Pregnancy Update - 31 Weeks!

I haven't been taking many pictures of myself this pregnancy, but here is a quick, late-night photo of my belly at 31 weeks, just so I have something to look back on!

At my 24-week prenatal checkup my OB told me that my fundal measurement (measuring over the top of the belly) was about average for 30 weeks! At 28, I measured 32. At 30, I measured 34. And my glucose test came back normal, so that was ruled out. So she finally decided to have me get another ultrasound to see if the baby was really that big, or if there's too much amniotic fluid, or it's just the way I'm carrying, or what. So I had another ultrasound last week. I already had one at 19 weeks and baby was measuring right on (just 3 days ahead of average). This time, he was measuring almost two weeks (12 days) ahead. And they estimated that he weighs about 4lb 8oz already! 

The ultrasound doctor asked how much Soni weighed at birth and when I told him 8-4, he said that he thinks this one will be bigger. But otherwise everything looks great and healthy and normal! :) I'm just growing a big, healthy baby. I guess the other two weeks size difference in my belly is just ME! haha.

Overall I'm still feeling pretty good, although my discomfort level is rising as my insides get more squished. I have to roll myself out of bed, I get the normal aches and pains, and I get tired sooo easily. But, just like with Soni, I am enjoying it overall. I still think it's amazing to feel a little baby moving inside my belly. 

We're looking forward to baby boy #2 joining our family in a couple of months!

The blog name remains

...for now at least! We had our ultrasound today and baby looks great, still measuring a little bit big, and it's a BOY! In the words of our ultrasound tech, "those are definitely boy parts!" I have to admit I've had mixed feelings, because I was hoping for a girl and had almost convinced myself it was a girl, but it's setting in now that I was wrong! It will be fun for Soni to have a brother pretty close in age. I am looking forward to seeing them play together. We'll get our little girl someday if that's what the Lord has in store for us! For now though, bring on more dirt and trucks and rugby!

He felt it!

Yesterday Taiyo felt the baby move in my belly for the first time. :D

Baby’s movements still feel pretty small, but are definitely becoming more frequent and distinct this week. Yesterday baby was the most active he/she has been yet. After work, I laid down for a rest with Taiyo and Soni, and baby started moving again. I put Taiyo’s hand on my belly, but I didn’t tell him that the baby was moving because I wasn’t sure if it was strong enough to feel from the outside yet. I just wanted to see if he would notice it on his own. Sure enough, after a minute, baby gave a pretty good sized (for 18-weeks) kick right up on the middle of my belly, right where Taiyo’s palm was. Right away he opened his eyes and picked up his head and looked at me with a confused smile that said, “did the baby just kick me?” So I asked him if he felt a kick right in the palm of his hand and he said yes. :) So exciting!

We’re entering my favorite part of pregnancy!

#2! What's it going to be this time?

Baby #2 is on the way! I am currently 17 weeks pregnant and due June 29, 2012. My due date with Soni was June 29, 2009, so these two will have very close birthdays! I hope they'll be okay with that!

We have an ultrasound scheduled for February 6, two weeks from today. We are both very excited to know if #2 is a boy or a girl! I'm hoping for a girl, but if it's a boy, of course we'll be happy as well. It would be fun for Soni to have a little brother to play with, and hey, then I wouldn't have to change the name of my blog!
So here are the results of some old wives' gender prediction tests:

Chinese Gender Chart: GIRL
Carrying High: GIRL
Craving Sweets: GIRL

Wedding Ring on a String Swings Back & Forth: BOY

A Bit of Acne: GIRL

More Morning Sickness than the First Pregnancy: GIRL

So far the Old Wives are suggesting it's a girl, but two more weeks and we'll find out!

Taiyo is a (non-conditional) permanent resident!

We applied for Taiyo's green card pretty soon after we got married, but since it was based on marriage we had to provide a packet of evidence showing that our marriage is legit and real, and even then the green card is only good for 2 years, at which time we have to submit another packet of evidence to show that we've stayed together for the past 2 years, and things are still "real." Then the short-term conditions can be removed. We submitted the I-751 to remove his conditions in July 2011. Last week we finally got notice that our application was approved, and we got Taiyo's "permanent" permanent resident card in the mail! We're almost done with the immigration process! Next step: US citizenship, which he is eligible to apply for on Oct 14, 2012.

Emails to my little ones

When Soni turned 2, I decided that I wanted to start an email address "for him" that I could write to. (I took the idea from a google commercial I saw a while ago.) I haven't been great about scrapbooking or baby booking, but in today's digital world, it's easy to send a quick email. So I created MyTaisoni@gmail.com, and I've sent him several emails about things he does, things he'll probably like to remember, things about him that touch my heart, etc. When he's an adult I'll tell him about it and give him the password so he can read notes from me throughout his life. Maybe when he goes on his mission or gets married. I wish I had started even younger, but I think it will still be something he/we can look back on with a smile later in life. I plan to do the same with the rest of our kids too.

Toddler Talk

Taisoni is putting together a lot of small sentences lately. It's cute to hear the things he's thinking come out of this mouth.

When he falls or gets hurt or anything like that, we usually ask him, "Are you okay?" and he now replies, "Uh-huh. I otay." Taiyo got sick this weekend and when he coughed, Soni would ask, "You otay Dad?" in a very sweet voice, often accompanied by a soft stroke on the cheek.

He also has bath toys in various shapes that stick to the walls of the tub, and one day while playing with them, he picked up one in the shape of a triangle (which he pronounces more like "terrinal"). Instead of sticking to the wall, it fell, and Soni said, "Whoa! You otay terrinal?"

I've been looking forward for a long time to the time when he'll be old enough to say what he wants to say, but still has a toddler mind so funny things come out. He's getting close! As he does start to say some "darnedest things" I'll post about them!