I'm so proud of you.

Dear baby,
Last night we celebrated your dad. He's been working so hard for the past 3 years on his masters in business administration, and last night he was awarded at the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business Awards Banquet for the class of 2013. The banquet was fun, we mingled with a lot of his classmates and their wives/husbands, and even met a few of his professors. Your dad received a BIG award for being in the top 20% of his class, and stood up in front with honorary ropes around his neck that he'll wear at graduation next month, too. He worked so hard for the past 3 years, studying, writing, meeting with his group and staying up late. I just felt so proud to be his wife. But my proudest moment by far as your dad's wife was when he got up to present a few awards to other classmates and he started his presentation by saying "Long before I took a negotiations course in business school, I had to negotiate with someone else to even start this program. We are expecting our first child in a few months and she's been so wonderful and supportive. Thank you to my wife, Holly Clinard." Amazing. Your dad is just amazing. He had a few minutes up on that platform to say a few words, and he didn't boast about himself or his classmates...but thanked me. I snapped this photo and felt like the luckiest girl in the room, as my eyes welled up with tears. "I'm so proud of you," I kept repeating to him last night and when we woke up this morning. What an amazing man it takes to balance school, a new business, church, faith, friends, family, and a wife...and still come out saying "thank you" to someone else.

 Baby girl, I know we will be so proud of you someday, too. We are already so proud that you haven't made life miserable for mama as you've been in her tummy. You have made her happy, and never sick, with your movement and your good health. I am so proud of you. And I can't wait to see what you do when you get into this world. Above it all, all of those accomplishments and achievements that you might take on, I pray that you find a man as amazing as your dad--to make each day a little brighter and a little funnier, to be so humble in saying "thank you" and so strong in doing what takes work.

Love,
Your proud mama

Catching up.

I was never really good at keeping a journal. And by this point, you can probably tell! My last entry on this mama-to-be blog was in mid-February, and you know a lot has happened since then. All good stuff, I promise. Ups and downs, and laughs and friends have happened in our household, and we're still getting through this lovely pregnancy like pros! I love it.

Last time I wrote, we didn't know the gender. Well...drumroll please...it's a girl! I honestly didn't think I would be this excited about a girl. At first, I thought "oh shoot, if we have a girl, she might be a bratty teenager like me, might be overly emotional like me, might be arguing with her mom all the time like me..." you get the gist. But as my husband was telling me stories of an Alaskan ship captain while that ultrasound tech moved her wand around to look at my baby, time seemed to slow down a little, and she said "see those 3 lines? It's a girl!" I cried, he cried. I later went into the bathroom at the hospital and cried some more. Never did I think I could have so much peace, so much healing, from learning I would have a little girl. It's going to be great.

That was a major milestone, of course, but the rest is sorta uneventful. In a good way! But nonetheless, I wanted to at least give a quick recap of events to catch us up, so I won't forget these moments that we're making. We are grateful for all of them. And as I said to my best friend and my husband last night "I feel like God is showing us favor." Praying for humility and wisdom to keep it that way.

Catch up on this preg:

• February 19 (17 weeks): this week, Trevor hired a new employee, Abbey. She's awesome and will be a good filler for when he's on "paternity leave!"
• February 23 (17 weeks): Trev goes to UFC with our friend Dominic. I hang with my best friend Mackenzie and her daughter Piper for the day. Sanchez looks forward to playing with Piper one day too!
• February 27 (17 weeks): I start prenatal yoga at Granola Babies in Costa Mesa. LOVE IT. Great group of women, lovely instructor, I have found my "zen."
• March 2 (18 weeks): I go with Mackenzie to see Shauna Niequist speak at St. Andrew's Pres in the morning; Shauna has tons of wisdom, we laugh and relate a lot. Later that day, Trevor and I leave for camping in El Capitan! Near Santa Barbara, we spend the weekend in a tent, I learn survival skills, am proud that I can camp pregnant, and our friends the Dennis swing by for some fun with us for the day. Best camping trip EVER (and baby did so well!).
• March 9 (19 weeks): I have coffee with Natalie Fitzgerald, an old acquaintance from Fresno, and we totally hit it off! She's a new mama and freelance writer, and we make a good personal and professional connection.
• March 11 (19 weeks): IT'S A GIRL! We find out baby Sanchez is a girl, and love her to pieces. We go over to Trevor's parents to tell them in person, giving them a little car as a gift. This day is the day of our full sonogram, all the organs and everything looks healthy. Midwife calls me to tell me that my placenta is .9 cm from my cervix. This = no exercise, sex or heavy lifting until Week 28. This is when they'll check to see if it's moved and grown with my uterus (happy anniversary to us!). On this evening we also have all the neighbors over for the BACHELOR FINALE. What a trip, Sean + Catherine (baby loves Bachelor)! 
• Somewhere around here I switch midwives, from Norma Bates to Nancy Gomez. I'm SO glad I listened to my gut (and the book "Birthing from Within").
• March 15-17 (19 weeks): My mom and Auntie DD visit, we tell them the gender with Sprinkles cupcakes (which also look like boobs). My cousin Sam is there in the living room when we tell them, and we go to dinner and celebrate. 
• March 20 (20 weeks): Our 4th anniversary! Sadly, Trevor and I both cannot remember where we went to dinner, oops! But it was special, I promise.
• March 21-23 (20 weeks): Anniversary trip to Palm Springs. We stay at our fave spot, Del Marcos Hotel, and they have a great room for us upstairs, bottle of campaign awaiting us in our room. We spend lots of time by the pool, walking around town, and a great dinner at Copley's at the canyon. We also go on a gondola ride - baby isn't sure she likes it, but dad keeps her reassured. Great vacay, we wanna go back!
• March 26 (21 weeks): baby and I have dinner with Pastor Tedd Lyons, and we catch up. He's so great.
• March 28 (21 weeks): Passover dinner at the Dennis house (I sip a little white wine with mama-to-be, Brooke). Grateful for those friends!
• March 30 (22 weeks): Mackenzie and I have Holly Golightly Tea in Orange. It's girly and fun, and it'll be fun to bring our girls here in a few years!
• April 6 (23 weeks): I show off my baby belly to Renee Dierking, my old boss, with my friend Annie and her daughter Charlotte at the 125th Anniversary of the City of Orange! It's a HOT day, but I'm lookin' and feelin' good!
• April 7 (23 weeks): Spend a Sunday shopping with Linda, Anne, and Jamie--we buy maternity clothes and I clearly am the "shopper" of the day. Grandma Linda was so generous to buy us so many clothes! Baby bump is stylish.
• April 11 (23 weeks): Margarita Thursday with our neighbors, Mike and Rachel. I have a virgin marg to fit in.
• April 14 (24 weeks): Jeff & Jamie's co-ed baby shower at Anne & Tim's house. It's a lovely day, lovely shower, lots of fun. Two preggo ladies really pulled it off!
• April 18-20 (25 weeks): Head to Fresno for a visit, see my dad, pick up our crib and changing table. Unfortunately get in a fight with my mom, but Trevor saves the day with his goodness. Love him.
• April 20 (25 weeks): Steve & Tiff's housewarming near Pasadena. Love their backyard, and all 3 Clinard/Watson preggo ladies are there! It's fun.
• April 25 (25 weeks): I skip work and do my baby registry with Michelle. She's awesome, knows so much, and let's me not register for every last thing. I love baby's stroller! Never thought I'd say that!
• April 28 (26 weeks): Trev & Jeff's 30th Bday party! Nerdy thirty is the theme, Jeff wins the twin wars, Jamie and I swear to not throw another party like this until they're 40...maybe 50. We are TIRED.
• April 30 (26 weeks): I have a little scare with some discharge I see, and see an OB the next day. He says all is well, totally normal. Go figure! Jamie talks me off the ledge, and I am grateful.
• May 2 (26 weeks): I'm a judge for a live hair & style show at Sutra Lounge in Costa Mesa. I feel like Kara on American Idol, representing Locale Magazine. Baby gets lots of attention and love. I'm glad she's here to keep me company!
• May 3 (26 weeks): Trevor's (and Jeff's) 30th Birthday!!! He gets breakfast in bed, some Star Trek gifts, and a yummy relaxing dinner at Ruth's Chris. He's the greatest.
• May 6 (27 weeks): Tara visits from NYC--Annie, Tara and I go to happy hour, don't drink since all 3 of us are preg, and we catch up.
• May 7 (27 weeks)  Photoshoot with Christin and Kate at Seventh Tea Bar! Jamie is there to keep me company, and I love having my photo taken today. Feeling cute and good!
• May 9 (27 weeks):  Trevor makes a sacrifice and we go to American Idol!!! Get the royal treatment since I'm preg with baby, front and center seats, get interviewed by Casey Abrams, have so much fun. Baby may be a star someday too!
• May 12 (28 weeks):  Mother's Day! Trevor gets me gifts of massagers, I get mother's day wishes all day which I feel undeserving of. It's pretty fun, nevertheless!
• May 14 (28 weeks): Dinner with Claire Allen, get schooled on cloth diapers. Let's see how this goes!
• May 15 (28 weeks)  Ultrasound today = placenta has moved! Baby is growing, looks healthy, and we get to have sex again. My feet start to swell, I go up a size and get new shoes at Target. Yay!
• May 16 (28 weeks): That's today. I am 28 weeks, going on 29, and feeling so good. I am grateful to God for giving me life, the ability to create life, and all of my support around me. He is good. Praying for baby Sanchez (we're leaving toward Shane Consuelo Clinard at this point, eek!).

Phew! Baby, I love your feet. Love, mom.