Christmas 2014

Christmas is a holy and special time for me.  I love what Christmas means and that idea that this is the day that we celebrate Jesus’s birthday.  Yes, we commercialize and materialize the holiday into something that is unrecognizable, but I love the magic of believing and seeing the excitement in the eyes of children.

We finally have a name for BabyBoy.  It is Nathaniel and he was causing me pain on Christmas Eve.  I cannot explain it only to say that I believe he went through a growth spurt, since after all, I am now thirty-six weeks pregnant. He is my little miracle growing in my belly.  To think, in about four weeks I will be holding him in my arms and dragging him around on the back of my bike.

This year Jon is 10 and Joe is 8.  For the past few months da boyz kept saying that Santa was not real.  To my surprise, on Christmas Eve, da boyz wanted to track Santa.  They watched Santa go to Cuba, to Puerto Rico, and Aruba.  When Santa hit the United States in Florida, Jon said it was time to go to bed.  

Our day started early Christmas morning.  Jon woke up at 10PM, 1AM, 3:30 AM, at 5:30 AM, and finally at 6:30 AM,  da mister finally said lets open our presents.  We bought each of da boyz a map of the United States and they spent about forty-five minutes going through our loose change in search of quarters for each state. 

 

 

Most of the afternoon was spent at my parents’ house and we enjoyed our time with my extended family. Everyone seems to be coming together and appreciating all the new brothers and sisters in our lives. 

 

To sum it all up, here is The Alaniz version of The twelve Days of Christmas.

12. Loads of laundry

11. Hours of cartoons

10. Cups of coffee

9. Episodes of Clarence

8. Hours at the gym

7. Games of football

6. Grocery store trips

5. Karate classes

4. Dozen eggs

3. Loaves of bread

2. Dozen tacos

and one on the way

Birthing Class

One of the last days my mom went to work, I picked her up at her at her office located in the John Hornbeck building next to the Methodist Hospital.  Her education background was a Licensed Vocational Nurse, then a cardiology technician, and finally a case manager.  When mom started nursing she started using the name Mary because people would have a hard time with her given name of Guadalupe, it is a Spanish form of the Virgin Mary.  

 

It was the week of Thanksgiving and she had dressed up wearing a fitted long blank skirt with a slit up the side.  It may have been the skirt or the decreasing lack of leg strength, but she feel on the job.  Her manager told her to go home.

 

I believe that Mom knew in her heart of hearts that this would be her last day of work.  She stalled.  She filed papers.  She cleaned her desk.  All the while, I rushed her so we could get to her doctors appointment on time.   Later it occurred to me that she was stalling because she knew the doctors were going to give her news she did not want to hear.  It was her way of trying to maintain normalcy while avoiding the inevitable. 

 

Pregnancy is an emotional time especially when I am unable to celebrate the excitement with my mother.  When mom passed away, I specifically remember thinking I want my mom to be around when I have a child.  I want her nurse me through labor and give me words of wisdom in caring for my new baby.  People tell me my mom is with me all the time, in all things. Like Nina (my step-mom) who threw a shower for me.  I know mom is with me too. I dream of mom and see her in all things.

 

This past Saturday, I attending my birthing class.  It was held in the John Hornbeck building.  When my sister and I stepped off the elevator we both looked at each other and asked, I wonder where mom's office was.  It was to the right.  

 

 

To the left, was the classroom where the birthing class was being held. At first glass we did not catch the room name Guadalupe.  But there it was plain as day.   My birthing class was being held in a room name that was the same name as my mother's given name.  My sister and I got chills for we both knew that mom was there with us.  Mom is with me, if not physically but spiritually.

 

 

Off the topic of mom...

While in class, Babyboy had the hiccups twice.  It is fun little video to keep for my memories.

Week #33

  Not being able to sleep is nature’s cruel joke that she plays on pregnant women.  You would think it would be the other way around allowing pregnant women a more comfortable time to sleep all she wants before her baby is born.  Now more than ever I am feeling very pregnant, uncomfortable, waddling, and tired.  BabyBoy is constantly moving, flipping, and doing tricks in my belly.  Even though it is not time, I am so ready to get this baby out of me. 

 

Here I am at week 33 with 7 more weeks to go.  I had an ultra sound this morning and they say BabyBoy is about 4 pounds, give or take a pound. I was able to see him yawn and move non-stop.  Braxton Hicks Contractions are happening more frequently and for hours at a time.  Yet another example of nature’s way of getting me used to labor pain.  I have all the normal aches and pain that pregnant women experience.  My doctor tells me my pregnancy is normal and really almost perfect (her words). 

 

To pass the time and attempt to get more comfortable, I worked out on my bike.  Yes I really did this during week #32. This is the bike that I rode across America and I propped it on my trainer.  It brought me back to the days when I was training during cold days to get ready for those century miles. If anything, it made me feel mentally better and my legs got their pedal on. I cannot wait to be able to be on my bike and back on the road but now with a baby in tow.

Popo

Last weekend my parents went out of town to visit my step-sister in California.  While they were out of town, I was responsible for making sure my 90 year old grandfather, Popo, was taken care of.  Since he is 90 years old, he does not walk any more and is confined to a wheel chair.  Basicly, my duties were to ensure he had his meals and that anything he needed was where he could reach from his wheelchair.

 

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Popo is super cool.  Back in his day he was a player, drank too much, and smoked, AND- he is 90 years old to tell about it.  Yes, he gets confused between 1 AM and 1 PM but hey, he IS 90 years old.  These days he is s-l-o-w and you have to have to wait for his pearls of wisdom.  With much patients, you will get some real insight on life and relationships.  He can totally read people and know what is going on in their life before a word is said. 

Recently, we had a 90 year old birthday party for Popo.  He always tells us that his birthday is just another day and  he does not want to celebrate.  But, this year we had a small house party for him.  After he blew out his candle he said, “This was the best birthday ever”! Though the pictures does not look like it, Popo had a good time and was the life of the party.  This really is a picture of him smiling.

All those years he took care of me as a todler, now I get to take care of him. 

Week 30

 

 

 

This week I will be 30 weeks along and I still cannot comprehend how I could get any bigger.  It is hard to imagine that a human is growing inside me.  Each day I cherish all the kicks and punches from BabyBoy and I enjoy the playful nudges that we give each other.  Most of my day is filled with music and every day I change the genera to give BabyBoy an eclectic experience.  As soon as the music starts, he seems to start moving to the beat.

 

 

 When I tell people how active I am they always seems to give me the crazy eyes look.  My running miles are more run/walk miles (153.5), my bike miles are miles on a stationary bike (509.6), and swimming is 13.1 miles.  My mile log is accumulating miles for the year, about half that of last year.  At the suggestion of my chiropractor, I have officially stopped running, since I hurt my lower back too bad last week. It also seemed like a good time to stop running since I was asking, very seriously, if I could pee on myself when I ran.  The pros do it, why can't a pregnant gal do it?

We took these family pictures at the end of the summer when I was about 20 weeks along.  My shirt reads, "This gal is having a baby". Da misters shirt reads, "This guy is the dad." Jon's shirt says, "I am the biggest big brother," and Joe's reads, "I am the big brother."  In retrospect, the white color made it hard to photograph and I bought my shirt before I knew the sex of BabyBoy.  Either way, da boyz are excited about having a baby in the house and often ask, "Can I sleep next to the baby" and "Can the baby sit next to me in the car".  I have started having da boyz read baby books to BabyBoy so he can start learning their voices.  

I am filled with so much excitement and anticipation for when BabyBoy arrives.  I want to meet my baby and see what he looks like.  I want to indulge in too many adult beverages. And lastly, I cannot wait to be able to get back on my road bike to feel the sun on my face and the wind in my hair. 

Roxy's Allergies

If you know Jack's, Roxy is very hyper and requires lots of play time. When she gets board, she will start chewing on her paws.  More recently, she was chewing on her right paw.  You can see the scab in the below picture.  To help keep her active and to stop chewing on herself, I have been running her one to three miles a day. A month later, she is still chewing on herself.  Finally, I broke down and took her to the vet.

 It turns out that Roxy has seasonal allergies.  Really?!  Does that really happen to dogs?! A steroid shot, antibiotics, and $200 vet bill later, I was told to give Roxy weekly baths with an oatmeal based shampoo. Two weeks later, it looks like her scab is healing nicely and Roxy is back to her usual self.  

For the past week, Roxy has been looking out the back window. I find her there at all hours of the day and night.  Two weekends ago, she cornered a possum and da mister had to intervene to break up the chaos.  This past week, we found the remnants of a squirrel upstairs.  The squirrel carcass is not pictured, only the tail. 

To date, that makes (that I have seen in my house): 

Roxy 2 and birds 0

Roxy 1 and squire 0 

Roxy 3 and lizards 0 

Now with BabyBoy on the way, I have been reading up on how to tell Roxy that there is be a baby on the way.   She cuddles next to my belly bump and sniffs out his nursery but the truth will be when we bring BabyBoy home.  Even then, I do not think the Roxy excitement will stop any time soon. 

#Technology

Now that I am pushing 40 with a bun in the oven, I have an ever growing desire to feel young, look young, and do what young people do.  It totally made scene to me to turn to social media.  I heard that the young folk stopped Facebooking and Tweeting and now  Instagram.  So what do you know, I am now on Instagram.  (As I get more “with it” I plan to continue using BarbieandherBike) I am fascinated with #technology because within a day, my home page knew that I liked dogs, yoga, bike riding, beach vacations, sunsets/sunrises, and was pregnant. #WhattheWhat?!

Shortly after, I started following a yoga instructor who posted pictures of herself nine months prego is full expression poses, and I was like, “I can so do that despite society telling me to slow my activity down.”  The more I learned about her the more I learned about #LandonsLegacy.  As the story goes, she lost her baby shortly after he was born.  She shares her inspiration and grief with amazing bravery.

Her story hits so close to home.  How would I ever deal with this same situation?  Would God really punish me again with the loss of my baby and the loss of my mother?  Our struggles are not always fair but it is what we are given.

Everyday I get more sucked into the details of her life.  Social media has a way of doing this. She says she is reading the book Signs of Life: A Memoir.  Yes, another book recommendation that I added to my collection.  True to what she ways, I cannot put the book down.  It is about a five month pregnant lady whose husband passes away. She then has to raise her baby without her husband.

This adds a whole new dimension to me thinking that I have problems. Yeah, the mister and I get into arguments but at least he is around to get mad at.  I think about getting the nursery ready for BabyBoy and I dream about my mom knitting a blanket for him, just like she did for me and my sister. She is not here to take advice from nor to get on my nerves. There is no way to get her back. 

All of this could make you sad and make you stop reading.  But for me, it is a healing process.  It is a time for learning.  It is healing to know that I am not the only one in the world who has lost a loved one and has to move on with life.  I learn about how other women have survived without a baby, a husband, or a mom.  

In all that, we figure it out and find our own truths.

Who know that in the mist of all those selfies, I would find #technology teaching me truths of life. 

Blog Roll Clean-up

It is that time again.  Even though I hate to do it, I must clean up the blog roll and remove any links that have not been updated in six months are more.  They are good reference for those who want to read more about riding your bike across America or other blogs that I have found interesting along the way.

http://tblforthree.wordpress.com/

http://feenixgoeswalkabout2013.blogspot.com/

http://rchollinger.blogspot.com/ 

http://bykruslatoboston.blogspot.com/

http://xclifeintheslowlane.blogspot.com/

http://helloross.blogspot.com/

http://ridewithgeorge.blogspot.com/

http://icbikesxc.blogspot.com/

http://blog.nancyaroundtheworld.com/

http://tybikes.blogspot.com/

http://philsepicride.blogspot.com/

http://jimdocontheroad.blogspot.com/

Granny

While growing up, we had a neighbor that lived to the left of us.  My mom befriended and nursed Linda for many years until Linda's death.  Mom always had a way of opening her heart to so many people and doing anything in her will to help that person.  My mom loved the way Linda’s grandchildren adorn fully referred to Linda as “Granny”.  My mom loved the name so much that she insisted that her grandchildren refer to her too as, Granny. 

Today, I wanted to tell my mom that she is going to be a Granny again.  I am confident that she already knows, but Granny, you are having another grandson. The maternal21 test and my last ultrasound confirmed that I am indeed having a BabyBoy.  Last night, while I settled in for the night, I felt BabyBoy move for the first time.  It was as magical as everyone says it would be and I wish I could have called you to tell you.

I always try to look forward and embrace the acceptance of my bonus mom, Nina.  All the things that I always dreamed my mom doing, Nina has naturally stepped into shoes that I thought nobody would ever fill. Ironically Nina wants to be called “Grammy” by her grandchildren.  BabyBoy, you are going to have wonderful memories of your Granny and your Grammy. 

Half Way

The thing about pregnancy is I can use it as an excuse for pretty much anything and it works ALL the time. 

·         If I’m running late, it is because “the baby” is tired and we were taking a nap.  One day I slept until noon and I have not done that since my college days.

·         If I am eating too much, it is because “the baby” is hungry and I have to feed him. 

·         If the music in the car is too loud, it is because I am trying to provide culture for “the baby”.  He can hear, after all.

·         If I eat too much desert, it is because “the baby” wanted something sweet.

The list can go on and on. 

For me, pregnancy has taken some time to get adjusted to.  I cannot work out as much as I used to because my energy is not there. I get dizzy more often and I am slowing down.  Usually thirty-minutes is about all I can take at one time.  To adjust, I work out in 30 minute increments, once in the morning and once in the evening. 

I used to be able to run around all day doing the this’s and that’s that make up life, but these days I have to tell da mister to slow it down or leave me at home.  I get bummed out because I hate feeling like I am missing things; but I have to save my energy for the most important thing of the day - whatever it is that day.

We have hit a mile stone and I am twenty weeks along, half way through my pregnancy.  It is hard to believe that there is another human, a baby boy, growing inside of me.  To date, I still have not felt him move.  But, I know he is there because we hear his heart beat at the doctor’s appointments.

Often I hear ladies say that they love being pregnant.  I can not say that but I am not miserable either.  I have had six days that I stayed in bed and only two week of being queasy at weeks six and seven.  Pregnancy for me, has been pretty easy so far. 

It is a running joke at our house is, “Really, I am not fat. I am pregnant.” Or, “The more I go to the gym, the more weight I gain.” There are days that I ask myself if I am fat.  To answer, I see if my wedding rings will fit.  It is all in good fun because I am enjoying watching my belly grow.

Fun Reads

These three books I lumped in one post because they are fun and easy reads.  Sometimes you just need a book that does not require much thinking and makes you sit and laugh out loud.

Brandi’s books are hilarious because she is so off the wall and crazy. Who else would think to have plastic surgery on their vagaja to re-virginise themselves after a divorce? But hey, we all have to heal in our own way so I am not one to judge.  Ms. Glanville also has to deal with drama from her ex, but in a way more public light, because her ex is married to the famous country singer LeAnn Rimes.  That takes mama drama to a whole new level.

After reading Brandi’s books, I took a different approach to being a step-mom and having a step mom.  Brandi often uses the term, “Bonus Mom” in an endearing way. I am much more OK with being called a “Bonus Mom” then I am with being called a “step-mom”, thanks to Walt Disney’s interpretations of wicked step-mothers. 

Adam Carolla is a funny comedian and I love his take on pretty much everything. Of course, I did not know much about him until he appeared on Chelsey Lately, and then a week or so later on The O’Reily Factor. Mr. Carolla’s President Me make me laugh as he talks about all the things he would change if he were President, and that is enough to get me to keep reading.

The Body Book

In The Body Book, Cameron Diaz writes about our bodies but from a scientific perspective. She covers everything from cells at the molecular level, diet, body hair, and good healthy eating habits.

I appreciate how Ms. Diaz explains the body's break down of food digestion and how your body uses food for energy.  Everything is dumbed down in a way that I can understand and did not make me feel silly for not knowing or not understanding. 

This book is a must read for anyone interested in having an overall healthier outlook in life.

The Wine Box

Since I have no soap box to stand on, I will stand on my wine boxes.

I am tired of society, to include my neighbors, strangers, and the media telling me what to do and how to do it.  So tired, in fact, I yelled in my sleep, “Go Fu*k  Y0ur$elf”.  Me and da mister laugh about it because somehow, in a deep sleep, I was able to get the words out clearly and loud enough to wake him from his sleep.

It all started when I was watching a news segment about a man who evaded a car crash by getting out of his car and running to a nearby house.  The lady at the house shot at the man, not once but four times, as if to stay, “Don’t even think about trying to break into my home and interrupt my time with my daughter.”  All I have to say is, girlfriend I like your style.

Over the summer, I was riding my bike in the neighborhood and Roxy was running along with me- the kicker is Roxy was not on a leash.  Truth be told, I do not always keep her on a leash because she loves to run and I cannot always keep up with her.  

She is super friendly. When she was a pup, I socialized her at the local doggie park.  The thing I have noticed is that it does not matter how my dog reacts, it’s about how people around her react.  The other thing is people who are afraid of dogs, want all dogs on leashes.  My thought is that if you run her over with your car or bike, it is my bad.  All of the time, Roxy sprints out of the way and there is never a collision.

On this particular day, there was a doe and her fawn hanging out at the corner house.  Roxy’s first reaction was to play with the fawn; after all, it was just her size.  The doe was not having it, and nor were the neighbors.   At a glance, it looked like Roxy was attacking the fawn.   I was afraid the doe was going to attach me and my pregnant self, so I was trying to also keep a safe distance.

This is where the yelling and the threats to call the police started. This is also where I wanted to say, “Go Fu*k  Y0ur$elf and mind your own business”. Instead, I dutifully picked up my dog and we walked home peacefully. 

Too many times, I defend my dog. People freak out when they see me running her, on a leash, running next to my bike.  They want to make sure she is rested and has plenty of water.  What on-lookers do not see is that she is very well taken care of.  She is given plenty of food and water.  Roxy gets regular vet visits and is groomed more often than a dog probably should be. 

People do not understand that she is a jack Russell terrier and she needs exercise or she gets bored.  She wakes me up at 5AM to play and requires constant stimulus to keep her entertained.  Too many times, I engage in seemingly friendly conversations to defend my actions, but I am sick of it.  Next time I will kindly say, “Go Fu*k  Y0ur$elf”.  

Manhood: How to Be a Better Man-Or Just Live with One

I once read that biographies are good books to read because if you want to be successful, read how other people have become successful. 

Another reason I read this book was because Mr. Crews was a guest on the Chelsey Lately show.  Not quite sure who he was, I kept watching because all they spoke about was his addiction to porn and how he overcame his addiction and continues to be a loving husband, father, as well as a thriving actor. 

You may recognize Mr. Crews from commercials where he portrayed the comical and muscular man, yelling about Old Spice.  You may also recognize him from The Expendables. As I read his book, I quickly realized how he is so much more.  He played college football, NFL football, and started doing television acting. 

What I love about Terry is his persistence.  He did not come from much, but with his perseverance he continued with his dream- at all costs. And folks, that is what made him successful. How can we not learn from that.

Long Mile Home

The Long Mile Home is written by Boston Globe writers Scott Helman and Jenna Russell and was published on the one year anniversary after the bombing of the Boston Marathon. The book follows the lives of five individuals, to include the bombers and their family, to give the reader an overall image of all those involved and affected by the bombing.  

As an athlete myself, I appreciated reading about the surgeon who ran the marathon and who was looking forward to a hearty meal for replenishment, but only had a banana to last him through the entire day and into the early morning hours of multiple amputee surgeries. 

As a spectator of many San Antonio Marathons, I know how family and friends anticipate the arrival of their loved ones to cross the finish line; and  the tragedy of being involved in the loss of a limb- just because you wanted to get a better view of your loved one while she ran her first marathon. 

The writers included many details from countless interviews, media, and law enforcement to ensure a complete and accurate account of the days leading up to and after the bombing.  As each character is introduced, you almost become that person and can feel that emotion coming through the book.

The book covers a sad circumstances; but I enjoyed learning more about the race and what goes on behind the scenes, more than I ever knew. 

The Divergent Trilogy

A friend from middle school, BJ (Yes, that is her real nick name.  It is short for Beverly Jane.),  is in a book club with her mother and she peaked my interest when she recommended The Divergent Trilogy.  She warned me that it involved a high school romance; but if a gal my age and her mother's book club enjoyed the read, then it was enough push for me to give it a read.

The collection details the make up of factions, or in our world, personality types.  You can be an intellect, a farmer, peace maker, truth teller, or adventure seeker. If you really get into each click, the book details throwing a party to entertain the different factions.

Tris, the main character, must choose which faction she will live with the rest of her adult life, even at the expense of leaving her blood family.  In Divergent, you learn about the choosing ceremony, initiation, and how each faction is different from the other.  

The first book, Divergent, sucked me into the trilogy.  I told myself I would only read the first book, but upon completion of book one, I purchased the entire collection (minus Four). 

Book two, Insurgent, has a lot going on and I often became lost in the multiple take overs and which faction was which.  

Allegiant, the third book, gives each of the characters a typical resolve.  The ending made me cry like the tooth fairy forgot to visit me and I hate to think of watching the movie with the same ending.  The thing about trilogies is that they are made to make the maximum profit out of the books and the movies.  I do not think I could bear to watch Allegiant turned into a movie. A few details from the movie Divergent were not as printed in the book (Isn't that always the case?)

Overall, I enjoyed imagining our country divided into factions versus the states that we are currently living in, where people think airplanes are a thing of the future. If you are into teen age love stories with future age fiction, then this trilogy is for you.

Month 5 Update

What is one to do when the doctor says, stay off your bike for nine months. 

She keeps her feet closer to the ground and reduces rides to a mile at a time, only to keep Roxy exercised, of course.

What does one do when she is used to the endorphin's of running.  

She runs until she feels dizzy and her doctor tells her to slow down because there will be a time when she does not feel good enough to work out.

What does one do when prenatal yoga is not as intense as the five year hot yoga practice she is use to.  

She swims a mile a day.

What does one do when the dreaded day of not feeling good enough to work out comes along. 

She sits around and feels sad. 

I wish I had considered this before because I never believed the day would happen.  But, it has. 

As I look through my NOOK, I have discovered that I have read nine books over the summer and have started eight books that need to be finished. This blog has always been about my bike rides and now that my bike rides have become non existent, it feels like I have lost my words and I ponder what I will write about next.  Like my fellow blogger, Mike K, he writes book and movie reviews. I may resort to reviewing books and movies, since that is all I am up for these days.

  

Week 15: My Pregnancy Progress

Hummmm.....  I am 52 days late and my fertility application say Saturday, May 24 is the day to test.  Once we started to try on April 1st,  it took me only 2 weeks to get pregnant.  This thirty-nine year ol' gal feels totally blessed and lucky. 

Week 5: Suddenly, I am not sure how to read even though three test confirm the same results.  

I need more proof like blood work and an ultra sound before I become a true believer. It turns our that I was and expecting mother on Mother's Day 2014.

 Week 6: I decided to start tracking my belly bump (above).

Week 10: We travel to North Carolina and I need comfortable clothes.  Do I really need maturity shorts yet?  Ugh, none of my bottoms button any more so I take the plunge with my first purchase. 

Week 13: A friend suggests that I take pictures wearing the same clothes to better track my progress.  

 Week 14: Most of my shirts are not covering my belly any more.  I have about a dozen shirts that still fit. 

Week 15: Woo Hoo- I can still see my feet!  I have gained 7 pounds and BabyBaby is the size of an apple. 

Summer Coming to an End

Our summer vacations are 42 days and tomorrow da boyz will be going back to Houston.  They have been busy doing martial arts and have earned 10 stripes, with only 8 more to get to the next belt.  This was a huge mile stone for them; but also for me because I was promoted to "step-mom" and not just Barbie.  After three years of being called Barbie, I am okay with "step-mom" because it means the view that da boyz have on me in changing.  

We have also found out that BabyBaby is a BabyBoy.  Not just a BabyBoy but a healthy BabyBoy.  I am still in shock because I was totally sure BabyBaby was going to be a BabyGirl.  A week later, I am reminding myself that BabyBoy's are a mama's joy.  I have ruled out name's that start with the letter "J" but that is as far as I have gone.  

Joe and Kris's birthday (Kris is also in the above picture) is today and we will celebrate with a pizza party and a pool party, to follow, at my parents house.  Even though these boys are not technically mine, they are mine for right now.  I don't sleep when they have bad dreams or when thunder wakes them up. We wake each other up in the mornings and we spend our days together.  

I am going to miss being a stay at home Mom for the summer and now I go back to work to be a working mother for the rest of the summer. 

BabyBaby

Expecting a baby is the hardest secret to keep.  Slowly, I am noticing my belly grow and my clothes are not zipping and buttoning any more.  I always told myself that I am going to be one of those bikini wearing Mommies sporting a big belly pump, so far, I have been true to my word.

I am three months along and BabyBaby is the size of a lime.  As of yet, we do not have a gender but we are hoping for a girl.  Her name will be Gabriella Marie (or Maria), Gaby for short.  

We really wanted to tell da boyz first before we shared our baby news. Overall they took the news well and now they are super excited to be biggest and big brothers to the baby that is in Barbie's Belly.

The hardest transition for me has been that I am not riding my road bike any more.  My doctor is pretty conservative, and considering my age, we are playing it safe to keep BabyBaby protected.  For the next nine months, I will be #barbieandherbaby instead of #barbieandherbike.  

Come ride the journey of life with me.

Summer Progress

The summer is progressing with great strides.  We found our routine and a chore list so the days are flowing smoothly.

We have attended Vacation Bible School where I volunteered in the Arts and Crafts room.  There I was in charge of 13 teenagers (only one boy),  who lead the group activities- now that is some teenage drama.  

Da kidz practiced and synchronized their jumps.

They slid down water slides.

They swim at Grand-dad and Nina's pool for four to five hours at a time.

Last but not least, the boyz are learning martial arts. Here Joe is sporting his proudly earned white belt.

Jon is showing off the board he broke.  This is such a memorial day for the entire family because Jon acknowledged me as his "step-mother" for the first time- in front of the entire class, AND he earned his white belt, AND he broke a board.

In martial arts we are learning three main principles: 

1. Respect.  Respect for yourself, your parents, and all those around you.

2. Mind control.  You can control your thoughts and actions.

3. Speed

These are great lesson for da boyz and they are improving daily with their instructions. 

Wishing you a fun and safe rest of the summer. 

Summer

Summer is upon on and we have been getting ready to pick up da boyz for our summer extended visit. Being the organizer that I am, I have compiled a daily schedule of activities and meal options, along with a chore list.  Maybe I have gone overboard with all my lists; but on the other hand I realize that it is a loose schedule. Personally, I am looking forward to fun in the sun all summer long.  

CS Park

Roxy and I found the Carrizo Springs Recreational Park and it has turned into our new favorite spot.  There is a one mile track around a lake with various workout stations spread through out the track. Typically, I walk and watch Roxy run.

There are lots of animals too.  Check out the jack rabbit located between 12 and 1.

The border patrol keeps the stables close and the horses are always a relaxing view.

I was glad that Roxy did not notice the turtle crawling across the field.

The guys playing basketball stopped to watch Roxy run through the lake chasing birds and ducks.  She is super fast. 

The day is complete as I watch the sunset over the lake.