the latest lab tests

I've had to take 2 lab tests recently, a complete blood count (CBC) and the glucose test.

CBC came back saying I'm anemic (low iron) so I'm now taking an iron supplement and eating more iron-rich foods (meat, dark leafy greens, vitaminC-rich foods also help they say).

As for the glucose test, I had to go in for an exciting 3-hour test where I had to fast for 8-10 hours, then have my blood drawn every hour for 3 hours. I think the hardest part of that test was sitting in the waiting room for that long (chairs not so comfy and for whatever reason they recommend staying seated). But turns out I don't have gestational diabetes! So that is good news, though it's always a nice reminder to be more conscious of my diet and make sure I'm exercising regularly.

I've been walking a lot, swimming, doing yoga, and also occasionally doing pregnancy workouts people post on YouTube. I can already feel my back starting to tighten and ache a little so stretching will be a must, and Mike's been awesome about rubbing out knots.

I also just bought some lotion that is supposed to help with the growing belly. Mother's Special Blend came recommended by the people at Whole Foods. Admittedly, I may not have reached for this particular brand because of the label (yes, a product of marketing). It's got Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Vitamin E. Mmmmmmm!

jammin baby

The three of us went to see our first concert together to celebrate my birthday. Before the concert we decided to walk around downtown Mountain View which was surprisingly nice. Mom and the baby got excited about Pho Garden*.

We got nice lawn seats right in front of a screen and munched on tasty bread, cheese, and olives. Music started with Raphael Saadiq, a classic soul musician from Oakland. Then came the Dave Matthews Band. It's always pretty neat being in a sea of roaring fans bopping along together. What's even neater is watching the sheer athleticism and joy from everyone on stage...and how high quality the video was that you could see each bead of sweat. Baby didn't move too much though the constant vibration of the bass line was almost enough to lull Mom to a gentle snooze as well, mostly during the slower serenades.

We had a great time. Mom left wanting to take up guitar again (and the violin and the drums and the trumpet on more time). We agreed the baby would probably like the sound of the guitar against the belly.

* Pho Garden Challenge is a gigantic bowl of pho with 2 pounds of noodles and
2 pounds of meat. If you can finish it by yourself in 60 minutes you get to keep the
bowl, earn a free meal, and gain world renowned fame.

music critic

As I was resting today I decided to play some music for Baby to see what she likes. Turns out she's gaga for Captain Von Trapp! When I played Edelweiss she danced harder than I'd ever felt. In fact, it was the first time I noticed my stomach moving from the outside!

What she also got a "kick" out of:
Edelweiss
Crash by Dave Matthews (like father like daughter! She'll have a blast on Saturday when we go see him live for Mike's birthday!)
You Are My Sunshine the one from the O Brother Where Art Thou sountrack

And not so much:
Maybe from Annie
Ordinary People by John Legend (her dad does a better version anyway)
Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens

And then:
I played some Justin Timberlake and still didn't get a response so she must have been asleep by then...!

Research continues!

26 week update

It's the week of the English Hothouse Cucumber. What, you don't know the dimensions of an English Hothouse Cucumber? How dare you! *

Word on the street is that Baby's ears are developing even more now and can pick up more ambient sounds (like talking). Better step up the read-alouds. Mike still talks to her every day, and I play music for her from time to time. If you have any special requests for me to play for Baby let me know!

I've been having some trouble figuring out my comfort level with baby research. For me there's a fine line between well-informed and paranoia. For example, just the other day I learned that later in the pregnancy it's advised to start counting the number of movements/kicks because there's apparently a healthy number of kicks that should occur in a 2 hour window. Once I found this out I became uber-aware of how often she was moving and drove myself temporarily batty. Having said that, I was comforted reading that my back may be aching more....which it has.

Overall: feeling great!


*Apparently the baby is about the length of said obscure cucumber measuring at 14 inches from head to heel. And she's about 1 2/3 pounds in weight. Yum!

baby's room...

...painted!

belly tracking: 25 weeks

In San Francisco after catching up with friends and it is a gorgeous
day (rare this summer from what I hear) so I wanted to take advantage
and go to Ocean Beach. It's amazing!! Baby likes the ocean breeze.

25 weeks: the most bizarrest of foods

I've entered week 25. Baby is now the weight of a rutabaga. I don't believe I've ever held a rutabaga but looking at the image, I can make out a cute baby head...with a dashing, GreaseLightning-type curl on top.


Curls aside, BabyGirl is doing well. She moves around more predictably now and causes very little discomfort. I'm still having occasional trouble sleeping, hence my being on the computer at 2:30 in the morning. I get a little paranoid about sleeping positions still, so I find I wake up on my back (a no-no) and in adjusting take a while to fall back asleep. This time I decided to get up instead of toss and turn.

Tonight Mike and I went to our first parent group through MeetUp. We met at a coffee shop with three expecting moms and 2 expecting dads. All seemed nice. Especially with school starting, it'll be good to start making connections with people with similar schedules as me.

kickin' it with Pops

Whenever I feel Baby start to move I'd tell Mike to put his hand on my belly, but up until now the motion makes her pause (as one cousin said it, imagine moving around your room and then someone starts banging on the wall...you wouldn't necessarily keep moving).

This time, I told Mike to feel for the baby and he squeezed the belly a little....I was sure she'd stop because of the pressure. But nope! She kicked right back. As Mike says, Baby knew it was Daddy. It was super sweetie.

revisiting: toes

Before a wedding last Sunday I decided to fancy up the feet (and cover
up anything unsightly). Mike was kind enough to paint my nails so I
could avoid baby squashing. Would never have guessed he was a first
timer!

already missing family

I am sitting on the plane on my way back to San Jose. Before leaving
we had lunch with Great-OngBa (I forget how to say it in Vietnamese)
and then Ong Ba Ngoai and Di T drove me to the airport. On the way we
recorded messages from them on my phone so I can play it for BabyGirl
until they come to visit. It took all my energy to not cry as I was
walking to the gate. It's taking quite a bit now as I write this.
Kicking has started up,too.

Yeah, I miss them too, Baby.
v

too late for belly tracking?

Week 23. Wearing my hamburglar shirt in hopes that it accentuates the
bun a little.

introducing ba ngoai

A sleepy Ba Ngoai trying to feel the baby kick.

week 23

Baby has moved swiftly from being a banana to transforming into a carrot, then a spaghetti squash, and now is the size of a large mango.

Since my east coast vacation began, I've felt a marked difference in the size of my belly. When I first arrived I was beginning to show but not too obviously. Now when I look down it feels like there's no mistakin': There's a person/mango in there! She's more active now and likes to stretch out after meals and then before falling asleep when I'm finally still and quiet. It is a relief to be able to feel her and make sure she's okay in there.

realization: toes

Became all of a sudden aware that I'll soon need help clipping my toenails in order to not squish the baby.







p.s. This picture is of said toes at the Library of Congress in D.C.. I'm also realizing I'm a Libra that likes asymmetry. How do you figure thAT?

punctuality

From the book, The Art of Expecting.
Caption reads: Be there-on time. It's the most sacred rule of parenting.