This morning, on the way to church with my amazing wife, it suddenly hit me. This year, I will celebrate Father’s Day in a much different way. I mean, I always celebrate Father’s Day, but it is always for my own dad. This year, I will be the father. That seemed so strange and so awesome at the same time. How crazy is that? Me … celebrating Father’s Day … as the father. Consider my mind blown. 16 weeks and 6 days to go.
According to my pregnancy app, baby B is the size of a papaya this week! He is growing so fast! I just caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and was a little surprised at my new figure. It is funny because even though I am gaining weight (and a belly) I don’t really feel much heavier. Just more awkward. I can still get out of bed and out of chairs pretty easily. I may not run anywhere, but feel like I still walk relatively quickly. Going up many stairs is harder now.
It is hard to believe I still have just about 4 months to go! Time will go by so fast that despite the physical limitations ahead, I am looking forward to each moment. It will only get us closer to meeting our little boy 🙂
Well, we went to the new Buy Buy Baby store that just opened up near us to get an idea of what we should be looking for. We played with strollers, car seats, stroller-car seat combos, checked out cribs, dressers, fancy rocking chairs, diaper bags, room decorations, video and audio monitors, and much more. After spending a good deal of time in the store, I have come to one conclusion … this is going to be expensive straight out of the gate.
Despite the dollar signs that kept flying past my eyes, it was cool shopping around. It makes things feel even more real. We feel blessed by Baby Bonilla, but even more blessed knowing that he will be well fed, have a roof over his head, be comfortable and very loved.
Stop kicking your mother or you are going to be put on a timeout! That is all.
We got a lot of compliments on the maternity t-shirt that I made Valerie. She loved it. I even had a few people say that we should sell them. A few people asked over and over. So I went ahead and opened a Cafepess shop that features the maternity t-shirts in all of their wondrous glory. If you choose to get one for yourself or someone that you know, I hope you or that person enjoys it.
Now that I am moving in to the second half of the pregnancy, I am starting to experience new (and not so exciting) symptoms and feelings! Some funny, some awkward.
1) now that Baby B (Auntie Linda came up with that one) is getting bigger and stronger I can feel more kicks rather than just movements. Today at work, I think he was bored that I was just sitting there, so he kept kicking all over. At one point, he kicked my bladder really hard and I had to run to the restroom!
2) the last few days I have had a pain down the back of my left leg. It kind of feels like I pulled my hamstring. I don’t know if it is a pregnancy thing, but I never felt it before.
3) I started getting a little bit of a bloody nose today, which I hear is a pregnancy symptom. It isn’t much, but I never get bloody noses.
All in all, as long as I keep feeling my little man wiggling, I am happy 🙂 I am sure that David is going to feel him soon, because this baby is really getting strong!
Had another appointment today, and our baby boy is doing great! He had a super strong heartbeat and was moving all over. Unfortunately Mom isn’t doing so hot. I caught a cold and am trying to rest and drink plenty of fluids. Hopefully it doesn’t last too long. Doesn’t seem to be bothering this little guy, he is having a good time squirming around.
Ok, maybe this one doesn’t count just yet. However, it can count for Valerie and I, no? Baby Bonilla has gotten his first Christmas gifts, so people are already thinking of him which makes us so happy.
Here is a gift I made for Valerie. She loved it and wore it all Christmas morning.
Here is a gift from uncle Kevin.
Here is a gift from aunt Erica, uncle Eddie, and baby Bonilla’s cousins.
Our good friends Andrew and Krisleen even sent us some baby gifts when they found out the good news. We are very blessed. Thank you everyone.
Today marks the 20 week point! I am amazed at the fact that in a few more months we will be bringing home our baby boy! Now that we have come so far, it is time to really start planning a few things. Since I have some time off of work for the holidays, I am looking forward to researching some baby items (strollers, carseats, cribs, etc).
I thought I would also share some of the frequently asked questions I get.
1) Do you get sick?
I don’t know why people want to know about my stomach issues, but whatever. I actually did really well the first 8 weeks or so. After that first appointment and ultrasound, I started getting more nauseous, and had a few “episodes” of morning sickness. It wasn’t that bad though. I still get nauseous when my stomach gets too empty, but even that is way less at this point. For the most part it tapered down after about 17 weeks.
2) Do you have any cravings?
I don’t think that I do. I would say I have just been more picky with what food I want. During the first trimester it was hard to think of any meal that sounded good. The only thing that always sounded yummy was ice cream. Now I am doing better at eating just what is available. No cravings for anything unusual, though!
3) Can I touch your belly?
This is a new one for me! For family I don’t really mind because I know them and know how excited they are…it is cute really. For other people, they usually ask first. Depending on who it is, I am okay with it (for now, at least). I think it is a little strange that people want to go around touching my ice cream storage unit, especially when it is still a little flabby. But, I get it too. It is fascinating that a little human is in there!
4) Can you feel kicking yet?
Well, I don’t know if it is kicking, but I can definitely feel him moving around more and more. At first it was a little butterfly in the belly feeling, and it has slowly been getting stronger. Now I can feel him kinda rolling around, and sometimes a quick jab to the stomach. So far it has only been felt from the inside, but as he keeps growing I am sure David will feel them from the outside of my tummy soon enough.
5) Have you thought of names?
David and I have a list going. While we were set on a boys name for a few years (when we started talking about future kids) it is hard to ignore all the other possibilities. We will likely have a short list of names ready, and then see what this little guy looks like to make the final decision. For now, he is just “Baby”
That is it for now, but as I think of more (or if you have any questions for me) I will include them!
I am so incredibly grateful and feel absolutely in awe over how healthy our baby boy looks! I have been nervous for the last week, and seriously was preparing myself in case there was bad news. But seeing our baby move more and more during the ultrasound lifted all my fears. I prayed my thanks immediately.
When the technician said she could tell the gender right away, I got excited. I had been thinking it was a boy, and when I saw proof, I couldn’t stop the tears of happiness. David and I are going to have a son 🙂
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us. We are incredibly blessed.
Here is baby Bonilla’s first video!
Words cannot express how nervous I was at today’s appointment. Would the baby be healthy? That’s all we really cared about. I was a mess, but trying not to show it too much. Then we saw the baby on the screen. The nurse was searching around, making sure everything was ok. And thank the Lord, everything looked as healthy as it could be. Our prayers were answered.
So without further delay, here are some photos of our baby boy. The Bonilla name will go on! We cannot wait to meet you. Mommy and daddy are so excited!
Baby’s first embarrassing picture (we apologize in advance):
Our anatomy scan is tomorrow! According to most of my books, this may be the last time we see our little baby until he or she is born. I am excited to see how big my baby has grown and if it is a he or a she. I can’t believe I am so close to the halfway point. It doesn’t seem real that the baby is close to 6.5 inches long and almost weighing in at one pound. I am getting bigger, but I still don’t see how it fits inside me.
I had a bit of a rough day with some remnants of morning sickness. I don’t know what caused it all of a sudden, but I am sure it is a sign that baby is still growing and wanting attention.
I am eager to see this pregnancy progress further along. I can’t wait for David to feel some kicks, and for me to be able to tell what baby is doing and how it is positioned. I hear you can start telling the difference between a foot, or elbow, or a hand. It is amazing what a woman’s body is capable of doing!
I don’t know how I will sleep tonight, or how I will concentrate at work tomorrow. I just hope baby is well rested so it can put on a show for us!
Valerie is now at 19 weeks. We are almost halfway there. She is starting to round out and hopefully baby is nice and comfy in there.
I was driving to work this morning, thinking about all the things I need to do today, when I felt a quick thump to the gut. I guess baby was trying to remind me what matters most in my life 🙂
Valerie says that (according to her iPhone app) the baby is now the size of a mango. Growing and growing.
Valerie is feeling more and more movements. Last night, she said, “woah, I think it just did a summersault.” I am still a little envious that I cannot feel anything and she gets to have all of the fun. LOL. I just have to be patient and wait my turn. Her nausea is calming a bit, so that is a good sign. What is funny is that there are still a lot of people that do not even know that she is pregnant. I mean, the immediate families know. Her coworkers and some of our closer friends know because … well … you can tell by looking at her now. We’ll find out the sex later this month so that is exciting. Can’t wait.
Say that over and over really fast. That was the sound I heard today of our baby’s heartbeat. It was the first time that I had heard that sound since October 30th and it made me happy to hear it again.
Going into today’s appointment, I was pretty calm and without a worry in my head … until we sat there in the office and the doctor was getting ready to listen to the heartbeat. Then I got really nervous. However, the sound was there nice and strong and the doctor said, “There’s the heartbeat” and then looked at me and asked “Do you hear it?” Obviously she remembered that I could not make anything out the first time and I had to take her word for it. This time, I heard it loud and clear and it was one of the most powerful sounds I have ever heard in my life. It was that fast paced, yet calming “swoosh” repeating itself over and over.
Everything is looking good so far. Thank you God.
Today I am so grateful for my family, who is so supportive and loving to me. I am especially grateful for my wonderful husband. He is my perfect match in life, and I wouldn’t want to have a child with anyone else. I am grateful for this incredible blessing that is growing in me. It is such a huge miracle to be carrying a new life, and I thank God every day for this chance.
May everyone in the world feel a bit of the happiness and gracefulness that I do today.
I am now just over 15 weeks along and doing okay. I get a little nervous still since I don’t know what is going on inside me. But, I am so happy every time I feel a tiny little flutter every so often. It is so crazy, and completely magical at the same time. To think that my little baby is making him or herself comfy in me makes me so happy. I can’t wait until the kicks start so that David can feel them too.
I still have some hard days, but my food issues seem to be balancing out. My book says that I will start packing on some pounds this trimester. I am trying to remember to do this slowly. I also am having some back pain, but that was the case before I got pregnant too.
Only a week until my next appointment, which will probably just be a quick checkup. I am just excited to hear baby’s heartbeat again.
Keep all the prayers coming, they are really helping 🙂
Valerie is now 14 weeks along. It hasn’t been an easy 14 weeks for her since she is always either hungry or nauseous. But she has not let that get her down and is in good spirits. She is such a strong woman and I am so proud of how well she is getting through all of this. She says sometimes she thinks that she can feel the baby moving. Nothing strong. Just a little sensation here and there. Time seems to be going by fast, but at the same time, it cannot go by fast enough … if that makes sense. I guess I am just anxious to finally see the baby.
I literally am rounding! I look in the mirror or at pictures David takes of me and it seems that I am further along than I am supposed to be! We’ve had two ultrasounds, so I know there are not two in there, but it sure looks like it! This little bump is going to be hard to hide at work.
I am looking forward to officially be in the second trimester. Should be a few days now. For some reason my nausea has been a little worse the last few days, which is disappointing when on vacation. I am still really struggling with getting vegetables in me, so I will try to make that a goal for the week. I have to hope baby is getting all it needs from my reserves.
Vacation is over today, and I am so grateful for the time I got to spend with my husband. We had so much fun over the last week. I can’t wait for the holidays now.
I am so over the moon after yesterday’s appointments! I still can’t believe how incredible it was to see our baby waving at us and moving all over. It is amazing how much detail an ultrasound can give. At one point I saw baby’s mouth opening and closing, like he/she was trying to talk to us 🙂 The baby was even trying to suck its hand!
I feel so incredibly blessed and grateful for this miracle. It has been a nerve-wrecking road so far, but I am starting to feel relief. I know with the continued support and prayers from our families, we will be okay.
Other than this incredible high I feel, I am doing just fine. Still fighting a bit of nausea, but it is manageable. I will be into my second trimester soon, so I should start feeling even better. I haven’t been super tired, but I have had some trouble sleeping. Maybe this next trip to San Diego will help me get that last bit of relaxation before tackling the next hurdle of pregnancy…gaining a big belly!
Here are the photos from the second ultrasound with baby Bonilla at 12 weeks and 2 days. Baby Bonilla was active. The first thing we saw was baby Bonilla waving at us. Then came the kicking, turning, dancing … and I think I saw baby do a jumping jack. Maybe not. But baby was very active today and getting baby to sit still for the camera was difficult, but the nurse was a pro.
It hit me last night, the night before our second ultrasound appointment. I nervous level jumped extremely high. What would we see at the appointment in the morning? Would it be good news? Sitting in the doctor’s office, as it was time to listen for the babu, I grew even more nervous. Trying not to show my nervousness too much, I could see that Valerie was very nervous as well. Here we were, ready to see how this baby was doing. We had been through this once before. I prayed that this time, things would be ok. I had to have faith and I had to try to stay calm.
And then I heard it. Well, the doctor said I heard it. I was not exactly sure what I was hearing. She said, “That’s the baby’s heartbeat.” Ok. If you say so. It sounds like a bunch of static to me. Then Valerie said she heard it too. Ok. If you say so. It sounds like a bunch of static to me. Then I could kind of make out a little swoosh sound within the static. I think I heard it. I mean, you could have told me it was anything and I would have said, “Ok. If you say so.” But I think I heard it too. And at that moment, a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders. After months of wondering, it all became very real again. All of a sudden the excitement and joy hit me and it has been a long time since I have had a great day like this.
