Alexander Manuel Nalda

Reston Zoo

2009-05-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

After our disappointing experience with the National Zoo, we decided to visit other zoos in the area. My sister recommended the Reston Zoo. She said the kids love it and it's so much fun riding the safari. It was great, no pushing or shoving to see the animals, no big groups of kids running unattended. We enjoyed our visit and highly recommend it to all our friends. Look at these fun shots...

Our Little Baseball Player

2009-05-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

We are starting him young. Actually, the younger we start him the better. We are working on our retirement, can you tell?
Noli is so excited to finally being able to teach Alex to hit and throw the ball. It's just getting kinda tough since they have been playing ball inside the house. I can see a lot of broken things in the near future...
Our Little Baseball Player sporting a Nats jersey...

Alex's BooBoo

2009-04-30T18:22:00.000-07:00

It's not hard to keep track of the times Alex had hit his head or face... It hurts me more when it happens, but hey... accidents happen and I expect to kiss many other booboos and hopefully make them better. That's what mommies are for!

Here are a few shots of my baby's booboo and his many adorable faces...

My Baby is So Cool…

2009-04-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

He can give knuckles when you ask him to, he can also give you high-fives.
He can imitate “Baby Chewbacca” by rolling his RRRRR’s.
He lifts his pants and shows you his birthmark in his leg and says “hi” in a high-pitch voice.
He squats down when you ask him to be a “catcher”.
He walks to the pantry when you ask him if he wants dessert.
He dances when he listens to music.
He drinks his morning bottle wearing sunglasses…

Easter 2009 - Alex’s First Easter Hunt

2009-04-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we were invited to an egg hunt. Alex’s friends Mia, Max and Angelina Bezos were hosting this fun get together… the only thing, it rained all day. What a bummer!!! But kids and adults had a grand time nonetheless.

Let me tell you a story about Easter eggs… A few days before Easter, Noli wanted to teach Alex how to do “egg hunting”. So he bought a bag of plastic eggs, the ones that you can fill with chocolate. So he started showing Alex by placing the eggs around in the living room, behind the couch pillows, under the sofa, you get the idea. Then he would ask Alex to help him find them. It was all fun until Alex discovered that he can take them apart in half. So as anything else that is new, he was putting these half-egg pieces in his mouth… not a good idea. But of course he doesn’t know any better!!!

So Noli and I started our never-ending chant “Alex, no a la boca” - meaning “Not in your mouth” in Spanish. Being the sneaky-boy that he is, Alex went into the living room while Noli and I stayed in the kitchen cleaning dishes. After a little while of silence (watch out when it gets quite!!!), I saw him sitting in the middle of the hall struggling to get something out of his mouth. I jumped and went to help him. He had put the whole half of an egg inside his mouth and was having a hard time taking it out. As you can imagine, that kind of freaked me out, a lot of things went through my mind and I felt the adrenaline rush, I was shaking… Anyway, that was the end of those eggs.

So during the egg hunt at the Bezos’ Noli and I kept a close eye at this boy. Thank God there was a lot more to entertain him than just the Easter eggs. Considering this was his first egg hunt, he did very well. But he soon forgot about the eggs and went to play the piano.

Tia Olguita y Alex

So I put the eggs here?

Posing with all the kids...

Alex got a surprise box as well!

Alex and Abby comparing notes

Me and my Sweetheart...

My Little Beethoven...

Unblocking a Tear Duct

2009-04-12T07:12:00.000-07:00

Alex needed surgery on his right eye after all… When we saw the ophthalmologist a few months ago, he said that by rubbing the corner of the eye several times a day, we could help open up the tear duct. But it didn’t (maybe we didn’t rub enough). Some days Alex’s eye was fine, some other days it was so red that it showed signs of infection. Poor Alex kept rubbing and rubbing and at the same time he was making it worse. We felt so bad for him.

Although the whole “surgery” thing made me very worried, I was much more nervous about putting Alex under general anesthesia. Both the pediatrician and the ophthalmologist said that they had never seen anyone have complications from anesthesia. So what do you do but to trust them, right? That was very, very hard… and like a lot of times I tried not to show that weak side of me… the side that is so scared I can’t even think straight. But Noli knows me so well. I bet he knew I wasn’t thinking very straight.

And the day came and went like nothing. I will admit - it seemed like we waited an eternity before they took us back to the Pediatric Ward. Once we got there, we saw so many other parents and young children. The kids were playing with toys in the waiting room oblivious to what really happens there. I could see the worry in those parents’ eyes. I wondered what sorts of problems they were dealing with. At the same time, I was very thankful to God that OUR problem was not too serious and we have a very healthy boy.

Alex looked SO cute when we changed him into his little gown. The nurse said “this is the smallest we have” and it was huge on him. He kept busy playing with toys and riding on a big wagon through the hallways. Once the doctors were ready for him, I also changed into full scrubs, hair was covered, face mask, the whole 9 yards… I looked like one of them!!! I carried him into the operating room. He was so curious looking at all the lights. As I laid him down, he looked at me as if to ask, “What is going on Mommy?” and started to cry. That was hard!!! It wasn’t very long before the cries stopped and he was asleep like a little angel…

We took a few pictures with our phones, sorry for the poor quality shots, but we wanted to capture this moment to share with you all.

"These toys are so much fun!!!"

"Woo hoo!!! Faster Daddy, faster!!!"

"OK, I'll pose for you one more time"

"Can I climb on top of the table? "

"Come on Mommy, let's leave now that no one is watching!!!"

Couple of shots with Mom and Dad...

Ready to rock and roll...

It’s Officially Spring!!!

2009-03-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

The weather is starting to change and the days are getting warmer. Although on our first trip to the park, it was a little bit chilly. Still Alex had a great time. We decided to pack up lunch and eat at this very nice park in downtown Frederick. I couldn’t believe how many kids were running all over the place! I was a little overwhelmed looking at kids a little older than Alex climbing, jumping, falling, getting dirty… boy do I need to relax a bit! Alex really enjoyed watching bigger children. I think he was taking it all in so he could start doing all of those things as well… Noli says, “We are not raising a boy who is afraid of getting dirty”. “Of course not dear, of course not…” (I need to learn to relax!!!)
Another attraction at the park was all of the puppy dogs, and even though our main intention was to see some ducks, we did not get to see any. It was just a bit too cold to continue our walk in search of birds or “burr” like Alex calls them. Look at these cute pictures of my handsome boy…

13-Month Old Stats

2009-03-07T18:57:00.000-08:00

We took Alex for his "supposedly" 12-month old check up and shots at 13 months old. This is because he had a cold that hang around for a while and also because the lovely Dr. M did not have any open spots to see him sooner. I was even a little concerned that he was not going to be getting his shots right at 12 months, but the Dr. assured me that he was going to be just fine as long as he did get the shots.
The funny thing is that the 2 previous times we had to visit the doctor's because of the cold, Alex knew exactly where we were and who that nice young lady was (the nurse) who usually gave him his shots. So as soon as we were in the room for the prep (weigh, temperature, etc) Alex started screaming for dear life!!! He sure knew that the young nice lady in the purple suit was up to something... OK, it's not funny to see him cry like that, but it's amazing to see how at such young age he realizes things!!! So he got 3 shots in his legs.
Anyway, here are his stats at 13 months old:

Weight: 20 lbs 9 oz

Height: 29 in

Head Circumference: 18.3 in

Alex is still in the small side, but his growth progress is normal and most important of all, he is a healthy and happy baby.

Here are a a few cute shots of Alex...

Look at this handsome boy!!!

Bad Hair Day... Maybe I'm Just Getting Sick Mommy!!!

2009-02-20T07:41:00.000-08:00

Alex had a slow day on Monday after his birthday party. All because he was up all night!!! All he wanted to do was do come down to play with his new toys. Needless to say, Noli and I had a rough night. Sometimes, I just can't help it and I give in on all my little Angel's desires... I know it's not a good trend. I brought him down at 2:00 AM and we played for a while. He was giggling, happy and wide awake!!! Not a good idea on a Sunday night/Monday-really-early morning. What a rough day we had. Through out the day, Alex was not himself. And I thought it was because he was exhausted. During dinner we noticed that he was a little too hot, we took his temperature and it was up 100.7. First time that he's gotten his temperature that high. So I was very worried. We took his temperature again like around 2:00 AM and it had gone up to 102.7. That really shook me. I had never seen my baby so uncomfortable and miserable. It broke my heart. The next day I took him to the doctor's and she said that he might have a stomach virus, since he was also throwing up... No medicine needed... it had to run it's course. He hasn't been himself yet... but getting better and better everyday... slowly, but surely.

Here are some cute shots I took of him... look at that hair! If it wasn't for those cute cheecks!!!

My First Birthday Party

2009-02-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Daddy are so creative and artistic! Check out my First Birthday Party invitation that went out to all my guests... Don't I look cute???

Mommy and Daddy worked so hard getting our house ready for the big day. Grandma came by to help out and keep me company while mom and dad were running around all over the place...

Hmmmmmm... YUMMY Elmo cupcakes!!!

During one of the breaks, I started walking trying to impress Grandma! Look at me going... holding my balloons just in case I tripped!!!

(Here is a video to catch the action...)

Here are some pictures of the party and my family and friends... (mom had fun playing around with the collages)

A Letter To My Son...

2009-02-04T17:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Alex,

I’ve been thinking a lot about this past year and how our lives have changed by sharing it with you. First of all I’d like to thank God for giving us the precious gift of becoming parents to the most wonderful baby boy… YOU!!!

It’s been a year since you were born. It seems like yesterday when we brought you home from the hospital. You were so tiny and fragile. That night was cold and rainy, and having to drive on a highway transporting our most valuable treasure was nerve racking. Your Dad and I were so nervous but at the same time so excited to finally have you home with us.

This has been a big year for you. It is amazing how much you’ve grown and how much you’ve learned. Daddy has always been eager to teach you and show you things, even when you were only a few days old. Once you started spending more time awake, Daddy would show you the light in the kitchen ceiling. He used to point at it and say “light”. Very soon when we asked you “Alex, where is the light?” You would look up. Then Daddy started to teach you the names of the different things in the kitchen while we were feeding you. This would keep you entertained and distracted during your feeding times. By the age of 1 year, you can point to - or at least look at – many things when we ask you, “Alex – where is the (blank)”… window, chair, microwave, dishwasher, photos (on the fridge), pig or chancho (our little pig holding a blackboard in kitchen), tree or arbol, plantita (small plant), platano or banana, socks or medias, pajamas, hair (not Daddy’s), ear, hands, mouth, floor, Elmo (your bib), Ramon (your Cabbage Patch that Aunt Gianna gave you for Christmas), trash can, etc… Not a bad list for being 12 months… and even better, we practice these names in Spanish as well.

At age 9 months your Daddy taught you to make the sign for Touchdown, both arms up in the air. It took you a while, but when you finally got comfortable and saw our reaction, you kept doing it to make us laugh… you can entertain a room full of adults by doing touchdown!!! By now, you can sign “I don’t know” by turning your little hands palms up. You can clap and do “bravo” to celebrate anything you think is good, or when you hear us say ‘bravo”. You also stick you tongue out when Daddy asks “como hace el lobito?” (what does the little wolf do?). You play “topi-topi”, a slow and soft head butt with the forehead that is closest to you –a game that Grandma Yoyi started. You can do fist pump when we ask you to, can sign “please”, “more”, “bye-bye” and even do “ear muffs” and cover your ears. That will come in handy when Dad or I need to say something you are not suppose to hear.

By now you are able to take a few steps on your own, but still need Mommy and Daddy to catch you. You are being more vocal and can say “dada dada” (daddy), “cahk-cahk” when you want a cracker, “baba baba” when you are trying to say momma and can also say “caca”. How cute you are when you grab your little towel and put it near your nose and say “oiko-oiko-oiko”. We are not sure what it means, but it seems to bring you comfort. You even know how to imitate a little kitty, when we ask you “Como dice el gatito?” (What does the kitty say?), you make a high pitch sound, “meee meee”.

You are such a happy baby… always with a good disposition, always smiling, even when you hadn’t had a chance to take a nap because we’ve been running some errands. Or when I have to clean that teary eye because you still have a blocked tear duct and will need the procedure to fix it after all... Nothing can make us happier when we hold you and ask you “carino para mami/papi” (love for Mommy/Daddy) and you lay your head on our shoulder to show us affection. And what can I say about you beautiful eyes… when I ask you to do “ojitos” (little eyes) you close your eyes for a few seconds and look back at me with that sweet little smile.

This has been a big year for our little family, you brought so much happiness and meaning to our lives. Keep smiling Alex, you have an exciting future to look forward to!!!
We love you very very much…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BABY!!!

Alex's Birthday...

2009-01-30T22:17:00.000-08:00

This is my Little Angel right when he woke up the day of his birthday...

I also took a video of the birthday boy. This is how he wakes up every morning... always smiling...

This is Maria, Alex's Nana. She's a wonderful lady who takes care of him during the day while Noli and I work. He loves Maria!!!

Everyday before lunch, Maria combs Alex hair and makes this curl up in the middle of his head. Grandma Yoyi calls it "Alex's kikiriki". He looks so handsome!!!

We celebrated Alex's first birthday and at exactly 6:40 PM on January 30th (the time when he was born) we sang Happy Birthday and blew a candle. Alex was just as thrilled as when he saw Elmo cake # 1. Carlos and Richie showed up a little later and we sang Happy Birthday for the second time and we all enjoyed the delicious cake.

Showing off his ONE toothie...

The Real Deal

2009-01-29T17:46:00.000-08:00

OK, I think I'm just being a little bit obsessed with making the perfect cake for Alex. A few weeks ago, I had baked about 3 different types of cakes and after finding the "perfect" recipe, I decided to go ahead and practice the decorating part. So the "prototype" Elmo cake turned out almost perfect. As for the other cakes... well, Noli ate one and the other one went straight in the trash. Yeah, it was bad.

So the plan was to make the real cake for Alex's birthday party that was scheduled to take place on Sunday February 1st, but unfortunately had to be postponed a week. To celebrate his birthday on January 30th, I made my second Elmo cake. I must say, I think it turned out a little bit better than the first one! So here are some pictures of the process... "How To Make the Perfect Elmo Cake"

Bake a 6" round chocolate cake and freeze it (it helps during the decorating phase). Trace the Elmo face on wax paper and cut out.

Place the mold on top of the cake and trace it with a toothpick.

Cut out the top part and to get the round shape for the eyes.

Carve the eyes a bit to give room to the mini white donuts. Trace the mouth with black icing. Start filling out the face with red icing.

Place the white mini donuts in the eye sockets.

Use Hershey kissed for the pupils.

I used Cheddar cheese for the nose (yeah... cheese). Carve to give it its shape.

TA-DAAA!!!

Alex Turns 1!!!

2009-01-29T14:18:00.000-08:00

Our Little Angel's year in pictures...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX!!!

My Very First Basketball Game (Up Close and Personal)

2009-01-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

My Daddy is the biggest Maryland fan ever. He hopes that one day when I'm ready to go to college, I will follow in his footsteps and go to school there. On the other hand, my mommy doesn't want to even think about it... "Alex going to college... it's a very very long time from now", she says.

Let me tell you a story... Because Noli is such a good Terps fan, last year while I was in the delivery room about to have our first child, he kindly (and jokingly) asked me to have our baby soon so that he and the baby could enjoy the basketball game together! And so the baby was born, and before we knew it, Alex was in Daddy's arms watching the Maryland vs. Virginia game. I don't remember if we won or not, but watching my husband holding our baby and enjoying the game is an image that will last a life time...

So Noli waited all these months to take Alex to his first basketball game. It did not turn out as expected. Although Alex likes people and he is a good sport with loud noises, being at the Comcast Center with thousands of fans cheering was a bit too much. So Grandma and I had to wait in the concourse area where Alex was much more comfortable.

Even Testudo came around to see us!!!

Getting Ready for the Big Day!!!

2009-01-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

My little baby turns 1 in a couple of weeks. In trying to keep the good habit of eating healthy, I decided to make Alex's First Cake! The Internet was a great place to find a few recipes for baby's first cake. So I tried a couple and found the one that we liked.

Alex LOVES the Sesame Street characters, so we decided to go with that theme. One of Alex's favorite is Elmo, so I ventured out to make an Elmo cake. I found that places like Michael's sells Elmo cake pans (didn't even know they existed), but after checking it out I thought the cake would be too big. So I bought a 6 in round pan. After hours of good reading in the net, I was able to get a pretty good idea on how to decorate it. For a beginer cake decorator like me, I'd say I did a pretty good job.

Then of course, Alex himself had the final approval... It was a success!!!!

In football terms... it was a TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!!

Happy Six Month Birthday Alex!!!

2008-07-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple shots of Alex on the day of his Six Month Birthday. What a cute baby he is!!! We love you so much my little baby.

July - A Month in a Nutshell...

2008-07-15T11:12:00.000-07:00

July was a pretty good month. We got to enjoy the pool some more, went out for walks in the neighborhood, went to a very nice park near by, got to visit with the puppies... Very good and relaxing month.

Oh Those Summer Days....

2008-06-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

Summer is here... and also the feelings of guilt for not making the time to work out, regrets for eating all those goodies (no matter how small). Yeah, that is me. It seems like it happens every year. Noli was so excited about the Summer and taking the baby to the pool. Not me... I haven't gone to the pool in years!!! and now, months after having a baby I had to look for a bathing suit that fit!!! The pressure was on. Thankfully, I found one of my 10-year old bikinis waaaaay back in the closet and went to Target in search of a baby bathing suit.

That day was a little overcast and a little cold, so we stayed long enough to take a few pictures...

Mom and Dad think I'm a "water baby"... It's cold here!!!

Please take me inside. I'm freezing!

Turn Back the Clock – June 18, 2008

2008-06-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

Every new person I meet says that I look exactly like Daddy. Look at me now! Sporting Daddy’s Little Slugger outfit from those good old days. Check out the high quality material, it looks brand new even though it was first worn by Daddy in 1971. The quilt, however, is circa 2008. Pretty cool…

Yeah... what can I say?!? Everyone says "Oh he looks just like Daddy!" Look at him! He even likes to stick his tongue out just like Daddy does.

My First Set of Wheels – June 16, 2008

2008-06-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

Grandma gave this walker to a friend’s grandson Gabe. After a few months of playing with it, Gabe handed it down to Alex. Alex enjoyed sitting in the walker from the very first time. He loved the strange creatures that kept looking at him. He later learned that they were Cookie Monster and Big Bird.

Look at that smile... he's loving life!!! Thanks Joan for handing down the baby walker. Alex is really enjoying it.

Alex also enjoyed spending time on his play gym hanging out with Burrito, the zebra. I should explain how this creature got his name… Maria, our Nanny, used to say to Alex… “Mira Alex, tu burrito” which in English means, “Look Alex, your little Donkey.” When I told Noli about this, he started calling it Burrito, the Zebra. Here is a shot of the two of them... with Alex doing his impression of "Burrito".

My First Cereal - June 11, 2008

2008-06-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

Noli and I were very excited to give our baby his first taste of “solid foods”. We had absolutely no idea how this was going to turn out… was he going to accept a strange object (the spoon) inside his mouth? Was he going to spit up the food, or was he going to swallow? After reading so much about first experiences with food, I was a little nervous. Well, Alex was a natural and he really seemed to enjoy the new experience. Menu of the day was yummy rice cereal mixed with milk.

Rice Cereal and... Black Beans...

Lunch with a Celebrity Baby – June 1, 2008

2008-06-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

Aunt Gianna invited us to join her and the Grandparents for lunch in Rockville. The sun was shining…so it was a perfect day for walking and having lunch outdoors. The Rockville Town Center was filled with people enjoying the weather and kids playing in the water. We had the pleasure of enjoying lunch with a celebrity baby – he was wearing his sunglasses to keep a low profile. Only a handful of paparazzi spotted the handsome 4-month old! Check out the paparazzi pictures…

Trying to keep incognito...

Look Mom, I think I see the paparazzi!!!

We'll pose for one picture if you guys stop following us!

Me and the girls...

Sporting our shades...

Grandpa getting in on the action...

Wet and wild!!!

Hey Dad put down the camera and look at that bikini!!!

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-06-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

I could not start this post without mentioning that Memorial Day is a very special day for our family as we truly appreciate the brave men and women who gave their lives defending our country and the freedom that we hold so dearly.

This Memorial Day will be a very special day in our home since Alex had a few “firsts”...

First #1 - He started rolling over onto his belly but he has yet to figure out how to roll back onto his back – this is a bit of a problem since he does not like to be on his belly for too long. After a few minutes on his belly, Mommy or Daddy usually comes to his rescue!

First #2 – While we were working in the yard, he surprised us by laughing out loud for the very first time. Luckily, we happened to be video taping him at this very moment.

First #3 - He slept in his own room for the very first time. I knew this was going to be a tough thing for me. As a new mom with her first baby, the distance between our bedrooms felt like 100 miles! Daddy convinced me that Alex would be OK although I had a few tears that needed wiping away that night.

The Landscape designer in deep thought...

Helping Mommy and Daddy plant beautiful flowers in the yard...

Chilling in my chair

My First Laugh...

Cleaning up after a long and hard day of work...

Ready for bed in my own bedroom...

Mommy, are you sure you want me to sleep all alone?

Richie's Bridal Shower

2008-05-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

My brother-in-law Carlos and his fiance Richie had finally set their wedding date and the Bride-to-Be had her Bridal Shower. Being that this was a combination Cuban-Filipino event, guys and gals were invited. So Noli and I both were at the Bridal Shower and Alex was also a guest!

I was a little concern taking a 4-month old baby to an event like this, but it worked out just fine. He is such a well behaved baby.

Alex feeling very confy with Danny.

Peacefully sleeping in his stroller...

Richie and Carlos seemed very happy. We wish them a world of love!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Uncle Carlos’ Birthday – May 8, 2008

2008-05-09T19:21:00.000-07:00

Our dear friends Rayssa and Angel who are Carlos’ godparents hosted a wonderful dinner to celebrate Carlos’ 27th birthday. We had a wonderful evening surrounded by family, good friends, good food…

MGN Gala - May 3, 2008

2008-05-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

We had the MGN Gala invitation sitting on Noli's night table for the longest time. He had it there to remind me every night about it. I had been dreading the RSVP date. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about leaving the baby for the first time. But then that date came and I decided to go with the filet mignon over the salmon. I had to start somewhere, right? Having a baby should not mean having to say "no" to grown up activities. After all, Grandpa and Grandma Nalda offered to take care of Alex. Who else would do a better job of making sure our baby would be OK? The good thing about this is that we booked a room at the hotel where the gala was being held and we were set up for the night as Grandma and Grandpa babysat in our room.

We had a great time. We even had a chance to pose with Coach Friedgen.

Grandma Nancy Farewell - April 17, 2008

2008-04-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

My mom went to stay with my sister Cyntia and her daughter Adriana a week before she returned to Bolivia. She wanted to spend some time with them. Even though she was just in Virginia, I missed her dearly. I was very sad the night we took her to my sister’s. I knew then it was going to be tough seeing her leave at the airport.

Here are a couple of pictures we took at the house before she left to VA.

Here is a very cute video of Daddy teaching baby Alex how to dance... look at this moves!!!

My Birthday - April 16, 2008

2008-04-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

I usually don’t like to have big celebrations for my birthday, and this year was not an exception. But we had very special guests to our house. Noli’s brother Ruben, his wife Kim and their baby girl Abby came to visit from Lexington, KY. It was really nice to see them and even nicer to have them visit on my birthday.
This particular birthday was extra special because not only did I have my mom visiting from Bolivia, but I also had my baby boy…

Abby is such a cuttie!!! but she's a little shy. Grandpa was the only one who was able to hold her for a few minutes while she was very distracted playing with the cabinet door in the kitchen.

As soon as she heard mommy laughing, the fun was over! Grandpa had to give her up to Mom.

Alex was taking a short nap while my mom and I were having a good drink that Grandpa fixed for us.

Noli surprised me with an awesome birthday present. He got me the camera I've been wanting for several months now. I just did not have the heart to buy it because of how expensive it is. He got me the Cannon Rebel XTi. It takes beautiful pictures!!! Before the night was over, we had to have some cake and I had to blow the candles... in this case, it was one big candle!!!

Fear My Turtle

2008-04-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

Here's my pride and joy holding his Terps football on top of his Maryland blanket...

My 2 Month Vaccinations

2008-03-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Mom and Dad took me to see my pediatrician. My previous visits consisted mainly of some poking and a little squeezing. This visit, however, made me understand why every other baby in the world fears visiting their doctor. The pain and suffering that I endured after four - yes, four - huge needles were stabbed into my upper thighs was indescribable. Thankfully, I survived this traumatic experience but I do plan to sue.

Here I am with my two band-aids on my upper thighs...good thing that I have the legs of a fullback

Here I am without my clothes for a better view of my two band-aids

To prove how tough of a baby I am, I decided to rip off one of my band-aids during a diaper change

My bloody band-aid...proof of my pain and suffering

My First Easter Sunday

2008-03-24T12:25:00.000-07:00

On Easter Sunday, our little friend Abigail Rayssa Neary was baptized at St. Elizabeth's in Rockville, MD. This was Alex's first time going to church so he had to look good. After mass and the beautiful ceremony, we helped Abigail celebrate her big day by attending her baptism party. Here are some pictures from my first Easter Sunday...

Alex's Easter gifts

Alex and Daddy

Mommy, Alex and Daddy

Abigail and Alex

Alex in his duck costume (thanks Grandma!)

Baby, Where Did Our Love Go?

2008-03-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

So today, Alex and I were having a relaxed day, just the two of us... he's been staying awake longer and he is pretty content when I lay him on our bed. He loves to look at the ceiling fan! Most of the time I have the TV on but since yesterday we've been listening to the radio instead. So we listen to different types of music. Today, I was in the mood for some oldies. To my surprise, just when I stopped the dial on the station I like, Oldies 100.3 a song by the Supremes started playing -Where Did Our Love Go? I smiled!!! Well see... When I was pregnant, I used to sing this song all the time while taking a shower. It was cool to sing it to Alex. He gave me a big smile. He just started to be more alert and he's starting to react when I talk to him. What an awesome feeling... seeing my baby smile at me while I was singing to him... "Ooh baby, baby, where did our love go? Ooh don't you want me, don't you want me no more?". I wish I had the video camera right that second!

7 Weeks Old - 03/19/08

2008-03-18T05:36:00.000-07:00

Last Friday some friends of ours came to visit us. Claudia Villaroel and her mom Silvia. They brought Baby Sofia who was born the day after Alexander. Both Grandmothers had a grand time taking care of the babies and also playing a few card games.

This is Claudia and Baby Sofia posing for a great picture, Mom and Daughter...

Sofia's sister was also visiting, her name is Rebeca. Here is a shot of both of them.

Yesterday, another good friend visited with us. Her name is Michelle and she brought her baby, Abigail, who was born 2 days before Alex. She is a precious little girl.

6 Weeks Old - 03/12/08

2008-03-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

My parents are having a blast having me around. They make me try different things, but I don't like them too much. Look at me in my swing... the thing is UNCOMFORTABLE!!! But Mommy says I need to get used to sitting there. I don't like it!!!

Then my daddy wants me to play ball ASAP... He can't wait for me to start running around. This is gonna have to do for now...

My mom and I went to visit a friend this morning. I got to meet my new friends Claire, she's 3 weeks old and Mason who is 2 weeks old. They were very good and well behaved. I was a little cranky. My belly was hurting and I was not feeling too well. But it was fun to finally meet my new friends... They all live within a block from us. We are going to have a lot of fun together.

My Birth Story

2008-03-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post my birth story for a while now, but having a new baby leaves no time for this kind of thing! Now that we have things a little under control, here it is...

37 Weeks – 01/26/08 – My Birth Story –
This would be our last prenatal appointment with Dr. Fan. It was an exciting visit since Grandma Nancy arrived from Bolivia last night and she came with us to our appointment. It was another uneventful visit. Everything was OK. I had gained a couple of pounds, 168 lbs – total weight gain 24lbs. The baby’s heart rate was at 140bpm. The doctor said that the baby was not ready to come out. He recommended that I start walking. This would help the baby drop. Little did we know…

01/28/08
Dr. Hamersley did not give us very good news. She said the baby was not growing anymore and she recommended that we induce by the end of the week. The baby was much smaller than the average baby at this gestational age. He had been hitting his average growth marks prior to this, but for some reason the baby had stopped growing. Dr. H mentioned a couple of reasons but did not express any concern and thought the baby would do much better outside of my belly.
Later in the evening, Noli did some research in the net about our case and found that this is called Asymmetric Intrauterine Growth Restriction – IUGR. The website for the American Academy of Family Physicians provides the following description: “A fetus with asymmetric IUGR has a normal head dimension but a small abdominal circumference (due to decreased liver size), scrawny limbs (because of decreased muscle mass) and thinned skin (because of decreased fat). If the insult causing asymmetric growth restriction is sustained long enough or is severe enough, the fetus may lose the ability to compensate and will become symmetrically growth-restricted. Arrested head growth is of great concern to the developmental potential of the fetus.1”

This really freaked Noli out. He did not want to wait until the end of the week to be induced and wanted us to move forward ASAP. I started feeling very scared and confused. I really did not want to make a decision!!!

01/29/08
The baby was not as active as usual. I called Noli at the office to let him know. He did not wait at all before he was calling Dr. Hamersley. She wanted to see me right away to do a Non-Stress Test. Noli came home to pick us up and before we knew it, we were on our way to see Dr. H. Noli and my mom thought that it would be a good idea to take our hospital bags “just in case” – Boy was that good thinking!!! I was in a daze… I was so scared!
The test lasted for 2 hours and at the end of it, they did another ultrasound. After seeing the results from the NS test and the pictures of the ultrasound, Dr. H was convinced that this baby needed to come out. The cervix was very long and still hard, so she recommended a C-section. She called Dr. Fan to let him know that she was sending me to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital at 3:00PM. The admission process did not take long at all. Before I knew it, I was laying on the delivery bed waiting for Dr. Fan to arrive. We waited for 6 long hours… once he arrived, he checked me and said we were going to try to have this baby as nature intended. He wanted to avoid the C-section. We started the process that evening by using Cervidol, a medicine that helps the cervix to soften. Noli then went to get us some dinner. He got me a huge sub from Mama Lucia, and I ate it all!!! Then Noli and my mom left to go home around 10PM. The nurse gave me something to help me sleep… Tomorrow would be a long day and we all would need to be well rested.

01/30/08
Surprisingly, I had a good night sleep. Noli and mom showed up early in the morning. We were all anxious to hear what the plan was. The nurse came in and told us that they were going to start with the Pitocin at 10:30AM… and that is exactly what happened. At 11:00 the dosage was doubled. But not long after that, the baby’s heart rate started going all over the place. The nurse rushed in and turned off the IV from which the Pitocin was given. She said she would call the doctor and we would have to wait for him. At 1:00PM Dr. Fan showed up and he decided to break my water and one more time, we were in waiting-mode. About every hour after that, the nurse came in to check how much I was dilated. At about 4-5cm, I was in so much pain that I begged to have the epidural. The anesthesiologist showed up in my room about 5 minutes after I yelled for him. I knew going in that the epidural needle was very long and somewhat thick – so I was SCARED! Luckily, this process was no where near as bad as the contractions that I was having. After the epidural started taking effect, I did not feel a thing… not even the pressure that other women talk about. At 5:00 the nurse came in to check me one more time and to our surprise, I was 10cm dilated. The doctor showed up at 6:00 to check me and said the baby was still high up in the birth canal and I needed to start pushing. For the next 30 minutes, I was being coached by a very patient nurse. To my left side was Noli and to my right was mom. At 6:30 the doctor came back in and 10 minutes later, Little Baby Nalda was born. Everything happened so fast… What I remember is that Dr. Fan and the whole team of nurses seemed to be in such a rush, it made me nervous. On top of that, the baby did not cry at first. I kept asking “Why is the baby not crying?” Noli assured me the baby was fine. He said that his eyes were open and he was checking out his new surroundings… He finally made himself be heard when he received his first bath.

Abuelita's Birthday

2008-02-16T06:08:00.000-08:00

Hi there!

Yesterday was Abuelita Nancy's birthday and it was also the day the doctor said I was going to be born. I missed this special date because I was just a tiny peanut and I was not growing much inside Mommy's belly. The doctor wanted me to come out and eat!!!

Look at some pictures of this special celebration and more... Here are a couple...

Please Welcome: Alexander Manuel Nalda

2008-02-12T16:58:00.000-08:00

Tale of the Tape
Weight - 5lb with 2oz
Height - 19.5 inches
Date of Birth - January 30th
Time of Birth - 6:40PM
Eyes - Brown
Hair - More than Dad
Health - Perfect!

More pictures can be seen HERE

36 Weeks – 01/18/08 – The Prediction

2008-01-19T13:00:00.000-08:00

Did I mention that I’m feeling VERY heavy these days??? Boy oh boy, the joys of being 9 months pregnant!!! And after spending most of the day in bed, it’s been very difficult to find a good comfortable position at night. Consequently, I’ve been having a lot of back pain and many sleepless nights. I feel exhausted! To help with the back pain, I decided to see a chiropractor. Of course, the doctor had to approve that first. We’ll see how that goes…

Yesterday we visited Dr. Fan and it sounds like everything is good. The baby has moved in the head-down position and is ready for D-day. The heart beat was very fast - 168 bmp - but that was because the baby was in the mood to dance at that moment. The doctor kept moving the heart monitor all around my belly trying to keep up with the baby!. “The baby is very active, and this is a good sign” – he said. The doctor checked the cervix and it is still closed. He predicted that the baby would wait to make his big entrance until his due date!

Noli’s prediction is February 13th. This came about in a funny/crazy way…

One night, while fixing dinner, we heard the song “Leila” by Clapton, playing on the radio. Over dinner, Noli mentioned that the song reminded him of his maternal grandmother because one of her many nicknames is “Lela”. I argued that “Leila” and “Lela” were not the same. Noli convinced me that it was close enough. Later that evening we were watching the TV show “Deal or no Deal” – with host Howie Mandel (who happens to be bald like Noli). The contestant that evening started the show by choosing case # 5 (Noli’s favorite number) as his lucky case. During the middle of the show, the contestant shaved his goatee for bonus money (I want Noli to shave his goatee). We later learned that the contestant is from Hawaii (Carlos and Richie had just returned from Hawaii). When this contestant got around to opening case #13 (the day Noli was born in October), Howie asked “Lucky Leila” to open her case. Noli thinks that the entire evening was a sign that the baby will be born on the 13th – HAHAHA!!!

My prediction??? How about any time AFTER my mom gets here!!!
I lost 1lb since my last appointment, which was 2 weeks ago… cutting down on sweets did the trick! Here are more pictures of me and the gigantic belly (good thing the belly button hasn’t popped out, or else I would be sleeping in the guest room) Noli freaks out just thinking about a popped belly button!!!

35 Weeks – 01/11/08 – My New Bassinet

2008-01-11T12:21:00.000-08:00

My Daddy is so excited about me coming home. He put together my bassinet last night. This is where I will be sleeping and spending a lot of time on my first few months of life.

Daddy made a recording for the Baby to see later on! Here are some pictures and the video…

34 Weeks – 01/04/08 – Happy New Year!!!

2008-01-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year and best wishes!!! It’s certainly going to be a very happy and busy year in the Nalda household. We are very glad that the baby waited this long to make his debut and sounds like he will be right on target for his birth day.

This was one of the busiest weekends we had so far. On Friday, we had our appointment with Dr. Hamersley. It is always very exciting for us, because we get to see the ultrasound pictures of the baby and we get an update on his growth. All we heard was good news. The baby was very active, moving all over the place! That is why his heart rate was the highest recorded, 162bpm. As always, I had a little chat with him before our appointment. I usually ask him to be good and cooperate so that we get good shots for the blog! He was not cooperating at first; he decided to turn around and not look at the camera… little stinker!!! But then when HE decided to be good, he turned around and gave us a break. We saw him swallow fluid!!! He was moving his lips like a little fish. It was the coolest thing. You’ll see in one of the pictures, he looks like he’s blowing kisses. In another frame, he looks like he’s smiling!!! What a cute little baby he is! He’s grown so much in the last couple of weeks. He now weighs 5lbs 2oz. The amniotic fluid measured at 24.6cm, which is good. Everything else is within the normal range.

Saturday we had our appointment with Dr. Fan. We also had a very good report from him. Although, I’m not too happy with the weight I gained during the holidays. I put on 6lbs in 2 weeks!!! My fault though. I have been indulging on sweet treats as if I’m trying to catch up on lost time. I need to get back to my healthy habits!!! Noli just laughs at me… The baby’s heart rate was 142bpm and mommy’s blood pressure checked normal. The doctor did the Beta Strep Test, a very common test done on pregnant women between 35 and 37 weeks of gestation. The Beta Strep is a naturally occurring bacterium in the body of both men and women. About 25% of women carry without even knowing about it. If not treated, the baby can get infected during birth and this infection can cause inflammation on the baby’s lungs, spinal cord or brain. Very scary!!!

On Sunday, we had an appointment at Shady Grove Hospital for the Maternity Tour. It was not a very good day for me. Early in the morning I started feeling some pain down my left leg. By the time we got to the hospital, the pain got worse and I could not even walk!!! I was trying to remember if I did something and maybe pulled a muscle, but I could not think of anything, unless… Noli decided that I deserved a good kick in the butt in the middle of the night!!! Noli had to push me around in a wheelchair –it helped, but it was not comfortable sitting there for a couple of hours. One of the nurses mentioned the sciatic nerve; well… maybe that is the answer after all!!! On the bright side, the new tower at the hospital is nice. All the rooms are private suits and Noli will have a bed to spend the night with us. The delivery room brought REALITY to mind. I am freaking out about the D-day. I have not been too open about this and I try not to talk about it. But in all honesty, I am scared to death!!! I need to keep focus and think that after all the pain and scary time my life will be filled with the immense happiness of having a baby boy in my arms.

Christmas Day

2007-12-25T11:59:00.000-08:00

This morning, there was a present for me from Daddy. Since I'm still in Mommy's belly, Mommy opened it for me. Daddy gave me my first baseball and baseball glove! I can't wait to play ball with Daddy. Every day, Daddy talks to me and he tells me about playing baseball and football and all the other sports - I can't wait!

32 Weeks - 12/21/07 – 8 Months

2007-12-22T16:35:00.000-08:00

I have been feeling good these days. Monday the 17th was my last day at work. I wanted to work that day to make sure I have a good set of notes on the status of my projects. It’s been difficult knowing that I need to drop all of my work to other people. But first things first; I need to concentrate on the health of my baby and do whatever is required of me to achieve that purpose. We visited Dr. Fan today and again, everything seems to be OK. I had gained 2 more lbs. That makes it a total of 19… amazing what eating healthier can do!!! I’m very happy about that. The baby’s heart was beating at 140bps and blood pressure was normal. I keep praying that the Little Guy keeps growing and waits for his grand debut a little longer…

12/16/07 – A Baby Shower for Baby Nalda

2007-12-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

The weather forecast for the weekend was not looking good. Weathermen all over the news were calling for the worst weather, rain and ice mix, snow and ferocious winds. I was hesitant and I suggested re-scheduling the Baby Shower that was programmed to start Sunday at 2:00 PM – right in the middle of this nasty weather. But Grandma Georgina, who took the lead organizing this event wanted to move forward. Were we lucky or what!?!? The storms missed us completely and the day turned out to be perfect!!! Grandma Georgina went the extra mile on this… she did a fabulous job organizing and getting all the details in place for a beautiful party. I will always remember how special it was. The cake came from the same lady that made our wedding cake, Guava and Piňa Colada. It brought sweet memories from how this whole thing started… that was a lovely detail. The decorations were adorable. Great Grandma Aelita helped making some of these and we used them to decorate the main table. I could go on and on about every single detail, everything was perfect!!! We spent the afternoon with family and dear friends that came to celebrate with us and share the joy of this exciting journey we are about to embark.
Here are some pictures from the shower.

Click on this link TO VIEW MORE PICTURES.

31 Weeks – 12/14/07 – Bed Rest Until Baby Arrives…

2007-12-15T09:59:00.000-08:00

The Terbutaline prescribed by Dr. Fan has helped some controlling the contractions. I have not noticed more than 4 or 5 an hour, which is good. Today our appointment with Dr. Hamersley went OK. The baby is getting bigger! He weighs 3lbs and 7oz. Dr. Hamersley wants me to keep this baby in the oven a little longer though. So she also wants me on bed rest, laying down on my side. So much for wanting to work until the last minute! She also prescribed another medication to take. It’s called Indocin – an anti-inflammatory drug that reduces pain and inflammation. The problem with the high amniotic fluid level now has a name: polyhydramnios and a measurement of 24.9cm. Uncle Freddy from Bolivia had already mentioned this condition a couple of weeks ago. He piqued my curiosity, so I did some research on it. According to what I read, the cause of this is not exactly known, particularly in mild cases like mine. A normal measure for the 3rd trimester is between 5 and 25cm. I will not go into the possible causes because -to be honest, they are kind of scary!!! But there is always a bright side to all this, all the internal organs and major bones measured normal AND get this… we confirmed one more time that the Little One is a BOY!!! Today we had another special guest come with us to our appointment, Grandpa Manolo.

30 Weeks - 12/7/07 - Braxton Hicks, Very Uncomfortable!!!

2007-12-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

We had our first snow of the season on Wednesday, about 5 inches. It was beautiful outside, but as always it caused a lot of headaches out there on the roads. I was safe and warm at home. Good thing we had an appointment today because I was not feeling well.
I started feeling a lot of pressure in my belly since Wednesday night. I am assuming these are the Braxton Hicks contractions, more noticeable than normal. On Thursday, I sort of lost the count of these contractions. I might have had more than 5 or 6 an hour. Today I started feeling a dull pain on the left side of the belly. Dr. Fan checked to see if I was dilating, but the cervix was closed. He gave me medication to control the contractions. It’s called Terbutaline, 5mg 4 times a day and put me on bed rest. He also recommends I stop working. Since I’m working from home, I may try a few days and see how I do. On the bright side, the baby’s heart beat was pumping at 150 bpm, and I gained 3 ½ lbs. The GTT test came back normal. No gestational diabetes to worry about!!!

28 Weeks - 11/21/07 - 12 Weeks to go!!!

2007-11-23T08:50:00.000-08:00

We were back at Dr. Fan's again. It’s been a couple of weeks since our last appointment. It was a very cold and windy day!
Surprisingly, I only gained ½ lb. Although Dr. Fan said to me the last time that I should try to gain 1lb per week. I haven’t really noticed a change in my appetite. We must be eating REALLY HEALTHY!!! The baby’s heart beat was at 154 bpm. The blood pressure was normal as well as the size of the belly. Dr. Fan gave me the order for the GTT test that Dr. Hamersley wanted me to take. He explained what it is and there is nothing to be nervous about… yeah, I’m trying to ease my nervousness. When it comes to needles, I’m the biggest chicken there is!!!
After the appointment we treated ourselves to a nice dinner at one of Noli’s favorite restaurants - Carrabba’s.

27 Weeks - 11/16/07 - Grandma came with us!

2007-11-18T08:06:00.000-08:00

It is always exciting to visit Dr. Hamersley for an appointment, we get to see how the baby is doing and we get to check all those little body parts and how they are still growing. Grandma came with us this time. She really enjoyed the whole experience…
The Little One is getting to the point where he’s REALLY starting to grow. It was surprising to see the growth chart Dr. Hamersley showed us… we are at the bottom of this curve that very quickly goes up. As expected, everything looks good. The heartbeat was back up to 152 bpm, the number we are used to seeing. There is still a little bit of concern about the amount of amniotic fluid, which is in the high side. I have been watching my diet and cut down considerably on fruits, juices, and other carbs. Dr. said that this could be an indication of gestational diabetes. Not something that I wanted to hear, but she wants me to do a 3-hour Glucose Tolerance Test. We don’t know much about it, but it sounds a little intimidating, doesn’t it? Anyway besides this little thing, everything else is going great… energy is back, and I’m feeling pretty good these days.
Check out the pictures we took - Mom and Baby are looking good!!!

26 Weeks - 11/9/07 - Counting Kicks

2007-11-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

We had another appointment with Dr. Fan. As usual, the doctor weighed Mommy and she gained 4 more lbs, we are right on target... 12lbs total since we started the journey. WOW!!! Mommy is really happy about that. She has been doing her best to eat healthy and pass on the goodies that are not so good for us. Good thing she hasn't had the crazy cravings for chocolate, cakes, ice cream, etc!!!
The Baby's heart beat measured at 139bpm. I was a little worried since it's been up in the 150's all this time! But Dr. Fan assured us that this is within the normal range.
A new thing for us was the Fetal Kick Count/Movement log sheet. We were instructed to log the Baby movements a couple of times a day... There was a note on this sheet that said something like "Call the doctor if you find your baby is taking more than 2 hours to make 10 movements". I knew then that this could be a source of long sleepless nights… and Baby is not here YET!!!

23 Weeks - 10/19/07 - Mini Me...

2007-10-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

Today we visited Dr. Hamersley. Mommy was very worried about her weight. I bet she never thought that she would ever feel this way, but having gained only 8 lbs. since the beginning of the pregnancy seemed to be too little. But the UT gave us great news, she started by measuring the circumference of the head, that checked normal. Then she went to measure major bones, the legs, the arms, major organs - all checked normal. What a relief!!!

The UT confirmed -one more time- that the Little One is a Baby Boy. Is Mommy still doubting this FACT??? Then she zoomed in on that adorable face... you gotta love technology, this Baby looks just like Daddy!!! and we have the picture to prove it. Another interesting shot was of the feet. Mommy has been so worried about them. She even asked Daddy several times to make sure he pays attention to the feet. We finally got to admire those perfect little feet.

Dr. Hamersley gave Mommy and Baby a good report. The placenta is no longer a problem and Baby is healthy and growing strong.

22 Weeks - 10/12/07 - 5 and 1/2 Months

2007-10-12T21:30:00.000-07:00

Another appointment with Dr. Fan that went smoothly. Mommy has gained 8 lbs overall, the belly had a good size, blood pressure was normal and most important of all, the Little Guy's heart is beating at a normal rate: 152 bpm.

Mommy had a little bit of a tough week with back pains. Apparently, the placenta is a little stubborn and hasn't move much away from the cervix. Needless to say, this is causing some lower back pain. Daddy has been very good at helping and he rubs Mommy's back in the evenings when we watch TV.

Tonight we went out to celebrate Daddy's birthday. Grandpa Manolo and Grandma Georgina wanted to celebrate at the Tower Oaks Lodge since it's Maine Lobster Month. Lobster is one of Daddy's favorite dishes. It was delicious!!!

The Little Guy is swimming and kicking more these days. Mommy and Daddy are always very excited to feel him.

Mommy is almost finished with her project. Look at the baby blanket she crocheted!!! I think she's very talented!

20 Weeks - 9/25/07 - Bubbles

2007-09-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

Today was such an incredible day... It's the day when I started feeling the baby move inside me. It's such an incredible feeling, I'm not sure I can explain it. The best way to describe this feeling is as if you had a bubble inside you.

I was getting a little worried since Doctor Fan had asked us if I felt the baby moving. He didn't seem too concerned when I said "not yet". I think Noli was aware of my concerns and he gave the Little One a deadline. He said "by next Tuesday, you will feel the baby move". I think the Little One was listening!

19 Weeks - 9/20/07 - Upside Down

2007-09-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

Our appointment with Dr. Hamersley went smoothly with the Little Guy looking good and with Mommy healthy. When we woke up this morning, we asked the baby to pose and give us some nice action shots during the sonogram. Unfortunately, the Little Guy did not cooperate as he just sat there upside down. Is this a sign of things to come? Let's hope not!

Mommy asked the technician to verify (again) that the Little Guy had boy parts. As expected, the technician confirmed that he was still a boy. When Dr. Hamersley came in the room, we had a few questions for her after we asked her to verify that he was a boy (AGAIN!!!). Mommy is obviously not buying their story!

Dr. Hamersley then showed us the 4D images of the baby and she stated that she knew exactly who he was going to look like. Apparently, the doctor is predicting that the baby will look like Daddy. We shall found out in a few short months!

18 Weeks - 9/14/07 - All Is Well...

2007-09-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we had an appointment with Dr. Fan and confirmed that all is well with Mommy and Baby. The Little Guy's heartbeat was measured at 152 bpm. Jackie has gained a total of 6 pounds since our first visit and it looks like it's ALL in her belly!

Mommy has started a new project to help her relax and unwind after work. Jackie is crocheting a baby blanket with small light blue and white squares. We hope to wrap the baby in this blanket when he makes his first trip home from the hospital.

Grandma brought over a few gifts this week for her Grandson. She gave us some of Daddy's baby clothes and a baby blanket that she had kept for over 30 years! Mommy and Daddy were very surprised and excited to see these beautiful pieces.

Pictures at 18 weeks...

18 Semanas – 9/14/07 – Todo Esta Bien…

Ayer tuvimos una cita con el Dr. Fan y nos confirmo de que todo esta bien con Mami y Baby. Los latidos de Corazon del Pequeňito median 152 latidos por minute. Jackie a aumentado 6 libras desde nuestra primera visita y lleva las 6 libras en su barriga!

Mami empezo un proyecto para ayudarla a relajarse despues del trabajo. Jackie esta tejiendo una mantilla que tendra cuadraditos celestes y blancos. Pensamos envolver al bebe en esta mantilla en su viaje del hospital a la casa.

Abuelita trajo unos regalitos el otro dia. Nos trajo unos conjuntitos y una mantilla que eran de Noli cuando el era bebe. Ella habia guardado estos por mas de 30 aňos! Mami y Papi se sorprendieron bastante de ver esta ropita tan linda.

Fotos a las 18 semanas…

16 Weeks - 8/31/07 - I'm a Boy!!!

2007-08-31T18:12:00.000-07:00

After a very rough night with back pains and stomach cramps, we went to see Dr. Hamersley for our 16 week check-up. The ultrasound technician (UT) told us that we should be able to determine the gender if the baby cooperates. As soon as the image of the baby was on the screen, it took only seconds until she pointed out the "boy parts"! Mommy and Daddy had huge smiles on their faces when they heard the news!!! Jackie wanted to be 100% positive that it was a boy so she asked the UT if she was sure about the boy parts. The UT said that she would bet her paycheck that there was a little boy growing in her belly!!! After the big news, the UT ensured that our little boy had all the neccesary baby parts and that they were the correct size! The most impressive images were of the 4 heart chambers and of the blood flow.

Here are the pictures of Mommy and the baby...

16 Semanas – 8/31/07 – Soy un Varon!!!

Despues de una noche muy dura con dolores de espalda y estomago, fuimos a ver a la Dra. Hamersley para el chequeo de las 16 semanas. La tecnica haciendo el sonograma nos alerto de que ya podiamos ver el sexo del bebe, si es que este cooperaba. Tan pronto como la imagen estaba en la pantalla, solo tomo unos segundos para que ella nos mostrara las partes del bebe varon! Mami y Papi no pudieron contener las sonrisas cuando escucharon esto!!! Jackie queria estar 100% segura de que este era un niňo, y le volvio a preguntar a la tecnica. Ella nos respondio “les apuesto mi cheque de esta semana de que el bebe en tu barriga es un niňo.” Despues de la gran noticia ella se aseguro de que el bebe tenia todas las partes necesarias y que estas tengan el tamaňo normal. Las imagines mas impresionantes fueron las del corazón con sus 4 cavidades y el flujo de la sangre es este.

Fotos de Mami y el Bebe…

14 Weeks - 8/17/07 - Starting the 2nd Trimester

2007-08-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

On Friday, 8/14, we visited Dr.Fan for a normal check-up. The Little One felt like singing - so the doctor placed a microphone on Jackie's belly and we heard his heartbeat immediately. His heartbeat was measured at 155 bpm.

Jackie had been feeling worrisome belly pains Thursday night and into Friday - but all seems ok. The pains subsided after dinner w/ Mike & Ann at Red Rock Canyon at Rio. Mommy and the Little One started with Chips w/ Queso & Chorizo Dip - then feasted on the ever popular Rock Salad. Of course Daddy cannot dine at this restaurant without satisfying his sweet tooth by devouring the Something Chocolate - so the Little One also had his first taste of this amazing dessert!

14 Semanas – 8/17/07 – Empezando el Segundo Trimestre
El Viernes 8/14 visitamos al Dr. Fan para nuestro chequeo normal. El Pequeňito pareceria que queria cantar – el doctor puso el microfono en la barriga de Jackie, immediatamente escuchamos los latidos del corazón. Estos median a 155 latidos por minuto.
Jackie ha estado sintiendo dolores en el estomago desde el Jueves en la noche – pero parece que todo anda bien. Los dolores desaparecieron despues de la cena que tuvimos con Mike y Ann en el restaurante Red Rock Canyon. Mami y el Pequeňito empazaron con un aperitivo de tortillas con una salsa de queso derretido con chorizo – despues siguieron con la famosa Ensalada Rock. Por supuesto que Papi tuvo que pedir el famoso postre que se llama Something Chocolate para satisfacer su gusto dulce – el Pequeňito tuvo su primera cucharita de este delicioso postre!

12 Weeks - 8/2/07 - The NT Test Looks Good!

2007-08-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

We made it through our 1st trimester! Today, we visited Dr. Hamersley's office for our 1st trimester screening. We were both very nervous because we knew that there was a possibility of hearing not-so-good news. After our meeting with the genetic counselor and the doctor, we were relieved to hear that Jackie and the baby seem to be healthy and working well as a team.

The ultrasound showed that the Little Guy is growing rapidly and can't sit still for the camera. The doctor pointed out his 2 arms, 2 legs, his stomach, his spine, his nose, etc...he seems to have all the right parts! The doctor even noticed something between his legs!!! Unfortunately, we could not get confirmation because we're still a few weeks away from really knowing the gender of the Little Guy.

Here are his stats...

Heart Rate = 164 bpm
CRL (Crown to Rump Length) = 5.83 cm
NT (Nuchal Translucency thickness) = 1.53 mm

Here are a few pictures of the team...

12 Semanas – 8/2/07 – Los Resultados Del Test NT Se Ven Bien!

Pasamos nuestro primer trimester! Hoy visitamos la Dra. Hamersley para nuestro test del primer trimester. Estabamos super nerviosos porque estabamos concientes de la posibilidad de no tener buenas noticias. Despues de la cita con la Consejera Genetica y la Dra. estabamos mas aliviados de saber que Jackie y el bebe estan saludables y que por el momento todo esta bien.

El sonograma mostro que el Pequeňito esta creciendo rapidamente y que no podia quedarse quieto para la camara. La Dra. nos mostro dos brazitos, 2 piernitas, el estomago, la columna, su nariz, etc… parece que tiene todas las partes correctas! Incluso la Dra. noto algo entre las piernitas… pero no se pudo comprobar nada ya que todavia nos quedan unas semanas para saber el sexo del bebe.
Algunas medidas de importancia…

Latidos del corazón = 164 latidos por minuto
Medida de largo = 5.83 cm
Espacio del Nuchal Translucency = 1.53 mm

Mas fotos…

10 Weeks - 7/20/07- The Little One is OK!

2007-07-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

Today makes 10 weeks!!! We visited the OBGYN, Dr. Fan, at 1:00 in Rockville to check-up on the baby and to do some blood work. Instead of an ultrasound, the doctor decided to listen to the heartbeat to make sure that the little one was doing ok. The doc placed the probe of the fetal heart monitor on Jackie's belly. After a few very tense moments (it felt like forever), Jackie and I both started worrying because the doctor couldn't find what he was looking for. Thankfully, he eventually said, "Do you hear the heartbeat???" - finally, we could breathe again!

Well, here we are at 10 weeks and we're a little more excited and a tiny bit less nervous.

Our next appointmnt is w/ Dr. Hammersley on Thursday, August 2nd.

Jackie FINALLY let me take a picture of her. Personally, I think she looks very beautiful...

10 Semanas – 7/20/07 – El Pequeňito Esta Bien!

Con hoy dia son 10 semanas!!! Visitamos al Dr. Fan a la 1:00 en su oficina de Rockville para un chequeo y analisis de sangre. En vez del sonograma, el Dr. decidio escuchar el corazón para asegurarse de que el Pequeňito este bien. El Dr. puso el aparato en el estomago de Jackie. Despues de unos momentos muy tensos que parecieron una eternidad, Jackie y yo estabamos muy preocupados porque el Dr. no podia encontrar los latidos. Despues de un rato, nos pregunto “escuchan los latidos?” – que alivio!

Bueno, ya son 10 semanas y estamos un poco mas alegres y menos nerviosos.

Nuestra proxima cita es con la Dra. Hamersley el Jueves, Agosto 2.

Jackie finalmente dejo que le saque unas fotos. Personalmente, pienso que se ve muy Linda…

7 weeks - 7/3/07 - The Heartbeat

2007-07-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

Jackie and I went to visit Dr. Sheri Hamersley for the first time since we found out about the pregnancy two weeks ago. We were both a little nervous going in - considering the issues in the past. We were both pleasantly surprised to see the the gray area in the sac on the monitor. During the first pregnancy, the sac was empty and the second time, all three (yes, THREE!!!) sacs were empty. The part of the office visit that really left an impression on us was when we heard and saw the heartbeat of the baby! We were ecstatic to hear it and to also find out that everything was normal. We know it's early - but we will continue to pray that the embryo will progress and that we end up with a healthy baby. This is a big step for us since we've never reached this point before in the previous two pregnancies! We're both very excited, very happy, and - at the same time - very nervous.

Click on images to make them larger...

7 Semanas – 7/3/07 – Los Latidos

Jackie y yo fuimos a ver a la Dra. Hamersley ya que nos enteramos de que Jackie esta embarazada. Estabamos muy nerviosos a un principio, considerando los problemas que tuvimos anteriormente. Nos alegramos mucho de ver el area gris dentro de la bolsa cuando hicieron el sonograma. La primera vez, la bolsa estaba vacia, y la segunda vez, las tres bolsas (si, tres bolsas) estaban vacias. La parte que nos dejo mas impresionados en esta visita es que por fin pudimos escuchar los latidos del corazón del bebe. Nos allegro tanto escucharlo y saber de que todo parece estar normal. Sabemos de que es todavia un poco temprano – pero continuaremos orando para que el embrion progrese y termine dandonos un bebe saludable. Este es un paso muy importante para ambos, ya que anteriormente no habiamos llegado a este punto. Estamos super felices, pero al mismo tiempo super nerviosos.

Has un click en las imagines para verlas mas amplias.