*sigh*

please excuse me while I brag on my rock-star husband! this pregnancy hasn't been easy... especially considering my pregnancy with Bella was so easy. My back's been hurting a lot lately, I try not to be dramatic about it and I think I mostly do alright about it, until I'm home and then I render myself useless. not only does Justin help as much as possible so I can rest and relax when I get home from work, but he went above and beyond tonight! The other day I was rifling through the mail when I got home and between the catalogs and bills (why do those always coincide? snap.) was a card with just my name on it in J's chicken scratch... inside was a little card with information about a prenatal massage he had set up for me. whaaaat?!

So today after work I head straight to the massage place to get my prenatal massage... I knew they couldn't do any kind of deep tissue massages because apparently I could go into labor (umm, yes please!) but it still was amazing! I left feeling far more relaxed than I'd felt in a crazy long time! SO the hour to myself for a massage isn't even where it ends - a text was waiting for me in the car with directions to stop at Cheesecake Factory to pick up an order of my favorite meal that he had called ahead and ordered. as I was waiting in line to pick up the order all the cheesecake in the display was staring at me calling my name - but I'd been spoiled enough, I didn't need the cheesecake, especially since J's not a huge fan so I couldn't even spin it that I got something for us to share. The lady pulls out my food, I pull out my card and then she pulls out... a piece of strawberry cheesecake - he included it in the order!

now I'm just going to sit here content and comfortable. seriously, my husband is phenomenal.

Picture Post

Bella's first trip out to play in the snow... she mostly enjoyed it til Justin took off running while he was pulling her and unbeknownst to him he was kicking snow in her face the whole time, poor kid! Here's hoping she's not scarred. (how this story gets better: I googled "unbenounced" to figure out how the frick you actually spell it - do it, seriously - and J and I are still laughing at the first link that explains it. snap!)

rosy cheeks after a snowy afternoon...

absolutely couldn't resist buying these for Baby Boy! Like father like son?!

burglers beware: our guard dog may not be overly impressive, but our insulation sucks. yeah, take that!!

Molls, you'll feel me on this one: I asked Justin to scrape the freezer burn from the top of the icecream... his solution was to just cut it in half. why wouldn't that be his first instinct?! I love that my husband literally makes me laugh every day, it's such a blessing!

feeling fat and fugly I went to have my hair colored - I've always wanted to try darker - and asked for some additional layers. that translated into bangs... still trying to figure out what happened. it's almost growing on me. If I win the battle of the bangs, I can get them to look a little cleaner and swept than this, but usually I lose. This should come as a surprise to no one.

saving the best for last... best. picture. ever.
as it turns out Bella isn't a huge fan of pigtails, haha!!

Preach on Sister Friend!

We were watching Scrubs tonight (even with the spin off and not as good as the original... it's still the most underrated show in the universe) and JD was trying to have a little "happy" with Elliot while she's pregnant - without looking up from her Chinese takeout she cuts him off with

"Lets just avoid the breast region, they’re big but they are not for touching, too sore. And lets avoid the thighs, they sort of are like memory foam, they leave a hand print, and I have the elbows of a 75 year-old man."

...and while that's too much information land for most, I find it hilarious! I was laughing so hard and just absolutely have to share! Love this show. seriously.

baila Bella baila!

Here Bella proves she's got some "Rozum" in her and the Puerto Rican passion is all bottled up! The girl went crazy when we were flipping through some of the music channels on TV and we passed the salsa music channel! she loved it! She's going to teach her Uncle Alex a thing or two! she said it Brother, not me!! :)

Totally Tubular

Bella had outpatient surgery to have tubes put in her ears this morning... the poor girl has had constant ear infections since she was around six months old. Basically we've sent our pediatrician's child to college in copays for follow-up appointments. Bell is a champ and half the time we swore she was over the ear infection and it'd still be there, persistent and worse than before. I was insanely nervous for the surgery - we did all the research, we talked to people who have been there and we took plenty of deep breaths prior to pre-op. Nothing could get me ready for my baby girl in an operation gown fearful for what's next because you really can't explain it to her. ugh.

Without question the most difficult thing I've done in this new role as mom was helping the nurses hold her down and still while the anesthesiologist put the mask over her face. Hands down, that was awful. I'm sure Justin thought I was quite a sight when I walked back into the waiting room (I wasn't back there for the actual surgery, that'd be horrible) and my eyes were red and puffy and ridiculous. The surgery went really well, she was out of it for awhile but by the time breakfast rolled around (did I mention before we had to get to the surgery center by 6:30?!) she was back to herself! We survived!

catching some Mickey Mouse before going back.
she looks so stinkin' cute in her little surgery gown!

I simply had to share this one, what with looking so radiant...
she was more interested in the mouse than the mommy. I blame my hospital gear.

keepin' it cool hanging out with Daddy...
no, he wasn't under any anesthetic, he was just tired!

enjoying breakfast her in clubhouse - feeling much better!

snips & snails & puppy dogs tails

so much for not finding out! I was the one pushing for a surprise because I thought it would be such an awesome moment - and I'm sure it would be - we just won't know this time! Really, to do the whole waiting thing, I think the second child is the worst option. just foolish. crazy. absurd. you get my sentiment. PLUS I got permission from my Mormor to find out - and she was the one I was most worried would be disappointed if we changed our minds because she was so thrilled with the idea that we would wait to find out.

THAT SAID, as you can see in the blog below clearly it hasn't been fun for us not to know. Justin has wanted to know the gender the entire time - I had it in my head that it would be really neat to wait. He remembered from the first pregnancy how he felt more connected knowing we were anxiously awaiting our baby girl. Taking that into consideration, along with my desire to have everything organized and ready and my need for a distraction in life and something to throw myself into right now made it a pretty easy decision. We wanted to know and we had a way to find out so dang it, we were going to find out! After six phone calls to Andrea assuring her it wasn't a test and YES we really did want to know and no we wouldn't hold it against her for opening the envelope we know that (drum roll please...........................................................)


I WAS RIGHT! I've been 80% sure the entire time it was a boy... this pregnancy has felt so much different than the first and I just had that feeling! *SIGH* I'm so glad we know now, and to be completely honest - I'm glad we did it the way we did! I think what still made this such a unique surprise was how we found out. Instead of hearing it from a technician we got to find out from my sister, which made it that much more special! Her voice cracked when she told us, I started crying, J was fist pumping and he's nearly certain Alex teared up as well when they were on the phone after Andrea and I were done with our girly gushing! Oh my gosh, I am completely thrilled, we are so blessed. Our baby boy!!

so, for those of you disappointed we found out - that's quite alright - if there's a B3 I told Justin there's no way we would find out. and I'm mostly completely confident I'll be able to hold out for the surprise. probably.

Boy? Girl? UGH!

We had our second ultrasound today to make sure everything is golden and the baby's growth is okay in midst of some placenta something that was alarming in the first trimester. (it's not that I don't care enough to understand it better, our doctor said that it's something for him to keep his eye on and me to focus on staying healthy). That being said, I was so tempted to find out the gender. again. I've learned I am way too much of a planner (or control freak, whatever.) to not find out. I've cried more than once at Babies R Us because I can't pick out anything I like for B2's nursery. and it's not that I have something in my mind and it has to look right, nothing feels right for this baby and I think if I knew if it was a boy or a girl I could get it all ready and quit stressing out about stupid silly things.

So, these additional ultrasounds are a blessing and a curse because we get to see Baby again, but then we have the opportunity to find out the gender again. it's such a tease! It doesn't help that this was never Justin's idea, always mine. By not his idea, I mean he completely disagrees, he's wanted to know since day one. BUT I didn't want to find out the first time and he did... so I compromised. I'm not doing that anymore. ha! Anyway, at this point I was thinking I should have just listened to Justin in the first place, and admitting it was just as hard as not finding out.

The ultrasound went perfectly, we were able to get some pictures of Baby and watch it moving around. The doctor said everything looked good and we have a healthy growing baby. Already it's more than a pound bigger than the average and they expect it will be even bigger than Bella was when she was born - at 8 lbs 15 oz. awesome. We did find out that it's a.... BABY! We (barely) stayed strong and didn't find out the gender! but because I'm still a little ridiculous, I did have the tech write down the sex in a card and put it in an envelope which was quickly sealed and is en route to my sister so if I really need to know, I can. Seriously though, I better be in a state of frickin EUPHORIA from the moment we find out after Baby is born! based on the baby's size, it doesn't so much sound like that will be the case. laugh so you don't cry...

Introducing to yall - Baby Bail 2.0

as you can tell I didn't need the doctor to tell me it's a boy - the kid's clearly wearing a Davy Crockett
hat and has a moustache. very mature for his age... haha, sorry baby girl. shoot.

yep, got it.

I had this little lovely from Justin awating me in my inbox at work when I got back from a meeting this afternoon:

"Don’t want to alarm you but I just realized that we are having another baby in 2.5 months… AAHHHH!"

Thanks babe, I'm already reminded with each precious little jab into my ribs, the seven trips per hour to the bathroom, gasps from strangers about how huge I am and a constant stress that I have no idea what to do with the nursery that B2's arrival is in fact right around the corner... not. overwhelmed. at. all.

this. that. the other.

I hope to get more pictures from Disneyworld, but my camera battery died about 45 minutes into the day (so unlike me, I'm not proud to admit it) and I need to steal Miriam's camera at some point... I was fortunate enough to capture one of my favorite moments on film - Bell's first encounter with a costumed character didn't go so well per se. When Miriam gave the giant furry monkey a hug, Bella must have thought she was going to be eaten because she completely lost her mind. I think I preferred this better than a cuddly one anyway...


We were able to spend a couple days in Florida sharing a house with Justin's brother and sister-in-law and our niece Sophia... it was really fun to watch Bella interacting with her (she's six months old) as it gave us an insight into her upcoming role as big sister. There was a lot of petting her head (the girl's surrounded by pets at home, give her a break!) and giving her her pacifier... after she took it out of her mouth.


We quickly learned that we had absolutely no need to buy anything for Bella for Christmas due to everyone else's ridiculous generosity, but we'd already decided to buy a kitchen set for her and when mama has her mind set on something, logic takes a back seat. I'm so glad Justin agreed this time too, because Bean loves it and I'm shocked at the joy I get from watching her little mind at work as she's pretending to stir the pot on the stove just like she's seen Mommy and Daddy (mostly Daddy. whatever. don't judge.)


J and I both participated in fantasy football leagues again this year and both had ridiculous strokes of good luck and he ended up winning his and I made it to finals again but then took second place... fortunately the girl who beat me didn't ever pay so I took home the pot - wahoo! So, with my winnings (and my cut from J's winnings - yes I get a cut, I put up with a lot every Sunday when he watches hours of football and is talking about football hours before and after he's done watching - so yes, I get a cut!) I bought the following. Dear Fantasy Football, thank you!

AND I just found out one of my favorite peope ever has started a blog so check her out, especially if you need a good laugh or a chance to realize you're not the only who thinks that way! she's phenominal and I've been blessed by her friendship for more than 12 years (and now I feel insanely old.) and just love her!