Monday, March 30, 2009

Dinner with Phuong

Phuong and Cactus came over yesterday to cook dinner for us and my buddy Aminta. So delicious! They made a fantastic stir fry along with some bok choy and egg. Nom nom nom.


After we filled our bellies, we were taught how to play Mah Jong! I mean, I've played Mah Jong the solitaire game online before. This version was more poker, and it takes four people to play. Actually it was a lot like gin or rummy. I enjoyed it! Plus, it taught me all the Chinese number characters. Well, at least one through nine.

Hurray to a great night with friends. Thanks, Phuong!

Friday, March 27, 2009

It's a fetus!

This week, we officially have a fetus! It has all its organs. My modified due date is October 26, and I'm anxious for my next visit on Wednesday to make sure everything's going well.

Andrew and I have adjusted to the idea of being parents. He loves the ultrasound picture and smooches my belly. Which, by the way, I think is starting to grow! Or maybe that's just me...

I lost 5 pounds during the first weeks of the pregnancy, and now it appears that I've gained 4 of them back. That's a lot of gain! I think I read that you're only supposed to gain 3-5 during the first trimester. Ooops. I've definitely gotten my appetite back. At work, I go to lunch at 12pm. Around 10:30am, though, I start getting the worst hunger pains that turn to nausea. As soon as I eat, they disappear. Which makes me want to eat every time I feel hungry... but I'm thinking maybe smaller servings!

It also doesn't help that I'm so exhausted all the time. Actually, things have improved this week some. I can stay awake at work now, for one thing. But I take a lot of naps at home and find it nearly impossible to get up in the morning. I've tried to work out a bit and go for long walks when I don't feel too tired, but as soon as I do, it drains me, and I come home and sleep.

But, yes, my belly is feeling a bit tighter. When I bend over, I feel a weird pressure, so I'm trying not to bend over too much. I've stopped wearing my regular jeans in favor of maternity jeans to keep the pressure off my tummy. They're unusually comfortable. It's going to suck going back from all these comfy clothes to normal clothes again one day.


Meanwhile, when I'm not working or sleeping, Andrew and I are house hunting. Let me tell you, it is not easy! Still, I'm confident we'll find something soon...

Thursday, March 12, 2009

My 1st Baby Ultrasound

I went to the OB-GYN on Monday! Really, I had no idea how long the first appointment was going to take. It took quite a while! They had me pee in a cup, they drew four viles of blood, and asked me a bazillion questions on family history. I was given books and pamphlets and sample packs and ultrasound albums. Crazy!

I browsed through the pamplets while waiting for my turn to go in and meet the doctor (Heidi Oster) to have my ultrasound. I looked mostly at pictures of the fetus at 10 weeks, because that's how far along I thought I was after my visit to my regular doctor. I read a little about the embryo before that stage, and peeked at pictures of the undefined blob that was starting to form the shape of a head.

When it came time for the ultrasound, it took the doctor only a few moments to let me know that I was not 10 weeks along... I was only 7! And, sure enough, there was my blob on the ultrasound screen. She pointed to a flickering on the screen, in the middle of the blob, and told me it was the heart beat.


I was sent home with a picture of the ultrasound as well as bags of goodies, including books, information on breast feeding, coupons, and other important info. I'm still quite nervous, but looking forward to my next visit on April 1, when I'll have another ultrasound to make sure the baby's growing normally.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

And the doctor says...

...I was 7 to 8 weeks along for my appointment on February 26. I added 32.5 weeks from then and came up with an approximate due date of October 12.

This means in a week or two, I can call an OB-Gyn to set an appointment and have my first ultrasound! From there, they'll be able to give me a more specific due date.
Andrew's being a strong resource for me. He doesn't seem nervous at all and frequently offers to help me with anything and everything. I came home yesterday to some hot dinner and clean dishes. Honestly, I think he's worried about the possibility of having a girl, though. I don't think he knows what to do with a girl!
While I can't control my due date, I feel terrible that it seems to be about a week from when my sister wants to have her wedding. I don't want to miss it, but I can't see myself travelling when I'm so close to delivery. She's going to be such a beautiful bride and deserves to have her sister there for her big day. I told her, as long as it's physically possible for me to go and the doctor says it's OK, I'll be there.

In other baby news, my cousin Amanda is also expecting! She's due at the end of August. I can't wait, and I'm already thinking about how fun it will be that she'll have a kid the same age as mine. Julie and I always got so excited to see Tara and Amanda when we were growing up (of course, we still do! But I don't think our enthusiasm can match when we were little). I'm excited to pass that fun on!