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My Life as a Mom of 3

It's not so bad, really. Except on the first days. Then it could be pretty often - not bad bad, just "what-on-earth-am-I-supposed-to-do-now, and when-do-I-EVER-get-to-sleep" bad. I was happy, but still longed for a sense of normalcy (as explained on my last zombie-like post).

Now, I'm happy to report that YES, I do feel normal again. I feel like me, just much busier. It seems like every time you have a baby, it takes awhile for your brain to catch up. I'd talk to people but felt distant, like my mind still couldn't quite process the new life yet. So in order to mentally land on mommy-of-3 world, I tried a few things:CHOCOLATE                                                                                                                            That's right - my first impulse was to medicate myself with loads of sugar. In the first weeks, my stomach still felt queasy with most foods (taking a baby out AND tying my tubes must've messed things up a bit), so for awhile, Cadbury bars became my main source of sustenance. I knew I was still supposed to look pregnant, so didn't care much about calories. It only started bothering me when I was looking more and MORE pregnant. That's when I realized I'd have to not only stop the madness, but also figure out a whole new daily menu (because almost everything I liked while pregnant I now loathed). Sigh. As if I didn't already have to eat so many meals with a baby sucking liquid off of me (which can really ruin your appetite). 

EXERCISE

Before you imagine me in a gym doing sit ups or anything that sophisticated, think more along the lines of me in sleep wear in front of the TV desperately trying to follow a hip hip workout DVD for 10 minutes. I mean, I feel like I'm doing a great job! :) But I'm also glad no one's there to see me. Of course it's always a challenge to find the time to do it, but when I do, it's awesome. Even if I'm not doing it right, I have fun acting like I'm some gangsta chick who wins back alley fights lol. It totally gives me more confidence to face the next blowout diaper.

WRITING

At 6 months pregnant, I started writing for RgVision, a local magazine about businesses in the area. Close to the due date, I had to take a break, and my editor asked me to let him know whenever I was ready to return. Once Holly started sleeping better (waking up once or twice a night as opposed to every. freaking. hour.), I really missed it, but felt SO afraid to get back to it. What if I couldn't handle it now? But the more time passed, the more I realized I needed an outlet to think of something other than child/home care. And yes, while it is often stressful trying to find moments to type, it's made a HUGE difference for me to settle into 3-kids motherhood. Turns out sometimes our minds just need a moment for itself so that it'll have enough to give to our little people :).

PRAYER

That's a big one, that's why I left it for last - even though it was the first thing, before and in between those other remedies. For sure God's the one who's helped me navigate through my bad eating habits and overwhelmed days. I'd imagined that only time would've cured my baby blues, but He helped me realize there were things I could - and SHOULD - do. Like finding myself in the midst of child-rearing chaos. Who would've known; He remembers me, and not just my children! For Him, I'm not just a milking cow/house cleaner/toddler fights referee. He sees ME, and takes full credit for me slowly-but-surely getting my groove back.

We Interrupt This Blog to *Yawn*

These past few days have been wonderful, life-changing, heart-warming, and all that good cheesy stuff.

At the exact same time, they've also been stressful, exhausting and frustratingly unpredictable. 

I'm ready to be normal again. Which I know will never be like the old normal, but I just miss the feeling, you know? Of not being so out of sorts. I keep thinking, if only I get some sleep, or if only the kids behave, or if only I get to have breakfast undisturbed...THEN I'll be good to go. 

But it hasn't happened yet. No matter what, I still feel absent from planet Earth. Like earlier today, when my mom told me I needed to calm down and I had no idea what she was talking about. I mean, I remembered what I'd just said (whined about Holly peeing on me), but it felt unrelated, like I'd been half asleep. In a way that's hard to connect your own thoughts/actions to reality - a "did I really just do that or was it a dream" kind of crazy.

Not that I'm in a funky mood all the time - if you catch me in a happy, caffeinated moment, you'd think I've adapted to this having-3-kids thing. But I never, ever lose the feeling of being in a daze. EVER. It's getting annoying. 

It's just that adding a third person to obsess over/care for is such a HUGE thing to process. And hard to make yourself believe you're doing it right. So during peaceful times, I tell myself to take a deep breath and believe all is right in the world. Which lasts until about when the next kid cries/throws a tantrum/pees on me.

Or all the above, which happens often. Sigh.

Where Did All These Kids Come From??

So. There's a very legitimate reason why I haven't blogged in the past several weeks.

I have 3 kids.

Did I mention I have 3 kids? Yep, that's right. THREE. WHOLE. KIDS.

I've fallen and I can't get up lol.

Honestly, when I saw that commercial the other day (of the old lady with a medical alert necklace), it brought me back to a blissful time when all I had to do was push a button and a nurse would appear. Hospitals might suck, but that part, oh it should last a lifetime :).

Of course, I'm being dramatic (shocker!). Life isn't so bad, it's just busy. For example, I'm a magazine addict but still haven't managed to crack open the last I bought 2 days ago. There's just always something to do; always a kid having a meltdown, or me. Or maybe not that bad, but at least me staring at nothing, trying to process how in the world I ended up with so many little people.

I do love them, though (for the record :). Having 3 kids is SO much work, but very very rewarding at the same time. See, that's why I haven't posted, I knew I'd sound like some Hallmark commercial. Especially with my hormones all over the place. As crazy as things can get, I feel very complete right now. I got my girl, I got my boy, got my littlest girl...

...aaand I tied my tubes!!!!!! :D :D :D

I'm SO beyond proud of myself. That's because I know not everybody would agree with my decision (and I realized soon enough before my scheduled c-section that this was holding me back from making it). I did talk to my husband, of course, and he couldn't be more on board. We're just ready to move on to the non-baby-making part of our lives. 

And yeah, speaking of c-sections, the VBAC didn't happen. Just too long/personal/boring story to tell, but the thing is, I changed my mind, and I'm ecstatic I did. My experience at the hospital was everything I hoped the first 2 had been and weren't: peaceful, pretty close to stress-free, fast recovery. Yep, for a c-section!! I was up by the 2nd day. Don't ask me why, and don't try this at home lol. It really felt like the hand of God answering all of my anxious prayers. I felt at peace going through with it, and He blessed us with a beautiful healthy girl and a lot less pain than I experienced after either of my other births.

Anyway, Holly's making feed-me noises now, so I'd better go check on her. Not sure when the stars will align (or, more accurately, the nap times will align :) for me to blog again, but hopefully it'll be soon! Speaking of that, thinking of moving on to another blog, one who doesn't have the word "bored" on it lol. Who'd come with me??

Ready for Baby!!

Holly's bassinet for our room (before she graduates to hers :)

Sorry, I've been MIA - actually, I'm not that sorry because it turns out a break from the computer has done me well. The "pregnanter" I've gotten, the least patience I had to share stuff online. The least patience I had for anything, come to think of it :). I'm blogging right now not because such patience has returned, but because I thought I should give a quick update, just in case there's someone out there in the world who cares enough to check my blog lol. 

So here's to the good news: my midwife just gave me her blessing to go into labor!! I'm shocked, relieved and just a little bit (or a lot) nervous. It was the last thing I thought she'd say. I remember in my last 2 pregnancies, at around 36 weeks I'd be the one begging for it to be time, and everyone would look at me like, "don't be silly, you still have a LONG way to go". But now she pretty much urged me to exercise and get the ball rolling, probably because I'm only allowed to try for a VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section) until my due-date. The exciting thing is that she said I'm measuring ahead (should've asked her how much but didn't - was so surprised!), so according to her, if Holly was born right now, she wouldn't go to the NICU and would do just fine. Isn't it awesome??

Since receiving this life-changing tibid of information, I've been in a nesting frenzy (as much as I can with my waddling self). My back hurts so much from cleaning the house - if only my belly could hurt as much, then it'd be perfect lol. I get lots of aches and pains, but nothing regular yet.

Gotta go now as typing is still not the most comfortable thing in the world (and my brain seriously cannot process much more than GETTING THIS BABY OUT :). My guess is that next time I post will be just after the baby's born, so please pray with me that it'll be soon!!

ps: I've been having some problems with the images on this blog...too long and frustrating of a story to explain. But at least the latest/newest ones should work!

Excuse Me, Pregnancy, I Need a Moment...

...to make my kids' breakfast without morning sickness (yep, it's back);

...to blog without feeling like I'm giving birth to the computer lol (even a Mac Air puts too much pressure on my thighs now - hence why this will be a short post);

...to prepare for the baby's arrival (how on earth am I supposed to do that AND be 8 months pregnant??);

...to watch TV and surf the net at the same time like the good old multitasking days (without any dizziness/blurry vision);

...to stay in ONE POSITION for more than a minute without pain somewhere;

...to have an entire conversation minus annoying braxton hicks/painful jabs/wondering where the nearest restroom is;

...to stop peeing!!!!!!!

...to play with my kids without freaking out over my achy belly (while both attack me like mini-football players);

...to watch my kids eat without fearing the next mess/fight (when I'll need to bend over AGAIN);

But how cute are they??

...to write something non-child rearing/procreating related on facebook (sorry, my brain cannot process much beyond that right now);

...to end this post with something more clever than I WANT THIS BABY OUT!!!!! :)

Emotional Birthday Weekend

The last post made it sound like I've been just jumping up and down lately, which I have not. First of all, I've been too heavy and uncomfortable to even walk fast, let alone jump lol. And second, even when life's good, it's never ever perfect.

For starters, last Thursday we went to our much much anticipated 4D ultrasound. We couldn't believe we'd have this opportunity, but in our clinic there were posters with gorgeous pictures saying that established patients (like myself) would be offered one. And while that's cool, they should've clarified that this doesn't mean a 4D ultrasound service - like in specialized places, where you get a CD with pictures and more than an instant with an impatient (therefore RUDE) technician. Besides barely speaking to us throughout the process (you know, the whole 5 minutes tops of it), she handed us a couple of very undefined pictures. When I gathered up the courage to ask if she could try again, she barked "already did!", and then started to talk about how my fluid was low (you know, such a soothing conversation for what's supposed to be a nice moment). I understand this can mess up an ultrasound, but I would've expected her to give it more than a single try, you know?? Like, she acted as if this was just a functional thing (that needed to be done as quick as possible), and not an important family event like it meant for us. 

Now adding the fact that I'd counted the days for this for 3 weeks (since they told us it'd happen), and even made a big deal of it here, on Facebook and on the phone with my family that lives all the way in Brazil, AND considered this to be a big part of my birthday celebration, disappointment doesn't even cover how I felt. I literally mourned over this for a couple of days. Because it wasn't just that - part of the reason why I felt so sad for not being able to share this online is that I don't really have that many people around me to share the joys of my pregnancy. Don't get me wrong, hubby's family's wonderful and so worth the move to TX, but in these major life milestones, I really wish my own family could be here too. Besides, as a stay at home mom, I haven't really had many opportunities to make friends. So sadly, online (or over the phone) is where I do most of my connecting with people. That doesn't bother me all the time since the kids keep me busy, but this was important, you know?? Especially being our (most likely) last pregnancy. 

Anyway. I'm sure hormones also played a part in my emotions, but this weekend I just felt too out of it to blog. Still, God was faithful and had already provided that hubby would take a few days off work (that he arranged so we could make some progress in preparing for Holly). That helped a LOT. I  also wondered why he kept telling me to drink water, and noticed him trying to hide taking a phone call. But the 2 things never connected in my mind until he told me he'd scheduled another 4D ultrasound as a surprise!! :) This time in one of those places who REALLY makes it special. I was ecstatic, although still afraid to get my hopes up again. 

Thank God, it worked wonderfully! I guess at the clinic not only the tech was bad, but their equipment must've not been great either. Because I doubt a couple of days would've increased my fluid THAT much! Maybe just having a patient, sympathetic person do it makes all the difference. It's a family business and they have 7 kids themselves, so that means they get how important this is to families. The environment couldn't have been more inviting - ultrasound projected on a big screen, spacious room with several chairs, toys on the floor for the kids, and even ambiance music! The technician not only was personable and funny but even had a pleasant voice (which worked great on the recording of the ENTIRE 20 minute ultrasound they emailed us later). And while I know my fluid level isn't the best it can be, not once was a comment made about it. They might've if the ultrasound was impossible, but since it worked well enough, nobody said anything on how much clearer it could've been (which I appreciated). Afterwards, they even took a picture of us! Here it is:

Wish I'd known this was coming, so I'd wear something less casual (and have extra hair product :).

Holly's pictures are in a CD, but the downside of having a super thin computer is that I don't have a CD drive. So we'll have to wait till we can go save it somewhere else. Meanwhile, I took some shots with my camera of the ones they printed on a page (which still look a thousand times better than the 1st ultrasound ones, even though they're pictures of pictures):

 With hand on her face

 Cute profile

 About to smile on this one!

 Reminds me of when Melissa was born and had this "kissy" face on every picture

Looking as much as a happy, sunny girl as we imagine her :)

Like twins separated by almost 4 years :)

Last Preggie Days - Living It Up!

I'm 29 weeks today - and, coincidently, it's the last week until I'm 29 years old! (Sunday) So what better way to celebrate it than to dive into my craziest nesting mode?? :)

I started on Friday, in a childbirth class at the hospital (wanted to freshen up my memory since I'm hoping for VBAC next time). They had 3 door prizes, and since we were one of the only 3 couples, we all grabbed something. Now you'll never guess what we got: a CAR SEAT!! I mean, true, it is sort of boyish, but hey, you can't have it all. This was a major item on our list, so I can't believe it's already taken care of! The only thing is, we'd actually thought of just having Holly use Andrew's and get him a new one (he's comfortable, but could already fit in a bigger one). So now I guess these plans have been postponed lol. Well who cares, we got a freaking car seat!!!! :)

At home, we put the kids down for a nap and David surprised me with the idea of him going to check out one of the minivans he saw online. We'd been a one-car family since right after Melissa was born, and our cozy (nice word for TIGHT) compact served us well until recently. Not only Holly coming brings the need of a bigger one, but also the fact that the kids are growing and we can't all just be cooped up inside the house every single day until Dad comes home. 

So the incredible happened: after months and months and MONTHS of talking about this like a huge, complicated task, we decided to just do it. Now we have a minivan!!!! I love it so much I could cry. I'm even a better driver in it lol, because it makes me feel safer, and it's a million times more comfortable than our other car. We'll just have to be extra careful with our budget (a challenge now that I can go anywhere anytime I want :). 

Now, the weekend progresses didn't stop there - Holly's room FINALLY got started!! It's not done yet (still need to fix some wall paper/paint edges), but will post a picture when it's finished. Now my next challenge is to wash and organize the LOADS of Melissa's baby clothes (and some sort of gender-neutral from Andrew). With at least 4 or 5 trash bags full, we might never have to buy clothes for Holly at all!

It's such a HUGE relief to see things moving along for her arrival - it means she really does exists lol. Because you know, even with kicks inside my belly, it's still surreal to think of having a 3rd kiddo. Another thing we did this weekend was hang door signs on the kids' bedrooms, and whenever I see all 3 of them I'm like, "wow, we have so many kids!" It's daunting but not in a real bad way - kinda like the feeling you get when you're about to ride on a roller coaster :).

Melissa's sign is a lot like her - girly yet spunky

Our only true Texan kid (so far) has SO much the adventurous cowboy personality

Holly's door :)

Stay tuned for belly shot + possible nursery shots + HOLLY'S 4D ULTRASOUND PICS later this week!!

Family Pics & Nesting Drama

Ever wish there were more hours in the day (or at least more energy at the end of the it)?? I've been like that for awhile now. The bigger Holly gets, the more desperate I feel to prepare for her, at the same rate that my time seems to be shrinking.

Still, we're getting there, slowly but surely. Like by ordering wall art for Melissa's room, Andrew's room and their playroom:

It had to be wall stickers - Melissa jumps so much in her room that anything 

hanging would fall off! (like the ceiling lamp once did - THANK GOD no one was hurt)

Celebrating our only boy

Those two NEED this one

Cute, right?? If only we ever had a chance to put these up. We've gotten stuff for Holly's room over 2 weeks ago, and haven't even come close to starting it! Life's just been crazy. Not only the usual keep-the-kids-alive crazy, but busier with both mine and hubby's work. Yep, you read that right - I work now! Well, sort of. I've written a few articles for a local magazine, and while I LOVE it, it does take up a lot of the little free time I had. Then, when hubby comes home, I'm wiped out and hope he'll nest for me lol. Which of course never happens, not because he doesn't want to, but his schedule has also been tough, so he's wiped out himself.

It can make me so depressed thinking of ALL we still need to accomplish in LESS THAN 3 MONTHS before Holly comes. But today I'm deciding not to let it get me down, as it doesn't help my energy level one bit. Instead, I should celebrate the fact that life has filled up (being paid to write is awesomeness). I keep telling myself, "we'll get to it, we'll get to it." Because we WILL. Or my name isn't "super-nesting pregzilla" :).

On a more relaxed note, guess what will happen in a week and a half?? We'll have a 4D ULTRASOUND!!!!!!! I'm so excited, but trying not to think much about it or else the anticipation will drive me crazy (noticed yet how I'm not the most patient person in the world?). Can't wait to post the pictures here!

But while those don't come, check out our latest family pics:

27 weeks and 4 days! In a dress that kinda makes me look like a monk

The girls (all 3 of us)

My huge little guy

A parent's life - trying to have a moment, until a kid's head shows up lol

We give up - let's just grab everybody :)

The Silliest, Yet BEST Stress Relief Tip

As a mother of 3 kids (although one still in the belly), stress can be my middle name, so I should know! :) Of course this tip isn't a magical solution if you're going through serious problems, but I can attest that for sure it helps you get through the day if you're just in a funk. 

This is where my blog is gonna sound like Polyanna lol...but I don't care because it's true! And I never hesitate to promote cheesiness when it works :).

So here we go! My number 1 tip for long, long days full of little stressful moments is...

Surround yourself with things that make you smile. 

What I mean is, leave little pick-me-ups here and there that will make life's tedious routines seem a little more interesting. A couple of examples of how I've been doing this:

I have "a cup of Johan" every morning.
Ever watched a commercial for Gevalia coffee? If not, here's one:


This would always make me laugh, while hubby rolled his eyes. Then when the sight of it made me smile again during a stressful grocery shopping trip, I decided I needed that chuckle every morning. Why not give it a try? Hubby's like, "I can't believe I'm allowing this in my house" lol. 

My new cheaper phone is WAY cuter - and sillier.  
So in order to save money (preparing for third kid and all that), we changed our phone plans and got ourselves less sophisticated ones. I know, this idea used to make me hurl, but 2 weeks in Brazil (where my cell didn't work) totally cured me! I discovered it's possible to live happy without checking email and facebook 24/7, imagine that. And besides, at home I'm already attached to my Mac Air, so really, how long did I have to stay online??

With this new revelation, my heart was open to the lovely T-Mobile Concord, and then I found this ADORABLE cover for it:

It's another little reminder for me not to take my day too seriously. I mean, how can you when you're talking on a phone that looks like Dorothy the Dinosaur? (which is NOT reason the why I bought it lol - I noticed the resemblance after the purchase). Another silly thing - my new alarm clock is the sound of a rooster :).

Again, these make ME smile. If what rocks your world is a much classier cover or whatever, go for it! The important thing is, surround yourself with things that cheer you up.

I don't mean for this post to become one big advertisement, but just wanted to make a point that as mothers, we can get so busy trying to make our children (and the rest of the world) happy that we forget to provide little treats for ourselves along the way. Like, I used to just roll out of bed and go tackle the children, but I noticed that spending a few minutes fixing myself up a bit (concealer and lipstick can do the trick) REALLY makes a difference. Turns out it's easier not to feel like a zombie when you don't look like one :).

What about you? What makes you tick throughout the day? Remember, especially if you're a stay-at-home mom - you matter too! Now go think of something silly and unnecessary for the sole purpose of adding a smile to your day. 

What Not to Say to a 3rd Time Preggo On Her 3rd Trimester

25 weeks and looking much nicer than I am in real life :)

If you read the last post, you know I'm a little out of it, so bear with me. Things that used to bother me just a little bit or even amuse me now annoys me a LOT. In fact, I think I spent most of this pregnancy so far pretty cool headed, as far as preggos go. I kind of knew what to expect from people's reactions, so didn't waste time thinking about it.

But now, that I'm on full-blown nesting frenzy, my patience is thinner. Which is not to say I'll automatically associate such annoyances to their perpetrators - if I love them, it doesn't make me love/trust them any less. I understand people have no way of knowing how I'm feeling and I've been guilty of making careless comments to preggos as well. So I'm not angry at anybody in particular, I'm just ANNOYED (and will prob continue to be so until this baby comes out).

So here we go...3 things to never say to a woman pregnant with her 3rd child, especially on her 3rd trimester:

You're pregnant AGAIN?? How can you possibly handle ALL these children?? Ok, maybe people don't say this with every word, but every REALLY surprised reaction, followed by a comment on how I'll have SO many kids, sounds like that to me. Without meaning to (I hope), you're offending my abilities as a mother. And just as well, my ability to decide what's best for my family. If you can't see yourself going beyond 1 or 2, good for you. It doesn't make me crazy to want more! Think about it - wouldn't it be annoying if I came to you like, "I can't believe you're NOT pregnant"??

You THINK this is your last?? I actually heard this from a lady who was just passing by me on the way out of the nail salon. She asked (like EVERYBODY does) if it's my first (since I look like a teenager), and expressed the usual shock I get whenever I explain that it's my third, and yes, I do think I'm done. After gasping at my lack of 100% certainty, she went on to warn me that they're a lot of work (as if I've never had a child). Listen lady, if I have 10 kids, it isn't any of your business.

WHY are they so close in age?? Oh my gosh, if I have to come up with an explanation for this again, I'll shoot myself (or somebody). Because we WANTED to. Stop looking at me like I'm a freak. I'm not making YOU change the diapers.

I know these questions are all pretty much a variation of the same one, but I have to hear them over, and over, and over again. In the first months, I even laughed at this subject, calling myself a "baby making machine", but now I'm kind of tired of the joke. YES, I am about to have 3 little ones, and it feels just about right, thank you. If you act like this is the end of the world as we know it, then you have not known the wrath of a nesting, hormonal and swelled up pregnant woman.

Nesting Pregzilla

I've been meaning to blog for days but can't seem to think straight enough to compose a post. I mean, not that my brain has been top notch throughout this pregnancy, but lately I've reached new shades of crazy. 

For starters, I cry for EVERYTHING. If I can't find something I'm looking for and desperately need, if Andrew throws his toothbrush in an unreachable place for the millionth time, or if the lady on "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" talks about how she really didn't know she was pregnant :). In other words, I'm a mess.

But there's a silver lining to this mess. It's like, the reason for my breakdowns is that I'm hyper sensitive, which makes good moments that much more wonderful. I can cry out of happiness and then out of desperation within a matter of hours (or minutes). The thought even crossed my mind that I might be bipolar, but one look down my bulging belly reminds me of the culprit :). 

An example - after waiting FOREVER to be seen at the eye doctor, I grabbed my prescription for now triple-vision glasses (gosh, I feel like an old lady) and headed to the store next door. There, they took another eternity, and then after everything was finally ready to go, I was reminded that it'll take a WHOLE WEEK before I can see straight again. I'd forgotten I've been spoiled by those "glasses in 2 hours" kind of stores, and that literally broke my heart. Having waited now about 2 hours total, I decided to just bite the bullet and do it. But this was enough to excuse myself to the restroom and just cry my eyes out. You'd think they'd just shot my puppy.

Now, interesting thing is, I had a GREAT rest of the night lol. Of course I didn't bounce back immediately, but dinner at Johnny Carino's, followed by 2 Cadbury eggs in front of the TV was all I needed. The world was nice again :). I even had a good night of sleep and woke up feeling better than I had in awhile. I guess at this point my brain is starting to figure out that my usual impression that the world is ending shouldn't be taken all that seriously.

I called this post "Nesting Pregzilla" because I think the core reason for my craziness (aside from fluctuating hormones) is that I REALLY want to get ready for this baby. I wish I had unlimited money to just go on a shopping spree. The possibilities of what I could want/need once Holly comes makes me feel ADD - like, there's always something else to do, something else I should be taking care of. 

And it annoys me that the world isn't as crazy! :) That no one is seeing the urgent, life-or-death need for me to decorate the nursery right now. Or keep the house spotless and the kids behaving perfectly so I'll know for sure I'm ready for Holly. I realize this doesn't make too much sense (I mean, WHEN are the house and the kids going to be perfect??), but even that rationalization annoys me too lol.

So in the spirit of my nesting hunger, here's the wallpaper and paint to go on Holly's room (only one wall will have wallpaper, the rest will be painted):

As you can sort of tell, they haven't been purchased yet. I chose them before going to Brazil, and now that I'm back I can't wait to start this thing already! Life's just been too busy, and we still need to measure the room's walls. But at least I know what's chosen. If I hadn't, who knows, I might've been even crazier, and that's not good for anybody :).   

A Pregnant Lady's (Limited) Adventures in Brazil

Bad cell phone picture, but you still can tell everyone's more awake than me :)

I've come to a sad conclusion at the height of my 24th week of pregnancy:

I'm tired.

I know, obvious statement - but the thing is, when I felt tired before, I'd think, "oh, I just didn't sleep well enough/had a long day with the kids". Now, I don't have any excuses. I'm spending a few low key days in Brazil with my dad, who's permanently in bed with ALS, and as much as I daydreamed of this break back home, it does NOT bring the independence thrill I thought it would.

I'm not even talking about being away from the kids - that's something I'm forcing myself to ignore, so please allow me to skip that subject. There are SEVERAL things wrong with me besides missing them. Such as:

I lost my mall stamina. I feel so disabled!! A walk through the first floor takes my breath away. I need to stop at one of their awesome little cafes to recharge. Also, I'll see something I want to take but often don't for lack of energy to go to the cashier. How sad is that?? It's like I lost a super power.

Sitting and walking BOTH drive me crazy. You'd think I'd just want to lay on the couch with my feet up, right? Well, ANY position (even relaxing ones) annoys me after a while. When I'm at home, I feel like I should be out walking, and when I'm out and about, I wish I was relaxing at home.

Baby kicks aren't always magical. Don't get me wrong, it's always magical to realize that little Holly really is growing inside me. But I can't remember this 24/7, so sometimes a kick just means my bladder received a violent punch and is about to overflow.

I could list several other super fun pregnancy symptoms, but might start losing followers if I sound any more like a grouch lol. It's been great here too - spending time with my parents and catching up with friends I hadn't seen for years is pretty awesome. Last Sunday I went out for pizza with people from my old church (see picture), and tomorrow I'm meeting a girlfriend at the mall. Don't I sound like a college student or something? :) Except that back then I didn't have swollen feet/hands or a little human squishing my stomach.

Anyway, I'll probably only blog again after I'm back home - this Saturday morning!! I'm counting the days, but at the same time wonder what I'm going to do when I'm back to being pregnant in a land where food isn't this amazing and I can't have spa services for half the price I'd pay in the States. Am I going to survive?? I'll just have to give my kids an extra squeeze everytime mommy craves a nice Brazilian chocolate/mani-pedi :).

Dear Non-Pregnant Me

I long to meet you! :) I feel like I haven't been you in forever. Or at least not for long periods of time. Can't wait to see how it is to have all your kiddos out of you and live life without reproduction.

You're not considering a 4th, are you?? Think long and hard about that one. I mean, I know in the end even if you had dozens of kids (DON'T) you'd have lots of fun and lots of love and all, but may I remind you, it's a LOT of work. Unless you have the epiphany that 3 still isn't your magic number, don't empregnate yourself again just for the sake of missing the bump. The bump HURTS. The bump is heavy, makes it hard to sleep, and if you have other kids to chase in a couple of hours, oh well! 

Don't mean to sound negative - you ARE doing good so far (although exhausted). I wonder if you look back on my current frazzled mornings and laugh a crazy, tired kind of laugh. But I hope that means you don't sweat the small stuff as much - for lack of time, arms or whatever. If you've kept the kids fed and cuddled up to this point, I proclaim you've reached your goal (even if Super Nanny wouldn't eat off your floors :).

Now, promise me you're showering everyday (or as close to that as you can). Remember, Mom Time is as important as Baby Time because without mommy, nothing happens in this house (at least not until Dad comes home). It's in your children's best interest that you're clean (not smelly) and don't feel like ripping anybody's head off out of exhaustion. 

I know, I speak from the innocence of having "only" 2 children. If things happen to be too stressful, remember how in the first couple of months after Andrew was born, you cried almost everyday. But you were also surprised how enjoyable nights were (much quieter, and much better nursing experience). Still, during the day it felt so overwhelming that you wondered if you'd EVER get used to having more than 1 kid. If you'd EVER understand Andrew (such a manly boy he even smelled like he'd been hunting lol), EVER get him to sleep through the night, EVER feel like yourself again. And yet, all of it happened. Many times over, it seems.

Speaking of Andrew, hope you two get some special cuddling time everyday. That you've found a way to encourage his independence while continuing to enjoy your mamma's boy. Melissa's probably a great helper at this point, but if she isn't, don't sweat it. She's still your baby too, and might be needing some reassurance of that. Which reminds me of how awesome it must be to have your own mom around for the 1st month - make sure to take lots of fun shopping trips just the 3 girls (or 4, counting Holly)!

I'd better finish this letter, since I doubt you've got much time to read. Is the whirlwind of having a baby as devastating on your body/mind as I remember? Probably more, I bet. And is the legend true that the 3rd child transition doesn't feel like much (after you've been through the 2nd)? I hope so. But whatever happens, I look forward to meeting you and enjoying you - oh non-pregnant me - as long as possible. Like for a lifetime lol. Let's just hope mom-of-3 me doesn't drive us too insane :). 

Special Delivery For Mommy!

Look what happened to me yesterday! Somebody knocked on my door and gave me this:

Oh my goodness, what could it be?? Well, it might have something to do with the fact that I signed up for an awesome thing called MommiesFirst, where for only 25 bucks a month they send me a package with surprise mommy/pregnancy related goods. Much better than the other "monthly gift" I got before getting pregnant, if you ask me :). Now shall we open it??

Look how pretty it looks inside. I almost - ALMOST - don't want to destroy it. The fancy envelope has a personalized message only to me (as if I am the only person in the world to be with child).

Yaaay! Gifts!! So here are some pictures and quick descriptions of what's inside:

Card with 5$ gift card to bookcloseouts.com

Preggie-friendly skin stuff (nice since I told them I'm breaking out)

It's a hit - Melissa's asked to read it a million times and Andrew loves the bear (even learned to say "bear" with it :)

Silly messages that stick, unstick and stick again everywhere. Husband approves the "I love you more than chocolate" one I tossed his way (a huge statement from me :)

Since this is my third package from them, 2 other previous products also deserve honorable mentions:

Au Fait Mama NURSING Shirt, which looks amazingly like a regular top 

Best belly cream EVER!! Fragrance-free (no strong cocoa butter smell like my other one), organic, makes my skin look good and even feels relaxing on my sore stretched muscles.

And now, to close with a bang, here's an exclusive interview with MommiesFirst's inventor, Lorena Scott! (and no, I am not being paid for this advertisement - we've just been keeping in touch because she's that nice, so I wanted to extend my celebrity-meeting moment to this blog :).

Me- I love the story about how you freaked out at a baby store while pregnant for the first time :). Did your a-ha moment for MommiesFirst spark right then?
Lorena- The panic attack at a baby story is 100% a true story.  In the moment, I didn’t really think “oh, this is a business opportunity”. Instead, I just remember wishing there had to be a better way  to discover products, especially for first time moms. I was already really nervous about having a baby and found the shopping was an unnecessary added stressor! It wasn’t until I was pregnant with my second son that I committed to starting MommiesFirst. A month after he was born I hosted my first focus group to talk about what moms wanted and needed.  By the time he was 5 months old we launched the website, and when he turned 9 months we shipped our first care packages.  I track the age of MommiesFirst pretty much with the age of my baby boy!

Me- How is it to run a company while raising kids? Was it difficult at first?

Lorena- I’ll be honest – it is 100% hard.  I am not a super mom – I try and balance all the different responsibilities on my plate, and often I crawl into bed exhausted and feeling like I failed my kids.  I find it’s easier to be honest with moms about these challenges, because we are VERY hard on ourselves.  Luckily, I also have a lot of support. My husband is my best friend, confidante and business partner; my father has moved into help launch MommiesFirst; and my kids – they are just so inspiring.  My family keeps me motivated even on the hardest days.

Me- What's your advice for moms who dream of starting something on their own?

Lorena- Honestly – JUST DO IT! I know I wrote how hard it is above, but starting my own business has also been the most amazing journey of my life. I’ve wanted to be an entrepreneur for so long, and for the longest time I was too scared to give it a try.  Now that I’m actually doing it, I pinch myself every day with excitement, and I really don’t know why it took me so long. I love that I’m creating a service that helps other moms and hopefully I’m inspiring my kids as well. As their mom, I think a lot about what lies ahead for them as they grow older, and I really hope that they will follow their passions and take lots of leaps of faith while pursuing those dreams. I hope watching me build and grow MommiesFirst will inspire them to do whatever makes them happy and hopefully make a great impact on the world too!

Me- You look great in your website pictures! Any tips for taking care of yourself in the midst of motherhood/work duties?

Lorena- Wow – thanks for the compliment. My “secret” is I that run home from work at least 3 days a week. Exercise (running especially) is my therapy and it’s the one thing I do on my own. For a while, I was having a hard time finding time to exercise because I didn’t want to take time away from my kids (especially since I don’t feel like I spend enough time with them during the day), and I was too tired to hit the gym once they’d fallen asleep. This winter, I invested in outdoor running gear and a backpack, and I run home from the office! I am so happy because I get my work out in, help the environment, and it’s truly guilt free! So, my one tip is to be creative about finding time to stay healthy.  Do it for your kids, but also do it for yourself!

Click on the logo to get started! You can also send a package to a friend :)