Mmm, Donuts...

"Cravings affect 10 out of every 10 pregnant women."
~Unknown Husband

A question that frequently comes up is, "Are you having any weird cravings?" There really hasn't been anything out of the ordinary; an occasional bar of chocolate or bag of gummy bears will usually suffice. But when those blood-deprived Edward Cullen eyes begin to surface, there's only one thing that will satisfy this hunger: DONUTS. This past weekend, Mommy took a short trip to Austin and was able to experience the culinary temple known as Gourdough's. While their names may sound like urban dance moves, the Dirty Berry and Flying Pig (pictured in all their glory below) provided the perfect blend of fruit, meat, dairy, and deep-fried pastry. Daddy is keeping his fingers crossed that Baby Campos' first tooth won't be a sweet one.

While satisfying pregnancy cravings are very important to the happiness of a Mommy-to-be, sometimes these urges can lead to sketchy situations. On a late-night donut hunt during the first trimester, the only nearby open establishment was a small shop on the corner of a dimly lit street. One worker was behind the counter, a homeless man was panhandling outside, and a lone customer was reading a newspaper from the previous week in the back booth. Suddenly Mommy and Daddy realized that they had just walked into a scene from BOOGIE NIGHTS. Not wanting to find out if this would all end like the clip below, the deep-fried goodies were promptly bought and a promise was made to never again go looking for donuts after the sun goes down.

Smells Like an ONION

It's Week 17!  After another monthly check-up with Dr. Chen (no, not Peter or Nick), Mommy is perfectly healthy.  Fat is accumulating and fingerprints are forming, as Baby Campos is now the size of...an onion?  Interesting choice.  Most people describe their babies as the cutest things in the world, but never something quite so smelly.  You're practically reduced to tears when you have to chop one up.  But do you want to know the secret to not crying when slicing onions?  Just breathe with your mouth open (seriously, it works).

So what's the secret to stopping your little one from crying?  You could immediately pick up and coddle the crybaby.  Maybe even practice Ferberization and wait a bit before coming to the rescue.  Daddy seems to think you can just crank up the volume on the TV and hope that the baby tires out before halftime is over.  Any suggestions?  Well, there's definitely going to be plenty of sleepless nights ahead to figure out what works best with this stinky onion.

It's Getting Hot in Here!

Things just got a bit hotter in LA.  Sorry Al Gore, this has nothing to do with Global Warming.  This heatwave was Mommy's first pregnancy hot flash!  A sudden spike in temperature.  Check.  A fluttering heartbeat.  Check.  A spell of dizziness and flushed cheeks.  Checkmate.  No worries though!  While it was a bit scary at first, all these lovely symptoms are a normal part of a healthy pregnancy.  If you want to experience a similar feeling, try devouring all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ before bedtime or finshing a bottle of gin in one sitting.

So please keep driving your SUVS and using hair spray, because there's no Greenhouse Effect going on here in southern California...it's just Baby Campos' hormones =)

The AVOCADO Didn't Fall Far From the Tree

What's four weeks squared?  Sixteen weeks!  It's been an amazing first four months of pregnancy.  Baby Campos is now the size of an avocado, developing strong bones and facial features.  At this stage it's safe to start taking bets on who the baby will look more like, Mommy or Daddy.  Without boring you with a lesson on dominant and recessive genes, there are a few characteristics that will definitely show up: black hair, brown eyes, olive skin, and great karaoke skills.

But when making baby guacamole, you have to consider which ingredients from each family tree will be mixed in.  A teaspoon or tablespoon of the Itchon nose?  A sprig or bunch of the Campos eyelashes?  Will there be enough items added together for a full serving of height?  When everything's combined, will the finished product be bitter or sweet?  With so many possibilities, it's hard to imagine what the perfect recipe will be.  But if we could see Baby Campos now, our little avocado would be making faces and hiccupping.  So it looks like we're at equal parts so far: one cup each of Mommy's evil stare and Daddy's drunk hiccups.

There is a Light That Never Goes Out

BabyCenter.com says:

"At this stage of the pregnancy, although the eyelids are still fused shut, your baby can sense light.  If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, the baby is likely to move away from the beam."

Holy crap!  This is probably a bit of information not meant for parents who are easily amused.  Almost immediately, Daddy picked up a maglite and began flashing it at Mommy's midsection, giggling with a purpose.  Unfortunately, the baby's movements can't really be felt.  Still intrigued, future flashlight tests may be performed where the beams come from opposite angles, at different times, or even stacked side-by-side like a double-decker bus!  Should everything go as planned, these exercises will build the baby's agility and reaction time.  If not, we'll at least have an explanation for why Baby Campos has a strange fear of 60 watt bulbs and the headlights of on-coming traffic.

Burnt ORANGE Baby Bump

So here we are in Week 15.  It's been almost a full semester and Baby Campos is now as big as an orange!  When people think of orange, juice and vitamin C may come to mind, which are very important for the baby.  But of course to Mommy and Daddy, the only orange that matters is BURNT.  With college just around the corner (parents always say their children grow up so fast), the question often comes up whether we'll be brainwashing our little one to love the University of Texas.  Is it wrong to have the voice of TEX reading bedtime stories?  When the time comes, our little orange can choose to be an asian Bruin, a snobby Trojan, a hippie Bear, or if smart enough, even a red Tree.  While it would be a blessing if Baby Campos chooses to be a LONGHORN, the only thing we can do as parents is be happy with the decision and put aside money for an education fund...at the University Federal Credit Union redeemable only by UT students =)

When Life Gives You LEMONS...

Hello Week 14!  Sometimes it can be hard to visualize how big the baby is when using traditional measurements.  So many pregnancy books like to compare the size of the baby to fruits and vegetables each week.  Right now Baby Campos is about the size of a lemon.  Even though mommy can't feel it, the little lemon is moving around in there and making some "lemonade" of its own.

Being in the 2nd Trimester is great, but with the baby quickly growing into bigger produce, we had to finally go shopping for maternity clothes.  Did any other parents out there see the pregnancy pants and immediately think about Joey in the Thanksgiving episode of Friends?  Anyway, these jeans are amazing!  They will definitely be more comfortable to wear while watching the Preseason No. 4 ranked Texas Longhorns this fall.  But they're even perfect for after the baby is born too, for things like crawfish boils and shoplifting at Marshall's.

Welcome to Our Baby Blog!

In case you haven't already heard the good news, we are expecting our first child on February 2, 2011!  As we get ready for this new chapter in our lives, we wanted to share our pregnancy experiences with our family and friends.  We'll have plenty of updates, photos, colorful stories, and maybe even a few messages from the baby.  I hope y'all enjoy this blog and remember to check back often!