Baby Higgins Zodiac Sign

If Baby Higgins comes after October 22nd, she will be a Scorpio like her mother. Ugh oh! Here are more details on what it means to be a Scorpio.


Sign: Scorpio, The Scorpion

Oct 24 - Nov 21

Powerful personalities, these babies are inclined towards mysteries and puzzles from young. They prefer scientific toys and games which allows them to exercise their analytical minds and direct their creative potential. Scorpio children are known for their intense natures and even as kids they have the talent to see beyond illusion. Scorpion children are very magnetic and also secretive. They possess great energy and force and it is important to channelize that energy constructively. They flare up easily and care must be taken to bring that temper under control. These children must be encouraged to mix with other children, particularly those with personalities that match theirs. Your Scorpio child is very bright - he needs plenty of books around him. While they may not exhibit emotions openly they are very loyal to family and friends.

Ruler - Mars

Element - Water

Birthstone - Topaz

Lucky color - Red

27 Weeks... entering 3rd Trimester!

Baby's lungs are going through some major developments these days, which (combined with the opening of previously plugged nostrils) means he's now able to practice inhaling and exhaling. The lack of air in your womb means every "breath" is filled with amniotic fluid, but hey -- it's progress.

Got a sudden pain in your rear? That's just baby, settling into place for his upcoming debut. His head might be pressing on your sciatic nerve, which can cause pain and numbness down the backs of your legs. Don't worry -- it'll ease up soon after labor. For now, your aching back deserves a pat. You've reached trimester three!

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

A couple of things:

1)I have a few lines of stretch marks appearing on my belly :( This was fine when it was lower because I have had them for years! Looks like I will be getting some cocoa butter soon.

2) Still feel great. Lot's of energy.

3) Still get up to pee at least three times a night.

4) Enjoying every minute of being pregnant! Grow baby grow!

Mike at the Ray's Game for his birthday!

Mike had been saying he wanted to go to the Ray's game for months. We watch them almost every night. It does help keep our eye on something in hopes that football season gets here faster.

When I went to get tickets, they were virtually sold out because the Rays were playing the Yankess on his birthday. We invited Kevin and James to go with us, and there were no decent seats available without paying way too much. Mike decided just to invite the three boys over on Saturday night for a low key night to watch the Ray's drink beer and hang out. I wanted to invite like 50 more people and he said NO. Just wanted to hang with a few of his best friends.

The next morning, he got on Craig's list and found two seats, seven rows from the field, with a parking pass for $80. We called, the guy sounded completely normal. I arranged to pick them up and we went to the game. I really think he had a great time.

Happy 5 year Chipotle Anniversary!

I remember it like it was yesterday, I filled out my paperwork in the morning and was in the kitchen doing training by the afternoon. I went through 8 weeks of in store training: learning the recipes, culture. I can't believe five years ago has flown by so fast. I do get to work with some of the best people and really think we are changing the way the world eats and thinks about fast food.

Here is a photo of me doing a guacamole cooking demo with kids at Selby Library in Sarasota.

GARZA NO HITTER! GO RAYS!

WHAT A GAME!!
Mike and I cheered on the Rays and Matt Garza and watched the first NO HITTER in Ray's history.

Babymoon is Booked!

We are flying to Vegas early for our National Conference. Chipotle is paying for four nights, we are paying for one. We are also going to see the Cirque show "KA" while we are there and calling it our "BABYMOON." According to Wikipedia is to describe a vacation taken by a couple that is expecting a baby in order to allow the couple to enjoy a final trip together before the many sleepless nights that usually accompany a newborn baby.

Here is a sneak peak to the show KA.

Burning a hole in the carpet...

Last night I went to the bathroom four times. Yes, FOUR. We went to bed early around 10:30. The trips were at 11:45, 1:45, 4:40, and 6:30.

We had the carpet estimator come by yesterday and give us a second bid. He was very professional and seemed trustworthy. He brought three samples. You could tell one was a low end, middle and high end version. My eye went straight for the middle of the road one. His bid was $600 cheaper than Lowes. The one I like is the second row, on the left. It is a tad darker than what we have now, but not by much.

It was strange, Mike got a call from Lowes yesterday too, asking us why we have not confirmed the sale yet. Mike told them we got a different bid and said that it was 600 cheaper and all inclusive unlike their sloppy expensive bid that makes you pay for everything individually.
They stammered around the conversation and finally hung up. I told Mike they should give us a $35 on a refund for their crappy estimate.

We also have a house guest this weekend. Buster's buddy Chloe will be here till Monday night. She is so sweet and no trouble at all. I think Buster likes to pal around with her! She is laying right next to me as I type this in the office. Buster is in the hallway. Buster does keep a close eye on her while she is here, but I think he loves having company.

Zander's First Chipotle Visit

Baby Zander came to Chipotle after his great doctor's visit and enjoyed his burrito.
He gained another two pounds and is over 9 lbs now!

26 Weeks...

Baby's soaking up your antibodies, getting her immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and she'll soon be practicing the blink...perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes.Don't panic if your uterus suddenly starts tightening and relaxing -- Braxton Hicks contractions often begin around this time. They're simply your body's way of practicing and preparing for labor. (If the contractions are regular or particularly painful, call your doc just to be sure it's not the real thing.)
The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

So I have had complex lately about not showing. Skinny girls pop right, they show at17 weeks. Matter of fact, one of my co-workers had posted a photo of his wife at 17 weeks and she "Looks" pregnant. I just look fat. Yes, in the big picture, I don't care. But emotions and hormones take over and this is what happens. So I came home today and asked Mike to take a photo. I feel better. I kind of look pregnant in this shot.

One book says baby is 2 pounds this week! I can't believe it! If we are shooting for 7 pounds, than we are 27 percent there. Holy cow.

Here is week 17 for a reference:

99 days...

Double digits... I can't believe we are already at this point along the pregnancy journey. It seems so much more closer now that there are under 100 days. I remember that it took less than 100 days to find my first job. They usually do a 100 days report on how the president is doing after he/she comes in to office. Time is flying by faster and faster. Summertime is upon us and it is getting hotter and hotter. I am staying cool with Popsicles, ginger ale, water and grapes.

Last night I went to Babies R Us to take another look at the crib so we could match the stain of the crib to our dresser. My childhood dresser is in Vero Beach and my FIL John is getting it all fixed up. This is a huge help because it will save us almost $500.

Before bed Mike put his head on my tummy and talked to Baby Higgins. He put his ear on the tummy and actually felt her kick!

Later this afternoon we have to head to Sherman Williams and match our paint samples with the Lowes Valspar colors that we picked out. If all goes well, they should start painting the outside of our house by next Monday.

Baby Higgins Shower Invites

When we returned home from PA there were two beautiful invitations in the mail to my Baby Shower's in August. How exciting! One is for the Vero Shower and was a cutout of a pink outfit with a cute rhyme and the other is for the Dade City Shower and was long and it had pink and green flower on it. Both cute as they can be and adorable. I can't wait for the showers and I know that Baby Higgins is truly blessed with so many great family members and friends that want to shower her with LOVE.

As I type this Mike is reading a book called, "Be Prepared" A Practical Handbook for Dad's. He just sits there and chuckles outloud. It is so cute.

Family Reunion-Egg toss top 5

Even though I am 6 months pregnant I particpated in the egg toss game at the family reunion with my hubby. We did great! Got 5th place. Egg broke on the base of my hand and was very yucky. Here is a photo of the toss and also a nice shot of the baby belly. This was after lunch so I think I look extra big!

1st Baby Doll, 1st Book...

Today Baby Higgins received her first baby doll from her Great Aunt MaryAnn. She is a porcelain doll that has a white outfit with pink trim. Adorable. She will sit on a shelf and watch over her. She also received her first book called "Rainbow Colors Peekaboo" from cousin Debbie. Two more books were actually Carly and Vinny's books and Debbie wants me to start reading to Baby Higgins while she is in the womb.

25 Weeks

Baby's now the size of an eggplant!
That oh-so-handy sense of equilibrium is kicking in, and baby's learning to distinguish right side up from upside down. Got a dark line running down your belly? That's your linea nigra, and it's totally normal. Pregnancy hormones might also be making your complexion a little spotty. Switching to oil-free, water-based, noncomedogenic makeup should help clear things up. Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Today we are on our way to Pittsburgh. We have so many people to see and little time. We are looking forward to seeing folks, some who we haven't seen in seven years. More details to follow.

Baby's Room is Painted!

I am thrilled and so excited to announce that the Baby's Room is painted! My father-in-law came over this week and with the assistance of Mike the room is another step ready for a Baby! I am getting all my "lists" and taking a big red pen across this huge step! I brought both of them matching CP7 FSU shirts from Tallahassee as a THANK YOU present.

The color is "Pale Apple" and is a light green on top, with a tad darker green on the bottom. He also added the chair rail which really finishes the room off beautifully. So exciting!

Childbirth Classes Confirmed

Today I registered Mike and I for Childbirth classes in September. The dates we registered for are for three nights in September! I think it will be great! September 7th, 14th and 21st. They offered an assortment of dates, almost 10-15 choices, but really this series was the ONLY date that worked best with our schedules. Go figure. I am excited for them and think it will be fun. Can't believe that we are talking SEPTEMBER!! The months are flying by!

By the time of the classes end, we will have had the three showers and nursery should be completed... speaking of which...

Word is that my awesome father-in-law has come over to paint the nursery while I am in Tallahassee this week. This worked out so wonderfully for few reasons...

1) I am out of town, so Baby Higgins and I won't be exposed to the fumes

2) This was a HUGE item on the to do list, before the carpet is removed and replaced and it will be great to get it done!

3) At completion of the project, he will be taking Buster with him back to Vero while we are on vacation.

PLUS, I called and confirmed with Dynamic Painting today that they will be painting the exterior of the house. They said once we get the color confirmed with the HOA, that they can get us on the schedule as early as July 26th. Which would be huge to have the big painting projects done by the end of July.

In August we would then begin work on the sprinklers and landscaping of the house! Yeah, it is so great to know that all the puzzle pieces are coming together. We are so blessed!

PROGRESS!! Upstairs!

Wow! What a weekend! We have been working slowly all week trying to get the old office cleared out to make room for the baby's room. Finally we have made such great progress. I can't tell you what a relief this is now that it is done. Mike was up in the attic on Friday re-wiring the computer cables so we would have Internet access in the new room. I have been trying to go through the drawers and clutter and have donated almost 4 bags to Goodwill and two bags of trash. We also shredded and got rid of files past 2005. The queen bed is at my mom and dad's and if we ever needed it, say for a new house, we can always have it back. We are thinking of putting a futon in the office or just use that floor space for the air mattress.

The Baby's room is like a blank canvas and so exciting to have this ready for Step 2.

Our next step is to paint the baby's room and call the painter for the exterior of the house.

Here are BEFORE photos of our mess (transition) earlier this week:


















Here are the AFTER photos of the Baby's Room and new office:

Productive Saturday Recap

We had a major break through today! So many decisions were made! I took my graphic artist-design extraordinaire-BFF to run errands and it was so productive! Here is a list of all the things we got accomplished:

1)Colors picked for Exterior of house
2) Baby Girl Higgins color of her room- two different shades of green, one lighter than the other separated by a chair rail.
3) Confirmed Crib choice
4) Confirmed Bedding choice
5) Added a ton of stuff for both Target and Babies R Us registry
6) Picked out carpet for upstairs

We had great customer service at Babies R Us. They were in the mood to help and we were ready to ask a ton of questions. I also figured out I would love a swivel chair for the nursery. I feel so much better now that these decisions are made.

Here is Ann helping me pick colors:

110 days.. and so much to do..

We are almost at double digits till Baby Higgins arrive and the "to-do" list keep growing. I feel like we are preparing for the best and biggest house guest of all, one that will only be probably 7 lbs when she arrives and won't leave for 18 years. My BFF is coming over to day to help make some decisions. She is very creative and great with color. I hoping she can help me narrow down some paint choices and just be an unbiased sounding board. This week we have made improvements, but slowly. We have moved almost everything out of the Baby's room and transitioned the spare room into the office where I am currently typing. Getting the computer up and running was hard for the IT Specialist Husband. He had to run cords from old office through the attic to the new room. A two hour process. But we are up and running, minus the printer. Still have bags of trash, bags to go to goodwill and tons of clutter to go through. Progress is slow, but moving right along. The first estimate on the carpet came back higher than we thought, so we are going to get another estimate. We'll probably call our Dynamic Painters on Monday to set that up. But we have to go meet our HOA representative Evelyn to tell her what color we have chosen. The two plants outside the front of the house have been dug up and trash guys took the roots and dead magnolia from the back yard. The lime tree was pruned last week when John and Judy was here and looks great! With the five days of rain that we had it really helped the grass in the back which looks rich and green for a change.

All this is not only for Baby Higgins, most of these task needed to get done regardless. It is like Spring Cleaning times 10. We needed to declutter for a while, but never made it priority. It is time. But we sure are excited to celebrate a clean painted house, new carpet and organized once she arrives.

My goal to have everything the big tasks completed by Labor Day (the start of football season). Wish us luck!

24 Weeks

Baby's now the size of a bigger papaya!Baby's skin is becoming more opaque as the fat starts to pack on. And, thanks to the formation of small capillaries, her newly thick skin is taking on a fresh pink glow. As much as we love your company, take a break from the computer if your fingers feel numb or tingly. It's probably carpal tunnel syndrome, often brought on by pregnancy. Stretch your hands frequently to loosen them up. For significant symptoms, try wrist braces or splints at nighttime. Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

So we have been working on names for Baby Girl Higgins. We have a narrowed down to a couple, but there is a front runner. This is the best kept secret hopefully for 17 more weeks. We want to tell everyone after she is born. It will be a wonderful surprise. Believe it or not, Mike is the one that came up with her first name. Unless something else comes along that we really love, this name will probably stick. Mike is already calling her that when we talks to my tummy.

OBGYN Check up with Dr. Cohn

Today we went for our monthly check up and got to see my favorite Doctor, Dr. Cohn. She has been the one that I have been seeing for many years and is very sweet. My blood pressure was great 114/56 and I gained one pound and now up to 230. I have only gained 5 pounds this whole time and she said that was perfect! Baby Girl Higgins's heart beat was beating 150 bpm and Dr. Cohn said she was moving all around.

My next check up is in four weeks and I have to go in for my glucose test. This is routine and will be done on August 4th.

Everything is going well and feeling great. The house is currently a disaster as we strip everything out of the office and try to downsize our clutter. Mike is currently setting up the computer in the new office and we are going to make a decision on weather or not we are going to put my childhood dresser in the baby's room. We have to decide if it will fit or not. Then decide if we are going to paint it and then decide the color of the crib. So many decisions. We are just trying to take it one step at a time. The carpet estimator also came by yesterday to take measurements. We started our registry but it is far from being completed. I am using the Baby Bargains book and trying to get the safest stuff in a color that I like. Again more decisions. All good things!

TEAM PINK

When we came out of the sono appointment with thoughts of a baby girl spinning through our hearts, we couldn't wait to tell everyone. We were planning a very special surprise to tell both our parents together later that evening, so we started to call our brother and sister. Both did not pick up their phone at first, go figure. So we called our best friends James and Ann. Mike was first on his phone and got a hold of James. James has two little girls so he is knowledgeable in team pink. Ann was next and she was extremely excited too. I then called Shannon, Mandi and Brooke. Brother and sister both called back and were delighted about having a niece in 17 weeks.

The plan was to go to Cheesecake Factory since John, Judy and Anabelle were on their way over from Vero. Liz and Jack were on their way from Dade City. Liz brought a beautiful 8 x 10 frame of the photo I had taken at sunset and two bottles of wine from Doctor Gandle to help celebrate the occasion. I had picked up a pink item to put in the cheesecake at dessert, but the pressure from the grandparents was so fierce that we had to do plan "b" instead. I asked the waitress to stink pink booties in the bread basket that she would bring the table. Everyone still thought the reveal would be at dessert, but when she brought the bread it was an even bigger suprise. Judy and Liz broke out into tears and loud screams.Everyone was excited with the news. Liz began texting to her co-workers/friends and Judy tried to call Mo. We enjoyed the rest of our meal talking about the many thoughts of having a baby girl adding to the family in 17 weeks. It was a wonderful dinner.



At the conculusion, we hustled to the cars in the pouring rain. After dinner we relaxed at home for a bit. Judy and John then gave us Baby Girl's first pink outfit. It was a pink and white onesie with a hat and jacket and a pink blanket that said "Thank Heaven For Little Girls." Buster had his eye on the blanket already.



We then posted this message on facebook: Kim and Mike are excited to tell everyone they are having a baby girl. We received more than 31 message with folks from across the country.

23 Weeks

Baby's now the size of a papaya!Baby's little face is fully formed...minus the baby fat, of course. The next task at hand for baby: sprouting two teeny-tiny nipples! Swollen from head to toe? Increased blood flow, by now an old friend, is to blame. Consider a trip to the shoe store because loosening ligaments will cause your feet to expand even more in the weeks to come. Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

We went to Prenatal Associates today for our sonogram of the baby's heart and to find out what it is. Our nurse was Sandy and we told Sandy that we didn't know what the baby was and we were dying to find out so when she saw something to let us know. Well this visit was a different story than the last time we came. Baby Higgins had its legs WIDE OPEN for all to see. Lots of movement and with in minutes, Sandy said that Baby Higgins was indeed a GIRL. 153 heart beats per minute, 1 pound 8 ounces, and is in the 80 percentile in length of her legs.

We were thrilled, I had tears in my eyes and Mike had the biggest grin on his face. Then as she took the rest of the measurements, 1001 of what it meant to be having a girl flashed through our heads. We were in shock. At our patch meeting the day before, 11 out of 16 managers guessed BOY. However, my area manager Tony, good friend and colleague Ryan from Atlanta both said GIRL. Brooke guessed Boy. My Aunt Judy (Dad's sister) had told him from the get go she had girl vision.
Here we are with a baby girl swimming inside. All measurements of heart look great and they scheduled us for one more visit in 2 months just to check the baby's heart before delivery. Yeah! We get to see her again!

"It's like Christmas morning!"

This morning Mike comes downstairs and says, "It's like Christmas morning!" in reference to the big sonogram today. So incredibly cute! I knew I picked a good one. We are getting excited to see the baby at 9:30.

Last night, he wanted to feel the baby again, but I think it was sleeping. I laid down next to him and baby didn't give us a bump. So I then ate 3 OREO cookies. We had lots of action after that. Baby Higgins likes OREOS, or maybe the extra sugar.

Less than three hours till we find out what Baby Higgins is going to be!