Was it a Baby Shower or Baby Down Pour?

March 26 Week 34

I am still recuperating from the downpour of Baby Shower gifts that Mark and I received for the little peanut this past weekend, and in addition my coworkers threw me a shower today! It was a fun weekend full of family and friends and baby stuff!

The shower was at Stroudsmoor Country Inn and there was lots of good eats for everyone to indulge in. We were very happy to see everyone who made it, its a shame though I didn't get to spend a lot of time with everyone which always makes me feel bad at these kinds of things. The mountain of gifts was so over the top, but very appreciated. Everyone got us, well YOU, beautiful things. We are definitely stocked on just about everything now! I hope you like owls, because that is the motif of your belongings now. Everything was cuter and more adorable then the thing before it. We are overwhelmed in a good way, it looks like a baby tornado took off through our house.

We have managed to put together a couple things and get most of the items organized but I think we will just have to see how it goes and I'm sure I will be rearranging everything once we get into the swing of things. Mark and I are getting super excited to meet you already, I kind of have a feeling you might feel the same. I have a gut feeling, no pun intended, that you may not wait until your debut date. Just don't come too early, I still have stuff to do!

Busy Weekend

March 21 Week 34

Saturday I spent the morning doing a newborn shoot with an adorable 10 day old named Gianna. It has been so much fun the last few weeks doing the newborn shoots, every little bit of added time with the new ones has been good in helping prepare myself (at least as far as posing my new baby for photos haaha).

Sat. afternoon was spent getting even more baby time at a family party. LOTS of kids, LOTS of babies and LOTS of pregnant Delorenzo ladies haha. Below is a pic of Mark relaxing with cousin Livia. He seems to be getting mroe comfy holding the babies so that is good!

Sunday we had our maternity/pre-baby photo session with Shane which I think went awesome. I can't wait to see the pics. We went for something less hand hearts on the belly and silk wrapped bellies. I think the photos will definitely show more of what Mark and I are about.

I finally put together a check list for everyone's bags to bring, mine, dads and baby's bag for delivery time. Now to pack them! I'm itching to get all the rest of the baby supplies in the house and put away, and then talk Mark into cleaning like a mad man. Its getting hard to spend a lot of time on my feet without my back hurting now or feeling like the baby is trying to claw its way out of me. The tiredness that I had int he first trimester is starting to haunt me again along with a slew of Braxton Hicks. Nothing like having a heavy, rock-hard, beach ball hanging off your body to add to your comfort level! Mostly, Mark and I are just getting more and more excited to move onto the next phase.

Jenny DeLo ( a month behind me), Diana DeLo (2.5
month old fab Momma of Livia, and me at 34 weeks)

Mark practicing with cousin Livia

Running out of room at my desk!

Another Check Up

March 18 Week 33

Had a checkup yesterday, everything looks on track and good to go. Your position yesterday was head down, butt up. I call it head down using me as a punching bag, butt up in my ribs making it hard to eat. Other then feeling a little sore and having to pee every five seconds, things seem to be going pretty good. Looking forward to meeting you and take it easy on my on your way out please :)

American Idiot

March 8 Week 32

This past weekend Mark and I went to NYC to see American Idiot on Broadway. Marky Mark got us great seats of course and the kicker was, Davey Havok, only our favorite lead singer from our favorite band AFI, was filling in for the St. Jimmy role.

We ended up getting to the city early which was kinda of bad since it was pouring all day. The show was great though, I'm pretty sure the baby was probably like what the hell is going on out there. Plus I don't think pregnant women are supposed to be exposed to strobe lights, but I didn't have a seizure and it was all good. Didn't know quite what to expect from the show. I'm familiar with the music but not to the point where I could tell you exactly what the story the album was trying to tell. I will say that it must have been awkward for some parents who brought their Green Day fan kiddos to the show. There were some very adult scenes. They were probably very awkward for those families in the theater. Davey was my favorite part of course, and I was really surprised to see Justin Guarini transform into the character. Last time I saw him he was a blonde fro sporting American Idol singer.

After the show we hit up Bobby Flay's NYC joint, Bar Americain. Food tasted amazing, but i was disappointed in the lack of food you got. Then again, once I remembered we were in New York City I realized that's how it is.

There was lots of trekking in the rain around the city to catch a cab all day, and after dinner was no exception. Rain seems to make this a bit of a challenge. Upon arriving back at Penn Station to get our return train to Seacacus Junction in NJ, we were packed like sardines waiting for the track number to be announced. Of course, when it was, it was like being in India trying to catch a train. People running like cattle through a chute back to the stalls. This was particularly intimidating for a pregnant woman wearing heels. I made it though haha, but why stop there with frightening scenarios. When we got to NJ, right before getting to the exit gates from the tracks the entire station went pitch black and alarms started to sound. Again, not too awesome to be pregnant in this situation. When the emergency lights came on and the electric gates opened for a hot second, Mark and I ran through and bolted out of there. I think it was just a power outage, but I was more afraid of getting knocked over by metropolitan idiots. The day was definitely an adventure!

Baby Expert

So I know I am the furthest thing from a baby expert, but I've been reading this book for the past few days which has taken my mood from "excited but terrified of a screaming/crying baby" to the point where my hands would basically shake even thinking about a crying baby to "excited and confident." I am really big into thinking positively, and then having good things happen in return. In this book it describes a technique for holding babies that I remember my mom telling me about, because Eyvind had taught my parents about it, by laying the baby on its stomach on your forearm to help induce a calming reflex, you can couple it with swaddling, then vigorous rocking, white noise, etc. There is a lot more to this book, all about triggering a babies calming reflex, and basically giving them a feeling of a "4th trimester."

I am just pumped on my pre-baby confidence boost right now :)

-Mark

Just Moving Along....

March 3 Week 31

I had a routine checkup today, nothing to report. Everything is measuring and looking good! I start going every two weeks now, things will start getting more exciting soon!

These are some pics from the other day when you must have wanted a lot of calcium, probably because your bones are starting to get dense now. Jenny and I toasted our pints of milk while the rest of the family drank delicious beers, fine wines and cocktails at Grandpa's birthday party.  Jenny is just about a month behind me, but from the look of this picture she looks like she is 3 months behind me. I honestly do not know where anymore room for you is going to come from. Maybe you'll make a sooner then later appearance ;)

Also I am now very familiar with Braxton Hicks, you have been making my stomach curl up into the tightest, hardest ball. I feel like I could throw myself down a bowling alley, its not that comfortable either so I would appreciate it if you and my uterus would stop ganging up on me. Oh and on that note, stop kicking me in my lady parts.