Our Little Tax Write-Off

We just got home from what was probably one of the most memorable trips we’ve had. This weekend was such a wonderful treat, and I am incredibly lucky to have a husband who treats me so well. I already told him he has to be careful or I will be very spoiled 🙂

The drive up to Pismo Beach on Friday was beautiful. Although it was a bit rainy for portions, the coast looked so pretty and there was no traffic. We stopped in Santa Barbara for a delicious lunch and to get some special chocolates from a shop we visited the last time we were there. When we got to Pismo just before 4pm, we were pleasantly surprised at how nice the hotel was. The view was gorgeous and we were surprised with a little gift bag of a onesie with the hotel name on it and a blanket. Inside were also coupons for some treats during our stay.

Our hotel room was simply amazing. The view of the coast was breathtaking and we quickly set out to explore before the sun set. We made our way down to the beach where the tide was out and got to explore some tide pools. We later went out for a lite dinner of salad and pizza before heading back to the hotel room and a nice warm bath for me.

Our second day was pure luxury and relaxation. We started with a complimentary breakfast, then took a quick trip to a butterfly grove. I loved seeing thousands of monarch butterflies flitting around. We also walked around the Pismo pier for a bit, before heading back to the hotel to prepare for our couples massage.

We each had VERY relaxing massages! I almost didn’t want to get off of the table! I will have to remember to have a few more before baby comes 🙂 we headed back to our room after that to continue the relaxation by just being lazy. We watched tv, requested our complimentary sparkling apple cider and dessert, and just laid around before getting ready for dinner. It was in this relaxed state that David felt his son move for the first time! He was laying with his head on my stomach and heard (and felt) baby kick him in the ear. Later, as baby was really moving a lot, he was able to feel with his hand. It was perfect timing for baby to show off for his daddy 🙂

If you saw David’s Facebook posts, we had an incredible dinner. We had a voucher for the restaurant in the hotel, and didn’t think to make a reservation, but luckily they were able to give us a table. They had a special “restaurant month” menu which included 3 courses for $30. I figured it would be decent, but was treated to a spectacular meal. I had a butternut squash soup to start, followed by a very fresh piece of salmon over some asparagus and tomatoes in a citrus and balsamic sauce. David had a delicious lemon shrimp risotto and seared duck breast over some greens with onions, apples, bacon and croutons. Just when it couldn’t get better, i ordered the chocolate cake with mango sorbet and the server gave me a HUGE piece! David had an equally yummy pineapple upside-down cake with coconut sorbet and a little coconut cookie. We somehow managed to tear ourselves out of the food coma and make our way back to our room, but not before raving to the maitre’d about how much we enjoyed the dinner. Since we were stuffed, we got back into the relaxing mode and ordered an in-room movie and called it a night.

This morning, although we were sad to leave, we made the most of it by having a very tasty breakfast at a little hole in the wall place and walking around the town a bit. Sadly, soon enough we needed to start heading back to reality. Now we are home, and trying to stay in a vacation state of mind.

That will be tough, though, because my countdown says I have just under 15 weeks left. So, we will soon be busying ourselves with preparations for Baby B’s arrival. Within the next few weeks we will start planning his room and making some of the bigger purchases. It is so exciting to think we are going to meet this little guy soon. Well, it is a little scary too, but I know that we will figure everything out. We have a great support with our family and friends. So, onwards with the countdown!

I was laying my head on Val’s stomach, listening to her insides (that’s normal, right?), and I felt a swift two kicks to the ear. “Woah” was my only reaction as Val laughed. That was the first time I have felt the baby. Then I kept listening and got another kick to the ear. Hahaha. Exciting.

What is a “babymoon” exactly? Well, my book describes it as your last peaceful vacation before the baby is born or before your wife gets too big and uncomfortable to go somewhere fun. And don’t tell her I said “big” or I may get it. So here we are in Pismo Beach, California. I reserved the nicest suite at The Cliffs Resort for the two of us. Today, we spent some time walking on the beach as the sun set, did some shopping — because shopping always seems to make women happy, and had a nice romantic dinner. Tomorrow we will enjoy our “And Baby Makes Three” package at the resort which includes a nice breakfast, couples spa massage, dinner, movie in your room, ice cream, sparkling apple cider, muffins, dinner, and a gift bag. This was actually a belated birthday gift for Val. She deserves it for being an amazing wife. Plus, I just love spending time with her.

Baby has reached the size of an eggplant (but one that weighs over a pound). Looking at my stomach these days, I can believe it! Baby B is also getting lots of practice in moving around and kicking. Sometimes, out of nowhere, my stomach will jump with a good swift kick. Yesterday he was really active, and it is amazing every time I feel his movements. I tell him he is doing a good job at kicking, and to keep practicing.

In other news, I caught a pretty bad cold. Lots of people are sick around me, and even though I try to avoid them I guess it is just in the air. I spent all yesterday hanging around at home with Netflix to entertain me and what seemed like gallons of orange juice and water. Hoping I see some improvement by today, since it is a long weekend and I don’t want to spend the entire time sick. Baby doesn’t seem too disturbed by my coughing or sneezes.

I have another doctors appointment tomorrow, but as far as I can tell everything is going along normally. I booked the majority of my prenatal classes for March and April. Now David and I are just talking about starting to get the baby’s room ready and making some purchases. He’ll be staying in the Yuko suite (aka our spare bedroom), and we have already seen some decor we like. We may paint one wall (by we I mean David) for extra color in the room. If I am feeling better Monday I will suggest a trip to Home Depot to look at paint choices.

Lots to do and just over 15 weeks left! How time flies!

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.

Browse the Baby Installing Maternity T-Shirt Store

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.