Bah Humbug! Emotional!

After my wonderful week at the Beau Rivage celebrating our "Halfway" mark, I've been totally emotional the past 2 weeks!

Week 21 -

Let's Cry on Valentine's Day Date Night, February 11th!

It was a great Valentine's week because my husband is so awesome and made it so special. He made reservations at a restaurant called, "Ely's" in Ridgeland. It was delicous. Maybe it was because I was hungry or maybe it was really good. All I know is that the seafood dip is now something I will use as a crutch "I'm craving, seafood dip from Ely's" a lot now, honey. =) And I am 100% sure I will get it too.

The morning of the big date night I went on a mission to find a hot red dress. Well, that was a mistake. I started picking up dress sizes I could normally wear. I marched into the dressing room and couldn't get half these dresses of my newly blossomed watermelons. I was really upset. In my mind, I kept thinking I looked fine, I hadn't gained to much weight, I'm still the same size. Well girls (never been preggo girls, like me until now), let me tell you -your body does change, I mean, of course you get a stomach and of course your chest gets bigger, but with all those little changes you have now gone up atleast 3 or 4 sizes just to accomadate them. It's shocking to say the least.

I finally found a dress that seemed to flatter my new figure. I got home and started getting ready. The whole time I kept crying. Crying crying crying.... one big cry baby. It was really ridiculous, I'd tell myself, stop crying you look fine but it didn't help. Marcos got home ready and excited for our date only to find me crying. I explain to him I went and tried on all these dresses and no of them fit me, and that it just wasn't fun. He just laughed and kept telling me I was being silly and that I looked "beautiful" of course. So, I finally got a grip of myself and tried to focus on my sweet husband, who had made plans for the night and that I needed to enjoy it, so I did.

February 12 - The snow storm!

It was so incredible to wake up to a white winter wonderland! That is exactly what it was! I put on my snow boots and made a day of it outside. It was great! I was feeling a lot better about the new me - maybe that was because I had a big ole jacket on and I really didn't care about what I looked like. =) That day didn't last long.

February 13 - A cry baby doesn't deserve to go to Chuck E Cheese -

My friend, Sara, had a birthday party planned for her little girl, Eden. She is the sweetest little girl ever! M and I just love her. During the weeks Sara and I hang out and I bring Audrey, my niece along, who is 4, to play and entertain Eden. They have a blast. Well, Friday night Audrey had told Marcos that she bought a barbie for Eden and wanted HIM to pick her up and take her to the Birthday party.

Saturday morning at 830AM, I get a phone call and it is Audrey, "I'm waiting for Marcos". Ha. So, we get up and get ready to take her to the party.

I tried to find something to wear which begins the crying session all over again. I cry and cry uncontrolably about how I have nothing to wear, I hate the cold and I feel like a giant marshmellow. Once again, M laughs at me and tells me I look super cute and he loves the pink shirt. I could care less about his opinion at this point because I am an official marshmellow. I put my makeup on crying. I walked to the car crying. M finally says, he'll take me to buy a shirt that that will make me not feel like a marshmellow. This news distracts and I start focusing on what it is that I would like to buy. We pick Audrey up and take her to Chuck E Cheese. M and Audrey had a blast. Actually M had the most fun winning 850 tickets for Audrey playing one game over and over again. My afternoon got better as I had forgotten about the whole morning and was hungry and ready for lunch and then what I'd eat for dinner. =) I never got a shirt that day, I had forgotten about it all.

Week 22 - Leaving a on a Jet Plane

Sunday and Monday I basically spent the entire day crying because my husband was leaving to Brazil. I couldn't sleep Sunday night, woke up at 4AM and sat in the living room crying as Sophi starred at me. It was ridiculous, I just can't help the crying. I seriously tried hard to breathe and not think about anything and smile, but it just keeps coming.

 Monday, M hated seeing me so upset, he even said he wouldn't go. But, I explained to him I was fine and that it was ok to go and I couldn't control my crying and he'd have to just ignore it that I would cry the entire way to the airport. And I did.

I'm not sure when the cyring spells will end, maybe it is that time of the month for me or something and that is why I acting so irrational. But, I do hope it goes away because my eyes are super tired and they've been burning now for like 4 days.

I've got a Dr. appointment tomorrow - Wednesday. I'm excited to hear Natalies, heart beat. Even though I feel her constantly and M got to feel her alot Sunday night before he left. He was excited about that.

I'm looking forward to week 23/24 hoping the tears will be away and my hubby will be back home!

Above is a photo of the "winnie

the pooh" room. It's been like that

since we moved in. We will be getting

rid of the pooh room and turning it

PINK!

Big News!

On Tuesday during the day I noticed that Natalie's movements were stronger. I decided I'd lay down a bit and see if I can see the movement from the outside. You see, I have been feeling her move since like 14 weeks but nothing strong or noticeable to the eye or able to feel.

To my surprise, I could see the movement. I was so excited, I even turned to the left of me as if M was laying next to me to share in the excitement. Well, he was at work. But I was so excited. I texted him immediately to inform him of the big movement. He was excited but skeptical because in the past I've tried to let him see if he can feel her and he hasn't, only I have been able to feel her (I mean, she is inside of me, LoL).

So, last night we layed in bed and I watched TV while M played a game on the laptop. All of sudden she started moving. I tried to stay quiet so she wouldn't hear me because sometimes she gets quiet if I start talking. I tapped him hard and pointed to my stomach trying not to move a muscle. Then BAMN! M's hand flew off me and he screams, "Whooa! I really felt that!" Haha. Yep, he sure did. He was so excited and I was even more excited for him. It was a really cool moment.

She has continued to be stronger and I feel her easier and easier. I think this last 20 weeks should be fun!

On an OFF note, Marcos has decided to visit his family in Brazil. Am I ok with it? Well, it's his family he has to see them, just think his family shouldn't be pushing him to visit but telling him to stay w/ me and they should be visiting us. But, that is another story. He will be leaving on Monday.

19 - 20 Weeks!

The 19th week was just pure bliss. All day long I thought about girl things. Girl accesories, girl colors, girly girl girl things! I want my nursery to fit a "Princess" because that is exactly what she is - Our Princess! We are going for something elegant and pink. I battled a while on what to do: bright, bold, funky, cool, but then the more I thought about it for me, that wasn't it. This is my first baby! My first baby GIRL! And with that being said, I wanted her to be a baby, a sweet, innocent princess. I will have her whole life to go bold, bright, cool or funky but right now, it will be sweet. It's be fun! What is really fun is my husband, M. He is all about it. It is so cute, when we go shopping now he is the first to find the frilliest, girliest, pink thing and say, "Ohh we got to get her this!" LoL. I love it!

20 weeks and HALFWAY there!

Marcos and I decided to celebrate our HALFWAY point. We booked a night at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, MS. We went to the outlet mall where we shopped and shopped! It was so fun. We got Natalie the cutest little booties and a diaper bag with her name on it. Marcos found a teeny tiny swimsuit that he just had to get Natalie. ;)

That evening we had a couples massage booked at the Beau Rivage Spa. It was awesome. Just like on TV when they have couple massages however, they are usually talking to each other the entire time but for Marcos and I, no talking was needed. It was so quiet. We were so relaxed there was not one thing I had to say to him, I just wanted to enjoy it. And that is what we did!

After the massage, we went up to our rooms and took a little nap. Got up and dressed for the BIG SUPER Bowl! We walked down to hotel Casino to find a place to watch and it but it was really smoke in there and I just couldn't bare it. So, we left the Casino and went to Beef O Brady's. The food was HORRIBLE! I can see why they shut down the one in Madison. But, the atmosphere was GREAT! Saint fans everywhere- hooting and hollaring. It really made the game experience so exciting. But what toped it off was that the SAINT Won! I just knew they were going to win though, they had to win. We were celebrating our HALFWAY point, 20 weeks and what better memory of the Beau Rivage then the Saints winning on our trip! It was the best little trip we've taken thus far. Marcos wants to do it all more often, and I won't complain.

Natalie Kate Rodrigues!!

It's a GIRL!

We had our GENDER Party Thursday night and it was so incredible. Everyone showed up around 6:30PM in either their pink and blue. What's so funny is that most people called RSVPing that they'd be wearing their PINK but when they showed up they had on BLUE? LoL. When word got out that the majority were wearing PINK everyone decided at the last minute to change and wear blue b/c what if it was a boy?! =)

So, with that being said, we had the majority wearing BLUE and my mom, me, Leah and 1aunt & uncle wearing pink! We all ate pizza and I showed them the NOT finished baby room and things I had thus far in it. My oh so cool stroller and how it worked. By 7pm everyone was so anxious they wanted their cupcake!! Of course - so we got the cupcakes and started passing them out.

I announced the rules, No biting until you hear 3 - 1, 2, 3!!! And everyone screams, "IT'S A GIRL!" I was so excited! Over elated with excitment - I wanted a girl so bad! The night was simply perfect. I had one person explained to me, "This is the coolest idea because back in the old days you didn't know the sex of the baby until everyone who was at the hospital was gathered around and the daddy walked down the hallway and with his new baby and made the announcement, well, what I did was just like that but without a baby. Everyone was there and we all found out together just like the old days." So, I must say - that was a really cool idea and we will try somethng like that everytime. Maybe not cupcakes the next time but something cool and different.

We've named her:

Natalie Kate Rodrigues

Natalie: Christmas Child

              God's Gift of Joy

Psalms 9:2

I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will

sing praises to Your name, O Most High

Kate: Innocent

          Godly Example

Philippians 2:15

So that you will prove yourselves to be

blameless and innocent, children of God

above reproach.

I pray she will live up to the meaning of her name because the meaning of a name is so important! One thing is for sure she is a gift of JOY, especially to Marcos and I. The book that we used to name her is called, "The Name Book" by Dorothy Astoria and it gives you the inherent & spiritual meaning along with the scripture.