My belly is like it has a balloon inside, and that every so often, someone is blowing it up a little making my belly feel rather uncomfortably stretched. Went to Hospital for check up last week, and Dr measured my belly, looked at the measurement, asked "how far along are you again?" and at my answer, raised his eyebrows. Seems I'm a little bigger than average, but given both of bub's parents are not necessarily large people, it's more likely that bub has been undergoing a growth spurt. Yes, even now, before it is born, it is having growth spurts.
Remember that scene in one of the Alien movies where Sigorney Weaver's character has an alien gestating in her stomach and you see it kicking and jutting out of her belly from the inside??? Well that's inspired from real life. Bub's kicking is getting stronger - C-chan can feel it properly from the outside now, and he can even see it and distinguish it from my normal movements. Cool!
AND 2 of my cousins have lent me stuff - one cousin has lent me 2 of her cloth nappies (newborn size) so that I can use them right away after the birth, and another cousin has lent me a baby sling. Yay-ness. Only 4 months to go... 3 more months of work...
31 January 2006
23 January 2006
anatomical and physiological update - 22 weeks
(wow that's just over 4 months to go)!!
At this stage my profile is becoming more like a capital B (but with the top part smaller than the bottom bump). Bust hasn’t increased much, and this was predictable as I never experienced a huge change in bust size when I took contraceptive hormones in past nor in my monthly cycles (there have been other changes in this area but don’t want to attract porn spam by telling you about them). I have lost all trace of a waist but at least have lost the cylinder “trunky” in-between look that was there before Christmas - am getting a proper sized belly! I am now most definitely pregnant if seen from side-on! Can easily see inside my belly button without craning neck, but doing up shoes is getting hard. Skin seems to be looking well, as I am getting frequent comments on it. Feeling healthy and happy – hard to get too upset about anything much when I have a snugly baby on the way in just over 4 months!!*
My walking pace has slowed – apparently due the extra vital supplies that are diverted to my uterus and surrounds. Feel really unfit when going up stairs - get quite breathless! Still getting tired most evenings quite early, and usually have to get up in the night to go to the toilet due to reduced bladder capacity etc.
I swim half as far as I used to at the pool, or I get really worn out (but thankfully, swimming doesn’t guarantee a day of nausea the next day like it did in the first trimester). Swimming with a bulge sticking out front makes me feel like I am swimming with a blunt keel, or dragging a ball and chain, but I am getting used to it. Backstroke is becoming a more attractive stroke, and breaststroke feels like I am getting nowhere. Getting out of the pool must be a spectacle: used to haul self out with a singular, swift motion using arms to hoist self out of pool, then bring leg up to step up onto the side of the pool. Now struggle to lift myself up high enough and need to quickly swivel to get bum on side of pool before my arms give out on me. Might just exit via the stairs (like normal people) from now on to maintain some dignity. Still going to the gym nearly once a week, but have stopped running, dropped my weights and repetitions, and avoid exercises that require my belly being squashed against anything. Going for walks is good also, especially if end point is breakfast at a café.
Bub is kicking away, and the position of the kicks changes regularly. Down, up, front, towards my back. I can see my belly move if I’m looking down when it kicks towards the front. Come to think of it, it may be elbowing as well. I am beginning to think of myself as a “we” rather than an “I”, but don’t feel and identity crisis coming on just yet. I like to think that sometimes the kicks are in time to music - I tapped my tummy to the rhythm last night, and got a few regular kicks in response and in time!! Genius musician in the making (or at least percussionist), in addition to soccer star, and swimmer. Fish Oil supplements that I am ingesting are with luck reducing our (mine and bub’s) reactions to allergens along with hopefully increasing bub’s intelligence. Well, you can always hope.
* won’t confirm or deny whether a main attraction to the idea of having a baby is so that I can get more cuddles…
At this stage my profile is becoming more like a capital B (but with the top part smaller than the bottom bump). Bust hasn’t increased much, and this was predictable as I never experienced a huge change in bust size when I took contraceptive hormones in past nor in my monthly cycles (there have been other changes in this area but don’t want to attract porn spam by telling you about them). I have lost all trace of a waist but at least have lost the cylinder “trunky” in-between look that was there before Christmas - am getting a proper sized belly! I am now most definitely pregnant if seen from side-on! Can easily see inside my belly button without craning neck, but doing up shoes is getting hard. Skin seems to be looking well, as I am getting frequent comments on it. Feeling healthy and happy – hard to get too upset about anything much when I have a snugly baby on the way in just over 4 months!!*
My walking pace has slowed – apparently due the extra vital supplies that are diverted to my uterus and surrounds. Feel really unfit when going up stairs - get quite breathless! Still getting tired most evenings quite early, and usually have to get up in the night to go to the toilet due to reduced bladder capacity etc.
I swim half as far as I used to at the pool, or I get really worn out (but thankfully, swimming doesn’t guarantee a day of nausea the next day like it did in the first trimester). Swimming with a bulge sticking out front makes me feel like I am swimming with a blunt keel, or dragging a ball and chain, but I am getting used to it. Backstroke is becoming a more attractive stroke, and breaststroke feels like I am getting nowhere. Getting out of the pool must be a spectacle: used to haul self out with a singular, swift motion using arms to hoist self out of pool, then bring leg up to step up onto the side of the pool. Now struggle to lift myself up high enough and need to quickly swivel to get bum on side of pool before my arms give out on me. Might just exit via the stairs (like normal people) from now on to maintain some dignity. Still going to the gym nearly once a week, but have stopped running, dropped my weights and repetitions, and avoid exercises that require my belly being squashed against anything. Going for walks is good also, especially if end point is breakfast at a café.
Bub is kicking away, and the position of the kicks changes regularly. Down, up, front, towards my back. I can see my belly move if I’m looking down when it kicks towards the front. Come to think of it, it may be elbowing as well. I am beginning to think of myself as a “we” rather than an “I”, but don’t feel and identity crisis coming on just yet. I like to think that sometimes the kicks are in time to music - I tapped my tummy to the rhythm last night, and got a few regular kicks in response and in time!! Genius musician in the making (or at least percussionist), in addition to soccer star, and swimmer. Fish Oil supplements that I am ingesting are with luck reducing our (mine and bub’s) reactions to allergens along with hopefully increasing bub’s intelligence. Well, you can always hope.
* won’t confirm or deny whether a main attraction to the idea of having a baby is so that I can get more cuddles…
22 January 2006
yay - reusable nappies...
My cousin uses these hemp cloth reusable nappies (Bubble Bubs) for her baby. I saw first-hand how easy they are to change, how comfortable they are, and how cute they look. Haven't done the sums yet, but assume they are cheaper than disposable nappies, as she chose the nappies for financial reasons more so than environmental. They can be re-used for Jr #2 or a friends' baby.
Basically, cloth nappies have come a long way in the past 30 years, have a lot of the features of disposable types, and are definitely cheaper but obviously there is more work involved. But when you think about it, washing and drying needn't take long necessarily. In many Australian climates, you are able to air/line dry them without having to use an electric dryer. That only leaves the evils of landfill (disposables) vs the evils of detergent pollution, possibly extra water and power usage (but I don't know how much water or power or bleach is used to produce each disposable nappy).
Other sites include:
All about cloth nappies - tells you how to wash them, mother's accounts of their findings etc
Cleverpants - another brand made in Australia, but not necessarily hemp.
Basically, cloth nappies have come a long way in the past 30 years, have a lot of the features of disposable types, and are definitely cheaper but obviously there is more work involved. But when you think about it, washing and drying needn't take long necessarily. In many Australian climates, you are able to air/line dry them without having to use an electric dryer. That only leaves the evils of landfill (disposables) vs the evils of detergent pollution, possibly extra water and power usage (but I don't know how much water or power or bleach is used to produce each disposable nappy).
Other sites include:
All about cloth nappies - tells you how to wash them, mother's accounts of their findings etc
Cleverpants - another brand made in Australia, but not necessarily hemp.
biennial family snap shot
Being part of the family offshoot that dared venture off the Isle of Tasman (ooooh! how daring!), it's interesting to come visit every couple of years and see how the ones in my life that I can't choose, have changed. The change is subtle each time, and my own point of view oscillates over the years.... ranging from "I have nothing in common whatsoever with these people - how am I related again?" to "oh, so that's where my/mum's/dad's trait comes from!!" and feeling slightly sentimental, followed by likely unkept promises to keep in touch with certain cousins a bit better in the future. My observations are usually quite shallow, given I see most of them at huge family gatherings, and observe as an outsider that noone quite knows how to start a conversation with until a few beers are down the gullett. Basically, these people had a very small role in my upbringing, given the geographic barrier involved. But then at times, my parents and I become confidantes - safe people who our relos can confide all manner of information before we flit back to the mainland.
One observation is that my grandfather, uncle and a few of my male cousins on one side of the family are all quiet types, who end up with domineering partners. Interesting how certain personality traits can seek each other out. And with these "forthright", "bossy", "controlling", or "abusive" women (depending on who's describing them), comes inevitable clashes with the mothers-in-laws (my aunties).
I visited my ever scatty, chatty and earthy Aunt, who is probably my favourite, and we went to pick organic blueberries at a farm not far from hers North of Launceston. She gave me her Womens Weekly original cookbooks - they would have come out in the 60's or 70's are quite handy for the basics, and are very hard to come by!
I also visited my "Guilt-trip Gran" - she makes note of who visits, when, and remembers (notes down??) who forgets to send birthday cards to her and Pop. I was subjected to countless hints that I had forgotten someone's birthday last year, but got no credit for being the only one of us that rings the other party or travels especially to visit them every couple of years.
My Uncle is the kind of guy who likes to hunt for a bargain, and then will remember forevermore how much everything cost and how discounted it was, and proceed to tell you whether you asked or not. One Saturday morning, I was sitting quietly on his loungechair reading while others pottered about doing Saturday things, and he came in to chat. He asked if I had seen my cousin's Skydiving video, and I said I had not. Without a 2nd glance to see if I was remotely interested, out came the video. I politely smiled and commented, as the almost amateur video made by the skydiving Co covered my cousing getting suited up, doing practice jumps and responding to the instructors questions about how nervous she was with a chipper "I'm pretty fine actually!". The most amusing part was a look of sheer dread on her face as she was about to tip out of the place on her tandem jump. Then it was all over in a couple of seconds. Interesting. But the video had a maverick, re-live the experience repeat of everything all over again to different music, which it was assumed I wanted to watch.
Next, and worse, was the Bungey Jumping video. This was basically a half hour commercial for the Bungey jumping Co, full of comments by Brittish backpackers (ie not anyone I or my cousin knew) raving about how great the jump was, and a little history lesson on bungey jumping including Papuan tribes using rubbery vines and a built platform to jump from. Then at the end was the 10 second experience of my cousin actually jumping. That same event was replayed in slo-mo a couple of times, then that was it. Wow. It was getting hard to resist letting some sarcastic comments slipping out by now.
Then to my horror out came another video - filmed by my uncle this time - of their trip to England. Random shots of London streets in winter. A visit to Lords Cricket oval ("nothing was playing there, but at least we can say we have been!!" said my Uncle cheerily). My eyes couldn't help slipping down to my open novel. Then, when I couldn't think of anything worse, the trip by Bullet train to EuroDisney. That's right, no cheese factories, no cosy wineries, no characteristic French villages - a theme park. This was getting too much to bear. I didn't need to know that the Indianna Jones ride is taken whilst sitting backwards, and other useless information. The only thing I could think to do was make an excuse about needing to go to the toilet and do some stuff (like pregnant women need to frequently!!). By the time I came back, the videos were away and Uncle found something else to do. Phew.
One of my Aunties (ie above Uncles' wife) has always been one of those women who sets ridiculously high standards for herself. A clean house from top to toe every week, do everything herself without asking for help, do everything my way kinda woman. Sometime over the past couple of years, certain events have pushed her to breaking point, and she has gradually realised that not everything has to be perfect, she doesn't have to be the lynch-pin holding everything together, and some of her relations are selfish wierdos who take advantage of her AND she has a lot of childhood issues to resolve. Good for her, I say. Anyhow, she's now on medication for depression, and opening right up in a strange upbeat kind of way. Her newfound lack of rigidity makes her much easier to talk to.
However, much of my trip was a delight, with cousins to catch up with (including a wedding), new partners to meet and babies to cuddle, and most importantly, information on how my relatives have experienced or are experiencing parenthood. I was given lovely hand-made rugs and knitted baby jumpers from my Aunties. I learned about how my allergy-prone cousins on my father's side have coped with food allergies and intolerances with their kids.
I also learned how I could go about upsetting my Parents-in-law if I wanted to by taking the kids around to my parents' to visit frequently, but not trusting my in-laws in the same way and never seeking their advice. Or by using either set of grandparents as a child dumping ground on a regular basis, but never inviting them around to tea in return. So much to think about in the coming years - we're gonna be busy, I know that, but it's so important to remember those who got us where we are now rather than take them for granted.
One observation is that my grandfather, uncle and a few of my male cousins on one side of the family are all quiet types, who end up with domineering partners. Interesting how certain personality traits can seek each other out. And with these "forthright", "bossy", "controlling", or "abusive" women (depending on who's describing them), comes inevitable clashes with the mothers-in-laws (my aunties).
I visited my ever scatty, chatty and earthy Aunt, who is probably my favourite, and we went to pick organic blueberries at a farm not far from hers North of Launceston. She gave me her Womens Weekly original cookbooks - they would have come out in the 60's or 70's are quite handy for the basics, and are very hard to come by!
I also visited my "Guilt-trip Gran" - she makes note of who visits, when, and remembers (notes down??) who forgets to send birthday cards to her and Pop. I was subjected to countless hints that I had forgotten someone's birthday last year, but got no credit for being the only one of us that rings the other party or travels especially to visit them every couple of years.
My Uncle is the kind of guy who likes to hunt for a bargain, and then will remember forevermore how much everything cost and how discounted it was, and proceed to tell you whether you asked or not. One Saturday morning, I was sitting quietly on his loungechair reading while others pottered about doing Saturday things, and he came in to chat. He asked if I had seen my cousin's Skydiving video, and I said I had not. Without a 2nd glance to see if I was remotely interested, out came the video. I politely smiled and commented, as the almost amateur video made by the skydiving Co covered my cousing getting suited up, doing practice jumps and responding to the instructors questions about how nervous she was with a chipper "I'm pretty fine actually!". The most amusing part was a look of sheer dread on her face as she was about to tip out of the place on her tandem jump. Then it was all over in a couple of seconds. Interesting. But the video had a maverick, re-live the experience repeat of everything all over again to different music, which it was assumed I wanted to watch.
Next, and worse, was the Bungey Jumping video. This was basically a half hour commercial for the Bungey jumping Co, full of comments by Brittish backpackers (ie not anyone I or my cousin knew) raving about how great the jump was, and a little history lesson on bungey jumping including Papuan tribes using rubbery vines and a built platform to jump from. Then at the end was the 10 second experience of my cousin actually jumping. That same event was replayed in slo-mo a couple of times, then that was it. Wow. It was getting hard to resist letting some sarcastic comments slipping out by now.
Then to my horror out came another video - filmed by my uncle this time - of their trip to England. Random shots of London streets in winter. A visit to Lords Cricket oval ("nothing was playing there, but at least we can say we have been!!" said my Uncle cheerily). My eyes couldn't help slipping down to my open novel. Then, when I couldn't think of anything worse, the trip by Bullet train to EuroDisney. That's right, no cheese factories, no cosy wineries, no characteristic French villages - a theme park. This was getting too much to bear. I didn't need to know that the Indianna Jones ride is taken whilst sitting backwards, and other useless information. The only thing I could think to do was make an excuse about needing to go to the toilet and do some stuff (like pregnant women need to frequently!!). By the time I came back, the videos were away and Uncle found something else to do. Phew.
One of my Aunties (ie above Uncles' wife) has always been one of those women who sets ridiculously high standards for herself. A clean house from top to toe every week, do everything herself without asking for help, do everything my way kinda woman. Sometime over the past couple of years, certain events have pushed her to breaking point, and she has gradually realised that not everything has to be perfect, she doesn't have to be the lynch-pin holding everything together, and some of her relations are selfish wierdos who take advantage of her AND she has a lot of childhood issues to resolve. Good for her, I say. Anyhow, she's now on medication for depression, and opening right up in a strange upbeat kind of way. Her newfound lack of rigidity makes her much easier to talk to.
However, much of my trip was a delight, with cousins to catch up with (including a wedding), new partners to meet and babies to cuddle, and most importantly, information on how my relatives have experienced or are experiencing parenthood. I was given lovely hand-made rugs and knitted baby jumpers from my Aunties. I learned about how my allergy-prone cousins on my father's side have coped with food allergies and intolerances with their kids.
I also learned how I could go about upsetting my Parents-in-law if I wanted to by taking the kids around to my parents' to visit frequently, but not trusting my in-laws in the same way and never seeking their advice. Or by using either set of grandparents as a child dumping ground on a regular basis, but never inviting them around to tea in return. So much to think about in the coming years - we're gonna be busy, I know that, but it's so important to remember those who got us where we are now rather than take them for granted.
13 January 2006
Apple Isle
I'm off to Tasmania for the week for a cousin's wedding and general family ho-downs. Gotta catch up with all the cousins who have had weddings or babies, and Aunts and Uncles who have developed arthritis or some other "my god I'm approaching 60" condition in the past few years.
Despite growing up in 'delaide, my entire extended family lives in Tasmania (no, my parents aren't related - they've checked back at least 7-8 generations). Mum and Dad were the only ones who left the island (bar a couple of my cousins who ventured onto the mainland for a few stints, but have moved back). It's funny, my mum couldn't wait to move to Melbourne then join Dad in Adelaide when young - she found the small town culture claustrophobic. Yet her entire family now live pretty much in the same postcode. My Dad loved Tasmania but left for a job opportunity - he (and his family) is a lot more outdoorsy, and I can see why they love living close to bushland in the peace and quiet.
Funny how one family can be strongly tied to a place, whereas my parents have set a new trend, and now it seems normal that my bro has moved to Tokyo and me to Sydney. My Mum's family can be traced back to arriving in Tas as free settlers with the first fleet, some as convicts, and others possibly even longer ago with it likely that one european male relative had "relations" with a Tasmanian aboriginal woman (possibly making me 1/64th decsendent of an aboriginal Tasmanian!). Dad's family made the journey more recently, with his own mother venturing out here on her own at AGE 12 to get a better chance at live without her evil stepmother (It seems evil stepmothers are more than just fairy tales!!).
This visit to Tasmania I will be mostly visiting relos and hanging out with my parents - C-chan isn't coming with me, due to having to be a study bunny :(
Have a good week, and will post when I get back!
Despite growing up in 'delaide, my entire extended family lives in Tasmania (no, my parents aren't related - they've checked back at least 7-8 generations). Mum and Dad were the only ones who left the island (bar a couple of my cousins who ventured onto the mainland for a few stints, but have moved back). It's funny, my mum couldn't wait to move to Melbourne then join Dad in Adelaide when young - she found the small town culture claustrophobic. Yet her entire family now live pretty much in the same postcode. My Dad loved Tasmania but left for a job opportunity - he (and his family) is a lot more outdoorsy, and I can see why they love living close to bushland in the peace and quiet.
Funny how one family can be strongly tied to a place, whereas my parents have set a new trend, and now it seems normal that my bro has moved to Tokyo and me to Sydney. My Mum's family can be traced back to arriving in Tas as free settlers with the first fleet, some as convicts, and others possibly even longer ago with it likely that one european male relative had "relations" with a Tasmanian aboriginal woman (possibly making me 1/64th decsendent of an aboriginal Tasmanian!). Dad's family made the journey more recently, with his own mother venturing out here on her own at AGE 12 to get a better chance at live without her evil stepmother (It seems evil stepmothers are more than just fairy tales!!).
This visit to Tasmania I will be mostly visiting relos and hanging out with my parents - C-chan isn't coming with me, due to having to be a study bunny :(
Have a good week, and will post when I get back!
11 January 2006
by popular request...
.... from one person (thanks, Betty Sue!), here are some pictures of my offspring at 19 weeks! see knuckles on top picture floating to right of face!! The little blighter is kicking even more strongly and regularly now.
06 January 2006
ho ho ho! & how about this heat?
Retrospective Merry christmas to y'all! Hope wherever you are, it isn't as hot and stinky as Sydney was last week. We need some places besides shops and cinemas that are air-conditioned so we can hang out there for the hottest parts of the day. I am developing a skill, however, for breeze mustering... I go outside, check the prevailing breeze direction, keep windows in the sun closed as much as possible, open the shaded windows, then if the breeze isn't blowing through our flat, I may use the pedestal fan to help things along. Unfortunately, there hasn't been enough breeze through the hottest parts of the day lately for me to be mustering much of a breeze.
Christmas at Chateau Meri went off well, and was a low key, relaxing affair. We were visited by C-chan's family... food, a little drinking (they don't drink much and me not at all at present), a walk around the inner western streets (eerily quiet, except for a few junkies slam dunking and chatting to ghosts as they wander down the street), and back for some lounging and reading. Once C-chan's parents had had a glass or 2 of champers, the interesting family stories came out, which I always appreciate hearing. Missed my folks, who were in 'delaide all on their own this year, but managed to chat to them and the Tokyo Meri's on the phone or over the internet.
and Happy New Year!
What a stinky new years day it was (>44 degree maximum in the city, and still 39 degrees at 8:30pm). Went to the cinema on New Years Day to get a fix of aircon, but it didn’t seem to be cooling that well. Then went home, sucked on ice cubes, sipped water and nibbled cold food, and did as little as possible with the windows and blinds closed and the fan on. Had some brief cold showers also. Finally at about 9:30pm, a gusty cooler breeze washed through, and we opened all the windows to ventilate. It’s been a long time since I’ve experienced such hot weather without air conditioning, but I survived.
-------------
We had my 2nd ultrasound on Tuesday – they call it the “fetal anomaly” scan, at 18-20 weeks. Everything seems to be normal, which is fantastic to know. By now (19 wks), you can see its little vertebrae, leg bones, head (more proportionate now), fingers, lips, nose… And it was wiggling around, putting its feet up around its head (flexible!!) and moving its arms up and down. Very cute! For a while, the baby was facing my spine, and the nurse/radiologist couldn’t make it turn over. We thought it was funny that our child was disobeying us already!! Finally, after getting up and walking around and a bit more prodding from the nurse, we got the see the full profile that we needed to see. It’s nice that we have some technology that can alleviate our worry or prepare us for certain things.
I think I forgot to mention on my blog that I started to feel baby kicking just before Christmas. The kicking is gentle at the moment, but getting stronger. I’m sure there’ll be painful kicks in the bladder before too long…. Now that it lets me know it’s there, we have started talking to it. Seems like the normal thing to do.
-----------
Quick summary of the past year and some aspirations/hopes for the next:
What I gave up in 2005:
Alcohol and other such things unhealthy to one’s body and/or future children… Soft cheeses, raw fish and meats, nuts, running, sleeping flat on my back, dangerous or risky behaviour (not that I engaged in much of this), staying up late. Our small, nippy Toyota Echo for a slightly larger Corolla, which is more family-friendly (yet still relatively fuel-efficient!).
The one thing I wish I’d done in 2005:
I wish I had: - cleaned out the spare room, and - been more creative, and- got more Christmas cards out.
What I need to in 2006:
Clean out the spare room. More Pelvic Floor exercises. (We have enough on our plate to do with baby coming, so that’s quite enough.)
What I’m looking forward to in 2006:
Stopping work, doing more creative things (such as making things to stick up around the baby’s cot etc), becoming a parent, meeting other new parents, C-chan being finished with studying, doing the basic swimming teachers' course.
Christmas at Chateau Meri went off well, and was a low key, relaxing affair. We were visited by C-chan's family... food, a little drinking (they don't drink much and me not at all at present), a walk around the inner western streets (eerily quiet, except for a few junkies slam dunking and chatting to ghosts as they wander down the street), and back for some lounging and reading. Once C-chan's parents had had a glass or 2 of champers, the interesting family stories came out, which I always appreciate hearing. Missed my folks, who were in 'delaide all on their own this year, but managed to chat to them and the Tokyo Meri's on the phone or over the internet.
and Happy New Year!
What a stinky new years day it was (>44 degree maximum in the city, and still 39 degrees at 8:30pm). Went to the cinema on New Years Day to get a fix of aircon, but it didn’t seem to be cooling that well. Then went home, sucked on ice cubes, sipped water and nibbled cold food, and did as little as possible with the windows and blinds closed and the fan on. Had some brief cold showers also. Finally at about 9:30pm, a gusty cooler breeze washed through, and we opened all the windows to ventilate. It’s been a long time since I’ve experienced such hot weather without air conditioning, but I survived.
-------------
We had my 2nd ultrasound on Tuesday – they call it the “fetal anomaly” scan, at 18-20 weeks. Everything seems to be normal, which is fantastic to know. By now (19 wks), you can see its little vertebrae, leg bones, head (more proportionate now), fingers, lips, nose… And it was wiggling around, putting its feet up around its head (flexible!!) and moving its arms up and down. Very cute! For a while, the baby was facing my spine, and the nurse/radiologist couldn’t make it turn over. We thought it was funny that our child was disobeying us already!! Finally, after getting up and walking around and a bit more prodding from the nurse, we got the see the full profile that we needed to see. It’s nice that we have some technology that can alleviate our worry or prepare us for certain things.
I think I forgot to mention on my blog that I started to feel baby kicking just before Christmas. The kicking is gentle at the moment, but getting stronger. I’m sure there’ll be painful kicks in the bladder before too long…. Now that it lets me know it’s there, we have started talking to it. Seems like the normal thing to do.
-----------
Quick summary of the past year and some aspirations/hopes for the next:
What I gave up in 2005:
Alcohol and other such things unhealthy to one’s body and/or future children… Soft cheeses, raw fish and meats, nuts, running, sleeping flat on my back, dangerous or risky behaviour (not that I engaged in much of this), staying up late. Our small, nippy Toyota Echo for a slightly larger Corolla, which is more family-friendly (yet still relatively fuel-efficient!).
The one thing I wish I’d done in 2005:
I wish I had: - cleaned out the spare room, and - been more creative, and- got more Christmas cards out.
What I need to in 2006:
Clean out the spare room. More Pelvic Floor exercises. (We have enough on our plate to do with baby coming, so that’s quite enough.)
What I’m looking forward to in 2006:
Stopping work, doing more creative things (such as making things to stick up around the baby’s cot etc), becoming a parent, meeting other new parents, C-chan being finished with studying, doing the basic swimming teachers' course.
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