A year ago, S and I were still getting over the shock of seeing a little 12-week old being on the ultrasound screen. A year ago, we were nervous about bringing someone into this world and scared that our little person might leave us before arriving into the world. I was so scared to talk about it, so scared to even imagine what our baby would be like, I decided not to speculate, for fear I might lose it and be disappointed.
Today, I look at my 6 month old son and can not believe that he is actually here! He is in my arms. He cries for me when he is hungry, and hangs onto my shirt and wraps his little arms around my neck when he wants comfort. He smiles when he wakes up and see my face. He laughs when I spin and do a silly dance. His laugh, oh his laugh, is such a perfect and infectious laugh. His whole face lights up, his nose scrunches, and his body wiggles when he laughs and the giggles spill out like popcorn poured into a tiny bowl. He is beautiful and perfect. He is HERE.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Nesting - the bizarro phase
Nesting has started in the Lai household, and man, it's bizarre.
First of all, I am the Queen of Clutter. Seriously, if there are 20 stacks of bills dating back to 2005, I don't really mind that much. I know that I don't throw anything away, so if I need that gift receipt that I need to honour that warranty for the toaster oven we got for my bridal shower, I know it's in the third pile from the right. Receipt for that taco lunch I had during the third week of exam-grading in grad school during 2004? Yup. Got that too. My decluttering must be a sign of nesting, because I have given up on those receipts and have managed to sort and shred various pieces of paper up to 2007, whittling the piles down to just 3 and those 3 piels fit nicely in a cardboard box. At this rate, I'll be caught up by the time the little dude gets here.
These days, I'm also finding that we're making frequent trips to Ikea and Home Depot to get optional things DONE before the baby arrives. For example, when we moved into this house 1.5 years ago, S had repainted the WHOLE interior on his own. 1.5 years is not that long ago, but for some reason, we decided that the largest room in the house, the dining/living room that spans the entire house from front to back, needed to be repainted. And not just repainted. It needed to have a chair rail installed around the room, and the upper half needed to be repainted a lighter colour. So that meant 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of light brown, over half of the chocolate brown wall.
Then, we painted installed chair rails in the baby room and repainted the bottom half for contrast. Baby's room also received a dark brown dresser, a baby-height shelf (we want his toys and belongings at baby-level a la Montessori), a glider and ottoman, various baskets, fantasy and superhero-themed artwork prints, and a dark brown crib. Photos? Sure. One day.
When we had first moved in, the home was a mess. The previous homeowners did almost NO cleaning up, so we had bags and bags of garbage in the garage, and layers of dust and grime to get through before the home was livable. During that moving in phase, the cheapo venetian blinds were quite low on the list of things to get clean. The other day, I noticed just how filthy they were, and S found me on my knees, in bathroom, donning a pair of rubber gloves, and up to my elbows scrubbing the blinds with Mr. Clean and a scouring pad...
...at 3 am.
I was only up that late because the belly was making things hard to get to. I'm sure I would have been done by 1 am if I had started 2 months ago, before the belly was really out there!
So what does this nesting phase mean? Does it mean that at the back (well, it's at the front now) of our minds, we know that life will be crazy when our little guy gets here, and that we won't have time to get to all these house things? I'm not even sure why we decorated his room, since we plan to co-sleep and it's unlikely that we'll move him into a crib in the first year. It must be something in our genetic programming that causes us to feel this overwhelming urge to make a personal space just for our little one. To us, nesting is preparing the household, but really, to the little one, all the nesting space he needs is in his mama's arms!
First of all, I am the Queen of Clutter. Seriously, if there are 20 stacks of bills dating back to 2005, I don't really mind that much. I know that I don't throw anything away, so if I need that gift receipt that I need to honour that warranty for the toaster oven we got for my bridal shower, I know it's in the third pile from the right. Receipt for that taco lunch I had during the third week of exam-grading in grad school during 2004? Yup. Got that too. My decluttering must be a sign of nesting, because I have given up on those receipts and have managed to sort and shred various pieces of paper up to 2007, whittling the piles down to just 3 and those 3 piels fit nicely in a cardboard box. At this rate, I'll be caught up by the time the little dude gets here.
These days, I'm also finding that we're making frequent trips to Ikea and Home Depot to get optional things DONE before the baby arrives. For example, when we moved into this house 1.5 years ago, S had repainted the WHOLE interior on his own. 1.5 years is not that long ago, but for some reason, we decided that the largest room in the house, the dining/living room that spans the entire house from front to back, needed to be repainted. And not just repainted. It needed to have a chair rail installed around the room, and the upper half needed to be repainted a lighter colour. So that meant 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of light brown, over half of the chocolate brown wall.
Then, we painted installed chair rails in the baby room and repainted the bottom half for contrast. Baby's room also received a dark brown dresser, a baby-height shelf (we want his toys and belongings at baby-level a la Montessori), a glider and ottoman, various baskets, fantasy and superhero-themed artwork prints, and a dark brown crib. Photos? Sure. One day.
When we had first moved in, the home was a mess. The previous homeowners did almost NO cleaning up, so we had bags and bags of garbage in the garage, and layers of dust and grime to get through before the home was livable. During that moving in phase, the cheapo venetian blinds were quite low on the list of things to get clean. The other day, I noticed just how filthy they were, and S found me on my knees, in bathroom, donning a pair of rubber gloves, and up to my elbows scrubbing the blinds with Mr. Clean and a scouring pad...
...at 3 am.
I was only up that late because the belly was making things hard to get to. I'm sure I would have been done by 1 am if I had started 2 months ago, before the belly was really out there!
So what does this nesting phase mean? Does it mean that at the back (well, it's at the front now) of our minds, we know that life will be crazy when our little guy gets here, and that we won't have time to get to all these house things? I'm not even sure why we decorated his room, since we plan to co-sleep and it's unlikely that we'll move him into a crib in the first year. It must be something in our genetic programming that causes us to feel this overwhelming urge to make a personal space just for our little one. To us, nesting is preparing the household, but really, to the little one, all the nesting space he needs is in his mama's arms!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Maternity shoot - 30 weeks
Usually, we aren't big on posing for photos (I secretly laugh at the really cheesy poses in wedding studio shots, but only if the bride and groom are really ugly), but something got into me and I HAD to have belly photos taken. I just couldn't skip this opportunity to commemorate our "first pregnancy" belly. Who knows, by the time the next one comes around, my belly could be a red, roadmappy, stretch-marked mess, so might as well do it now.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Belly shot
Yeah yeah. Everyone wants to see the belly!
Here is a carefully edited belly shot. That's right, no face!
Little dude is starting to take up more room and I look like I'm hiding a large basketball these days! Thankfully, he has dropped a little lower, so I can now breathe a little easier and don't look so...umm...apple-shaped now! Next week, I hope to have some nicer pics to post up, with S, Me, and the belly!
Monday, March 16, 2009
3D Ultrasounds at 28.5 weeks old
On Saturday, we went to UC Baby and got 3D ultrasound scans done of our little dude. We know it's completely unnecessary, but the technology is so cool and we're so excited to see what he looks like, we couldn't resist and couldn't wait to see him in 8 - 10 weeks. The technician was really nice and the whole experience was amazing and really positive. They even recorded his heartbeat and we watched it on the screen for a few seconds. 146 bpm! We left the UC Baby office with a DVD of our 30 minute session, 2 printed photos, and a CD of about 100 pictures. It took a long time to sift through the photos, but there is a selection of the cutest poses and captures on our Flickr site.
Here's a sample of a few of the poses:
Playing with the umbilical cord:
Cuddling:
Portrait with the umbilical cord in hand:
Solving the issue of world hunger:
Now I can put a little face to the kicks!
Here's a sample of a few of the poses:
Playing with the umbilical cord:
Cuddling:
Portrait with the umbilical cord in hand:
Solving the issue of world hunger:
Now I can put a little face to the kicks!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Monthly Appointment - 27 weeks
My 27 week appointment with Dr. V wasn't the most exciting, but it was eye-opening. After measuring my weight (yikes! I thought I was being good!), and belly, he told me that I'm going to look HUGE.
Yup. HUGE.
Dr. V's explanation was that because I have such a short torso and high waist, there's not much room in the abdomen for the little dude to grow, so he's going to be growing outward. S and I have often joked about my weird body shape and that I'm basically a head and arms on a pair of legs, but it never occurred to us that I would look huge as a result of that. This totally explains why my belly is way up high and why I look rounder and more "out there".
Oh well, if that's going to happen, then that's what's going to happen. I'm kind of glad I received advanced notice. It would be really hard on the ego otherwise.
He said that even though I'm looking big, it's doesn't mean that the baby is big. In fact, I'm measuring right on target, so we're looking at an average size right now. In the next 13 weeks, many things could change!
Yup. HUGE.
Dr. V's explanation was that because I have such a short torso and high waist, there's not much room in the abdomen for the little dude to grow, so he's going to be growing outward. S and I have often joked about my weird body shape and that I'm basically a head and arms on a pair of legs, but it never occurred to us that I would look huge as a result of that. This totally explains why my belly is way up high and why I look rounder and more "out there".
Oh well, if that's going to happen, then that's what's going to happen. I'm kind of glad I received advanced notice. It would be really hard on the ego otherwise.
He said that even though I'm looking big, it's doesn't mean that the baby is big. In fact, I'm measuring right on target, so we're looking at an average size right now. In the next 13 weeks, many things could change!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Baby Transportation - done!
Our first big purchases were made this weekend. We bought the stroller and carseat!
Although Den mentioned that we should wait and put this type of stuff on a baby registry, it's really hard for S and myself to pass up a good deal. Also, those places that have baby registries don't carry the stroller we want, so, what's a couple of anxious parents-to-be to do? Head to the awesome baby store just 5 minutes away, and walk away with cash deals - taxes in!
Anywho, we are picking up our RED Uppababy Vista this week! And the matching carseat from Peg Perego! I'm so happy that they have red available. It's one of those hard to find colours that seem to sell out quickly. I really waffled back an forth between the Uppababy and the Bugaboo Cameleon, just based on the reviews I found online. But when we tried them out in the store, we knew the Uppababy was better for us. It's SO cool looking. And the seat is up quite high, so poor S doesn't have to bend very far down to pick up our little dude. People are right when they say you have to take into account your personal needs for a stroller. The Bugaboo is also nice, but we found the bassinet and seat way too low for a tall daddy. The I'coo Targo was also a consideration, but when we saw how big it was folded up, it wasn't for us. Anyways, I've meticulously researched these items and am very happy with what we chose. I kinda like that the stroller is not very common, so it will be easy to spot in a crowd.
Strollers have come a really long way in the past few years. Even in just the past 5 years, a lot has changed. Parents have the option to go with sleeker designs and funky light materials like aircraft alloy - sweet! A lot sure has changed from those days when 9 year olds use to race baby cousins down the streets of Miami in big ol' strollers. I bet the Uppababy would leave those ones in the dust. If cousin Darryl can fit in our Uppababy, I would let S race around with him in it to bring back those nostalgic memories. Thankfully, he does not fit.
Uppababy Vista: "Part sports car. Part super-utility vehicle."
Just look at all that storage space!
Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP - one pimpin' carseat.
This one is easily adjustable and will fit last a little longer for babies that might end up being long. The salesguy took one look at S and gently suggested that we might want to take that into account in case our little guy is longer than average. I like the side impact protection features and the super soft material.
I know we're supposed to do it, and people just want to know what we need, but it's really tough to find things to put on a gift registry. We don't like the idea of expecting gifts from people, much less telling them what we want from them. Also, I like to do intensive research on pretty much everything I buy that's over $100, so when it gets to that point, I usually just pick it up myself because some things can be pretty hard on the pocketbook for giftgivers. I have a feeling our registry will be mostly blankets and baby socks with a smattering of gear that we don't know we need yet...
Although Den mentioned that we should wait and put this type of stuff on a baby registry, it's really hard for S and myself to pass up a good deal. Also, those places that have baby registries don't carry the stroller we want, so, what's a couple of anxious parents-to-be to do? Head to the awesome baby store just 5 minutes away, and walk away with cash deals - taxes in!
Anywho, we are picking up our RED Uppababy Vista this week! And the matching carseat from Peg Perego! I'm so happy that they have red available. It's one of those hard to find colours that seem to sell out quickly. I really waffled back an forth between the Uppababy and the Bugaboo Cameleon, just based on the reviews I found online. But when we tried them out in the store, we knew the Uppababy was better for us. It's SO cool looking. And the seat is up quite high, so poor S doesn't have to bend very far down to pick up our little dude. People are right when they say you have to take into account your personal needs for a stroller. The Bugaboo is also nice, but we found the bassinet and seat way too low for a tall daddy. The I'coo Targo was also a consideration, but when we saw how big it was folded up, it wasn't for us. Anyways, I've meticulously researched these items and am very happy with what we chose. I kinda like that the stroller is not very common, so it will be easy to spot in a crowd.
Strollers have come a really long way in the past few years. Even in just the past 5 years, a lot has changed. Parents have the option to go with sleeker designs and funky light materials like aircraft alloy - sweet! A lot sure has changed from those days when 9 year olds use to race baby cousins down the streets of Miami in big ol' strollers. I bet the Uppababy would leave those ones in the dust. If cousin Darryl can fit in our Uppababy, I would let S race around with him in it to bring back those nostalgic memories. Thankfully, he does not fit.
Uppababy Vista: "Part sports car. Part super-utility vehicle."
Just look at all that storage space!
Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP - one pimpin' carseat.
This one is easily adjustable and will fit last a little longer for babies that might end up being long. The salesguy took one look at S and gently suggested that we might want to take that into account in case our little guy is longer than average. I like the side impact protection features and the super soft material.
I know we're supposed to do it, and people just want to know what we need, but it's really tough to find things to put on a gift registry. We don't like the idea of expecting gifts from people, much less telling them what we want from them. Also, I like to do intensive research on pretty much everything I buy that's over $100, so when it gets to that point, I usually just pick it up myself because some things can be pretty hard on the pocketbook for giftgivers. I have a feeling our registry will be mostly blankets and baby socks with a smattering of gear that we don't know we need yet...
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Kicker
Oh, I forgot to mention in my last post...
This kid kicks alot, and he kicks hard!
The past three weeks has felt like a soccer match down there. I don't know what he's doing, but he's busy. S hopes he's practicing jiu-jitsu or dunking hoops. I think he's just experimenting in punching me to get a reaction or to get up. He might even be jumping on my bladder to get me to walk. Little dude does not like me to sit still or lie down.
Two nights ago, S and I were watching TV when I felt some extra hard kicks. So we looked down at the belly and saw the kicking! SO FREAKY!! We didn't see little hands or feet (freaky!!!), but a spot next to my bellybutton vibrated up and down!!! We both yelped we we saw it and I think we startled the little guy. Minutes later, he did it again in the same spot. I would take a video of this, but really, nobody wants to see that much skin!
This kid kicks alot, and he kicks hard!
The past three weeks has felt like a soccer match down there. I don't know what he's doing, but he's busy. S hopes he's practicing jiu-jitsu or dunking hoops. I think he's just experimenting in punching me to get a reaction or to get up. He might even be jumping on my bladder to get me to walk. Little dude does not like me to sit still or lie down.
Two nights ago, S and I were watching TV when I felt some extra hard kicks. So we looked down at the belly and saw the kicking! SO FREAKY!! We didn't see little hands or feet (freaky!!!), but a spot next to my bellybutton vibrated up and down!!! We both yelped we we saw it and I think we startled the little guy. Minutes later, he did it again in the same spot. I would take a video of this, but really, nobody wants to see that much skin!
23 weeks: Pudgy-McPudge-Pudge
So yesterday was the monthly prenatal appointment with Dr. V. I don't have pictures to show, but everything seems okay so far. Everything, that is, but for my sudden weight gain in the last 4 weeks. I'm not even going to say how much it was. Let's just say I've gained more than the low end of the recommended TOTAL pregnancy gain for someone my size. It prompted Dr. V to tell me to "Lay off the carbs, kid"!!!
Dr. V says I'm one of his smallest patients, so that kind of weight gain in 4 weeks is not something he wants to see. This could be problematic if I continue gaining in this was, as the carbs will contribute to much of the baby's weight. My dodgy recollection of first year biology and intro human physiology somewhat supports this.
Carbs --> blood glucose --> umbilical cord exchange --> baby's blood glucose --> chubby baby.
At this rate, I could end up with a 9 pound baby, which is cute and roly-poly, but may also mean c-section. No thank you!!! I was a giant baby, and S was a big-headed baby who grew into a rather large adult. I've seen too many video clips of the procedure to be nonchalant about it. If there's anything I can do to prevent a c-section, I'll do it.
Dr. V could tell I felt really bad, so when he actually saw my belly and measured it, I think he was trying to make me feel better by saying that all that weight gain wasn't just the baby. But then joked that I was getting quite a pot. WTH? What kind of a joke is that?? He just called me fat!
So yesterday was one of those days where I felt disappointed in myself the whole day for possibly sending my kid down the road to a lifetime of obesity. I went through the cupboards and threw out old packages of cookies (we don't eat them much anyways, but just in case temptation strikes....), chips, and candies. I took a close look at our pantry and my diet to narrow down the culprits responsible for this. I think the culprit is rice and pasta. I've always loved to eat large amounts of pasta, so that wasn't much of a change. It's more about the rice. Pre-pregnancy, I hardly ate rice at all. I just didn't like it. I'd get a small scoop with my dinner, and most times, atleast half of it would still be on the plate after I finished all the other items in the meal. But since Christmas, I've been scarfing down the rice like any true-blooded chinese girl. So I'm cutting back the rice, increasing fish, upping the exercise, and trying not to worry.
My girl friend and my massage therapist both tried to make me feel better with the same story! They both gained 60 pounds in their first pregnancies (both are now on their fourth!!), and the babies turned out average sized. S also says that a fat baby doesn't mean a fat adult. Just look at cousin Darryl. heehee!
On the preparation front, the nesting instinct is starting to kick in for both S and myself. We had a weekend of curtain-hanging and are both very proud of the results. Next project is wallpaper for our bedroom (I have a vision of "french occupied vietnam aristocrat" for our bedroom) and reorganizing furniture for the little dude's room. On the shopping front, we have acquired the following:
- fancy crib bedding, but no crib
- a few baby outfits
- a Halo sleepsack wearable blanket
- a small mountain of fancy cloth diapers
- a ring-sling carrier
- a Beco butterfly carrier
- yet another diaper bag (this one is for daddy-o)
And borrowed:
- a glider
- a bassinet and stand (so cute!)
- a swing chair
- a baby bath tub
- a feeding chair
The house is finally starting to look like we are expecting a new family member.
Dr. V says I'm one of his smallest patients, so that kind of weight gain in 4 weeks is not something he wants to see. This could be problematic if I continue gaining in this was, as the carbs will contribute to much of the baby's weight. My dodgy recollection of first year biology and intro human physiology somewhat supports this.
Carbs --> blood glucose --> umbilical cord exchange --> baby's blood glucose --> chubby baby.
At this rate, I could end up with a 9 pound baby, which is cute and roly-poly, but may also mean c-section. No thank you!!! I was a giant baby, and S was a big-headed baby who grew into a rather large adult. I've seen too many video clips of the procedure to be nonchalant about it. If there's anything I can do to prevent a c-section, I'll do it.
Dr. V could tell I felt really bad, so when he actually saw my belly and measured it, I think he was trying to make me feel better by saying that all that weight gain wasn't just the baby. But then joked that I was getting quite a pot. WTH? What kind of a joke is that?? He just called me fat!
So yesterday was one of those days where I felt disappointed in myself the whole day for possibly sending my kid down the road to a lifetime of obesity. I went through the cupboards and threw out old packages of cookies (we don't eat them much anyways, but just in case temptation strikes....), chips, and candies. I took a close look at our pantry and my diet to narrow down the culprits responsible for this. I think the culprit is rice and pasta. I've always loved to eat large amounts of pasta, so that wasn't much of a change. It's more about the rice. Pre-pregnancy, I hardly ate rice at all. I just didn't like it. I'd get a small scoop with my dinner, and most times, atleast half of it would still be on the plate after I finished all the other items in the meal. But since Christmas, I've been scarfing down the rice like any true-blooded chinese girl. So I'm cutting back the rice, increasing fish, upping the exercise, and trying not to worry.
My girl friend and my massage therapist both tried to make me feel better with the same story! They both gained 60 pounds in their first pregnancies (both are now on their fourth!!), and the babies turned out average sized. S also says that a fat baby doesn't mean a fat adult. Just look at cousin Darryl. heehee!
On the preparation front, the nesting instinct is starting to kick in for both S and myself. We had a weekend of curtain-hanging and are both very proud of the results. Next project is wallpaper for our bedroom (I have a vision of "french occupied vietnam aristocrat" for our bedroom) and reorganizing furniture for the little dude's room. On the shopping front, we have acquired the following:
- fancy crib bedding, but no crib
- a few baby outfits
- a Halo sleepsack wearable blanket
- a small mountain of fancy cloth diapers
- a ring-sling carrier
- a Beco butterfly carrier
- yet another diaper bag (this one is for daddy-o)
And borrowed:
- a glider
- a bassinet and stand (so cute!)
- a swing chair
- a baby bath tub
- a feeding chair
The house is finally starting to look like we are expecting a new family member.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
19 Weeks - It's a BOY!
The best birthday present ever.
Today, we found out the gender of the baby. It's a BOY! Yippee!! After we called everyone to tell them, they all said that they knew it was a boy, but hey, the odds were 50/50 it would be a boy. Wow! A boy! There hasn't been a boy grandchild in the Lai family since Ian who is now 13 years old!
I'm going to have to stop fawning over little girls' clothes and start taking a closer look at baby boy clothes. I have to admit, I thought it might be a girl (no reason at all), so I kept gushing over girl clothes and didn't pay that much attention to boys' wear, but now that I think about it, those little boy cothes are pretty darn cute too! Yay, now I can finally shop and buy something for him!!
The ultrasound appointment was so fun! The tech we had this time was friendly and willing to talk. I told her right away that we wanted to know the gender. It was amazing to see all the little parts of his body as she took the measurements. Then, the reveal....it was so clear! There was the angle looking at his little bum, and you could clearly see that there was something there between his legs! She said "You're having a boy!" and I got all weepy and emotional. Great times. S snuck our camera in and captured most of it on video. I'll edit and try to upload it soon.
Since Dr. V is still on vacation, we had our appointment with Dr. P and it was really quick. The results of the Integrated Prenatal Screening were great. Low risk of neural tube defects and low risk of Down's Syndrome at 1/15000 which is super low. Yay for prenatal vitamins! My blood pressure is perfect and she listened to the baby's heartbeat on the doppler machine. It was so amazing to hear! S was very impressed with the machine and how clearly we could hear the strong little heartbeat. If we get one of those now...we can use it again for the next kiddo! Or lend it to friends who will be expecting!
Anyways, here are the pics!
This one's kinda spooky. The angle is looking at baby face-on with his face on the right. He looks like an adorable little Skeletor.
Hands and feet stretched way up. Whee!!!
Here's a cool upside-down angle that shows his tiny little spine. teehee..! \
Next prenatal appointment is February 4th! No u/s, but if my current rate of growth is any indication, I can just imagine how big I'll be then...
That's all for now,
T.
Today, we found out the gender of the baby. It's a BOY! Yippee!! After we called everyone to tell them, they all said that they knew it was a boy, but hey, the odds were 50/50 it would be a boy. Wow! A boy! There hasn't been a boy grandchild in the Lai family since Ian who is now 13 years old!
I'm going to have to stop fawning over little girls' clothes and start taking a closer look at baby boy clothes. I have to admit, I thought it might be a girl (no reason at all), so I kept gushing over girl clothes and didn't pay that much attention to boys' wear, but now that I think about it, those little boy cothes are pretty darn cute too! Yay, now I can finally shop and buy something for him!!
The ultrasound appointment was so fun! The tech we had this time was friendly and willing to talk. I told her right away that we wanted to know the gender. It was amazing to see all the little parts of his body as she took the measurements. Then, the reveal....it was so clear! There was the angle looking at his little bum, and you could clearly see that there was something there between his legs! She said "You're having a boy!" and I got all weepy and emotional. Great times. S snuck our camera in and captured most of it on video. I'll edit and try to upload it soon.
Since Dr. V is still on vacation, we had our appointment with Dr. P and it was really quick. The results of the Integrated Prenatal Screening were great. Low risk of neural tube defects and low risk of Down's Syndrome at 1/15000 which is super low. Yay for prenatal vitamins! My blood pressure is perfect and she listened to the baby's heartbeat on the doppler machine. It was so amazing to hear! S was very impressed with the machine and how clearly we could hear the strong little heartbeat. If we get one of those now...we can use it again for the next kiddo! Or lend it to friends who will be expecting!
Anyways, here are the pics!
He's doing what S has dubbed the "Captain Morgan" pose. If you look at that jumble of limbs from left to right, you'll see a knee/leg, a little arm/hand, a raised leg/foot, then an arm/hand raised. Kinda like a running pose.
This one's kinda spooky. The angle is looking at baby face-on with his face on the right. He looks like an adorable little Skeletor.
Hands and feet stretched way up. Whee!!!
Here's a cool upside-down angle that shows his tiny little spine. teehee..! \Next prenatal appointment is February 4th! No u/s, but if my current rate of growth is any indication, I can just imagine how big I'll be then...
That's all for now,
T.
Monday, January 5, 2009
New year, New Baby
Happy New Year!
What an exciting 6 weeks it's been. I haven't updated much, but it's been exciting. We had our holiday trip to Jamaica for 2 weeks. What a fantastic trip it was. Getting there was a bit rough since we left in the middle of a weekend of snow. We were lucky that our flight wasn't delayed by too much. We narrowly escaped missing our flight due to all the lineups, cancellations, and delays. To make it even worse, I was random-searched while going through the metal detectors for carry-on luggage. The agent even commented that I was pregnant while she was inspecting me and doing the handsearch over my clothes. I was miffed by the search, but kinda happy and emotional at the same time because it was the first time that a stranger noticed I was pregnant.
During a 9 hour stopover in Miami, I picked up some stuff that I had ordered and shipped to cousin Darryl's house. Maternity clothes and our first baby-thing! A GORGEOUS set of diaper bags and matching snack pack things from Bumble Collection. Yay for Babysteals.com!
What an exciting 6 weeks it's been. I haven't updated much, but it's been exciting. We had our holiday trip to Jamaica for 2 weeks. What a fantastic trip it was. Getting there was a bit rough since we left in the middle of a weekend of snow. We were lucky that our flight wasn't delayed by too much. We narrowly escaped missing our flight due to all the lineups, cancellations, and delays. To make it even worse, I was random-searched while going through the metal detectors for carry-on luggage. The agent even commented that I was pregnant while she was inspecting me and doing the handsearch over my clothes. I was miffed by the search, but kinda happy and emotional at the same time because it was the first time that a stranger noticed I was pregnant.
During a 9 hour stopover in Miami, I picked up some stuff that I had ordered and shipped to cousin Darryl's house. Maternity clothes and our first baby-thing! A GORGEOUS set of diaper bags and matching snack pack things from Bumble Collection. Yay for Babysteals.com!
Thank goodness for maternity clothes. I wore all the new items that I bought while in Jam. They are SO comfy. I don't care if my nighty looks like a pink paisley sack. It's soft and stretchy.
During our layover, Darryl took us for lunch at a yummy cuban restaurant called Havana Harry's in Coral Gables. I had this AMAZING pulled pork dish called Lechoncita: Shredded pork with onions, garlic and mojo sauce, served with moros rice and sweet plantains. It was so yummy, and I was so satisfied, that the baby kicked me! I felt a flutter that I've never felt before. It wasn't gas, it wasn't bloodpressure, it wasn't digestion. It was a flutter like when you drum two fingers quickly on a surface. So, that was a milestone moment. Our first kick! Baby likes pork!
S helped at the store for the first week of the trip while I watched the nieces and let them wait on me while I ate and slept my way to an additional 5+ pounds in the course of, oh...let's say 3 days. Then there's the almost 0.5 pound/a day weight gain for all the other days!
Christmas was amazing with lots of friends and family at the family home in Jamaica. Big dinner and lots to eat. Lots of belly rubbing. I felt like a happy little buddha! Everyday, the girls asked me questions about the baby in my belly and made predictions about the kind of mommy I'll be and the kind of daddy S will be. It was incredibly adorable to learn how excited they were about their soon-to-be baby cousin. I've been learning to accept the amount of weight I'm gaining and that I'm not just getting fat, I'm pregnant. It was hard to avoid with the little girls remarking with astonishment everyday "Aunty T, you're belly is getting bigger and bigger every day!". So now, I'm obviously pregnant from about just below the breastbone downwards, and I think it's cute, at moment. A round bump.
The second half of our trip was spent hanging with cousins in town, and then a 3 day trip to Ocho Rios with S's brother, 2 cousins, and a combined total of 5 kiddies. So fun! So relaxing! The resort wasn't the greatest and our room was dodgy, but it was still fun for the kids and it was very family-oriented. We had a good time hanging at the beach and the pool with 5 little nieces. Thumbs up for maternity swimsuits, nachos with cheese, and a perfectly cool and beautiful beach. Sure, we will not be seeing a couples resort anytime soon for the next few years, but the beaches will still be available to us for enjoyment.
Now we're back in T-dot and things are chilly, but I'm still nice and warm inside. I guess that's what they mean with the "bun in the oven" reference. I'm hot all the time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
