A sweet surprise

A couple of weeks ago, I had to have the glucose screening at my doctor's appointment. It's routine for everyone at a certain week of pregnancy to see if you have developed Gestational Diabetes. They make you drink this orange sugar drink and then take your blood (and urine) an hour afterwards to see what your glucose levels read. If they are higher than 140, you can to go back for the full 3-hour Glucose Tolerance Test.

Well, my levels were 150 - ugh. The nurse said it was so slightly over that she didn't think I actually had Gestational Diabetes, but that I was required to take the GTT since I was over 140. I was really bummed. I knew that if I had it, I would just have to alter my diet and prick my finger to monitor my blood sugar - which really is not that big of a deal; it's not harmful to the baby if you monitor it well. BUT...it would mean no sugar!!!!!!!! It's not that I even eat that many sweets because the salty stuff has been more of what I've craved. But to not be able to have any at all for 2 months just seemed devestating at the time.

Long story short, I was at the doctor's office for almost 4 hours - had to drink another orange drink and have my blood/urine taken once an hour for 3 hours...and my results are normal!!! I don't have the diabetes!!!! They called me at work on Thursday to give me the good news and I was thrilled :)

...the sweetest surprise...Kyle ordered Tiff's Treats cookies (delivered freshly baked and warm!) and my favorite ice cream to my office that same afternoon for me to celebrate!!! It was scrumptious! ...and he definitely won some points with my co-workers :)

I'm so thankful for a healthy baby, no Gest. Diab., and my sweet and wonderful husband!

let the nesting begin

here's a sneak peak at what our little girl's room is going to look like...

thanks to the grandparents for helping out so much with the furniture, painting and sewing!!!

...now all she needs is a name! gosh, i never thought that part would be so hard...

to be continued...

we took a peek!

at our 22 week appointment we had the "big" ultrasound! it really was amazing to see so many parts of our baby - from the brain, to all 4 heart chambers, to details of the spine...and even a little nose, chin and lips! it was incredible and we are so thankful that everything is developing just as it should be!

before we even started, the first question the sonographer asked was "So, are we going to take a peek today? Do you want to know if you're having a boy or girl?" and our answer was a quick "YES" - we've been dying to find out and hardly patient about it. well, she did the whole 25 minute ultrasound checking all the vital organs and development before taking that peak - so we waited a little longer...

ok, before the big revealing here's a background story...

way back in february, the day we told my parents we were pregnant (we had just found out ourselves less than a week before) we went out to Pei Wei with them for dinner. we were all so excited about the new baby news. after we ate, we did the obvious at an asian restaurant...we opened our fortune cookies and read them outloud for eachother. there's nothing exciting to tell about the fortunes themselves, but you know how on the other side they print lottery numbers and then a chinese character and it's meaning in english...well, we were fascinated by kyle's...take a look...

seriously!!!! we couldn't believe it!!! we all started talking about how this must be a "sign" of what were were going to have. we were laughing about it, when all of a sudden kyle opens his second (yes, he always eats 2) cookie and his eyes get big as he reads the next one...

i know! it was so crazy...none of us could stop laughing and couldn't believe it! so...for the last few months, we have all been dying to find out if the "Pei Wei prophecy" was going to be true or not. kyle kept these and said that he would either show our son one day and then take him to pei wei any time we needed an answer (ok, probably he wouldn't, but you know!) or he would show our daughter one day and tell her never to believe in fortune cookies. we actually think this played into why more than 90% of people we asked thought we were having a boy - we think they were swayed by the fortunes! :)

SO...were the fortune cookies true? ...or not? ...

we're having a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so there you have it...the moral of the story is: do not believe in fortune cookies.

we are soooooo excited!!! there was a little bit of shock, especially for me because i really had a "feeling" we were having a boy. but i LOVE little girls and LOVE this little girl so much already! we are working on names, and hope to have one soon.

here's a recent pic of the growing belly for those who like to see that kind of thing:

Muddy Buddy

Last weekend was the Austin Muddy Buddy's 10th annual race...and Kyle and Erick got a medal! They did awesome...they finished 2nd in their division and 10th overall for the WHOLE RACE (about 1,000 teams)!!! Stu and Cat were a team also and did awesome too, despite a broken bike! It was fun to watch everyone cross the mud pit right before the finish line - some other friends raced also so we got to cheer a lot.

In case you haven't heard of the Muddy Buddy, here's a quick run down: 6.5-7mile partner race with 5 trail legs. Each person either runs or bikes each leg and they alternate, for ex: Kyle biked the first leg while Erick ran it; then Kyle ran the second leg while Erick biked it; etc. In between each leg is an obstacle and at the end both team members have to crawl through the mud pit together and then run across the finish line. It's a unique and fun race! There's also a costume contest so some people are running/biking in crazy costumes.

Here are some pictures to tell the story...(even though I didn't manage to appear in any of the photos, I promise I was there as spectator and photographer!)...

top: the mud pit pre-race...and Erick & Kyle pre-race

the award ceremony - 2nd place!!

...with friends Donnie & Mark

Stu and Cat crossing the mud pit

with Camilo and Juan Carlos, our neighbors

cleaned up and enjoying the prize for all participants...they don't even look like they just did a hard race!! super stars!

first flutters

i got to celebrate my first Mother's Day as a mom (-to-be)! my sweet husband got me some beautiful roses, my parents got me a sweet card and the best gift of all came from our baby him/herself!

...i started feeling little baby movements for the first time this weekend! it's the coolest feeling. i kept doubting at first that what i was feeling was really the baby because i just didn't know what to expect...but i am certain now that the little flutters i'm feeling are the movements of our little bambino/a! i guess they'll just keep getting stronger from here :)

i'm loving it!

God blessed Texas - especially Austin

So I know that a lot of non-Texans get annoyed that we Texans talk to highly of our state, but I just have to say it... I love Austin.

I think I have the best drive to and from work every day. This is my route: 2222 W. to 360, across the bridge and south to Bee Caves. And then I get to drive it back at the end of the day. I have just been amazed at how beautiful it is - the windy, hilly roads, the views of Town Lake, the rocky and stoney cliffs, the different shades of green trees that fill the hills...the views are breath-taking. While slowly inching along in rush hour traffic can often be frustrating, I realized that it allows me more time to soak in the sights.

I thank God that He created such beauty for us to live in and to enjoy.

...I'll have to find or take some pictures for a good visual to put up here soon. In the meantime, if you don't know what I'm talking about...COME VISIT!

cumpliendo years, trabajando and growing!

(that was a little Spanglish for ya)

here are a few updates to catch you up...

Kyle had a great bday, our baby and my "bump" are growing quickly and i got a J-O-B!

* we had a great bday celebration (for Kyle, Erick and Stuart) / Easter weekend out at Lake Travis...relaxing, eating, relaxing, hot tubbing and enjoy the beautiful views!

* we find out in a month if we are having a FraziercitO or FraziercitA! and don't worry, it won't be a secret...we will spread the news as soon as we know :) which do you think it will be?? praise God that everything has gone really well up to this point! it's all so exciting!

* last week i started my new job at Children of All Nations, a new division of Great Wall China Adoption. it's an international adoption agency/non-profit. currently we are placing children from Mexico, Ethiopia and Rwanda - and adding others soon! my title is Adoption Consultant but my job description is still a little unclear. i think i'll be doing a variety of things. so far i like it a lot! it's going to be awesome to be a part of growing international families :) i'm also getting to use Spanish quite a bit...and some of the business/marketing "skills" i learned from way back when.

if you haven't heard from me in awhile, sorry!...the new job is why. it has me pretty tired...oh, and i'm not allowed to check/send emails or use my phone during work hours, sooo...i'm a little separated from my personal/social life during the week :(

but i know i'll adjust to the schedule soon and hope to get to talk to and see lots of you!!! i miss all of you out there!

the infamous "bump"...and growing! Alex, our sweet nephew, in his Easter outfit :)