A Baby Story

It had been a pretty good day. My mom and I went to Wal-Mart and we finally got a few things we  needed. My list was looking pretty good, all I was missing was to finish packing my hospital bag.
Dia 15 de Junho foi bom. Eu e minha mãe até fomos no Wal-Mart compraer umas coisas que precisávamos. Minha lista de afazeres estava diminuindo, só estava faltando terminar de arrumar a mala pra levar pro hospital.

That night, after taking my Week 38 Pregnancy Photos my husband and I went on a date. As I left the car to get in the restaurant I felt  sharp pain on the bottom right side of my uterus that stopped me from walking. As I had done for the past couple of months I just ignored it and moved on. We had a fun night together and even went to another restaurant to get dessert.

A noite, depois de tirar minhas fotos de 38 semanas de gravidez, eu e meu maridos saímos pra jantar. Quando saí do carro senti uma dor na parte direita da minha barriga e tive até que parar de andar. Como fiz nos últimos meses, ignorei a dor e prosegui ao jantar. Fomos até pra outro restaurante pra comer sobremesa. Foi bem divertido.  

We went home and tried to watch a movie but we were pretty tired. I started to feel contractions as I went to bed. My major thought was: "will I get a decent night of sleep? I slept so well for 9 months!" The contractions were pretty painful, I was also worried about my husband getting quality sleep because he needed to work the following day. After three painful contractions back to back (I was even doing my Lamaze breathing people), my water broke. When I told my husband, he asked me if I was sure, so I told him to turn on the light to confirm. That's when we started running. He grabbed my unfinished hospital bag, I grabbed a towel (when my water breaks it leaks til I give birth) and we went to the hospital. Of course we had to stop and wait for a train to go by on the way there (scary!) but that didn't take a long time. Once in the hospital, the nurses quickly got me ready and all I could think of was "I hope these contractions don't get worse" but they didn't.
Quando voltamos pra casa tentei assistir um filme mas eu estava bem cansada. Comecei a sentir contrações mais fortes e dolorosas assim que fui dormir. Minha maior preocupação foi saber se eu ia conseguir dormir bem porque por 9 meses não tive problema nenhum com sono. Também não queria acordar meu marido, que tinha que trabalhar no dia seguinte. Depois de 3 contrações fortes minha bolsa estourou. Meu marido ligou a luz e confirmou que tinha estourado mesmo, e daí começou a correria. Ele pegou minha mala e fomos com ela do jeito que estava pro hospital. Eu peguei uma toalha porque quando a minha bolsa estoura a água fica jorrando até a hora que os meus filhos nascem. No caminho pro hospital tivemos que esperar um trem passar, mas não demorou muito (graças a Deus). Quando chegamos no quarto, as enfermeiras prepararam tudo pra cesária e eu com aquela preocupação porque não queria sentir muita dor. Graças a Deus não senti.

I arrived around 3 a.m. and was able to get a little bit of rest. At 6:30 we were off the Operating Room (OR). I was excited to meet our new daughter.
Eu cheguei as 3 da manhã e consegui descansar um pouquinho até as 6:30 quando me levaram pra sala de operação. Eu estava animadíssima pra conhecer nossa nova filhinha. 

For 9 months I prayed that my initial experience in the OR was a good one. The thing I dislike the most is when doctors or techs can't find a vein or the correct space in my spine for pain medication. I praise God that the doctor was able to find the correct spot quickly. I told him (afterwards) that getting pain meds was a breeze, all thanks to God. My third c-section experience was similar to my first two: I laid flat and pretty much prayed and waited to hear that sweet little cry for the first time. When I did, my thankfulness to God for the beginning of life was huge. 
Por 9 meses eu orei pra que essa cesária fosse boa e Deus me atendeu. Eu não gosto quando o anestesista não acha o lugar na minha espinha pra me dar a injeção e fica procurando com a agulha (ô coisa dolorosa!). Dessa vez o anestesista conseguiu achar o lugar bem rápido. Minha terceira cesária foi parecida com as duas anteriores: eu fico deitada orando e esperando ouvir aquele chorozinho doce da minha criança. Quando ouvi, minha gratidão a Deus foi tremenda.

I am so thankful for my amazing husband. He's been there the whole time and he has been excited from our initial positive pregnancy test til this day. I am so blessed to be his wife and the mother of his children. I had an amazing experience during our third child's birth. In no time I was posting photos on Instagram and texting friends so they could cancel our baby shower and come over to visit. We had a lot of dear friends to come by. I felt so loved. 
Sou muito agradecida a Deus pelo meu marido. Ele sempre nos apoia. Queria muito essa gravidez e a nossa filha. Sou muito honrada de ser casada com ele e de ter 3 filhos com ele. Depois que me recuperei um pouco já estava colocando fotos no Instagram e mandando mensagens pras amigas cancelarem o meu chá de bebê e pra elas virem me visitar. Muita gente veio, me senti muito amada. 

The first one's to visit were my kids and my mother. The kids were a little taken back by the situation but were really happy to see their sister. Toddlers and hospital rooms don't go together, so they only came by and visited for a little while. I was so happy to see them and exited my mom was here to be part of the whole experience with us.

Os primeiros visitantes foram os meus filhos e a minha mãe. As crianças ficarem sem saber o que esperar, mas estavam felizes de conhecer a irmã deles. Minha filha queria colocar a mão no cabelo dela. Fiquei alegre da minha mãe poder estar conosco compartilhando essa experiência.

We were discharged on Father's Day. What an amazing gift our baby girl has been to our whole family. We will forever be thankful that she came into our lives a week before our planned c-section. We love her so much it was a blessing to see her before the day the Doctor and I chose. 

Tive alta no dia dos pais (americano). Que presentão a nossa filha é pra nossa família toda. Estamos muito felizes que ela veio pra esse mundo uma semana antes do planejado. 

Children are a blessing from God. I am truly blessed to be a mother of 3 kids, 3 and under. This baby has brought even more joy into our lives. She's perfect for our family and just an amazing jewel. I thank you for the prayers and encouraging words during my pregnancy. Thank you for reading this series!
Crianças são uma bênção de Deus e eu sou abençoada por ter 3 filhos com 3 anos, quase 2 e a nova neném. Eles trazem muita alegria pra nossa vida. Muito obrigada pelas orações e carinho durante essa jornada de 9 meses. Obrigada por ler o blog!

• All things Simply Cintia Pregnancy

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Pregnancy: 39 weeks of Photos

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Pregnancy: 38 Weeks

I was overjoyed to make it to 38 weeks! My plans were to have a week filled with preparation for the birth of our daughter. Only 6 hours after I took this picture my water broke and our adventure of new life began. If you've been reading the blog you know she's here and she's wonderful, but I wanted to wrap up the series with my 38 week pregnancy update.
Eu estava felicíssima de poder completar 38 semanas de gravidez! Meus planos eram pra ter uma semana cheia de preparações pro nascimento da nossa filha. O que aconteceu foi que 6 horas depois que tirei essa foto minha bolsa estourou e a nossa aventura começou. Se vc tem lido o blog você sabe que minha filha nasceu e estamos todos bem, mas eu queria terminar essa série de artigos sobre minha gravidez. 
Pearls | O Bom:
• We're almost there! We have a name, my mom is here and I am so ready to relax for a whole week before my bundle of joy arrives.
• Estamos quase chegando lá! Já temos um nome, minha mãe já chegou e estou pronta pra descansar na semana antes da minha bênção chegar.
• I continue to enjoy a healthy end of pregnancy. I never had major issues so I am thankful to God for a great journey.
• Continuo tendo uma gravidez saudável. Nunca tive problemas horríveis nessa gravidez e sou grata a Deus por isso.
Poops | O Ruim:
• Believe it or not I don't have any complaints. I keep marveling at how great of a pregnancy this has been. I am eager to see her face!
• Não tenho do que reclamar. Fico maravilhada de ver como essa gravidez foi boa. Mal posso esperar pra ver o rostinho da minha filha!
Extra Information | Outras Informações:
• As I've been advertising all along, it takes is 9 months to come up with a name so we finally have one. We can all have a sigh of relief!
• Como falei antes, me levaram 9 meses mas achamos um nome pra minha filha. Que alívio!
• My hospital bag is 80% ready. A friend of mine was laughing at the fact that I only have one outfit for the baby there and 4 for me.
• A minha bolsa está 80% pronta pra levar pro hospital. Uma amiga estava rindo porque mostrei a bolsa pra ela: só tinha uma roupa pra neném e quatro pra mim.
• My mom has our routine down, which is a blessing. I keep saying that whenever this baby comes is all good.
• Minha mãe e as crianças estão super acostumados com a nossa rotina. Eu vivo dizendo que depois que minha mãe chegar, qualquer dia que ela quiser nascer está bom.
• I went to my last NSP/BPP visit. I could see her eyelashes, her nails and hair. I am so eager to meet my baby!
• Fui no hospital pela última vez pra minha visita semanal. Deu pra pra ver os cílios dela, as unhas e o cabelo. Estão tão animada pra conhecer essa minha filha!

Next in my Pregnancy series will be my Birth Story and the last installment of Pregnancy Week by Week when baby girl gets to be in the photo but outside of my uterus. Don't miss! I also have a few guest bloggers scheduled to impart some wisdom to all of us while I take a short maternity leave from the blog. Thanks for the love, prayers and for reading all about my pregnancy.
Da próxima vez vou dar mais detalhes de como foi o nascimento da minha filhinha. Na última foto dessa série planejo tirar uma foto com ela. Eu também vou tirar uma folga aqui do blog mas vou ter umas amigas aqui escrevendo pra vocês (em inglês). Obrigada pelo carinho e por ler sobre minha gravidez.
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Favorite Things: Pregnancy Edition

I'm 38 weeks today (thank you God!) and remeniscing on my Favorite Things during this pregnancy. Here are my Top 5.

• Sleep - worth more than gold, sleep does a lot for this pregnant woman. I was never a believer of naps til I badly needed them when I got pregnant with my first born. This time around sleeping has improved my mood and even rejuvenated me. What a great gift!

• Netflix - here in no cable land, Netflix is king. We watch a lot of good movies and have found new shows that are interesting to us. The kids have enjoyed watching music versions of their favorite shows and we can say this is money well invested.

• Pinterest - I can't tell you how many times I fell asleep looking through pins. I treat it as a magazine but I only look at certain categories. I am not pleased with the spam and non-family friendly images there. I tend to stick with crafts and home decor to be on the safe, beautiful side. I also repin a lot of beautiful images of my native land Brazil. 

• Mani/Pedi - Not many pregnant ladies look forward to doing their own mani/pedis (although I'm about to attempt the unthinkable and try to do it at 9 months). Mani/Pedis are amazingly relaxing gifts specially when you don't want to get all acrobatic and do it yourself. I highly suggest it as gifts to expecting moms.

• iPad - I often fall asleep looking at it. That's where I watch Netflix, pin things and I take it to Mani/Pedi days. This wonder gadget has become an important part of our lives and I can say it will continue as our new baby is born soon.

I hope you enjoyed this unconventional Favorite Things: Pregnancy Edition. What were some of your favorite things while pregnant?

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Pregnancy: 37 Weeks

Thank you God for blessing me to get to 37 weeks! Arriving to 37 is always a big deal for me because the baby has done most of the growth and development inside of my uterus, which is a blessing. Here are my updates:
Obrigada Deus por me abençoar a chegar na semana 37! Eu sempre fico feliz de chegar nessa semana porque a bebê fez a maioria do crescimento dentro do meu utero, o que é uma bênção. Aqui vão alguns detalhes:
Pearls | O Bom
• My mother is here! She had a great flight from Rio and we are all having an amazing time together. I haven't seen her in person for almost 2 years. This is the first time she's ever seen me pregnant (in person). Last time she arrived almost a week after my daughter was born.
• Minha mãe está aqui! Ela teve um vôo muito bom do Rio e estamos nos divertindo muito por aqui. Eu não a vejo fazem quase 2 anos. Essa é a primeira vez que ela me vê grávida (de pertoa). Em 2010 ela chegou aqui uma semana depois que a minha filha nasceu.
• I am very healthy. My water level has been fluctuating (on the high side) for a few weeks so I was ordered to do another diabetes test and thank God I passed. My water is back to normal levels this week and the baby is growing and doing amazing.
• Estou bem saudável graças a Deus. O líquido amniótico estava alto então tive que fazer outro exame de diabete. Graças a Deus não estou com diabete. Minha água está de volta ao normal essa semana e a bebê está crescendo e muito saudável.
Poops | O Ruim
• None at the moment, thank God. I am practicing contentment and enjoying the end of this great. pregnancy.
• Nada no momento. Estou feliz e agradecida por essa gravidez ótima.
Extra Info | Outras Informações
• My husband met my OB for the first time last week. He's been keeping the kids for me while I go to the doctor, that's why it took him 9 months to make it. We also took the opportunity for a quick tour of the hospital. We were very pleased with the facilities and looking forward to holding baby girl.
• Meu marido conheceu minha médica semana passada pela primeira vez. Ele que fica com os nossos filhos quando tenho consulta, por isso que demorou muito. Também fomos ver a maternidade pela primeira vez e ficamos mais animados pra conhecer nossa filhinha.
• I'm not dilating yet. If I remember correctly it takes me at least one more week to start dilating.
• Ainda não estou dilatando, acho que me leva pelo menos mais uma semana pra isso começar.
• I've been ignoring my practice contractions (or Braxton Hicks) for a while. Now that I am full-term I'll probably keep doing the same thing unless they get really strong. I am secretly wishing they hurry up and do that. I'm just really eager to see this girl.
• Estou ignorando minhas contrações por um bom tempo. Agora que minha mãe está aqui, espero que elas fiquem fortes logo :)
Previous Pregnancy Posts:
• Pregnancy Page

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36 Semanas de Gravidez

Oi gente, fazem 6 semanas que não falo sobre a gravidez (em português), então aí vão as novas:

• Amanhã completo 37 semanas de gestação. Estou bem saudável graças a Deus. Ainda tenho bastante energia e estou usando pra cuidar das crianças e das preparações pra chegada da neném. Continuo caminhando 3 dias por semana.

• Ainda não temos um nome. De hoje até o dia do nascimento tem tempo né?

• Tenho ido no médico toda semana por um mês. Eles estão monitorando minha pressão e o desenvolvimento da neném. Graças a Deus ela está crescendo bem e a pressão está muito boa também. Faz tempo que eles não me dizem quanto ela pesa, mas acho que essa semana vão me dizer. 

• Fiz uma comparação de fotos minhas com 36 semanas de gravidez. É interessante ver e ler o que estava se passando no passado. O mais interessante é brincar com as crianças e lembrar que eles todos passaram pelo mesmo processo de gestação e nascimento. 

• Já arrumei a metade da mala que vou levar pro hospital. Melhor que nada né? 

• Minha mãe chega em menos de 24 horas! Estamos muito felizes e agradecidos a Deus por poder tê-la conosco nessa época tão especial.

• Amanhã começamos um grupo de mães jovens na minha igreja. O engraçado é que vou no primeiro encontro e só volto no finalzinho (é um curso de 12 semanas). Vamos falar de como disciplinar os nossos filhos de acordo com a Bíblia além de fazer outras coisas legais. Estou feliz por essa oportunidade de conhecer outras mães e aprender mais sobre Deus.

Bem, por enquanto é só. Vou nessa que estamos nos preparando pra chegada da minha mãe além de estarmos nos divertindo muito agora que é quase verão por aqui. Um grande abraço!

• Leia meus Artigos em Português aqui. 

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Pregnancy: Body Acceptance

I cannot deny, it's been interesting remembering my previous pregnancies through pictures. Thanks to my constant picture taking and the wonderful world of blogging, I've been able to have a great record of what week 36 of pregnancy looked like in years past:

Whether I like it or not, a lot of focus is put on the body during pregnancy. Here's God's perspective on the subject:

You were bought for a price. So bring glory to God in the way you use your body.  I Corinthians 6:20 (God's Word Translation)

I never thought about this verse in the context of pregnancy until last week. This Bible verse reminds me that although I've been carrying my baby girl for 36 weeks, my body is really meant to bring honor to God even in this season.
I realized that although I take good care of my body during pregnancy, I'm also tempted to complain about the side effects pregnancy brings. All the aches and changes are not fun but some complaints are deep seated in the rejection of self.
Look at my photo illustration once again. During my first pregnancy I thought I had a great handle on the situation and I was happy with the way I looked for the most part. In 2010 I refused to put my face in my pregnancy photos for things changed drastically inside and out. I didn't like the way I looked, I was 'too big' for people to see the real me. As soon as I had my daughter "a light came on" and I realized being ashamed of myself wasn't healthy. This time around I am showing me for who I am in every photo. It took me 3 pregnancies but I know this is a season of life and I am bringing glory to God by taking care of my body. Being unashamed of what I look like brings glory to God because it says 'I appreciate how You made me." I now know that hiding my face or only taking photos in certain angles can only mask what the heart doesn't cease to carry: shame. I wonder if shame is separating you from glorifying God with your body my friend.
Here are ways to stop the struggle & become more accepting of who you are:
• Watch Your Words - there is power in your words. If you are truly negative about your appearance, things are not gonna get better. Change the way you speak about yourself. For example, I used daily positive affirmations about running many years before I ran my first 5K. Hearing positive things about myself were the starting point to unlocking my ability to change for the better.

• Make a Habit of Caring for your Body - small steps towards caring for yourself will lead you to greater accomplishments. It might start with drinking more water every day or walking once a week. Building good habits, one baby step at the time, makes a big difference long term. Employing the help of others is part of caring for your body too. Signing up for counseling for example is a great way to care for yourself.

• Understand the Seasons of Life - my previous women's ministry pastor opened my eyes to the fact that during a woman's life, her weight will go up and down. Pregnant women do gain weight. Once I accepted that weight loss season was over for 9 months, things got much better. My focus went from the numbers on the scale to non-scale victories such as getting more rest, adding more nutrients to my diet and finding enjoyment in exercising during pregnancy. I know that the weight will come off during the next season.

My hope is that you and I don't be ashamed of what we look like. It might be a process or it may take a revelation but I pray that eventually our body issues will turn into the glorious act of bringing glory to God in the way we use our bodies.
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Baby Prep at 36 Weeks

Today I turned 36 weeks of pregnancy and yes, I am preparing for the arrival of our third bundle of joy. You can say it took a while to prepare (in a physical way) this time, mostly because by the time third baby is here, we have had the experience of the previous two. Gadgets might improve, new products hit the market often and one thing is for sure: child birth is a natural thing and it doesn't really take that much to happen. Here's a mix of things happening in my world: 

Baby Shower 

My first baby shower for baby number 3 was very special. The Pastors' Wives of my church has a bi-monthly gathering so they decided to give me a Baby Shower during this month's get together. It was also a pool party, which was awesome. God knows I've been wanting to swim for a while and I always wanted to have some celebration in that way. I thought that was totally God's gift to me. Another surprising gift: my bathing suit still fits me. I don't do belly pics of pictures of me on bathing suits on the blog (or anywhere else) so you'll have to believe me in this one. I decided to reach out to my pre-pregnancy clothes and give it a try right before the party. To my amazement my bathing suit still fit, so I just went with it. That and my grandmother telling me I haven't gained that much weight was VERY encouraging. Our church choir is hosting a baby shower for us in a few weeks. We're so thankful for the love and looking forward to celebrating!

Baby Swag 

A few friends sent me baby gifts earlier this year and I was blessed with a lot of great baby stuff at the MOPS exchange. I am so thankful to God for all the baby items I got! 

Mãe (Mom) 

My mother will be here in a week exactly. The last time I had just given birth to my second child. Things automatically got better when she showed up. She's an amazing help and support and just lots of fun to have around. She's also the one person I trust with the care of my family. Everyone looks forward to being loved on and fed. It's gonna be amazing to have some help engaging the kids, especially because they still need a lot of attention, so I won't be the only one to give it to them. 

Exercise 

According to Foursquare I've been exercising at least 3 times a week for the past 14 weeks. This is quite a record compared to my last pregnancy when I was very inactive. Exercise gives me energy and helps me tremendously in more ways imaginable. The myth of laying low for 9 months doesn't work for me. I choose exercise over the aches and pains I had from being inactive last time. I also believe it's helped me control my weight gain. 

Nursery 

The plan is to keep the baby with us for a few months, then transition her to a room with one of her siblings. I have no photos to show, only stories to tell. My first baby went to his own room immediately because we didn't know the crib was going to be too big to roll it to our room. Quite an independent child. My second baby was with us for a few months, then she joined her brother. Sometimes she likes to have a room for herself, sometimes she doesn't mind sharing. I'm sure the two girls will share a room at some point. 

Name 

No name to report yet. I'm thinking this time we may announce it when she's born. I'm just now realizing the amount of people who are born knowing what names their kids will have because they're the ones bothered with us not announcing a name along with the positive pregnancy test. 

Hospital Stay

I took the first step and put the carseat in the back of our van. My husband will have to install it later. I also took the 'big' step of selecting a hospital bag (the same one I've used for all kids). Now I need to pack it. I keep thinking I need to pack light. For some reason I never do. I know what PJs I want to take so I just need to throw them in there along with some cute outfits for the baby. The funny thing about this c-section is that the doctor works in the afternoon. My other two were in the morning, so for the first time we'll have a Texas baby and a baby born in the afternoon. The only bad thing about afternoon c-sections is the fasting time: it starts at midnight the night before. I usually try not to eat at 11:59 because of heartburn, so help me Lawd and bring on the jello once this baby is born and we're all well and ready to rock and roll. 

Guest Post Opportunity

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Pregnancy: Week 35

Time is going by fast! It's almost birth day! Okay, not really, I'm just really excited about meeting our new daughter in less than month. Here is what's going on in my world:
Pearls: 
• I have been feeling fantastic! I continue to exercise (walk) 3 times a week and my energy level is still very good. Here's a photo of me waiting for a treadmill in the gym:

• I've been blessed with a lot of baby swag. Whether through an exchange with other moms at MOPS or Baby Shower gifts, God's been faithful to His word: you reap what you sow! Here's a pic of the swag I got at my last MOPS meeting:

Poops: 
• None at this time, thankfully!


Extra Info: 
•  I've going to the hospital for weekly check ups since week 32 of my pregnancy. As you can see in this picture, I get strapped to a machine for my non-stress test (NST) then I get an ultrasound so the nurse can see baby girl practicing breathing among other fun things. I get to see her do all kind of acrobatics such as put her foot close to her head, grab her toes, etc. Highly entertaining child this is!

• I'm starting to get the sense that it would be a good idea to further prepare for this birth. I haven't packed the hospital bag yet but that's on my list of things to do. I'm also thinking about getting her initial (the one thing we do have, now we need the rest of her name) dolled up at our hospital room door. We'll see!
• At this point my c-section has been scheduled, which gives me another clue that this is really happening! My mother arrives in the States soon, and we cannot wait to see her. My husband and I talk about it every day! My thought is: once my mom is here, baby girl can be born whenever :)
More Pregnancy Posts:
• Pregnancy Page

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Baby Shower/Pool Party

The Pastors' Wives of my church gave me my first Baby Shower (our choir is hosting one as well) yesterday during our bi-monthly fellowship. It was a Pool Party! The food, fun and conversation were great. I took a few photos to share with you.

I was extra happy that night because I found out that my pre-pregnancy swimming suit still fit me. I had a lot of fun swimming and spending a great evening with these amazing ladies. I am slowly but surely getting everything ready for the baby's arrival. I am counting down several ways:
• By the date my mom gets here. It'll be in a few weeks and when she does, it doesn't really matter when the baby is born;
• By the actual c-section date the doctor scheduled;
• By how many workouts I want to do before my due date. 
I'll be sure to give you an actual Pregnancy Week by Week update this week so I can tell you about all the other fun stuff that's happening in and out of my uterus. Thanks for enjoying this journey with me! Keep us in your prayers!

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Friday Commentary: High Risk Pregnancy

This week has been one of celebrations. We celebrated my son's birthday last Sunday and today we celebrated my brother-in-law's birthday (photos on my Instagram & Twitter). Fun times! 

Another celebration of sorts are my weekly NSTs (Non-stress tests) and BPPs (don't know what that means but it's some type of ultrasound). I fall in the category of High Risk Pregnancy because of Chronic Hypertension so my Doctor keeps an eye on me more than she would other "regular" pregnant women. Here's a picture of me in the hospital's waiting room today.

Once I schedule these weekly exams, I think of them as a baby & mommy dates. Obviously we're there for serious reasons but I do enjoy taking a peek inside my uterus every week, finding out how much she weighs, seeing her practicing breathing and looking at her pretty face. She'll be here soon and today's test was kind of my wake up call. 

Will I do anything different now that I'm 32 weeks? Not necessarily. I'll keep exercising, eating as well as I can and getting ready for the big birth day. I'm so looking forward to seeing our blessing for the first time!

It's funny to me (and to the doctors who treat me) to know that my pregnancy is high risk because all my numbers are great. Last month one doctor looked at my stats and asked "so what are you doing here again?" God's been so good to me when it comes to my health! I am thankful.

I developed chronic hypertension a few years after I got married. I blogged extensively about how God changed/healed my mind and my body weight followed that transformation. My health improved greatly before having my first son but I never got off of high blood pressure meds. I then became a Baby Buncher, so I have to be careful to take care of my health in order to nurture my family well. Thanks to God I haven't had any problems with my blood pressure for 5 years. I kept the good habits learned during that first High Blood Pressure "intervention" phase such as:

• avoid stress like a plague;

• watch for salt intake in food; 

• avoid eating out in places known to add a lot of salt & MSG to their food;

• exercise regularly; 

• use other spices such as garlic and onions in my cooking;

• drink plenty water; 

• get enough rest;

• monitor my blood pressure for any changes.

That initial bad experience was not fun because it felt like I was not in control of my body. Taking control of my health means to be conscious of my choices. It means there are consequences to my actions and I want my consequences to lead to great quality of life. 

I realize that the damage that Chronic Hypertension has in one's body can be irreversible that's why I am so eager to maintain great health habits. It's more than a dress size for me, it's about the size & quality of my earthly life.

I've learned that God is a healer but he's not a magician. I have learned that I have to create good habits in order to enjoy great quality of life. God is my healer and helper but once I get off my knees I need to chop some veggies and go for a walk. 

Keep us in your prayers as we finish this amazing journey. Being pregnant is a gift and I am trying to be a good steward by caring for my health. Have an amazing weekend!

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How to Exercise while Pregnant

Video notes: This podcast is not intended as medical advice. Before starting any exercise program, please consult your doctor or other health professional.
Responsabilidade: Uma correta prática de exercícios físicos regulares começa no consultório médico. Antes de chegar à academia, quadras de esporte, pistas de corrida, etc. é muito importante que se faça uma avaliação clínica geral para, aí sim, começar uma atividade física. Somente um médico poderá orientar e resguardar a saúde do atleta, indicando, por exemplo, seus limites físicos. O conteúdo desse Vídeo é opinião para entretenimento. Não assumimos responsabilidades pelas experiências dos leitores. 

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Gravidez: quase 8 meses

Parece que foi ontem que anunciamos a nossa bênção a caminho. Admito que dessa vez (como das outras também) está passando rápido, já estou com quase 8 meses!
Graças a Deus estou me sentindo muito bem. Ainda tenho bastante energia mas estou aproveitando pra descansar bastante e fazer umas coisas antes da neném nascer.
Meus filhinhos ainda não compreendem bem o que está acontecendo. Eu falo pra eles de vez em quando, mas não me preocupo em falar tanto que vai nascer uma neném na família. Eu gosto mesmo é de ver a carinha de surpresa deles quando conhecem a irmã pela primeira vez, é um barato!
Nas últimas 9 semanas tenho caminhado 3 vezes por semana pela graça de Deus. Exercício ajuda tanto na gravidez! Meu objetivo é de continuar nesse ritmo pelo resto da gravidez (ore por mim!).
Quanto ao comer, nunca tive desejo. Nunca mandei o meu marido pro mercado pra comprar sorvete a meia noite nem nada. Uma das únicas coisas que tive que mudar foi o meu consumo de leite. Leite me faz mal durante a gravidez, mas como preciso do cálcio, eu compro leite de amêndoas ou de soja. Desde que mudei isso tenho me sentindo muito bem e com menos azia.
Ouvi dizer que tem muita mãe grávida brasileira que tem vindo aqui fazer compras pros bebês delas. Na minha opinião vale apena mesmo. Tenho encontrado muita coisa barata: de roupas de grávidas a de bebês, se procurar você acha por um ótimo preço graças a Deus. O bom também é que por causa da qualidade essas coisas duram muito, então dá pra passar pra outras crianças.
Bem, só queria dar um oizinho pra vocês e compartilhar a nossa alegria e gratidão a Deus por esses 8 meses maravilhosos. Continuem orando por nós!
Outros Artigos:
• Como ter mais tempo a dois?
• Confiança durante a Espera

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Pregnancy: Week 30

I am officially in the third and final trimester of my Pregnancy! Glory be to God! I'm counting down to birth day and I have around 9 weeks to go. The baby and I are very healthy, so is the rest of our family. Here are my experiences since we last talked:

Pearls:
• I passed my blood test so no diabetes and no need for that painful 3-hour test I took last time. Thank God!

• I've been going to the gym at least 3 times a week for 2 months. I think this has contributed a lot to the way I am feeling. I assume I'm the only, obviously pregnant lady there so I am a prime future client for trainers. They have been extra friendly to me.

Poops:

• I failed my iron test. Last time I decided to stay ahead and take an iron pill and I passed it but this time even with the extra iron pills I failed the test. I'm on prescription iron pills now. Go figure.

• Crazy hormones! I almost cried in the gym when I was waiting for a treadmill and a senior citizen jumped on an empty one right in front of me. He never noticed my hormonal change (thankfully) and I think he honestly wasn't paying attention. I dislike the desire to cry when something upsets me cause it's just not part of my personality. What's been worse is that some people were unusually mean to me last week. One time I felt like I had to speak up and told this lady's coworkers her day needed to get better for the love of God cause she was in a baaaad mood when I showed up in this office. Anyway, my goal is to forgive and move on without the crying.

Extra Information: 

• This is the first pregnancy where I don't take the flu shot. The doctor didn't want me to take it during the first trimester and she was out most of my second trimester, so I ended up not getting it.

• I still wear heels once a week. I still get a lot of stares and comments about it at church but I have 25 months of experience in this thing. I believe that secretly people want pregnant women like me not to exercise or wear cute shoes for 9 months.
• The kids and I went to start a baby registry. They did awesome as long as I kept moving and kept them fed.

••• Here's me at 30 weeks of pregnancy in 2010 and here's my 30-week bump in 2009. For Pregnancy posts, go to my Pregnancy Page.

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Pregnancy: week 26

Hello everyone! I'm at Week 26 and feeling so blessed to be expecting a blessing from God. Here are the latest:
Pearls:
• I'm still enjoying the advantages of being in the soon to end second trimester. Feeling the baby move is a bliss!

• Exercise has been very helpful. I feel like it has improved the way I am feeling.
Poops: 

• Negativity from others. I keep fighting it by believing God and paying attention to what my husband has to say. I am also surrounding myself with positive friends who are a big encouragement along the way.

• Heartburn. Yep, couldn't avoid it for much longer. Tums have been my best friends. 

Prayer, resting and simply enjoying God's blessings have been the key things for me lately. I am praying that this last trimester will be a blessed one. I will slow down even more when I need to. I am praying for a healthy baby at the end of the journey. I appreciate your prayers!

See:

• Pregnancy Page

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Gravidez: 6 meses

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Pregnancy: Week 24

• Mac users, here's the YouTube link

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Letter to Baby Z3

Since this is my last Blog Post before finding out my baby's gender, I decided to write a letter to baby and post it here. I'll do the big gender reveal next week here on the blog, so come back and find out!

Hey Baby Z3, I love you so much. The amazing thing about you is that even before you were formed in my womb, God knew you and had a purpose for you. You are so wanted and so loved already! Your father had the biggest smile in his face when we found out we were expecting you. Your brother and sister have no clue about you which is fun because I love to see their facial expressions when they meet you for the first time. You are going to love hanging out with your siblings! We have fun all day long around here (I'm sure you hear it all): we eat great food, play, run, dance, explore outside, go to story time, go to play dates, to church and we always sing together as a family. I am curious to know what your voice sounds like. One of my favorite things is to hear my kids singing. We're getting to have quite a group! There will be 5 of us singing when you're born. I'm sure you'll quickly catch up on all the songs. People often ask me what I want as far as a gender and my answer is: I want you. God was very intentional in creating you and all I want is YOU, God's best for our family. You are a blessing already and we are so looking forward to meeting you in a couple of months. Oh, I hope you are enjoying those Almond Butter Strawberry sandwiches :) Eu te amo de montão, 

sua Mamãe.

• Pregnancy Page (see my progression)
Pregnancy Related Posts:
• Fasting While Pregnant
• Pregnant Women Hear the Darndest Things
• 2 c-sections + 3 years = 3 Lessons

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Pregnancy: Week 20

Since I gave you a detailed update last week, I thought this week I'd compare & contrast this pregnancy with the previous two. Here's a journey down memory lane thanks to the wonderful world of blogging:

December 2008 • By Week 20 of Pregnancy número uno I was feeling the bliss. I was exercising regularly (go me!), looking for new Podcasts and celebrating Christmas. What I see between the lines is how different life pre-babies was. I was able to attend tons of Christmas parties without the concern of having to find sitters. I was also really looking forward to meeting my son. 

March 2010 • You can see a more experienced mother by Week 20 of Pregnancy número dos. I write about looking forward to the summer because the winter was very tough on us. Inches and inches of snow got me thinking about birds singing and my husband's barbecue. I remember we would sit around our dinner table and picture a family of four. Sweet time!

February 2012 • This time around I am aware of the intricacies that births bring. I am more confident, more prepared and yet, waiting for the many moments of unique wonder to the blessing of new life brings. I look forward to looking at the baby for the first time. I look forward to introducing the new baby to my kids and seeing their reaction. I look forward to carrying my baby in a carrier. There are so many things to look forward to and yet I am half way there.
• What are some of the things you remember about your mid-pregnancy?
Related Posts:
• Pregnancy Page (see what happened the previous 20 weeks)

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Pregnancy: Week 19

Hello Week 19! The question I get the most right now is "what are you having?" followed by "but what do you want?" I wrote a fun post about other questions pregnant women get and the answers I wish I could give. The fact is that I still haven't had my mid-pregnancy ultrasound so we don't know the gender of the baby yet. All I know is that I am literally dreaming about meeting this amazing child I am carrying. Here are the latest news since my Week 14 Pregnancy update:
Pearls:
• I'm getting smarter and backing away before people touch my belly. I hope to keep this up for the rest of this pregnancy.
• I'm starting to show "foreal." Some women at my church keep telling they thought I just got fat. Cruel but I hear it every other Sunday. I usually release a fake laugh and leave.
Poops: 
• Nose bleeds on top of a cold was no fun. The humidifier has been my BFF lately. I've had two colds thus far during this trimester. The good news is they keep getting shorter and shorter (from 3 weeks to 1 week).
• "Dread" is another "poopy" part of my pregnancy. I dread going to the store with 3 kids. I dread taking 3 kids to the doctor. I need to do some serious refocusing and planning as well as some major organization and a good attitude consistently. I know it's been done before but my mom never took the 5 of us grocery shopping with her and my dad til we could help carry the stuff home (we took the bus sometimes). 
Extra Info:
As soon as we find out the gender it'll be so much easier to come up with a name! It usually takes us 9 months... My next pregnancy update should be the gender reveal. How exciting is that? Thanks for reading!

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