To find out.. or not to find out???

(i probably won't be having a baby as white as this... or as blonde.. and the eyes will probably be darker... but i thought the picture was adorable)

THAT IS NO LONGER THE QUESTION! Me and David have decided that we would like to know the sex of our little one before it gets here.. Reason number one: (well really MY reason number one, LOL) I want to start buying clothes, nursery items, shoes, hats, hairbows (when applicable), socks, burp rags, blankets, stroller, carseat, etc. I know i'm going to have a couple of showers, but i just can't handle the waiting process. it just kills me! Another reason of mine: i can't do the surprise thing. no way! i also think knowing what is growing inside of you helps you bond more. The only reason i could come up with for not finding out: ANNOYING RELATIVES! LOLOLOL. Now that would be fun! :)

~NAMES~

David and I have had these names picked out since we were planning our wedding at 13 and 15 years old. I actually have papers of us writing down names and deciding when we were in high school... poor Sister Berrier didn't have a clue... (or maybe she did....)

Our Little Girl's Name: Kaylee Danelle Gonzales
Our Little Boy's Name: Jayden Anthony Gonzales

These names just clicked for us right away. So many people told us "oh, just wait, those will change as you get older..." Well not with me and David. These names have stuck with us for years. You should see all the doodling i did in his Bible with our future kids' names. Its pretty funny! lol..

So on August 13th my husband and i will find out what our little one is going to be :) Please allow me some time to post the wonderful news. We will torture our loved ones for a couple days, and then we have a wonderful plan to reveal the gender.. :) We will post as soon as ALL of our family members are informed! Thank you for your patience :) Love you muches...

Earthquake!

We just had an earthquake here in Southern California. It was a 5.4. Everyone in my office is ok, but we are still pretty shook up. Keep us in your prayers... we don't want any strong aftershocks.

Butterflies or Gas???

LOL! A funny title for a post- i know. Well i am beginning to feel this little one move now. The baby is approximately 6 inches long and is really quite active! I cannot tell whether it feels like butterflies or like gas :) I guess at times it feels like both. I do get this butterfly feeling in my tummy (which i'm sure is a little bit of baby mixed with my own excitement) and then i feel like i have gas bubbles moving around in there.?>?>?>? Supposedly in the next 2 weeks my baby will double in size and weight! so by the first week of August i will be feeling this little one like crazy. (i can hardly wait).

a visit to the hospital... don't worry, i'm ok!

so i'm not sure how many of you knew this.. but i passed out at a grocery store this Saturday afternoon. Scary, yes, but i'm ok. apparently i am not drinking enough fluid and i'm not eating enough food. i was completely dehydrated and my baby was starving... the hospital gave me 2 0r 3 liters of fluid and made me eat before i left. i guess i'm supposed to be eating an extra 500 calories per day. i am beginning my 5th month in 2 weeks and i have only gained 2 pounds. i know it looks like i have gained more, but the OB's scale does not lie! trust me on this one! Needless to say, i was feeling much better after the 3 liters and 4 protein bars. they sent me home and i had hot dogs and chili :)

(my loving husband took this picture when i wasn't looking... i had a few words to say about that.. if you have ever been with me in a hospital, you know how i get... newayz.. i thought it would make really good BLOG DRAMA)

Yes, i'm still eating hot dogs.... (like crazy), but don't ask my sister, because she just over exaggerates everything!!!

My Baby's Heartbeat

Yesterday i got to hear my baby's heartbeat for the very first time. It is such an amazing thing to experience. The moment was so surreal i cannot even put it into words. It was so strong and so ALIVE! I couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day:)

Because my sister is in town for the rest of this week, i apologize for any blog delays. We have been having a great time. During my appointment yesterday i asked the doctor if he would do an ultrasound so that my sister could see the baby. He gladly obliged and we both got to see a close up of the growing little baby inside. It is such a beautiful baby already. We were able to see the baby's face, hands, feet, ears, chin... oh my goodness! It was incredible. We talked about it until 11:30 last night. We are so in love with this little one.

I hope you enjoy the new picture of baby. Baby was laying face down in my tummy in this picture. Its nose was a little squished. It takes after its mommy. It already loves to snuggle:)

Love you all... and i hope this makes you smile..

Growing... and growing... and growing...

So i thought you all might like to see a pic of my growing tummy. Absolutely adorable, i know. My co-worker took this pic of me yesterday.

So my appointment was canceled this morning and re-scheduled for this Tuesday. Oh how exciting. I do have some interesting news for all of you that read this and might travel to come see me when the baby is born.. I'm switching my obgyn and my hospital. I will now be seeing a specialist at Cedars Sinai and will also be having my baby there. YEAH! Nothing is wrong. My liver/pancreas doctor just wants me to see a obgyn that specializes in high risk pregnancies. And if anything were to happen, i would be right across the street from my specialist's office and he would be able to come help me out.

I know that this is the best option going for me right now. God has given my husband a great job and we have great health insurance. Keep praying with us that this turns out just as God would have it. We are so excited we can hardly stand it sometimes.

We love you all and thank you for all of the posts and emails.

Already Collecting...

Yes, i have already started collecting baby items. I didn't buy these items, but other people have started getting a little carried away lately. I don't even know what i'm having and my neighbor has given me all of her left over boy itmes from her baby showers and my sister and sister-in-law are having a blast shopping for girly items. I think you all would be proud. I have only bought a couple of items. I do have a fettish for clothing and when i see those little outfits hanging on those little hangers.... i just have to stop and touch those little clothes. It takes everything within me not to make a purchase...

A Little Change In Plans...

My baby appointment was canceled tomorrow morning because my doctor was called to an emergency surgery. I'll re-schedule tomorrow morning.

How My Baby Is Growing

This week's big developments (babycenter.com) :

My baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck it's thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, it's facial muscles are getting a workout as it's tiny features form one expression after another. The baby's kidneys are producing urine, which releases into the amniotic fluid — a process that keeps up until birth. It can grasp, too, and when i have my ultrasound this Friday, I may even catch my baby sucking it's thumb.

In other news (babycenter.com) :

Mybaby's stretching out. From head to bottom, it measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and it weighs 1 1/2 ounces. It's body is growing faster than it's head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, the baby's arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of it's body. (The legs still have some lengthening to do.) The baby is also starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over it's body. My baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and it's spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells.

Isn't God Amazing!

Every time i get an ultrasound and see that little thing moving around in there, and see it's heart beating just like mine does... It gives me such a sense of awe. To imagine that this little thing is already a life growing everyday inside me just makes me want to *tear up* sometimes. I am grateful for the little miracle that God has given me and my husband. Our love for this baby grows every day. I can hardly wait until i find out what i am having. I still have at least another month before i find out. I will be posting Picture #3 after my appointment on Friday.

Pray!

This Thursday, i will be seeing my liver/pancreas specialist. He will be checking to make sure that all of my enzyme levels are normalized. I also have some very important questions to ask him such as: when my levels are not normal, will that affect the baby at all?

I'll keep you all posted on the results!

Thanks for all of the posts. I love reading them :)

This Weeks Craving: Hot Dogs

Oh my goodness.... here comes a craving.... Hot Dogs? Apparently, my mother graduated to hot dog cravings after her fettish with salad and iced tea... (yuck).. So i wonder if pregnancy cravings have anything to do with genes?

Yes this last week has been hot dogs... I know, i know: not good for you, right? Well that is just too bad!

So what exactly is a hot dog? By definition: A hot dog is a type of fully-cooked, cured and/or smoked moist sausage of soft, even, texture and flavor. It is usually placed hot in a soft, sliced Hot dog bun of approximately the same length as the sausage, and optionally garnished with condiments and toppings.

Here is a cute little poem i found online that only i can truly appreciate:

When Herbert Got a Hot Dog

When Herbert got a hot dog

he stared at it a while,

then dripped a drop of [regular] mustard on

and smiled a little smile.

He covered it with relish

which really made him grin,

then spread it thick with mayonnaise

and shoveled onions in.

He splashed it with some ketchup,

as much as he could squeeze,

and tossed on chopped tomatoes

and some shredded cheddar cheese.

He smothered it with sauerkraut,

and bacon bits and beans,

He even added twenty two

Norwegian canned sardines.

He piled it high with pickles

and peppers by the pound.

He topped it off with chili

then he looked at it and frowned.

He shed a single tiny tear

and gave a little pout,

for Herbert hated [regular] mustard

so he had to throw it out.

--Kenn Nesbitt

I HATE REGULAR MUSTARD! I LIKE THE SPICY KIND. SO THIS POEM WAS SLIGHTLY EDITED:)

Serious Parenting Talk

TO MY DEAR PARENTS (not written by me... sorry)

When I was a child it was such a comfort to know you were always there for me. And though my needs have changed since then, my feelings have not I still rely on both of you for so many things that only parents can give. When I need advice, I feel I can count on you to help me put things in their proper perspective. When I have good news, I always want to share it with you... And when things are not going so well, I know you'll make things better just by listening,caring, and understanding...and you always do. That's why no matter how grown up I may be...no matter where I go in life or what I do, I will never outgrow my love for you.

Back to Serious Parenting Talk:
So me and David haven’t exactly sat down and had the serious “Let’s discuss parenting” talk yet. Parenting: all we know is that is what our parents did and we turned out ok… well kind of ok, and we can only hope that we can do the same with our children.

I’m sure most of you can agree that parenting is not always easy. There are things that your parents did with you that you would like to change when you have your children. Well today on the BabyCenter newsletter, my activity for this week is to start a conversation with my darling husband about parenting. Oh great!

Here are some ideas they gave to get the conversation started. I thought this was great and I would like to share it with you:

Each of you makes two lists, one titled "My mother always..." and one titled "My mother never..." Then do the same for "My father always/My father never." When you're done, talk about what you wrote down and decide together which behaviors you value and which you'd like to change as you raise your child.
Great idea, Ya? So I’ll discuss this great idea with my Honey and see what he thinks…

To all those parents who have already been there and done that: Can you tell me of anything you would have done differently?
To all those teenagers and young adults: Is there anything you would have liked your parents to do differently?... Don’t worry you can post anonymous…

I need advice people this is our first child! And this is the place to get advice because I can always read what you post, and if I don’t like it, I can just go to the next post… LOL…

Annie and Mommy's Tummy

How do you explain to your little doggy that you are pregnant? Well i sat down with my little baby, Annie, and explained to her that there was something growing in mommy's tummy. I'm sure Adrianne knows what i mean when i say that Annie's my baby. She sat and turned her head from side to side really trying to understand. Poor little Annie has no idea that there is going to be another little someone in the house besides her.

She has been acting quite rebellious lately and i'm wondering if she senses that i'm pregnant? What do ya'll think? Did any of your pets treat you different when you were prego? Or do you have any friends who have mentioned pets acting weird during their mommy's pregnancy?

Gluten Free Pregnancy

Me and my mommy trying my very first Gluten-free Pizza in Grover Beach, CA

I have Celiac Disease. And because i have Celiac Disease, i must adhere to a very strict gluten-free diet for the rest of my poor little life (otherwise my intestines will get these big holes and i will die of malabsorption). Yeah!!! One of the problems that come along with Celiac Disease is infertility. I was definitely infertile, but after being on the diet for a whole year, my body has almost corrected itself, and now i have a little baby growing happily inside. TADA!

So what is gluten-free? I can't have the stuff you normal people eat. No bread, pasta, cereal, cakes, cupcakes, doritos, minute oatmeal, pizza, cream of wheat, or cream of chicken soup. Bummer, i know. Hey, its ok though. As long as this keeps me alive, i'm alright with that:) I've been on this diet for over a year now and i'm doing so well. So how do i like being pregnant without eating pizza? I don't. It's terrible. Nicole told me today of this great recipe for pregnant women: cheesy doritos, tapatio (you non-mexican people prolly don't know what that is), a slice of pickle, and a drizzle of pickle juice at the bottom of the bowl. OOOO, how yummy that sounded today... I need to find a dorito subsitute without wheat... any suggestions?

For more information on the gluten-free diet Click Here

Did I know i was pregnant, "No"

So supposedly i conceived sometime in April. I showed no signs of pregnancy until the beginning of June. May was a very busy month for me at my job. I was very involved in our Annual Conference that occurred on May 3rd. I was so busy, lifting heavy stuff, eating once a day, not eating at all sometimes, and stressed to the max working over 40 hours a week. I didn't have time to really pay attention to any symptoms.. Then a few weeks after the conference was finished (it was a complete success BTW), my boss took me along with her to do a doctor's meeting in Washington, DC. I was up earrrrly, drinking a mocha with 4 extra shots every single morning just to stay alive... walking the whole entire city of DC, setting up our booth, standing on my feet for hours, and talking away to a whole bunch of doctors who didn't have a clue what we were saying.... I was feeling GREAT!!!

After I got back from DC, I worked the first couple days of June and became so exhausted i took 3 days off to sleep. I thought it was because of my travels... Hello? Who wouldn't be tired after all that... Little did i know, I was prego :)

I went to the doctor thinking that maybe i was getting MONO again from kissing my husband too much, but the doctor told me that i had something else from kissing too much: a baby.

This came as quite a shock because i was told by my GYNO that Prego was impossible for me because of all my health issues. I immediately became sick in his office as he threw me a trash can. Then i was all better and have been walking on Cloud 9 ever since.....

That's how it all happened for me. I have not been sick yet, Thank the Good Lord Almighty! He has truly been faithful to me. He knows how much i hate barfing. LOL..

Keep praying the rest of my days are the same..

Yes, I'm Pregnant!!

Well everyone, the rumors you have heard are true. David and I are expecting our first little baby. This is where i will keep everyone posted of my little one's progress. I am officially finished with my first trimester and happily starting my second. I am three months along, and my official due date is January 15, 2009! I know it seems like forever away... but hey, it's already July! Keep us in your prayers. So far my health has done a complete 180. I have never felt so good in my whole life. We love you all!