Worst Blogger Ever

Jeez.  I just cannot get it together to post on here more frequently.  My defense: I always want to wait to post until I have pictures, but inevitably the pictures are either still on the camera or already uploaded to Benny’s computer.  The defense rests.  And has no pictures, which pretty much makes this post useless to you.  

How about updates instead?  I’m 30 weeks pregnant (that’s 7 and a half months, kids) and doing pretty well.  I gained - holy cow - 8 pounds last month, but before that had gained almost none, so no biggie.  I don’t know what the baby is doing in there, but she’s very active.  My stomach moves (visible from the outside like some sort of Alien movie) when she kicks/dances/boxes in there and sometimes I feel like she has a foot hooked under my ribs.  Good times.  

Benny’s mom, sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew came to visit last week.  Daniel was here the week before and broke our airbed (just kidding!  It’s not really his fault that the piece of junk pooped out after just a few uses), so the sleeping situation was a little challenging.  Luckily, our guests were very patient and made do with one semi-inflated air bed and some sofas.  We hadn’t seen them in far too long, so it was wonderful to visit with them and see the kids.  

Now, if you’re very nice and my husband will share his computer, I’ll consider coming back to add some pictures soon :).

 

Of Babies and Bellies

Benny and I went to my cousin Steven’s wedding this weekend, where I took a lot of bad pictures because apparently Benny is the photographer of the family.  We also got to see my other cousin’s new baby, AJ, who is adorable and cuddly and I want to steal him.  He seems to be a good sleeper so far, so I’m hoping he can give my baby some lessons when she comes.  Look at him:

Also, Benny with baby = heart, melting.  

And the long-awaited belly pics.  About 90% of the “belly” here is really the Magic Dress, but oh well. Incidentally, I had my 24-week (that’s 6 months for those of you who can’t divide by 4) check-up and the baby continues to be on-target for size.

 

No Belly Pics Here

 

You want to know why?  Because Benny took a picture the other day and it is downright APPALLING!!!  My butt (always plentiful if we’re being completely honest) is gigantic.  Ginormous.  Gigundo.  So insanely large that it completely dwarfs the tiny baby bump I’m developing.  If not for the kicks my little girl gives me all the time, I would swear that I’m carrying her in my butt.  

In sum, the picture was extraordinarily unflattering and I will certainly not be posting it here.  It did give me a good excuse to go shopping, though, for some clothes that will maximize the “I’m pregnant, not fat” effect for Reunions.  I recently bought a magic dress (for my cousin’s wedding this weekend) that makes me look definitively pregnant, so if you’re lucky I’ll post a picture once I wear it.  

In the meantime, here are some pictures from our nephew, Edgar’s, 5th birthday.  I hope my baby comes out even half as cute as these munchkins.  

 

 

Totally Not Grounded

The big ultrasound was yesterday, and it couldn’t have gone better.  Despite my nerves (based on the previously-mentioned fact that I am barely showing), the baby is growing perfectly.  All the basic parts are in tact and in the right place.  Benny and I were both just amazed at the detail we could see.  Little heart, spine, hands, feet, everything.  As much as I loved seeing the baby, I also really loved watching Benny’s reactions.  I couldn’t be any luckier than to have such a wonderful husband and our LITTLE GIRL couldn’t have a better daddy.

See more pictures by clicking on the link to our Picasa Web Album (on the right).

 

Belly Pictures?

At nearly 19 weeks pregnant, surely I should be able to post a decent belly picture, right?  Right?  Yeah, no.  I’m not holding out on you; I promise.  The thing is, I don’t look pregnant.  Benny has taken a couple of profile pictures of me and they are downright disappointing.  I still lovingly rub my belly and Benny talks to it, but let’s face it.  That “baby bump”?  It’s just chub.  A little more chub than before I got pregnant, but not much…  

Hmmm…  Maybe I’m carrying the baby in my butt, which seems to have an infinite capacity for growth.  Also infinite is my capacity to worry about the fact that I’m barely showing.  But, we’ve heard the heartbeat many times and lately the baby has been moving around like crazy.  He/She is in there somewhere, just hiding I guess.

In any case, I presume that eventually I will have some real-life pregnant belly pictures to put up.  Rest assured, when that happens they will be posted here.  At the very least, the big ultrasound news will be available in 10 days!!! 

 

Three Week Notice to Baby San Miguel

You have 3 weeks to grow nice and big and get yourself into a cooperative mood.  On April 16, Mommy and Daddy are going to get an ultrasound to see you for the first time.  We really want to know what gender you are, so please cooperate and don’t be shy.  Otherwise, you’re grounded!  

 

Watch how I pretend it hasn’t been months since I posted

Look!  Christmas pictures! I got a PINK stand mixer… … Benny got a record player that can record straight to the computer… And, oh yeah, then there was this:  

 

Happy New Year!

I can hardly believe it’s 2008.  Benny and I spent Christmas and New Years in Ohio with my mom/step-dad/sisters.  It’s freezing, but we’ve had a great time.  We got some new winter clothes, since Kingston and LA had different wardrobe requirements than DC will for the next few months.  I was just wasting some time on Facebook and found the Consular Section Halloween picture, so I thought I’d post it (better late than never, right?).  That’s Christy as Pirate Pluto, Tammy as a banana (though open to other interpretations), me as “Queen of Everything,” Hester as a nurse (cheater), Gillian as a cowgirl, and Jen as Pocahantas.  Now picture us interviewing visa applicants like that.  It was hilarious.  At the end of the day, I had to confront a drug smuggler with the truth about her shady past and completely forgot that I was wearing a tiara.  Hmmm… perhaps not the best outfit for playing bad cop.  ”There’s no waiver for being a liar!!!  Why are you looking at me like that?”  Good times.  Haven’t uploaded any Christmas pictures yet.  Maybe I’ll get them up before Valentine’s Day. 

 

I Pulled It Off!

A surprise party for Benito!!!  He’s surprised me twice in recent years (not this past birthday, but the 2 before), so I wanted to return the favor.  Luckily, he doesn’t work in my same office anymore, which made it a little easier to plot.  Hilariously, when we opened the apartment door we heard our friend’s little 2 year old son say, “There’s Benny!”  Apparently, Mikey was very distressed when the party-goers turned the lights off.  He had a whole commentary about “The lights are off.  It’s dark.  It’s still dark.  I’m OK.  Is the baby OK?”  He’s adorable (seriously, see pictures below). P.S. I finally joined Facebook (I know, I know, I’m a total follower), so look me up!    

 

Happy Birthday, Marines

Friday was the annual Marine Ball, in honor of the Marine Corps’ “birthday.” We got dressed up, stayed out too late, and generally had a great time.