raqscab

Saúl is born

2009-10-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

October 5th, 2009, just as the doctor predicted! And what a wonderful day it was! I wake up at 7:30, was not in labor yet, so I was suppose to go to my gyno appointment if i had not given birth. So I was home with my husband and my mother-in-law, getting ready to go to the doctor. I finish taking a shower and i start to have these strong menstrual crap pains, and diarrhea, jeje. This was about 8, 8:30. Seams like my body was starting to get ready. The pain was getting stronger very fast, and i start to have contractions in the bathroom, not like the braxton hicks contractions i was having all week, but a noticeable different type of contraction. Like when you have bad stomach pains and period cramps together. So I call Omar and tell him "OK, this is it, call the gyno office" He calls them and they ask him how far apart are my contractions, they were like 5 minutes apart, so time to go to hospital. From that moment on, we are in "labor mode". Grab my bags, and and jump in the car.

So we start to head out to Okeechobee, to get to the 112 to head to the beach, Mt. Sinai hospital. On a Monday morning at around 9am, traffic was stuck and we were not going anywhere, and the contractions were getting stronger, 4 to 3 minutes apart and intensifying. I was doing breathing techniques, and Maria my mother in law was fanning me and rubbing my stomach. Omar was with the Iphone looking at the traffic and getting another route, and driving and changing lanes. We were praying to get to the hospital on time.

So we decide to get palmetto, to Gratiny east, to I95, to the I95. Everything was moving along, until we get to I95. Of course tremendous traffic and I was st rating to open my legs and sliding down the car seat and moaning in pain, contractions were now 2 minutes apart. Truck drivers were looking down at me from their seats. We were desperate, Maria wanted to go through the emergency lane or to call an ambulance, but we were still trying to make it.

Finally we get on the 195 bridge and we can see the hospital in the distance, so it was like 2 minutes away from the hospital. We get there, Omar drops me and Maria off, he needed to park the car in the big parking garage. So we get out, but I can barely walk and think with the contractions coming in very hard and fast. We got a little lost cause they were remodeling the front part of the building and there were wood planks covering the view. So I finally find a door, go in, and a doctor sees me and immediately knows whats going on. He gets a wheel chair and fast takes me to the maternity floor.

As soon as i get to the maternity center, a nurse gets me and takes me to a small room, but I could not stand up and I grab her and I hold on as tight as I can, and all of a sudden, BAM! My water breaks! I was a bit painful and hot. Like I felt an organ burst in my stomach and hot fluid wet my entire pants. Jeje that was very funny cause the nurse had freaked out. She thought it was gonna give birth right there.

Quickly they take me to the labor room and strap me up on them beds, Omar still parking. 4 nurses were there prepping me super fast, IV here, oxygen there, and I hear "You are 9 centimeters dilated" I was like WTF! I could not believe it! Maria calls Omar and tells him to hurry up or he will miss the birth. The doctor had not gotten there yet, an my body is telling me to PUSH. So I tell the nurses that I feel like pushing, and they are like "no not yet". How am i suppose to hold that inevitable feeling of pushing? Finally Omar gets there, and quickly grabs my leg, Maria is at my side fanning me, I am holding her hand. The doctor arrives with his sweet patience and takes a look, does his thing and tells me "Ok we are gonna start to push"

From that point on, the tremendous adrenaline that I had was like nothing I have felt before. I start to push with all my might. All I felt was tremendous pressure from below, and the contractions helping me move my baby down. It was quite intense, painful but you can tolerate it. It was about 10 pushes, more or less. I remember hearing the nurse tell Omar, "you see that hair, its the baby's head about to come out" That was super cool. And when the body comes out, it was a weird feeling, like if all my organs were pouring out of my body.

Finally my little boy is born, and I was ecstatic with joy! I could not believe it, a beautiful healthy baby boy! My labor was about 21 minutes from the moment I was in the labor room. Saúl was born at 10:41am, weiging 8.2 and 20.5 in length. It was perfect!

week 40

2009-10-01T19:10:00.000-07:00

Well today is October 1st, i got a couple of more days to go. Started my maternity leave, yippy. Went to the pool today, relaxed a bit, was a beautiful day. Love floating in a big empty pool, looking up at the puffy clouds, was nice. Had lunch with Omar at home, grilled salmon, yum. Took a shower, relaxed, jumped on computer, fed and walked Tito. Nice day. Tomorrow Maria, my mother-in-law arrives from Puerto Rico, so we r picking her up at airport, then goin to Maryluz house, Omars cuz in Ft.Lauderdale and have dinner. I just cant wait to see Saúl! The anticipation is building. And my belly is so heavy on my bladder that it feels like its going to explode any minute. Well there is a full moon Oct 4th, Sunday... "The theory is that the moon's gravitational pull effects the amniotic fluid in much the same way as it effects the water in the sea, rivers and even the water that's otherwise found in our bodies." Read more about it here :http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Moons-Effect-on-Natural-Childbirth&id=70253 That is interesting, lets see if its true. Well hopefully next time i blog, it wont be another belly pic, instead a baby pic :)

39.5

2009-10-01T19:08:00.001-07:00

Jeje, my shirts dont fit, my shorts dont fit, but i dont care casue Saúl is on his way...yabada badi, yabada ba du...

week 39

2009-09-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

This is the beginning of my 39th week. Got just a couple of days to go, -14 and counting! Lately I have been feeling exhausted, especially at the end of the day. Right around 5:30pm, when i am at work, i feel the body crash, especially from sitting in front of a computer all day. I do take breaks, get up, walk, millions of pee breaks, LOL. But the body gets very tired, and now that i am at 150 pounds and with a very pointy belly! Lots of feet swelling, discomfort in my legs, cramps. Sleeping has been tedious, belly is big and heavy, so cant sleep on my back at all, only side to side. Wake up with back aches and stiff. Well at least I have been walking with Omar and Tito, in the morning, and in the evenings. Omar has encouraged my and helped me walk, and keeps me motivated to walk, which is always good. The nursery is ready, all the baby cloth are washed and clean. All the sheets and comforters are clean. I have my hospital bag (luggage) ready for the big day. I am really hoping that everything goes well and that I can experience a natural birth. That would be awesome!! Here are somepics, maybe the last ones I take of my belly. I must say it has been a wonderful experience being pregnant. Feeling baby Saúl move and kick inside me has been so unreal and special, and the time flys soooo fast, seams like just yesterday I found out I was pregnant.

Week 37

2009-09-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

Here are the latest images. I have not been posting my pics :( Been very tired lately. Down to the last month, getting harder and heavvier. My husband is gonna have to roll me out of bed in a couple of days, jeje. Been feeling lots of braxton hicks contractions, getting stronger. My feet r now really swollen, but its normal. He has been moving like never before. Just counting down the days till he arrives :) Super excited!! I cant wait.

2009-09-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

Saúl kicking like crazy after eating pizza and orange soda. I take it he liked the cheese pizza, YUM!

week 35

2009-08-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

Linea negra

2009-08-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

Here is my linea negra :) Plus marks on the sides that came out, and my protruding belly button with my flattened and stretched belly piercing, or whats left of it, LOL.

What is linea negra?

A linea negra is a pale line that runs from the pubic bone to the belly button. In most women it is hardly noticeable. However, when a woman is pregnant, the linea negra may darken from a light, rosy brown to a very dark brown.

Some women feel initially concerned that a dark line now runs down the middle of their belly. In many cases, the darkening of the linea negra will disappear a few months after a pregnancy ends. Not all women will have a noticeable linea negra even during pregnancy. Women with darker skin are more likely to have a darker line. This does not preclude women with light skin from developing a darker linea negra, however.

Hormones produced when one is pregnant cause the linea negra. As well as a darkening line on the stomach, women may also notice that the clitoris and the nipples also appear darker. Pregnancy hormones tend to produce more melanin, a pigment that can result in darkening skin, or hyperpigmentation of certain areas of the body.

Most women may notice the linea negra, if they get one, during their second trimester of pregnancy, sometime after the 12th week. Sometimes women get what looks like a very pale line, called a linea alba that never darkens to brown. In fact the linea alba can look like a shiny white line.

Some studies of vitamin supplementation during pregnancy suggest that folic acid may reduce the appearance of the linea negra. Folic acid is, in proper dosage, a necessary supplement to add even prior to getting pregnant, since it has been shown to reduce a host of birth defects.

Despite folic acid, many women will still show at least a partially darkened linea negra. The good news is that this is not a symptom of anything wrong with the pregnancy. In fact, on one hand, it is a very good symptom that pregnancy hormones are being produced with regularity.

Most women will find that the linea negra disappears quickly after pregnancy, although women who breastfeed may need to wait a bit longer for its disappearance. Many wear their linea negra as a proud sign of either becoming a mom, or already being one, and others often find that a little concealer will hide a leftover linea negra if one is embarrassed by it showing.

week 32

2009-08-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

So I think I was off by a week in my calculations, jeje, but yesterday i started my 32 week. Well now I can say that I am starting to feel the 3rd trimester pain, jeje, the pain of a heavy bowling ball in front of me that is heavy now. I feel short of breath at times, when i go up the stairs. Sleeping has been a little discomforting, with back aches cause of curvy spine. But i am sleeping with pillows between my legs and i place a throw for back support, so that lifts the spine a bit and it helps alot. Trying to do my pedicure is a bit of a mission now, harder to cut my toe nails, jeje. If i drop something on the floor, i try to pick it up with my toes, LOL. Going down and getting back up is not as easy anymore. Getting out of bed is a bit funky, i have to swing my legs to get momentum and use arm muscles to get the middle body up. Right now i am at 146 pounds, mostly my big belly. I have not noticed gaining in arms, legs and face, which I am so happy of:) Been drinking lots of H2O, which i would never do before. Been eating healthier! Apples, strawberries, oranges bananas. Still working on more veggies, though I am trying to drink a v8 at work a day, plus eating an apple a day. Overall, my pregnancy has been great! Except for the constant annoying peeing and going to bathroom every 20 minutes. I get up in the middle of the nite at least 2 times, sometimes 3. At work is constantly in the bathroom, jeje baby is getting bigger and making less room for my bladder. And the KICKS, boy are they strong now. Sometimes I am at work, and i feel him jabbing and kicking my ribs, and it surprises me that i jump.....so funny.

week 30

2009-07-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

30 feels great! Saul has been kicking like never before. I sometimes think he is throwing a fit in my stomach, kicking and punching like crazy!! At work it feels funny when he kicks hard, and i am at my desk jumping, jeje.

Belly, week 29

2009-07-25T18:24:00.001-07:00

week 29

2009-07-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

Dark side of the moon

2009-07-25T18:18:00.000-07:00

At week 28 :)

week 28

2009-07-25T18:16:00.001-07:00

week 26

2009-06-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

HI. Here I am at 26 week pregnant. I have been getting bigger, weighin now 142. Before pregnancy i was at 124, so about 18 pounds, jeje and i still need more weeks, OHOH...jeje. But i feel great. I am so surprised at how much Saul moves and kicks. I feel him in the mornings, and at work alot, and especially at night. I have been a little sick with a cold, but i am recovering from it, just have an annoying nagging cough that has not fully gone away. Too many people sick at the office, imaginate.

25th week

2009-06-20T10:57:00.001-07:00

Now Saul is kicking like crazy!! Lots of movement, swollen feet, getting heavier, especially when I sleep at nite. Everything is goin well, just amazed at how time flys.

Week 22

2009-06-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

I know I have not been posting, actually this is an old picture cause I am now 23 weeks pregnant.

My Canon cameras - thru the years

2009-05-23T12:17:00.001-07:00

Here are other Canon cameras I have had thru the years. The first one was a Powershot S10 with 2.1 Megapixel. Huge and heavy, with a tiny viewfinder. The second was an Elph S230 with 3.2 megapixel. Nice and compact, I really liked that camera. Easy to carry anywhere. Now I have the Canon G9, powerfull little baby. I love my G9! Its about as heavy as the S10 I had, but its packed with a 12.1 megapixel, I can give my pixs effects, it has a great big viewfinder, and I can record pretty descent videos. Actually, my first Canon was a Rebel, film!! How times have changed.

week 20th

2009-05-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

Feeling great! Here I am at 20 weeks. It is 10:07 at we just ate Italian, Carrabba's, yum. Saul is enjoying the gases, LOL.

week 19

2009-05-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

Here I am at week 19. Growing faster now. Small butterfly movements in the belly, very small. No definite KICK yet, but growing little by little. :)

Week 18

2009-05-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

HI :) I am happy to announce that its a BOY!!!! Yup, had a sonogram on Monday, and right away we were able to see his little pecker! 100% Boy. We were super surprised and excited. Everyone in my family and most friends predicted a girl, but they were all wrong, jeje. I feel great, no more nausea, no more headaches, just regular gas and bloating. Oh and we r naming the baby Saul :) Its a solid great strong name.

Week 17

2009-04-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

Here I am at 17 weeks. 4 Months and a week, whoo hooo! Getting a little round belly, more defined, little by little. Well I feel great, so far so good. Trying to eat healthy. Today I made some whole bran banana muffins, which I liked. Omar did not like it too much, maybe add a bit more sugar and 3 bananas, jeje. I cant wait to have my sonogram on May 4th, thats when they tell me the gender of the baby. Its gonna be nice:)

Mariluz's baby is born

2009-04-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

Went to Plantation Hospital to visit Maryluz and Felipe and their new born baby boy! He is super cute and cuddly. I carried him in my arms, and it was so special, I cant wait to have my little precious one in my arms. Mary is recovering from a C-Section, I wish her the best!

"The Quickening"

2009-04-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

My Pregnancy Week 16

Baby

Your baby continues to be busy growing and developing inside of you. He's now the size of an avocado, measuring 4 1/2 inches and weighing approximately 3 ounces. His heart is now pumping 25 quarts of blood every day and his bladder is emptying every 45 minutes.

His limbs are even more developed and their movements have become increasingly coordinated. He doesn't yet have any hair but the patterning of his scalp has begun.

What's in the future for your little one? A growth spurt is just around the corner! In the coming weeks he will double his weight and add inches to his frame.

Mom

Feeling butterflies in your stomach? It's time to prepare yourself for one of the most amazing experiences of your pregnancy, the first time you feel your child move inside you! Referred to as "The Quickening", these first movements might feel like the fluttering of butterfly wings, bubbles or even gas.

If this is your second child, you might already be able to detect his little movements. Mostly because you are already familiar with what they feel like, but it can also be attributed to the fact that your uterus is more stretched out than it was in your first pregnancy.

Most first-time mothers begin to recognize fetal movements around week 22. So get ready! In just a few short weeks you should be able to detect him moving and shifting around!

In the beginning, you may only detect these movements sporadically but as your pregnancy progresses, they should become increasingly regular and those little flutters in your stomach will feel distinctly like kicks. Other members of your family will soon be able to feel them too! Though they won’t be able to feel those first fluttery movements, they should be able to feel your baby move around 24 weeks!

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

2009-04-15T07:16:00.000-07:00

My favorite guilty pleasure has to be food! Doughnuts! Specifically, Krispy Kream doughnuts. I had an obsession with them, until they went out of business here in Doral. But I would go with my husband and we would get a dozen. Mmmmm, so yummy, especialy nice and warm, right out of the oven. We were suppose to take some to my moms house, but it never made it that far. We would keep it in the house, and have some for breakfast, for lunch snack, and a late night snack. Damn i am glad that location does not exist anymore.
What is your favorite guilty pleasure? Drop me a line:)

El Palacio de los Jugos

2009-04-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

Lunch on a Sunday afternoon at El Palacio de los Jugos on Coral Way, across the Brahman Honda dealer. This is one of our favorite places to eat. The natural juices are really good, the Fritas are awesome. We usually get a frita with a pineapple juice or mango juice and croquetas or pastelitos de queso. And they have quite a big selection of typical Cuban foods, from ropa vieja, to rabo, media noches and cuban sandwiches. It is usually packed, so parking can get a bit hectic, but its worth it.
El Palacio de los Jugos on Coral Way

Week 16

2009-04-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

Well, technically, its tomorrow, Monday. But here is a picture of how my belly is growing:) I am very happy that I have had a great pregnancy so far. No morning sickness, thank god. Well I have had nausea, headaches, and heartburn. Recently I have been getting migraines and sinuous issues. But its all ok.

Week 11

2009-04-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

I have not had time to post more pics, but here I am at 11 weeks, almost 3 months! Everything is great!

I'm PREGGERS!!!

2009-02-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

Well, it is my pleasure to announce to the world that i am pregnant! Yup, we hit the jack pot. This has been the best news of the millennium, LOL. It started by me not getting my period on time, so Omar said, "you wanna pass by CVS pharmacy and get a test?" I was like, "I'm probably just a day late, but sure, what the heck". So we go on a Monday night, Feb 2nd, and I do the test at night, and to my surprise, it came out POSITIVE! I could not believe it, as soon as i did the test, the first bar just turned to a + sigh right away. I was like "OMAR.....its POSITIVE" We were really excited, but wanted to confirm it. So the next morning on Tuesday, I take another home test. BAM, positive again. We knew that 2 strikes and that was a good sign. So I quickly make an appointment for Tuesday. I go, they take blood samples, which i have to say, that it was like 6 test tubes of blood, and i almost fainted. Jeje, the doc had to sit me down, give me water, i am such a wuss. SO the following day, i call to get the results, and BAM, we r having a BABY! It was great news, we started calling our family, our friends, my mom and sis, his parents in Puerto Rico, everyone. We were so excited we could not resist. And as of today I am 7 weeks pregnant and feel great. I have been so happy these days, and Omar is always there for me. I cant wait to have a huge belly:) We even started looking into baby names, which we have 2 in mind. Also we would like to keep the sex of the baby a surprise, I think that is really nice to not find out until you give birth. Well, lets see how these next few weeks go:) I will try to post a picture every once in a while.

Oleander caterpillar

2009-01-19T17:12:00.000-08:00

Milkweed Bugs Mating

2009-01-19T16:56:00.000-08:00

Vulture eating road kill

2008-11-16T15:58:00.000-08:00

While driving to my moms house, we saw a big vulture on the side of the road eating an animal. Not sure if it was an oposum or a small kitty that was hit by a car. But it was nasty.

Nite walk by the moon lite

2008-11-14T20:30:00.000-08:00

Omar's cell phone timeline

2008-11-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of the cell phones that Omar has been using for the past years. From the big Audiovox mega brick phone, to the new Iphone. We have come so far with cell phone designs and technology.

Nasty little cut

2008-11-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

HI :( Today, as i was changing the coffee machine water filter, I cut myself. And it was a stupid slow cut. I was pushing the filter out with my index finger and scraped my finger with the plastic. At first it did not hurt. But after I finished, it started to get red, and i could see that the skin had lifted a bit. Well i just saw it red, then Omar suggested to put some of that liquid band aid. Well its suppose to stop the bleeding and cover like a band aid, but clear and liquid. As soon as he started to brush it on my finger, that thing burned so much, it felt like acid on my finger. Jejeje, i am such a baby, I started to get teary-eyed. Well, so now we both have messed up fingers. Me with my cut, and him with his pulsating trapped vein on a swollen finger. Well, hopefully it gets better by the weekend. Maybe some new shoes would make the pain go away:)

Gallery nite at Wynwood

2008-11-09T19:45:00.000-08:00

Gallery nite at Wynwood art galleries. This is the latest painting by my friend Fabian. Pretty kewl canvas....nice colors and composition. Overall it was a great nite, very packed though.

Tobacco Road, By Default

2008-11-09T18:54:00.000-08:00

Juan and Carlos from the band By Default, jamming at Tobacco Road on a Thursday night. It was a fun night, they played really good, Carlos sounded great. The road to success....jeje hopefully they remember their loyal groupies when they become rich and famous, LOL.

Yes We Can

2008-11-04T22:02:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama is elected the 44th President of the United States, the first African American to be elected to that office.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2008

Hair dying disaster 101

2008-08-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking of doing something to my hair because it was just blah. I have always wanted to dye my hair like a nice chocolate/caramel, very tonal, very natural looking. So I head out to Sally Beauty Supply, where the "professionals" go, LOL. So I go and purchase my developer creame 30, my Feria brown lift color, and shampoo, conditioner, all the good stuff. Now I have had this issue before, where I dye my hair and my virgin roots takes in the color, but the rest of my hair does not. I guess it has been a while and i forgot, as usual. Soo I start to work at it, wash it out, blow dry it, and BAM! I get a skunck head. I have a mushroom head, where the top is 1 color, and the rest is another, but really notisable. For a minute, I thought I could live with it, that it would grow out, but no, it was way to drastic. Sooo later on the day, I decide to go back to my dark hair and cover up all the mess, dying it back to trusty old dark brown. Oh and i also cut my bangs...no the straitest cut, but its out of my eyes. In conclusion, its always best to go to a hair salon and have real professionals dye your hair. Unless u want skuncky hair.

Pan Asian and Key Lime Pie

2008-08-04T19:47:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, me and Omar were thinking of going to the beach, BUT, it was just really hot. We needed the AC factor, so we decided to get a key lime pie. Now we had been thinking of the delicious key lime we ate when we were down in Key West during the 4th of July Holidays. I remember when we were driving on US1 heading back to Miami from Bahia Honda state park, we saw a sigh, a big billboard that read "KEY LIME PRODUCTS" next right....something like that. Well it was a place were they had all sorts of pottery, teak furniture, stuff for the home. And they had a little store, like a gift store. Well we went inside and they had everything Key Lime, sauces, cookies, candies, and of coarse, key lime pie. Now we have not had a good experience here in Miami with key lime pie, they have all sucked. Too tart, too limy, never right. Well let me tell you about this pie, it was pure heaven, creamy, soft, perfect temperature, not too tart, just right. We were like WOW! never have I had such a great key lime pie, and it was too bad we did not buy a pie, jeje, we bought a slice. Since we did not know really if we were gonna like it. I have to mention the pie at the Keys because there will never be another like it. Sooo, hot day on a Sunday, and we decide to try a key lime pie from the Blonde Girrafe The Key Lime Pie Factory on US1 and 72nd-ish. Honestly...it was not the same, the color was more yellow, it was more limy...more tart. Well the sucky part about that experience it that we had bought a WHOLE PIE!! And it was not cheap, like $23 bucks. Well that was Sunday around 3pm.

We had made plans with a friend (Prieto) to go to dinner and have some puertorican food. We have been to this place called Benny's (Benny's Seafood Restaurant, 2500 SW 107th Ave) by FIU area, and it is pretty good puertorican food. Like finger licking good. So as we are driving, we are fantasizing about the mofongo (mashed green plantains with garlic and pork crackling) and BAM! We see the "Sorry we r closed" sign. They were closed for remodeling, so to our disappointment, we changed the plans.
http://www.miami.com/the-big-review-3-puerto-rican-joints-article

After driving around FIU area, Flagler, we head south on the palmetto to US1 again, to a pan asian restaurant called Lan (Lan Pan Asian Café, 8332 South Dixie Highway) which our friend recommended. Very nice fusion of Philippine, Vietnamese, sushi, Korean. I had the Yellow Curry Vermicelli, which was really good. Rice vermicelli, big shrimp, Chinese sausages, peppers, onions, spinach and a really nice and spicy yellow curry sauce, which made me blush. It was perfect, I really enjoyed it. Also the Mongolian beef was really good, very caramelized, and the lemongrass chicken was good too, very coconut-creamy. I also tried the bubble tea, mango flavored with the tapioca balls, jeje. I could do without the tapioca pearls, it felt like I was eating tadpoles, not that I know what tadpoles taste like, but it was chewy and slimy. The tea was nice and refreshing.
http://lanpanasian.com/index.html

So that was my adventures in dining on a Sunday... it was fun.

Puffy white clouds

2008-08-03T20:28:00.000-07:00