Week 28

Happy Halloween!

It's one of our favorite holidays and Adrian and I are getting busy getting the house decorated for Halloween to scare the neighborhood kids. The saying goes, "Trick or Treat" and most kids don't get a trick anymore, so we are planning to change it up a bit! Adrian always dresses up in black and wears a spooky mask, I dress up and pass out the candy, and our house is decked out with fog machines, black lights, strobe lights, fake body parts, bones, and scary animated decorations.

This year was a bit different as I was unable to wear my usual witch costume, so I decided to be a "pregnant" skeleton! Abbie needed to participate and I saw this adorable t-shirt decal on Ebay. I wore my comfy black lounge pants, bought a black t-shirt and ironed on the decal, and then painted my face like a skeleton. It was super cute!! I wore this costume to work, during the Halloween weekend, and of course on Halloween night! Next year, Abbie can dress up as something herself!

Nashville Trip -25 Weeks

We took a Francoz family trip to visit Steph and Tyler, and by we I mean Adrian, me, Sylvie, Philippe, and of course Abbie! Getting there was rather interesting as Sylvie left a few days before us, Adrian had a free ticket with Southwest and flew out of Ontario, and Philippe and I flew out of LAX as it was cheaper than Ontario. The plane ride was okay, but I got uncomfortable about half way through the trip. I had to get up and stand a lot. We left on November 21st and returned on the 25th. It was a very quick trip, but it was a lot of fun!

Abbie's Nursery

Adrian and I decided to get our little baby's room started as far as getting decorated. We already had the furniture purchased, but needed to create a theme, which was more difficult than I thought. I knew I didn't want a whole lot of pink, but also wanted her room to be cute, girly, and cozy. I looked online for different ideas, browsed around in all the baby stores, and finally found something I really liked.

I found bedding that inspired me to create her theme. Her room is a whimsical nature scene with little birds, flowers, and a big tree. I told Adrian that it would look wonderful to have a mural on the wall that matches her bedding. We were looking around to hire someone, but then Adrian decided that he would like to do it!

We woke up early, went to Home Depot and bought paint, and began our big art project! It took 2 days to complete. Adrian did most of the painting and I LOVE it!

Here is the finished mural.

He did another one over her closet.

We still have a lot to get done, but are going to wait until after my shower to see what we get. I would like a matching hamper, valence, and mobil for her room, as well as a glider rocking chair and ottoman. Adrian also wants to add crown molding and frame her window. I can't wait to have it all done!

23 weeks

Just celebrated my 27th birthday and I can say that getting older isn't as bad as people may think. I am so excited to be maturing more and learning a lot of new things as I age. I think this moment is the best age for me to be starting a family. I already took care of my own needs: college, job, husband, house, and am now able to focus my attention on my growing baby.

My belly is growing by the week and I am able to feel baby Abbie move more. It makes me laugh to see my belly twitch when a big punch or kick is made. Adrian is also enjoying feeling her movements and watching the way my body responds.

Getting Spoiled Already

I haven't even had the baby shower yet and we are being spoiled by a lot of people already! Sylvie, Carol, Lindsey, and Hedi have all bought Abbie at least one new outfit. Another friend of ours gave me a hand made crochet blanket, and I know Sylvie and Carol are both working on something hand made for her too. We are so blessed to have such thoughtful and giving people in our lives. We appreciate everything! This little girl is already bringing joy to everyone's lives, so I guess her name is spot on!

Week 21

There is no hiding it now. The bump is out and is looking very cute if I might say so myself!

I had another check up at the doctor's this week, and he said I am doing very well. I have only gained 5 pounds so far and he thinks I'll gain a total of about 20 pounds by d-day (delivery day). My blood work came back negative for everything and Abbigail is doing just fine. I asked how big she was getting because with the ultrasound I had, the tech. took a lot of measurement pictures of her. He said on Sep. 6th she was about 11 ounces and is now probably over a pound! No wonder I can feel her moving around so much! Her heart is beating around 153 beats per minute too. Adrian and I are still having fun listening to her on our monitor at home.

Adrian has been able to feel her kick too and likes to place his hand on my tummy when we are relaxing on the couch or are in bed. She favors my right side and likes to settle down real low towards my hip.

I started reading her a book every night before bed as she is able to hear now and Adrian has read to her once so far. I know she can't understand what we are saying, but I enjoy reading children's books anyway and also love the fact that our little girl is listening to our voices. The first book I chose was called, "Elephant Ann" and describes how the first circus was created. I loved elephants as a kid and this book was given to me by my grandma and grandpa Metz, so it made it even more special to read it to Abbigail. I really hopes she enjoys listening to my favorite stories and one day reading them herself.

Abbie's first outfit

This is the first thing Adrian and I bought once we knew we were going to have a girl. I love shopping for little girls!

My sweet little girl

Here is our sweet little Abbigail Rose Francoz!

We finally found out the gender of our little one and we couldn't be more excited!

Yesterday we had our ultrasound appointment. The tech. always starts by having just me in the room and taking a lot of pictures of the baby with the monitor turned away from me. She was checking to see if the baby was healthy and to make sure the baby was growing properly. I was quiet the entire time just thinking about wether we can tell if we are having a boy or a girl. I even started to tear up because the anticipation was killing me! After what seemed to be forever, she had Adrian come into the room. She showed us the baby's hand, profile, legs, and face. She was having a difficult time telling if the baby was a boy or a girl because the baby's legs were crossed. I was disappointed because we wanted to find out today, but then she said, "Hold on... oh yeah, I think it's a girl."

Adrian and I were very happy and said hi to Abbigail, but when we left we felt unsure because of the way the technician announced it. But either way, we called and texted everyone we knew and told them we were expecting a little baby girl. We met up with Sylvie, Philippe, Dad, and Carol and ate lunch at BJ's. Before we ate lunch though, Adrian and I stopped at Babies R Us and bought Abbigail her first little out fit. We were so happy and we were all talking about how fun it will be to have a little girl in the family.

Since we weren't 100% sure about the gender, I scheduled another ultrasound appointment with a private company. The experience in the second place was so much nicer. Adrian and I went into the room together. The tech. was very nice and talkative. She played lullaby music and we got to see the images on a large flat screen TV. She first started off showing us the traditional 2-D, black and white screen. We saw Abbigail sucking on her thumb! Then, she switched the screen to the 3-D images. I was so shocked at what we saw. The 3-D pictures looked amazing! We saw her little face, arms, legs, and yes her vagina. Even though she is still skinny only being 19 weeks along, she looked so sweet and cute. I was so happy that we made the second appointment.

The lady asked us if we really wanted to know the gender of our baby, and of course we said yes! She pointed out very clearly that we were in fact having a girl. I felt so relieved as we want to get started on painting the nursery and getting everything prepared for our baby. No more second thoughts or wonderings, Abbigail Rose is my baby's name and I couldn't be any happier.

2-D photo of Abbigail. Profile view.

The little white arrow is pointing out the fact that our baby is a girl! You are looking at her from underneath (like how she would look if she sat on a photocopy machine).

Maternity Clothes!

Thank goodness for Sylvie! We hung out with Adrian's parents today and Sylvie took me out for an early birthday present. My clothes have been getting very tight and a few of my pants I can no longer wear. My choices have been getting very limited, not to mention uncomfortable. So, she took me to Motherhood Maternity in Chino Hills and spoiled me very much for my birthday!

The very first pair of pants I tried on felt like heaven! It was nice to put something on without worrying if the zipper was going to be an issue. Maternity clothes are very cute, comfortable, and fashionable, but also not very cheep. I also had to get new bras! The sales woman asked if I would like to be measured. At first I said no, but then thought why not. I was shocked when she told me my new size. I went from an A cup to a C! I laughed and told her to check again, but when I tried on the C cup bra it felt right.

So, by the end of my birthday outing I got spoiled with 3 slacks for work, one pair of jeans, 2 bras, 2 sweaters, 2 shirts, a lounge outfit and some Tummy Butter.

Thanks Sylvie!!

Week 19

Okay, so it's not a very flattering photo, I know, but Adrian was really upset when I said I was going to delete it.

This summer has been very mild in temperature and we felt bad that we haven't taken our furry children, Dixie and Tyson, to the dog beach yet. So, since it is Labor Day weekend and we both have tomorrow off, we decided to take the family out to a nice day at the beach. Little did we know how cold it was going to be.

We arrived at the Huntington Dog Beach at 11:00am and the cloud cover was very thick. We figured we would stay for the majority of the day and have dinner there, but the clouds never broke up. We walked the dogs along the shore and had Tyson play fetch with his ball. We then sat in our beach chairs and ate our packed lunches, but the wind started to pick up. Since there were no sun rays beating down on us to warm us up, we become cold very quickly. Tyson even started to shiver! So, we packed up and headed home.

Adrian decided it would be an excellent idea to snap this picture of me while I was asleep in the truck. I always fall asleep when he drives. When we got home he showed me the picture and thought it was cute. I didn't agree, but oh well!

At week 19, Abbigino is now 6 inches in length and weighs a whopping half a pound! I have been feeling the baby squirm in my belly, but the movements can't be felt by others yet. Soon, I'm sure though!

Week 18

Well, I guess you can say today was the day our baby flew for the first time! Gary, a co-worker of mine, owns a plane and has been wanting to take me flying for a long time now. He took Adrian up a few weeks earlier, and they had a great time. I was nervous and kept putting it off as I wasn't too sure how safe it would be. Once Gary knew I was pregnant, he assured me that the flight would not harm to baby, so I went!

We arrived at the Chino airport early in the morning and Gary walked me though the entire flight check-off. He showed me how and why he inspected parts of the plane and explained everything about how the plane will fly and how to use the controls. I felt very comfortable with him because he has been flying for over 30 years.

I was nervous once I had to get inside as the plane is very small. It was like flying in a Volkswagen Beetle made in the 60's. I was having so much fun looking down at all the dairy farms and houses that I wasn't paying much attention to my stomach. Once I looked up, I felt very sick. I got really hot and sweaty. Gary knew something was up and I'm sure I looked as white as a ghost. He asked if I felt okay and then handed me a barf bag. I was praying I wouldn't have to use it, but opened it up just in case. He flew me to the Redlands airport and we got out to stretch our legs. No, I did not have to use the bag, thank goodness! We sat inside at the airport for awhile and chatted before returning back to Chino. I was glad that I went because it was a lot of fun!

Gary's plane.
Here, Gary was explaining how to check the gas to make sure there were no contaminates in it.
Here we go!

At week 18, Abbigino is now about the size of a mango, coming in at 5 and a half inches in length and around 5 to 5.5 ounces.

Week 17 ~ New nickname

So, we decided on the names for the baby depending on wether it is a boy or a girl.

If we are going to have a boy, his name will be Gino Philippe. We liked this name as it sounds very strong and it has the French/Italian style from Adrian's background. Gino means outgoing and of a strong breed. Philippe is Adrian's middle name as well and also the first name of his father.

If we are having a girl, her name will be Abbigail Rose. We liked this name as it sounds very traditional and sweet. Abbigail means joyful and joy to the father. Adrian likes the nickname Abbie for short and will be most likely what we would call her on a daily basis. I liked Rose for a middle name because I think is sounds nice matched with Abbigail and it is French for the color pink.

So, instead of calling our little one Peanut, we have joined the names together and having been calling our baby Abbigino. Adrian came up with it and I loved it as it used both names and sounded kind of silly.

At 17 weeks, Abbigino is now the size of the palm of your hand, about 5 inches in length from head to bottom, and weighing in at about 5 ounces.

Week 16

In the fourth month and second trimester already. My pregnancy has been very easy so far, thank-you Peanut! I didn't have any morning sickness my first trimester and my energy has been pretty stable so far. Some days I get more tired than others, but that's expected. My clothes are getting a bit snug, but everything still fits.

Peanut is now the size of an orange, about 4 and a half inches from head to bottom, and weighing in at about 2 to 3 ounces. I think I'm starting to feel the baby move, little bubbles in my tummy, so I'm not 100% sure, but it's exciting to pretend anyway. A little bump is noticeable when I'm wearing a tight shirt now.

I bought a heart beat monitor on Ebay and it can pick up the sound of the baby's heart as well as any movement. Adrian and I listen to the baby all the time. It's so much fun to interact with this precious life growing inside me. At times we hear just the fast pace bumping of his or her heart, and others times we hear loud thuds, which are sounds of the baby moving around. We enjoy sitting on the couch together and laughing when we hear the thuds!

Baby Ellie Arrives

My friend Lindsey delivered her little baby girl today. Adrian and I were so happy for the whole family and brought them sandwiches for lunch at the hospital (hospital food isn't always delicious). Lindsey and Justin both looked good and little Ellie Jean was adorable. She was all cuddled up in a blanket with a little beanie on her little round head. I was glad to be able to hold her as I know I'll be having one of my own pretty soon.

After we visited them in the hospital, we decided it would be a great gift for them to clean their house. So, Adrian went to their house and cleaned it from top to bottom, as well as washed their sheets, baby clothes, and set up some things for their arrival. We also bought a welcome baby sign for the front yard and balloons. We are so happy for our friends and hope they can enjoy their new addition in their clean home!

Baby Furniture

So, Adrian and I got really excited about the nursery, and even though we don't know if we are having a little boy or girl, we started looking online at baby furniture. Today, we found this beautiful set including the crib, dresser and book shelf for $200. We couldn't pass this offer up, so we drove to Riverside and took a look at the set to see if if was something we liked, and sure enough we came home with everything! I was so excited!

I love the look of dark wood, and this set has a slight red to it. I think the original owner called it red mahogany. It's darker than regular cherry wood as it has more brown than red. The wood is in really good shape and I was happy about having a book shelf in the nursery. I already put all my baby books on the shelves and can't wait to buy more! I love books and I hope my son or daughter will enjoy reading them as well.

Adrian and I started thinking about themes too, but it's difficult to decide since we don't know if we are having a boy or a girl.

Gotta love yard sales!

Today Adrian and I woke up bright and early to check out some local yard sales in the area. We haven't been to one in a long time and were interested to find out if people were selling baby items at a reasonable price. Baby things are not cheep and it seems like you need a million different things just for baby. So, we figured if we could find a few things at a good price, we would start collecting stuff for our little one.

We drove around all morning and didn't see very much at first, but by the end of the morning we came home with two great deals. The first item we bought was the blue Bumbo chair above. It was in it's original box and was very clean. In stores these seats can cost up to $4o, but we were able to buy it for $10. The second deal we found was the bouncer. It was super clean and worked perfectly. The lady wanted $10, but Adrian talked her down to $5. In stores, the bouncer would have cost around $50 new. So, needless to say we were very happy with our findings today.

Lindsey's Baby Shower

I went to my girl friend's baby shower for her second baby and it made me even more excited about being pregnant. It was a very beautiful, yet simple shower and we had a lot of fun.. The theme for the shower was owls as Lindsey decided not to find out the gender of her baby, so they question was "Whoo would Baby E be?" It was a cute theme.

There were five women who were pregnant, and it was nice to sit and chat with them. Most were on their second or third child, and two of us were expecting our first born. Listening to the women share their stories about pregnancy and motherhood made my pregnancy seem even more real. For the first time in my life I could actually participate in these conversations and feel more connected to the topics that were being discussed.

Week 12

I can't believe I'm in the third month already! It seems as though the time is flying right by, which is good on one hand as it means I'll meet my little peanut soon, but on the other hand, it's sort of scary as there is so much that needs to be done to prepare for our baby's arrival.

Peanut is about 2 and a half inches now from head to bottom and should weigh in around a half of an ounce, (about the size of a plum). I can notice a small bump forming, but to others they can't really tell at all. I decided not to tell my work until after my annual review, which should take place in a week or so. All of my clothes still fit, so that makes everything easy right now.

Today Adrian and I will be saying good-bye to Steph and Tyler as they make their way towards Nashville to pursue their music career. It will be sad as I would like to have her close by, but I wish them the best of luck and hope they will become very successful.

Peanut's Big Debut

Yea! I still can't believe sometimes that I have a little human being growing inside me, but after looking at our baby on the ultra sound monitor, it made it oh so clear!

Adrian has been wonderful and has made it to every doctor's appointment I've had. I'm so glad he wants to be involved in every step along the way. We've been looking forward to today for a few weeks now and when we saw our little Peanut (baby's name for now) on the screen we were so thrilled! The baby actually moved its little arms three times for us while we were watching! I wish we could have watched him or her all day, but it went by really fast. The lady gave us four photos to take home and all I did today was stare at them. I am so happy!!

Hospital Visit

We visited the Corona Regional Hospital today to see if this is the place where I would like to deliver Peanut. It was kind of funny as I guess most expecting parents go on this tour when they are about 7 to 8 months along, so needless to say I was the only one in the group who didn't look pregnant.
But, we got to learn about the labor and delivery department and meet all the nurses that were on staff that day. It looked very nice and the delivery rooms were large and well equipped. The only thing was that the recovery rooms could be shared afterwards, but that would only happen if there were more than 16 women who delivered, so I'm not too worried about it. The head nurse was amazing and had a lot of good advise for expecting couples. I felt really comfortable while I was on the tour, which made me think that this will be the right place to deliver my baby.

Week 10

Trying to see if my "bump" is showing, but not yet. This is only the beginning! I can't believe I'm in the third month already. Peanut is now actually the size of a prune, about one and a half inches from the top of the head to the little bum! I've been reading, What to Expect when You're Expecting, and it keeps me up to date about everything I may or may not be experiencing, as well as what our little one is up to. I haven't had any morning sickness, thank goodness, and have been feeling well. This is an easy pregnancy so far.

Adrian and I are just dying for the ultra sound appointment! We are scheduled to go on the 10th and can hardly wait. It's like Christmas in July. Being able to see our baby for the first time will be so amazing. Neither one of us can guess as to wether Peanut will be a boy or a girl, we just can't wait to hold him or her!

We also scheduled a visit and tour to the Corona Regional Hospital on the 5th. Even though it's really early, we want to know everything there is to know. So, we are going to check out the hospital and make sure we like it before we can't change doctors or hospitals.

Telling the family

Well, the big news is out and everyone is so excited! I only have this one photo from Father's day, and Steph's face pretty much tells it all! No one had a clue and our gift idea was perfect.

Father's day was held at Sylvie and Philippe's house. Adrian and I had to hold it all together because we just wanted to burst out the good news. A lot of people were there: Carol, Dad, Steph, Tyler, Dirk, Maria, Herbert, Miriam, Ambre, Ian, and of course Sylvie and Philippe. We ate dinner and waited until later in the evening to let out the surprise.

I told the dads they had to open their gifts at the same time as they were pretty much the same. As they were taking the things from the gift bag, the books were the first be be opened, followed by the picture frame. Steph was the first one to spot it and put it all together. She snapped her head towards my direction and asked/shouted, "You're pregnant?!?" Everyone then got so excited and Sylvie started to tear up. It was awesome! We were smart enough to have the video camera rolling, so we have everyone's reaction on film.

It was a relief to get the news off of my chest and it made me happy to know that everyone was so happy and excited for us too.

Keeping a big secret!

Adrian and I decided not to tell our family the great news yet. Even though it is killing us to keep a tight lip about our little bundle of joy, we thought it would be a wonderful surprise for Father's Day! Adrian took a marker (don't worry, it's non-toxic) and wrote this message on my belly: "Grandkid coming Feb. 2011." He took a few pictures and we are going to put together a fun gift for the dads. I also bought a Grandpa & Me book for Philippe and my dad to open, and a grandparent frame to put the picture in. I hope they like their gifts!.....especially the news of the baby!!

Oh Boy! .....or girl

Wow! We just found out this morning that we are going to have a baby! Adrian and I are SO excited!! We actually have been trying to conceive for about 8 months now, and I have been feeling a bit different lately. A couple of days ago my legs were so hot, I thought I was having hot flashes or something! But now it all makes sense.

I woke up this morning and used the pregnancy test I have been stashing for a few months. I was so nervous as I sat watching for the plus sign to appear in the display window, and sure enough it did! I couldn't believe it at first, then I got all excited. I ran down stairs and threw it on Adrian's lap. He looked at it and asked, "Are you really pregnant?" And then we both were hugging each other.

On my way to work, it was all I could think about. I smiled, and then cried. I am really excited, but also very nervous at the same time. I can't believe we are going to be parents!!