We are still Nameless

This is my latest photo in my 6 month phase. We still have no name except for the fact we are going to give him our Family names   Horsford Best, otherwise we are flirting with ideas but nothing has really spoken to us. We don't want to just give a name to give a name. We want it to hit us .........and us to smile and say "Yes, that's the one!" 

For now....... we just joke and call him Baby Barack Obama Best.

Busy Busy Busy!

Last week I had a working/vacation in Brazil. I went with a group of veteran Stompers to Rio and Bahia for 10 days. We were part of an international percussion festival and it was awesome! Now...I know what you all are thinking....is she crazy?! No worries, I had a whole cast hovering and taking care of me. I was giving it my all but I definitely was not running my body to the ground. I slept on down time and ate at every buffet sitting. It was so nice not to think about what to eat....it was just there. Granted, I ate rice and beans almost everyday, at least i didn't have to order or cook it!

                                                                  Sugar Cane! Yummm!

After our first performance, our baby boy decided to let me know how much he loved all of the vibrations. In the green room, I  touched my stomach and I felt him move for the first time. He definately has Ahmed's body, just feels like long limbs moving all around. It was weird...I didn't feel anything internally, but I felt him by touch. He was definately responding to the movement & rythms from that evening. Yes!!!!!

   

Babies first performance.

    Baby's 1st Dip in the Atlantic Ocean.

Prenatal Yoga

I finally signed up for Prenata Yoga yesterday and took my first class at www.GoldenBridge.com. It is a very spacious, zen like, yoga Mecca that most of the hippie/hipsters attend. 

To be honest I am more of a power yoga person, my idea of a workout involves some type of perspiration! But I walked in with an open mind and with the great thoughts of the good service I was going to give to my baby boy. Anyways, I walked in with my yoga mat, found a spot on the floor and joined five other expecting mothers. The yoga instructor was a very soft spoken woman with a hipnotic, relaxing voice. She said that she was going to put us through a series of exercises to prepare us to mentally work through pain. Initially when we went through these exercises, and I thought no problem! Then we were doing this upper body swimming motion for 5 minutes and I was dying! As we were going through the motion she highly discouraged us from epidurals, etc. but if we needed it it was ok. I have a feeling that contractions hurt more than those exercises, but I bought a 10 class series card anyway ......so I will have time to think about her thoughts, past birthing experiences and the non use of drugs. .......eventhough I am kind of set on it. 

Class was pretty challenging at 22weeks as we continued I was hoping we would have to do any hokey .....then she made us hold hands and talk to our partner(another expecting mother) about what we feared and what we were thankful for. Suprisingly I was ok. Then......we had to Chant ....Now, I always giggle when I have to chant or sing a song about the sunshine within you......but I didn't.   I must be becoming a softy and I actually felt wonderful! So I will be taking again next week! Yeah!!! Namaste.

5 Months!!!!!!!

Our good friend Liinde offered to take pictures of me and Ahmed. We didn't plan it we were just hanging out in the back yard and I think she did a great job. Thank you Liinde!

Drum Roll Please...............

It's a .......BOY!!!!!!The nurse asked us "Are you sure you want to know the sex?" And she waved that ultra sound wand 

on my belly,

 and there was no deny

ing it! LOL

This new technology is amazing!!!! We took 4D pictures of the baby today and I was just blown

 away with the images. We could see his face and some of his features, his hands, feet, heartbeat,cheek bones..........everything! He is not fully developed, but I think he is a very handsome baby boy. Congratulations

Grandparents, Great Aunts&Uncles, Aunties&Uncles, Cousins, & Friends..........   Now we just have to register and think of a good name! It sounds easy..........  

Best, Raquel

Almost, Half way there!!!!!!

Hello Family & Friends,

This entry is not about anything specific..... in fact it will be quite random Ok? So, Here I go! I am 19 weeks! Feeling good.  Food digestion gets a little tricky sometimes, but I feel like a million bucks compared to the first trimester. Every morning I take my prenatal vitamins (which are HUGE) But let me tell you. I have the most fantastic looking fingernails......they have never been this long in my life. I also slather on that body butter on my belly to keep my skin moist. I was doing a coco butter, but now I'm onto a mango seed butter and loving it.  I also drink tons of water. Which explains why I cannot sleep through the night.

My belly is slowly growing. I'm still wearing my clothes, but whenever I sit down I definitely un-button the top button for some ease. For exercise I take a jazz dance class3-4 a week and on the days I don't take class I go to the gym and cardio for 30 min and do some sort of strengthening for 30min. All at a comfortable pace. I do not go overboard. Although I can see some of you shaking your heads right now. I'm sorry.....I cannot keep still! 

How do I have the energy? NAP,NAP, NAP!

This summer was nice and quiet this year. I had a nice salt water pool day at my friends house Darrell & Francine (great family). I surprised their daughters Sydney and Kendell with a visit last week and we just soaked and swam for hours in the pool and it was so nice. And it got me thinking .....a girl would be nice...they like to do girly things. I like to do girly things. They are barely preteen and I am.......(lol)......well anyways we talked and laughed for hours and it was so relaxing!....... A girl! 

 

That same day Ahmed and I went to the finale show of this popular MTV show called "America's Best Dance Crew" with his friend Seth. So, we go. And they just start cutting up!  To join in the conversation I had to interject in a Sketch Comedy Show fashion. It was hilarious. But,they just couldn't stop being goofy (even though it was a blast). Then that got me thinking ............. A Boy? Could I handle a little boy with twice the energy and charisma as Ahmed. LOL Oh God!!!  A Boy!     We find out this Thursday.  :)  xoxo