The Big Stuff make my brain hurt

I'm trying not to get into a panic with 10 weeks left in this pregnancy, and you coming any time before then.. But I'm trying to get some of the bigger stuff out of the way. Like what you're going to sleep in, and how you're going to be mobile.

i.e a bed/crib/pack n play and a car seat/stroller thingy.

Seeing how babies are expensive endeavors, I've decided to look at our credit card points program to try and redeem you a Pack N Play as well as a Travel System. I am thinking I might get both of those from there, but I'm still doing a little bit more "research". Both these items are of the Graco brand, and that's supposedly a big and good brand for baby stuff, and I'm trying to be frugal and use points that are sitting there doing nothing anyway.

So here's the first one..

Graco Pack N Play Playard with Bassinet and Changing Table, Model #1749822 in Brentwood 9E00BWD ( pattern/color )
( at least that's what the picture in the "redeem your points" page shows )

and the next one:

Graco Quattro Tour Travel System in Marlowe ( pattern/color ) 7B10MLW3
( once again, that's what the picture supposedly shows )

review from BabyGizmo here

BUT I am still trying to look at the different convertible car seats that would hold a child till it was 50 - 65 lbs
and get a separate stroller thingy, instead of getting one that's just an infant car seat that would have to be changed after a while. GAH DECISIONS DECISIONS!!!!! Oh well, if I redeem it from the Visa points, i won't have to pay for a toddler car seat for about another year... :P

Bull Headedness

Let's hope that just because you're going to be born in the year of the Ox, you aren't going to be difficult to deal with... :)

Apparently, you are going to get along famously with your daddy, who was born in the year of the snake, according to THIS little snippet I found on the Net :) But since the both of you are going to have er, some similar traits, let's just say I'll have my fingers crossed :)

Let's hope that since you'll be ethnically mixed yourself, that you won't have any hint of bigotry in you, for pete's sakes. I don't know if I should take any of the above seriously, though. .. Cos it says you would be patient, but at the same time anger easily. Like, WTH?

Here's something else I found on a baby website, which has kinda better things to say, but in the end, still say that you and your dad are gonna be like best pals or something :) That would be just too sweet.

The Ox of Chinese Astrology is no bull in a china shop. Steadfast and solid, this powerful Sign is a born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. Oxen tend to be plodding and methodical; they approach projects in the step-by-step manner that serves them best, and they never lose sight of their goal. They are tireless workers who are detail-oriented and believe in doing things right the first time.

The world may perceive Oxen as being far too serious or incapable of loosening up. This sturdy sort is less than social by nature and tends to become introverted in a crowd. To make things worse, they can't be bothered with what other people think and prefer to do what makes them feel best. Behind that calm facade, though, lives an Ox who can feel hurt, lonely and unable to connect with others. Friends and family are a great source of comfort to this beast, even if they don't always understand what makes the Ox tick. As a lover, friend, family member or housemate, the Ox makes a wonderfully strong, tender and affectionate companion who is protective and always reliable.

Out in the world, though, Oxen tend to be stubborn, dogmatic, my-way-or-the-highway kind of people who have no concept of when to back down. Oxen don't care to be pushed, especially since they think they're the good guys of the Chinese Zodiac. There is some truth to that theory, since the Ox is smart, trustworthy, caring and honorable. If you need honest, steady and unbiased advice, call on the Ox.

A good lesson for mighty Oxen is to strive to overcome a judgmental nature that keeps them from getting close to others. If they can learn to value their own good qualities, they'll have more room in their hearts to invite others in.

Chinese Astrology Signs Compatibility

The most compatible match for an Ox is the Snake or the Rooster.

HeartBurn Revisited

I haven't had heart burn in a while - it was mostly at the beginning of the pregnancy, and then it stopped during the second trimester, and now it's back.. *sigh*

note to self:

small frequent meals.

3rd Trimester

Can you believe it we're in the third trimester???

You're growing by leaps and bounds!

Your daddy and I went to our OBGYN's appointment yesterday, and your poor daddy had to watch part of President Obama's inauguration on the little hand held portable TV and the swearing-in part on the TV at the doctor's office.

The doctor said you were growing well, with a strong heartbeat at 145bpm. Because I have been using panty liners ( pregnancy discharge is way more than non-pregnant discharge ) - TOO MUCH INFORMATION, but what the hey - the doctor decided to do an impromptu check of mummy's cervix to see if there was any dilation going on. Fortunately, it was closed.

Your daddy was on the edge of freaking at this little extra piece of examination. He asked the doctor that if anything happened now, if you would have good chances of survival out of the womb, and the doctor smilingly reassured him that you should do well. I must say your daddy's holding up pretty well considering what a worry wort he is :) He just loves you to bits and can't help luvin' your mummy's tummy all the time :)

Pregnancy weight gain to date : 20.5 lbs. ( bleh ! )

Not just a kick or a punch

but an entire body-move!

That's what I felt this morning as I lay in bed for a while after waking up. Usually I feel you kick or punch at an isolated, localized area of my tummy, but this morning, it was like your whole entire body moved from the left side of my tummy to the right. There was this hardness ( I assume it was your back ) which moved gradually from the left to the right. It was weird! But it just goes to show you're growing bigger and stronger!

That also means mummy's getting bigger, which means getting around is getting to be just a little bit more cumbersome. Bleh!

Spin cycle

Lately, I guess it's because you're getting bigger and stronger,

but I've been feeling you move more and more throughout the day. Sometimes, I can even see my tummy move some when you're doing one of your stretches. I know that at some point I will be able to see you make waves ( literally ) across my tummy.

Makes me feel more like a Washer/Dryer than an Oven/Incubator!

My Little Squirmy Worm

You've been quite the active one these couple of days, haven't you? :) I guess you're excited to see the boys' for Letti Thursday today.

That's going to be a tradition where I'll be seriously outnumbered once you're here :)

Already there's Daddy, Grand-daddy Walter and Uncle Lin and pretty soon you'll be adding to all the testosterony-ness of Thursdays :) We should rename it Testosterone Thursday! *grin*

That would be just too cute to see - you in your little bouncy thingy or carrier, with your grandad, daddy and uncle...

And now for some "serious" news, we passed our glucose test !! Yay!!!!

Random Thoughts

As we approach the 27th week ( unbelievable ), and you are about 2 pounds, more or less,

the pain in the b*tt seems to have abated, but now I have pain in the right hip when I get up from sitting or have been standing in one position too long and start to move ( like when I'm cooking ). It doesn't radiate or anything, just a stabbing pain in what feels like the right hip joint.

Waning energy. ( psychological? )
At the beginning of the second trimester, I was pretty pumped up doing stuff, having gotten over the morning sickness, but as we approach the 3rd trimester, I feel a little more tired than usual, needing to lay down for a bit in the afternoons.

I decided several nights ago that the "body pillow" was kinda more trouble than it was worth, because it made it hard to move around in bed, being so bulky, and so nowadays, all I use is one of those couch/throw pillows between my knees when I'm in bed, which works amazingly well.

Also, I forgot to call up the OBGYN's clinic today to ask about the results of the O'Sullivan Test I did on Friday. But I'm hoping no news is good news.

Your Daddy Felt You Kick!!!

26 weeks and 3 days

Remember when I told you that I was going to try and get your daddy to listen to your heartbeat with the stethoscope? Well, that didn't happen.. What DID happen, however, was way more exciting.

Daddy felt you kick for the very first time yesterday night! At 10.25 pm! ( or thereabouts ). And WE TOOK PICTURES!!! I mean, how silly is that ? *grin*

I was trying to get in a position on the bed where I could get a good heartbeat for your daddy to listen to, when you gave me a little kick on the chestpiece. Your daddy walked into the room right then, and I thought, well, we'll see if he can feel you squirming instead, since you were doing a BUNCH of that.

( this is NOT a pic of MY belly, btw.. LOL )

I quickly grabbed your daddy's hand and put it on my belly right over where you were kicking. At first, daddy had this "uh hu, I bet I still can't feel anything this time" look on his face, so when you kicked real hard, and daddy felt you bump his hand, he had this most incredulous look on his face, it was sooo priceless. At first he asked if MUMMY was doing that, and I said "HOW does one do that with their belly??" Your daddy's too silly :) And then you kicked at his hand a few more times, and your daddy just about keeled over! He was soooo excited!

Daddy : "Quick! Where's the camera??"

Mommy : "Why would you want the camera?"

Daddy : " We need pictures for posterity!!!"

Anyway, we positioned the camera on the dresser with the timer, and your daddy ran back over to the bed and placed his hand on mummy's tummy just in time to capture the moment.

It's times like these that I am just bursting with love for my boys :)

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo

I finally heard your little heart beats with my stethoscope today :)

I had brought my stethoscope with me when I came to the US, and had started trying to listen for your heartbeats several weeks ago, but you were still too tiny.

When I woke up from my nap this afternoon, I though, "hmm... i wonder if i would be able to hear you THIS week". You were kinda squirmy, and even pushed up against the chestpiece/diaphragm part several times ! But after persisting for a couple of minutes, there it was... a faint but steady lup dup lup dup.... I know it wasn't my own, because it was way too fast... but it was just right for you.

I can't wait for when it's quieter tonight so I can get daddy to try and hear it too :)

Sweets for my Sweet, Sugar for my huuunnnyy

I had to go do a non fasting glucose tolerance test of Friday as part of the gestational diabetes screening you have to go through when you're between 24 - 28 weeks pregnant.

I had heard a lot of horror stories about how bad the sugary stuff was, that they make you drink . ( 50 grams of glucose). After an hour, they have to collect a sample of your blood to see how your body is handling the sugar load.

It really didn't taste that bad. Probably it was because it was chilled, and kinda tasted like Sunkist Orange or Fanta Orange, except without the fizz. They even had a choice of Tropical Fruit Punch or Cola! I thought I'd just stick with orange.

Anyway, the lady at the lab started her timer, and Cindy and I walked around downtown, hoping to walk some of the sugar out of the system ( is that cheating? oh well. ) and came back to the lab with 5 minutes to spare. Hopefully the results will be completely normal and I won't have to do a dreaded 3 hour Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.

Literally a Pain in the B*tt

For the past week, I've been feeling this "twinge" in my right b*tt cheek, a deep ache when I get out of a chair from sitting down or move in bed.

I was thinking, "wow, I'm like getting old"... but why the b*tt??? Anyway, I did a bit of reading, and apparently I have what is called Posterior Pelvic Pain, which is extremely common in pregnancy.

And all this because of Relaxin.....

Relaxin is good in the sense that its function — as you might guess from the name — is to relax the joints in the pelvis so the baby has room to pass through the birth canal. Unfortunately, relaxin also causes abnormal motion in many other joints of the body, causing inflammation and pain.

... and of course my ever increasing girth.