So round, so firm, so.... fully packed. That's how best to describe Elena's belly. Emma, our little wiggle worm, is getting big and round. Only nine more weeks to go (although she could come in six weeks and still be considered full term). We start our barrage of classes nine days from now. Breastfeeding, Lamaze, Infant CPR, and Baby Care, are all on our syllabus.

We got Elena's blood results back from the Dr. this week. She tested negative for gestational diabetes which is a good thing, however her results did indicate that she is anemic. Looks like little Emma is taking all of Elena's iron so we bought a vitamin supplement called "Slow Fe" for Elena to begin taking to ensure she has an adequate supply of iron in her system.

Elena's weight gain is still excellent at 16 lbs. since conception! I on the other hand am not doing as well as I have put on 11 lbs. At least Elena has an excuse. I am going to start exercising and watching what I eat to get myself back to 170 where I belong. I need to be fit and fiddle for my little Emma so I can last her a lifetime. Although I am not grossly overweight, and don't have really unhealthy habits like smoking or drinking, I do lead a fairly sedentary lifestyle, commuting 12+ hours a week and sitting in front of a computer 10 hours a day. I do drink a lot of water and watch what I eat but could do better. My plan is to start running 3 miles at lunch time twice a week and lift weights on Saturday. The running at lunch time will also help prevent me from eating lunch with my buddies who like the yummy fatty stuff. Another side benefit is that I will save some cash as lunch typically runs $8 to $10 a person in my circle.

This week ended on a not so happy note. Elena's Grandmother (Mima) has taken ill and was admitted to the hospital. She has been there for a week and we fear that these may be her final moments. On Sunday we went to visit her in the hospital. She was heavily medicated and pretty much slept the whole time. We hope and pray that Mima will bounce back as she has in the past.