Baby Q is 19 Weeks

Baby Q's Growth:

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, taking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

The Gift of a Child

Saturday afternoon I was driving to the grocery store and caught the middle of an EWTN program.  I don't have any details such as topic, speaker's name, etc.  But what I did hear, angered me.  The speaker told her story.  She was pregnant, and her family including the children went for their unborn baby's 20 week ultrasound where they examine each part of the baby to determine if the baby may need any medical attention when born. 

The children were super excited to see whether the baby would be a brother or sister.  The mom firmly told them that wasn't the reason for the ultrasound, but to see if the baby needed any medical attention. The mom said she instantly was taken back by what she had said.  It worried her.  Seconds later, the ultrasound.   Sure enough, the baby had some kind of urinary disease and some other complications which I can't remember. 

The woman was very clear during the interview that her intention was to seek medical attention for the baby if anything was wrong.    

Once the ultrasound was completed, the medical staff consulted the family and gave them a pamphlet, "What to do in difficult situations?"  I want to google that title because I couldn't believe what was said next.  In the pamphlet it suggested to terminate the baby and that it was very different from abortion because they want and love their child.  In continued to say, it would save the child from needless suffering living with a disability.    

I was shocked, and of course, the woman and her family were shocked.   They had zero intention of aborting their baby.  

I did my shopping and came back.  So again, I missed so many details.  Now the baby is born with multiple problems.  Jack, the baby, was in the hospital for couple of months and came home for a couple months.  His mom said his nursery looked like a hospital room with all the medical machines.  It sounded like Jack had more than one machine.   

The family was disappointed with many of the medical teams.  She did say some were great but most treated her son more like an automobile and gave them very little hope.  Jack did die.  I am pretty sure he died at less than 6 months old.  

She spoke with such love and joy of Jack.  He was never a burden to family but a blessing. Before Jack died, they borrowed their parents RV and vacationed with Jack bringing all his medical machines. After he died, the family composed a prayer to little Jack for graces and blessings to be bestowed on others.

I looked for the prayer on EWTN and emailed them to ask for it.  If they send the prayer or I find it, I will post the prayer to Baby Jack.

Baby Q. will have the same ultra-sound in three weeks.  Please keep our little one in your prayers as well as all unborn babies especially for families who don't understand or know the sanctity of life and the beautiful gift of a child.  

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday. When I was born, she was very young. She tells the story of how she gave me to God from the moment she held me in her arms. "God I don' t know what to do with her. I need your help."

God must have heard her prayer because she is loving and wise. Her nieces and even the young neighbor girls come to seek her wisdom. I remember the best pearl of wisdom she gave me. I was having boy troubles and just not sure about this relationship. I was hanging on tight. My mom said, "If you really love him, you'll let him go." She knew I didn't love him enough to marry him. Thank goodness, because when I let him go, the Lord brought my husband into my life.
My mom has always been supportive in everything I do. She cried tears of joy when I told her I was thinking about being a nun and she cried tears of joy when she saw me pregnant with our baby. No matter what I choose, she is always happy and has supported me. When I was in college and had knee surgery, my mom took time out of her life to come up north to take care of me. Thanks Mom!

She's a beautiful woman who loves to laugh. I used to hate going to the movies with her, before I saw the beauty in her deep heartfelt laugh. Happy birthday Mom! I love you! May I love and laugh as much as you. I am blessed to have you as my mom.

Tomorrow Baby Q. is 18 Weeks

Fetal development in pregnancy week 18:

Fetus in fifth month

We have two more ounces! Your "getting bigger-n-better by the minute baby" is already up to 7 ounces and 6 inches! This is a big week for their baby skin. There are now two distinct layers—the epidermis (or the surface skin) and dermis. Currently, their skin is covered with a greasy, waxy, cheese-like substance, known as vernix caseosa. Sure, it sounds pretty nasty, but this mixture of fatty secretions covering your little swimmer from head to toe is the best way to protect their oh-so-thin skin from bruising and abrasions as well as chapping caused by amniotic fluid exposure (and your little one is swimming in that stuff!). Still don’t like the fact your little darling is currently slathered in fatty cream like a greased pig? Well, you know the birthing process? Where you have to push something the size of a watermelon out a hole the size of a grape? That adorable little greased piglet would have a lot harder time getting through the birth canal without the vernix caseosa. Fun fact for momma’s with baby girls: it’s a uterus within a uterus! Your little girl will have developed a uterus and vagina canal by the end of this week.

Pope Benedict XVI

I found this incredible piece on another blog written by our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI on the root of our wretchedness,

"In what does man's wretchedness actually consist? Above all in his insecurity; in the uncertainties with which he is burdened; in the limitations that oppress him; in the lack of freedom that binds him; in the pain that makes his life hateful to him. Ultimately there is, behind all this, the meaninglessness of his existence that offers satisfaction neither to himself nor to anyone else for whom it might have been necessary, irreplaceable, consequential. We can say, then, that the root of a man's wretchedness is loneliness, is the absence of love - is the fact that my existence is not embraced by a love that makes it necessary, that is strong enough to justify it despite all the pain and limitations it imposes...What man needs is a communion that goes beyond that of the collective; a unity that reaches deep into the heart of man and endures even in death. The human unity that man requires by nature must know how to answer the problem of death in which it must find its truest confirmation...Man cannot identify himself with God, but God has identified himself with man - that is the content of the communion that is offered us in the Eucharist. A communio that offers less offers too little.”

World Youth Day

Imagine over 125,000 young people gathered in Australia to meet Pope Benedict XVI and to learn and grow in their faith.  The Pope sends a daily text message to pilgrims. Here's yesterday and today's message:

"Young friend, God and his people expect much from u because u have within you the Fathers supreme gift: the Spirit of Jesus - BXVI.”)

“The Holy Spirit gave the Apostles & gives u the power boldly 2 proclaim that Christ is risen! - BXVI”

World Youth Day was started by our beloved John Paul the Great.  I heard a story I wanted to share with you.  While JPII was flying to the first World Youth Day, he was asking himself, "Will they come?"  Shortly, the Pope was greeted by a sea of young people shouting, "John Paul II, we love you!".  You can only imagine his response.  

I was blessed to visit John Paul II in Denver.  I heard about World Youth before my reversion.  I was volunteering with a youth group when the diocesan youth director came to our parish to invite us to World Youth Day.  When he asked, I thought, " I am not going to miss 9 days of work to visit some Pope." At that time in my life, I did know a thing about the papacy.  Needless to say, after the video "Half a Million Strong" I signed up.  The Holy Spirit moved my heart.  That was December 2002.  God knew.  Lent the very next year, Christ came into my life and changed it forever.

Remember our youth in Australia.  The Pope gave us an opportunity to gain a partial indulgence if we pray for them to participate with charity and to have the grace to give their lives to the gospel.

From Faith

Please Say a Prayer...

Please, even if you're not a praying person or don't even know what you believe, please say a prayer for Monica Rodriguez. She finished chemo 3 months ago for a very rare form of cancer and her first 3 month scan showed that the cancer had already come back in her liver and lungs. Even if the best you can do is "God, if you exist, please heal Monica" that is still a valuable prayer!! She is 32 years old and has a 2 year old son. It looks like she will be going back into chemo and surgery. 

For those interested, Trisha and I are starting a novena to St Peregrine today (June 15) to St Peregrine for Monica and all those we know who have cancer or incurable diseases. (For those unfamiliar with novenas, it is just a prayer you say for 9 days for a specific intention, in this case the healing of Monica from angiosarcoma). If you want to join us, please do. Here is the link to the novena; please cut and paste.
http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/peregrine.htm

Thank you!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my dad's 59th birthday. This picture completely captures his personality. He is hilariously funny, lives life to the fullest, and is a fantastic cook. My personal favorite is his homemade green chili. Delicious! He has a saying, "Always cook with love, and never cook when you're angry or sick."

This story captures my dad's love and reminds me of how much God the Father loves me. I had encountered Christ in a powerful way and was leaving the university to serve in full time ministry with only one semester left to graduate. Needless to say, my dad was not very happy, but he flew one way from Los Angeles to Northern California. I picked him up at the airport, he packed me up, and together we drove back home to LA . It was a beautiful expression of a father's love, and a drive home I will always remember.

Thanks Dad! Happy Birthday!

Baby Q. is 17 Weeks Old

What is going on with your baby during week 17?

 Your baby’s skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord, is growing stronger and thicker.  Baby now measures at 5.1 and weighs about 5 oz (weighs about as much as a turnip) now. Baby is now the size of your hand-spread open wide. Fat or adipose tissue begins to form beginning from this week and continues for some weeks to come; fat is important to the heat production and metabolism. Water makes up about 3 oz (89g) of your baby's body. If it is a girl baby, her fallopian tubes are formed around this time. If you have not felt your baby move, you will soon. These movements may not be felt everyday but as pregnancy progresses these movements grow stronger and more frequent.  The placenta, which nourishes the fetus with nutrients and oxygen and removes waste, is growing to accommodate your baby.  It now contains thousands of blood vessels that bring nutrients from your baby to the baby’s developing body.  

A New Quest

Most of my life I have been searching for the perfect high heel.  Now I am onto another quest, the search for the perfect prenatal exercise class.   

My first attempt was a 90 minutes prenatal yoga class.  I carefully did my research to find an exercise only class, not a New Age meditation, empty your mind type of class.  I called and specifically said I was looking for a non-religious class that doesn't speak about God.  The receptionist assured me there wasn't any religion in this class.  Now looking back, she probably thought I was talking about Christianity.   Oops. 

Well, I walked in, and there was a huge statue of an asian woman (Buda's wife?  Hmmm ... Was Budha even married?).   Ok, there wasn't any umming and omming, but the Eastern religious aspect was peppered throughout.  The exercise was great though.  Needless to say, I was exhausted for 3 days.  I guess I am not ready for 90 minutes of yoga.  

Now today I had the opposite extreme, an aquatic aerobics class.  In a sea of gray hair, I was the only one under sixty.  Of course I had inquired if the class was for all ages, which I was told it was.  For the next hour we were grovin' and movin' to smokin' oldies.   I did have fun though.

I am searching for something in between my rockin' out senior's class and my New Age yoga.  The quest continues ...

Do Men Blog?

Do men blog? I know Matt has a blog, but he recently said he likes the fact that he doesn't have to write about himself. I have asked my husband several times if he would like to write a post, but his answer is always the same, silence, which means no. I have even given him ideas for topics such as balancing his job with family or maybe keeping God at the center of his life with so much going on. These are things I know he's working hard to accomplish. My husband has another saying, "I like to be anonymous." I guess I should just count my blessings that he's the editor of our blog and that I can post this.

Baby Q's Appointment

We were seeing Dr. Davenport, a Catholic OBGYN in San Pablo about an hour away. We found her very knowledgeable and very helpful with much practical wisdom. Once our pregnancy was established, she told us it was time to move on and find a doctor closer to home. So, like little chicks we sadly left the nest. She recommended Dr. Belton, a pro-life OBGYN in the south bay. We like him. He has very gentle mannerisms and is very kind.

We didn't get to hear the baby's heart beat, but we did see it in the ultra-sound. So cute!!! Baby Q. was on his/her tummy. I told the doctor that "the baby doesn't look very comfortable" and seconds later the baby turned. We could see the head, arms, legs, baby's bottom, spine and even jaw bones.

Dr. said the baby looks great and was a good size. Dr. also said there is plenty of room for a natural child birth (he was probably wondering because I am so small). We rejected all tests that could possibly harm the baby, although we will do a high resolution scan at 22 weeks that might prove helpful.

Please keep baby Q. in your prayers.

Baby Q. is 16 Weeks Old

Pretty exciting!  The baby is now growing quickly.  I copied the information below from BabyCenter.  Bummer, the photo wouldn’t copy.  Tomorrow we have our 4 month appointment -- God-willing we’ll hear baby Q’s heartbeat.  Please keep baby Q. in your prayers.

How your baby's growing: Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Athlete to Preggers

I have been active most of my life with some sort of physical activity.  When Tony and I were engaged, we visited a fertility specialist.  No other reason, than to get advice on how to prepare for pregnancy.  Shocked and stunned,  because the doctor told me I needed more body fat which entailed gaining 10 pounds and basically stopping training,  I was surprised how difficult I took the news.   There's no question, children are far more important than exercise but there was a loss. 

I wasn't able to workout during the first trimester, and I'm struggling to deal the weight gain.  Tony made me promise to kick the word fat out of my vocabulary and replace it with "pregnant".  Well, this weekend  we went swimming.  It was the first time in a long time since my body encountered physical activity.  I swam my first lap, and it was fast.  Tony immediately took my pulse and reminded me to take it easy.  Thank goodness for my husband.  He brings balance to my life.  After his gentle reminder, I eased up, but had to keep his voice in my mind to take it easy.  I love speed.  I love to run, bike, and swim fast.  It's difficult to slow down.

This whole no exercise thing is really a lesson for me.  I know it's a preparation for the sacrificial life of a mom.  Today I was reading I believe in Love.  The book reminded me to read the Gospels in the light of love which I applied to this situation.  I think love makes sacrifice a little sweeter.   There are so many lessons to be learned.  Thank goodness God is patient.  I am off for my swim.  

The Road to Emmaus

I can relate to the two disciples as they walked along chatting on the road to Emmaus.  They discussed all that happened in such a short time.  Then Christ casually walks beside them and begins His work.  So much has happened in our life in such a short time.  I met the man of my dreams.  In 7 months he proposed, 7 months later we were married, 1 short month later he we were expecting, 1 month later we miscarried, 3 months later our second little one was conceived. Thank goodness for our Catholic faith.  Christ walked with us.  Even during the difficult times when Tony held me as we cried over the loss of little Joseph, Christ was there.  Isn't funny that suffering can exist even in a wonderful life.  

I guess our lives mirror the paschal mystery.  Please keep us in your prayers as our second baby is now 15 weeks.  You remain in our prayers.  Please let us know if you have specific prayer intentions.  

Welcome to the world of blogging

We have finally joined the world of blogging.  Although, I must admit this blog has been under construction for a while.  Mainly because we have been so busy with life and a little hesitancy from my husband.  He's private and not thrilled with the idea of having his/our life dangling in cyberspace.  His idea was more of a Catholic website for purposes of evangelization.  We still might do that.