 4 steps to me. After that he has been practicing a lot. He can take many more steps, but has to do it slowly to keep his balance. He also started waving and saying bye bye. He started saying bye bye at around 10 months old. He also says doggie. He is so proud of himself when he walks, it is so adorable. He has also gotten in 3 molars in the past 2 months. At 11 months old he rode his first pony at a local festival. He loved it! He just recently started jumping in his bed. A week before his birthday he got a pretty high fever, I took him to the doctor to find out he had a double ear infection. That week was pretty rough for him. Luckily he was happy at his birthday.

We had his birthday at a local park in Arroyo Grande. Originally we were worried about it being too hot on his birthday, but it was almost cold. My family helped plan and set up his birthday party. Thank god too, because I hate planning things like that. The food was yummy and there was tons to eat. The party turned out great. He had so much fun. He ran around in his walker and had fun running into things. I didn't take as many pictures as I would have hoped to, but I still got some good pictures of him trying out his cake. He loved having all the people there. He was happy the whole time. He wasn't sure what to do with the cake. He played with the frosting between his fingers and only realized it was for eating when Mike put some cake in his mouth. Anthony really liked the cake. He was licking it off his hands. He then opened his presents. He got so much cool stuff. He has been playing non stop with his new toys since his party on Sunday. He got a bunch of cute clothes too for when he gets a little
bigger.

Easter Time

2010-04-06T14:03:00.000-07:00

Anthony had his first Easter. The weather has been so back and forth lately. One week it is in the high 70's the next week it is cold with a chance of rain. Easter was pretty cold and windy here. It sprinkled a little bit. We mostly visited family on Easter. Anthony also got to go on a tractor ride. He got an Easter basket with baby snacks and toys. He also got a couple of stuffed bunnies. He looked so handsome in his Easter outfit.

Springtime

2010-03-17T11:16:00.001-07:00

I love springtime. There are flowers blooming all over. Our tree out front is starting to get leaves on it. The weather has been so beautiful the past week. It has been in the mid to high 70's. I took Anthony to the park yesterday and we relaxed on a blanket under the trees. He had fun tasting pine needles, dirt, and of course his puffs! Brisa liked watching the squirrels.

This weekend my cousin Carla will be in town and I rarely get to see her. She is bringing her 4 boys, so it should be fun. Hopefully I will remember to take some pictures. The weather is expected to stay nice into the weekend. I know for sure we plan on going to Avila Barn on friday since it is opening for spring. I am trying to spend as much time as I can outside enjoying spring and the beautiful weather.

Anthony is 9 months old!

2010-03-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

This is a late post, but I wanted to wait until his 9 month appointment which is really at 9 1/2 months old to make a post. Anthony went to his dr appointment yesterday. I expected him to get shots, but I guess no shots until he is 1 year old. He did get a toe prick to check if he was anemic, but he is perfectly fine. He lost a tad bit of weight most likely due to how active he is. He weighed 19.2 pounds and was 29 1/4 inches tall. He is basically big all over. He also got a fluoride treatment on his 8 teeth while we were at the doctor.

Anthony is becoming a big boy. I can't get over how fast these 9 months have gone. Anthony loves to bang around his toys, throw his blocks, stand up, dance, sing, smile, and most of all play. He stands up easily now and can move a little bit side to side while holding on to something, even if it is just with one hand. We put him in his walker every once in a while and he knows how to go backwards and forward. He is so sweet and cuddly. He says mama and dada still and a couple other sounds. He gets upset when Mike or I leave the room and usually starts crying. He still isn't a good sleeper, but at least he usually goes down around the same time everyday for his two naps, which is my small window to get my homework done. He sleeps in his crib, but the house has to be pretty quiet for him to sleep.

Anthony is eating more solids now. He eats about 3 jars of baby food a day. He likes to snack on his puffs of all different flavors. He knows how to feed himself, but he loves to get the puffs everywhere. I usually give him puffs when we take Brisa for a walk around the neighborhood, so if he throws the puffs out the birds can eat them.

Everyday Anthony's personality comes out more. He is pretty funny. He likes to make funny faces and then laugh about them. He is very ticklish, so of course we can't resist tickling him to hear his laugh. He is riding in a convertible car seat now, which means when we go to restaurants he gets to sit in a high chair or a shopping cart at the store. It also means I have to carry him around and he is heavy! I am always relieved when Mike is with me, so Mike can carry him and give my arms a break. I don't think it will be too long until Anthony walks though.

Anthony can't wait to walk!

2010-02-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

Anthony loves to stand up. He even took a couple steps holding on to one of his toys a couple days ago! I never thought he would try to walk so young. He still has a long way to go, but he is building up the strength in his legs. He is so happy and proud of himself when he stands up. It is so cute.

Guess where we went?????

2010-01-30T12:11:00.000-08:00

We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium! We wanted to see how well Anthony travels and go somewhere fun, so we picked somewhere fairly close to go. Monterey is about 3 hours away from our home. Anthony did pretty good on the drive. He slept part of it. He was not happy being stuck in his car seat when he was awake though. I had to try and keep him occupied for about an hour of the trip there. We stayed at the Hyatt which was really nice. We checked in and got settled in. We took Brisa walking when we got there since she had been stuck in the car for 3 hours. After that it was off to the aquarium!

The aquarium is amazing! It is a place I would recommend to everyone and I saw every type of person there enjoying it. There was people from all over the world there. You could spend all day looking at everything and not see it all. Anthony had a lot of fun looking at everything. The colors of the sea life are so vivid and beautiful. Anthony didn't nap the whole time, both days we went. I think he liked the jellyfish best of all. They are so many things to do and see there. It will be so much fun bringing him back when he is older too. They have so much for kids to do there. They have games, exhibits just for kids, sea life you can touch, you can watch them feed the sea life, and so much more. You have to check out the aquarium! Here are some pictures from our trip. Truly you have to see the aquarium in person though to see how beautiful and amazing it is.

Monterey in general reminded me a lot of the area we live in. It is very beautiful, right along the ocean. It is cooler than the central coast though. There are many stores and historical places to visit there. Next time we go hopefully we can check out more things there. It is very family oriented. They have so many things to do there. You can look up the Monterey Bay Aquarium online to find out more about it.

Anthony decided the night we stayed in the hotel was a good night to have a top tooth poke through. It was a very long night. He was extremely fussy and we barely got any sleep. Initially we thought he wasn't sleeping well because he was in a weird place or his sleeping schedule had been messed up. Later we found out his top left tooth had broke through the skin. I wish I would have realized it that night. I forgot to bring teething gel, but I would have sent Mike to the store to get some. Luckily it was just one night of barely any sleep. Last night at home he slept all night and woke up around 5:30 for food, before sleeping some more. It was nice to catch up on lost sleep.

Last night when we got home Anthony was anxious to get down on the floor and play with all of his toys. The first thing he did was go to one of his play toys and get up on his knees to play with it. That was the first time he had ever done that. Minutes later he pulled himself up to stand!! This was also a first. It was amazing. He hadn't played on the floor for two days and then he is on the floor for only a few minutes and manages to get on his knees and pull himself up!

8 Months Old

2010-01-25T17:20:00.000-08:00

Anthony turned 8 months old this past weekend. He is so much fun. He likes to investigate everything. We have to keep buying him new toys because he gets bored after a while with his toys. We usually just put a few aside and then introduce him to them a couple weeks later and it is like a new toy to him all over again. About a week before he turned 8 months old he started crawling. He had been army crawling for a couple weeks before that. The first time he actually crawled on all fours, he crawled to the kitchen to slap the tile. He loves the sound of his hands slapping the tile. He is so funny. He was also going to see what Mike was doing. (He was cooking dinner) He doesn't only crawl though. He still likes to roll around. We recently got a very large play yard for our living room. We just figured it would be too hard to baby proof everything. We let him play outside though when we can watch him completely. He is so fast that if you turn your eyes away and back he is already across the room. He has fun playing with all of his toys in his play yard though. He still jumps in the jumperoo.

Anthony is eating a variety of stage 1 and stage 2 foods. His favorite is sweet potatoes. We have tried the puffs with him and he isn't really sure what to think about them yet. He likes to crunch them with his two bottom teeth. I'm pretty sure it will be any day when his top teeth come in. I can feel them right under his gums. He is also having all of the signs of teething.

I am working on weaning Anthony. It would be done by now, but due to his milk allergy it has been somewhat difficult finding the right formula. Last week his doctor's office suggested I use Alimentun, but he has had an upset stomach so we have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to talk about what will work for him. I think that talking to the doctor will be the best thing. I am curious of how much he weighs also.

We have been getting a lot of rain here which is pretty unusual since we were in a drought forever. Anthony saw his first lightning and heard his first thunder. He didn't even notice it. It makes it a lot harder to get out of the house in the rain with a baby. When it stops raining we try to get out of the house for walks in the park or neighborhood. We even walk through the mall or stores just to get out of the house. Anthony loves this! He is very interested in the world outside. He likes to watch his dog when we go for walks. He is especially interested in other babies.

Anthony is a HUGE wiggle worm! No one ever told me there would come a time when changing diapers would become difficult. Half of the time I have to change his diapers while he is on his tummy. We have to dress him while he is on his tummy and he is usually trying to crawl away.

He is still very talkative. Mike is pretty happy because he is saying dada a lot. He usually says mama when he is crying or upset. He likes to babble to himself when he is playing with his toys, it is so cute.

I have posted some videos of him crawling on youtube. They should appear also on the side. There are also some pictures of the weather we have been having on picasa which you can get to by clicking on the slideshow.

2010

2010-01-11T19:31:00.001-08:00

For 2010 one of my New Years resolutions is to take Anthony to more places in our area. We live in a beautiful area and their are many neat places to go and things to do. Most of the places nearby are free and very close. Everyone knows it isn't the easiest thing to travel far with a baby. Most people come here to vacation in this area, but since we have lived here our whole lives we take it for granted. Places that the tourists come to visit we avoid. My goal is to take Anthony to more of these places. To start the New Year right we took Anthony to a nearby beach. We took him to Avila Beach, also one of Brisa's (our dog) favorite places to run around. It was overcast but not too cold, probably about 65 degrees. After our walk on the beach we met my parents at Fat Cats for a nice lunch. A couple days later we decided to drive to Morro Bay, another local beach area. We took Anthony to a couple beaches there and the aquarium. At the small aquarium they have seals you can feed. I used to go there to feed them when I was kid. He was very interested in the seals. He was especially interested in an octopus there.We also took him to Morro Rock. The waves were unusually high and breaking over the breakwater. Hopefully 2010 will bring many more fun memories and new experiences for all of us. I am going to try to do posts on some of our adventures. There is video of us feeding the seals on our youtube.

Christmas Time

2010-01-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

I just realized that I never made a post about Anthony's first Christmas, so here it is. We decided to get a living tree this year, which we got only a couple days before Christmas. It smells wonderful. Currently it is living in our backyard in a pot. It is a Colorado Spruce. We didn't let Anthony touch it because it is pokey, but he loved the lights on the tree.

For Anthony's first Christmas we stayed in the area and spent Christmas with some of our family. Anthony woke up early on Christmas and only got a twenty minute nap in the whole day. He didn't go to bed until about ten pm. He only got fussy once after being woke up from a short lived nap. Around noon we went to my parents house. There we had a yummy lunch and snacks. We did a gift exchange and Anthony opened his presents. We watched a blue ray movie on my parent's flat screen tv. Traditionally in my family we always go to the movies for Christmas, but since we have three new babies in my family this year that wouldn't work. So instead of going to the movies we watched one at my parent's house. Anthony spent the afternoon playing with his toys.

In the late afternoon we went over to Vicki and Lupe's house. We ate a yummy dinner and did another gift exchange. Anthony got more fun toys to play with. He was very happy about all of the new things to play with. Mike's cousin Erika brought her baby boy Kade, so we all got to meet him for the first time. He was very cute. Anthony had a lot of fun being passed around all of the family members.

Anthony ended the night playing with all of his toys even though half of them weren't even out of their wrappers yet. Anthony ended up staying up late because he didn't want to be pulled away from his toys. He had a very fun first Christmas.

Anthony's First Haircut

2009-12-27T22:32:00.000-08:00

Well today was the day Anthony got his first haircut. His hair has been getting pretty long just down the middle of his head like a mohawk. I just wanted his hair thinned out a little bit and trimmed so it didn't hang in his eyes. My sister Tiffany did a great job of trimming just enough off.

Anthony was good through the whole haircut, although the haircut was only a couple minutes long. My mom held him in her lap and he just looked around while my sister cut his hair. A piece fell on his nose and he smiled because it tickled. Luckily he didn't seem to mind the haircut at all. He just liked all of the attention on him!

This is what Anthony looked like after his haircut.

6 Month Check Up

2009-12-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

On Monday Anthony had his 6 month check up. He weighed 18.6 pounds. We were surprised because he feels like 20! The doctor told us he is in the 90th percentile for his height. Maybe he got that from my side of the family. The men in my family are over 6 feet tall. He ended up getting 2 shots and a liquid one. I don't understand why they don't make them all liquid, it would make things easier.He was pretty good for the shots though. He only cried for a couple seconds. Even though he doesn't weigh as much as we suspected he is still a big baby. He looks like he is a lot older. He is wearing mostly 9 month and 1 year old clothing. He does still fit in 6 month well, but some of the 6 month outfits are snug on him. It really depends on the style of the outfit.
Anthony just recently started crawling, although he is crawling backwards.He can hold his whole body off the ground and push himself around. At this point he is only good at pivoting in a circle and going backwards. He has managed to go forward a couple times, but he hasn't caught on yet. When he moves backwards he lifts up his body and uses his arms to push him backwards, so he looks like a little inch worm moving backwards across the living room. He still rolls all over the place though. I'm pretty sure we need to start baby proofing the living room. He got into a lot of things rolling all over and now that he figured out how to crawl backwards he can pretty much get everywhere. He still isn't sitting up on his own. He can sit up alone for a while and then he usually tips over. He likes to be lower to the ground, so he can roll around with all of his toys. He is very into his toys too. He will spend hours playing with them in the living room. One of his favorite things to do is bang on things. I have a drum that he loves to bang on. At my parents house he bangs on a tambourine. He has a huge grin when he does it too. He likes to bang his toys on each other also. He still loves his jumperoo. The doctor told me not to let him play in it too much though because it teaches him to stand on his tippy toes rather than the on his heels. Anthony likes to make noise. We love listening to him. It is funny listening to him try out his voice and bang on everything.
He is eating solids occasionally now. He usually gets them twice a day. I think his favorite thing so far is sweet potatoes. His other favorites are pears, carrots, prunes, and apples. He doesn't really like green beans or peas yet, but we are working on it.
He recently saw his first parade which he was very interested in, especially the bands. He really likes music. He went to the library the first time. He decided to wake up from his nap right when we got there to blow bubbles and babble. He recently saw his first Christmas lights, which he loved. Our neighbors have lights that flash with the Christmas music they have playing. I think he could have watched and listened to that all day. He got to see Santa. Unfortunately he had just woke up from a short lived nap, so he was pretty out of it in the pictures. I think we will have to see Santa again before Christmas.
I want to take some Christmas photos, so if and when I do I will post them.

New Foods

2009-11-15T18:28:00.001-08:00

Anthony tried carrots today and he really liked them. Babies sure get messy when they eat. He is such a happy baby. He thinks it is very fun to try new foods. He pretty much puts anything in his mouth anyways. I can't believe how many places baby food can get even with a bib on!

Almost 6 months old

2009-11-13T12:07:00.000-08:00

Anthony is changing everyday. He is getting very close to crawling. He can hold his weight on his arms. He pushes off the ground and gets his little rump up in the air. He can also pivot side to side when he is holding his body up. It is funny because he kicks and moves his arms like he is swimming, but he doesn't go anywhere. He gets pretty annoyed that he isn't moving. He still rolls all over the house though. He is a very social baby. He loves people and smiling at them, even animals. When his dog Brisa comes into the room he will smile at her. He is laughing and giggling a lot. He likes to be tickled and sometimes when he hears other people laugh he will laugh. He has been teething the last couple months and still no teeth. I can't believe it! I have been expecting to wake up and find little teeth poking out. He is always chewing on things. He likes to make noise. It sounds like he is singing. He is pretty much always in a good mood. He still loves the jumperoo, which he is playing in right now.
We recently started implementing some form of a schedule with Anthony. It really seems to be helping out. Basically he gets naps at certain times a day and he is put to bed around the same time. I noticed that he sleeps around the same time everyday, so I put him down for naps at those times. He takes a nap at around 11:30 am for about 45 min. Then he naps around 3 pm for about an hour and a half. That is his longest nap of the day. Sometimes he takes a short half hour nap around 7 pm. Then we put him to bed around 9 pm. He used to be really hard to put to bed because he always fought the sleep, but this is really making it easier. Now when I put him down it only takes a couple minutes for him to sleep. Before this he would take up to an hour to put to sleep. He is slowly sleeping more at night. I really wish I would have started a schedule like this beforehand. He is starting to sleep through his 3 am feeding. He still won't sleep in his crib. He won't sleep in his pack in play for naps either. He likes to sleep in his swings. He is still sleeping beside our bed in a pack and play. When he sleeps better through the night I will put him in his crib. His nursery is on the other side of the house though, so if I put him in there now I would be getting up constantly. Sometimes he just wakes up and wants his pacifier put in.
I have started giving him the stage one foods. He has tried squash, pears, bananas, and applesauce. He really likes the applesauce. I am not really feeding him solids regularly yet. I just give him some every once in a while. He likes to make a mess. He grabs the spoon and tries to feed himself. He also likes to put his hands in his mouth with the food. He is getting rice cereal occasionally too.
His 6 month appointment is coming up the second week in December. He will be 6 months old in ten days, but I guess his Doctor's office was too busy to get him in until then. Poor guy will be getting more shots. Oh well, whatever keeps him healthy! Mike and I got vaccinated for the H1N1 virus. I am curious of whether Anthony's doctor will have it to give to Anthony. I will probably do a post before that though. Anthony might have a new cousin by the end of today! My sister is being induced today, so we will see. My other sister had a baby in August which was a boy. My sister who is being induced today is also having a boy. Anthony will have 2 boy cousins pretty dang close in age. He will always have a friend to play with which is awesome!

Pictures at Avila Barn & Shell Beach

2009-11-02T16:40:00.000-08:00

Mike took Sunday off so we decided to go to the Avila Barn. It is like a produce stand/store/farm. They have animals and tractor rides. They even had a hay maze for Halloween which we went through. I have been going to the Avila Barn since I was a kid. Then we went to Shell Beach. Here are some pictures from the day.

Halloween

2009-11-02T15:54:00.000-08:00

Anthony celebrated his first Halloween! Anthony was a sea serpent, dragon, or dinosaur depending on how you interpret his costume. For Halloween we decided to spend it with our family passing out candy rather than at our house. First we went to Grandpa Lupe and Grandma Vicki's house. We ate some yummy bbq there. Anthony enjoyed being played with. He had fun showing off his costume and smiling for them. They gave him a cute little pumpkin full of candy and some diaper money for Halloween. Lupe also gave us a really big pumpkin that he grew himself a couple days before. That is it in the picture with Anthony.

Then we went to my parents house to meet up with my sisters and their families to pass out candy. There we had pizza for dinner. Well Mike had some pizza, since I can't have cheese no pizza for me=( Anthony took a brief nap, but woke up shortly after arriving at my parents house. He enjoyed playing with my family and showing them how he likes to jump. He tries to jump anytime someone stands him up. There my dad took some cute Halloween pictures of him. He also got to hang out with his cousins. They dressed up as dogs for Halloween. My sister made their costumes. They were so cute! My parents decorated up their house for Halloween and we posted up outside beside their chiminea. There we passed out candy. We had planned on seeing his great grandparents in Pismo Beach, but Anthony was exhausted. He started to get fussy and passed out. So we ended up going home. Anthony had a lot of fun. He was practically smiling all evening.
We are hoping maybe around Thanksgiving that he will be able to visit his other set of grandparents. He is a lucky boy! He has more grandparents than most children. My sister Tiffany is going to be induced early and we definitely want to be here when she has her baby. Depending on when that happens will have an effect on when we head up north to visit family.

Rice Cereal

2009-10-29T10:15:00.001-07:00

Well last night we gave Anthony rice cereal for the first time. He seems interested in our food when we eat and he always gets hungry when we are eating, so we thought maybe he was ready for solids. The doctor suggested waiting till he is 6 months old to try solids because of his milk allergy. I think it is highly unlikely that he has any other allergy. Mike and I do not have any allergies, however my mom thinks that I had a milk allergy when I was a baby although it was never diagnosed. I was the only one in my family to be formula fed. My mom also thinks she may have had a milk allergy. The doctor said that usually a milk allergy is hereditary. I still plan to introduce solids slowly. Anthony's doctor gave me a chart on which foods to start first in case of an allergy. We gave him the rice cereal mixed in breast milk at his bed time feeding last night. We gave it to him in a bowl with a spoon. He really like the spoon and knew what to do with it. We ended up just putting it in a bottle for him to drink. The consistency is so thin that he could drink it from the bottle. I am glad we tried it with the spoon first because it showed me he is able to use it. Gradually we are going to bring baby foods into his diet. I am going to probably watch him this week and make sure that the cereal doesn't make him constipated.
So Anthony went to bed at 11 pm last night, guess when he woke up after that?????? 1 am! Well I guess he just doesn't like to sleep at night.

5 Months Old Already!

2009-10-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

Anthony turned 5 months old on the 23rd. I honestly can't believe that 5 months has gone by since he was born. I am guessing he weighs about 17 1/2 pounds now. He is so much fun. He giggles and smiles all the time. I really need to get the giggling on camera. I keep saying this but still haven't tried yet. It is soooo precious! He likes to laugh a lot when he is getting his diaper changed. He is very interested in the world around him. He likes to watch his dog Brisa and us when we are doing things around the house. When we take him for walks he is always watching the things around him. When we take him to feed the ducks at Waller park he likes to look at them moving around in the water. He is very active, as a result he is taking more scheduled naps after playtime. He plays in his jumperoo and moves backwards in a walker. He spends a lot of time on his play mat on his tummy playing with is toys. He rolls all over the place. This morning he rolled across the room to the dvd holder and actually pulled out a Jet Li movie. His daddy would be so proud. I guess I will have to baby proof this room sooner than I expected. He is trying to very hard to crawl, but he hasn't accomplished that yet. Anthony still gets up several times a night. He is just a hungry little man. We are going to try rice cereal soon only for his bedtime feeding. We will let you know how that goes. He is wearing 6-9 month outfits. I never imagined him to be big enough at 5 months to fit into 9 month clothing. He is a very sturdy boy though. I am hoping to have his Halloween pictures on here shortly after Halloween so be on the lookout.

Duck Pond

2009-10-08T20:51:00.001-07:00

4 Month Check up

2009-10-08T16:45:00.001-07:00

Anthony had his 4 month check up yesterday and he is doing great! He got three vaccines which he wasn't too happy about, but he only cried for about 30 seconds. He weighed 16 pounds 12 ounces and they said he is tall for his age. This doesn't really surprise us though since he is big in general for his age. Lucky for him his next appointment isn't until he is 6 months old.

This picture is at Waller Park. We fed the ducks today at one of the duck ponds. Look at his cute outfit. It has ears on the hood! His great aunt Chyrl gave him this and several other cute outfits. Thank you! It is nice and warm for the winter.

Jumping in the Jumparoo!!

2009-10-06T15:05:00.000-07:00

He finally got the hang of jumping in the Jumparoo. Now if you hold him in your hands, its all he wants to do!

Anthony is 4 months old!

2009-09-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how time flies! It doesn't seem like it has already been 4 months since I had Anthony. He is a huge baby. He weighed 16 pounds last time he was weighed a couple weeks ago. He is mostly wearing 6 month clothing and some 6-9 month clothing. I will put him in an outfit and a week later it won't fit him. All of his growth is proportional though.

He is such a happy baby. He always has lots of smiles for everyone. He is spending a lot of his time playing with all his toys. We are just starting to put him in a jumperoo which he hasn't quite gotten the hang of. He just stands in it and bounces side to side. He hasn't started pushing off hard yet. He loves to babble and explore his toys. He is rolling over very good now. We put him on his play mat and he plays with all of his hanging toys.He has found his feet recently so he frequently holds them and puts them by his head. He can roll over from stomach to back, but he is still working on rolling over from his back to stomach. He tries very hard, but he hasn't figured out what to do with his arm in the process of rolling. He especially loves mirrors. He will look at himself in the mirror with a big smile. It is so cute! Anthony is good at holding his toys in his hands although they usually end up in his mouth. Anthony is just starting to giggle which is the most precious thing to see. He has been attempting a laugh the last month but it doesn't always sound like a laugh. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get it on film yet.

In the past month Anthony has been diagnosed with a milk allergy. Basically I just have to cut dairy out of my diet since he is getting my breast milk and he is fine. He has his 4 month vaccines coming up in a week. I will try to post an update after his appointment.

Bedtime

2009-08-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

Anthony is 3 months old now!

2009-08-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

Anthony is three months old now. I can't believe the time has gone by so fast. He is developing as rapidly as he is growing. He is reaching for his toys now and exploring them with his hands and his mouth. He loves his little neptune play station. He spends a lot of time playing with his toys that attach to it. He also loves his swing and vibrating chair. He is starting to laugh when he smiles which is absolutely adorable. He loves to go on stroller rides when we walk Brisa and look at everything around him.

Anthony went to the doctor on August 19, he weighed 14 pounds and 4 ounces. Anthony is a very happy baby. It is exciting to see him grow and develop. Mike and I have so much fun with him. If you would like to see videos of him, we have videos of him on youtube under moxiegirrl.

He is growing like a weed!

2009-08-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

Anthony went in for his 2 month check up on August 5th. He is already weighing 13 pounds and 10 ounces. He is very healthy and growing rapidly. He got 4 vaccines at the doctors. He was not very happy about the shots. He cried for a little while, but then he was ok. He is interacting a lot more now. He smiles and babbles when he is talked to. He spends most of his time awake and exploring the world around him. He can't hold up his head yet, but he is getting better at it. He got a new baby cousin Daniel on Aug 7th. It is amazing how tiny Daniel is compared to Anthony. I know they will be best friends as they get older. It is nice that they are so close in age and will have each other to play with.

Anthony Says MaMa

2009-07-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

Anthony at 2 months interacting and saying "MaMa".

Anthony at 7 weeks

2009-07-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

He weighs 12 pounds already!!

Ok, can we say it one more time.... He's SO CUTE!

2009-05-28T21:36:00.000-07:00

You would not believe how alert and aware this little guy is. I've had the pleasure of staying with Melody and Mike over the last couple of days to help out and Anthony is such a mellow, sweet baby. He has several of these awake aware sessions daily where he just looks around and plays. Over the last couple of days he's developed a little jaundice but with the way he is eating, that should go away pretty fast. Melody and Mike have been putting him in a little sunlight a couple of times a day. Enjoy the video!

He's Finally Here!!

2009-05-24T08:23:00.001-07:00

So after a little more than 24 hours of induction labor, 2 hours of pushing and a lifetime of waiting...... I'd like to introduce:

Anthony Joseph Velazquez

He came last night, May 23, 2009 at 11:42 pm. Weighing 8 lbs. and 1 oz. Momma and Daddy are doing fine. We didn't get to see him very much last night because of the hour, a little fluid in his lungs and monitoring because they used the vacuum to help him out so you KNOW where we will be today! His Daddy kept saying, "He's just so CUTE!" and he really is. Now the real fun begins!

He's Overdue, What's a Girl To Do???

2009-05-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

Melody had her appointment this morning and here is what has been decided.

The Dr. wanted her to go in for an induction today.... only the hospital is full AND he is going to see a Dr. himself in Santa Barbara so that's not going to work. AND he mentioned that it probably wouldn't be him who actually delivered the baby but the duty Dr. or the co-Dr. in his practice.

How many of you women can identify with that??!!

The hospital is supposed to call her when there is room and then she goes in and starts the induction, which could be any day between tomorrow and Tuesday. In case the hospital forgets or WHATEVER, Melody is supposed to call daily too. She has a Dr. appointment on Tuesday just in case no induction starts this weekend. The Dr. is still estimating that Anthony weighs around 9 lbs. and could ultimately end up in a C-Section.

Holiday weekends and babies... they just don't go together!

There's the facts.....

How Could She!!!

2009-05-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

Do you know what she did!!?? It's about 6:15 this morning and I'm in my cozy bed in that special place between sleep and awake and what do I hear?? The sound of a text message coming in on my phone. I bolt out of bed and run for my office, eyes blurry, unable to focus but I can make out the sender... Mike! Oh my gosh... She's finally having that baby!! As my eyes "wake up" and I start to read the message it says, "Hey, this is Mel. I'm just letting you know I'm NOT in labor but my phone fell in the bathtub last night and still isn't working. When you guys come down tonight (we meet for dinner on Wednesdays) call Mike's phone or just come over. Mike is leaving to work soon so I wanted to let you know." What? WHAT??? No baby and now no phone! I am SO going down and getting one of those cheap throw away ones before I see her today AND, I better be one of the first people called when that news breaks!!! How could she freak her mother out like that!!

Week 40

2009-05-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the quick post. We were having lunch with Melody today and realized that we hadn't posted yet and everyone was probably on pins and needles wondering. So first off.... no baby. Boo Hoo, we are all ready for him!

Melody had what could be (or should be) her last appointment. Everything is fine but she still hasn't dilated yet. So, another appointment scheduled for next Friday where there will be a stress test done and possible induction depending on the results. We are just keeping our fingers crossed that Anthony arrives before then with as natural of a birth as possible.

I will say that Anthony is DONE this week so I'm not going to do an update on him. He must be fully developed and stubborn as anything staying inside his mommy. (That's a stubborn little Taurus for you!)

Melody is done too. She just wants him out. We will keep up the progress report as things happen this week, things happening this week.... RIGHT?? Come on Anthony.....

OK ..... No baby yet!

2009-05-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

Week 39 - Mother's Day

2009-05-10T20:21:00.001-07:00

Today is Mother's Day and still no Anthony. Melody's quotes of this week: "I didn't think I would still be pregnant by this date" and "Put a fork in me... I'm done!" Yup, she is done even if it means pain this week. She's uncomfortable, tired and....

R E A D Y!

How about little Anthony? He's still having lots of hiccups, very common for this stage of pregnancy. The downy hair that used to cover his body has mostly disappeared. His skin is changing from a red-pink hue to a white or blue-pink color. These changes are due to the amount of fat Anthony is putting on. The circumference of his head and abdomen are about the same size now. The placenta is sharing Melody's antibodies with Anthony and help will keep him strong and healthy after birth. He is about 19 to 20 inches long and weighs about 7 pounds.

So we're all ready right??? Melody's next appointment is this Friday, if she makes it to that date. We will keep everyone posted here as things progress so check back frequently. Those closest to the family will receive a phone call and there will be a post here complete with pictures as soon as we can get to a computer!

*THURSDAY UPDATE**

2009-05-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

Melody had her ultrasound this morning. Everything is FINE! Isn't that great news! The Drs. are estimating that Anthony weighs around 7 lbs. 9 oz. already and they have officially changed his due date to May 16th. (That's 9 short days away!!!) She isn't dilated at all yet but is 20% effaced. Her next appt. is Friday (the 15th) and I will be doing an update this weekend on what MAY be her last Weekly Update!

May 2, 2009 - Week 37

2009-05-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

Getting near the end now. This should probably be written as week 37 or 38 since the Drs. can't quite agree. But as you and I know, babies come when they are ready and everything else is just an estimate anyway!

This week's quote from Melody as she was experiencing some pretty painful Braxton-Hicks contractions, "Maybe I'm not ready to go to the hospital afterall!" This set of contractions felt more like real labor and she was actually thinking this might be The Time. Needless to say, she was a bit relieved.

And what's up with Anthony this week? He's actually considered a full-term baby! If Melody were to go into labor today, all systems would be a go. Woohoo! Anthony's growth slows down dramatically this week. His bones are still soft and pliable and will solidify after he's born. So if he's all cooked and ready to go, what the heck is he still doing in there?! He's busy practicing for "life on the outside," working on his breathing, sucking, sleeping, gazing and peeing abilities. The only thing he can't practice yet is his ability to scream at the top of his lungs when he's hungry—but he'll do plenty of that in a few weeks. Although babies vary in weight and height at this time, the average length is between 19 and 20 inches and most babies weigh approximately 6 pounds.

I'll try to keep everyone posted and up to date here. There will probably be more news after her ultrasound on Thursday, so be sure to check back either late Thursday or early Friday morning.

UPDATE

2009-04-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

Melody went to her Drs. appointment yesterday and was told, "the baby doesn't seem to be growing". According to BabyCenter.com he should be putting on 1/2 pound a week at this point. So what does this mean? Well, an ultrasound next Thursday to find out if there's a problem (if the Doc felt it was an EMERGENCY, I'm sure it wouldn't have waited another 8 days to get THAT done!) The good news? Well, Anthony is as active as ever, lots of movement and hiccups. Momma has her bags packed, (RIGHT MOMMA??) and everything is ready and waiting for him to come.

April 25, 2009 - Week 36

2009-04-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Each day brings us that much closer to holding little Anthony. Melody says the baby has definitely "dropped" and each day seems to be getting a little lower in her pelvis. She has been having frequent Braxton Hicks contractions and begins her once a week appointment next week.

Here is Melody's quote of the week. "I HATE hospitals and I'm not looking forward to labor." She can't wait to hold little Anthony in her arms though.

Anthony continues to put on weight at about ½ pound each week. This layer of fat will help him regulate his body temperature after leaving his mommy's womb. Anthony will be 15 percent fat at birth and he can listen, feel, touch and see. The only thing separating him from living in the outside world is a little thing called the birth canal. His gums are firm with ridges that look somewhat like teeth, though his actual teeth won't start breaking through until he's between three months and a year old. He has definite patterns of sleep and wakefulness—opening his eyes while awake and closing them while sleeping. He even becomes alert and turns his head toward light and sound just as a newborn would. He weighs about 6 pounds and is around 18½ inches long.

Ginny and the other employees of Arroyo Grande Veterinary Clinic (where Melody used to work) are hosting a Baby Shower for her this evening. I'll try to post picture highlights in the next couple of days.

April 18, 2009 - Week 35

2009-04-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

The big moment has finally arrived!

Nope, it's not Anthony, just a doll taking the place in his carseat so we could make the adjustments and get it loaded and ready in the car. Just one of the many things new parents have to figure out, hopefully BEFORE the baby comes!

If we count by Melody's first due date, May 23, we are on week 35... BUT, if we use the most recent estimate due date, May 15, she is 36 weeks along and Anthony will be here even sooner! He weighs approximately 5 1/2 pounds and is over 18 inches long! Melody says she can feel him stretch and roll and do things with his hands and he still has hiccups quite a bit. She says he is a "food baby" and really gets going when she eats or drinks something cold. Anthony responds when Mike puts his hands on Mel's stomach...she says it must be from the heat of his hands but babies know BOTH of their parents before they are born. It is going to be so nice to see Mike with his little baby in his arms... a magical moment, the beginning of a lifetime. Melody begins her weekly appointments next week. The room is ready, the clothes are washed, arrangement are being made for someone to watch Brisa, we worked on the "belly cast" this past week and basically all that is left for Melody to do is pack her bags for the hospital.

The plan is to decorate the cast and THEN decide what to do with it. It only took 2 packages of plaster strips available at Michaels for less than $10, water, a Dollar Store bowl to soak the strips in and about 20 minutes. The plan is to use tissue paper from the baby showers in greens, blues and whites and mod podge to decorate cast all over. If I get it finished, I'll post next week.

And to finish this week, a quick "Slide" to show you the Nursery all ready for Anthony. Enjoy!

A BIG Thank-You

2009-04-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun at the shower. We'd like to thank my sister, Rebecca for hosting the Baby Shower at her house, her husband, Matt for making a fantastic BBQ,

(Are you HUNGRY yet?)

my sister, Tiffany for making me look so good and doing the party prize shopping, and my mom and sister for making the party favors, cupcake toppers, diaper cake, etc.

We really appreciate all the family that was able to make it to the party and spend the afternoon with us and for "showering" us with gifts and good wishes for Anthony and our family. The gifts were so perfect and we can't WAIT to see Anthony wearing all the little clothes, bibs, blankets, socks and bathing with the cute warm towels. You made our Shower VERY special!! Thank You!!

Melody & Mike

Week 34

2009-04-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

What is that little baby up to this week? Growing (he weights nearly 5 pounds now and is 17 3/4 inches long!) , hiccuping (getting those lungs ready to work independently from mom), moving around like crazy (especially at night!) and well, getting ready to be born. He's also developing his own immune system.

What do I see? I think the baby has "dropped" and when I asked Melody, she says he does seem to be in a little different position now. I don't know if you can predict labor onset by that (someone let me know) but there is definitely a difference. Melody says he feels less in her ribs.

We are getting together for a BBQ on Easter at Beckie's house and giving her a little "family" shower and then her co-workers from the Veterinary Clinic she worked at are giving her another on the 26th of this month. Who knows, maybe Anthony will attend that one! Wishful thinking....

April 4, 2009 - Week 33

2009-04-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

"I am SO tired of being pregnant...Anthony just needs to get here already!" "Maybe he'll come early, maybe around Mike's Birthday (April 29)." "He's running out of room and I can't stretch much further!" "It's hard to find a comfortable position to sleep in."

Doesn't that sound like someone with only 49 days left to go?? Time can't pass fast enough. Melody is nearing her last month pregnant and Anthony is growing in leaps and bounds. He is putting on about 1/2 pound a week and he already weighs 4 1/2 pounds and is nearly 18 inches long. Now here is the exciting part...Anthony's respiratory system is almost completely mature! That means if he was born early, he'd be a healthy bouncing baby needing minimal help in the NICU. He can tell the difference between night and day. If you shine a flashlight on momma's tummy he may shy away from the light.

We've been trying to do some fun and memorable things each week. Pictures are fun to take as you can tell. This week we also used the video camera to take pictures of Anthony's room and we're planning some questions for next week. Eventually, we'll piece it all together, make an IMovie and post it on the blog. Should be really cute!

As always, we really appreciate you stopping by and keeping up with the progress. It won't be long now!

We Experienced The Miracle At My First Peek-a-Boo!

2009-03-30T08:49:00.000-07:00

We made our 3rd trip to My First Peek-A-Boo on Saturday. If you live anywhere around the Santa Barbara area and are pregnant, I would definitely recommend going for a visit! Anna and her husband, Jeremy are friendly, professional and provide a wonderful and memorable service to expectant parents. They offer several affordable packages for every budget and while you are there, you are definitely family! Thanks Anna and Jeremy!

Week 32

2009-03-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

Does time speed up the closer you get to an exciting event!!?? Every time I look at how many days Melody has left until her due date, I just can't BELIEVE we will soon be meeting Anthony face to face! He's been a very active baby lately complete with hiccups, dance moves and the occasional complete body roll. Its getting easier to identify the parts from the outside as they pass by. As Anthony continues to put on weight over the next few weeks, he will settle into the head down position and movement will become more of a challenge and then he will WANT to come and join all of us. Since Melody has received a couple of due dates... May 15 and May 23, we decided to split the difference and put May 17 on the tag.

So what is Anthony up to these days? Gaining weight, blinking his eyes, looking around, grabbing things, making faces, practicing his breathing, peeing and listening to everything around him. He probably has a head full of hair and at the end of this week, he'll weigh about 4 pounds and measure over 17 inches long.

Today, Melody had her 3rd Peek-a-Boo. There will be pictures posted in the sidebar on the right so check them out. I'll just tell you, Anthony performed wonderfully this time. We saw smiles, yawns, little opening eyes, he nearly sucked his big toe and the world's FATTEST cheeks.... now where did those come from??

We also had a really fun photo shoot today with Melody and the pictures turned out so cute. Click on the "Black & White Photoshoot" in the sidebar on the right to be taken to the slideshow.

Week 31

2009-03-22T21:44:00.001-07:00

Ok... 9 weeks left if Anthony goes full term. It might seem like ages still, but the time will fly by. Melody has been feeling pretty good and the Dr. says she is making good progress. March 28th is the 3rd (but probably not the final) Peek-a-Boo. We are hoping Anthony is going to look pretty much like he will when he's born only smaller. He is adorable already... I'm not sure he could get any cuter!

Anthony continues to gain about 1/2 pound a week until shortly before birth. Due to space constraints, his arms and legs are drawn up close to the body in fetal position. He can now process information from all 5 senses. His lungs are the only system not fully mature. Right now, he weighs about 3 1/2 pounds and measures a little over 16 inches.

We went shopping over the weekend at Babys R Us for my friends' daughters' baby shower and Melody and Mike added to their baby registration list. The store carries such cute things! Having babies has come a LONG way since I had mine in the 70's and 80's. It's a good time to be a baby!

Week 30

2009-03-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

Approximately 68 days left to go!! Can you believe it? Little Anthony will be here before we know it!

Here's what's going on with Anthony this week. His brain is starting to wrinkle and fold. This is due to the rapid growth of his brain cells. Other highlights this week:

Fingernails and toenails are finally finished, plus, the bone marrow is completely in charge of red-blood-cell production now. Baby is starting to shed his lanugo—the downy hair that was covering his skin. Now that he's chubbier and better able to regulate his body temp, he doesn't need to sport a fur coat 24/7. "I spy an umbilical cord and the inside of my mom's uterus!" When Anthony is awake, his eyes are now wide open and he's whittling away the hours looking around, checking out his rather dark, limited environs. Baby hasn't gained much weight or height this week, as most of his energy's been channeled to the brain. He weighs about 3 pounds and is approximately 15.5 inches long. He continues to have lots of hiccups and move his entire body around. In 2 weeks we have the 3rd and final "Peek-a-Boo" before he is born. It will be interesting to see how much he has grown and if he looks more like he's ready to be born.

Melody had her appointment today and found out she doesn't have gestational diabetes. Yeah, hurray!! Her weight is good and baby is head down and will stay that way more than likely. No estimate on weight but the Dr. is keeping a close watch since Melody was an 8.5 lb. baby and a baby that size is considered large today.

Comparing Tummy's

Week 29 "BABY LOVE"

2009-03-07T18:53:00.000-08:00

Week 28

2009-03-05T09:46:00.001-08:00

So here we are at Week 28, the 3rd trimester. Melody's appointments changed last week from once a month to twice a month. She had to have the RH shot (OUCH!) and found out she would need to take a second Glucose tolerance test to see if she has Gestational Diabetes (which she is doing today). If the test is positive, it could mean diet changes, medication and possibly even injections. As you can see from her pictures, Anthony is getting larger and moving around lots. The room is ready thanks to handy Daddy Mike. He's passed the first test of fatherhood with flying colors... putting together all the furniture, toys, etc. With the "nest" ready, the happy couple is anxious to have Anthony join them. The official due date has been moved up to May 15th but he could come anywhere from 2 weeks prior to 2 weeks after that date.

Anthony is about 15 inches long now and weighs between 2 and 3 pounds. His eyes are partially open this week and the eyes have color now, maybe not the final color which can take up to 9 months after birth to determine.

We are planning a photo session in the next couple of weeks with Melody, Mike and The Belly. Can't wait to share that with all of you!

Thank You So Much!

2009-03-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

We wanted to thank you all for the lovely Baby Shower for little Anthony. It was great visiting with and getting to know you. A special "Thank You" to Grandma Tomasa for all the great food and to "The Aunts" for organizing, decorating and making sure things ran smoothly. You were all so generous with presents for Anthony, he will be set for months with clothes, necessities, and entertainment. He's a lucky little boy being born into such a loving family! We love you all!

Baby Shower Pictures

2009-03-05T09:34:00.001-08:00

Week 27

2009-02-23T15:16:00.001-08:00

Moving forward quickly now! 27 weeks, can you believe it? Melody starts the every other week appointments next week. 13 weeks left and that is if Anthony doesn't come early! It won't be long before we can all hold him and love him.

Little Anthony's lungs and immune system are maturing this week. His length has more than doubled in the past 15 weeks. Baby weighs in at approximately 14 1/2 inches and just over 2 lbs. His little brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace. His brain waves are now firing away just like those of a newborn baby.

Anthony has been having lots of hiccups lately and still spending his nights being so active momma can't sleep. One night last week, Melody had Braxton Hicks contractions for most of the night. I told Melody to be sure to drink lots of water and be sure to rest lots as Anthony continues to grow.

We finished the little fishy border in the baby's room this past weekend. It turned out so cute! Mike's Aunt and Uncle bought a beautiful new mattress for the baby's crib and a Diaper Genie to keep the room fresh and sanitary. Thank you Vicki & Lupe! There is a Baby Shower planned for this weekend in Sonoma being given by the Velazquez side of the family. We are so sad we can't attend and meet the family. Wes is working the outage at Diablo Canyon and there is no "off" time available right now. We do hope to meet all of you very soon and share the joy of this new little baby.

Week 26

2009-02-16T15:15:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the quality of this picture. I've had a bad cold and fever and didn't want Melody to catch it so this photo was taken with my husband's IPhone.

Anthony now weighs about 1 lb. 12 oz. and is 14 inches long. The air sacks in his lungs are developing. Baby's eyes are now fully developed with the retina layers completed this week. Brainwaves for the auditory and visual systems are detectable in Anthony's head this week. That means he is registering things like sound and light even though he can't understand what any of it means yet.

Melody says he is a real mover and sometimes her stomach is all lopsided because he is all on one side or the other. We weren't able to work on the details of the little fish because both my oldest daughter, Rebecca and I were both sick, but Mike put together the dresser/changing table and Melody washed the clothes and got them all put away. She was walking Brisa one day and one of her neighbors came running out asking her if she would like to HAVE the bassinet her kids had outgrown. Of course Melody said yes and it is the CUTEST! She had to get it all cleaned up, linens washed and sanitized, and it's going to be perfect for those first couple of months in the parents room.

We sent her a few more pieces from her layette set; a lampshade, hamper and three fishy wall hanging set. Melody went and found a lamp base in a shade that totally matches the entire bedroom. It just looks so cute!

Guess What We Worked On This Past Weekend!

2009-02-10T08:28:00.000-08:00

Guess what came in this weekend? The crib! Mike put it all together, the first challenge of fatherhood, and doesn't it look sweet?? He was able to get the paint on the walls over the past few weeks too and it was time to decorate that border. At first we thought we would stencil on some little fish and dot in the bubbles. Instead, we copied her bedding fish on a copy machine, cut them out and drew around them. Then we added paint in a coordinating color. We are going to fill them in with more detail either this weekend or the next so it will look exactly like the fish in the bedding. It turned out so cute!

Pictures As Promised

2009-02-07T21:44:00.001-08:00

Looky who's little tummy is expanding! Anthony is really growing now. Melody called me this evening and said he has been kicking her in the ribs. Ouch! He's healthy and active and moving alot each day.

Week 25

2009-02-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

Anthony weighs about 1 1/2 lb. and is 13 1/2 inches long. Of course that is approximate. Most everything is formed and functioning now. His nostrils may open up by the end of this week and the blood vessels in his lungs continue to develop. He is mainly putting on weight and getting large enough to live on the outside with us.

Mike made a visit to Sonoma this week to visit with the Velazquez family. His grandma, dad, and aunts and uncles live there and in surrounding areas. Sounds like they will be having a shower for Melody later this month in Sonoma. Cute story there... do you remember a few months back when we changed the blog to All About Baby Velasquez with an S rather than a Z? Well, he found out he really is a Velazquez not Velasquez! His social security card is wrong and will need to be changed, but baby will be Anthony Velazquez. I don't know if I'm going to change the Blog to reflect that at this point. We'll see. If I do, I will post it in advance and keep reminding everyone to make the switch so it is a smooth transition.

I think the shower we are having will be April 12th. We talked about having it on Saturday the 11th but many of her friends work on Saturday so we have to have it on the 12th. So mark your calendars! Now all we have to hope is that the baby doesn't come sooner than that. I'm encouraging Melody and Mike to register for a few things at Baby's R Us and Target, two of the larger stores in their area.

This week Melody finally had to break down and buy maternity pants. They are cute and roomy and should get her through quite a bit of the last trimester of her pregnancy. If anyone is interested in buying momma a gift of clothes, she wears about a size 3 pant and small top. I'm pretty sure they go by "before" sizes in maternity wear. Those clothes can be so expensive! We've been lucky to find several outfits on sale and others are just regular clothes in a larger size, but it would be nice to get something special in the mail.

Week 25 pictures to follow tomorrow. Stay tuned.....

Week 24

2009-02-01T21:24:00.001-08:00

Melody and Mike made the trip to Santa Barbara on Thursday for another visit to My First PeekaBoo. Baby Anthony was less cooperative this time around. He was in the sleep phase and didn't want to be bothered. They made Melody roll from side to side in an attempt to see his little face and finally, he did turn around. He was sucking his wrists and covering his little eyes. At one point the ultrasound tech did little pushes on Melody's tummy and Anthony raised his finger to his mouth like he was saying "Shhhhh!". We are hoping to be able to put up some still pictures and hopefully the video on YouTube (if we can figure out how). This trip was probably the highlight to Mike's week off vacation. They painted the nursery, did some day trips around town and just relaxed. This ultrasound specialist also felt that Anthony was very well developed for his "age" and felt Melody may actually have him early. So.... we think we are going to move the baby shower up just in case to either the 12th or 19th of April. Leave a comment at the end of this post if either of these dates works better.

Be sure to click on the baby in the sidebar to see Anthony's progress this week. He is growing rapidly now gaining nearly 1/2 pound this week alone. That was probably the reason he wasn't moving much for the ultrasound. Remember, let me know about the baby shower dates if you have a preference.

Week 23 Pictures of Mom

2009-01-29T07:59:00.000-08:00

Mike has some vacation this week and today Mike and Melody are going to Santa Barbara for a 2nd "Peek-a-Boo" of baby Anthony. You know what that means?? More ultrasound pictures for the blog and hopefully even some live video to upload at YouTube. Stay tuned....

Week 23 Ultrasounds

2009-01-25T09:42:00.000-08:00

Melody had her sex determination ultrasound on Friday and little Anthony is still little Anthony. He is officially a boy. Here are some of the newest ultrasound pictures.

I think Anthony's profile looks just like Mike's. The ultrasound tech said the baby was doing just fine. He weighs 1 lb. 6 oz. which is a little larger than they had thought he would be at this point, leading them to think he may be due a week earlier or he's going to be a larger baby. Melody says, she'll take the week earlier. When the tech measured the thigh bone, we could see that Anthony is laying with his legs extended in front of him; knees about chin level and feet over his head. Kind of strange. You can see that best in this picture.

Melody is doing very well gaining 4 lbs. over this last month. It was suggested that she begin wearing a tummy support that eases pressure on her back and hopefully will reduce the backaches she was having. The baby is supposed to double his weight over the next month so she is really going to have to find a way to lessen the load. This is what the support belt looks like.

This week's pictures of Melody will follow in a separate posting.

Anthony Is Moving..... ALOT!

2009-01-21T21:46:00.000-08:00

Melody decided to take some video today of Anthony moving around. Some of the video looks like she is breathing, but she says that's him moving around. You can view these here, or double click on them and you will be taken to YouTube. I noticed they were a little slow to load so you may have to click to play, then pause and let them load, then play. Movement is so special when you're waiting 9 months to hold the baby in your arms. Take a minute and leave her a comment, she'd love it!

Week 22

2009-01-17T20:51:00.001-08:00

Melody is entering week 22 and beginning to look pretty pregnant. Thought you might like to see a quantity of photos this week. We usually take several and then pick 2 to 3 to represent each week. On to the baby's progress this week.

Baby's hands have grown bigger and stronger and the nerve endings in the fingers have developed his sense of touch. He's in the womb testing out his newfound abilities by touching his face and grabbing the umbilical cord. Baby Velasquez' brain is quickly developing this week as well and will continue to do so until he's five years old. Believe it or not, baby has hair already and its totally white! No matter what color it will end up—red, blonde, black—all babies' hair lacks pigment at this point. He has started to grow taste buds and may be able to detect strong flavors in the amniotic fluid. Week 22 is the week the baby finally weighs one pound and is approximately 11 inches long from head to heal. He is a strong kicker and loves to roll and play... especially when Melody wants to lay down and rest.

Melody has been feeling pretty good and helped out this week with her sister's wedding. She said, "Well, you can finally tell without a doubt that I'm pregnant and not just fat!" She tends to compensate for the weight by leaning backwards and it's beginning to take its toll on her back. She has backaches already. We went over the yoga positions, Cat and Cow, that help many women relieve the daily pain of carrying the extra weight of the baby. This upcoming Friday, she has a Dr. appointment/ultrasound to determine sex. Since we already went to have that done around 17 weeks and know he's a he, this will be fun to see how much he's grown (and to determine that he is absolutely a boy). My husband and I will be able to tag along and see since we are off of work this week. Mike will go if he's able but he's been very busy working over the last few weeks, including at our house. (Thanks Mike!) So next week... check back... there will hopefully be some new pictures to share of little Baby Velasquez.

Making Progress On The Nursery

2009-01-13T14:20:00.000-08:00

Melody and I went out this weekend and made some progress on paint colors for the Nursery. Sweet Mike surprised Melody by ordering a 6-piece Jo Jo Fish set for baby. It included a sheet, comforter, diaper stacker, bumper, window treatment and toy/powder/lotion organizer. You can see the set on the right in the margins. If you click on the picture, it will take you to the bedding website. They want to get a bed very similar to the one pictured, cherry wood, and matching changing table. The room colors were based on colors found in the set. This is also No VOC paint from Fresh Air being sold at Home Depot. The colors didn't photograph very true but they are Hidden Sea Glass, Summer Dragonfly, and Still Moment. The bottom half of the room will be the Hidden Sea Glass which is a really pretty pale color of green. Next will be a stripe of the Summer Dragonfly, which is a handsome Teal color. The shown Cherry Wood board will be applied somewhere within that stripe (top, middle, or bottom, we haven't decided yet) We think we may put it low and then do "bubbles" of different colors like the bedding within the Teal stripe. The top color, Still Moment is a really beautiful pale blue. It's going to be cute, cute!

Week 21

2009-01-09T21:09:00.000-08:00

Melody is feeling the baby moving around quite a bit this week. She told me a couple of days ago that the baby is "kicking her insides" meaning towards the back of the body rather than to the front of it. He's active, especially when she wants to sleep at night. Melody liked to sleep on her back and stomach before she got pregnant, two positions she is unable to use now. She is using a body pillow but still wound up with a back spasm this week that only rest would fix. She's already wondering how her tummy will ever stretch far enough to accommodate the growth of little Anthony.

Anthony looks like a mini-version of what he'll look like when he's born. All his facial features are formed and hair is growing on his head. He's even acting like a baby and will occasionally suck his thumb or yawn. His heartbeat is getting stronger and he spends time each day practicing swallowing amniotic fluid and digesting sugars. He weighs between 10 and 11 ounces and is approximately 7 inches long.

Here's an interesting thing that happened this week. Melody & Mike were given a crib by Mike's boss. We found out this week that it had a safety recall. So they are going to pack up the required parts, send them back to the manufacturer and will get a rebate slip for a brand new crib! This will be an opportunity for them to choose the crib they want and get it brand new. I think they have their eye on a darker wood one. Maybe they will find one with a matching changing table/dresser.

Week 20 - Hooray Halfway!

2009-01-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that Melody is halfway to 40 weeks today?? She looks amazing! Baby Anthony (I know, isn't that cute!) has established sleep patterns akin to a newborn now. Many babies even have a favorite sleep position. Some snooze with their chins resting on their chests, while others nap with their head flung back. Many babies at this age fall into noticeable cycles of sleep and activity, so momma may know before she arrives whether she has a night owl or an early bird. Melody has been feeling lots of movement and kicking. He especially likes to be active in the middle of the night when she wants to sleep. The baby weighs approximately 10 1/2 ounces and is 6 1/2 inches long. Melody has been feeling pretty good. She has itchy skin especially on her back and says she feels like everything is stretching inside and out. It may be related to all the kicking, but she is having some trouble sleeping at night too. Morning sickness is a thing of the past thankfully though. We've chosen a date for Melody's Luncheon Baby Shower, April 26th, so mark your calendars. Invitations will be created and sent in March. Plans are in the works for getting the room ready. Mike picked out and bought a 9 pc. crib set called "Go Fish" and will be finding matching paint and other room items. For Christmas, their families bought little Anthony clothes and diapers. This last 20 weeks should just fly by!
This is so beautiful.... look how the sunlight is streaming across her body.

Week 19

2008-12-27T20:26:00.000-08:00

Melody is only 1 week away from being half way!! She has been feeling much better since the 2nd Trimester began. She is hungry and feels the baby kicking and flipping around. This week, Mike was able to feel it on the outside too. Maternity clothes seem to be fitting better and her "inny" bellybutton is fast becoming an "outy". Now that they know the baby is a boy, shopping has begun! Family was able to shop for some boy specific clothes for Christmas and Melody and Mike will be starting to make Wish Lists at Target and Baby's R Us. We sat down today and decided to have a Baby Shower for her on the 5th of April. I know, I know, that is a long way off, but it will be here before we know it. We found out this week too, that her older sister, Beckie, is going to be having a baby about 3 months after Melody. She is due August 8. So we are making plans to go back to My First Peekaboo for a 17 week ultrasound for Beckie and a 28 week ultrasound for Melody. We will just make it a day! Now onto baby's development for the week...

Little baby is the size of a Mango about 9.5 oz. and 6.2 inches long. His skin layer is thickening his hair and nails continue to grow. Most Drs. do the gender determination ultrasounds this week and also check on the baby's developmental progress. (We got a head start on that one!)

That reminds me... what do you think about seeing Nurse Practitioners instead of Drs. during pregnancy? Last week, Melody saw the Nurse Practitioner in her OB's office and, well, it was less than satisfactory. The NP did a cursory glance over the file, didn't measure stomach, didn't seem to know the answers to questions Melody asked even really know what week she was on! She kept commenting on the baby's progress for week 16 and Melody was in week 18! She told Melody to schedule an Ultrasound for 2 weeks out and a regular appointment for 4 weeks out. When Melody got to the scheduling window, the girls working that desk told her, "No, you can't have an Ultrasound in 2 weeks, you'll just have to wait for your appointment!" Now you wouldn't think they would have a say at all when the Drs. basically set the schedule but I guess they felt they could. I was left wondering if it was because of Medical or if the Drs. were just flakey or what. Have any of you had similar experiences?

Week 18

2008-12-20T20:24:00.001-08:00

Our little guy continues to grow like crazy this week. He is the size of a sweet potato, 5.8 inches long and 8.8 ounces. The baby's permanent teeth are forming this week and bones in his body are beginning to harden. The brain is also developing millions of motor neurons which connect the muscles of the body to the brain. This development allows the baby to do things like suck his thumb. His sense of smell, taste, sight and hearing are all developing. His ears are now facing forward and are completely formed so he can actually hear you talking.

Melody has been feeling much better. Headaches have pretty much subsided and many of the aches and pains are diminishing. She does have a bit of "itchy" skin on her back, probably from it getting tighter as it stretches over the baby. She found a really good lotion with Shea butter and she's been putting that on liberally. She has a regular Dr. appointment on Monday to check progress.

"My First Peekaboo"

2008-12-19T14:28:00.001-08:00

And It's A......

2008-12-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

8:15 am - So Today is the day! Hopefully we will be able to find out out if our new little one is a boy or girl. It will be fun to sneak a peak into the aquatic world and see what baby is up to. Dad is able to go along with us, YIPPEE!! It will be exciting for all of us.

10:00 am - I'm leaving to go pick up the lovely little couple. We are going to be driving down to Santa Barbara, having some lunch, doing a little Christmas shopping and then going to the appointment at 3 pm. I'm guessing it will be at least an hour in the appointment... then we'll either know or not.

3:30 - The appointment started just a bit late but well worth it! This is the nicest ultrasound center around. Remember the name, My First Peekaboo Ultrasound in Santa Barbara, CA. (If you make an appointment and go, please mention that Melody Weems sent you. It gives her $10 off the future package when the baby is further along. Thanks!) The room is large enough to accommodate several family members. One wall is a large, and I mean LARGE screen TV. There are a couple of other monitors in the room as well. So ultrasound begins and she says she has to note the direction of the head (down) and where the placenta is (right under Melody's bellybutton area). The video begins with 2D and then she switches to 3D in parts. 3D makes it really easy to see the baby and get good pictures. I want to eventually put the entire video up on YouTube so you can all see it, but until I do you will have to settle for me to tell you what the baby is. It's a.......

BOY!!

Really!! We couldn't believe it. All this time we thought it was a girl for so many reasons. Melody had been really sick, the heartbeat was originally pretty fast in the 160 range (now 148), and she was growing kind of more round rather than pointed out front. But now we know for sure. They couldn't be happier! Here is the funny story of the ultrasound. Anna is narrowing in on the sex of the baby and she announces, "I think I see three legs", meaning, the baby is a boy. Melody shared with us later that when Anna said it had three legs, she took it literally until she realized what that meant. A BOY! I will try to include some ultrasound photos in the next couple of days.... he is such a little cutey!!

Week 17

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So a little bit different set up this week. I decided to go with two shots because the side shot doesn't really seem to show just how "big" the little one is getting. We all carry pregnancies differently and so we'll chalk it up to that.

Here we are at 17 weeks. Baby is about 5 inches long and weighs a whopping 5 oz. , about the size and weight of a large baked potato. It continues to put on weight and the weight will increase 6 times over the next 4 weeks. Little fingernails and toenails are starting to appear.

Momma has been feeling better this week with fewer headaches. So, we broke down and made an appt. for Tuesday to have an ultrasound done at "My First Peek-a-Boo" in Santa Barbara to try and determine the sex. Melody and Mike are finding it hard to wait and they want to begin decorating, choosing a name and getting clothes ready. Since she is 17 weeks, it might be hard, we'll see. If nothing else, she will get some new "baby" pictures and peace of mind. If little baby is cooperative, we will make a special post to let everyone know, after daddy knows of course. So check back late on Tuesday. The appointment isn't until 3 PM and we have to have some shopping time after that and an hour drive back to this area.

She had the blood tests this week for birth defects and no calls so pretty sure nothing is wrong. The girl who took the blood was a recent graduate of a 1 week phlebotomy class and was very unsure of herself. She picked a wrong vein and was searching around for blood until Melody thought she was going to pass out. Finally the seasoned personnel took over and lickity split, it was all over. I told her to request a different office next time.

All right then, hope to have good news on Tuesday.

Week 16

2008-12-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

Week 16 in Melody's pregnancy. Almost halfway! The baby weighs 4.6 ounces and is about 4 1/2 inches long, about the size of an avocado. Baby spends some of its time making facial expressions and is starting to move around vigorously. Melody is actually beginning to feel the bumps and movements very lightly. Baby's heart is pumping 25 quarts of blood each day and is actually getting little fat deposits on it's body.

Melody is going to be having lab work done this week to check for birth defects. This is one of her least favorite things to have done (at this point). She is being sent to a lab where new phlebotomists do their training and feels a bit like a pincushion. Last time she had bruises on both arms for nearly two weeks. Even the "fat" pants aren't fitting as well anymore. I think I will take her out this week to buy a couple of pairs of pants. Her mood is mostly good although her headaches and lightheadedness continue to be a problem.

"If I don't hurry up and find out the sex, I'm going to buy a machine, find out, and then take it back! What's $39,000 anyway when you need to know if it's a boy or girl!"

Week 15

2008-11-29T18:30:00.001-08:00

It's week 15 and the baby's growth continues. Baby is 4.1 inches long and 4.8 oz. Melody and Mike would LOVE to find out the sex of the baby and this would be the earliest they could. Unfortunately, Melody's next appointment is the 23rd of December so maybe we will all find out for Christmas. Mom should start to feel quickening, or the baby's first movements within the next couple of weeks. The baby's bones continue to develop and limb movements are becoming more coordinated.

While we were out doing some pre-Thanksgiving shopping we stopped at the blood pressure machine. Blood pressure was fine but Melody's heart rate was 126. Pretty fast. Then she told me she had been feeling really light headed too. So I told her to make an appointment and make sure all was well. The Dr. said everything was fine and that the baby had grown quite a bit since last appointment. He said she should probably rest more than usual over the next few weeks as the volume of blood her heart pumps increases with the baby's growth. So she has been taking it easy. She isn't very hungry so we told her when she does want to eat to "make it count" and eat really healthy food. Probably next week she will need to do a routine blood test to check for birth defects.

14 Weeks

2008-11-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

Melody is now entering the 14th week of her pregnancy. "This week the baby is the size of a lemon. It is 3.5 inches long and 3.9 oz. The baby's skeletal system is continuing to develop and the ears are almost in their final position. Muscles are beginning to develop too and the baby can possibly make a fist. The baby's skin is also developing although at this stage it's thin and translucent."

Mommy has been feeling quite a bit better although she continues to have back pain and headaches. She is prone to getting migraine headaches and since she's been pregnant, the frequency of getting them has increased. She is trying not to take medication of any kind but would love any advice others have tried. If you have a headache remedy that works and is safe during pregnancy, please leave a comment.

We are Thankful this week to have both Melody and Mike in our lives and now, this new baby on the way. We are Thankful for our family, both near and far, those we know and those we have yet to meet. May each of you have a Wonderful Thanksgiving this week!

13 Weeks

2008-11-18T19:17:00.000-08:00

Here we are at the beginning of week 13. Baby can suck thumb and make a fist. It weighs 20 grams and is the size of a Nutter Butter cookie, about 3 inches long.

Melody's pants were beginning to get a little tight so we went maternity clothes shopping over the weekend. She found some really cute blouses at Kohl's and she bought a Bella Band to help in the pants area. She's not quite big enough to wear panel pants yet and the Bella Band allows her to continue wearing her own pants, zipped down to allow space, then the pants are held up snugly with the band. They are kind of pricey and we haven't been able to find many second hand so we are slowly buying those.

12 Weeks

2008-11-18T19:16:00.000-08:00

This is Melody's tummy at 12 weeks. She had an appointment on the 4th. She was able to hear the baby's heartbeat with the doppler and it was going at about 162 beats a minute. Next appt. is December 2, 2008. Until then, we will be uploading pictures and info weekly.

From the Mayo Clinic: Twelve weeks into the pregnancy, the baby is the size of a plum, 2.3 inches long and weighs 1.6 oz. The baby's head is nearly half the size of his or her entire body. This week marks the arrival of fingernails and toenails. The baby's chin and nose will become more refined as well.

11 Weeks

2008-11-18T19:15:00.000-08:00

Picture of Melody's tummy at 11 weeks. In the background is the baby's crib given to them by Todd and Carrie Edwards.

First Ultrasounds 10/9/08

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