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| JULY 22-23 NIGHT
Elise slept through the night!! Hallelujah I'm a believer. She fell asleep at around 1:30-2am and slept through until 9am!!! That is the best yet. However, I believe she is just going through this transition of starting to sleep though the night because some nights she will wake up only once to eat... others she will wake up her normal 2-3 times... and just that one time she surprised me with sleeping the whole night. So... what's new with Elise is that she is beginning to sit up (with help of course), but that is all she wants to do now. No more laying down for her. Also, she is beginning to learn how to use her hands. So far, she grabs any clothes or blanket that is in her reach and puts it up to her mouth. She's definitely trying to converse with me answering of course in her own language. But we definitely have a constant dialogs going on... and we seem to understand each other...most of the time. Also, she discovered her tong. Its funny to watch her cause it seems like she is chewing gum and about to blow bubbles. As a result, though, le sale babita. Oh but she is just so precious and I think she knows it. She's just all smiles when I talk to her. She already understands that if she's naked, she's going to take a bath. In ecstacy she begins to move her whole body and squeal with excitement. I currently bath her in the sink because its the only comfortable and easy way to do so. I'm waiting till she can sit up on her own (with almost no help) so I can begin to bathe her in her little bathtub. So anyway, as I'm holding her somewhat straight up but face down washing her tush, she moves her feet a million miles per hour when her feet feel the water, again squealing with delight to herself in the mirror. Once the sink is full, she moves her whole body in the water. Can't wait till she can sit up cause she's getting to big for the sink already. The day before yesterday I went to the mall in search of the iphone 3G case for my hubby and myself. Afterwards, I roamed the mall and found a million mothers like myself (my age) with their babies doing the same thing. I even bumped in to a girl with her 6 mth old girl with the same stroller I have. I thought I was seing double. anyhow, I found my way to the Motherhood Maternity store and found a nice collection of nursing bra's. I have no Idea why I didn't go there in the first place! They have everything that I need and more. So after the oh so nice young 21 yr old mother of 2 (I would have never guessed) so kindly helped me select the best bra's ever (comfortable and very very nice) I left for the Library. I can not believe that I am now a cup C. THOSE BRA'S LOOK HUGE, but go figure! Anyhow, I have lately been entertaining myself during nursing time by reading, so I have been going to the Library quite a bit. I just finished a book called "The Forbidden" by Lewis...something. I read it in 3 days. Quite interesting novel about the Amish people. I have also checked out a few books on Marriage. Extremely good material that I recommend to every married person to read. What else??? Oh yes, my very good friends Erika and Andrea are coming to visit me! But the sad part is that my husband is going to Puerto Rico on business during the same time. : ( But at least the girls will be here to keep me company. Perhaps we can go to the beach, spend some time in the pool, rent a couple of movies, cook up a couple of meals...desserts... Go to the mall. By the way, there is this one store called Parallel that has really nice looking close for such inexpensive prices! Makes me want to spend all my money there...if something would just fit!! I have to remind myself constantly that I just had a baby cause otherwise I can get pretty sad with the way I look. The good news is that from the last time I checked, I lost 3lbs. Also, I have prompted myself to start doing simple exercises on the floor such as curl-ups, push-ups, the but and hip exercises...and whatever else comes to my mind. I think Elise takes care of much of my upper body exercise (shoulders, arms, mid back). hahaha. Ok, so I think I'm done.
Chaosini -Lizabeth A. | | |
| So I have reached a point which I believe to currently call a state of complete mental and physical exhaustion. It has been 12 weeks of sleepless interrupted nights followed by a constant physical drain of energy that now has me stupefied into a state of not wanting to move, think or do anything. I forget 95% of things that are considered fresh information, and the other 5% I don't forget cause I wrote them down. My body aches... thank God for chiropractors though. I now have a newfound respect for full time breastfeeding mothers. I'm am excited however that all of this will one day pay off... and what's great is that when I look at Elise, ITS ALL WORTH IT. I can feel terrible in one minute, but just one smile from my daughter and all feelings melt away... But one look away from her and I feel I'm falling apart with exhaustion and am completely drained. I want to write a million more things but I shall continue some other day. Sincerely, Lizabeth | | |
| Ok, so today I'm a day shy from being 39 weeks pregnant. Thankfully, today is a good day. No pain whatsoever. But let me tell you, I went to my doctors appointment on Wed and when she checked me, she told me that I was 4 cm dilated, 80% effaced, and -1. I was like "WHAT!!?? How?" So she smiles and says, " she's ready to come at any minute. Might be today, tonight, tomorrow, or just a few more days. We are just waiting for your water to break or those strong contractions to start." Needless to say, I became paranoid and packed my bags and shared the news with the grandparents, and everyone was in alert. Daddy told me that it would be wise to buy a plastic for the mattress in case something happened while I was sleeping, and he also told me to stay out of the pool because God forbid my water break while swimming, I could get an infection. Its been 4 days since, I was in alert from the news of the doctor and therefor in my paranoia, I couldn't even go to the bathroom until this morning. So I was feeling constipated in every sense, having fake contractions, and just hoping to get it all over with. Anyhow, I'm just glad that I feel ok now. I keep telling myself that its a week more until my due date, so to believe that all is well until I reach 40 weeks. FACTS:
-Lost my mucus plug this morning
-Had some bloody show since yesterday
-Having fake contractions every now and then
-I feel hot almost all the time, my poor husband is always freezing at night while I have the fan at full blast and no blanket
-I hate my stretch marks. I thought I would be lucky and not get them, but they started to show at the beginning of my third trimester, and my husband just told me that I'm getting more!!! So does that cocoa butter from Palmers really work? or are they just siking me out. I've been very good about putting it on every day!! But they still showed.
-My wedding rings haven't fit me since I was around 33 weeks...
-I'm swollen
-My appetite has decrease...which is a good thing cause I don't want to gain any more weight. I gained 40lbs as of right now.
-All of bebitas things are ready
-We went to the fire station yesterday to get the car seat properly installed
-I just want to add that I adore my husband and all the phenomenal support he gives me. His kind words mean the world to me, his smile reassures me. He is always atento to my constant well being and comfort. He always makes sure I have my water bottle full and next to me before I go to sleep.
I love how when I'm trying to get up from bed in the middle of the night (about every 1-2 hours) he leans over to help me and then instantly goes back to sleep.
I love that he sings to my belly and how Elise responds to his voice.
I love waking up every day and seing him there next to me.
I love how he says that he's getting chubby because he supports me in everything... Such as my antojitos de cositas aqui y alla. Being bums because we are too lazy to go out (cause I can't :( )
Pero conste, once Bebita is born, no excuse. We shall both exercise and get into fine shape to be fine young parents. (But please don't hold me to my word , I promise I will try though.) Ok, I think I will try to haul my husband out of his soccer game so we can go do something other than sit. The weather is amazing over here...in the 70's. Blue skies and breezy. It really does suck that I can not get into the pool cause I really would like to do that right now. BTW: bebitas name is going to be Elise Lovelle Aliaga. Elise meaning "My God is a vow" or "consecrated to God." Love,
Elizabeth A. Aliaga | | |
| Hello dear internet. For some reason I now avoid you. What I use to find entertaining and a pasa-tiempos is now something that repulses me. Ok, not quite, but I honestly can't think of much to do with the internet other than check my email...check those occasional messages from myspace and facebook...and then I just don't quite know what else to do on the internet for entertainment. Anyhow, I am 37 weeks and 3 days pregnant today and I'm actually feeling ok. I went to see my OB/GYN today and she checked me and stated that the baby has completely dropped and that I'm a 2. So she is in position and ready to come at any given moment. Just waiting for those strong contractions to start/ water to break. I wonder how its going to go for me. Well, her words made me want to start packing my hospital bag. I'm 80% packed...well honestly just 30% packed but I mentally am ready to get my toiletries, makeup, clothes, and a couple of other things ready for last minute (cause I am using all those these every day).
These past 2 nights, I've been having the weirdest of dreams...all having to do with the baby. I dreamt that I gave birth so fast I didn't' need the epidural...but then that for some reason, my baby was at my parents house...and I was working working working. And then I had forgotten that I had a baby because I was so busy working and I felt terrible that the baby had gone without food. Anyhow, I then tell daddy (my boss) that I'm not going to work because I have to take care of the baby. So when I get to my parents house, I look everywhere for her...but now its a boy...and I haven't changed his clothes in the 2 days that he had been born...because I was expecting a girl and he was a boy...but he looked like he was a year old and he was blond. This is the last weird dream I had and as a result, the one I remember the best....but the other dreams were sooooo much more weird. Well, all her clothes are washed, bassinet in place (next to our bed), and we have what I hope most, if not all, things ready to have her here. So apart from the baby, what else ... what else? Well, Me and my husband went to our second Chiropractic appointment. I'll tell you, there is nothing better than feeling like you've been put back together like your supposed to be. The doctor says daddy spoiled me by adjusting me about 4 times a week. Lucky for me, I hear that women who receive chiro treatment have potentially easier birthing experiences. Church... Me and Fer are going to Ekklesia in Kendall, and quite frankly, we love it there. The people are so open. No closed groups like what we use to know back in Virginia. they are very welcoming, down to earth people and its just such a great feeling to finally feel welcome. They also air their services on their website I think its wednesdays, saturdays, and sundays. http://www.ekklesiakendall.com/ is their website. When Fer first took me to this church, it really impressed me how you can feel the presence of God there. Just entering during the time of praise in worship, you feel like a sudden urge to just cry and cry. I'm just a bit bummed out because its an hour drive every Sunday to go to church...driving 80 mph average. I would love to get involved, somehow... I'm just so happy that Fer is getting involved with the worship team. I accompanied him to practice on Tuesday and I love watching him enjoy himself playing the drums, learning the songs, and seing how open they (worship team) were with him. Time will tell what will happen. I just remembered that on our drive down to practice, me and fer were listening to Joel Osteen's preaching about asking God to bless us in deed. That God has so much in store for us, so many blessing he wants to give us, but we don't receive because we don't ask. He mentioned the prayer if Jabezz where he asks God to Bless Him In Deed, to enlarge his territory. Think big, dream big, you are given according to your faith (is that how it goes). That really struck a cord in me. How many times do we honestly just think ahead a day or so...and not years to come. How many times do we just focus in the hole we are currently in, and not all there there is ahead of us just outside of that hole. Its true, we get so encapsuled by our current reality that sometimes we just hold our breath and hope for some tiny change...when all along forgetting who it is that we serve and that we can ask for great things.
hahaha, silly me, I remembered having written down a list of things I was asking God for. I don't quite remember the complete list, but it was something like....Fix my teeth, get my drivers licence ASAP, visit Colombia...and some other things. I remember looking back at that list about a year or so later and realizing that ALL the things listed came to pass. I got braces and now my teeth are straight (I got the money for treatment from a car accident), I passed the DMV test on the first try, was given a car, was working and able to pay for the little things I wanted and needed...gas...cloths...eating out...ect.. and I visited Colombia after 8 years. I remember thinking, "oh my goodness, I didn't even realize that I had asked for all these things and yet here is a list, and they all came true." anyhow, I feel like I'm rambling way too much. I can't wait till little Elise comes. I will definitely not miss those constant trips to the bathroom during my pregnancy. hahaha, I went to Peru and if you asked me how my trip was, I can tell you that most bathrooms were very nice and clean. Even the gasoline station one. Sincerely,
Lizabeth Aliaga | | |
| So I spent christmas with my other family and had a lot of fun. My brother-in-law and his girlfriend made the portrait below. I thought it was really nice. I think I might just duplicate the idea and put it somewhere around the house. meanwhile, xanga will do. 
So here is a picture after we were all dead tired from opening presents. I love this picture :D look at the baby socks!! aren't they just adorable?! One of the first christmas presents from the abuelita. 
and lastly, BEBITA!!! Me at 5 months. 
moving along, I've been cooking about everything I know how to cook, and some have turned out great, others not so great. So how do people learn new recipes?? I never understand recipes online...or the books. You got to tell me, "do this and do that...about this amount..." and so on. Don't tell me 1lb of chicken and blah blah blah...who weighs out 1 lb of chicken before they cook? Well I guess the labels tell you how much your buying...so never mind. Anyhow, I WANNA LEARN HOW TO COOK!! Lately, I've just been experimenting...but today wasn't so great. I made this really weird chicken. If i tell you how I made it, I might make you throw up. I was lucky my husband was really hungry today that he swears that the food was really good. I, however, could eat no more than half the food I served myself. Rice, Chicken, and mashed potatoes. tooo much garlic is all I can say. Anyhow, I will go back to my reading... I'm ready "Finding Alice" by Melody Carlson. I haven't gotten very far, but what I've made out so far is that its about a girl that ends up going crazy... but as I've been reading, I Sometimes go downstairs to see my husband playing Fifa. He's playing PS3 online with other players and Its pretty funny. At first what completely distracted me from my reading was that I kept hearing voices downstairs. So that is the reason I went downstairs. For a while, he thought that the other players could hear him talking, so he would scream at the players is if they could hear him... but needless to say, we figured out that in deed, without a headset he can not be heard. Still its funny. I made little pizzas with flat bread just a littlebit ago. the store was out of wheat pita bread, so thats what Fer brought home the other day. So I used up the last of our groceries on this pizza, and now I'm stuffed. ingredients: Pizza Sauce, lots of cheese, mushrooms, ham, and tomato. Delisiouse. Oh, I just weighed myself and I can not believe how heavy I have gotten. Just in what feels like 4 days, I think I gained 2 lb!!!! So I'm 5 months pregnant and I'm 17lb heavier than before I got pregnant. Poor Fer, I always keep him informed of how many lb's I have gained...and all he says is, "bebita peshosha is growing!!!" I can't wait to see my baby girl!!!!! I sometimes daydream...with Fer...about what she might look like. Looking at our baby pictures, fer and I are like night and day....ok not really. We both have green eyes, but he was completely blond, and I practically had jet black hair. He had straight hair while my wavy hair would curl, depending on how short my hair was. One thing I've noticed is that she moves way more during the night and in the morning than during the day. Could it be that its because she's uncomfortable when I'm laying down? or maybe I just don't pay attention that she IS moving while I'm working. What I do often find myself thinking about is...what is she doing? How does she feel? What is she hitting me with? her head? knee? foot? hand? Sometimes I feel her jump. Is she sucking her thumb...what is she thinking? Oh well. Pregnancy is truly amazing. Until next time....
Sincerely,
Lizabeth Aliaga | | |
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