28 weeks

Things are going good this week. My back has not been bothering me half as much...I even got to get out on the dance floor for my father in law's 50th birthday party! A couple of people asked me if I was trying to go into labor that night ...hehee. On the way to the party, I told Este, "No dancin for me tonight!" I was tired and my feet were swollen and I thought for sure i could keep myself down. There's just something about a dance floor, good music and people you love that just gets me every time! Este said he kept lookin for me and wonderin where I was and then he'd see me out on the dance floor. :) Surprisingly, I didnt even pay for it with my back the next day! And our lil girl has been sooo active since then. Momma must have taught her how to get down!

Here's a picture for this week:)

Adopting their principles

Last night, we watched the Duggar family's first born get married. The family is on TLC on a show called, "Seventeen kids and counting..." or something like that. We are not faithful watchers but have caught a few episodes. They are very conservative christians ...no birth control, very modest, limit of tv and internet in the house, etc. I have grown to really admire them. I was looking them up on the internet this morning to find out more info on them. During my search, I found 5 parenting tips that they recommend...and also apply in their own lives. I pray that Esteban and I can adopt them, and raise our child in the ways of the Lord. Here they are:
1. Teach our children to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength, and memorize God’s word together as a family.
2. Teach them to have a servant’s heart, leading by your example. Love your neighbor as yourself.
3. Daily read the Proverb of the Day that corresponds with the day of the month and discuss it as a family.
4. Diligently keep up with each child’s attitudes and actions and ask what is going on in their heart. Pray with them one on one letting them lead in prayer and then you closing the prayer time together.
5. Ask God to help you conquer anger because it can destroy your relationship with your children. Praise them ten times more than you correct them.

Today, history is made in the Valenzuela house!

Este and I love to challenge one another in Jeopardy when we get the chance to watch it. Well, today was the second time I got the Final Jeopardy question! Woohooo!

Dreams! Bad Dreams!

Over the course of my pregnancy, I have had several intense and very realistic dreams. I remember the one right before I knew I was pregnant that I had. Our cousin had died and we were all standing around him praying over him and all of a sudden I see his hand twitch. Before we knew it, he was standing and was alive again. The dream seemed so real that I couldnt get over it! Soon after, we found out I was preggo...and my crazy dreams each night began!



One theme that has occurred several times is the fact that Esteban and I are not together, separating, he's cheating on me...etc. Here I am about to have his baby and I'm having all of these HORRIBLE dreams, that leave me feeling quite out of it when I awake.

Well, last night I had a dream that he had murdered 2 people and was hiding it. We knew he was going to get caught and go to prison so I was going to move to Florida with my parents while he went to jail. Well, we were out with the family and I said, "do you want to stay together...as in our relationship." He gave me a smirk and said, "um, whatever you want." But the smirk told it all. Finally it came out that he didn't want us to stay together at all...and he almost seemed excited about it. As he was leaving, he handed me a bank card and it had NO money left in the account. I started yelling at him that I worked for that money too!

So, I woke up to him calling me (thank goodness..who knows where the dream would have went) and I felt like I was in a funk. I have heard that later in your pregnancy, you start dreaming of family stuff...ummm...yeah, i'm waiting for the good family stuff!)

Anyways, about a half hour later he calls again and I said, "I had a terrible dream!" He goes, "I did too!" I asked what his was about and he said that he had a dream that I cheated on him and he asked me if I did it and I said, "yup!" LOL. Well, not funny at all but what is going on!

Needless to say, we are committed to pray over each other and our dreams at night before we go to bed.

Our lil one...kinda...

Sooo, today we went to get another ultrasound of our baby. The last time we went, they found that my placenta was low and over my cervix and that needed to change in order for me to not have to have a c section. Well, we went today and got to see her, even in 4D. It was crazy! Her butt was down so we were unable to double check on her sex...not that i'm doubting or anything:) Also, at one point she was sucking/chewing big time. It was darling. Her thick lips were just a moving! She also was chewing on her hand. And the pictures we got of her, her hands were up around her face.
The doctor said that she is ahead of schedule with her weight...so i'm going to talk to my regular doctor to see if that could change her due date. It actually freaked me out a bit b/c her weight is going to have an impact on delivery ... but after I took a nap, I felt much better.
Also, my placenta has shifted and is higher, so that will not be an issue at all. Praise God!
Yesterday my doctor called with the results of my testing I did for gestational diabetes... it came back good! But, my iron levels have dropped so I'm now taking more iron pills. That could be the reason of my tiredness.
Tomorrow I start my 3rd trimester...week 28. I can't believe it...she'll be here so soon. I have definitely noticed a change in my hormones the past week or so. I've had a lot of doubting on being a mom....a good mom at that...and whether I can really do this....not that I have a choice. It's crazy to think that we are going to have such an impact on her...good and bad. That scares me. Hopefully I will be balancing out soon:)
I will leave you with a few pics of our daughter :)

My baby's box:)

I read in my pregnancy book an amazing idea that I want to do. It suggested to do a time capsule thingy for baby. It suggested to get a box and fill it with stuff that's going on today, before she is born. Some examples...pictures of our house, our cars, my belly, a magazine or newspaper clipping, etc.
Then bury it in Hawaii and in 18 years we go and dig it up...okay not really. But when she comes to the age to appreciate it, bring it out for her to see how much stuff has changed. I LOVED the idea and went out today and found the box...well 2...but i'll use one for another purpose.


If you have any other ideas, or things I should put in the box, please share:)

Week 26 OVER! :)

I said I would post a 26 week picture...so here they are (at the final moments of week 26)


Tomorrow I will be in my 27th week of pregnancy. My body is totally changing...I feel as if I'm an old woman! It's crazy. Soon into my 2nd trimester, I felt absolutely AMAZING. The nausea went away and I got all of my energy back. I felt so happy to feel so good! Well, I can tell that the 3rd trimester is right around the corner. In the last week, my energy level has plummeted and naps are much needed. Also, I am feeling some major lower back pain and some pain behind my knee. As long as my baby is healthy, I can take it! It just amazes me of what our bodies go through...but it also amazes me that the Lord chose my womb to place this living being to live and grow. That's crazy! Thankyou Lord!
I went to the doctor today and got to hear my lil girl. I praise God for her strong heartbeat! Keep it beating baby! I talked to him about my back and he said it's probably my sciatic nerve and once the baby is here, I should be good to go. So...I think a massage is callin my name (daddy thinks a massage is callin both our names:)
We have one more 4 week appointment, and then we have to go to the doc every 2 weeks. Yikes...he says before I know it, I'll be in labor ...wow.
After the doc, I ate some lunch and had about 20 minutes to spare and so I went to babys r us. I just walked around the store staring, smiling and touching. I am so not a window shopper but today I was completely satisfied to just look around. Ahh, I had a great time.
Este and I made a to-do list this week of what needs to be done before our girl is here. Today, we got to mark one thing off! Yay! We had a friend come over and fix our spare bathroom plumbing (the hot water is now available mom and dad)
Anyways, that's the exciting news for the day.

We're back!

After being gone for over a couple of weeks, we have returned.
Here's the UPDATE on what's been going on.
On the 18th of December, we flew into VA to visit my brother and his familia. The week before we left, I had not felt baby move much at all. I was such the worried momma! However, when we got on the plane, she went crazy! Baby must like to fly like her parents. (Baby, we'll for sure take you travelin!) Here I was, sitting in between 2 strangers (Este and I didnt get to sit together on the first flight) and I was having such a magical moment with my lil lady. I could even see my shirt moving up and down. When we got off the plane, we went to get some lunch and I was on cloud 9! I couldnt shut up...or quit tearing up! We got to fly first class on the 2nd flight. It was the most comfy I have ever felt. It literally just felt like we were floating. I didnt even sleep, I just laid there and relaxed, feeling my lil one dance inside of me.






We spent the long weekend with Billy, Heidi and Olive...which did not seem long enough by any means. But we tore ourselves away from Olivia, knowing we would see her in a few days in WV.
On the 22nd, we drove to WV to spend the rest of the Christmas vacation with my folks. LAUGHTER is always such a huge part of our visits. From dad and Este pickin on each other, to Billy and Este dressing up like pirates ...LOL...thanks mom! It was a fun filled visit.


Our family threw us a baby shower the day after christmas. We felt so blessed to receive their gifts and love.







Im sure you can tell that we are totally taken by our lil niece. We didn't even get one family picture. Not even close (note for next year) It was a whirlwind, but it was wonderful to be together.

Since the summer, I had been "craving" playing the game CLUE. I hadnt played for years and wanted to play so bad. I knew mom had the game, at one time, so I anxiously awaited our visit to play. Once we got there, we realized they no longer had it. So, being the mom she is, she went and bought one. I now have a renewed LOVE for that game!
We left on the 3rd of January to come back to Cali. It was sad to leave! It's always so nice to go back and visit YET we have a checklist a million miles long to accomplish before the baby gets here ...sooo....here we go.
I am now 26 weeks along...the book said to go pick up a chuck roast at the store to show what I'm totin around. Este said, " a what???" heehee. Alrighty then. I hopefully will post some new belly pics this week. In the meantime, all roads lead to Rome :)