34 Weeks Pregnant and UPDATE!

Hey dolls,

I cant believe its been months since I've been on here. I kind of lost track of this blogging since I work 6 days a week and crash out at night early. Today I am 34 weeks pregnant. I cant believe my pregnancy has gone by so fast and its almost ending. I love pregnancy dont get me wrong, but now that I am in my final trimester and especially weeks from delivery I am way too heavy and exhausted lol. Lets begin with my body changes. Since the last post, a lot has been happening to my body. I have gained massive weight and I am starting to waddle. I am 8.5 months pregnant and gained roughly 25 pounds or so. I feel so round and huge but I guess that comes with pregnancy =) I DID get STRETCH MARKS!!! I started to develop these stretch marks in October (slight ones) and it grew more and more up until now. I asked my obgyn if its because of my rapid weight gain but apparently, my babygirl rotated at 24 weeks (rotations usually happen around 36 weeks and onwards)  and that shes been developing rather rapidly then an average baby hence the stretch marks. Stretch marks are reminders of motherhood and my amazing daughter I am bringing into this world. Of course I am repulsed by it, but I think what makes it worth a while is when I get the chance to hold my daughter for the first time. If you dont know by name, we are naming our daughter SOPHIA<3 We absolutely fell in love with this name instantly. Now,  if you follow me on instagram at "piinkbeautyy" you can see more updates of me and my pregnancy especially belly shots every 4 weeks. Symptoms: I can say I had an easy pregnancy from the beginning. For 8.5 months, I havent gotten any morning sickness as most women will experience. Cravings? perhaps for a chocolate bar here and there but again, nothing drasti.  I am extremely lucky to have a supportive baby daddy like Kalvin in my life. When I get up during the night to make my daily visits to the bathroom around 3am he is up with me. When I have leg cramps out of nowhere in my sleep he wakes up and massages my leg. I am so blessed to have him be part of my beautiful journey. I think he made everything extremely easy and comfortable when I felt uneasy.

Baby: Sophia is now 5.2 pounds and she is continuously growing from here on out. Shes 18 cm tall and now her movements are more stronger and frequently. She can now fully hear our conversations and see light through my belly.

My due date is January 14 2013 but I think she might come at the end of December. I am going to do a whats in my hospital bag when I am on maternity leave and show soon to be mothers what I packed for myself, the hubby, and Sophia.

Until next time,
Love, peace, and Happiness
xoxoMommy L

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM AT PIINKBEAUTYY

20 Weeks Pregnant

Goodmorning Dolls,

I can't believe today I hit my halfway mark in pregnancy!! I am currently 20 weeks pregnant and loving it. Everyday my stomach continues to grow bigger and bigger and its such an amazing sight. Let me start off by telling you guys the ongoing symptoms I have been feeling. Lately, my breasts have been itching non stop especially my nipples. I try to avoid scratching it but, it is so difficult. I have been looking up some creams to use but I still haven't found anything as of yet. If you dolls have any recommendations, I would truly appreciate it if you send me a message on youtube and let me know what you know works or worked on you. I am still lactating not that much but fairly enough where my bras are wet lol. I seriously need to start purchasing nursing pads >_< Other than that, I am feeling quiet well. I swear our baby is the next ultimate fighting champion she/he have been moving aggressively every morning! What is super cute is that our baby lets me know when he/she needs a walk or for me to get up and actively move, he/she will cause a ruckus in my belly lol. So I developed a fantastic way to entertain my active baby. Every morning I get up and start busta moving =) I begin with a few sways left to right and then I start dancing. I began to noticed my baby enjoys some songs better than others. Our baby has great taste in music I must admit lol. Our baby lovesssss Whitney houstons " I wanna dance with somebody" and "million dollar bill". When the song is done or when I am out of breath and rest this baby lets me know he/she doesn't want me to stop so our baby nudges me usually on the right side tres adorable!!

Baby: Our little one now weighs about 10.5 o. He/ She is more than 16 cm  long from head to bottom that's equivalent to the length of a banana. Our baby is now swallowing more which means its good practice for his/her digestive system. That's all for now dolls. I will update you guys in two weeks as I am going to Punta Cana!! Wish me luck 

Love, Peace, and Happiness
xoxoMommy L

P.S videos will be up shortly

19 Weeks Pregnant

Hey Dolls,

I am almost done my 19 weeks. This week as been super duper exciting because we found out the SEX of our baby on August 21st, 2012. I cant even begin to describe how we felt. This time our baby was cooperating during our ultrasound scan lol. He/she was awake and actively moving as per usual =) During our visit, our technician was super duper sweet. She was so comforting and reassuring. When Kalvin came into the room after 20 mins, she showed us our baby and what shocked everyone in the room was the reaction he/she gave us when we were watching his/her movement. Our baby totally WAVED at us!! How cuteeeee!!!! I swear I got chills up and down my spine! It was such an incredible moment. I cant even stress enough how floured we felt. After our baby waved at us, she told us the sex of our baby =O and I had to ask her to reiterate what she said b/c I was totally not focusing and zoned out by the cute little wave my baby had just did. We recorded a clip when we found out the gender but we cant show anyone yet sorry dolls. We still havent told anyone as of yet and I am dying to tell everyone. We decided that we will let our families know once we come back from Dominican Republic when we all get together for the gender reveal dinner. Until then, you guys have to hold out for a bit longer. 


Pregnancy Questions:
1. Total weight gain? I finally I gained some weight!!! I am currently 128 pounds woohoo! 
2. Stretch marks? No, I still haven't seen any yet. Thank god! 
3. Sleeping habits? I usually crash out by 11:30pm and like always up at 3am. 
4. Food cravings? Yes! Just recently I had a craving of pastas!! So the godmother and I went out for a dinner date =)
5. Queasiness? Nope not at all. 
6. Are you showing?  YES! I finally got my baby bump! I will update my pregnancy photos category  when I get a chance. 
7.Exercising? Noooo =( unfortunately I gave up and I swear I noticed my legs are getting thicker everyday. I seriously need to hop on the lunges bandwagon ASAP. 

Baby: Our baby now weighs 8.5 oz and measures about 15 cm from head to bottom. He or she is as large as a tomato. Our  babys kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on his or her scalp is GROWING!! ( i hope our baby has a full head of hair lol). 

Like always, 
Love, Peace, and Happiness
xoxoMommy L

18 Weeks Pregnant

Hello Dolls,

I cant believe it, I am 18 weeks pregnant eeeeks. This week I started to notice my body changing more than ever. I started to pack on the pounds finally.. I am now 125-126 :) As I was reading some pregnancy books, I noticed that each and everyone of them states by 18 weeks I should have already gained 10-13 pounds >_<  Although I havent reached that number yet, I am still content with my weight gain now. Kalvin and I are beginning to prep for our trip to Dominican coming up in 2.5 weeks.  TBH it is so hard to shop now because this week I am showing a lot more. My belly looks HUGE, it just came out of nowhere. We went shopping for dresses and I found it extremely tough and a bit depressing considering there were no dresses that flattered my bulging belly lol. I tried H&M, Zara, and even Old Navy and nothing seemed to fit right. Truthfully, I am still adjusting to my body changing. I know its a good thing because it means our little cutie patootie is growing, but I think it's still going to take some time for me to get used to it. I found the most amazing and inspirational website about soon to be mothers or mothers who are adjusting to their new bodies during pregnancy and post pregnancy. The website also discusses post partum depression, infertility, miscarriages, life during pregnancy, and many more categories. The website will be listed below for those who are interested :) Pregnancy is a beautiful journey for a woman, but it does take a toll on a woman's body. I didn't get any stretch marks yet. I am still using bio oil every night to possibly limit the chances of developing stretch marks. Bio oil works I am telling you dolls. Even Kalvin uses it on his arms (he got stretch marks from working out too much lol) I noticed a change in color and visibility after 1 month. I also think stretch marks are hereditary, chances are if your mama had it, you will likely get them too. My mom had 4 kids, two of which are twins and she has ZERO stretch marks. She didn't use any remedies at all during her pregnancy and her tummy now is lovely and smooth. Anyways, enough about me, lets talk about our baby...

Baby: Our baby is now 14.6 cm long from crown to rump. Our baby weighs about 5.3 ounces. The ears are in its final position and our baby continues to flex his or her arms and legs (sooooo cuteeee)

Like always, 

Love, Peace, and Happiness
xoxoMommy L


Here is the amazing Website:
http://theshapeofamother.com/

18 Weeks Pregnancy Vlog

17 Weeks Pregnant

Hey Dolls, 

Today I am 17 weeks prego yayyy! This week I feel way better because I gained back my weight. I am back to 123 pounds now :) Not only that, but our baby has been kicking and moving non stop. My daily routine consist of waking up everynight at 3am and going back to bed at 4:30- 5:00am. But I am so used to it that it doesn't even bother me anymore. New Symptoms: I started to develop severe back pains especially to my lower back and shoulder. I love the hubby because he always eases my pain by giving me a hardcore back rub. Kalvin has been even more excited this week only because he saw my belly flutter for the first time. I tried to record our baby moving, but I was only able to capture 2 seconds of it. I know I say this a lot but, he truly makes my pregnancy easier. God bless me with a wonderful man <3. I also noticed when I eat a lot to the point where I cant even breath lol my belly has the tendency to "pop" out so much. It almost looks like I stuffed a tiny basketball under my dress. I will attach a pic of my belly when Kal and I went to Scarborough's Ribfest. 

Baby: Our baby's sweat glands are starting to develop this week. The baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone as we speak. He or she weighs 5 oz thats equivalent to a turnip and from head to bottom the baby is 13 cm long. 

I am truly embracing my pregnancy and I must admit although my belly still isn't showing as much I am loving the little bump I have :)

Love, Peace, and Happiness all. 

xoxoMommy L

17 Weeks Pregnancy Vlog

16 Weeks Pregnant

Goodmorning dolls, 

This week I am 16 Weeks Pregnant!! During this week I felt the baby move a bit more than the previous week. I feel absolutely fab no sickeness, no migraines, nothing at all. However, its been a really tough week for me in regards to weight gain. As I mentioned during my earlier posts, I've only gained 3 pounds in total and apparently for a mother to be in their 4th month, it is not considered "normal". I get that everyone is different and of course its true, but I cant help but wonder why am I not gaining as much weight as I "expected" or even others. When I hear " are you really pregnant?" or "you don't look pregnant at all Linda, when I was prego I was huge". These comments shouldn't bother me but they do. Im only human. I find that it doesn't affect me by playing on my insecurities (if some of you guys are thinking that lol) but it makes me really worried about the health of my baby. Am I going to have a premature birth/baby? Some people say when you are small you are more prone to deliver way before your due date. So, I cant help but to think about how healthy is my baby if I haven't put on weight? What makes matters worst is that I've lost the 3 pounds I've gained so I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight sigh... Kalvin and I always talk about our concerns about my weight and of course Daddy always reassures me everything is fine and perhaps since I got prego my metabolism is faster then it was. Maybe he is right, I shouldn't be too fixated on the numbers, as long as I am eating right things will work out. I eat 5 times a day if not more. I try to munch on something every 2 hours or so. I barely eat any junk food i.e. fast food since I have no cravings and when I do crave its for celery sticks, carrots, and FRUITS. Maybe its hereditary or maybe its just the way my body is. For now, Im not going to bother with it too much and simply focus on taking care of myself and my little one. Well, I don't want to continue to rant about my concerns and bore you all to death :) so lets talk about the baby..

Baby: Our baby has double in size, he or she is roughly the size of an avocado. The baby is 12 cm long from head to toe and weighs 3oz. Our baby's ear is almost completely positioned and developed while patterns of hair follicles are developing. 

P.s I didn't do a vlog for this week because I totally forgot. But I promise I will have a vlog up for 17 weeks. 

Like always, Love, Peace, and Happiness. 

xoxoMommy L

1st BABY MOVEMENT

Hey Dolls, 
I have the most exciting news ever! Yesterday night around 9:50pm Kal and I were eating dinner and as I was telling him a story, our baby decides to show us how strong he/she is by kicking my tummy!!!! I just cant believe it!!! It was just comical only because when it happened I yelled so loud and grabbed Kals arm so tight. His expression was soooooooo funny! He didnt know what had happened and kept asking me over and over "are you okay, what the.....and gives me a confused look" and when I told him our baby just kicked for the first time we bursted our laughing and smiled literally from ear to ear. To all the mothers to be or mothers out there Im sure you dolls would agree a baby's first kick is one of the best moments during pregnancy.  In a few more weeks, this baby will begin to kick and move non stop and I cant wait :) Like always, love, peace, and happiness.


xoxo Mommy Linda

15 Weeks Pregnant

Hey Dolls, 

Today I am 15 weeks pregnant YAY!  I am one step closer in finishing my half way mark in pregnancy. Time flies by super quick when you are busy. I cant believe I am almost 5 months pregnant =O We woke up bright and early to attend my second blood test appointment. I guess you guys are wondering why am I doing two blood tests? Reason being, I am testing for down syndrome and neural tube defects. The first test is completed between 11-14 weeks gestation and the second one is done at 15-18 weeks gestation. I am not a fan of blood test as I stated in one of my vlogs lol but hey, I need to get these tests done and over with. Today, I am feeling better than ever. I am finally getting the hang of pregnancy now. TMI MOMENT WARNING!!! The major difference I experienced is extreme breast tenderness especially my nipples lol. I can barely wear a bra without it irritating my nipples/breasts much less wear a shirt. It feels uncomfortable and painful. I know breast tenderness is obviously a side effect of being pregnant but, I was hoping for it to stop by now. My breasts has grown in a cup size and feels so firm and heavy. I guess the best way to describe it, is to imagine playing with a water ballon that is tied tight thats how it feels :) I am attending my 2nd OBGYN appointment this Wednesday July 25 and lets pray that everything is good and on track. 

Baby: Our baby is now the size of an apple and weighs about 2.5 oz. Our baby is starting to get hiccups and they do this before learning how to breath. The baby's legs are growing longer and he or she can move all of the tiny limbs and joints <3 Like always, love, peace and happiness see you all at 16 weeks. Enjoy the vlog..

xoxo Mommy Linda 

15 Weeks Pregnancy Vlog

 

14 Weeks Pregnant

Hey Dolls, 
Today is July 16th 2012 and I am 14 weeks pregnant. This week has got to be the roughest week by far. I have been experiencing severe migraines back and fourth. Do you ever get one of those headaches that cant seem to go away? The ones where your head feels extremely heavy and you cant even turn your head slightly without feeling the pounding sensation ? Well, I had one of those days.I know the second trimester is suppose to feel a bit easier, but truthfully, I think its the opposite for me at least. Another symptom I have developed is peeing every 30 mins or so. This gets a bit annoying but I know the reason for this is caused by  hormonal changes in my body. Aside from the headaches, Kalvin and I had a productive Sunday. We went to Micheal's to find things for our DIY centerpieces and favors. I love Micheal's crafts store, it has everything and more. For a person that is obsessed with DIY projects, it felt like heaven being there. Kalvin is such a good sport in getting what we need and participating in the projects ^_^ 


Baby:  Our baby is 3 1/4 to 4 inches and weighs about 1 ounce which is equivalent to the size of an apple or peach. Our baby can now frown his/her eyebrows, squint, pee and even suck his or her thumb how cute is that? I cant wait till my baby starts kicking. I am super excited to feel his/her's first official movements. Until next week see you dolls at 15 weeks. 


Pregnancy Questions:
1. Total weight gain? I still haven't gained any weight since 8.5 weeks. So I've only gained 2 pounds in total. 
2. Stretch marks? None yet and I hope it stays that way. 
3. Sleeping habits? I am getting more sleep now. However, I am always up by 6am all energetic while Kalvin's still sleeping like a bear lol. 
4. Food cravings?With the exceptions of one or two sundaes, I still have no cravings. 
5. Queasiness? A bit, especially when I smell garlic gloves
6. Are you showing?  Yes at least I see it, but no one else can tell I'm even 4 months prego.
7.. Exercising? I barely work out now since I am at work Mon-Fri till 7pm. I try to squeeze in a mini homework out to tone my legs. 

Love, Peace and Happiness
xoxo Mommy Linda

14 Weeks Pregnant Blog

So here is my first pregnancy photo. I  am 14 weeks. 

13 Weeks Pregnant

Hey dolls,  
I am FINALLY in my 2nd trimester YAYY!!!! Today Kalvin and I had our first official ultrasound woohoo! We reached the doctors office around 9am and our appointment was at 9:20am so we were early. The minute I entered the office I was immediately escorted into the room which was surprising. As the lady squirted the cold gel on my stomach I felt a nervous rush of feeling down my spine and I didnt know why. Ultrasound are generally 20 mins or so, but in my case it took well over an hour. Our baby was sleeping and had his/her back turned towards the sonogram so we could not get any type of structure measurements. After coughing numerous times trying to get the baby to rotate, it finally CAVED in and did a 180 degrees turn lol. When we finally recieved all the measurements needed, the lady had called in Kalvin in her case he was my "husband" lol so that we can both view the images at the same time. Kalvin walked into the room and had the brightest smile ever!!!! He was so excited and even laughed before seeing the pictures. Once we saw the images my heart fluttered with butterflies<3 I just couldnt believe how big he or she was. It was such an incredible moment. Kalvin kept saying " awww its so cute" lol how adorable!! When we left the office we got a copy of the images on a CD. 

Baby: Fingerprints have formed on our baby's fingertips. All his or her veins and organs are clearly visible. The baby is developing tiny bones in his/her arms and legs. The baby's vocal cords are also developing making it one step closer to saying Mommy and Daddy :)


Today was simply unforgettable for the both of us. There is no better way to describe the way we feel This baby is truly a blessing in our lives.

P.S Today I was confirmed 13 weeks pregnant and not 12 weeks :)
Love, Peace and Happiness
xoxo Mommy Linda

First Ultra Sound

11.5 Weeks Pregnant

Hi Dolls, I know this is a delayed post but I have been caught up with school and work, but I am back to update you guys on my pregnancy. Today I am 11.5 weeks pregnant and it feels great. It was a tough 2 weeks for me because I started experiencing severe nausea and congestion problems. Some days are better than the others. There are times where I feel so sick and I don't even want to get out of bed. But guess what? there are certain things you can eat and drink to help calm the uncomfortable feeling. Here are my main two holy grail items: 


1. Canada dry. Canada dry contains real ginger and is caffeine free so it helps soothes your stomach. It is safe to drink during pregnancy, but only in moderation. 
2. Premium salted crackers: this is a great little snack especially when you are extremely bothered by the smell of strong odor. Salted crackers helps your stomach settle. By eating bland foods or snacks, you are less likely to feel nauseated. 


I haven't gained any weight as of yet. My weight still remains the same around 122 pounds and I am almost in my second trimester. I've read and heard some stories about pregnant women gaining 5-6 pounds in the first trimester, but it obviously varies from person to person. 

I am so thankful to have a partner who is caring and extremely supportive. He puts up with my mood swings and constant complain about my pains. He gets up during the night when I am tossing and turning just to make sure I am okay. He rubs my tummy when I need it. I think having a supportive partner during your pregnancy makes life much easier. I do feel sorry for him sometimes lol but hey what are daddy's for right??

Baby: The baby has all his parts such as tooth buds, nails, toes and fingers which have been fully separated. Our baby is kicking and stretching, keep in mind that you cant feel it until you are 18 -20 weeks pregnant. I cant wait till July 9th this will be the first time we will get to see our baby and have pictures. See you all at 13 weeks. 

Love, Peace and Happiness

xoxo Mommy Linda

This is what our baby looks like now. Goodbye web fingers and toes <3

Our Baby's 1st Heartbeat

Hey Dolls, on June 27th I went to see my OBGYN for the first time. Who knew the wait would take extremely long just for a 15 mins consultant. During our appointment, we had the chance to listen to our little ones heart beat. It was the most precious sound we ever heard. We have an active little one because when our obgyn tried to find the babys heart beat, the baby itself was tossing and turning =) Kalvin did capture the video and my initial reaction listening to the heartbeat. At that very moment it really dawn on me that I was bringing in a little one into this world. Enjoy the video... 

Love, Peace and Happiness

xoxo Mommy Linda

Baby's 1st Heart Beat

8.5 Weeks Pregnant

As of today I am officially 8.5 weeks pregnant yay how exciting! Our fetus is the size of a tadpole. This week the baby's gonads will become either testes or ovaries. I am simply amazed at how babies really form in such a short period of time. Kalvin is hoping for a boy but as for me I just want a healthy baby. So to answer some questions


1. How far along are you? 8.5 weeks
2. Total weight gain? my weight fluctuates between 1-2 pounds gained
3. Stretch marks? No
4. Sleeping habits? I am usually tired in the afternoon and prefer to take naps :) But I 5. usually wake up during the night around 4:00am to use the bathroom
5. Food cravings? not so much, maybe a popsicle here and there but nothing too drastic. 
6. Queasiness? Definitely! The smell of MEAT in general makes my stomach churn.
7. Are you showing?  A tiny bit. My stomach is more firm this week thats for sure. 
8. Gender prediction? Kalvin: boy Me: if I had to guess I would say a boy as well
9. Exercising? Yes I try to work out 3 times a week 45 mins per session. No weight lifting or hardcore cardio work out. 

This week has been a blessed time for me. No morning sickness at all. Perhaps I have a few times where I feel queasy but it never gets to a point where I would physically throw up.  

I guess I should also mention that at 7.5 weeks I was experiencing insane abdominal cramping. It would feel very painful and uncomfortable to sleep or sit. I was advised to take an emergency ultrasound by my family physician. Turns out, everything was fine and the baby was healthy. I remember seeing the ultrasound for the first time with Kalvin. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing! Kalvin was simply graced by the baby's picture and couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear. It was a blissful moment for the two of us.

Love, Peace and Happiness

 This is what our baby looks like now at 8.5 weeks. If you ask me, it looks like an alien lol but a cute one of course 

Initial Reactions

How I found Out..

It was on May 16 2012 when we discovered I was officially pregnant. At the beginning of May I knew something was off when I was experiencing pregnancy symptoms such as: sensitivity to smells especially meat produce, abdominal pains, and of course tender breasts. Has anyone ever heard of the saying " trusts yourself, you know more than you think you do"? Well, on May 16th I followed my intuition and went out and purchased 3 pregnancy tests just to be on the safe side :) . When I saw the first result I was absolutely blinded by the two lines indicating POSITIVE! The two words that I consistently uttered over and over were "NOOOOOOOOO WAYYYYYYY!!!"  I took the second test and then finally the third. All were positive. As a curled up in the bathroom just starring at the two lines, I just knew that I was officially bringing a mini Linda or Kalvin into this world...

How did you tell Kalvin?

Prior to telling Kalvin the good news I invited my bestfriend out to eat and asked for her opinions on ways I should break the news to Kalvin. After sharing ideas over lunch, we finally decided we might as well do it with a bang and tell him in a memorable way. I walked over to Walmart picked up a a baby photo album. Then I walked to old navy and purchased one of the cutest baby onezie saying "I love Daddy" . Finally I walked to Halmark and purchased a card. Telling Kalvin the pregnancy news was hard but extremely comical. I remember giving him the card after he returned from work. As he opened the envelope and saw the itty bitty baby drawings on the card he quickly replied with "babe what is this?" The card read" You're going to fall in love again with someones tender charms! You're going to be demolished by a pair of little arms! Yes, you're going to fall in love again. The signs are very clear! Get ready for a brand-new crush...As soon as baby's here" After reading the card Kalvin bursted out laughing and kept uttering " is this FOR REAL? are you serious?". I am almost sure all sorts of emotions were running through his mind. After settling down we had a intimate conversation discussing what will happen and from then on it was history... 

Love, Peace and Happiness

xoxo Mommy Linda

Here is he 1st cute onezies I purchased

Meet Mommy and Daddy

Hi Everyone, welcome to my pregnancy blog. My name is Linda  and the guy to the right of me is the daddy...Kalvin . Here, I will be consistenty updating everyone throughout my pregnancy with photos, videos, and of course my personal daily experiences as I move forward on this challenging yet beautiful journey. As newly parents, we are more than happy to spend the rest of our mornings, afternoons, and nights with our bundle of joy. So sit back and watch me grow. 

xoxo Mommy Linda

Mommy and Daddy