cousins!

Joe, Shana and Chloe and Jim and Alyssa came over last night to meet Scarlett. Scarlett got to meet her cousin!! I can't say she had too big of a reaction but here's hoping they'll be BEST FRIENDS...!!

Scarlett in her swing. She can really take it or leave it at this point. Her favorite place is in daddy or mommy's arms. And how can we possibly resist?

Scarlett's home!

In her little hospital bed.

Scarlett Eve Valdes-- snoozing, as usual!

Daddy and Scarlett (still in the hospital)

Mommy and Scarlett (please ignore my huge head!)

Nana and Scarlett

Daddy and Scarlett again

Finally going home!! yayy!!

Scarlett came home from the hospital on Thursday night. We're soo happy to have her home, and she's proving her health by porking right up! She's put on two ounces since her birth weight and cries enough to let us know her lungs definitely work. We had a rocky night the first night, but last night she impressed us by sleeping straight through until 3 AM and then falling back asleep around 6 and letting us sleep in until 9. Not bad for her second night at home! We just can't get enough of her! Here's some pictures, not the best ones but hopefully more will come soon. (Once I work up the nerve to put her in cute outfits. Right now I'm too chicken to put anything over her head. She screams like we're cutting out her liver or something!)

She's here!

Scarlett Eve Valdes was born Saturday, February 17th at 10:34 AM. She was 8 lbs, .02 oz and 20 inches long!!

It was a pretty awful labor, for both of us... I went into labor Thursday night, got sent home, and then at noon the next day realized that this was serious!! I waited until Juan got home from work and then we went to the hospital around 3:00 PM. I was in pretty heavy labor from then until she was born the next morning. Not very fun!

I ran a pretty bad (and unexplainable) temperature while in labor, I think I peaked at around 102 degrees. Because of this, the baby was wisked away to the nursery for observation. Luckily she does not have any signs of infection, but she does have jaundice, so they're keeping her under the blue lights. It's hard (hard being a mild term, it's the most awful thing I've ever experienced) being home without her but I know she's getting good care and hopefully she can come home soon. Meanwhile, Juan and I have pretty much moved into the hospital, complete with my US weeklys and his sci-fi novels.

We'll post pictures, of course, but we're pretty busy going back and forth between home and the hospital. Please stay tuned and keep Baby Scarlett, Juan and I in your thoughts and prayers.

today's my due date...

And no baby yet! Keep your fingers crossed for me. I hear induction isn't any fun, so hopefully this baby isn't so terribly comfy the outside world isn't something it's unwilling to consider. (Sorry for the double negative!)

He so crazy!

Last night we had a real mother of a storm, lots and lots of heavy rain. Juan and I, of course, loved it, although I managed to refrain from going out into the middle of the driveway and doing a dance. Juan, however couldn't help himself. Right in the worst part of the storm, Juan decides that he needs to clean out the gutters... apparently my brother Joe had scared him with some gutter story. (Funny what you find interesting as an adult... I think I spent maybe thirty seconds total in the first 26 years of my life thinking about rain gutters) Anyway, so Juan decides to go out in the pouring rain and clean the leaves out of the gutters. In SLIPPERS. I had to post the pictures, even though they don't demonstrate how ludicrous the situation really was.

P.S. No baby yet! I'm sure all you mothers are like, "Of course there's no baby yet. Who has time to post about rain gutters when there's a newborn in the house??"

baby update

So I had my doctor's appointment today. I had my favorite nurse (Yvonne) and my least favorite desk clerk (Imelda, who always sniffs when I'm like TWO minutes late). Anyway, so I got all checked out and there's a little progress, but apparently you can have a "little progress" for two weeks! Baby's in a head down position (although since hearing Alicia's story I've been watching my stomach for weird "shifts") but I'm getting pretty frustrated at not being able to know when exactly. My new fear is that my water will break in Target or something, because who wants to be stuck cleaning up someone's amniotic fluid?

PS We have a new problem: The cats have found a new, sunny place to sleep: the changing table (okay, the changing PAD). And I'm such a softie I can't even shoo them off. Man, my kids are going to be able to get away with everything!

Okay

So everyone who has been pregnant at the same time as me has had their babies. I just did a quick myspace/blogger check and the four people who's pregnancy I have been tracking are all delievered, two of them early! I'm getting very anxious. And I know I'm two weeks away, but I'm the kid who peeked at her Christmas presents early. I want the baby to come NOW. I don't want to wait two weeks. NOW. :)

Baby's room and me

Cesar is our official teach-Carola-how-to-put-a-baby-into-a-carrier stuffed something! (We're not sure what kind of animal he us, but he sure is cute!)

We could use a little more organization, but this baby has a LOT of stuff.

I didn't bother with all that fancy make-up and hair-do stuff. :)

Baby showers

Showers:

We were lucky enough to have two showers: Shana, Alyssa and Mom gave me one at home (sorry, I don't have a lot of pictures of it, though!) and Juan's work gave us one at his school. It was really sweet and we had GREAT cake. :)

Okay, I admit it

I'm the worst blogger ever! My only excuse is that late pregnancy is agonizing (and I mean that as dramatically as possible) and that I think I have every uncomfortable symptom there is.
Anyway, here's a list of things that have been said to me lately that I think some might find amusing, some might sympathize with and others might not get the big deal about:

1. Bagger at grocery store: "Looks like you got a big load there."
2. Co-worker of Juan's and someone at meeting: "You carryin' twins??"
3. A sympathetic, nice lady: "Oh honey, aren't you due yet? You look so uncomfortable."
4. Stranger in Wal-Mart (which explains a lot, actually): "That's gonna be a big baby."
5. My mom: "[The above comments] are actually compliments. They mean you look pregnant, not fat." (What???!!)


So I technically have two weeks left, but I won't cry if the baby comes out sooner. Other than the dirty dishes in the sink, I feel ready. Oh, and a quick aside, since this is how my brain works these days: I've recently started ironing Juan's work shirts and pants instead of dropping them off at the dry-cleaner and it's really annoying work. Who can possibly enjoy this? I feel like wrapping a kerchief around my hair and calling myself Bessie.

Here's some new worries:
1. The baby will actually be a boy, who will look pretty ridiculous in the pink going-home outfit I have packed.
2. The baby will be eleven or twelve pounds and look like a hamhock.
3. I will lose completely my already thin grasp on a clean house.
4. My cats will feel neglected.
5. Poop, lots and lots of poop.

Next time I'll post some pictures of me (because I love the "big load" comments) and some random pics of the baby's room, etc. I'm a little too lazy right now to find the camera. More later, folks!!