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So a few weeks ago, we went to the local airport to take some pictures for a dress review next to our friends’ plane. Of course, when there are pictures involved,  we (read: I) never stop at just what we planned, we usually come back with about 600 more shots than necessary, but I love that because they all tell a story and create amazing memories. I know one thing: this is one of the best documented pregnancies and babies known to mankind lol.

You might have seen some of the shots taken by the plane in the Shabby Apple Giveaway post, and they were along these lines:

But I never posted the photos of what went on after that.

So after we got the dress shots out of the way, we did a little family photoshoot with our friends Michelle, Ryan and their daughter Heleena, that I will post on Selfie Magic as soon as I get a little more time to work on them. Then, the boys we ready to take off.  Now, they are used to flying all the time (and wouldn’t you, if you owned a plane?), but because I am super careful about Alexis and this pregnancy, we weren’t sure whether it was a smart idea to take a ride for me. I’d never been in a small plane, so I didn’t know if there would be too much pressure that would make Alexis uncomfortable or if I’d be afraid and stressed out. Normally I’d be super scared of flying in a small plane – I once flew over the Alps in a Helicopter and that was a bit terrifying, so we didn’t want any stress for Lexy. For the time being, we had decided that Andrew would go first and see how it felt and then we’d go from there.

Andrew’s dad used to own a small plane when they lived in Puerto Rico and as a little boy he’d always been fascinated with planes. They used to fly to St Thomas, Culebra, St John’s and surrounding islands and he still fondly tells me about his memories. So Michelle and I stayed on the ground while the boys took off.  To be honest, the second I saw that plane take off,  all the fear disappeared and all I wanted to do is be on that plane.

{Grey Dress by Shabby Apple, Two’s Company maternity line}

Meanwhile, with nothing better to do, we set up the tripod and took some ridiculous pictures of our growing bellies. I was at 25 weeks and Michelle was at 11 weeks, I think. We did the “goofy face belly bump”.

Once that got old, we went ahead and took a few pictures of Heleena, who was having way too much fun in her stroller! It’s crazy to think that just one week later, we were back at that air field and this little girl was already walking. It’s amazing how fast kids grow. So believe me when I say: There’s going to be a LOT of pictures of Alexis when she arrives. That’s the only thing that keeps the memories alive.

Soon the boys landed- my husband all disheveled and excited. He loved it and was happy to report that the ride was 100% comfortable, no pressure or too many G-forces and that he would  fully support me going for a ride ( he’s more conservative when it comes to Alexis’s safety and our pregnancy than I am, so that was good enough for me). It was settled then that next week we’d go out for another ride, this time all together!
And of course, we couldn’t leave without a few group pictures. 

So fast forward to next week, we were out there again and I was ready to catch some wind. I called shot-gun, b/c it was my first time. Normally I would NOT feel safe flying in a small plane, mostly because owners of small planes tend to have gotten their pilots licenses to fly these personal planes and might not have much experience. However, in our case, Ryan is an actual commercial pilot, so I was confident that if he is entrusted thousands of lives on daily basis and flies a much bigger, much more complex plane all the time, with hours and hours of school and experience, then I’ll be fine in a plane piloted by him.
{below: “What’s kicking ” Tshirt by 2Chix Maternity. You can win one in the current giveaway}

In reality, it was just soooo cool watching him fly it. It blows my mind that people know how to fly planes. I know in theory it isn’t as hard as it seems (aerodynamics and all that good stuff), but looking at all the buttons and taking off and then coasting over the ocean, I just can’t believe that we can get a big piece of metal in the air with just 1 propeller. It was such a different experience looking at our town from the air. We flew over the high school Alexis will eventually go to (on the right), passed up the little master-planned religious community next us with a massive church, a cute town center and a Law University (on the left)

A few other communities and a million of golf courses and man-made lakes. Our area is beautiful as it is, but it’s breathtaking from the air.

We passed our community (bottom photo), but we were facing the wrong direction and the setting sun made it difficult to take photos. So Ryan turned the plane around to take better pictures, which was a little bit terrifying for me hahahaha

But that turn did give us a much better view of our community and our house. It almost looked like early Midwestern fall with the setting sun, but it couldn’t be farther from the truth. On the ground, it is very lush and green and tropical.

Soon we reached the Gulf of Mexico and it was glorious ( if you don’t count the time when we had to turn around over the water to head back- yikes!). The beach is my favorite place and living near the gulf is a dream come true for me – it’s as awesome as one can imagine and I hope that I never ever take it for granted! In about 2-3 months, when I am no longer pregnant, you will get a much better look at what living in Florida is like and I’ll get to share it with you in every photograph and post I write.

On the way back I was “forced” to co-pilot. He literally let go of the yoke (I had no idea that’s what you call that thing) and let the plane shift a bit to the side until he got me to grab the co-piloting yoke and even the plane out. I sat there with my knuckles white on the steering wheel, trying my best to keep the plane even ( and not to freak out too much). It felt like I was really moving the yoke and I was not happy with the responsibility. Granted, hindsight being 20/20 , the changes I was making in the plane’s trajectory were  more in seconds and inches, but to me it felt like it was hours and miles. Next time ( if I’m ever in the co-piloting seat), I try to not be such a chicken and actually turn the yoke a bit more than 1/10 of an inch

And that is all! Hope you’re having a wonderful week and link up your Photo Share Posts below.

{rules: 1. Link up ONLY THE Specific Photo Share POST, not the whole blog. 2. include the button in the post, if you link up}

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Week 5 of Pregnant With Style

This week is all about having fun with your pregnancy.

We can pretend we’re all sophisticated and fancy, but sometimes we just want to put on jeans and a cool tee and feel like we’re still hot stuff even with the belly. That’s when humor helps (Because who are we kidding?)!

Who hasn’t seen these awesome maternity tees around? The ones that say funny things about your belly or your pregnancy or the man who knocked you up?

Well, 2Chix Maternity is the company that makes them (or at least makes the cute and funny ones).

Andrew and I received 2 tees: What’s kickin’ (for me) and Changing the World One Diaper at a Time (for hubby). It was actually a lot of fun wearing them around town. I liked that the writing isn’t too huge, tacky and in your face, but people close to you definitely notice it and chuckle every time.

The T-shirts are made from 100% cotton which is always good during pregnancy since we tend to be hot or for those who have picky husbands who refuse to wear anything but 100% cotton.
I love that the Tshirt was tight fitting to show off my belly (but of course one could always get a size up if they prefer baggier styles) and the men’s styles are definitely long enough ( that sometimes is a problem for my 6’3 husband)

Ok, now the best part: The lines! My favorites are:

DOES THIS BABY MAKE MY BUTT LOOK BIG?
WAISTLINES ARE OVERRATED
WE’RE HUNGRY 

and for your favorite man:

HE SHOOTS HE SCORES
I’M THE MILKMAN
THE MAN BEHIND THE BELLY 

There are also funny hoodies, tanks, baby onsies and other maternity clothes. And if celebrities love this brand ( Selma Blair, Tia Mowry, Brooke Shields, Jennifer Garner, Melissa Joan Hart, Julia Roberts, Constance Zimmer, Jaime Presley and Angelina Jolie), then you will too.

So here’s how you can win a  free novelty T-shirt in your size ( for you, for daddy or your baby).

BELOW  ARE THE GIVEAWAY RULES
and Mandatory Entries: {read carefully}

There are two mandatory entries, after which you will have additional entries available,
and 1 daily entry for which you can come back to enter daily.
The winning entry will be verified and  the winner disqualified if the action is not found or if the mandatory items are not fullfilled.
Make sure to notate how you’re following the blog in the extra info field (entry #1). The entry won’t count if that information is missing.
Please make sure to comment on which tee from 2Chix you’d like to win to be eligible (entry #2). The comment is to be posted to this blog post.
The giveaway is open to US residents only.
All comments will be moderated and will appear once approved.

If you have a blog, there’s an entry worth 10 points ( post our button on your blog’s sidebar)

{If you’re not sure how to use to enter, feel free to watch this video tutorial or email me at contact {at} prebabyblog {dot} com
Otherwise, make sure to read everything carefully. Click the DO IT link first, then I’VE DONE IT once the action is completed}

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I meant to do this post for Photo Share Tuesday this week, but the Nursery Update was more important, so here I am catching up!

I am not a HUGE fan of Halloween but like everyone else I like to have fun!

There were 3 Halloweens in particular that stood out for me throughout  the years and I’d like to share them with you. I honestly only enjoy Halloween if hubby and I manage to come up with an interesting costume or go somewhere out of the ordinary.

My first Halloween in the US was in Cleveland. We went to downtown Kent for a massive street party. It was FREEZING cold like it always is in Ohio, but luckily I had a relatively warm costume. That was the year of Kill Bill movies and our costume was a hit.

{I apologize for such a horrible shot. I can’t stand looking at my old photos for that reason}

Halloween of 2009: Orlando downtown

If you live in Florida, you might know about the awesomeness that goes on during Halloween in Orlando. Our friends introduced us to how the LGBT community celebrates Halloween  and it was nothing short of amazing ( like anything else they do when it comes to creative stuff). First, we spent hours carving pumpkins in a pumpkin carving contest courtesy of our friend India. Of course, their pumpkins were amazing and not done using stencils like ours. The fire-breathing dragon pumpkin was my favorite! Btw, India will be the one who said she’d draw a small mural in Alexis’s nursery and it’s going to be awesome if you judge it by her pumpkin carving skills.

Then, after hoping around a few house parties, we went downtown where the city blocked off a few streets and let the residents roam around in costumes. This was definitely the best costume-fest I’ve seen. We were Borat and Pamela that year and Borat got soooo many hi-fives, it’s not even funny! Afterwards we went to a few gay clubs where nude waiters danced on top of the bars and half the guys pinched my husband’s butt :) It was an absolute blast. Makes me miss our friends so much just looking at these photos.

Year 2010 ( I think)- NYC Halloween

That was a blast of its own. Halloween is pretty huge in the club/modeling circuit in NYC and everyone goes all out. Well, I was new to the city, and hadn’t committed to any one party of group of friends yet for Halloween, so needless to say I waited till the day before to go look for a costume and as anyone who lives in the city knows, the lines at the Halloween stores get CRAZY a few days before. We settled on bride and groom, considering we were going to be in a packed club anyways. I think we ended up at Cain Luxe and then were stuck walking back to my model’s apartment 15 blocks away in 5 inch heels after hours of dancing ( I believe I took my shoes off at some point- I know gross).

Halloween 2010- Disney’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party

What a change in 2 years right? From boozing crazy sexy NYC Halloweens to PG-13 Disney style Halloween with kids (lol)

This was just as awesome though. If you live in Florida, I’m sure you’ve gone there already. If you don’t, you seriously need to visit Orlando in October. This is truly the best party for kids and their parents ( I know we’re going there next year with new baby Alexis dressed as something adorable). The decorations are awesome, the trick or treat trails are fun, the rides are empty and it’s just such a nice pleasant time.

And the next day you can always “ditch” the kids (i.e. leave them with a baby sitter if you’re local) and go scare the crap out of yourself at the Universal Halloween Horror Nights ( that’s so happening next year as well, if we manage to part with our baby).

This year – No big plans. But I promise I’ll make up for it in the years to come! And it’ll probably look somewhat like this ( baby face morphed from my and Andrew’s face using an online tool)

Linking up to October Fest

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I am getting really tired of these bump pictures. They don’t seem to change at all over the weeks :) lol

STATS:

Her size:  ”This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pound and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She’s sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby’s brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. ”

How far along: 27 WEEKS

Total weight gain: 155lb (that’s +1 for this week for a total of 19 lbs).

Sleep: I have adjusted to the new “big belly” sleep with a big body pillow and an additional pregnancy pillow ( more about that later). Today I realized that I haven’t thought about sleeping on my stomach in a very long time, which I would take as a hint that I am comfortable enough in the side sleeping position. The only complaint I have is that it appears I prefer my right side to my left and have to always consciously move myself to the left side, since it’s the side that the baby gets the most blood flow from.

Maternity Clothes: Definitely. Now that I have discovered a few really cool maternity brands, I am enjoying wearing maternity clothes, and even though normal tops still fit, I seem to always reach for maternity tops because they are softer and more comfortable.

Food cravings : Asian pears (these suckers are $3/piece at Whole Foods). It seems all my favorite fruit is out of season ( peaches and pears), which has to be the reason why I am craving sweets now ( and eating them too). Before, any time I’d want something sweet, I’d reach for a peach. Now it’s cupcakes ( damn you, Michelle, who brings them every time she stops by) or ice cream.

Food aversions: none

Symptoms I HAVE:

Heartburn – Mild to strong depending on my diet
Rash – Mild
Braxton Hicks –  occasional
I’m also happy to tell you that both my boobs recently announced to me that they, in fact, work they way nature intended them to. Kind of exciting :) 

Symptoms I still HAVE NOT  had (hmmmm):

leg cramps
sciatic pain
persistent backache ( I only get backache if I don’t work out or sit in an uncomfortable position, like in bed, but it’s definitely nothing consistent),
persistent round ligament pain (I’ve felt it maybe twice the whole pregnancy),
swelling,
constipation,
shortness of breath,
mood swings,
linea negra

Doctor’s Appointment: I had my glucose test yesterday. I was both looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time. I wanted to get it out of the way and get a good result but at the same time I was not looking forward to drinking something THAT sweet on empty stomach ( I am not a fan of overly sweet things, that’s why I prefer fruit to sweets, or barely sweet european treats). They only had me drink half the little glucose bottle ( for those who haven’t been pregnant yet: it’s kind of like  super sweet orange soda without the fizz). The first sip was actually tasty. Then the sweetness started BURNING my mouth. I finished it and sat down to make sure I don’t throw up or have a reaction. Hubby prepared a whole wheat sandwich in the meantime for me to take to the appointment and eat afterwards. I was starting to get lightheaded in the car, so I just laid back and chilled out. We got in, gave blood, I devoured my sandwich and then we met the doc to ask him a bunch of questions about labor.

We’ve been trying to figure out what direction we want to go with the whole labor/delivery thing and a lot depended on what the hospital protocols were and how flexible our OB was about certain things. There were some things that we were willing to give up, but then others that haed the potential of making us go the birthing center route instead, even though we are both really set on delivering in a hospital. So I won’t get into details, I need to write another post about our birth expectations and desires, but I couldn’t be happier with his answers.  He is really the best OB I could hope for. He is experienced, flexible, and most importantly very very caring. I can just see that he will do what is best for the baby and the mother. He IS very pro-epidural, but I can’t blame him. In most births he has delivered, it has made his job and the job of laboring mother easier and not caused any issues. However, the most important thing is he FULLY supports me in anything we decide, whether it’s natural childbirth or an epidural. He keeps saying that if anyone can do it, it’s me to a lot of questions I ask.

Also, I love how he’s not a fan of other interventions ( aside from epidural), like breaking the water or cervical checks. His routine care is exactly what we wanted and a few things that we disagreed on, he explained to us in detail and we totally saw the point of doing what he recommends, even though he’d always follow it up with “But we can do whatever you guys decide to do”. How cool is that?

I was so afraid that we’re just going to be forced to do things “their” way, but all the answers were perfect. The only problem he foresees is getting an hour of bonding time before they clean and measure Alexis, because, in his words, “the baby nurses have their routine and they’re just not going to be happy about you breaking it. So make sure you let them know in advance and hope that they accommodate you”. I have read before that the baby bonding time right after birth was the hardest thing about giving birth in the hospital, that the baby nurse WAS NOT happy about the couple wanting to stay with the baby for a while after birth. So let’s just hope that we either get a really sweet nurse or that my husband has the balls to stand up to the hospital personnel and let them know our wishes, because I know I’ll be out of it.  lol

Also, at the appointment, the doc said I am measuring 2 weeks behind ( fundal height). He wasn’t concerned at all and cited that it could be many things such as “strong abdominal muscles”, “small baby” (I was a small baby, only 6 lbs 4 oz, which, for how tall I am, is a bit small) or just temporarily behind. Also my mom said she didn’t really start showing too much with me till 7 months. Of course, it’s natural for me to worry a bit anyways. We’ll have our standard ultrasound in 4 weeks, so we’ll see then.

Movement: WE’VE GOT HICCUPS! I’ve been waiting for those. Wondering if I just can’t recognize them… But today while I was taking a nap, I definite felt our precious girl hiccup right in my cervix ( does that mean she’s head down?) Little tap-tap-taps rhythmically over a span of a minute. Love it! That means her central nervous system is developed enough to get hiccups. YAY!

Belly Button: An innie with a Napoleon complex.

Gender: GIRL!

Best moment of the week: Flying ( will write a post with photos about it- our friends took us on their Piper plane around the area and to the ocean) and doc’s appointment and baby girl’s hiccups.

What I’m looking forward to:

Officially hitting the third trimester mark, getting a bit more regular with my exercises, working on the nursery.

What I miss:

The beach

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Today instead of Photo Share Tuesday, you finally get some updates on the nursery.

To say that it’s been difficult is to say nothing. Aside from the fact that we only have weekends to work on it, I have been strictly forbidden to even enter the room while the work is in progress. In addition to that, my husband is the kind of guy who would rather buy pretty things than make pretty things. I am not a crafty person either, but I am a creative person, so I have all these ideas and visions and I want them to come to life at minimal cost (lol).

So here we have one prospective parent who can’t work on the nursery (yes, we do buy low-VOC paint, and no, we still don’t feel it’s ok for me as a preggo to paint or be in the room that is painted) and another parent who really would rather postpone it till 2 weeks before Alexis arrives. So while I gotta give him props for calmly going and doing all these things I ask, my husband does tend to stop working an hour or two later, citing one of two things: “It’s a good start” or “I need a tool I don’t have to get it done right“.

For the past month, he forgot to pick up the paint from the store after he ordered it ( twice), didn’t get enough paint to finish the project (twice), realized he was missing a tool or something after starting a project that he simply can’t do without (once), threw a fit over having to refinish a dresser rather than buy a brand new one (once). So let’s just say it has not been easy for me and I’ve been doing NOTHING :)

In the end, he always did get it done and worked really hard, but not without a lot of complaining and excuses . Let’s just say my husband is great at a lot of things, but he is not one who enjoys working with his hands rather than his brain (and to be completely honest I’m exactly the same way).

So here’s what the room looked like once we cleaned the junk out of it ( took us two weekends, since it was our “don’t know what to do with it, let’s put all our boxes and useless crap in” room)

Our biggest challenge so far is that the room is tiny. It’s not closet tiny, like I’ve seen some rooms be, but it’s the smallest room out of the 5 bedrooms and it was “meant” to be a nursery. All our other bedrooms have a pretty permanent use: master bedroom, movie theater, home office and a downstairs guest room. They are too specialized to easily convert to a baby room, and guest bedroom is downstairs which is too far from master bedroom.

The only reason I am ok with Alexis having a smaller room is that we have a living room area downstairs that is currently a “mismatched furniture placeholder”, which I will convert to a playroom (photo on the left). It’s a large area and it’s going to look fabulous as an arts, crafts and play room for Alexis. So her bedroom will only be a place to sleep, not play. Once she grows up enough not to need a playroom or want more privacy, we’ll transfer her to the secluded guest room, which as a teenager she will love.

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 Week 4 of Pregnant with Style project!

This week it’s all about staying sexy during pregnancy and breastfeeding without sacrificing comfort or function.

Let me introduce you to a mom-owned lingerie company called Bella Materna. They make very high quality nursing and pregnancy bras as well as loungewear and nightwear.

After about the 1st month of pregnancy, it was clear that none of my bras were going to fit comfortably. Aside from the cup being too small or too uncomfortable, it seemed like my chest size grew too. So pregnancy bras are definitely something every pregnant girl has to buy, and then again nursing bras if you are planning on breastfeeding.

Well, I gotta say that’s a lot of bra and size changes between pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, nursing and then post nursing.  Of course, one can always go and buy a bunch of cheap bras, but as some of you might have experienced, they don’t last long and don’t feel too comfortable, let alone look good.

By the time I received my Sexy Tshirt Nursing bra from Bella Materna, I had already bought 1 pregnancy/nursing bra. However, it had been lying deep in my drawers waiting for me to become desperate enough to use it. Now, I am not a fan of wearing bras. I usually try to avoid them like the plaque and take my bra off the second I get home ( sometimes even in the car on the way home). So let’s just say I was not looking forward to having to wear one at all times during pregnancy ( so that my boobs would sag more than they have to from the additional weight).

So comparing the bra I had bought to the Bella Materna bra, it’s very clear that comfort and quality beats anything else. And if it ends up looking attractive enough for my husband to comment on it- well that’s just a bonus!
I am 2/3 done with the pregnancy and I never ONCE wore that first bra I bought, because while it might be cheaper, it also isn’t comfortable at all, so it turned into a waste of money for me. The Bella Materna bra is the opposite, I find myself hanging around in it because I forget I have it on. And the hubby is enjoying me walking around in my Bella Materna underwear much better than if I wore most of the moo-moo looking pregnancy lingerie out there :) Plus I feel much better about owning a set of nice looking high quality lingerie that I know will last me for a few years of changing sizes as I go through pregnancy and breastfeeding.

 So here’s how you can win ANY Bella Materna Bra of your own.

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I apologize for the no-make up, bed-hair picture. I had to quickly take it this morning straight out of bed.

Weeks are definitely dragging but at least I feel well.

STATS:

Baby size:  Little Alexis  is about 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long head-to-heel. “Air sacks are developing in your baby’s lungs, which means it just might be possible for your baby to take a breath at the end of this week.” AWESOME!

How far along: 26 WEEKS

Total weight gain: 154lb (that’s +1 for this week for a total of 18 lbs). If I continue gaining 1 pound a week like I’m supposed to ( or is it 1/2 lb in  the third trimester?), I’ll be at 33 lbs total pregnancy weight gain , which is fine. Doesn’t seem like much to lose.

Sleep: Body aches – oh they are starting. I wake up with sore muscles almost every morning. Luckily the soreness subsides pretty quickly. Going to the bathroom now 4-5 times a night ( I drink a lot of water after those bathroom breaks)

Maternity Clothes: Dresses when I go out, otherwise comfy pants  and sleeping bra at home.  I am finally at the point where I need to buy new underwear in the next size up. What I have is getting awfully uncomfortable.

I just bought “threads for thought” organic pants from Whole Foods ( i know, right?) to wear around the house and they are so comfy. I’ve been buying their tees to wear at home and I am just really digging them. Thought I’d give a heads up to other preggo women. The pants are really stretchy and soft and a perfect loungewear during pregnancy.

Food cravings : Garlic whole grain pasta and flash fried zucchinni, homemade ceasar salad wrap, mashed potatoes.

Food aversions: None

Symptoms:

Heartburn – Mild
Rash – Mild
Energy- on and off
Braxton Hicks- I am finally having them. During the last 2 appointments my doctor inquired about BH but I honestly didn’t know what they were supposed to feel like. I told him I was having some cramping on and off and he said that might have been it, but whenever he described the tightening I really couldn’t tell that I had felt that before. So I figured I was having BH but  just wasn’t recognizing them. So  finally about a week and a half ago, the actual Braxton Hicks started- the feeling is unmistakable- your belly tightens completely! I’ve been having them pretty much daily- once or twice a day.  Work, body, work!

Exercise:  It’s truly amazing how much exercise does! I am starting to get back pain on the days that I skip exercise because I am too busy. The days when I do my ab and back routine as well as walk are pain free. So ladies, don’t skimp on it! I am hoping that while I feel good I can get as much back/ab strengthening as I can. It truly makes you feel so much better.

Movement: She’s an active little girl, which I hope continues. She’s also somehow kicking the side of my waist. How earth she’s getting to it – I have no idea.

Belly Button: An innie with a Napoleon complex.

Gender: GIRL!

Best moment of the week: Accomplishing 3 different HUGE projects that I’ve been working on for at least a year. It’s such a relief and such a weight of my shoulders.

What I’m looking forward to:

Time moving faster! But at the same time, I am trying to remind myself to enjoy these few months left without diapers, lack of sleep, no time for things I like  and with just the two of us. I am not a patient person and while I love change, I hate temporary states. For me pregnancy is a temporary state “to get through”, and I have to keep my mind from racing ahead and dreaming of times when Alexis is here and be more in the present enjoying it.

What I miss:

Smoked salmon and brie cheese! I am starting to strongly desire things I cannot have. I have to tell you: the second that baby is out ( well, after hours of cuddling), I will be requesting a smoked salmon focaccia bread and Fiji sushi roll.

 Things that have been on my mind:

1. My mom ( whos’ in Russia and who I talk to daily via Skype and who will be coming before birth to be with us and help us out and whom my husband adores and who is the most loving and devoted human being I’ve ever encountered in my life….) is incredibly excited about meeting Alexis and my heart melts when she says things like this every time we talk: “Len (my short name), I am totally shocked that I feel like I know Alexis. I mean I had never felt it with you or your sister before you were born or any of the grandchildren. They were always just hypothetical, and I always cared about “the mother” not the child during pregnancy. But with you I just feel like she’s here and I know her and her temperament. Like, she’s already such a “naughty” (meant in a good way) girl! And I already love her SO MUCH, like I know her. I’ve never experienced anything like that”

I love it when she says that! It’s so sweet and it makes me and Alexis feel so special. She calls her “my little brat” ( again the use of that particular word in Russian is meant in a playful manner- “zasranka”).   I know she feels that way partly because of the ultrasounds they didn’t have in her day, partly because I tell her so much about Alexis and her development and I share things we are doing to help that development as if we already have her.

2. Since this post is late due to the fact that my hubby cut his foot and we had to go to an ER to get it stitched up/glued together ( some of you know about it from my Facebook page), the nursery update will be one day late, as well. Hope to post it by Saturday. And then Sunday I’ll be talking about yet another maternity/nursing company as part ofPregnant with Style project. This time it’s all about LINGERIE!!!! ;)

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If you have read the Part I, you know where we are at when it comes to foreign languages.

Now to WANT to raise you kid with two or more languages and actually DOING IT are two different things. The truth is you don’t need to even know or speak a foreign language to do it, but it’s an awful lot of work.

My husband and I have the advantage of me speaking Russian natively and both of us having a basic to intermediate knowledge of Spanish. So here’s our “optimistic, but possibly unrealistic” plan
We would like to introduce 3 languages from before birth: English, Spanish, Russian. We’ll be attempting to use the OPOL method ( One parent One language) + Spanish on the weekends (not sure how we’re going to pull off this part).

This method will give her a perfect native knowledge of both Russian and English with a nice base in Spanish ( being able to speak some and understand all).

There are plenty of reasons for why raise your children with more than 1 language, from the fact that learning two languages from birth wires your brain in a different way giving cognitive, problem solving and multitasking advantages, to higher IQ, easier time with learning in general, highly developed executive function of the brain, to something as intangible as better cultural understanding and world view, as well as a future leg up in the job market (the least of my concerns). Aside from the developmental benefits, there’s also the family aspect. I do want her to know her Russian side of the family and spend a few summers there which would be impossible without a working knowledge of Russian. And then there’s the good old linguistic benefit of knowing more than one languages ( anyone who speaks at least two languages knows exactly what I am talking about).

{Our multi-national crowd: Tatar, Russian, American, Italian, Jewish- between the 5 of us in this picture we speak 8 different languages}

But as much as I think a bi-/multi-lingual upbringing is a total MUST, I have my own reservations.

So before I go into that, I’d like to mention a few myths that most people have about bilingual kids to get these misconceptions out of the way (  I read about these in 7 Steps to Raising a Bilingual Child) .

Myth #1: Bi-/multi-lingual kids will confuse languages or won’t become proficient in either one
NOT TRUE: Mixing two languages is a part of learning a language. So yes, in the beginning there will be some mixing. Just like any adult, who is learning two or more languages will mix them up from time to time. That will correct itself as kids become better speakers in general. Kids can learn up to 4 languages at a time without any long term confusion.

Myth #2: Bi-/multi-lingual kids have delayed speech development
NOT TRUE: Sometimes bi-lingual children start talking later but it is simply a temporary language delay. Because multilingual kids are learning the same words in two or more languages, they actually end up with a bigger vocabulary.

Myth #3: You have to be fluent in a language to raise your child bilingual.
NOT TRUE: All that’s required for a bilingual upbringing is time commitment. A lot of parents learn the language as they go while teaching their newborn. They become fluent just as their kid becomes fluent ( I am sort of hoping the same will happen with Andrew and Russian)
Myth #4: Children can learn passively by just hearing the language or watching TV in that language.
NOT TRUE: Yes, if the child hears the language constantly spoken at home, he’ll become good at understanding it, but not speaking. However, in order to have a native knowledge of the language you have to engage the child constantly.

So here’s why I am not all GAGA over pulling off the whole multi-lingual upbringing:

In the 9 years that I’ve lived in the US, I have spoken exclusively English. I was never the person to seek out “my people” ( i.e. my nationality). Whenever I’d accidentally stumble into another person who spoke Russian and we’d click, we both would feel more comfortable speaking English than Russian. So while I have a lot of Russian friends, our language is always English. My only point of Russian contact and practice is my mom. We talk almost daily via Skype, but somehow that has not been enough for me to slow down the inevitable loss of whatever Russian I had. Don’t get me wrong- I’m a native speaker, and I will never NOT be able to speak Russian. However the ability to properly express myself, find the right words, especially in contexts that I was relatively inept at back when I lived in Russia ( which is everything from computers to business to adult emotions and anything I deal with on daily basis that I didn’t, as a barely 18 year old in Russia) can only be retained with constant practice. I speak Russian like a native (maybe with a slight accent at times), but a native who slightly mispronounces certain words and does a lot of “ummm….”, “ehhhh”, “whatchamacallit…” in the middle of the sentence. Sometimes I get so frustrated I just use English words and to heck with whoever can’t understand me. The bottom line is I am completely uncomfortable speaking Russian simply because I can’t always fully express myself and it’s just a lot of hard work. I also don’t enjoy reading russian books or watching movies or articles –  at this point I have a much better comprehension if I do that in English, which is what I’ve been doing for years.

So that being said, in order for us to do the whole multilingual thing 100% RIGHT, we need to practice OPOL, one parent one language technique. Guess where that leaves me? That’s right- speaking EXCLUSIVELY RUSSIAN to Alexis! FOREVER! Do you know how much that prospect bothers me? English is the languages of emotions and feelings for me. That means: I “feel” in English. So in order for me to express my feelings, my love for Alexis, I HAVE to speak English. Anything said in Russian carries no emotional weight. I can say I love you, I can attempt to use baby talk but to me they are simply words that carry no feeling. How do you think it feels to be communicating with your unborn child in words that mean nothing to you?

My hope is that it would change if I just get more practice speaking Russian on daily basis, but for right now I am extremely uncomfortable expressing myself in it. And I admit, it’s something I need to work on mentally. But trying to imagine my whole life with Alexis speaking ONLY the “other” language- that just doesn’t sit well with me.

I know I am going to get over myself and do it anyways, because I just can’t justify ignoring the benefits when I have the tools to give them to her.
How can I say no to that simply because I am “uncomfortable” or it’s a lot of work for me (boo-hoo)?

So since the language predisposition starts before birth (I remember reading that in “Brain rules for baby“, my all-time favorite parenting book), I’ve been doing my best to speak to Alexis in Russian. It hasn’t been going too good. I keep switching to English because that’s how I express my feelings and at this stage it’s all about feelings. When I force myself back to Russian, I literally freeze because I don’t know what to say without sounding completely stupid. I don’t have as many problems reading Russian books to her, because , well, it’s scripted- you just read.

Some might suggest that we do not do OPOL, but have me speak both languages to her, while my husband speaks Spanish and English, but according to the books it’s a less effective method and due to the brain’s ability to always take the easier route, as soon as our little girl isn’t so little any more, she will start refusing to speak the “harder” language ( i.e. not the primary language,English) and because she knows we can do both, she’ll always opt for English. Plus it honestly just feels like a cop-out.

I am hoping that once she arrives and I force myself to speak exclusively Russian to her from the beginning with my mom being here and giving me even more Russian exposure, I will become more comfortable with that arrangement, however right now I feel I am doing a terrible job preparing her for Russian and that makes me sad.

Now Spanish is a bit of a different story. It’s a foreign language to both of us, a language that we don’t know that well, so there isn’t as much pressure to do it perfectly. However it is something I want for her. Living in Florida it’s going to be beneficial to, at least, have some sort of base. Spanish will never be her native language ( I doubt we can pull off the time commitment required for that), however she will be THAT far ahead on the “foreign language skills” front when she starts school ( and we better find a school that introduces languages early on). And from my own experience, learning one foreign language is a huge step forward, because all languages from that point on are easy-peasy. I am also hoping to take her to certain Spanish speaking playgroups from the beginning, and if we get a baby sitter, it’ll probably have to be a Spanish speaker. Not sure how well this plan will translate into reality, but I want to try.

So I guess what I am looking for is a little encouragement, because I am a sort of overwhelmed by the prospect of doing it all.

Maybe someone who had the same problem as me, but found it much easier than they originally thought…?

Or someone who thinks it’s worth it even though it’s going to take a lot of effort and work from me, beyond the usual baby mothering…

Also question to current parents raising bi-lingual kids:

1. How do you deal with speaking the language your spouse doesn’t understand? Do you speak the main language when they’re around or do you continue using “your language” even though they don’t understand what it is you’re saying to the kid? That seems like a lot of missed communication between the family as a whole.

Any experience that you have to share, please do! Is it rewarding, is it harder than you thought, is it easier, is it fun, what works , what doesn’t? I am interested in any input you might have.

Also, 3 more days left in this week’s Pregnant With Style  project, don’t forget to enter.

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We have more beach goodness for today.

I cannot stop gravitating towards sunny beach shots. Maybe it’s because it’s been gloomy and rainy this week due to a low pressure area in the Gulf of Mexico, or maybe it’s because  I haven’t been to the beach since I was 5 weeks pregnant. Something about having a huge belly and being uncomfortable almost 90% of the time that keeps you from going to a hot, sticky, sandy place no matter how much you love it otherwise.

These photos are courtesy of my friend Leeka, edited by me, shot 2 years ago. It’s strange to see myself looking normal. When my husband glanced at these while I was editing, he exclaimed “Look at you! You were so skinnnnnnnny!!!!”  To be honest, I can’t say that was my best shape, but compared to now- hell yeah! I’ll totally be there again, though, and I can’t wait!

Are you digging this view? Makes me want to drive there right now!

I really think that our beaches are the most beautiful beaches in Florida.

I also love that Andrew likes me skinny. I know that’s not the case for some men. They tend to like T&A and more “junk in the trunk”. But I love that my hubby prefers me thin, because that’s where I am the happiest too. I asked him if he’d rather keep these preggo boobs and this body (minus the belly of course), or go back to my small boobies AND as thin as I was before I started getting ready to get pregnant. His answer was “THIN”!
He’s loving the boobs right now though, so I say let him enjoy- they aren’t permanent.

Oh…. the coolest thing about Alexis’s due date being end of January is that, assuming that I go overdue, she’ll be born in February- exactly when it starts getting super nice and warm for beach outtings. To be honest I can’t imagine taking a tiny newborn to the beach, but a few months later, it’ll be so much fun! Let’s just hope she likes water as much as I do.

I have been thinking about a push present for a while… and while I think the concept of a push present is really silly ( how about the daughter I will have as a present?), I decided that I want a new lens. I want to take gorgeous yummy photos of Alexis and the lenses I have just don’t cut it. So it’s more of a necessity than a “present”. I’d have to get one anyway, but this way I can justify the money spent on it.

So on this note, Photo Share Tuesday is over. If you’re new to this, Photo Share Tuesday is a day when you can share any and all photos you want (anything goes!). If you link up make sure to use the blog post URL ( not your blog’s main URL) and include the Photo Share Tuesdays button in the post.

A few more things:

• Don’t forget to enter Shabby Apple giveaway and check out the review.
• Wednesday: I will try to write the 2nd part to Multilingual Upbringing - I have a lot to say and ask.
• Thursday: 26 Week Update
• Friday or Saturday: I will do MY BEST to post the nursery update. Not much is done- but walls are painted and crib is assembled.
• Sunday: Pregnant with Style project and another awesome maternity company.
• Today: Can you guys vote for us by clicking this link: TopBabyBlogs? Thanks!

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NOW LINK UP

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Week 3 of the project I secretly dubbed “Best Little Known Maternity Brands”.

As I mentioned before, I am going to introduce 1 relatively unknown awesome maternity company each  week and give you guys an opportunity to win something. As I find maternity brands, other than the typical Gap, Old Navy, Pea in the Pod, etc, I will be writing about them here every Sunday. So far I have posts lined up till the end of the year, so come back every Sunday for a new discovery. Often enough the maternity items I will be reviewing are suitable for wear before pregnancy, as well as post-partum and during nursing, so even if you’re not currently pregnant or looking to get pregnant, don’t miss these.

SHABBY APPLE

I have always been a HUGE fan of Shabby Apple. I’ve known about their terrific dresses for quite a while, however only recently did I discover that Shabby Apple also carries a small but “oh-so-wonderful” maternity line. And their maternity dresses are just as glamorous and detailed as their women’s dresses.

I’ve been eyeing the Two’s Company (Da Vinci in non-maternity style) dress for a while, so I was completely stoked when I finally received it. I loved the idea of a simple yet detailed dress that feels and looks comfy, like something you’d wear instead of sweats and a tee to hang out with your friends and still look cozy, but not dumpy. The kangaroo pouch just made it an “inside joke” for the maternity version of the dress.

A simple dress at a first glance, Two’s Company is far from that. The puff sleeves add a sophisticated touch to the casualty of a  grey jersey dress, the drop waist adds to the laid back look, the pouch up front reminds me of the comfort of a sweatshirt.

I felt and looked comfy and cute in the dress the second I put it on. This is what maternity should be about: adapting non-maternity styles to look fabulous whether you have a baby on the way or not.

Some of my favorites are women’s dresses that look like a two piece outfit: a skirt and a blouse. How can you not love that?  And have you seen Shabby Apple’s version of a little black dress? Yum!

There’s really no need for me to go on and on, because I think the dress selection speaks for itself- just look at it.

If you’re sold on Shabby Apple already, you can use this coupon to get 10% OFF in the next 30 days: ”theartofmakingababy10off”. They often run cool promotions, so feel free to check out and like Shabby Apple Facebook page to get those discounts.

Now here’s how you can score a FREE DRESS!

Shabby Apple would like to give away one dress to a lucky winner! The winner gets to pick the maternity version of the dress seen in my photos (Two’s Company dress) or the non-maternity version (Da Vinci dress). The giveaway is open to US residents only ( sorry my Canadian, European and international friends! )