8 Month MIle Marker

Today I am officially 8 months.  This date seemed so far away and now it's here.  Update:  Pregnancy is going well.  Tested negative for gestational diabetes and had a ultrasound on Monday.  Baby Luciano is about 4 lbs now!  He will probably double in weight in the next 8 weeks.  Great for him, not for my back or hips : )  Watching him on the screen has got to be the best feeling ever.  He was so cute!  We saw him yawning and sucking his thumb.  He loves to move and jab at my ribs especially at night.  I am so excited to meet him and hold him in my arms. 

We have two more weeks left of school for this term and have several papers due plus some projects.  So, we are going to be super busy.  After this term, we will have a week long break which will be great timing to get things ready for the baby. 

Also, I had a great surprise at our Communidad potluck on Wednesday.  They have a surprise baby shower for Luciano.  We celebrated this little one that sleeps in my womb with cake and gifts.  He now has a fancy new swing, some cute clothes, and some much needed items from his registry.  We are so thankful as a family to be surrounded with such amazing people who care and who also wait anxiously to meet him.  Communidad has been a place of amazing people who continually love and challenge me.  I am so glad we found them...

Jason and I celebrated 3 years of marriage on Feb. 24th.  We went to dinner at a nice french restaurant where our server bought me a desert because he thinks that pregnancy is amazing.  Nice little perk.  Jason gave me a two different handmade (not by him) necklaces that represent our family.  One has a little tree with our birthstone beads and the other is peas in a pod where each colored bead represents each one of us.  I hope Luciano stays put until April. We also have fond memories of Malta and find it interesting that Malta is in the news lately. 

Well, more to come when I can squeeze in a break again...

Immigrant Rights in Colorado - A family Affair

Before I forget, I promised to write a little about our project and how we have chosen to be involved as a family.

Angelo, Jason, and I joined like-minded friends to create valentine's day cards for detainees. We also attended the vigil held on Feb. 7th. (I will post pictures when I have a chance). It was a very cold night but so worth having nippy toes.  (Luciano's first protest...I think I could feel his balled up fist pumping in the air)
Angleo has been involved with us and has done an excellent job speaking Spanish with a new friend from Guatemala. 

You can read all about the event project here: Coloradans For Immigrant Rights: ICE Cold Hearts...Melted!

In addition, Jason & I have been following the Arizona copycat bills that have been proposed here in Colorado.  We attended the committee hearing at the state capital on Wednesday and saw first hand how the voice of the community was heard.  BOTH Arizona CopyCat (HB 1107 & SB 54) bills were defeated in committee and there was good news that ASSET Passed out of the Senate Education Committee on a 5-2 vote. The in-state tuition bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee. 
For more info on what is going on in Colorado:  www.coloradoimmigrant.orgThere is a link on my facebook page that gives a summary of what is going on and some other news coverage that is interesting. 

sooo tired.

Someone asked why i haven't updated the blog.  Well, the truth is that i am so tired and physically drained.  we are at the end of the winter quarter and I'm starting to really feel the effects of pregnancy.  I have lots of work to finish up with Jefferson County which is just tedious and time consuming.  I also have several papers, projects and presentations to do in the next three weeks for school.  Oh, and I can't forget internship...organizing kids from several different states to go to camp in the summer is not an easy task.  Lots going on.  So, bottom line...I'm exhausted.  And I think it's time for me to admit it :)

On a positive note: we got the baby's room painted thanks to Angelo and our new friend Mario.  I don't know when I'll have time to work on decorating it.  I still haven't even put up any art or photos in our house since we moved in...so, don't know if the baby's room will be done in time.  oh well :)  He will still be welcomed in this home with loving arms and I'm sure that he won't care that there is no art on the walls yet. 
I'm also thankful for a professor and a co-worker who gave me some hand-me-downs...some really great stuff :)

I love going into the baby's room and looking at all the cute and tiny things that we've collected for him.  I can't wait to walk into that room and actually see him there in person.  Each day as my belly grows, so does this intense love.  I never imagined pregnancy to be so overwhelmingly amazing!  His daddy says sweet things to him often and I know his big brother is getting excited too. 

We can't wait to meet little Luciano.  His daily dance in my belly reminds me of how grateful I am to God for this gift. 

Now off to sleep....

Family & Maternity Pictures

We did some family pictures today.  It was an early morning for us in Washington Park in Denver.  Jason & I were up late due to baby pains and I had woke to puffy eyes and a face full of hives.  Oh well, we still had fun.  I love The Kid's skate pictures!  the only one missing from the family pics is Mega. 

Today we also bought the baby's crib but it didn't fit in my car...so back to the store tomorrow for Jason : )
Third Trimester is here and is here with a vengeance.  I can't seem to get enough sleep and my back is starting to hurt pretty bad.  All temporary and well worth it.

Tomorrow we will be joining some friends in an art project making valentine's day cards for those who are detained and the immigration detention center.  I think I will pull out my Pablo Neruda books for inspiration. 

Click on the link below to see a preview of some our family pictures.

Our Family...Growing