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.