It's a...

Hello, Plum Parade blog readers! We had our second trimester ultrasound last week to check out the health of babe in utero and also find out the sex of the baby. I'm not into surprises!

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But before the reveal, let's look at said baby. Whole body shot with a rockin' spine.

Profile shot. This must be his good side. Oops!

Beware! Grainy x-rated shot! The doctor told us to look closely to see if we saw anything between these baby hips. Uh....I guess. I can't make out these pictures! Since he put it that way, it had to be a boy!

See you next update!

Parc del Laberint d'Horta

Wanting to spend a relatively relaxing day at the park, we revisited the Parc del Laberint d'Horta in Barcelona. Off the tourist radar, it extends over nine hectares and was built in 1791. The park is named after its main feature, a high-walled labyrinth for guests to get lost in. 

The last time we went here, Fernando and I came alone, and I was a few months pregnant with Paloma on a chilly day. This time, we've returned with some friends to have a nice picnic and enjoy the greenery and a beautiful spring day with a trio of kids. 

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Paloma poses in front of the bare branches entangled along the wall.

The park has two sides: a neo-classic side and a romantic side. I feel romance here.

I love the "eyes are constantly watching you" statues.

The park dons some nice lakes and walkways for visitors.

Only 750 people are allowed to enter the park each day to preserve its beauty.

Green.

We've arrived at the labyrinth! My friend Julia flashed us a map of the puzzle, which she had filed away for a design project. Cheaters!

And they're off! Dads and kids stuck together while moms stayed behind with our Cadillac strollers.

Moms spotted the dads and kids getting lost through the maze.

We made it! Fernando enjoys the final destination, the center of the labyrinth which has a statue of Eros, the god of loooove.

Kids take a quick water break.

And some smiles for the doting parents!

Dudes together.

Ladies' turn! What would I do without mama friends in the city? Julia (on the left) is also expecting her second three weeks before me!

Once you're finished with the maze, you can climb a few steps up and watch others get lost.

It probably took us 15 minutes to find our way through it.

A large, quiet fountain sits on one side of the exit.

Just above the labyrinth is a palace with an ample pavilion. Paloma and Fernando wave to us from the dead center. See their smiles?

Dad and daughter admire the pavilion, which is a tribute to the Nine Muses...

...our daughter being one of them ;-)

Paloma takes the foreground and leaves the statue of the other muse behind her.

We later came across the perfect place to have a picnic next time. On the cute tree stumps!

Thanks for visiting!

Perfect Park Day

Last post from our trip to Sevilla! We enjoyed some very sunny weather at this iconic park, the Parque de Maria Luisa. This half-mile of gloriousness is full of palms and orange trees, elms and Mediterranean pines, filled in with some ponds and pavilions throughout. Let's visit this park again, shall we?

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Clear, blue skies on a warm day. Perfect!

An ideal setting for a Disney princess to break out in a high-pitched song and have birds flock to her graceful hands.

A bold ceramic post adorns the neatly trimmed hedges.

There are a few benches that could use some sprucing up on the tilework. It's a shame...it's too interesting!

The Mudejar Pavilion, now the Museum of Andalusian Folk Arts, reminds visitors of the Spain's Islamic past. 

You can't leave Maria Luisa Park without feeding the pigeons.

Paloma sees which pigeon is the fastest and hungriest.

It just takes one feisty dog (seen running from the left) to ruin the peaceful setting.

A triple generation Ruiz photo.

It was quite sunny, so we put on our imaginary sunglasses to block those UV rays.

Sunday folks can sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery in horse-drawn carriage.

Us - we decided to get our legs circulating and cycle a four-person bicycle bus. Paloma LOVED this! We really had so much fun.

Fernando and Paloma play peek-a-boo in front of an interesting and very thick tree.

See you soon!

The Bump - Five Months

While I've been showing for awhile now, I figure I'd share with our faraway friends and family how my pregnancy is progressing along. Nothing much to report, which I guess is good news! This second time around, I'm showing earlier and enjoying those nice elastic maternity pants. Oh yeah! The important thing is the my doctor says I'm at a healthy weight and everything looks A-okay. I'm at 18 weeks (but according to What to Expect, I'm at the beginning of a "pregnancy" time of five months), so I suppose I'll update monthly that way.

Because Paloma also interacts with some younger siblings of her classmates, she's really excited to become a big sister. She calls our new addition "my baby", as in her baby. So sweet! And she asks me a few times a day, "Mommy, what my baby says?" As in, "What's my baby saying right now?" Yesterday she said that we were having twins - the one that's in my belly, and her favorite baby doll, the one she named Baby. Haha!

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In Spanish, gorda can mean "fat" or "girl with a large pregnant belly". This doesn't do well to your self-esteem! Hmm. Baby bump doesn't look too big here, no?

I guess this is what I really look like to people. Get ready for some major chica gorda soon!

Your bump can be as big as your clothes allow you to show (or not). See? I'm tiny!

See you all soon!