17 Weeks! :)

Every week that we reach the next number feels like such a milestone. I went on vacation with my mom and sisters this week to Texas to see my grandpa and have been feeling a lot more movement. Especially the last couple days. Feels like a little pop and squirm. Today when JP and I were vegging out on the couch I started feeling pretty strong pokes and its always in the same area which is still pretty low. I grabbed his fingers to see if he could feel and he got kicked too and we both jumped! haha it was such a cool experience to share with him. I can only imagine that they are going to get stronger and more often in the weeks to come.

16 Weeks Preggo

So today I am officially in my 16th week according to my due date of September 8th. However at the ultrasound last week the tech said I was measuring a few days ahead, but they don't change the due date if its only within a few days.

My symptoms are inconsistent now that I am in the second trimester. As much as I want to say I am feeling all better and ready to jump around an clean I'm just not there yet. My nausea seems to come in the evening but it is very mild compared to what I went through the first 14 weeks, yikes... lol. It amazed me on our ultrasound last week to see that the baby grew so well because I lost 9lbs in the pregnancy and hardly was able to eat or drink anything. So now im starting to eat more on a regular basis and drink a lot more water. I often feel stretching in my tummy and am starting to feel those little flutters :) My tummy is poking out a bit too but with 5 more months still to go there is plenty of time for the real growing to start lol.

A touching moment the other day. JP and I went to Costco and he was all of a sudden overwhelmed with happiness and put his hand on my tummy and said "I love my little family :)" It was very cool. Because it is still early so it still doesn't feel real most days. I cant wait for the fun stuff in the next few months. Feeling those big kicks and having the belly that I cant hide!!

We Love You Baby J!! xoxoxo

Baby Jimenez Is on the Way!

I am currently 15 weeks pregnant in our second pregnancy! :)
As you can read below we had a missed miscarriage with our first pregnancy sadly in July.

After our loss we decided we wanted to try to have another baby. The first baby was a complete shock and we didn't know how bad we wanted that until it was too late. However I wouldn't change what happened for anything. I learned something very important through that experience. My feelings towards having children was that they are a sure thing and its just the next step in being married. Wrong....So wrong... Children are a blessing not a right. They are nothing short of a miracle from God.

The whole trying thing wasn't giving us any results for those couple months and it was very frustrating. I had a lot of stress with work, grief, school and marriage that adding the pressure of conceiving was a lot. I decided to go to acupuncture because I was at the end of my rope in stress and I heard it can help in conceiving. After the needles were put in me the therapist left me in a dim calm room for thirty minutes and I just began to pray. I gave it all to God and told him that I trust his plan for JP and I and trusted in him to give us a child when we are ready. This was in November. On December 31st New Years Eve, we received our positive pregnancy test. :)

This pregnancy has been rough for lack of a better word. First of all because of my previous loss my OB wanted me to come in right away. I had spotting which made me even more high risk despite my history. JP and I were prepared from the beginning because when you have a loss it changes the whole experience. The doctors sent me in for an Ultra Sound when I was 5 weeks along. This is very very early to see anything, but they just wanted to see what was going on and make sure all was developing correctly with my gestational sac. The tech told me she could see my yolk sac but no fetal pole, but not to worry since I was so early. The baby is smaller than a grain of rice at that point.

I went to my OB on the following Monday for a check up however I met with her family nurse practitioner. She was asking how I was feeling, blah blah. Telling me how happy she was for me that we were expecting again etc. I mentioned to her that I had the ultrasound and she had them fax her the results immediately. When she was reading the report she looked concerned, but I tried not to worry since it was my understanding that it was too early for good or bad news? She excused herself from the room to make a call... great.
When she came back she put her hand on my shoulder and told me flat out, "Im sorry its not a viable pregnancy." I was in shock, I didn't prepare myself THIS early for this kind of news. I'm not a crier especially in front of strangers but I just couldn't help myself. I just didn't feel like I could go through this again and in such a short time. She diagnosed me with a blighted ovum saying that my gestational sac measured a week ahead in which they should have been able to see a fetal pole with cardiac activity. She left me to gather myself in the room. I threw my sunglasses on and darted out of the office.
When I got outside I couldn't help but sob. I asked God why? Why is this happening to me again? I called JP and he was shocked. This was supposed to be a standard check up for me, no news no drama. He came right home to be with me and I just cried in his arms on the sofa. Lots and lots of tears that night.

Nobody knew we were pregnant I wanted to keep it a secret until my second trimester, but i told my mom what happened and she was shocked and saddened. I also had to go do blood work so they could monitor my blood levels to see if and when a D&C would be necessary. Early one morning the nurse called me and said they got the blood results back and she was "concerned" because my hcg levels were VERY high. So she scheduled an ultrasound for me so we could see what was going on... again... I didn't have a ride and my mom offered to drive me and she lives two hours away. So I was very grateful. I felt like it was a waste of money for me to get the ultrasound and I wasn't feeling well due to my high hormone levels. I didn't feel up to the tech confirming the news once again. So we went and I got on that table, the same one where I received the news about my first miscarriage mind you in July... My mom and I are sitting there while the tech is looking and taking measurements and then she turns this sound on and we heard a fast little blub blub blub noise. I was like hmmm guess thats my heartbeat. She then left the room to grab the radiologist and he came in and took a look at something and they turned the noise on again same noise. And he said "yep there it is." And I was like uh there what is? My baby was alive and measuring right on at 6 weeks where it was supposed to be... My mom cried and I was in shock. What a week man... haha There was another little lesson from the Lord that these doctors are not God and they make mistakes. Faith and hope is what has gotten me through the rest of this pregnancy.

So after all that I refuse to see the nurse at my doctors practice. I only work with my Dr. who is amazing and never would have given me that hopeless news that early on in a pregnancy. My hormone levels have been on the high side that made my doctor even question if there was another little one hiding in there somewhere lol. But that's not the case lol. I have had terrible morning sickness that just barely let up at 14 weeks. At 15 weeks Im starting to show and we had an ultrasound at 15 weeks that showed our adorable little munchkin. Keep following to see all the progress of this little one! We should find out what he or she is next month!

A Crazy Thing Called Life

Since living here in San Luis Obispo my life has changed a lot. I have really started getting a move on in this thing called life. If you read my last post you will know what I was consumed with the first few months but since then I have really cracked down on figuring out what I want to do with my life here.

My husband has a great job that he loves and that supports all of our means, we are truly blessed. However it is not my personality to sit around and just reap my husband benefits. I have so many interests and so many dreams and I'm just trying to figure out how to tie them together to make some sort of sense...

I decided to take an entry level position in a resort even though I had gone to school and passed a program AND passed a state board... crazy I know. All I know is when you are fresh out of school and are new in a field you tend to doubt yourself. All I was filled with was doubt... Nobody is going to hire me. I have no clientele and I am new to an industry that is filled with knowledge....

I figured I will never make it in the industry I chose so may as well do something that doesn't matter and fill myself with more school. So now I find myself working full time while taking 4 classes of general ed online... Not smart.

Don't get me wrong, I KNOW taking school all the way is very smart, but there is no shame in pacing yourself. Every bodies situations are different in life, we all grow up differently. I grew up being understanding that I need to pay my own way once your 18 and well there is no way I could have put myself through a university when I was 18.

Unlike most 19 year olds I got married to a man who is willing to sacrifice his body and his young adult life to take care of his lady... lol I know I get some credit though too. I work hard as a wife and we really make a great team.

Long story short I evaluated my current situation. Too many classes and a full time dead end job. I needed to go after my dream and focus on my career that is right in front of me right now. I was hired into a small skin care salon and I couldn't be happier. I will continue to take college classes while I figure out what major can take me further in my chosen career but maybe one or two at a time ;)

Starting Over after miscarriage...

This year has been an insanely weird year...

I wont go into the drama that doesnt involve me directly but does affect me but here are things I am willing to share...

JP and I moved to San Luis Obispo in May of this year. We are getting settled in and are really loving the area... It was a definite rocky start however...

In late May I took a pregnancy test for the heck of it because one was lying around and to my surprise it came up with one scary word... Pregnant.

I had the strangest reaction. I had taken quite a few of these things but it has never said this before. I was kind of shocked and not in a good way, but I quickly got over it once I started telling people and getting it off my chest. I took two more and they were negative... I was super confused.

So I went to the doctor and it was confirmed that I after all WAS pregnant and due in January... It started to sink in and I was starting to think about names and get excited. We bought baby books and reading together what was going on each week in the pregnancy. We decided if it was a boy with would be Anthony Elijah and if it were a girl Madyson Paige..

Everything seemed to be going great until 4th of July. I was at my dads house minding my own business, went for one of my normal million pee breaks and there it was.. a streak of blood... This is not a comfortable sight when you are expecting at all. I tried to stay positive although I couldn't stop crying, deep down I knew... Our doctors appt. was in a few days and of all weekends Monday was a holiday, ugh! My OB tried to keep me calm and explain to me bleeding can be very normal blah blah but she couldn't find a heart beat and I was supposed to be 11 weeks. I was sent for an emergency ultra sound and our worst fear was confirmed... The baby only "developed" i hate these terms, to 6 weeks. I had a missed miscarriage because I carried until 11 weeks... Over a month I had a failed pregnancy and had no idea.

So I went from being freaked out about my pregnancy to being ecstatic all the way to devastated in a few short months. I drew comfort from other women who had gone through it and had no words of wisdom to pass down. There is nothing anybody can do or say, its a life that ended before it began and its a part of you. Its hard to explain and its something I don't think I will ever get over... But although I wont get over it, I have learned and overcame it.. if that makes sense.

Because I was so early its really hard for your partner to really be involved. Its not visible and its not a physical part of them like it is for us women. He was of course crushed by the experience, but he mourned my pain more than his. It was hard for him to watch me so emotionally and physically tortured. A miscarriage is not a pain free thing in ANY way... You would think at least physically it wouldn't have to be so well excruciating... Anyway that's the least of the worst. Its just hard. Its hard to see pregnant women and friends going along with healthy pregnancy and although I wouldn't wish this upon even my worst enemy, I do get jealous. i have to man up and admit that... Its hard not to think, whats wrong with me? Whats wrong with my reproductive system to cause this? Will I ever have a healthy child?

Okay enough... I have to stop myself from these thoughts, they really do drive me INSANE. I am a 22 year old girl, in school working on a college degree and building up a promising career in the skin care industry. I have to believe that God gave me this visitor to show me that I do one day want to set time aside to have children, but there is still too much to do in order to provide the life I have always wanted for my kids. I want to be able to afford activities at a young age for them, a stable home without a mountain of debt, undivided attention on them and not on myself. Which the case at my age, my attention is on myself unfortunately... Not on my wants necessarily but on my goals in order to make my dreams of my future children possible.

R.I.P My little Angel in heaven... Thank you for putting everything in prospective for me. You were so special that God needed you now for his kingdom and for his work and I will see you one day.

Growing up....Always support those you love

So today JP and I signed our first lease to rent our first apartment...

JP and I have been married since we were 19 years old and together since we were 16... We are 21 going on 22 years old now. We have been through a lot together. We have grown up in conservative homes so living together before we were married was not even a option, one of the reasons that drove us to get married so soon...
However we don't regret it.
Getting married was the best thing that we ever did. It made us grow up and get serious about what we really wanted in life. Not having children yet has made this a lot easier for us. JP got a job transfer to a new county and its really exciting and was doable. We still have dreams and we push each other toward them and support each other ever step of the way.
I truly think that our society dumbs and holds back teenagers and young adults. We are constantly told: don't be in serious relationships, don't get married until you are 30, travel the world and experience life first, have your parents put you through college etc.
I believe that those experiences mean so much more when you are in a committed relationship with the person you love most in the world who is also your best friend... If you believe you have found it hold on to it and don't second guess it for worldly reasons. I could never go through school without the support of my husband and traveling would be way less fun or meaningful without him. We each bring something very different to each others lives. He brings adventure and security to our lives and I bring conversation and goals.
JP and I were not always the perfect couple, we had our issues and every person has problems. However God can fix anything if you give it to him. We would not be the people we are today without the Lord, each others support and with our family believing in us getting our lives together. They never lost hope in us and never held our past mistakes against our future. And we thank you all for that... You know who you are..
Life does not end when you are married it begins. If you have a goal set ahead of you and both of you hold each other accountable you can go anywhere in life.
Growing up is good...It is hard but so worth it.

We are falling in a trap... (Cosmetics industry)

When you are watching tv what do you see.... COMMERCIALS!!! On all sorts of things that seem to be essential things. The industry knows women, we want make up and skin care. Better yet we need make up and skin care. Why do we so desperately need it? Because in today's environment its close to impossible to have true healthy skin with all the pollution and sun and bad hygiene habits.

We fell into the Covergirl, Maybeline, Neutrogena, Revlon, Olay trap to name a few...

Why are these traps? They have simplified what your skin really needs, they are constantly coming out with miracle products, whether its a acne fighting foundation? A cream you put on your eyes and all crows feet and puffiness disappears. So what do you do? Well we buy it... Maybe you see a smidgen of results but then it just ends up being another half full tub of cream in your medicine cabinet. Most of the time it further enhances your problems by clogging your pores and making your skin heavy and saggy. You are left buying more, searching for more spending a heck of a lot of money on what seems to be "economically friendly" products. Its not cheap, you end up spending more and then none at all because you give up.

This is not the TRUE skin care industry. Go to a Spa and invest $100 on the essentials of product. Cleanser, Toner, Moisturizer and a good quality SPF. These will last you, you will see results, and they wont end up half full in your medicine cabinet because you made an investment that is paying off every day.

Here are products I recommend:
GloTherapeutics (results oriented, professional grade, active ingredients to target different skin problems)
Image (Simple line, organic ingredients and used in many medical spas for results and anti aging properties)
Dermalogica (One of the more commercial of the professional skin care lines, however beats drug store products %100. Plenty of different skin typing products to use what is best for YOUR skin)
Murad (Another one of the more commercial and advertised, made up of a high concentration of active ingredients for quick and rich results)

So this is what it comes down to... Your skin is not the same as everybody's. Some are oily, dry, sensitive, mature, hyper-pigmented, congested, rosacea, photo-damaged, sun damaged, some are all! The list goes on and on. The Neutrogena cleanser is not going to treat this. I dont just mean Neutrogena specifically but all drug store skin care. If you can buy it off a shelf where they sell food dont buy it.

Save $130 from your next check or two and invest in your skin. You will be happier, confident and have your true skin back.