CFA Exam is finally over! Oh and the Philly Bike Race

Yay - Mike finished the CFA on Saturday. I would just like to take a minute and dote on him and let everyone know how proud I am of him. He worked so hard and studied for so long. We don't find out the results until August, but to be honest I don't even care about the results, I'm just happy to have my husband back. He is so amazing, and so inspiring - I don't know how anyone studies as hard as he does. Fingers crossed this is the final one and he doesn't have to go through another year.

Now that we finally have free time on weekends... On Sunday, Mike and I were able to go to the Pro Cycling Tour's race here in Philadelphia. One of the great things about my job is the fact that our client's are kind enough to give us opportunities like this, which Mike and I are always quick to take advantage of. One of our clients, is the state of Pennsylvania and they were a large sponsor in the event. So, Mike and I got Silver VIP tickets, which meant a tent, free food, free drinks and a spot at the finish line.

It was our first real bike race ever and it was incredible. Floyd Landis (Tour de France winner whose medal was stripped away after steroid tests proved positive) was in it - he was close, but didn't win. It was so fun to see chase group, the pack, the breakouts and the leaders and to see how it really is all won within the last few seconds. We had a great time, beautiful weather, beautiful day in a beautiful city.

3 More weeks (37 Weeks)

Your pregnancy: 37 weeks

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How your baby's growing:

Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Here is this week's picture. The clothes are definitely getting tight - no more jeans, no more pants... Dresses only!

Mike can't even fit my head in the picture anymore...

That's one huge belly :)

36 Weeks (only 4 to go!!)

Your pregnancy: 36 weeks

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

The belly has now become HUGE!

35 Weeks

Your pregnancy: 35 weeks

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Picture of the belly on Wednesday (35 Weeks!!!)

Bonnie's Wedding - Santa Barbara

Last week, Mike and I were able to take a trip all the way to California to see my cousin, Bonnie get married. We decided to take off a few days early and make a "babymoon" out of it. Yes, the final vacation before we become parents - don't worry, I got permission from my doctor (he even signed a note) and I survived just fine. In fact, it was super easy and soooo relaxing - just what we needed.

Mike and I took a 10 mile bike ride on Friday morning, this was our resting stop on top of the hill. Such a beautiful view!



The beach at the "Boathouse" an amazing spot we found for brunch. Right on the sand...


Getting some sun time. Yes, I'm sure people were thinking I should be "thrown back in!"


Mike getting some shade time :)

After a few days of R&R, Mike and I were joined by my mom and dad, my sister and her 3 adorable kids and my brother, Ryan and his girlfriend, Sarah. It was so fun to be around family, we miss them so much. I think that Mike and I are so lucky to have some of the greatest parents in the world and I'm reminded whenever I'm with my parents or his. I love my brothers and sister so much, I hate to leave them. I have a hard time holding back tears every time I have to say goodbye. And my nieces (all 4 of them) and my nephew are absolutely adorable. Each and every time we see them, I'm amazed at how much they've grown up. Time really flies.

And the wedding celebrations began...

REHEARSAL DINNER







BRUNCH AT THE BEACH WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY










AND FINALLY, THE WEDDING...

34 Weeks

This is a little delayed, sorry we were on vacation. That post is coming next, but first here's the update at 34 Weeks...

Your pregnancy: 34 weeks

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Pictures of the huge belly at 34 weeks...

33 Weeks

Your pregnancy: 33 weeks

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How your baby's growing:

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Getting HUGE! (These were taken with my iphone, so they are a little grainy...)