All that movement and we still need another ultrasound?

I had my 20 week check up today. 6 more pounds on my ass since last month. Woo hoo! I tried to joke and tell the nurse that they told me I didn't have to get weighed this time right after Christmas. She didn't even crack a smile and pointed to the scale. Bah humbug to her! This brings the grand total to 18 pounds so far. Ugh, and I haven't even had the bulk of my weight gain yet. Oh well. I did indulge in the Endless fries at Island's today so I'm not really all that surprised to be packing on the pounds! =)

On a brighter note, the results of the AFP test (for genetic abnormalities) all came back good and we had less than a 1 in 10000 chance of having a baby with Down syndrome. The doctor did review the ultrasound with me. As active as little Emma was, they didn't feel that there was a clear enough picture of her heart so they wanted me to go back for another ultrasound when she is a bit bigger, in a month or so. Clearly she could tell by the look on my face that I was worried, but she assured me that it was not because they suspected anything was wrong, but just because of how the baby was positioned they didn't have a clear enough picture. She said, "Hey at least you get to see her again before she's born!" Emma had a very healthy heartbeat again today so I am really not worried.

I asked about the big giant red sticker on my chart that said "Rh-negative". Apparently 80% of the world has Rh-positive blood so there is a chance that if my blood mixes with the baby's that I would build up a sensitivity that could cause my blood to attack the baby's. I will have to get a shot at 28 weeks and then right after I deliver and all should be fine. She said if I could prove that Larry had Rh-negative blood (98% of Asians are positive as well!) they could forgo the shots. Leave it to me to be different so I will just have the shots, no biggie.

I have entered into a pre-nesting phase, also known as I feel the need to take everything to the dump! I am determined to empty out these damn closets before the new year starts! The trick is to take everything there while Larry is at work so he doesn't develop a rekindled love for that empty box that has been taking up space in the closet for three years! Hopefully no boxes fall on my head! =)

Our Christmas surprise....It's a girl!

Larry and I went to our big ultrasound appointment on Friday December 19th. It was the only thing that kept me positive throughout the long work week. Part of me thought that my child would not be cooperative so I wasn't banking on getting to know if Lil Lui was a he or she, but was hopeful to get to find out. I told my parents that we couldn't get an appointment until January 9th, with the hope of surprising them with the news at Christmas. So the 40 ounces of water an hour and a half before the appointment made me a bit edgy. This poor ultrasound tech was going to push on my belly and bam, I was going to pee all over the table! Fortunately she was very aware of my discomfort so she took a few quick measurements and then let me go to the bathroom before all of the fun began.

Within moments, we were able to see my active little baby on the screen. Since my last ultrasound was at 7 1/2 weeks and the baby looked like a gray blob, this was a truly amazing experience for me. It really looked like a baby. The ultrasound tech froze the shot and said, "Well looks like we have a little girl here" and pointed out the goods. I began crying immediately. She let me know the tissues were right next to my head. Clearly I am not the first mom to start crying. I couldn't believe I was going to have a little girl! Here is that photo. The three lines indicate that Lil Lui is indeed a little girl!



Lil Lui was very cooperative and the tech was able to get photos of everything she needed to...the heart beating, her spine, her kidneys, the brain, arms/hands, legs/feet. At one point the baby was sticking her butt up like a stink bug and displaying her acrobatic flips. I could have stared at the screen all day long. I pretty much sobbed through the whole appointment. Here are the other photos.



This first photo is the one we copied and put in a frame for my parents. I put pink footprints and handprints on the frame with a sticker that said "Thank heavens for little girls." At the bottom I put pink letters that said, "Love, Emma Kalai" which is the name we decided on. We both liked the name Emma and Kalai is after my grandma. It is a Hawaiian name meaning "the calm, peace". It was very hard to keep the secret from my parents and grandma for almost a whole week, but it was sure worth the look on their faces when they opened the box and finally registered that they were going to have a granddaughter.



Here is a photo of Emma doing her yoga moves. Shortly after this photo, she had her toes in her mouth! The wad under her knees is the placenta. She insisted on moving for the WHOLE appointment!




She was very tired after all of the work. This is a photo of her mid-yawn. It was so amazing to see her yawning and putting her hands in her mouth.

We called a lot of our friends shortly after the appointment since there was no way, I could keep this news a secret. After I got home, I went out to buy a pink dress. I just had too! =) Now the secret is out and we are both thrilled to be able to officially call Lil Lui SHE now! She is a very active baby and I feel her movements a lot more. She gave me quite a few kicks while I was sitting in the car. I guess she is like mom and not a fan of sitting either! It feels so much more real now and I am so excited to meet her! I can't believe I have hit the 20 week mark already and my pregnancy is half over! I think with 5 uncles, 3 grandpas, and softy Larry for a daddy, Lil Emma is going to have the men in her life wrapped around her little finger!

Long car rides suck and so does this IPhone!

So I am not a big fan of sitting for hours. We are on the way back to San diego and I have been sitting in this stupid car for hours. I should also add that sitting equals the baby kicking the crap out of me. Clearly Lil Lui is not a fan of sitting either. I decided to pass some time and update the blog from Larrys phone since my Blackberry wouldn't let me log in to create a new post. However, I just so happen to despise this ridiculous touch screen keyboard which never types the words I want and slows my typing to one word per minute! I obviously have put on some weight lately but I know my fingers aren't fat! Grr! So when I am home and in a much less pissy mood, I will update everyone on our holidays and how the family took the news that we are having a baby girl! Yep Lil Lui is officially a she!

Week 19

Some great things mark this end of this week. The big 3-0 birthdays have begun. Congrats on reaching this milestone Andrea and Khalielah! =) This means I am just around the corner. When I was a kid, thirty seemed sooooo old, but now I feel like life really begins at 30. I am especially excited to eat Italian food for Khalielah's B-day tomorrow. Lil Lui will be pleased with Keekah's choice of Buca di Beppo so mommy can have some spaghetti and meatballs! 

I am excited that the semester is finally over! One more to go and I can finally spend some time away from school. That will be an AMAZING feeling!! I have "senior-itis" for sure but the light is at the end of the tunnel so I'm sure I will make it. I'm not sure if I'll still fit in those tiny little desks by May, though. =( I am also very excited to finally get a two week break from work. I love my kiddos and all but they have run me ragged this week! I am really looking forward to seeing my family for a few days next week. Hopefully the grapevine cooperates and does not close due to snow. I also hope I don't have to visit every rest stop along the way. I debated just wearing diapers so I don't have to stop but that sounds a bit too "I'm driving across the country to kill a woman and there is no time for peeing." There is no doubt that the belly has grown since the last photo. I still feel blessed for not looking too huge for being almost 5 months along. Here are some updated photos to keep all my blog-followers happy! =)

"Calm down Mommy or I will kick you!"

Lil Lui was an active little bugger today, but today was also a pretty stressful day at work. I take that as a sign that two weeks off is going to be a much needed break! It is weird to feel the baby move more all of a sudden. I've always been very in tune with my body and clearly all the movement is the baby's way of telling me to chill out. I chilled out this afternoon with two cheesy beef burritos from Taco Bell and a Dr. Pepper. How's that for healthy choices?! =) Hey, without wine, it's the best I can do! The highlight of my day was my darling 6-year old student....oh let's just call him Brian for the sake of confidentiality. Well, Brian was a pooper today but this morning he gave me the bubbliest 'good morning' and put his hands and my belly and said, 'good morning smart boy' into my tummy. I almost shed a tear (big surprise). Even on the toughest days, I can still always reflect on one amazing thing that happened to make me smile. =)

Five more days....

Yep, I'm counting down. Friday will mark the end of this crappy semester and the start of Winter Break at work! It has been a grueling four months and I can't believe that I have almost made it. Here's the update on my child...

Lil Lui got to have his/her first "real" Chinese food dinner last night in LA. He/she seemed to enjoy it, even the red bean soup which I normally HATE. (Who decided hot bean stuff makes a good dessert?) I had to pass on the abalone because it still looks repulsive to me. It was a good meal with the Lui family. Hopefully Lil Lui won't be a picky eater since we will certainly want to expose the baby to all different types of food! Larry is adamant about monthly Sunday dim sum (once the baby eats solid food of course.)

I have been having very frequent dreams about having a little girl. I am not convinced that is what we are having, but I am anxious to get to know.  One of my students told his mom that I was "growing a very smart little boy." Kids with autism seem to have a weird sense about all of that. I really don't know how people wait until the baby is born. I am WAY too anal to wait that long. I'm already annoyed that I have to wait until I'm 20 weeks along! Larry's mom gave us our first set of baby onesies....neutral colors of course. I cannot wait to get to buy little boy or girl clothes and start preparing the nursery for our baby!

Lil Lui is much more active these days. I'm not feeling kicks exactly yet, but more like popcorn. Stronger than the flutters I was feeling before. It is amazing to me that there is a BABY in my stomach. There is definitely more movement in the evening. My back is starting to ache more these days, but nothing to complain about. Lil Lui is now about 5 1/2 inches from head to booty and weighs about 7 ounces. We get the results of my AFP test at my next appointment on Dec. 30 so I am hoping that my little monster is healthy and developing how he/she should be. Ugh, I'm sick of having a he/she! =p

Hot chocolate knees, spit-filled hair, and a lil' bit of sappiness...

The part of my job that I love the most is that there is never, ever, a dull moment. I had a new student start today. My, is he precious! Quite the busy little six-year old with autism. He likes to clear surfaces of things in his way. Today, that included the traveler mug of one of my assistants filled with hot chocolate that made a nice addition to our carpet. Later in the day, I was helping with another student (who, mind you, was repeatedly spitting at me) and had to kneel down on the carpet. After a few seconds, I felt a wetness seeping through the knees of my pants. At first I thought the child I was currently with had spit so much that the carpet was REALLY that wet. Ewww. When I stood up and saw my brown kneed jeans, I realized the carpet was still wet from earlier in the day. Awesome. So I was off to a do a group presentation later that evening with dirty ass pants, spit stains on my shirt, and most likely spit in my hair. How hot am I?! Yeah, baby. I made sure to inform Larry when I got home that if our child EVER spit at us or one of their teachers, I would smack their mouth and he needed to do the same. I am SOOOO not down with spit. Bleh. Kick me all you want, but spit, and you will have hell to pay!

This has also been a very reflective past few days for me. I have done a LOT of complaining about school lately. Yes, I have been legitimately stressed out about it, but in retrospect, I am okay. A dear friend of mine lost her father to cancer this past weekend. Another friend had to check her little sister into rehab. We all fight our personal battles and most of us (especially in my profession) keep everything to ourselves and put on a happy face. I have been underappreciative of everything that I have in my life. Sometimes being positive is just so HARD. The one thing that puts a smile on my face everyday is the thought of meeting my baby in 5ish months. Thanks, Lil Lui, for reminding mommy of the amazing things that happen in life. Despite my new-found backaches and "popcorn" feeling movements when I am trying to sleep, I know everything I am dealing with in my life right now will all be worth it in the end.

Week 17 Photos

This will probably be the last photo of me in non-maternity jeans. These bad boys are getting a bit too tight. Don't mind my messy hair. It's Saturday and blow drying is too much work! And clearly Mama Lui just was not really in the mood for photos today. =)

SEVEN Pounds!??

Yeah, clearly I have no problem eating. I had my four month check up yesterday. I have gained 7 pounds since my last appointment a month ago. I would like to blame Thanksgiving and my obsession with french fries for this spectacular weight gain. This brings my total weight gain to 13 pounds so far. Yep, on the road to 40 lbs. Sexy. Lil Lui had a nice strong heartbeat, when he or she wanted to be still enough to be heard on the doppler. The nurse commented that I have a very active baby because he/she was CONSTANTLY moving. This is a good sign, though. =) I've been feeling those first "tummy flutters" of baby movement the past week or so, which is pretty cool. I mostly feel them when I lay down to go to sleep at night. Of course my child would want to be active when mommy is ready to go to sleep. I look forward to being able to feel real Lil Lui movements in the coming weeks. Larry and I will be able to go to a full anatomy ultrasound soon, which is also when they can hopefully tell the sex of the baby. I can hardly wait to know if Lil Lui is a he or a she!!!!!!!!!

Babysitting and Bad Words

I was honored to babysit Kayla today while Tash and Jeremy went to see a movie. She is the cutest thing ever! Such a good girl for auntie Maile! She really made me excited for my own munchkin, except when I really had to pee while she was still awake and I wasn't sure where to put her so she would be safe. I opted to hold it until she was fast asleep! =) She slept so quietly and peacefully that I had to check to make sure she was still breathing. (Yeah, a bit paranoid!)

Now it is back to reality....the reality that the semester is almost over and I am about to have a F***ING breakdown!!!! I have so much to do and I don't even know where to start. I honestly don't know how I will get it all done and sleep and work and do all those basic things that humans need to do to survive, like eat! Group projects need to go to hell. It's hard enough for me to motivate myself to get things done, let alone having to deal with other burnt out students who could care less right now. Stupid master's project, stupid papers, stupid reflective journals, stupid group projects, stupid, stupid, stupid!!!!! Pthhhhhhh. Is it May yet? I know I bitch to everyone saying "Life is about choices" and yes, I made the choice to go to school, but this is just ridiculous. Stick a frickin' fork in me, Mama Lui is D-O-N-E!!!! >=p

I love Thanksgiving!

It was another successful Thanksgiving in the Lui household with enough food to feed a small army! Two days of preparing food and all the eating was over in a few short hours. I wouldn't trade this day for any other in the world. And I didn't even cry, which was a miracle in itself! It was the first time seeing my parents and brothers since the news of Lil Lui. It made it seem even that much more real! No one is convinced that I really look all that pregnant, but can tell I am bigger than I was pre-baby. My lil' one is now the size of an avocado. Go guacamole! =) Sleeping on my back is no longer an option, which sucks since this is the position I seem to be in every single time I wake up in the middle of the night. I am really not a huge fan of sleeping on my side, but I guess I have 24 more weeks to learn to love it! I am still feeling fabulous with no complaints right now. I still have more zits than I did when I was 13, but I suppose I will live. =) Here are a few photos from Thanksgiving. Thank you to all of my family for making the trip down here (with the award going to my dad for the 5.5 turned into 11 hour drive! Gotta love Thanksgiving traffic!) Lil Lui sure felt the love under our roof!

The Lui Clan:minus Papa Lui who was in China. Me, Larry, Jon, Vincent, Mom, Alice (Kenny's girlfriend,  the other female representing!), and Kenny

Me and the grandmas-to-be

The Wojciechowski Clan: Lil Bro Michael, Dad, my mom Filomena, Big Bro Gary, and Me (Willie is one of the dogs)

The Cuadrado Clan: Rai, Me, and my mom Joanne

Me and my Mom. There was a lot of belly rubbing going on this week! =)

Lil Lui's first Thanksgiving with Mom and Dad =)

Another new baby in my life!

Now that many of my friends are having babies and I am actually pregnant, I am overcome with joy when their child makes their way into the world. Paula had little Ian in August, Tash had Kayla in September, and Khalielah just had little Mahalia this past Monday! I can't imagine the joy of holding your baby after waiting so long to meet them. *tear* My next friend to have a baby will be Kelly in February, so just as I start to get a grip on my emotions, it will be time to cry all over again and welcome another playmate for Lil Lui into the world. This whole "baby process" is truly amazing to me and I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to experience it all. 25 more weeks to go and I get to meet my son/daughter. By the way, not so sure as to what my instincts are saying about the sex of this child. I was feeling boy, but have been having girl dreams lately, so now I'm not sure at all! I guess I'll get to find out soon enough!

Week 15

I wish my books would stop comparing Lil Lui to some sort of food....especially this close to Thanksgiving! Knowing my baby is "now the size of an apple" makes eating apple pie a bit less appealing! =) I am super excited for Thanksgiving and seeing all of my family. Lil Lui has been treating mommy very well. I have definitely had more spurts of energy. I was definitely not prepared for all of the body changes, primarily the boob changes. I won't go into detail but over the past few days I have had uncontrollable boob itch and cried coming out of the shower last night after catching a glimpse of my "new rack" in the mirror. Every part of me is getting bigger. Larry reminded me that there is a baby in my belly and that the stork would not be delivering our child. =) Oh, this must be why my body is morphing rapidly into this unrecognizable form. Here are the latest pics. Thank goodness the sports bra smashes down the twins. I feel like I am growing wider and less outwards. The sides of my belly are hard as a rock and definitely more full than they were a few weeks ago!

Second Trimester and the Vegas Experience

Thank you Dave, Hilary, and Larry for a fabulous weekend!!!!!!

I'm waiting in the airport for my flight to return home to San Diego and must admit that I am completely over doing a paper for SDSU and would instead prefer to share my fabulous Vegas weekend! I'm tired and a bit grumpy right now, but I had so much fun. We stayed in a beautiful room on the 31st floor of the Wynn, with a view of the strip and the golf course. The bathroom was amazing and I was sad to leave behind the huge tub that provided some relaxing bubble baths.

Food continues to make me very very happy. We had two fabulous dinners; one at Restaurant Charlie and one at Bradley Ogden. The food, the service, and the company were more than I could ever ask for! If I have not gained at least 10 pounds this weekend, I will be very surprised. ; ) We saw Cirque du Soleil's "Love" (aka Beatles goodness!). It was amazing and I was even more envious of the acrobatic skills since I am less graceful and limber these days.

Gambling was kept to a minimum. Hilary introduced me to "Mr. Cashman" which made absolutely no sense to me, but kept me entertained at least! =) Plus, the smell of cigarettes and cigars is less than appealing to me these days so I spent little time in the casino. It also amazes me how less amusing drunk people are when I have to refrain from the ever-flowing cocktails. Go water! Because of all the water intake, Lil Lui encouraged me to visit almost every bathroom in every casino we were in. Really, this whole peeing thing is starting to be REALLY annoying. After asking other mothers if this fabulous pregnancy symptom would get better, the response I get is, "Yeah, it'll get better....in 6 more months." 

*sigh* 6 more months and there will be a baby in my house. This is still so surreal to me! Time seems to be vanishing quickly, as does the ability to fit in my clothes. This is a sad transition to me but well worth it to make room for our son or daughter! I am staying up later these days (double digit hours baby!) so perhaps this is a sign that my energy will return in leaps and bounds!

Vegas Baby!

To celebrate the end of my first trimester, Larry and I are off to Las Vegas to get hammered! =p Not so much, but we are off to enjoy our last trip before we are parents! I will let you know how it goes! 

Maternity Pants and Shout Outs

Not as ugly as I expected...thanks to the GAP and Old Navy (shout out to Tash for that suggestion!). Thank goodness these stores understand the fact that some pregnant women have long legs. Now, in order for the pants to be long enough, I don't have to sag them down so the crotch is at my knees. =) Yay. My other great purchase...bra back extenders.Who knew that your back would get wider for crying out loud? Unfortunately I have a wide back to begin with so to get a back big enough, I would have to be a D cup. Wishful thinking, but not there. These $1.50 purchases can add up to 2.5 inches to your bra. Thanks for the super tip Paula! I sure love that many of my friends just had babies or are about to, so I can get the 4-1-1 on all the good stuff. Let's think good thoughts for my dear friend Khalielah, to whom I owe the idea of this website. Her precious little girl is due in just 10 more days!

Week 13

I awoke at 3 am with an almost uncontrollable craving for BBQ Boiled Tofu from Tofu House on Convoy....extra spicy. Good thing they weren't open. However, I made sure to leave Larry a note on his wallet before I left for work that this is what I MUST have for dinner and boy, did it taste good! Yummy yummy yummy. Spicy food has been making me happy. And oranges. Not much of a change in the tummy in my opinion, but here are the week 13 pics...the start of trimester 2. I am actually getting some energy back. Hooray!

Good News Tuesday

I had my 12 week appointment today. I got to HEAR Lil' Lui's heartbeat today, which was an incredibly exciting experience. It was about 150 beats per minute. Doc says everything looks good. I have gained 3.5 pounds (even though it feels like 10!), my blood pressure is good and all of my blood work from the last appointment came back great. Apparently I am still pregnant and not just getting chunky! =) My next appointment is in a month. They will do the AFP test (test for Down's syndrome) and then I can schedule my 2nd trimester ultrasound. This is the one, where if out child is cooperative, we can tell if there is a rudder or not (this was my dad's exact terminology!) If I can schedule this before Christmas, I would really like that. I have a feeling, though, that if I rush it, my child will not cooperate and show the goods, so we will find out soon enough. I can't believe three months have gone by already! My family has been on my mind a lot lately. I am happy to report everyone is in good health. I am happy to end my Tuesday with a big smile.

A hormonal woman's heaven

Are you serious....there's REALLY a place in San Diego that you can go to and throw crap at the wall and break it? For a nominal fee, Sarah's Smash Shack lets you get out all that frustration. Really, you get to throw stuff. Perhaps this would be a healthier choice and I wouldn't regret breaking things. I thought about throwing that laptop again while working on ANOTHER paper today! Check out the website!

http://www.smashshack.com/Home_Page.html

Bored of doing homework

I've been bombarded with thoughts on what the sex of Lil Lui will be. Here's your chance to vote!

I heart my protective coworkers! (And spaghetti and meatballs!)

It is a nice feeling when a kid gets upset in my presence, my "posse" shows up within 5 seconds to get my back. The size of my posse can range from 3-7 adults. No joke. Loud noise in my room.....at least one adult immediately checking in. I am comforted knowing me and my lil' one are safe at all times. I have lots of favors to return when the tables are turned! Seriously, I have felt SOOO loved and supported by everyone in my life. I'm bitchy and moody AND I have a posse people so this is your warning...don't mess with me! ; )

On a more serious note, I have been feeling more like myself, genuinely happy and excited about MY baby growing in this tummy. I've been elated from day one, but I've felt so out of sorts and unsure about how I would last 9 whole months! I am so ready to get to be a mom. I feel the changes in my body more now. To quote Khalielah, "Yay, stretching uterus!" However, based on the cramping and pain I have experienced the past 10 years from the endo, this is pretty mild.....at least for now. Hopefully the trips to the bathroom dissipate soon cuz I am sick of going up and down the stairs at work to pee all day long! Next appointment is on Tuesday. I can't believe the first trimester is almost behind me and I am eagerly awaiting the moment when my energy returns! Update on my eating and nausea...pretty much gone. I want to eat ALL OF THE TIME! I swear everything I see looks yummy (with the exception of chocolate and bananas which still aren't in my top 10 list except when I devoured a banana split without hesitation!) Isn't is so bizarre that I dream about spaghetti and meatballs? Is this kid Italian or Asian...sheesh? =) Ah, the joys of pregnancy.

Freaking Hormones!

Well, I've only cried three times so far today. This morning as I was working on a paper at 6:30 this morning, I teared up thinking I was going to chuck the laptop through the window and just drop out of school. Common sense sunk in two minutes later and I finished the paper by 8:00 am. =) I was so tired so I decided to treat myself to Starbucks. I've been super good about staying away from the caffeine, but I felt I deserved a vanilla latte today. I only shed one tear on the way home while thinking, "My life is forcing me to caffeine and now I'm going to have an underweight hyperactive child!" This tear didn't count as crying. By noon I was ready to pass out from exhaustion. Apparently this child o' mine needs a placenta, which is rapidly developing right now. My books say it is normal to feel like I just ran a marathon when I'm just sitting on the couch. This is when I had a meltdown about just wanting to be able to have a day where I really had NOTHING to do. I spent several hours doing work for work today. The house is gross (in my opinion, but I guarantee you that Larry would disagree) and cleaning is just not a huge priority for me. Later this evening while putting laundry away in my room, I started crying again. This is a good one....I can even laugh at myself now. Larry picked me up a sandwich for lunch (I had the meat heated since I didn't want to put two diet no-no's into the belly today!). I freaking cried because he got it with mayo and I NEVER get mayo. Really, who cares...not like it would kill me. I cried hours after I devoured the whole sandwich because I was sad that he didn't remember how much I despise mayo. How lame is that?!!! Granted, my taste buds are crazy right now, as I devoured 10 spicy chicken wings last night and I am generally not a fan of spicy. Seriously, I'm laughing about the sandwich now. He really is a trooper for hanging with these mood swings! I'll probably start crying about this ever-growing belly soon too. Praise the inventors of Bella Bands!

Week 11 Photo

I swear I woke up this morning and my waistline had shrunk even more. Not much to show yet, but here's the first belly pic demanded by Nana Joanne! As you can see, this took a lot of concentration. ;)

I sure have great family and friends!

I received an outpouring of emails and phone calls after the big announcement! I can't even believe it! Thank you to everyone for all of your kind words. Since I was too lazy to forward all the emails to Larry for him to read, I just copied them all together, removing any personal or incriminating info (like names and such). Except for Dave, due to the suggestions that Lil' Lui will have to either share his name or birthday. Taurus child...hmmmm!? Stubborn child with a stubborn mommy might spice up our lives! Anyways, thanks again to everyone for all of your congratulations and kind words! Apparently this kid is the size of a LIME already! What!??? I will keep you updated, but it's 9:00 folks....time for bed! =p

• What a great idea, Grandma loves it:)
• Congratulations!!! I know that you are so very excited! I don't know where you are going to fit this lil lui in your so tiny tummy but I am sure you will find room! I am so happy for the two of you!
• Congratulations!!! I don't know how to say how truly happy this news makes me feel, even all the way out here in New York. It feels like only yesterday we were at a wedding together, hanging out. My best thoughts are with you.
• Well, it's so nice to hear from you and CONGRATS. How funny (and I hope I'm not stealing your thunder or anything) but I am also expecting a baby...due on May 8th?????? We'll be putting on the pounds together. We've waited 5 years since our first daughter and we're also excited. Keep me posted!
• CONGRATS!!! That is so exciting!! wow wee!!! send my best to Larry as well!
• OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy for you :) Congrats :) This is so exciting :) You are the first friend I know that is having a baby. I will be asking you some questions in case I ever decide to have a baby someday :) So, how are you feeling?
• YAY!!! I already knew and have been praying for you guys, but YAY for the official email!! We are so excited for you both. I will look forward to receiving all the updates, and hopefully we'll be able to fly out and see you and Larry either before or shortly after the little one makes his or her appearance into the world :) my friend who had a baby last March said that going into her 2nd trimester was almost like flipping a lightswitch... she suddenly got her energy back and the nausea went away (she was having a hard time eating certain food groups). I know every pregnancy is different, but apparently the energy thing really starts to come back after the first 3 months are behind you...Congrats to you both!!!!!!!
• Awfully close to Dave's birthday. Is "dave" or "big worm" potential middle names?
• So exciting! Loving the blog and can't wait to read more entries. Since your due date is so close to Dave's birthday, and you were at our wedding when Lil Lui implanted, shouldn't that mean that we get to help you name the baby?? I'm thinking you should go with Sarah Palin's method of naming it after a favorite activity so....Wii Lui? Or if you're feeing really specific, Rock Band Lui :)
• CONGRATS FROM YA LONG FORGOTTEN FRIEND, REMEMBER ME?
• Congrats to you and Larry....You are both going to be great parents !!!!!
• wow, cool. congrats Maile!
• Congratulations! You know , you looked a little peekish when we visited you, but we thought it was the new job, etc. That is such exciting news! A new little baby in the family is just what every needs with such other negative news around us. We all wish you the best in the upcoming months as you expand and get all hormonal (no fun), but it is all worth it. Take care of yourself and enjoy these months as "childless parents".
• love the website. it's too cute.
• in the late 80s, larry promised me his first born for a turn on the nintendo. i guess, he didn't have the foresight. i'll be by to pick-up around mayish.
• I'm so happy for you!! Congrats!
• Congrats !
• HOLY COW!!! (or should I say Monkeys!) Congratulations!!!!
• I think you handled The Swan Oyster Depot pretty well! That "crab lui" salad was off the hook! Can't wait to see the "grape" develop into a full blown "lair pie"...
• hey, nerdicus! i saw your blog and it's super cute!! =) i'm glad that i don't have to be careful about not being the blabbermouth who spills the beans now!
• Congradulations!!!! Yea, I'm SOOOOO EXCITED....WHOO HOOO. I know that I haven't talked to you in awhile but I truly appreciate that I was a part of your special and very exciting news. I wish you guys sOOOO much happiness and as soon as you find out find out if it is going to be a baby girl or boy, I WANT to know. Hopefully, I can see you guys around christmas or sooner. BUt, again congrads!!! Maile is going to be a mamma!!! :P
• Congrats! This will be the ride of your life! It will put life itself into a whole new perspective for you & the hubby! Truly enjoy every moment.
• That is sooooooooooooo exciting. You guys will make great parents.
• Congratulations!!! This must have happened right after I visited. How exciting. Two of our friends up here just had babies and it is so much fun. I will be checking out the website. Thank you for sharing!
• I know you must be getting everyone's perspectives and views on managing your pregnancy; so I won't even start :) Just remember that we love you with all of our hearts and can't wait for the new addition to the clan.
• YAY!!!! Congrats!!!! I am so excited for you! I love babies. Name it after me K?
• congratulations Maile!!! Thank you for sharing, and looking forward to seeing pictures when your little one comes into the world!
• I had a beer last night, and then remembering your request, had one for you too. I enjoyed it on your behalf very much :) I am happy to be your drinker-by-proxy for the next few months!
• NOW can I tell people?? Yes I can, right?
• Oh Maile I am so excited for you guys!! congratulations!!! I have exciting news for you too! I am also pregnant. we are a month a part. I am due April 11th. the crazy thing is I am having twins!!! Bought the bella band!! worn it a few times and it is great. the pants can't be buttoned any more!! I have been so sick. sounds like you have had some nausea. Thank god it is starting to go away for me. I basically threw up every day for past 2 months. I bought these candies called preggie pops...which I would have found them sooner then a few weeks ago. they seemed to really help with the nausea. we will have to stay in touch. again congrats. I am sooo excited for you guys!!
• This is the best news ever. Congratulations to you and Larry. I bet that you look beautiful....Thanks for sharing all your stories on your blog. I look forward to your updates as you progress. Puts a big smile on my face!

The Secret is Out

By the time most of you are looking at this, you will have finally heard the news from me or Larry (probably me cuz it is hard to contain myself!) that Lil Lui is on the way. Majority vote so far is that I'm having a boy. The Chinese calendar agrees. Larry, who would love a little girl, is hopeful. I, on the other hand, will be happy either way. I'm thinking boy on this one though.

Due to the physical nature of my job, I will be divulging my secret at work tomorrow so since the first trimester is ALMOST over, I thought it was time to let you guys in to the past two months. I have no shame here...and I like to talk a lot so don't feel obligated to keep up with everything. I'm getting more scatterbrained and forgetful these days so it makes it hard to repeat myself/update people with the same stories all the time since I always forget who I told what and then I'm like an old person telling the same story over and over again. Not fun. Just trying to spare my loved ones of the agony of repeating myself and allow those who WANT to know all the details the opportunity to hear them without my annoyed voice from having repeated myself.

My belly is definitely getting larger, but not in a cute pregnant way. More in a "hmm, she's a bit chubby and totally muffin-toppin' in those pants!" I have ordered a Bella Band which supposedly allows me to wear my normal pants unbuttoned and this contraption will hold them up. I've rocked the rubber band around the button already, but then my zipper falls down and in a hurry to the bathroom, the rubber band snapped, which sucked. Hopefully this "miracle" that prevents me from having to invest in maternity pants just yet will work out. I'm not loving the bigger waist just yet, but I am certainly okay with the bigger bra. ;)

Anyways, friends and family, thanks for joining us! I hope you are all well. I am looking forward to sharing my stories with you! Sending big hugs from San Diego! Love you all! MUAHHHH!

Week 10....Cold and a car wreck

Still hanging in there and enjoying the preliminary stages of pregnancy as much as possible. I battled a nasty cold at the beginning of the week which actually kept me home from work for two days. Pre-pregnancy I would have probably managed okay. However the snot dripping into the back of my throat was enough to make me gag, hence igniting the puking. Sorry for the details but all of my friends that are mothers assure me that all modesty flies out the window when pregnant so I figured I'd just practice early. =)

I think overall dealing with my emotions has been the most difficult part of being pregnant. My patience is far below normal. I am super sensitive (as if I wasn't sensitive enough already!). I cry much easier. I get mad and not just sorta mad, but raging mad. The worst part of the mood swings is feeling really sad sometimes. Especially when I am being a major bitch and feel like I don't deserve to be around any other humans. Sometimes it takes a rude awakening to snap me out of it.

I was very excited to find out that my Thursday night class was cancelled (our anniversary). I gleefully called Larry when I was heading out for a meeting, telling him how I could come home early and we could actually spend some time together...maybe even go to dinner. After all, this was going to be the last anniversary with just the two of us. This is when he informed me that he had been rear-ended on the freeway on the way to work that morning. Once I knew he was okay, he told me the car wasn't in such good shape. Oh well, I thought. At least HE was okay. I could be a mom without two vehicles but I certainly couldn't be a mom without Larry. This event really put my whole life back into perspective. A friend of mine told me how it is so amazing how when you are dealing with hormonal pregnancy and post partum hormones which you genuinely have no control over, they can suddenly shift when you have to be there for your spouse. This is one of those times when the black cloud above me that had me moping around like Eeyore finally moved away. Screw school. Screw work. My family was my priority. Everything else would manage.

After the longest hug ever, Larry and I enjoyed some udon noodles and frozen yogurt after I picked him up from work. Probably not high up there on the romance scale but certainly great for spending time together. Time can never be regained like material objects can. At least we had each other and our health. Sorry for the cheesy tidbit here, but it's true. So the conclusion of the car story, Larry is just fine and we will have our car back in about two weeks after the nearly $8000 of work is completed. Thank goodness we won't be replacing the Element with a minivan!

Week 9...only 31 to go!

9 weeks and feeling pretty great. Being tired ain't no thang as long as I can continue eating and keeping it down!

Now we are playing the name game. While we aren't in full agreement yet, I'm not sweating it since there is PLENTY of time to figure that out. No names sound perfect yet but I think we are getting more serious when throwing out options (This means no "King" or "Crab" or "Shrimp" or "Louis" for a first name people!) =)

Larry and I will be celebrating our 4 year wedding anniversary this upcoming Thursday, which means we have already spent the past 9 years together! Holy moly, time sure goes by quickly. While I am far from being the pleasant wife he is used to, I am looking forward to this new phase of our relationship and learning how to be parents together. I am trying to jam through homework this weekend so perhaps we can finally spend some quality time together next weekend (after I get out of class on Saturday!) =p Romance schromance sure goes out the window when there is a baby on the brain. By the way, Lil Lui is the size of a grape now! Woo hoo!

Cruella De Vil

Meet my alter-ego, Cruella (the mean scary lady from 101 Dalmations for those of you that are less familiar!). She has been in full effect today. Adults are pissing me off today. San Diego State is pissing me off today. My cat is pissing me off today. Being so pissed off is pissing me off today! Too bad a glass of wine to mellow my bitchy ass out is no longer an option! Instead, I will make a positive choice to crawl into bed, try to sleep, and hope that Cruella is gone in the morning.

It's a....blob!

Our first prenatal appointment went well today and I am officially 8 1/2 weeks. Everything looks great and I have an "official" due date of May 15th. My last day of classes at San Diego State is May 13th and graduation is May 22nd. Needless to say, I will most likely be skipping all the festivities and happily receive my Master's degree in the mail. =)

Anyways, back to our little one. Due to my incredibly tilted uterus (what an endearing trait!), we were not able to see anything from an internal ultrasound. I panicked briefly on the table while staring up at the blank black hole on the screen, while the thoughts of "Oh my god, I DOOOO have an empty sac!" ran through my head. They did an abdominal ultrasound and while the picture of the baby wasn't very clear, we definitely got to see the flutters of our little one's heartbeat! A sense of calm came over me and while lil Lui's first picture is up on the fridge, I will refrain from posting it here since it doesn't look like much. =) Next appointment is in one month. *sigh* It's really a blob....I mean baby. *smile*

Hello barfing! =(

Not a pretty topic, so I'll keep it as clean as possible. No I am not hugging the toilet cuz the urge to return my meals to the outside world has been a bit more spontaneous (e.g. kitchen sink, trashcan). So far this has only happened twice in the past week so I hope this is not a new found symptom that Baby Lui is going to plague me with. Fatigue has been brutal. My new bedtime....7:30. Needless to say, I am living on the edge tonight!

Week 7

I am eagerly awaiting our first appointment on October 7th. I try not to have negative thoughts, but miscarriage still crosses my mind. And did you know you could have a chemical pregnancy where you really just have an empty sac with no baby inside!? Yah, I know we're not out of the woods yet, so I don't plan on sharing this site with people until we're out of the first trimester. We've told our close family and friends. These are the people we will need for support in case something does go wrong, so I wanted to share the good news with them. According to our books, Baby Lui is the size of a raspberry this week. There are already little arms and mini organs developing. I have still been feeling okay besides the extreme fatigue which is kicking my butt! Hopefully I can hang with my 15 units at San Diego State plus the new job. All I really ever want to do is sleep, although my sleep has been plagued with some pretty vivid nightmares that Stephen King could write a book about! And of course the trips to the bathroom every few hours!

First Symptoms

At Mike's wedding the first smell aversions started kicking in. Major aversion, chocolate. While waiting in line for Swan Oyster Bar (and a bit bitter that oysters were no longer an option for me!) an aroma passed through my nostrils that made me want to hurl. That aroma was seeping out of the See's chocolate store, but it might as well have been a sewage factory. Good thing I was not a lover of chocolate to begin with since my new super human sense of smell certainly ruined it for the time being. Incredibly sore boobs...check. Waking up every two hours to pee...check. I just hope to not cross the barrier into hugging the porcelain god!

Just 'cause I'm paranoid

A week later I took another test just because I wasn't convinced. Yep, still positive.

That's an affirmative chief!

There is no way I thought I was pregnant. For the past 10 years, I have been told that conceiving would be a struggle for me due to my battles with endometriosis. I will be honest, after two surgeries, I was really doubtful that this was going to be an easy thing for us. Well, perhaps the lack of stress thinking this could take up to a year to happen made things happen! We had been trying for a month. At Dave and Hilary's wedding on Labor Day weekend, the last thing on my mind was that I was actually going to be pregnant. I had some mild cramping (later discovered "implantation" cramping) and thought "hmmm, too early for a period". However, I have been plagued with the most irregular cycles known to man so didn't think twice about it. Just ask Sandra, who accompanied me to the bar for another shot! Oh and Brooke too, since she joined in for the second round! Later in the week, Larry was out in the forest camping with Danny and was due back on Thursday evening, before our Friday departure to San Francisco for Mike's wedding. Just for the heck of it, I decided to take a pregnancy test, knowing there was no way it would be positive. After thirty seconds, a negative appeared. For some gross reason, I left the test on the counter and went to go read and do some homework. About an hour later, I remembered I needed to take out the trash for the garbage man and went back to the bathroom to dump the trashcans. The test was still sitting on the counter and that previous negative sign now looked like a plus. I was assured that the test was invalid after an hour and frantically ripped through the box to find the directions. "Test should be read within ten minutes." Ha, this was a mistake. Thank goodness for the 3-pack. Took another test. This one was digital so would read "Pregnant" or "Not pregnant". I patiently waited for the "Not" to appear. Well it didn't.

I was beside myself with excitement and then burst into tears realizing that I was home by myself and Larry wouldn't be home for another 2-3 hours. Not so romantic, but I called him and demanded that he pulled over so I could talk to him. Yes, this freaked him out but I assured him I was okay and he didn't need to worry. Once I knew he wouldn't crash with the news, I informed him that I had two positive pregnancy tests and we were going to have a baby. I could hear his smile. =) I waited eagerly for him to get home and in the meantime called my parents to share the news. Besides family and a few close friends, we decided to keep this under wraps until I was further along. HOLY MONKEYS we were going to be parents!!!!!!