18 weeks + 1 day

We had our second ultrasound today. It was a very detailed scan with measurements of everything taken.
This is when we get to find out the sex of the baby too.

We think it is a boy. But the doctor says he cannot confirm that yet as the umbilical cord was blocking the view. But he says he thinks he saw a scrotum so chances are that it is a boy.

Anyway, he got me all worried when he told me he could not see the stomach (because the baby did not swallow any fluid), which could mean the esophagus is not connected or there may be a leak somewhere, or some sort of birth defect.
I will go back next week for another ultrasound. Baby boy, you better start drinking some fluid and stop freaking your mommy out!
I also have a lot of amniotic fluid. I don't know if that's related to the esophagus problem. The more I read, the more worried I get. So I will stay away from the internet for now.

I told myself I will not be posting any ultrasound photos on Facebook.  So on the blog it goes.
Too bad we didn't get that pic of baby with his right hand pointing upwards saying "number one!". I thought that was cute.

Side profile

Baby loves sucking his left thumb

16 weeks 4 days

Major stabbing pains on my left glute area today.
Pain like I have never experienced before. It happens when I stand or try to walk. And it shoots bolts of spasms to leave me immobile for a few seconds, making my left leg go limp.

I laid on the kitchen floor and cried. Waiting for the spasms to go away. Cat saw me, sniffed and got worried and started howling in Jason's office like he was trying to get help. I guess we need to teach him how to use the speed dial.

I've been using an ice pack on that area every hour. It seems to help stop the spasms. Now it's just the muscle -like cramp. And I have a slight limp when I walk. I can live with this.

Oh and Tylenol doesn't work.

24 weeks more to go. I can do this. I must!

13 weeks 1 day

We had our first ultrasound today.
Since we have a history of twins on both sides of the family, we were anticipating the nurse to tell us that we're having twins. She told us "I see just one baby". 

The baby is about the size of a medium shrimp.

This is starting to feel real.

Sucking his/her thumb

One little lentil

Today, I found out I have a lentil growing in me.

I couldn't believe it. The first test kit had expired so I thought, well, maybe it's giving me a false positive. So I took the test two more times. (I went out and bought different brands). Still positive.
The next day, I went out and bought some diapers, came home, handed the diapers to Jason and said "Start practicing".

He was pleasantly shocked too. I think it took him two days to get over the shock. Then he started ordering books for himself to read.

This has been a five year plus project for us. So it feels like a miracle.

Our lives are about to change.

Fake friends no more

We finally met Alaska Amy and sweet Julia. We've been blog friends (Amy calls it fake friends) for atleast five years I think. Not exactly sure how that came about. I think we found her through the Carans.
Then, Facebook came along and everybody started falling off the blogging world.

So our first meeting, and guess where we took them to? The Mummies of the World exhibit. Classy eh.
I wonder what kind of hosts she must think of us. But you see, Charlotte is oh-so-boring. There is practically nowhere touristy or cool to take someone to. No Disneyworld equivalent here. Unless you like boring Nascar museums. Or maybe because we just don't go out much.

I still think it was so cool that we had finally met (for real!).

Actually, I am writing this to see if Amy Maio is actually reading my blog :)

I guess I have been good this year!

I love my new lightweight corduroy bag that the husband got me for Christmas! (I was actually surprised that he found my wishlist!)

Bayan Hippo makes the coolest bags..all the way from Turkey!

I added a matching button Snap on the top so I have the option of not using the zipper.

Win a year's supply of handmade soaps!

A year's supply of handmade soaps??? Seriously??!!
I want!!

Win a year's supply of handmade soaps!

A Short Adventure

So it's been awhile.The past few months have been a series of short adventures.

I was employed on a brief temporary assignment drawing floor plans for this company. And I absolutely loved it! Did I tell you that when I was 5 or 6 years old, I used to draw floor plans of my so-called dream house? So this was like my dream job. Just too bad it was just a short stint.

In May, we flew 30 hours back to Malaysia. And I hope I will never have to fly with China Airlines again. We managed to cramp as much as we can into our two weeks stay - visited with family, old high school and elementary school friends, went on a family vacation to Penang Island (all 19 of us), and ate all the food that I have been craving for, for the past three years. Yes, it's been three whole years since we last went "home".

Curry Laksa

Cakes from "Secret Recipe"

Leaving Malaysia wasn't so hard this time because we brought my parents back with us to the U.S and they will be with us for a few months. But leaving is always difficult and teary.