Week 20!

Hello again! Its that time of the week again! This week has been VERY exciting, we finally found out that we are having a little BOY!!!! YAY!!!! Adrian and I are sooo extremely happy about that, and so is the rest of the family. Waiting to find out was driving me INSANE and now that the wait is finally over the next big step is deciding on a name!

Ugh! I never thought that picking out a name would be so HARD! It seemed to easy with Mia.. maybe its because she was a girl. But Adrian and I are conflicting alot. He likes the names Caesar and Omar while I like Victor. The only name we both agree semi to is Alejandro but only because I can call him Alex. What is making things pretty difficult is that we do want a spanish sounding name but not to spanish and not to "white". I just can't see our little brown Mexican looking boy being called Billy or Brad, so its making things a bit tough for us. At the same time we don't want the name to be too spanish sounding like Ignacio or Eucebio. Sigh... so thats our big dilemma right now. Hopefully a name will pop out at us and the search can be over.

CRAVINGS:
Nothing new. I still crave salty foods and chocolate still makes me sick!

SICKNESS/TIREDNESS:

Both are better this week. The sickness is so minimal that I hardly realize its there when its there. I am always tired... that is all I have to say about that.

NEW SYMPTOMS:

The heart arrhythmias are still kicking off. I went to the doctor earlier this week to get an opinion on them. I am going to keep a closer eye on them for the next couple of weeks, if they get worse I might have to be hooked up to a machine to monitor them for 24hrs... YUCK!

Kick Kick Kick, the little one is kicking alot! Especially when I wear my maternity belt. The same thing happened with Mia, she didn't like the belt either! haha

I am still getting lots of stomach pains across my belly. I think it is because he is laying wide and horizontal. Once I put my belt on though, the pain goes away.

He is very laid back and not as wild as Mia. He sleeps SOOOOO much and maybe has kicking sessions once or twice during the day and night. His kicks are still very gentle and I haven't been able to really catch one on my hand yet... well not since last week. He is very mellow I am hoping hes like his Dada!

Kasier Check-Up Info

General information

What:

Ob Office Visit with MARK ALAN DRESBACH MD

When:

Wednesday May 26, 2010 3:00 PM

Where:

• OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY (WILDOMAR MEDICAL OFFICES U)

Diagnosis:

CARDIAC DYSRHYTHMIA

Phone:

866-984-7483

Vitals

Blood Pressure:

103/68

Pulse:

103

Height:

5' 0" (1.524 m)

Weight:

192 lb (87.091 kg)

Patient instructions

Breastfeeding helps to improve brain and nervous system development

Want to learn more about breastfeeding? Take a class by calling 1-866-883-0119, or go to www.lalecheleague.org or www.breastfeeding.com or call 1-800-LaLeche and join a support group while you are still pregnant.

Weeks 20 to 24 of Your Pregnancy: After Your Visit

Your baby is continuing to develop quickly. It can now suck its thumb, grip firmly with its hand, and open and close its eyelids. You may also notice that your baby kicks and hiccups.

By now, fingernails and toenails have formed on your baby's hands and feet. Its skin is wrinkled, red, and shiny. And your doctor can easily hear its heartbeat with a regular stethoscope. At 24 weeks, your baby will be about 11 to 12 inches long and 1 to 1½ pounds.

During your second trimester, you may find that your nausea and fatigue are gone. Overall, you may feel better and have more energy than you did in your first trimester. But you may also have new discomforts now, such as sleep problems or leg cramps. This care sheet can help you ease these discomforts.

It is still generally safe for you to travel throughout your second trimester, but it is a good idea to take some precautions before you travel. This is also a time when you may start to wonder about going into labor early. Even though most babies are not born early, it is important to know the signs of preterm labor.

Some women begin to leak a yellowish or whitish fluid, called colostrum, from their breasts. This is the first breast milk, the kind you will have after birth, before your milk comes in. If your clothes get wet from the leaking fluid, you can use all-cotton breast pads inside the cup of your bra.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. Its also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Ease sleep problems

- Avoid caffeine in drinks or chocolate late in the day.
- Get some exercise every day.
- Take a warm (not hot) shower or bath before bed.
- Have a light snack or glass of milk at bedtime.
- Do relaxation exercises in bed to calm your mind and body.
- Support your legs and back with extra pillows. Try a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side.
- Do not use sleeping pills or alcohol. They could harm your baby.

Ease leg cramps

- Do not massage your calf during the cramp.
- Sit on a firm bed or chair. Straighten your leg, and bend your foot (flex your ankle) slowly upward, toward your knee. Bend your toes up and down.
- Stand on a cool, flat surface. Stretch your toes upward, and take small steps walking on your heels.
- Use a heating pad or hot water bottle to help with muscle ache.

Prevent leg cramps

- Cut back on lunch meats, packaged foods, and carbonated beverages.
- Be sure to get enough calcium. If you are worried that you are not getting enough, talk to your doctor.
- Exercise every day, and stretch your legs before bed.
- Take a warm bath before bed, and try leg warmers at night.

Travel safely

- Discuss your travel plans with your doctor. Ask him or her which countries are safest for pregnant women. Decide if you should take any health records with you.
- Take it easy if you travel to altitudes over 6,000 feet. Thinner air may make you feel sick or tired.
- On planes, get up frequently to get your blood flowing in your legs. In cars, stop every 2 hours to do this.
- Drink lots of clean water, and go to the bathroom often. In foreign countries, drink bottled water, and avoid uncooked vegetables and fruit that you cannot peel.
- Pace yourself. Rest when you get tired. Choose tour groups that let you take breaks.

Know the signs of preterm labor

- You have menstrual-like cramps, with or without nausea.
- You have about 4 or more contractions in 20 minutes, or about 8 or more within 1 hour, even after you have had a glass of water and are resting.
- You have a low, dull backache that does not go away when you change your position.
- You have pain or pressure in your pelvis that comes and goes in a pattern.
- You have intestinal cramping or flu-like symptoms, with or without diarrhea.
- You notice an increase or change in your vaginal discharge. Discharge may be heavy, mucus-like, watery, or streaked with blood.
- Your water breaks.

If you think you have preterm labor

- Go to the bathroom.
- Drink 2 or 3 glasses of water or juice.
- Lie down on your left side. Do not lie on your back.
- While lying on your side, find your breast bone. Put your fingers in the soft spot just below it. Move your fingers down toward your belly button to find the top of your uterus. Check to see if it is tight.
- Contractions can be weak or strong. Record your contractions for an hour. Time a contraction from the start of one contraction to the start of the next one.
- Single or several strong contractions without a pattern are called Braxton-Hicks contractions. They are practice contractions but not the start of labor. They often stop if you change what you are doing.
- Call your doctor if you have regular contractions. This means about 4 or more in 20 minutes, or about 8 or more within 1 hour, even after you have had a glass of water and are resting.

When should you call for help?

Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:

- You pass out (lose consciousness).

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

- You have any vaginal bleeding or belly pain or cramping.
- You have a fever.
- You notice that your baby has stopped moving or is moving much less than normal.
- You have severe vomiting with pain or fever, you vomit 3 or more times a day, or you vomit continuously for more than 1 hour each day.
- You have frequent nosebleeds that are hard to stop.
- You have frequent headaches.
- You have cramping or swelling in your leg that will not go away.
- You have regular contractions. This means about 4 or more in 20 minutes, or about 8 or more within 1 hour, even after you have had a glass of water and are resting.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if you have any problems.

Where can you learn more?

Go to http://www.kp.org

Enter W603 in the search box to learn more about Weeks 20 to 24 of Your Pregnancy: After Your Visit.

© 2006 - 2009 Healthwise, Incorporated. Care instructions adapted under license by Kaiser Permanente. This care instruction is for use with your licensed healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

Heart Arrhythmia Appointment

Well today was yet another doctor's appointment for me. This time, however, it wasn't so much for the baby though we did get to hear his heart beat! YAY! Doctor said it was in the 140s and sounded great!

The appointment was to discuss with my baby doctor his opinion on my heart arrhythmia increase. They have slowly gotten better however just recently they are picking up again. He gave me a few options but I decided to hold off on the referral to a cardiologist until I see how the arrhythmia's go in the next couple of weeks. Like I mentioned before, especially before my appointment, they had been getting better. Unfortunately as soon as we left they picked up again in massive quantities so I might opt for more assessments.

Ugh... oh well. We will see what happens....

The First Grandson!!!

We couldn't wait to tell family! The first to know was going to be my Dad since he was at our home with Mia. I have been imagining how I would break the news to him, that after 5 granddaughters he was going to have his grandson. After a few nights of thinking about it, I figured out the perfect plan!

After left the hospital, we went to Von's near our house and bought a Big Blue balloon that said "Its a Boy!" We then called my Dad on our way home. I wanted to make sure Mia was awake because I wanted her to walk into the room holding the balloon. So when I got my dad on the phone I tried to act serious and gloomy. I didn't want to drop any hints about the news we were about to share. My Dad didn't pick up on anything and Mia was up, YAY!

We drove closer to the house, I got more and more excited. Soon we reached the house. Adrian went inside to grab Mia while I got the balloon off the car. He then brought her to the back door while we had my Dad wait in the livingroom. We showed Mia the balloon and I whispered in her ear "You are going to have a baby brother!"

Mia was so excited just to have a balloon. She said "Ooooooh!" then I told her "Go show Grandpa!" so she slowly walked away and went around the corner. My Dad was standing there and soon caught a glimps of the balloon and once we realized the color and what it said he went NUTS!!!! He was so excited! he ran up to Mia and spun her around and gave her a big hug, then hugged me and Adrian. He was so happy.

We celebrated a bit then called my Mom. I put her on speaker phone as we broke the news. She started screaming and was so excited too. She even said that morning she had a dream that we were having a boy! After celebrating with my Mom we called my Brother and Sis-in-law! They were already waiting by the phone and when they picked up we were already on speaker. We joked a bit with them and finally broke the news! They too were shocked and so happy for us.

My Dad then took off the store and when he came back he had a bottle of sparkling cider, a cake, ice cream chips and two little swan flowers representing a boy and girl (our little family) We celebrated a bit more! This whole day has been full of celebrations!! YAY!

Wow!! I still can't believe it myself! I am going to go celebrate some more then crash out, I am so happy but still full of excitement! I can't wait to hit the fabric store and start on my new little blue baby blanket!

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We did it! We did it!! All our hard work paid off!!!!! We just found out the awesome news today! We are going to have a SON! I am still on cloud nine! It literally feels like a dream, and if it is I hope to never wake up from it! Such a fun exciting day!


Today was little Mr. Pumpkin's ultra-sound. I was so nervous for numerous reasons. I was really hoping for a boy but wasn't sure if we would have another girl (which would have been great too), I was nervous about the exam since I tend to get very queasy laying on my back to long, and just the excitement of the anticipation!

My Dad is visiting and helping out with Mia for us. Since we couldn't take her to this ultra-sound we needed a babysitter BAD and my Dad came the rescue again! He was also eager to find out if he would finally have a Grandson!!

Our appointment was mid-afternoon so when the time came we said goodbye to Mia and my dad and headed off to the hospital. My stomach was full of butterflies. I couldn't even eat. We finally arrived. We had a short wait then they took us back.

Being back in the ultra-sound room sure did bring back so many memories. I have had a few ultra-sounds in that very same place for my gall bladder, kidneys, Mia's pregnancy and Angel's and now we were here again. The tech was a very nice lady and made the experience great for us.

Again I couldn't not see the screen to well but they said they would show us at the end. Adrian did have a good view and I just loved seeing him get all exciting about seeing his new little baby. He even got to see him kick and move and that really made Daddy excited.

While I was laying there I was thinking and praying that everything would check out ok and the baby was ok. I was also about to jump out of my skin in anticipation of the big news of the gender. I could barely stand it but I kept my cool. Eventually the exam was over and the fun time begun...

The tech spun the screen around so I could see the baby. She spent alot of time slowly showing us the different parts. His head, face, arms, belly, legs, spine... everything. She was really taking her time and it was really nice, especially since when we were there for Mia that tech just zoomed through everything and just tried to get us out of there. This tech was very nice though.

She kept getting closer and closer to the "special area" and I was getting more and more excited and nervous! Then she said "Oh .. I see some boy parts!" "WHAT?!?!?!" Adrian and I both said I quickly turned to Adrian with complete disbelief and shock and excitement. "Oh my goodness!!!" I said "we have a SON!!!" I couldn't believe it. They the tech zoomed up a bit more so we could have an even better look and sure enough there was no mistaking it, hes definately a boy!!!!!

Tears rolled down my face I was so happy. I felt like I couldn't breathe! The doctor let us view our baby a bit more and we got to see him move around and stick his tiny butt in the air! It was priceless. All that mattered at that very moment was enjoying time with our son. Wow ... son!

Soon the exam was over and it was time to leave. I got dressed and even before I could fully finish I grabbed Adrian and hugged him so hard and just cried. I was so happy! He was so happy!! We couldn't wait to tell family!

We both walked out of the hospital in a happy bliss!!!! Our prayers were finally answered!

Boy v. Girl

Well tomorrow is the big day! I can't believe my wait is finally over! I am finally going to have the answer to the question that has been haunting me since I first became pregnant.

What will it be? A boy or a girl!? YIKES!

First of all, I just want to say, I would LOVE to have either. As long as the baby is happy, healthy and strong that is all that matters to me. Gender is secondary and I will love this baby with all my heart... I already do!

So now comes the question, Boy V. Girl!

Having a boy would be awesome! It would be the first Grandson on both sides of the family (Cardoso and Pizano), I will have a son, I will be able to experience what its like raising a boy, I will have a little image of my husband running around haha, and Mia will have a brother just like I did growing up.

Having a Girl would be awesome as well!!! She will be my second little princess, I am an old pro at raising and taking care of a little baby girl, I will have another little girl to bond over girly things with, Mia will have a sister to bond with for the rest of her life, we have TONS of girl things already so we won't have to buy much hahaha, and she will have TONS of girl cousins to pal around with.

So you see either way would be cool. Though I have to admit having a boy is a bit more nerve wracking for the simple fact I have ZERO experience with raising baby boys. Heck, I have never even changed a boy diaper before?! and from the horror stories I've heard I better have a shield with me when I do! haha I heard boys are way more energetic and rambuncious than girls and I am not sure if I am really ready for that. Its a bit scary!

When I start to think of things like that I start leaning towards wanting another girl. However, having a girl is no picnic either! What if there is competition between Mia and her sister and they end up hating each other. Raising little girls are easy but FORGET it when they become pre-teens and teenagers and their emotions kick in. Ack I have to worry about boys, make-up, clothes and all the girly things two fold! Its a bit overwhelming to me. So when I start to think about those things I lean towards wanting a boy! haha

So I dunno. Either one I will be fine... God chooses what is best for us and I truly firmly believe that. Whatever he chooses for us I know is the best fit.

So we will see what tomorrow brings?!?!?!!? EEEEK!

Week 19!

Whoa I can hardly believe it myself. I am officially half way through my pregnancy!!! I know what you are thinking, you are pregnant for 40 weeks so your 20th week would mark your mid-way point. Well, yes, that is true, however I am opting for another C-Section so my due date is moved up a week. So yes it is correct I am half way through! Wow what a ride this has become!

This week has been filled with TONS of new baby things to report. I felt my first outside kick!, my stomach pains have been increasing however I bought a new fancy maternity belt and that helps a TON with that, and I had the worst night terror ever that causes me to run around.

Tomorrow is the big day though! We will finally know for sure what little Pumpkin is!!! Alittle boy pumpkin or a little girl!! I can hardly wait! I have been waiting for this moment since the very first time I saw that positive pregnancy test! EEEK! Any predictions on my part? Hmm.... it is so hard to tell. Unlike Mia's pregnancy I cannot really determine though mother intuition what I feel. I am shooting for a boy so I think I will stick with that. If its a girl that is great too, just means I have two little princesses to love!! Life is so good right now!

CRAVING:

Veggies taste soooo good to me lately. Salads, greens, peas any fresh veggies I can get ahold of. Unfortunately, fast food joints usually don't carry such good greens. Apples are still my favorite fruit right now, but they have to be a tad under ripe and have to be Gala. I do crave lots of salty foods too.

SICKNESS/TIREDNESS:

Both have been under control. Though I still get sick if I don't eat enough, it never really ever shows up for no reason anymore. Tiredness... meh its there but only because I still don't sleep well at night. I still get up at least once to use the restroom and finding a comfy position to sleep in is hard too. I am constantly tossing and turning.

New Symptoms:

Like I mentioned earlier I can finally feel Pumpkin kicks on the outside though really rare. Not sure if its because they are still very small or maybe they aren't as active as Mia was. Mia seemed to kick me ALL the time non-stop. This one just likes to hang out and rest. My tummy is growing and I can feel myself getting wider which is hurting alot. I carried Mia high and out and this one is low and wide, so I am feeling many new discomforts I didn't feel with Mia. I have also been getting more headaches lately and those aren't fun. My heart is still fluttering but I have a doctor's appointment for that on Wednesday.

Oh and also, this little baby is just like their big sister in the fact they LOVE to sit on my bladder. Ugh!! I am constantly running to the bathroom thinking I have to use it but turns out its just the baby's position. Fun times ... haha

Weird Dream

I have been having dreams here and there surrounding the new baby, however, last nights took the cake!!! I just thought I would write it down just for prosperity and laughs....

I had a dream that I was in the hospital and had already given birth the baby. I remember nurses running all around taking care of things and eventually let me see my new baby in the little bucket things they put babies in. The baby looked so cute and tiny but it was all swaddled up. I didn't know what the gender was since for some reason we never found out. I finally got the nerve to ask the attending nurse and she said, "Oh, its a girl". Oh! I said shocked. I wasn't really sure how to react to that news. For some reason I was feeling really down about it. I tried to get Adrian's attention to let him know but he was busy talking to my Dad.

Eventually I pulled him aside and told him I knew what he gender was. I told him "its a girl the nurse just told me" and he said "I don't believe it, and I won't believe what they say until I see the baby myself!" Then all of a sudden the baby like grew into a bigger baby, one that could crawl away. It started crawling all over the place and soon went POOPIES!! Ewwwww!!! My Dad was there and offered to help.

We finally got ahold of the little baby who kept trying to turn and crawl away and opened up the diaper. OMG! It was so nasty! Poop was EVERYWHERE covering every inch of everywhere! It was so nasty. Then Adrian grabbed some wipees and cleaned down the front and what do you know... the baby wasn't a girl after all but a BOY!!!!

I jumped back and screamed, "Its a BOY its a BOY look Look!" Adrian was happy and we both hugged. I was so excited I started to cry! I quickly started spreading the news and woke up soon after.

Pretty weird dream if I don't say so myself. Well only a few more days away and we will finally know what the baby is... well that is IF they let us see.. they might be shy like their big sister was.

Relief at Last!

As you have read earlier, I have been having lots of pains throughout my baby belly, not to mention the ligament pain. I have been so concerned about both since I am still very early in my pregnancy. I haven't even hit half way yet!!! With Mia, most of these symptoms didn't even pop up until my 8th month! I was NOT looking forward to the future!

I bought a pregnancy belt with Mia's pregnancy but I wasn't to impressed with it. It really didn't help with the pelvic pain nor the back pain. It was itchy, uncomfortable and tight. I rarely used it and by the end of the pregnancy I misplaced it. I have yet to find it... I probably threw it out and don't remember.

Well this time around I decided to invest alittle money and buy myself a better more supportive belt. I saw some at Babies R Us back when I was pregnant with Mia, but I was so close to giving birth by then I didn't bother buying it. So when today's pain continued for the 5th consecutive day, I decided it was time.

We had to buy diapers for Mia anyway so while at Babies R Us I picked up this support belt. It cost $30, which is alot of money for us right now. I was really hoping I wasn't just wasting my money. My stomach hurt SO BAD throughout the rest of the day shopping and by the time we hit home I was miserable.

So I took out the belt and tired it on. Boy talk about a lot of straps and velcro. It looks really funny but you know what... IT WORKS!!!! Ever since I strapped it on myself my tummy pain is completely gone! Plus my pelvic pain is at a minimum!! YAY!!! Relief at LAST!

Though it isn't the most comfortable thing to wear I can definately tolerate it more than the pain. I am so relieved... I just hope it continues to work throughout my pregnancy! Wish me luck!

Running while Pregnant

For the last couple of days now I have been having lots of tummy pain. Its really weird, its on the upper part of my "baby tummy" and hurts right across it. From the left to the ride side. I am thinking its just my uterus stretching but its really not very comfortable. I am carrying this baby way different than I did with Mia. With Mia, she sat very high and straight out. My belly was like a ball under my shirt. This pregnancy is a bit lower and wider, which is why I think the pain is the way it is. Well with that being said now I can go into what happened to me at 3am.

Ever since I was very young, throughout my teens and now I have always had a problem with Night terrors. For anyone who doesn't know what night terrors are opposed to nightmares, night terrors are worse. Nightmares are bad dreams and once you wake up they are over. Well with night terrors you are suddenly woken up completely terrorifed and your heart feels like its going to jump out of your chest! also most of the, for me at least, you see things you would see in a dream only you have your eyes wide open ie. dark shadowy figures next to my bed, or actually feel something climbing into bed with you and you can feel the bed moving, or sometimes you actually see someone. That causes me to completely panick, granted I am half asleep, and I either end up screaming hysterically, jump out of bed and sometimes even run. There has been been times where I have woken up like that and actually attacked Adrian half asleep!!! So ya they get pretty bad sometimes.

Well I get them alot, mostly when I have been pushing myself too much and am completely exhausted. When I got pregnant with Mia they started happening ALL the time almost every night!!! Then when I got pregnant with this little one they started up regularly again!, however, for the first time in I don't know how many years I went two whole months without one! I was so relieved and happy.

Well last night I had a KING of a night terrors! It happened around 3am this morning. I was sound asleep then suddenly I woke up in a complete panick! I was so terrorfied that I jumped out of bed and literally ran out of my room as fast as I could and ran downstairs and into the guestroom across the house!! Thats when I finally came to my sense and though still having a racing heart, I walked back to my room and went back to bed. However, since I strained myself so bad running and panicking that my baby tummy started hurting REALLY bad. I had such a bad cramp I got scared and thought that I might have to go into the ER. Adrian was still at work. Eventually I laid there trying to relax and it slowly eased up and I eventually fell asleep.

I woke up this morning really tired and my tummy is still sore. Ugh... well now I know I shouldn't be running while pregnant awake or asleep! haha

Its official! I felt my first OUTSIDE kick!!!!!

I am so excited I just HAD to write!!! I finally got what I have been waiting for.. FOREVER! My very first "outside" baby kick!!! What I mean by outside, is that I could feel the baby kick on my hand when I touched my tummy! Isn't that so awesome!!!

It happened about 9:30pm tonight. I was in the bathroom using my new straightener after my shower. Then all of a sudden, my stomach felt alittle funny and I could feel a little movement. Then something drew me to put my hand on my lower left side of my tummy and sure enough within seconds I felt a little "bump"!!! It was pumpkin! and an official kick, there was no mistaking it! I was so shocked and so happy. I said "hi" back to the little baby and rubbed my tummy a bit.

I am so happy! This is the best part of the pregnancy by far! The belly and the kicking! I am on cloud nine!!!!

18 Weeks!

Yep I am officially 18 weeks now! and new stuff to report! Some good some bad and some ... ummm normal? This week was a crazy one for sure. We just got back from Oxnard yesterday after spending the weekend there. It was great to see my family again but the bad pregnancy symptoms did manage to show up there which put a damper on everything. Overall, pumpkin and I are doing great and despite some negative stuff I am still very happy!!!

CRAVINGS:
Still nothing new to report. Though I am noticing I am eating a TON of apples a day! Sometimes I eat two! I am enjoy fresh food more and more, though I still don't have a specific type of craving... well unless you count my obsessive need for fruit Gummys!!! haha oh and "Hot Mama" pickles!

SICKNESS/TIREDNESS:

The sickness is pretty much under control unless I eat something bad. I have noticed I cannot take my pre-natals (same with Mia's pregnancy) and even the children's vitamins are now making me sick. Greeeaat! Not really sure what to do about that other than the need to start eating healthier so I get all the nutrition and vitamins I need.

Tiredness has kicked in BAD again. There were a couple of days this week where I was completely unfunctional despite multiple naps. Not sure what is causing that. I thought maybe it was the vitamin thing but not too sure.

NEW SYMPTOMS:

Yep its official. I am experiencing the same round ligament pain I did with Mia. Unfortunately for me I am experiencing it so early on I will have to live with it longer. I started to get it around the 8th month with Mia and this week it has been hurting BAD! Sometimes I can barely walk, especially if I am sitting down to long. I am NOT looking forward to how bad this is going to get.

Another concerning thing that is happening is my heart. I have had heart arrhythmias before but they were so EXTREMELY rare. When I got pregnant with Mia they kicked up alot! but not enough to frighten me. I heard it is pretty normal for pregnant girls to experience them. Sure enough after having Mia they practically went away completely. Well they are back and with a vengence! They are happing so often (ever 5-10 mins and sometimes multiple times in a min.) and sometimes they hurt! I decided to finally contact my OB about it and she immediately became concerned. She referred me to get an appointment with my official baby doctor to see if I can get a referral to a Cardiologist from him. Of course that has me worried, not to mention my abnormally low blood pressure (last reading was 98/68). Hopefully it won't be anything serious and they are just taking precautions.

Well now on to happier things. My belly is getting bigger and bigger and I am finally looking like I am truly pregnant instead of just fat! haha Everyone loves to rub my tummy and Adrian even gave it a kiss once! AWWW!!! I am loving it, this is the BEST part of pregnancy by far and I love it! and yep.. I am back into my comfy maternity clothes! I can't wait to buy more!

Big Papa v. Hot Mama

Haha the title isn't what you think. I am talking about... PICKLES!!!! Yum! Yum!! Ever since I was little I have LOVED pickles... especially the big fat juicy ones you buy at carnivals or fairs.

Well the only grocery store I know that carries the big pickles is Vons! We stopped shopping there about 2 years ago when they opened up WinCo by our house. Well for my Mother's Day gift, Adrian and Mia made a special trip to Vons to pick of those specialty snacks you just can't get at WinCo. One of them being a "Hot Mama" pickle!!

I have never eaten a spicy pickle before and Adrian bought it for me because he knew I liked pickles and he liked the name. He didn't know it was spicy until I took my first bite. WHOA MAMA! It was HOT!!! but ooooooooooooh so gooooooooood!!! I literally sweated it out eating that massive thing but it was awesome. Ever since then its kicked off a mad pregnancy craving. Its all I think about!!! It finally got the better of me today...

I just couldn't stop thinking about the Hot Mama and Big Papa (the big papa is the non-hot pickle) so after I put Mia to bed I ran off to the store to buy some. Adrian was working from home so he was watching over Mia for me. I came back from the store with 2 Big Papas and 1 Hot Mama!!!

The dilemma now is ... which one to eat first?!?!?!

17 Week Doctor's Check- Up

Today was another exciting day for the Cardoso Clan. Pumpkin had another appointment today so off to Wildomar we went.

I was alittle nervous about how Mia would react to this appointment. She did so well the last time and I was hoping for a repeat of that. So to increase our chances of having a "Good Mia day" I woke her up alittle early this morning just so she could go down for a nap earlier than usual. My plan seemed to work because she woke up from her nap in a pretty good mood. Unfortunately, we had to zoom off to the doctor's appointment soon after she woke up and since we were racing around so much we didn't have time to make her lunch. But I packed some goodies for her and off to the appointment we went.

Once we got there I busted out Mia's favorite snack.. "CHEERIOS!" (she literally says this and raises her arm in the air, or cheerio cup if she is holding it!) We had a wait a bit in the waiting room but luckily "Ants" the movie, was playing so Mia was distracted.

We were finally called back and Adrian and Mia went into the examination room while the nurse took my vitals at the nurses station. She informed me that Kaiser should be calling me any day to schedule my Ultra-Sound appointment!! WHOOHOO! I can't wait for that, then we can finally see what Pumpkin is!

The vitals took awhile only because I had extremely low blood pressure. The nurse took it three times and it still came out very low 96/68. I explained that I naturally have low blood pressure and it just goes even lower when I am pregnant (something I experienced during Mia's pregnancy). Eventually she was done and I was able to rejoin Mia and Adrian in the room.

We all waited for the doctor to come in patiently. Mia was busy chowing down on her "CHEERIOS!!!" and the toy that was in the room. Eventually my doctor came in. She was so happy to see us all there. Mia of course acted shy and wouldn't look at her.

She asked if I had any questions and I mentioned the gas pain issue. She informed me that I could take Mylanta and that should help with the gas issue. She then had had me lay down on the table, Mia quickly became concerned and started saying "Mama!!.. Mama!!" I reassured her I was ok. My tummy was measured and then the Doctor busted out the heart-beat monitor! We got to hear little Pumpkin's strong heart beat. The doctor was very impressed how healthy and strong the heart beat is. She said it was 153 bpm.

When I heard the heart beat I felt so happy. I looked over and Mia and she was looking at us and had a big smile on her face. That moment was so precious and cute to me. She enjoyed hearing her little siblings heart beat!

After that, the doctor informed me that my weight, sugar, and blood pressure were fine and to keep up the good work. Then it was time to go. Mia said "Bye Sister" (her new favorite saying) to the doctor as she left and we all got ready to go. I rewarded Mia for being such a good little girl with a pack of her favorite gummies. She was happy about that.

Overall the appointment went fantastic!!! I am so happy and relieved that this pregnancy is going so well. I can't wait until we find out what the baby is.... soon I will know! EEK!

Kasier Check-Up Info

General information

What:

Ob Office Visit with RITA T MURRAY NP

When:

Wednesday May 12, 2010 3:00 PM

Where:

• OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY (WILDOMAR MEDICAL OFFICES U)

Phone:

866-984-7483

Vitals

Blood Pressure:

98/68

Pulse:

97

Weight:

187 lb (84.823 kg)

Patient instructions

Nursing promotes facial structure development, enhanced speech, straighter teeth and enhances vision.

Want to learn more about breastfeeding? Take a class by calling 1-866-883-0119, or go to www.lalecheleague.org or www.breastfeeding.com or call 1-800-LaLeche and join a support group while you are still pregnant.

Weeks 16 to 20 of Your Pregnancy: After Your Visit

Around your 18th week, your baby will be about 8 inches long and weigh about 8 ounces. You will start to show, so that you look pregnant to people around you. You may also notice some changes in your skin, such as itchy spots on your palms or acne on your face.

During weeks 16 to 20, your umbilical cord grows and gets thicker. This is the cord that carries blood and food from you to your baby. Your baby is now able to pass urine, and your baby's first stool (meconium) is starting to collect in its intestines. Hair is also beginning to grow on your baby's head.

Sometime between 18 and 22 weeks, you will start to feel your baby move. At first, these small fetal movements feel like fluttering or butterflies. Some women say that they feel like gas bubbles. As the baby grows, these movements will become stronger.

As your pregnancy moves along, it is common to worry or feel anxious. Your body is changing a lot. And you are thinking about giving birth, the health of your baby, and becoming a parent. You can learn to cope with any anxiety and stress you feel. This care sheet provides stress reduction techniques that can help you during pregnancy and in the years to come.

Exercise is one way to reduce stress. It can also give you energy and help you stay at your best weight. Exercise is also great for sleeping well, fighting constipation, and preparing you for labor and delivery. Most women can exercise right up to delivery. Talk to your doctor about what type and how much exercise to do at each stage of your pregnancy.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. Its also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Reduce stress

- Ask for help with cooking and housekeeping.
- Figure out who or what causes your stress. Avoid these people or situations as much as possible.
- Relax every day. Taking 10- to 15-minute breaks can make a big difference. Take a walk, listen to music, or take a warm bath.
- Learn relaxation techniques at prenatal or yoga class. Or buy a relaxation tape.
- List your fears about having a baby and becoming a parent. Share the list with someone you trust. Decide which worries are really small, and try to let them go.

Exercise

- If you did not exercise much before pregnancy, start slowly. Walking is best. Pace yourself, and do a little more every day.
- Brisk walking, easy jogging, low-impact aerobics, water aerobics, and yoga are good choices. Some sports, such as scuba diving, horseback riding, downhill skiing, gymnastics, and water skiing, are not a good idea.
- Do not exercise more than 45 minutes. Limit high-intensity exercise to 10 to 15 minutes and moderate exercise to 20 to 30 minutes. Keep your heart rate below 140 beats per minute so you do not overheat.
- Wear loose clothing, good shoes, and a good bra.
- Warm up and cool down to start and finish your exercise.
- Avoid deep bending and intense stretches.
- If you want to use weights, be sure to use light weights. They reduce stress on your joints.

Stay at the best weight for you

- Experts recommend that you gain about 1 pound a month during the first 3 months of your pregnancy.
- Experts recommend that you gain about 1 pound a week during your last 6 months of pregnancy, for a total weight gain of 25 to 30 pounds.
- If you are underweight, you will need to gain more weight (about 28 to 40 pounds).
- If you are overweight, you may not need to gain as much weight (about 15 to 25 pounds).
- If you are gaining weight too fast, use common sense. Exercise every day, and limit sweets, fast foods, and fats. Choose lean meats, fruits, and vegetables.
- If you are having twins or more, your doctor may refer you to a dietitian.

Be aware of normal skin changes

- During this time, your uterus is expanding beyond your belly button and causing your belly to stretch. This can lead to reddish lines called stretch marks on your belly. Stretch marks can also appear on other parts of your changing body, such as your breasts, buttocks, and thighs. After the birth, most stretch marks fade to nearly invisible silvery lines.
- Many women get a darkening line from their belly button to their pubic bone. This line is called linea nigra. It will gradually disappear in the months after delivery.
- Pregnancy hormones may cause brown patches on your nose, forehead, cheeks, and neck. This is called the mask of pregnancy. These spots will lighten and disappear after pregnancy. During pregnancy, use sunscreen to prevent the spots from getting darker and to protect your skin from sunburn.
- You may also get red spots on your face, neck, upper chest, arms, or the palms of your hands. These are caused by pregnancy hormones and will also disappear after the birth.

When should you call for help?

Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:

- You pass out (lose consciousness).

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

- You have any vaginal bleeding or belly pain or cramping.
- You have a fever.
- You have severe vomiting with pain or fever, you vomit 3 or more times a day, or you vomit continuously for more than 1 hour each day.
- You have frequent nosebleeds that are hard to stop.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if you have any problems.

Where can you learn more?

Go to http://www.kp.org

Enter I453 in the search box to learn more about Weeks 16 to 20 of Your Pregnancy: After Your Visit.

© 2006 - 2009 Healthwise, Incorporated. Care instructions adapted under license by Kaiser Permanente. This care instruction is for use with your licensed healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

Follow-up instructions

Return in about 4 weeks (around 6/9/2010).

If you have any questions about the information on this page, please contact your health care practitioner's office.

17 weeks!!!!

This week is the first time I am starting to feel that this pregnancy is starting to pick up speed, time-wise. I can't believe I am almost half way done!!! Holy Cow!!

This week has definately been one of the BEST weeks since finding out I was pregnant. Pumpkin's little flutters have finally graduated to full fledge kicks!!! It is the cutest thing ever!!!! They are so soft and gentle, and still undetectable outside. They are constantly kicking all the time now and I am truly loving it! I can't wait until I can feel their kicks on my hand!

CRAVINGS:
The only thing I can say to this is PINEAPPLE!!! OMG I think I need to grab me some more! haha

SICKNESS/TIREDNESS:

The tiredness is finally at bay. Though I am sleepy because I have a horrible time sleeping at night (due to hunger and the constant need to use the bathroom, oh and the inability to sleep on my back anymore) I can often skip afternoon naps and finish the day somewhat productive. I have finally been able to really play with Mia again. She is loving it! I sit on the floor and we play with toys all morning just like we used to before I got pregnant and sick.

The sickness is so much better. As long as I stay on top of my eating and don't sniff any stinky things I am ok.

NEW SYMPTOMS:

Like I mentioned before, kick, Kick, KICK! Is the action of the week! I am feeling my little one kicking me alot more now. My tummy seems to grow more and more everyday and I am really feeling pregnant. I am so happy right now!

Pumpkin is a fan of Caldo de Papa!

Ever since I got pregnant and really sick my cooking has stopped completely. I would have cravings for certain homemade dishes but the thought of the smell, cooking and the work was just out of the question.

Now that I am finally feeling better, I had the urge to make the Cardoso family's famous Caldo de Papa. (The recipe was handed down to me by Adrian's mom which was handed down from her Mom) I LOVE to make it and it never lasts more than a day since I practically eat the entire pot myself! haha

Well today I finally made some and it was so GOOD! Granted I am a bit out of practice it still hit the spot. So when night came and it was nearing bedtime I was debating on whether I should have 1 last bowl before bed. Just as I finished asking myself that, I immediately became hungry more like.. STARVING!!!! out of nowhere! So I grabbed another bowl, and as I was eating it the baby starting kicking!

I guess the baby really likes Mama's homemade soup .....now if I can only get Mia to eat it! haha

Flutters graduate to Kicks!!!

It is official! I am completely sure that Pumpkin's little flutters have finally graduated to full on kicks. I have noticed this change for a few days now but tonight seals the deal. I had one hard kick earlier in the evening and just a little while ago I felt the familiar feeling of kicking. They are pretty strong for only being 16 weeks but still not strong enough to be felt on the outside yet. I started to feel Mia's flutters at 17 weeks and this baby's flutters started even before I hit 10 weeks! so I am not too surprised that I am feeling full on kicks already! Its so exciting!!

Another thing I wanted to mention was this cute little story. All of a sudden I got a "gummy" craving and I just HAD to have some gummies. The only gummies we have in the house are Mia's little toddler gummies (that we only give her for extreme rewards for being good) I kind of felt guilty for raiding her "good girl" stash but I needed gummies BAD!!!!! So I gave into my craving and ripped open not 1 but 2 packs of Mia's gummies and scarf'd them down to kill the craving. Sure enough as soon as I was done with my second package my craving went away. Then seconds later Pumpkin starting kicking as to thank me! awwww!! TOO CUTE!!!!

I am so happy right now!

16 weeks!

Another week has passed by and though my weight is slightly dropping still (182 this morning), my belly is really starting to show. Infact I might have to invest in some maternity pants early since my big fitting jeans are starting to fit snug!

Overall this week has been good. I didn't throw up and I am finding creative ways in dealing with Mia's diaper changes (poopie ones). I usually hold my breath and when I need to breathe I breathe into a clean wipee. Its fresh smelling and unscented and usually helps me get through the diaper changes since Mia won't let me put my shirt over my nose! haha

CRAVINGS:

Well Adrian BBQ'd his famous Carne Asada last weekend and it lasted us all week. I am officially burnt out on meat for now. Hamburgers are bleh and I can do without carne asada. Beans still taste ULTRA good but I still haven't had any new cravings. Sometimes I get an urge to eat something but after I eat it I am ok... nothing re-occuring.

SICKNESS/TIREDNESS:

Yep I still get queasy but its getting so much better now. It is still bad in the morning but after a good meal and by the afternoon I am ok. I really need to stay on top of eating because as soon as I get hungry I get sick.

I still get pretty tired during the day and naps always help with that... even if they end up being 20 min cat naps.

NEW SYMPTOMS:

Ligament pain!!!!! OMG its starting to really flare up now. I am considering getting another pregnancy belt. Its mostly in the lower part of my abs and rarely does it go into my groin area but it has. It almost feels like I am carrying this little passenger really low and its not helping my lower ligaments.

Another thing that I have been dealing with since the beginning but has started to get worse is gas pain. For some reason sometimes I get like a gas bubble stuck. Its kind of hard to describe it, but its almost like needing to fart (I know pretty graphic but hey we are talking pregnancy here! You wanna read about some fun toddler stuff read Mia's blogs! haha) but anyways its almost like having a fart get stuck in the lower half of your intestines and refuses to budge for hours and hours. Talk about pain!!! At one point I went to bed with the horrible pain, woke up with it and spent most of the afternoon with it until it finally dislodged itself. I was pretty miserable and was almost ready to call the On-Call nurse! Hopefully I won't have to deal with that too much more, but it has been happening more frequently.