Happy Holidays!

I am really looking forward to my journey home to Michigan this year. I will be home between Dec 20-25th. I am so grateful to be able to see my brother Jesse whom I haven't seen in well over a year (waay too long) as well as so many other beloved family members and friends. 

Of course I remember all my angels during this time too, Mom, Dad, Grandma K, and Grandma and Grampa B. We miss you and love you all so very much. 

May everyone experience a blessed and joyful holiday! It is a time to give thanks for all of the love and good fortune we share. :-)

SURPIRSE!!!!

 Oh my goidness gracious! My AMAZING colleagues at Kaiser had a SURPIRSE Baby Shower for me last week! It was unbelievable! It was actually a very elaborate plan involving my boss emailing me in the morning to set up the plot, a co-worker getting me out of a meeting by telling me a client with an urgent behavioral situation (lol) was on the phone and needed a Clinician...only to find she had "hung up" when I got back there, lol! Then there was a strategically planned meeting with another colleage at a precise time, in which I was strongly encouraged to stay at and then a supposed urgent meeting with a Doctor in the kitchen.

When I walked into the kitchen I walked into a beautifully decorated room complete with celiing decorations, home made wreaths on the walls, a cake, and an entire CART full of baby gifts! About 20 of our staff members were there and shouted out "SURPRISE!"

Oh my goodness what a moment, I was, in fact, completely and utterly surprised! :-) I couldn't believe my eyes. It was so incredibly sweet and just every little detail was in place. The theme of the party, planned by a special friend, Diana, was "The Circle of Life." It was mainly baby animals/jungle themed and she told me she picked the theme b/c of generations carrying on, coming and going, and the cycle of life continuing. Ummm, I almost cried, I was SO touched and honored and wow, it's hard to find the words.

I had a moment where I was just so happy and a bit overwhelmed by seeing all those little baby things and it sinking in a bit deeper, that in just 2 short months there is going to be a little being, a precious baby boy to be wearing the clothes and reading the books and present in the world! Not to mention the center of my world. WOW!

They hooked me up with everything! Really cute clothes, pacifiers, socks, eating utencils, a musical mobile, a play pad, blankets, butt cream (hehe), wash clothes, stuffed animals, diapers, books, a really nice pregnancy book AND a huge wad of cash called "Hope and Marcelo Relief Fund!" Reserved to use for he and I to go out to eat, or for a massage or a babysitter, etc. HOW incredibly sweet! So much love for our family. I am so humbled. And so grateful and so blessed and so incredibly excited!!!!

Thank you Diana and The Entire Health Ed Department. Words fall short of describing how much your kindness and generosity means to me :-) It was really fun bringing everything home and sharing it with Marcelo and telling him the stories of that day :-)

I was and still am so happy about the party! I am still riding on that wave! The rest of the week was good. We had our last of three, 4 hour childbirth prep classes at Kaiser. We are also doing another 8 hour series that ends next week. Here I am on Saturday sitting on my bouncy ball and learning about breast feeding using my vintage E.T doll!!! Good times! I think he liked it, lol.

Despite having anemia I have been feeling good and full of energy! Go figure! I went to 2 yoga classes last week and 3 hour long walks. I love my walks! 

We also went to see The Hobbit Part 2. That was fun, and we went out to eat Pho (Vietnamese Noodles), so delicious! It is starting to sink in what other parents are telling me, to go out and enjoy the last few weeks of being kidless, b/c when the baby's born, it may be much harder to get away! hehe. So yes, we are living it up now and having lots of fun. 

Saturday we went to a friends Holiday party and I enjoyed so much all of the delicious foods and treats. It is really amazing how much attention a pregnant belly gets. People honestly get SO excited! At the party we met some other new parents and spent a while talking with them and hearing stories :-) Today a lady came up to me in a store and asked about my pregnancy and shared about hers many years ago and gave each other a hug when she left. Seriously, the magic of child birth and the creation of life brings out a special glow in people. It's very cool. 

Even my cat loves a preggo belly! Check it out! 

29 week update!

Well I am officially in my 29th week! I have gained about 15 lbs so far, right on track and still feeling good!

I have been walking 1-3 miles per day for the past couple of weeks, yes I know I am kind of obsessed, but it's so awesome b/c walking feels so good both physically and emotionally. It really helps with the stress and I just love having a chance to get outside in the fresh air and move everyday. I also see lots of pretty nature and animals which is great.

Last week I noticed I didn't have my usual energy supply and turns out I have anemia. It's not a super big deal and the doc recommended extra iron supplements. It's understandable since blood volume almost doubles during pregnancy and can easily become diluted, plus the fact that I eat almost zero red meat. So, at Marcelo's urging I did buy some organic grass fed beef yesterday, which I am not super comfortable about due to my ethical beliefs, but I will see how it goes incorporating a small amount of red meat. I am also hoping the supplements and other iron rich foods do the trick.

So that feels good to be addressing that concern. Everything else is looking great! Now Levi is so big that he doesn't fit into one ultrasound picture anymore :-) It was really cool to see him moving around again via ultrasound. Wow!

Can't believe I still have 8-10 more weeks to go! My calendar is filling up with appointments/classes as I now have to start seeing my doc every 2 weeks and then it goes down to every week during the last month. I was reflecting again on how lucky we are to have such great medical care and low co-payments. That truly is a gift in itself :-)

Well I've gotta run off to work. xoxo have a great week!

Good Weekend!

Just taking a few minutes to update!

We had a great and busy whirlwind weekend! We had a good friend, Jon, in town from Boston. We all lived in the co-op together over there. So Friday we ate at Marcelo's parents and of course the food was amazing. Jon got to try her famous salsa and loved it! Then we all went out to a movie, lovely evening!

Saturday we had our second Prepared Childbirth class. It was very cool! All of the couples/participants we asked to bring a fitness ball, yoga mat, and rebozo (long wide scarf), and we spent time practicing different laboring positions, exercises, and massage techniques which was my favorite part, hehe! We also did breathing and relaxation exercises. The instructor is great too.

We also had our first potential Doula interview! It was really exciting and she was great and had a ton of good information. She gave us some good tips and I like that she put a really positive spin on the laboring/birthing process, mentioning how many women enjoy that special time. It's refreshing b/c in our classes we focus a lot on complications and interventions which I think is important, but am really interested in exposing myself to a variety of very birth and labor positive/empowering/intuitive based stories and information.

Saturday eve I went to an awesome craft show in downtown LA with some friends. It was so inspiring!!! I still have my dream of making craft/sewing projects and selling them at shows and such. I really enjoy seeing what's out there and getting motivated. Sunday morning I spent cooking :-) This weeks menu includes:

-high protein whole weat noodle, tofu, egg drop soup
-high protein vegetarian chili
-organic quinoa
-chocolate chip zucchini bread
-raw vegan power balls; dates, cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds, unsweetened coconut, and cacao. Sooooo good and a healthy alternative to refined sweets. Yum!

I am in heaven with all of my health foods :-) Sunday evening we celebrated a good friend, Cortland's birthday at a restaurant in Marina Del Rey. Seeing friends plus eating Coldstone Ice Cream Cake was pretty much a dynamite combination! Woo hoo!

good foods!

I am so enthralled with healthy foods! My lunch yesterday, brought from home and packaged by myself with love....

- an organic spinach, pepper, carrot salad with braggs aminos and olive oil

- organic greek yogurt with blueberries and walnut pieces (pregnancy super foods!)

- home made hearty lentil soup with brown rice

Good food = pure clean energy and a clear mind :-)

Pregnancy Questionnaire!

Your name? Hope

Fathers name? Marcelo

Were you trying to get pregnant? Yes! We finally decided to give it a try and viola!

When did you find out? Father's Day 2013 - June 15 or 16th

Were did you find out? At home in my bathroom after a pregnancy test

How far along were you? A little over a month

What was your reaction? Seriously the most incredible sense of joy and gratitude that I have ever felt to this day! 

How did you tell the father? I didn't have to, he had an intuitive knowing and came to the bathroom door before I had a chance to tell him and we gave each other the most beautiful, joyous embrace!

What was his reaction? Ecstatic - I love that memory, of us standing in the bathroom doorway overcome by emotion. I'll never forget it. 

Who was the first person you told? We told Marcelo's parents and sister several days later after dinner one evening. We gave his Mom a onsie wrapped up and had her open it....I think they all teared up. Another precious memory. 

When is your due date? Feb 18th 2014!

Did you have any morning sickness? I have been so lucky in this pregnancy! I have not thrown up once or been so sick that it's prevented me from going to work or doing things. I rested a lot in the first trimester and my taste pallet totally changed for a few months! 

Latest Food Craving: Wellll, lol, although I eat very healthily and cook/prepare tons of whole foods I do crave lots of sweets! Latest is chocolate pecan turtles of which I bought a box on Saturday and Marcelo has since hidden and has been rationing me 2 per day, hehe. I have also been loving Trader Joes Tofutti Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches. I do try to limit refined sugars though so I do a lot of cherry tomatoes, frozen blueberries and fresh whole dates. 

Worst Thing about being pregnant: I miss going in the hot tub after working out and the back pain although mine has been mild.

Best Thing about being pregnant: the excitement surrounding me! People all over get so excited about a preggo belly and it has been really fun. I also love having my little babe safe inside all to myself :-) 

Are you more scared or excited: Both! But mostly excited!

What are your fears? pressure to have unnecessary medical interventions during labor and birth, labor and birth, learning how to take care of a baby, being a good Mommy. I am working with a lot of positive affirmations right now which help a lot. I am building my trust in my body and the natural process of birth. I had the absolute best Mom in the world so I know many things will come natural to me. It is scary but I think fear is natural and do not resist it. 

What are you most happy about? Ha! This miracle of life, being able to concieve so easily, having the most amazing, loving, gentle, caring, mature, respectable, smart, compassionate partner in Marcelo. I cannot wait to know him as a Daddy and co-parent with him. Also his family is just wonderful and I am so glad we're close with them. I cannot wait to meet eyes with my little one, I want to cry from joy just thinking about it. I cannot wait to spend every day with Levi and grow with him and take care of him and love and cuddle on him all day!!! And just being a Mom, wow, so full of happiness! 

You pee an estimated __ times a day?: Hmmm, haven't counted but a lot! Probabaly every 1-2 hours. 

Do you want a boy or a girl? Boy...we're having a boy and I wanted a boy :-) 

Do you have a name picked out? We're leaning towards Levi right now.

How much weight have you gained? Probably about 10-15 lbs so far.

Do you plan on having a natural birth? Yes, as much as I can predict. I plan on being very mentally and physically prepared (have been working a lot already on this) and trusting my body, my baby and my deepest intuition to make decisions that feel right during labor. I am not closed to anything but would like to try to do it au natural. 

Are you scared about the labor? yes! Absolutely, pain is scary and it's hard to know what to expect. However I think it is OK to be scared and will work with the fear. Luckily I have great support and a deep sense of trust in nature and my body. 

Have you/are you planning on attending any Lamaze classes? Yes we are attending 2 different class series which are great and plan to meet with a Doula soon! I like that in the classes so far they really emphasize the role of the partner in the process. It's good to know I will have close support through out! 

Do you think you will cry when you see your baby for the first time? Ha! Without a doubt I cry just thinking about it. 

Will you breast feed: yes that is the plan

Words of wisdom: Lean into the process, trust in your body and baby, and ask for help/support when you need it :-) 

A mix of emotions

Well here we are in the 27th week! Baby weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is about 15 inches long! I feel him constantly moving and kicking which is cute!

I am feeling excited, nervous and a bit overwhelmed too! There is so much to do/learn before the baby comes!

I started researching some baby products for our registry and I spent a couple of hours just learning about the science of cloth diapering! I watched youtube videos about different styles and brands and Mom's that compare them with pros and cons, and how to launder them! And I just came away with more questions!

I also watched some videos on "essential" baby items which omg, there are so many types of things to buy for a baby! And to be honest Marcelo and I both want to do as many used/recycled products as possible, especially since they will be used for such a short time. So more to come on that soon. We are hoping to have a shower mid-January and are very excited!

Also we've been taking 2 different class series; 'Prepared Childbirth,' and 'Baby Care Basics.' Both are awesome and the more I learn, the more confident and excited I feel, not to mention nervous too. I'm already realizing how many different approaches and schools of thought there are about these things and then I remind myself that birth and baby care are the most natural things ever, before hospitals, medical interventions, and mass consumerism! So I plan to keep it as simple as possible and really focus on cultivating a deep internal trust of myself and my body through meditation and positive affirmations.

We're also getting ready to interview Doulas for the birthing process. Here is a good article about their role if you don't know.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/witw/articles/2013/12/02/more-american-women-employing-doulas-during-childbirth.html

And we're getting ready to make a birth plan, which will just outline what our preferences are for the birthing process/time in the hospital. So many decisions!

The other great thing, which is truly a blessing, is that I will have an entire month off of work before my due date! I will be able to get a lot done then and gather more things for baby. We are so fortunate to have financial security and the peace of mind of knowing that we will be able to provide for our baby. What a wonderful thing.

I have been feeling good and part of my child birth prep has been walking daily and doing stretches and exercises on a regular basis. Also, of course, eating fresh, whole foods. These practices take time but the investment is so worth it. Walking is not only beneficial for the physical but the mental as well. Check out this sunset I saw tonight!

Special Times

Marcelo and I have started to read Levi stories at bed time :-) How precious are these moments in life? Here we are reading "Goodnight Moon." Marcelo reads in Spanish and I repeat in English. We feel, and now see him kicking and moving inside. Wow, what a treat. Honestly one of the most tender moments in my life so far! 

Thanksgiving

How wonderful that Marcelo and I had some extended time off of work together! We really needed it! For Thanksgiving we went to Marcelo's cousin's house and it was so much fun. His Dad's brother's family was there and several of them had spent the entire day cooking a traditional Mexican meal. It was delish!

It was especially cool b/c his cousin is also pregnant. She has a 2 year old so I got to spend some time talking with her which was nice, and of course everyone is so excited about our baby! 

Have I mentioned how amazing Marcelo's parents are? His Mom's name is Esmeralda but we call her 'Came," short for Carmen with an accent on the 'e.' His Dad is Ricardo and they are both so humble and soooo kind and loving. I just love them so!

And of course I did some of my own cooking! I am so happy when I am cooking and then enjoying home made meals! We had Marcelo's co-worker Grace and her partner over for brunch on Saturday. We had Quiche and Crepes! Here the veggies for the Quiche are sauteing.

Fresh fruit and Ricotta with cinnamon sugar!

Grace and I! She's due at the end of December. It was great chatting about baby stuff and parenthood (ie - how long we should ethically wait to bring our kids to Burning Man and things of that nature, lol)

Saturday I had another friend over for dinner and we made a small feast!

Mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and vegan chick-pea cutlets. So yum!

And Marcelo and I spent a quiet day at home decorating and putting up our first Christmas Tree in the 6 years we have lived together! I wasn't sure about it b/c it meant digging up a box from the closet that I hadn't opened in years, full of my family holiday memories and ornaments. Sure I had an upsurge of grief, as expected, but I got through it and now we have a beautiful tree to enjoy! The ornaments are mine from childhood, and very special and sentimental. :-) The cat topper is something cute we randomly found on a walk. Let the festivities begin! I really do love the holidays. Our living room is so warm and cozy with the tree :-)

Happy 35 to me!

My -day this year was really cute! Last b-day before Levi arrives! It was fun some friends and I went to a vegan restaurant for dinner and I was showered with gifts! I got a lot of nice stuff including some new maternity shirts and a bracelet with Levi's name on it that my friend Clare made! 

Afterwards we went to a Karaoke bar and I channeled my inner Axl Rose. So much fun! 

Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday dear Hope, the extremely excited Mama to be!!!

7th month!

OK well here we are just entering the 7th month and time is flying! Things are going well. Luckily I have been managing to exercise and eat healthily (keeps me busy!). I have been walking lots and doing pre-natal yoga. As you can see Levi is growing! He's now about 14 inches long an weighs two and a half pounds. He can sense light and hear sounds from the external world. He has been kicking and fluttering a lot. The best is when Marcelo bends down to talk to him and he will literally respond with movements! It is pretty much about the coolest thing ever! 

Here's a pic of our precious little Gizmo, always wanting to be picked up for a shoulder ride! At least I have 2 shoulders, one for him and one for the baby when he comes :-) 

 I have been feeling great and staying active! The only minor issues were having a charlie horse (very painful calf cramp) in the middle of the night, which caused me to wake up howling in pain which unfortunately scared Marcelo half to death. :-( Sorry hunny. I've been making it a priority to eat extra potassium and stretch thoroughly before bed and haven't had problems since. I also had to go into the doc due to a throbbing pain right under my rib bone. They did some tests and I was relieved to find out it's not uncommon and nothing to be concerned about as my rib cage grows and expands. Phew! It hasn't been as bad the past week as it once was.

I have gotten some new maternity clothes and that has been exciting! We have also been so graciously and kindly gifted with presents, and hand me downs for the little guy! We are so lucky to be surrounded by so many generous and kind people in our lives. We have received gifts from folks near and far and it is wonderful. I think we are all set at least with new born and baby clothes. I know he will be growing so fast.

I do hope to also make a registry very soon. How exciting! This makes it all so real. It's hard to imagine a tiny little breathing body to fit into these tiny cute little clothes! Thank you all so much who have gifted to us.

Marcelo and I also took our first of 3 four hour Prepared Childbirth Classes yesterday. It was so cool and interesting!! We are so fortunate to have a pretty progressive instructor, who is also very balanced in her approach and philosophy. It is really exciting to learn about what to expect in the birthing process and start to get more in tune with my body and baby as we prepare. I have been working with some wonderful affirmations about trust and faith and I am, of course, both excited and nervous. :-)

We will keep everyone updated! I had my 35th birthday Friday and we are going to celebrate tonight with friends. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! We are going to do some cooking and spend time with Marcelo's parents :-) We are so grateful for all of you and all of the abundance in our lives!

Month #6

It's been a while since I've posted! I am glad to be back in this writing and reflecting and sharing space! The past month mainly has been so busy as I've been working extra hours at work, and just keeping up with life in general. :-) We are doing great and feeling good. Highlights from our last month include:

Fall cooking of course: this is going to be a roasted root bisque!

Halloween Parade in West Hollywood. I am a lion and Marcelo is an Angry Bird!

We spent a lovely weekend with Marcelo's cousins and Aunt who visited from Mexico. Here we are after doing some fun holiday shopping.  

Marcelo and I 

Marcelo's Tia Olivia (left) and his Mom (right) These are two of the sweetest and so funny together! 

Me, Mom, Marcelo, Esme :-) 

Of course, I miss my parents so much. Especially my mama dearest. I still go to a grief support group (usually weekly) where I am so grateful to talk about her and my process and get a lot of support and comraderie from others on this path. I love to bring in pictures of her and my family. I recently shared these gems. 

Mom walking with Jesse and pregnant with me! (c1978)

Missing Mama

© Claudia Lee

"I awake each morning to start a new day
But the pain of loosing you never goes away.
I go about the things I have to do
And as the hours pass I think again of you.
I want to call you and just hear your voice
Then I remember that I have no choice
For you are not there and now my heart cries
Just to see you again to tell you goodbye
To say Mama I love you and I always will
And hope that much of you, in me you've instilled.
The day that you left I just didn't know
That you were going where I couldn't go.
And now all my memories of you are so dear
But gosh, how I miss you and wish you were here.
Who now can hear me when I need to cry?
It so hard to tell you "Mama goodbye."
Someday I know all will be well
And I'll see you again with stories to tell
Of how you were missed and how we have grown
And how good it is to finally be home.
Until then my memories of you I'll keep near
And I'll pass them on to those who are dear.
I miss you Mama"

Indeed I miss my folks. I feel it's important to include them as well as my grief in the process of my blog and my pregnancy because it is my reality. Yes, I do feel that I have made lots of progress and after 6 and a half years of losing her, I have worked to become strong and move on with my life, but oh how I miss her and long to share every step of my journey with her! There are truly no words for the emotions. I like to think that my angels and Levi are in the same realm now and I know that he will come into being with their love and blessings all around. 

Mom and Dad's wedding (c.1972)

Entering the 3rd trimester!

Yep, it's here! I am officially in the beginning days of my third and final trimester! I can feel little Levi kicing regularly now and he is getting pretty big, about a foot long and weighs a bit more than a pound!

I have to count my blessings, b/c I continue to feel good and am able to stay active. Although, ah-hem, it is getting a bit harder to ambulate around and I think I've pretty much started to waddle instead of walking now, lol. I am having a few more symptoms like some back pain, mild leg cramps, pressure on my ribs and minor fatigue. But none of it is unmanageable!

Since we've been home I have been back to work which is going well. I have been able to get some much needed rest! And it feels so good to be back cooking for my own foods again. I made a couple of delicious soups today for the week and our fridge is full to the rim with fresh fruits and veggies. What a lucky person I am! I think my habits are rubbing off on Marcelo too as he made a big salad to take to work with him tomorrow :-)

I walked over 4 miles today which felt great. I am definitely a bit slower and I may have pulled something b/c I have a cramp in my hip that's causing me to limp tonight, lol. But I am determined to stay active! Levi likes the rhythm too of walking and movement.

Tomorrow is back to work and I've got a full week but so looking forward to Halloween and The Day of the Dead celebrations this weekend! Woot woot! ...will try to take lots of pics :-)

we're back!

We had the most AMAZING time in Mexico!!! What an adventure.

After getting back from Joshua Tree I had 3 days to get ready to leave. What a whirlwind but super fun and exciting.

Marcelo joined us in Mexico on Friday night but for the first 2 days, my friends Chris, Rachel and I stayed at a great place, off the beaten path called Viva Maria. It's owned and run by a couple from Italy who were absolutely delightful and truly good folk. They went above and beyond for us!

 

 

 

 

We each got little one bedroom apartments and they were so cute and cozy! This is my room pictured above :-) Very fun place. We found a great restaurant a few blocks away where on more than one occasion we enjoyed shrimp tacos, shrimp cocktail (sooo good), fresh guac and chips and what made it extra good was the variety of sauces that they brought out to accompany our food. I still don't think we figured out what most of them were but boy were they tasty!

About a half mile away was Qinta Avenida (fifth ave) where we stumbled upon a big street art fair and tons and tons of cute shops and restaurants where we passed a couple of really fun evenings!

 

 

Through the owners of the hotel, we got hooked up with a very nice and adventurous tour/diving guide named David from Paris. He had left his high stress job working for the anti-terrorist police in France to come live at the beach and lead diving tours. He was awesome. He took us snorkeling in a cenote (under ground cave)! It was one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I have ever been. The water was so clear, and it was so quiet and so dark with pockets of natural sunlight, like an alternative universe, or being in a dream world!

 

 

 

Probably my favorite time from the trip was snorkeling with sea turtles off the coast of Akumal Beach. We just had to swim out about 20 yards before we could look down through the crystal clear water to see them nonchalantly feeding on the sandy/grassy bottom. They paid us no mind at all. They were huge with gorgeous and intricate markings and every so often they would swim up for air. It was one of the most magnificent experiences I have had in my life so far, it's hard to put into words the feeling of being close to so much natural beauty. It's truly soul touching.

 

What a sight !!!!

 

We also saw some giant sting rays and a variety of other very beautiful and brightly colored fish. It was so great. I just wanted to hang out with the turtles all day and swim off and live with them!

Unfortunately due to my preggo state, once we got about 100 yards from the shore, I started getting a really uncomfortable pressure in my back and nausea. Luckily we had two tour guides, one in the water with us and one on a Kayak so they helped me climb on to the kayak when I started to feel sick. :-) It was pretty funny actually, one of the guys like projected me out of the water from below and I had to kind of roll on board, with my big belly, ha! They were super nice tho. Like many things in life, I guess being pregnant is knowing your limits and being humble about asking for help.

Later that night, we went to the beautiful Azul Fives Hotel, where we would stay for the remaining 3 nights, to attend a ladies only henna party! Here is the beautiful bride Pyari and her mama painting an intricate henna design on her hand.

All of the ladies, we got anointed with designs on our wrists and hands in preparation for the wedding. It was a pretty cool thing to take part in. The party was later followed by a beautiful catered bonfire fondue beach party! It was soooo fun and I don't even want to tell you how many chocolate covered strawberries and cookies I ate!

I was sooooooo enamored by swimming with the turtles that I was going to take Marcelo there the following day but unfortunately Rachel had gotten sick in the night and the four of us had to take a taxi to an emergency room at 4am and ended up staying there all day with her! It was pretty scary and we are so glad she is OK now. She had gotten Kidney Stones, which apparently is super painful! Luckily Marcelo and I were there to translate back and forth with the doctors since most staff spoke very little or no English. That part was cool and fun for me! Marcelo was a super star and travelled with them onto another hospital in Cancun (about 50 miles away) for the following night to continue translating. Luckily she was well enough to come back and be a bridesmaid in the wedding.

As they went on to Cancun I went back to get some much needed rest and checked into the Azul Fives, I didn't tell anyone this, because I ate it all, but they brought a sample dessert plate into my room as soon as I checked in with Tiramisu, chocolate cake, and truffles!

 

They even had beds on the beach for chillaxin!

 

The next 3 days were packed to the rim with fun wedding events!

Friday night was the "Sangeet," a talent show of sorts where the bride performed a surprise beautiful dance and the groom gave a lovely speech. My girlfriends and I performed a dance to Salt N Pepa's "Push It." It was soooo fun and funny (we had practiced a lot!). I hope to have pics and video soon!

The beautiful couple: Cortland and Pyari

 

 

Day of the wedding, Cortland comes in on a boat!

 

 

While the bridesmaids are up on the balcony as the wedding party walks in. (The bride is hiding behind us!)

 

 

The ceremony

 

Rooftop reception with fire dancers, dance party, speeches, cake,  and slide show! What a dream!

 

 

The next day we went on an adventure to Tulum to see and learn about the ruins and swim at the pristine beach!

 

 

Needless to say it was an action packed with non stop excitement for the whole week! I think I did pretty well for being almost 6 months pregnant there! I loved being so active (walking and swimming every day!). Buuuttt, I think b/c the food was so salty, my poor feet and ankles swelled up like balloons! I couldn't even fit into the gold sandals I bought especially to go with my bridesmaids dress, lol. It was funny tho!

Over all I am SO grateful to have such lovely friends and to participate in so much celebration and joy. I had forgotten how much I truly love to travel and my spirit felt so freeee! Nature is truly healing and medicinal. I'm so grateful to have had this opportunity to go and I definitely have a renewed travel bug. Cheers to adventures and exploring!

More pics should be coming soon! I had lost my camera for the majority of the trip, which later turned up at the bottom of my suitcase, lol so I didn't take too many pics but will post more when friends post theirs. Thanks for reading!