wait...what?!

okay say what you want but "pregnancy brain" 100% EXISTS! Unbelievable things I have done lately have made me question my sanity. Leaving my phone at my mother in laws house, then after Jake so graciously drove to get it, I forgot it at home the next day. oye. Jake's love must be pretty great for him to keep up with me...and my things.

BTW I'm getting huge and it's only just begun. Totally worth it though! :) I've started feeling Roo but Jake can't just quite yet. Hopefully within the next few weeks he will be able to. It's like a little fish swimming around in your guts. Amazing.

Thank you

Jake...I love you. We say it 800 times a day. We do not get off the phone without saying it. Even when we are fighting. We somehow manage to grunt out an "i love you". But do I tell you how much I appreciate you? How you are my angel? How you are my absolute best friend? Well I do and you are. Life with you isn't perfect...nowhere near but anything and everything we go through is worth it. I couldn't and wouldn't want to do anything in life without you. Do you know how much you touch other peoples lives? Well you do. Every person you come in contact with, you leave a permanent mark on thier lives in such a short time. It doesn't take much...one glance at your gorgeous smile...a hint of your contagious laugh...the slightest touch of your loving and careful hands. Know this. Know how you touch and impact lives. How is it I got so lucky to have you all to myself? How is it that I am blessed enough to be carrying your child? To be able to create the best parts of you and me into one single miracle? You are simply the most affectionate, caring, and passionate man I've ever know. Truly an inspiration especially to me...your wife. This is just a thank you for being you and making me who I am.
I love you
not only for what you are
but for what I am when I'm with you
I love you
not only for what you have made of yourself
but for what you are making of me
I love you
for passing over all my faults and weak traits
that you can't help but see
I love you
for finding my inner workings and drawing out my beauty
that no one else looked quite hard enough to find

Home Sweet Home

WE ARE OFFICIAL HOMEOWNERS! :) A couple of weeks ago, Jake and I signed the contract on our first home together! We basically went through hell trying to find a house...between losing houses to contracts or just plain being too picky...we finally found THE perfect home for the PERFECT price. Everything works out exactly how it's supposed to and I could not believe that more. It's the perfect location for both of us with just the right amount of space. It's three bedroom with a playroom/flex room in between the spare bedrooms. It even has a study! Upgraded features like granite, kitchen cabinets, lighting, carpet, covered patio, and sprinkler system. We got a great deal because they included ALL the appliances (even front load w/d), wood blinds throughout the house, and all the closing costs! We saved for having to pay about $12K in closing costs and down payment but because they are paying for most of that, we are saving so much money! We are using some of that money to put in wood floors in the living room and paint the entire house. WE close October 25th and will hoepfully move in that following weekend! :) Cannot wait to be out of this apartment to tell you the truth...it's driving me nuts! I need some space for my stuff! Maybe I just have too much stuff?!?!?! :) Pictures of the house are on facebook...check them out!

The Manchaca's plus one :)

Flying HM Ranch

God is doing amazing things in Jake's life right now. Obviously with me and the baby :) not to brag or anything but also in terms of some things he has ALWAYS wanted to do. His job is going great but he's got some other things he's been working really hard on the past couple of months. Ryan, my sisters boyfriend, and him have been writing a business contract to start a land and cattle ranch out in Winters, Texas. They have found potential investors which will get things up and running. He is passionate about EVERY SINGLE thing he does but this is his dream and I love watching God unfold it in front of our eyes. Everything just seems to fall into place at the perfect time :) I will keep ya'll updated in this matter...just pray for his guidance and wisdom as he takes this huge risk for our family and to see his dream come true.

Update on Roo

Roo is doing great! I have a wimpy attempt at a baby bump...but it is there! As of tomorrow (the day I've been waiting for for the past 10 weeks is FINALLY upon us) I will begin my second trimester which hopefully *fingers crossed* means that the nausea and headaches will subside. This is the trimester where you apparently feel the best you have ever felt in your life and you get to actually enjoy being pregnant. Not that I haven't enjoyed it because HELLO I have a little miracle...the best part of Jake and I...growing in me as we speak...BUT I could've gone without the nausea. That was definately the worst part. With all of that said, it is without a doubt totally worth every visit to the toilet! God has blesses us with this beautiful little creature that we get more anxious as days go by about meeting! We have our next appointment next week and then the appointment after that, we will hopefully find out the sex of the baby :) I'M DYING TO KNOW! Even though not knowing hasn't really stopped me from buying things (duh...have you met me?!) but it would make it a whole lot easier. Obviously I don't care one way or the other what it is and neither is Jake; we just want Roo to be healthy. At the last appointment, we got to hear the little heartbeat. SOOOO PERFECT! After hearing that, you can't exactly help but LOVE life. HOW AMAZING IS GOD?!?! So tomorrow, Roo will graduate from the size of a peach to the size of a lemon. Kicking and moving which is really what makes mommy queasy. Roo can also hear now so we are starting to be careful about what we say. Jake talks to him/her every night and every morning...adorable. BIGGEST downside?!?!...I can no longer sleep on my tummy. Sad day. Jake went and got me the mommy pillow which is like a contoured body pillow for pregnant women to sleep comfortably on their side and even a little on thier stomach. It takes the pressure off the stomach. IT'S AMAZING...AND it's zebra print! :) just a small plus. Jake has been absolutely wonderful. I recently started experiencing back pains and he gets up in the middle of the night if I'm hurting and gives me a back rub...cleans the apartment when I'm just too exhausted to. I'm pretty lucky :) We think we've finally settled on names but we aren't revealing those just yet. Roo says hi and he/she can't wait to meet everyone!

Momma M & Baby Roo

Apologies

Man how crazy lhas life been?! Between our jobs, the baby, adjusting to married life (which isn't really any different...just better :)), and of course just everyday life things, I have found it really hard to blog and keep up. But I promise that will start changing because things seem to be slowing down just enough. By no means am I complaining because God has blessed us with several incredible things these past couple of months that I wouldn't have it any other way. It will come in several posts so prepare yourselves :)

Dr. Appointment

Everything went great at our doctors appointment. First thing they did was do an ultrasound. I thought they were going to do it vaginally because I am still only 7 weeks but they ended up doing it over my belly with the gel which took me by surprise. Not that I'm complaining or anything but I was totally prepared for the more invasive procedure. She pushed around on my belly and showed me the size of the uterus which is about the size of a grapefruit right now and then my bladder. She then showed me my yolk sac which is what is responsible for releasing all those hormones that cause the breast tenderness and nausea...not to mention the oh-so-famous pregnancy mood swings. Which haven't been so bad...although Jake might have a different side of the story. :) FINALLY she got to the placenta where the baby was. It was soo tiny but you could definately see the heartbeat. It was amazing! We couldn't hear it but could definately see it. Jake couldn't stop squeezing my hand! It was adorable! Roo is currently measuring right at 7 weeks and 3 days and the due date the doctor gave me was March 31st! That was the best part of the whole appointment. Afterwards, we did a consultation for family history as well as the not so fun exam. And of course the whole pee in a cup and bloodwork business which apparently will be happening every time I have an appointment. Our next appointment is September 9th when I'm 11 weeks...which means I will be one week from the end of my first trimester! YAY! NO MORE NAUSEA! :) Although she did give me some miracle drugs that don't hurt the baby that help with the nausea. So far so good! I have a long list of things I will not eat. I added wings to them last night. :( It was a sad day! Another reason why it was a sad day...at the beginning of the day my clothes fits perfect...by the end, it gets a little snug and uncomfortable. They say its normal and eventually they won't even button in the morning which apparently will be the next couple of weeks because I'm smaller in size so I will most likely show quicker. Which I'm okay with simply because right now I just feel like I look fat, not pregnant! Belly band here I come! :)

Here is the first picture of our sweet baby!