Turn Your Speakers Up to Hear the Best Sound Ever!!!

If you can't see the video in your email, log on to the blog to check it out.

Today we had our 30 week check up with the scan to make sure she's growing at the right rate.  Well guess what folks, we have a healthy baby on our hands.  She weighs 3lbs 6oz so far and she is in the 48 percentile, so she's normal! yay! She's at a perfect weight, has a perfect heart and really long legs according to the technician.  I think she gets that from her mommy :)

She's also head down, way to go baby girl!  Oh and I also asked the technician "She's still a girl? She didn't grow anything since we last met?" "Yep, still a girl!" LOL I wonder if she realized that I didn't believe her from the last time.

The technician tried her best to get a good profile shot with the 3D image, but Baby girl's face was just pushed against my uterus.  She takes that after her dad.  I can see Nelson pushing his own face against a window so his face is all smooshed.  She's a funny one! The 3D image video above is a little freaky.  Reminds me of halloween because of the coloring!

The Dr said that I just have to WATCH MY WEIGHT because she's at a perfect weight right now and we don't want a big baby for delivery.  So with that being said, I will try my best to limit the extra chocolate I've been inhaling! :) I also am slightly anemic, so he gave me a prescription for some IRON.  But all in all, we are doing well! Thank goodness :)

OH and according to the scan, she's due on Dec 25th NOW! Let's just see if she proves them right! We both just want a healthy baby girl, so she can show up whenever she wants (but after 37 weeks please!) :)

Spinning Buddies!

So every Tuesday after work, I've been trying to go to Spinning class.  Last month I had a few Tuesday night commitments so I didn't have much of an opportunity to spin it up.  So now since my schedule has freed up a bit, Tuesdays are spinning nights.  And I have a buddy!

Joe, on the right, works with me at The Career Center.  He's been my photographer at work for the majority of photos and if it's not him, it's Deanna.  :)  I have to say that he took a somewhat flattering photo of me here.  I don't look pregnant.  When you take it from up above, you always look better! :) 

He's also my office neighbor and we started work on the same day together, so needless to say we get along well! He's very sweet during spinning class, because if I slow down or just sit instead of stand during a "climb," he looks over and asks me if I'm ok. His mama raised him well.

I noticed that tonight's class my HR went up a lot easier than previous classes, so I had to adjust my resistance and slow it down.  During our "climbs," I envisioned me going through labor, especially since I was huffing and puffing.  I can even see myself in the actual hospital gown.  And what really clicked for me was when the spin instructor said these words:

"Push through it."

"You came this far, dont give up."

"You need to earn your recovery."

No matter how tired I am during spinning, those encouraging words help me get through it.  And when she was motivating us, I pictured myself getting through labor/delivery the same way.  Encouraging words are absolutely necessary during the "marathon." I know that I have the best partner for that (speaking to you, Nelson).  So in the end, I'm actually looking forward to labor.  I'm excited because I have to "earn my recovery." And you know what my recovery is, looking at BGC's beautiful eyes.  Night Night!  We get to see our Baby Girl tomorrow! Will update you then! 

If it wasn't for Mars Volta and the Red Hot Chili Peppers...

...things may be a little different these days!

Five years ago Nelson and I went to a Red Hot Chili Pepper Concert.  Mars Volta, a really loud and noise clanging type of band opened up for the Peppers.  We both didn't particularly like them, and in order for us to "live" through the noise, we held each others hand.  From that moment on, we were both hooked to each other (well I'll speak for myself) but since we never really had an official anniversary, we decided later on that October 17, 2006 was our special day. 

So today's blog post is dedicated to the wonderful man that I call my husband and will soon be called Daddy (well we actually started calling him daddy).  He's been amazing throughout this whole pregnancy journey.   He's made my pregnancy easier and easier each day with the amount of support he's provided.  Ok ok, enough of the mushy stuff, but had to say that I'm so happy that we went to see that awful bad Mars Volta.  The Chili Peppers were pretty awesome and put on a great show.  And the rest was history!!! 

Here are some old school photos of the future parents from 2006...

30 WEEKS!!!! Wahooo!!!

So I'm pregnant at age 30, just reached the start of my 30th week, AND after weighing myself this morning, I reached the 30 lb mark.  I was debating whether or not I should reveal that, but heck, I've been trying my best to keep up with eating healthy (minus the chocolate/pizza) and exercising.  So it could be A LOT worse!

This upcoming week is going to be a very exciting one.  Wednesday morning we get to see our little girl again on the big screen :)

Speaking of big screen, did anyone watch SNL last night?  We were very lucky that a friend was able to offer us tickets last minute.  Seeing that we need to "live it up" as much as we can, we of course accepted :) As most of you know, I worked at NBC so it was awesome seeing some good friends last night that I haven't seen in a while.  The subject of the evening, "I'm expecting." "Oh I can see."  I never realized how strange it is for people to just stare at your belly.  It's kind of uncomfortable.

So the highlight of the evening... We were going into the main area where the audience sits, then the seating director took us down to the stage level.  I was not expecting that at all and what's funny is that I never had the opportunity to sit on the stage level before since I worked there.  Nelson had the royal treatment when we were dating and got to sit there before, so it was certainly a treat for me.  And the best part....

Only Nelson! He got his head on tv, lol.  It was so funny to watch this.  The host was Anna Faris and the musical guest was Drake.  During the musical performance, I felt BGC moving so I think she either was dancing around or was woken up by the loud music.  I'm happy that I can check off the list that Baby Girl Castro has been to SNL in utero.  All in all it was a fun evening.  

Today I feel it though! Getting to bed at almost 3am did me in and I feel like I'm hungover.  So I'm just taking it easy today and cooking little things here and there.  

Hope you all have a fantastic week! 

~ Soon to be parents in 10 weeks

New Pregnancy Tools

The past few nights I have been sleeping through the night! Phew! I think it helped that I didn't have to get up to pee every hour or so.  I try to limit my drinking past 6pm. 

In addition to my lovely Boppy Pillow...

I purchased a Boppy Wedge...

I love it! It helps with the extra belly weight.  So in addition to my two boppy's I also prop ANOTHER pillow behind my back.  It's a pillow jungle!

I also purchased this:

I haven't really played with it, but will try it out this weekend.  It was recommended to me by another fellow preggers.

And last but not least....

Can you see that I may be hiding something? No, not the baby, but....

A pregnancy belt! I just tried it out yesterday and realized that it can be uncomfortable if I wear it underneath my clothes, so I decided to wear it over my leggings today and it feels much better.  By the way, I LOVE wearing leggings during pregnancy - they are just so comfy! I like the belt so far, it takes some of the pressure off my back and it reminds me to have some good posture. 

Here's a funny picture showing the brand name...

I should walk around the house like this.  Reminds me of an exercise outfit from the 80's. 

Well that's all the purchases so far! I'm looking forward to this weekend.  Nelson and I will be hitting the good ol' NYC tomorrow evening.  We gotta get in our alone time as much as possible!

Hope you have a wonderful and exciting weekend!

Literally Busting at the Seams!

Well not really, but you see the hole at the seam? it's not bc of my belly! It's bc it's a cheap old navy shirt. This was the very first time I wore it.  Dr. Tula will have to do some sewing to do! I always give my clothes to my father to sew, bc he does great "surgeries" on my clothing. :)

Today was Deanna's bday at work and I was her bday buddy! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEANNA! We had a very fun time! Joe was the photographer and he did a fabulous job! :)

A Whole Lotta Estrogen! 

Chaundra giving some Butterfly Love!

That's all for now! Busy day at the CC!!!! 

A Chihuahua?

So last night I had the typical going to back work sleep.  I woke up because my back was bothering me and I had a tough time going back to bed.  Eventually I went back to sleep around 5ish and I had the most bizarre dream!

I dreamt that I actually went into labor in the front seat of my car and there was a woman guiding me throughout the process. I was in my parents neighborhood and when the delivery happened, it was uncomfortable but not very painful.  She then went in, grabbed the baby, and the baby looked like a...

What?! But in the dream, it didn't faze me.  I'm not sure where Nelson was in the dream, but a few minutes later, my mother taps on the driver seats window, we opened the window and handed her the new born "baby."  She held the baby like a mother dog would hold a new born puppy, by the back of the neck.  It was completely normal too.  We didn't think twice about it. 
Then I went about my business, Nelson ended showing up and because the baby came "early" we had to go to Babies R Us to get a car seat.  In order to get to the right floor, we had to hold on for our lives on this huge ferris wheel that went upside down.

It was really bizarre!  It must be all the birthing stuff that I've been reading and watching.