HO HO HO!!! 32 Weeks Pregnant

Who knows the difference between Santa Claus and Tiger Woods?

Santa stops after 3 hos...hahaha! I couldn't resist.

It's hard to believe we have less than 8 weeks before the baby is supposed to arrive. Tis the season to be jolly for so many reasons! Between Christmas and Hanukkah and holiday parties galore, it's all happening!

We have continued to prepare for our little one's grand debut. We finished our childbirth classes on Thurs. and earned our certificate of completion. I'm so glad we did that class. We definitely learned some things, but I think the ultimate advantage to doing a class like that is to educate the guys on what the gals are going through. It helps them be more sensitive and understanding to the woman's needs. It is probably easier for the pregnant one to emotionally prepare for the life changing events ahead since they are the ones carrying the child. And I felt like at every class I got 3 hours of Marc's undivided attention. And of course I liked that. :)

Marc is blowing me away with his preparations. He just came home with a stroller the other day. It wasn't the one I wanted, but it was a great deal and fits our infant car seat. He taught me how to use it last night and it was absolutely adorable. He wanted to make sure I did everything correctly so I didn't jeopardize the baby's safety or risk waking him up. Does this even make sense? Isn't it usually the girl convincing the guy that we even need a stroller? Although it wasn't the original stroller I had picked out, I quickly decided it was perfect.

Also, I asked Marc the other day if he would take maternity pictures with me this weekend. He said no problem in a flash. Really? He is so go with the flow and happy to do it. I've heard of many girls begging their guys to do stuff like that. So we are all scheduled to take pregnant belly photos on Sunday after he plays volleyball. People say that makes the pregnancy so much more memorable and can be a special keepsake for the baby one day in the future. I think all kids are curious about what their mommies looked like pregnant. I know I still am...There MIGHT be one whole picture of my pregnant mother in existence. And I still don't know where it is and if it really exists!

Next on the agenda is to find a crib. I'm looking for a white sleigh crib from Pottery Barn to match the white crown molding and the rest of my pottery barn furniture in that room. Marc is actively helping me find the best deal, so I'm sure we'll have a crib in the next few weeks. We're on a roll!

It's a party.....I mean it's the best baby shower I've ever attended!!!

Welcome to the best baby shower I've ever been to! This was less of a baby shower, and more of a royal celebration! Look at all the people who came! Our house was full of special friends and family for the exceptional occasion, and we had a fantastic time.

Marc invited more people than I did! And I can't believe how many of his guy friends came. I guess they knew that if Marc was involved that we would have never ending amounts of delicious food and football ready to devour and enjoy.

There were many aspects of this party that made it uber spectacular, and this homemade cake is just one component. I love how it says both of our last names, Perry and Newhaus and gives him the number ONE. Pamela baked it and Kristi decorated it. It was better than any store-bought cake I've ever eaten and there is no tool to measure the amount of thoughtfulness included.

I need to take a moment to rave about how marvelous my friends are. The two main hostesses are my dear friends Kristi and Pamela and they went above and beyond my wildest expectations. Pamela's mom and Nori also came bright and early in the morning to help the girls set up and worked all day on taking care of everyone's needs at the party. They set everything up from beginning to end...from the first guest's arrival to the final guest's departure. They didn't miss a single detail and worked their butts off all day long.

First of all, the decorations were phenomenal! The center pieces on the tables were the most adorable teddy bears. Each bear was dressed as a sports icon related to Marc or me. Each bear wore a jersey onesie that will ultimately be for the baby. Representing were the Cowboys, Yankees, Lakers, and Dodgers, and each bear held an array of balloons. So now little Perry Newhaus has more teddy bears than he ever could have dreamt of loving. My friends clearly put hours upon hours of thought and preparation into the sports-themed extravaganza. It was AWESOME!!!!


I just can't say enough good things. Marc and his friends had a great time despite the fact that they were technically at a baby shower. Between football and friends, I think it's safe to say they were feeling festive and fortunate. My mom was thoroughly impressed by our wonderful friends. And I was completely flabbergasted that all these people would do so much for us.

By the conclusion of the shindig, I was so overwhelmed and exhausted that I kicked off my heels and plopped down with all my new sporty companions. What could be more comforting at the end of the suaire. I was beat and I hadn't even done any of the real work. It's a tough job to have fun at your own party. Hahaha! I don't expect to get any sympathy there!

Now it's the calm after the storm and I get to relax for a minute. We have many magnificent baby gifts to organize before I start sending out thank you notes. This is the fun part because everyone spoiled us rotten with kindness and generosity. The yankees won out with the most common gifted sports theme, so it looks like our little one is predisposed to be a yankee just like Daddy Marc and Grandpa Bernie.

I hope all my friends and family know how grateful and appreciative I am for so much love and support. Thank you to all of you for being the best of the best!!!

Prepared Childbirth Series

Last night was a RIOT!!! I dragged Marc to childbirth class at the hospital. HAHAHA!!!

Originally, when he said he would go with me, it didn't seem like it was a big deal so I signed us up for the three Thursday evening classes for a total of nine hours. But when it came time to get ready and head out the door, he was full of regrets that he had ever agreed to such a thing. Thanks to rush hour traffic, I got to listen to his complaints for a full hour as I drove us to the dreaded classroom full of hormonal, pregnant women and their partners. He explained that this was just something women with nothing better to do sign up for. Of course that hurt my feelings a tiny bit and I wondered why he agreed to it in the first place if he was going to be so ornery about it. I told him he needed to get over it because I'm the one who paid the $150 for the classes and he can just relax while I chauffeur him there. Plus, I'm the one who gets to go through the pain of childbirth, so the least he could do was be nice and supportive.

Upon arrival to the hospital, we found our class full of expecting couples. I figured Marc was miserable being there so I did the honors of introducing the both of us and our unborn son. We found out that we don't get the maternity tour of the hospital due to the swine flu, and with the extra time we will practice more breathing exercises and relaxation techniques. That works out great for me because I am shooting for an all natural drug-free childbirth. In between texts and emails on his blackberry, Marc told the instructor that he was already prepared for me to go into labor because he watched a youtube video of an elephant giving birth. Needless to say, he wasn't the only less than ecstatic daddy in the room, and everyone laughed at his comment.

By the second half of class, everyone seemed to be a bit more comfortable in that room. I mean, hey, we're doing it for our future children, right. I don't want to go so far as to say we enjoyed ourselves, but honestly I really did! It's helpful for me to think of having a baby as a natural process rather than a medical procedure. And I find comfort in the fact that Marc will better understand what I am going through.

Believe it or not, when we got home Marc said that he was GLAD that we went to the class with me! WHAT?! He said he appreciated how informative our teacher was and that it was a good thing to be prepared. I think it also made him appreciate me a little more. He saw that almost every single mom-to-be was quite a bit heavier than me and that I am very healthy in comparison. He told me several times that I was the cutest girl in there! Maybe he just felt bad about his previous complaints, but I'll take the sweetness any time!

So, for next week, we are going to get an early start over to childbirth class to beat rush hour traffic. And to kill time, we are going to do my favorite thing and have a bite to eat across the street at Jerry's Deli. Marc definitely realized that childbirth class was the least painful thing about having a baby, and I'm grateful for his reluctant compliance! Whew!

Happy Thanksgiving!!! (29 Weeks Pregnant)

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and this year ranked up there with the best of them. We shared the special holiday with Marc's family in Florida. I love his parents and am so excited that our unborn child already has so many family members and friends that love him with all their hearts. He has no idea how lucky he is!

Marc told me, "Congratulations! You survived Thanksgiving. Not many turkeys made it through Thanksgiving!" I had told him how when my mom was pregnant, my dad called her Butterball at one point. So now I'm also getting compared to a butterball turkey....my mistake telling him that story. But I promise you I'm no turkey. ;)

Travelling was a bit more difficult than usual for me. I thought I was just getting so tired because maybe that is normal in the 3rd trimester. But my dizzy spells and fatigue were at an all time high, and my doctor called twice while I was away to tell me I was anemic again and to make sure I was taking iron pills. I felt like I could have slept through Thanksgiving week at the rate I was going. And I didn't want to take iron pills because of constipation. But now I seem to have it all figured out a week later. Lots of salads, fruit, and green drinks, and I'm taking the iron pill every other day instead of every day so I can go to the bathroom. Now I am feeling a little more energetic, but don't know how I'm going to manage getting on the airplane for Christmas.

Today I am 30 weeks pregnant and we are getting ready for our baby shower this weekend. My mom is flying in on Sat. and I'm getting everything ready for the festivities. This house used to be stuck in the 90's with grey carpets and grey walls from floor to ceiling. I've been warming it up with earth tones and making it a cozy place to live. We have hung curtains, painted walls, rearranged the living room, added throw rugs and plants, and hung artwork. It's looking better and better all the time. Turning a bachelor pad into a family home is a process, but I'm knocking it out one step at a time. With the high ceilings and all the natural light that comes in, it is a great palette to work with and I've been having so much fun making these improvements! It is becoming home sweet home!!!

Now Marc is installing a washer/dryer so it is my cue to leave before they solicit any more of my help.

It's my 33rd birthday today!!!

Today was my last birthday before Hurricane Newhaus arrives! And it was FAB! Of course you should expect nothing less when spending the day with Edward Cullen. New Moon came out this weekend and I went with a group of girlfriends to see the movie. That explains why we are fawning over Edward and Jacob in the picture. Lucky for us they were as dreamy and magical on the screen as they were in the book. Every single gal in the theatre was as or more obsessed as us, and no one threw us out for screaming I love you Edward at the movie screen. And at the end of the movie no one was too taken aback or offended when I yelled out that if it didn't work out with Bella that he could marry me. And then the lights came up and we went to Nordstrom....almost back to reality.

It was such a great day with girlfriends. It's the kind of day I would love to have any day, and perfect for my birthday. We had a nice lunch at Real Food Daily before heading to the movies. I got a few things that I can really use this year and I am very happy about that. Mostly some clothes that fit, which is all I've needed for quite some time now. Marc got me a pair of fantastic maternity jeans, so I can wear jeans again....yay!!! It's a little bit difficult to maintain creativity month after month in yoga pants. And his mom got me a cardigan cape that is so cute and comfy and perfect for the winter. I'm already at the point where I can't button up my coat, so this couldn't have been better timing. It gets cold in LA at night and now mama can stay warm! And I got some cute pj's that fit. Marc is probably ecstatic about that since I mostly wear the most unflattering clothes around the house that were in desperate need of improvement. I really scored today!

I feel super special and loved! Marc wrote me the sweetest birthday card that made me cry. I told him I wanted him to write me a heartfelt card, and he actually did! I was worried that he wouldn't want to because I asked him to, but he ended up writing me a beautiful card with a cute splash of humor. That made my whole entire day, and I hope he realizes that I'm easy to please. See, it really doesn't take much to make me happy!

Thank you to my sweet friends and family on this birthday! I love you!!!

28 Weeks Pregnant and Rockin'!

Here we go into our 3rd trimester! Weeee! I'm feeling great, just as I have through out the majority of my 2nd trimester. We haven't had any complications and I've been really lucky up to this point. The energetic little monkey in my belly hasn't even been keeping me awake at night. It probably helps that I'm always so tired at the end of the day that it only takes me a few minutes to fall asleep.

As far as food is concerned, I haven't had any real cravings. My favorite things to eat have been watermelon, apples and peanut butter (all natural of course after draining the oil), and red seedless grapes. Even though I have my favorites, everything edible looks good to me these days. Even being around meat hasn't grossed me out too much. Marc and I cooked salmon with black rice and veggies for dinner tonight and it was beyond delicious. We are cooking at home a lot more than we did in the first trimester. I was so grossed out by smells that I was repulsed at the thought of smelling food cooking. But smells haven't bothered me so much for quite some time, and I'm enjoying learning how to cook more things from my self-taught teacher. Marc is a real gem in the kitchen, and I have a sneaking suspicion that he enjoys the benefits of teaching me how to cook!

I'm exercising 5 days a week and plan to continue for the next 12 weeks til our little hurricane arrives. It's tons of fun to hear the cheers and applause from others as I truck it up and down the santa monica stairs. I must admit that I find that very motivating and it makes me feel a little like a rockstar. There are other pregnant gals doing those workouts, but I have yet to see someone else quite "this" pregnant making those same rounds. Hundreds of stairs are a lot of work for someone who isn't pregnant, so it's kind of awesome that I'm keeping it going....even though I've reduced my 13 sets to a meager 5.

The Baby's in the Belly but the Junk's in the Trunk (26 1/2 weeks)

Little baby boy only weighs 2 lbs, but I've gained 20....yikes! The doctor says I have nothing to worry about and that I'm right on track. But I think Marc and I would beg to differ. I am sooo heavy! It took me 2 hours to hike Temescal Canyon the other day. I used to hike that in less than an hour. Slowing down doesn't come naturally to me, but pregnancy gives me no choice.

My skin is stretching so tight over my tummy that it is freaking me out! I've been mixing up homemade stretch mark creams with vitamin E, olive oil, aloe vera, and cocoa butter. How could I possibly make it through 3 more months of this without getting stretch marks. I guess if my anti-stretch mark plan doesn't work, at least you can baste me. Yummmm....tasty Lizzy!

While I'm complaining, I should just get it all out. Why is my butt expanding? I'm starving all the time and go to bed hungry at night. And I can't even eat as much as I want at a meal because it puts too much pressure on my insides and makes it hard to breathe. The sensation of our little one pushing on my belly button creeps me out. I've never liked the feeling of someone touching my belly button, and now I can't control it. But hey, why would I waste my time talking about my belly button when it has practically disappeared. And isn't it true that some guys like a gal with junk in the trunk!

There are tons of fantastic things going on right now besides the fact that I'm huge. We've already gotten a few things for the baby! Yesterday we got a rocking chair and a bassinet! The rocker is a vintage bentwood style rocker and I think that the fact that I love it makes me feel like an old lady. And the bassinet was donated by one of Marc's coworkers and it is perfect for when the little bunchkin is sleeping right next to me. And the baby's room is getting really clean, organized, and understandable. Yaaayyyy!!!

Also, the baby is moving around like crazy, and it feels like I've gone to a theme park when I just sit down on the couch. I can feel him rolling around, which is similar to butterflies. It's extremely entertaining to watch my tummy moving around as he situates himself in his warm, cozy home. He probably just likes to stir the pot by reaching out for my belly button to test my patience because he knows I will love him regardless. That little stinker! He's probably going to be just like his daddy!

One of my biggest fears is living in a "baby house". Sometimes when you walk into a family's home that has kids, it looks like a monster came in and threw up a house full of toys. Gross! And then you can't walk in the dark because a tonka truck might stab you in the foot. Please don't ever let that happen to us! Thank goodness Marc is a minimalist and doesn't like that either, so we can keep that to a minimum. Yeah, yeah, I hear there's no stopping it. Watch this fear come true and feel free to laugh very loudly at me.

So Marc loves to joke and give me a hard time. He thinks I will never put our son down, because I love to hug and cuddle so much. He thinks I baby the cat too much and give in to anything he wants. But he never saw me in my years of teaching dance and how much respect I had from the kids. We had a lot of fun and the kids loved me so much that they never wanted to disappoint me....very similar to my brothers and I with my Dad. He was so cool that we didn't want to let him down. Even at that, I do think Marc is right. I can't wait to smother our little angel with hugs and kisses all the time!

Marc says things that are so sweet and cute so often and I'm afraid if I don't write them down I might forget them. He said he can't wait until our son is in high school and he can relearn high school math and algebra and help teach our son. That is especially endearing to me because Marc is such a diligent, patient teacher. He also expresses how lucky he feels to be having a boy with me. And I believe him because he doesn't say things because you want to hear them. He only says what he genuinely feels or believes.

Instead of working out today, I planted some palm trees. Don't worry, they weren't too heavy. But it sure was a workout carrying everything up to the rooftop to plant. Boogars helped me by hopping over to the neighbor's deck and sunbathing on their patio furniture. And I love it when Marc comes home and is happy with my progress. Ok, so once again, I'm defininitely getting older. I never would have taken such pleasure in being domestic in my 20's. But I absolutely love doing things to make our home nicer.

According to some books, I begin my 3rd trimester in 2 days on Thurs., week 27. In one sense I feel like time is flying, but on the other hand it feels like I have been pregnant forever. I'm trying to get the hang of this blog-thing, and hope to update more often.

2 for 1 Special?

Happy Halloween! I worked on Tues. night and dressed up as an angel. Unfortunately they weren't very keen on the 2 for 1 special that I had to offer. I guess pregnant angels aren't so hip in hollyweird when dozens of supermodels are right behind you ready to take your place. Needless to say I was fired from my duties for the rest of the week. The news was delivered via email stating that they were "at capacity" and didn't have room for me. Ouch! That hurt! Pregnancy has definitely taught me a thing or two about discrimination, and I am probably becoming a better person for it.

Since I didn't have to work that awful job through out the rest of the weekend, I got to go to the west hollywood parade with friends. It was the best people watching and we had so much fun.

Marc defininitely knew how disappointed I was and has been extra sweet. Rejection is never fun anyway, but especially when you're big and prego with limited options. For the first time in my life I am realizing that almost every single job I have ever had in my WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE has been appearance based. Now I must rely on my creativity and brains!!! Lucky for the world because I am up for the challenge!

Also, Marc has also been extra sweet to Boogars, and I am certain that he secretly loves him to pieces. They have become best buds and it melts my heart. Thank heaven for all my sweet boys!!!

It's a BOY!!!

This weekend was like a reunion of sorts. In my first trimester I didn't have the energy to see very many friends. But this past weekend I went to a housewarming party, a baby shower, AND a dog's birthday party! From the looks of the first picture with the doggies and balloons you can see that this is no joke. All of those girls are former DCC's and we had a blast visiting with each other and playing catch-up. And of course they were excited to see my baby bump. That's me at 24 weeks pregnant with Leah, Jennifer, and Bonnie-Jill.

It is great to feel good! These past few weeks have been fantastic! Marc and I went on an awesome vacation to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Everyone on the tour was surprised to see me running up to the top of cathedrals, climbing stairs, and even riding a donkey. Some were extremely disapproving of how active and care-free I was, but other than exhaustion I was ecstatic to run around Europe and Africa and soak up as much of the culture as possible.

We found out the day before we went to Spain that IT'S A BOY! The second picture is at the doctor's office right before we found out. I thought it was a girl because I've been so emotional, but I never had morning sickness, so maybe that should have been the tell-tale sign.

Since we've been home I've been getting a lot accomplished including exercise and preparing for our baby boy's arrival. I still have a lot to do in his room. Right now it is full of stuff from my old apartment and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed about where to put everything and what I can get rid of. We also have two pseudo-offices in that room, and all that clutter gives me a head-ache. Fortunately I have time this month to get it knocked out one day at a time.

I'm really nervous and excited about my job this week. I got hired to work bottle service for a slew of halloween parties. I'm excited because the money should be fantastic, but I'm nervous because the people that hired me do not know I am pregnant. I just found out we are supposed to wear angel costumes that show a little midriff, but they said we could wear a white tank top under it if we don't want our tummy to show. I'm sure I can wear the skirt and halo and am bringing some white shirts that work with my belly. Hopefully they won't discriminate against me and I will be able to work this temporary job all week long!

Boogars and Eggs Bendedict

My favorite things in life today are Boogars and eggs benedict. And I thought that was blog-worthy....isn't it? I think the most important things in the life of a pregnant gal are what she wants to eat and unconditional love. So I guess that means that today has been a good day! But it's been a good two days because yesterday Marc made french toast. He is such a good cook and it makes me so happy beyond belief when he cooks for us!

I truly feel blessed and healthy during this pregnancy. My only uphill battle remains my emotions. Sometimes I feel like I have zero control over them. They seem to just happen without me giving a thumbs up or down or any type of verification that justifies them. But I always manage to feel cleansed and refreshed after a good cry, and since I can't help it, I'll just roll with it and plan my next meal. Yummmm....

My trip to Mexico ended up being one of the most cultural and inexpensive trips I've ever been on. My Spanish could've used a few more weeks in Mexico, but my heart was ready to come home. It was kind of cool flying to Dallas with the former president of Mexico on board. The additional squad team added a bit of excitement to returning home to the U.S. I had a 3 1/2 hour layover in Dallas and had a nice lunch at my parents' house. They only live 10 minutes away from DFW and it made for a perfect break from the flight. And of course I was starving as usual and enjoyed some of mom's homemade soup. And my parents got to see me pregnant. My dad informed me that I don't need to eat every single thing I see and I thought that was funny. They aren't used to seeing me with a fuller face and arms in my new "potbelly perry" persona.

Now I must go look for a snack in the fridge. Surely there is something in there for me....

New Beginnings: Babies and Blogs!

Welcome to my blog! I wonder if anyone will actually read this. It seems to be the thing to do for moms that want to share what's happening in their family. Since I am about to be a mommy for the first time coming in February, I felt like jumping on the bandwagon. Why not? I am beginning a new chapter in my life and this calls for some documentation. My friend Sherrie told me that you can even turn a blog into a little book for the baby. What a cute idea!

In this past week (I'm 17 1/2 weeks), I am suddenly "showing". It is so funny that people are asking me questions about being pregnant without hesitation. There is an official baby bump that is no longer being confused with eating too many tofuburgers. I think it takes taller girls longer to "show", but I am petite and can't even hide 5 lbs around my waist line. So there is no mistaking what is going on in this belly.

Right now I'm happy because I haven't felt nautious in several weeks and I haven't had a migraine in the past few days. That is HUGE! I've also been exercising most every day. I read that only 15% of pregnant women get the recommended amount of exercise and I refuse to be in that category.

I'm in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico this week all by myself. I've never left the country alone before, but I suddenly realized that I am never alone these days. This is one of the rare, special times in life where there will be two heartbeats in my body. Home life has been a little on the stressful side with moving and not feeling great. But fortunately things are getting more settled and I was able to get away. This is a time in life that I truly want to treasure forever and ever. Even though I can't enjoy a margarita on this trip, I can enjoy the magical charm of this peaceful city. And of course I can never get enough salsa caliente, mangos con limon, y guacamole. Que rico!

I am feeling very blessed for so many reasons. Right now I am especially thankful for supportive friends and Boogars. Isn't life sweet!