Where are my toes?

Umm, I think my toes have disappeared. When I look down I can't seem to find them without leaning forward a bit. I know they are still down there because when I put up my feet up there are still toes attached to those feet. You would think they wouldn't be that hard to find since my feet seem to be swelling as well.

In fact, as I have my feet up right now and look at them I realize that I am in desperate need of a pedicure. I used to be able to give myself one on my own but I think the time has come for me to understand that this is just not a possibility anymore. My toes look pretty sad, I guess it was good that I could not find them. But then again, I do feel bad for neglecting my poor toes. I promise to make it up to them very soon.

Baby Bear looks like me?

My mommy, Lola Bear, saw the 3D ultrasound and told me that Baby Bear looks like me. Ummm, really?? I guess she looks like me because she has a head and arms?? So far that is the only resemblance that I see. We won't really know until June or so.

Week 21: Mmm, mmm good

Baby Bear is about the size of a large banana. She is now able to swallow at least several ounces of amniotic fluid each day — not only for hydration and nutrition, but also to practice swallowing and digesting. The taste of the amniotic fluid differs from day to day depending on what I eat. She has developed taste buds. So it is actually a good thing for me to eat different things so that she can be exposed to different tastes. In fact, researchers have noted that babies who were exposed to certain tastes in utero via the amniotic fluid were more eager to eat foods with that same taste after birth.

Baby Bear is a very active girl doing acrobats and somersaults. But she is still getting a lot of sleep, she sleeps about 12 to 14 hours per day!

What color eyes will she have?

I recently heard about this website that predicts the color of your baby's eyes based on the science of genetics. Being a researcher, I love the statistics and science behind this all. So here is what it says about our little Baby Bear:



I realize that this picture is not very clear. So for the most part, Baby Bear will most likely have beautiful brown eyes (72.7%) like her mommy. There is a 20.4% chance that she might have green eyes (like her daddy who has hazel green eyes) and a tiny 6.8% chance for blue eyes (like her Grandma Bear). With Papa Bear being from Serbian and Irish decent and me being from Filipino and Chinese decent, there is no telling what this little bear will look like. Will she look more like me or Papa Bear?

The other morning, Papa Bear was enjoying the idea of a little me, but she could also be a little girl version of him, which I really like. One thing is for certain in my mind: she is and will be beautiful.

Our Baby Bear

I finally had the chance to scan the ultrasound pictures of our beautiful baby girl. The first picture below is in 3D. I had no idea we would get a 3D ultrasound. I thought it was pretty cool and you get such a better picture. You can see her little face and hands. It took a little while to get this shot, she was a little shy and kept hiding her face with her arm. I am just in love with her! Here she is in 3D:



These two below are the regular 2D ultrasound pictures, it is a little harder to make her out, but she is still beautiful.

The Big Reveal.....A Girl!!

It's a girl!!! Isn't she absolutely beautiful!! (Sorry, I haven't had a chance to scan the ultrasound photo, yet. But you can see her pretty little face and arms. She is just so precious.)

Yes, Baby Bear is a little girl. We are so excited. She is healthy and all looks good. She was very active during the ultrasound. Now the tough stuff begins, like deciding on a name!!

Papa Bear is now thinking that he may have to buy a shot gun to scare the boys away. Already he is protective of his little girl. I guess I won't be his number one girl anymore, but she is worth it!

Week 20: Half-way there!

We have hit the half way point! Depending on when Baby Bear decides to make an appearance, we have about another 20 weeks until EDD. I can't believe how quickly time has gone.

Baby Bear is the size of a melon. I like cantaloupe! Weighing in at about ten ounces and has a height, crown to rump, of about six and a half inches.

A boy or girl? According to Old Wives' Tales

On Monday, we will find out if Baby Bear is a boy or a girl (as long as Baby Bear is cooperative). I am so excited and I absolutely cannot wait. People have been asking me if I prefer one to another. In all honesty, I don't. All I really want is a healthy Baby Bear. Boy or girl, it really doesn't matter to me. With a boy, he could be a "momma's boy" and I get to dress him like his daddy. With a girl, she could be a little princess and dress her in pretty dresses. I win either way!!

Papa Bear is pretty convinced it is a boy. He doesn't care either way, but he has a strong intuition that Baby Bear is a boy. His reasoning is that all of his really good friends growing up have recently had girls and he says it has to do with karma (apparently, they were not very good to girls growing up). He says that and he was a good boy growing up so he thinks he will be the one to have a little boy. He is not afraid of having a girl, he is just afraid of when she becomes a teenager and all the other boys around her.

On the other hand, Grandpa Bear's side of the family is full of boys. Papa Bear has nothing but male cousins on that side of the family. Papa Bear is the oldest (the others are in high school and college) and the first to have a baby. I think his aunts might be hoping for a girl in the family.

Well, I can't wait to find out. Please be cooperative Baby Bear. Papa Bear was thinking that we might keep the gender a secret, but I am not sure that we are going to be able to that. Papa Bear wasn't very good at keeping the pregnancy a secret so I am not sure what makes him think he can keep the gender a secret.

So now what do you think? Boy or Girl? I would love to have some guesses along with your reasons. Here is what we are having according to the Old Wives Tales:

• According to the Chinese Gender Predictor, I am having a girl.


• My left boob is larger = boy


• I am carrying the extra weight out front = boy


• I am carrying high = girl
  (at least I think I am, I am not totally sure. Look at my last baby bump picture from Sunday to see what you think)


• The hair on my legs is not growing any faster during pregnancy = girl


• Sleeping in a bed with my pillow to the south = girl
  (I don’t know if I can help that, it is where my bed is located)


• My feet are colder than they were before pregnancy = boy
  (But my feet are always cold, so it is a hard one to really gauge)


• I prefer the heel of a loaf of bread = boy
  (It is not that I prefer but I do eat it and I always have)


• Papa Bear is gaining weight right along with Mama Bear = boy
  (Papa Bear has been saying that “WE” are pregnant)


• The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair (dyed or natural) = girl


• I did not have morning sickness early in pregnancy = boy
  (Just nausea but not vomiting)


• I am looking particularly good during pregnancy = boy
  (I guess this is because girls steal their mother's looks. Although I have heard the opposite, so it all depends on how the wives tale is interpreted)


• My chest development has been quite dramatic during pregnancy = girl
  (But then again I didn’t have a whole lot to begin with)


• The sum of my age at conception (33 Years old) and the number of the month of conception (September = 9) is even (33+9= 42) = boy


• I have been craving sweets = girl
  (But then again I always crave sweets! I was craving a lot of salty in the first trimester and that would have indicated a boy.)


• My nose hasn't changed during pregnancy = girl


• I have been craving meats or cheeses = boy
  (I do want cheeseburgers all the time since I have been pregnant. I want fruit all the time too and that predicts a girl)


• Baby Bear’s heart rate is 140 or more beats per minute = girl
  (It was 155 at the last OB appt)


• I am not having headaches = girl
  (I did have a few for the first few weeks of the 2nd trimester)


• My belly looks like a basketball = boy


• I don’t have a lot of acne = boy


• My hair has been full and luscious = boy

The score:
Boy = 12
Girl = 10

So what do you think?

Baby Bump: Week 19

I have definitely popped. I was looking at my past baby bump photos and I have definitely gotten bigger! I guess that is good. I am also wearing the same pants and shirt in some of my last baby bump pics. As you can see, not very much fits me so I stick with what is comfortable and what fits. I haven't bought much in the ways of maternity clothes and so this is my regular pre-pregnancy clothing. I will have to remember to wear something different for my next picture, LOL.

Baby Bear kicks Papa Bear!

Last night, we felt a real kick! It was amazing. I have been feeling little flutters that feel like gas bubbles, which I thought was Baby Bear moving. Every time I felt it, I would think and tell Papa Bear, I "think" I feel Baby Bear moving. Last night, we were at home watching TV and I felt something very distinct. I told Papa Bear, that I thought I felt Baby Bear moving, so he put his hand on my baby bump. He's done this before and not felt a thing. But this time....

Baby Bear kicked Papa Bear's hand. We both looked at each other and I asked him if he felt it. He said he definitely felt that. It was the strongest movement I had felt and I knew it was Baby Bear moving. There wasn't another very strong kick, but I could definitely feel movement. Baby Bear was pretty active last night. It was so amazing and makes this feel all so real now! We are really having a baby!!!

Week 19: My little mango

Baby Bear is six inches long this week and about eight ounces in weight, the size of a large mango. I love mangoes!!

The arms and legs are in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone. All these upgrades combine to give your baby more control over limb movements. Meaning that kicking and stretching.

Baby Bear's delicate skin is now protected with a pasty white coating called vernix. Under the vernix, a fine, down-like hair called lanugo covers the body.The kidneys are already producing urine, which is excreted into the amniotic sac surrounding and protecting your Baby Bear.

Wow, I am really loved!

Another Blog award. I actually didn't realize so many friends read my blog. It is nice to be recognized and loved!!

Thank you Izzysma.

Thank you Sarah!

Sarah Elizabeth gave me the following blog award! What is really special about this is Sarah is only 10 months old!!! Check out The Life and Times of Sarah Elizabeth.




I feel honored. I know that I am supposed to pass this on, but there are so many great blogs that I read that I can't just pick a few. I think they all deserve an award!!

Strollers

So many strollers, so many choices. I've been doing some research online and asking various mommy friends about strollers. It is no easy task to make a choice when you have no clue. We have plenty of time to decide upon a stroller. In the beginning, we plan on using a car seat frame, so we probably won't need a stroller until Baby Bear is 6 months. Some say you won't really know what stroller works for you until you have the baby and give the stroller a test drive. Nevertheless, I am a little obsessed with finding the right stroller. I have narrowed them down to a few. We have yet to try out strollers, that will be the determining factor.

Peg Perego Pliko P3

I have heard positive reviews from some friends and I have seen many positive reviews online by other parents and by experts. This one is kind of pricey, but it is lightweight and easy to fold and put in the trunk of your car. I have a big SUV so space is not really an issue, but I do think I would like something lighter rather than heavier in the long run. I like that it has a snack bar for the baby, you can also put your car seat onto it to use as a travel system if you want. It also looks really stylish, a plus but not a requirement. From what I hear everyone pretty much loves their Pegs and this model is well recommended.

BOB Revolution

This one is an all-terrain stroller and jogger. It has 3 wheels that are air filled for better suspension and better ride for Baby Bear. The front wheel swivels so it is easy to maneuver for regular use and it can also be fixed making it a great option for jogging as well. I like the fact that it is all-terrain and a jogger. It is pricier than the Peg Perego but then I wouldn't have to purchase a separate jogger. So this would serve many purposes for our family. We can pretty much take it anywhere. It is heavier than the Peg Perego and a little weighty to be lugging in and out of the car for everyday use. But I am strong, so I might be able to handle it. I will have to try it out to see how heavy it is.

Maclaren Quest Sport

This is a lightweight umbrella stroller that has very positive reviews. People seem to really love Maclaren strollers, they are supposedly the best umbrella strollers. This one weighs less than the Peg that I am considering. It is less expensive than both options above. Unlike the Peg it does not have a snack bar for Baby Bear, I don't know if that is important to me or not. That is something to think about. I also hear that umbrella strollers have a tendency to tip.

It is kind of hard to compare the 3 since they are different strollers in different classes to serve different purposes. I have not really had the chance to see any of these strollers in person. I will have to check them out and really think about what will be best for our lifestyle. Knowing me, I will probably change my mine next week and have other strollers on my consideration list. I guess many people have more than one stroller, but with out limited space and budget I would like to keep strollers to a minimum if possible. One all purpose stroller would be ideal, but I don't know if this is realistic.

Prenatal Check - 18 wks: All is well

I had a prenatal check up today. I met with a second OB in the practice. (There are a total of 3 doctors in the practice. They are on rotation and I will see all of them at some point and depending who is on call when I go into labor will be the one to deliver Baby Bear). I like the OB I met last month, she was great. The OB I met with today was great, too. I am so used to having female doctors, but he made me feel really comfortable. He spent time listening to my concerns and questions and answered them with explanations. I really like that in a doctor. He was very personable. My father-in-law, Grandpa Bear, actually knows him (so that might have helped, because I mentioned him). Grandpa Bear speaks highly of him and he was right about him.

All in all, everything is good. My blood pressure is good (111/64), I've gained about 5 more pound since my last prenatal check, and Baby Bear's heart rate was very strong (around 155). I love hearing Baby Bear's heart beat, that is the highlight of my appointment! The OB said everything looked really good.

I talked to the OB about my exercise routine and he was very pleased that I was exercising. He emphasized the important of exercise and how much better my pregnancy and delivery will be because I am exercising. I really liked that since fitness is very important to me and I have been doing my best to keep up my workout schedule. I told him that I was still doing much of my workout routine but I had reduced the intensity of my workouts and he even said that I didn't really need to do that at all, I could run and I could continue to do abdominal work. In fact, abdominal work and yoga would help keep me from experiencing too much back pain. I was very happy to hear that. I told you I really like this OB.

My next prenatal check up is with the 3rd doctor in the practice. I hope that I like him as much as I have enjoyed the 1st two OBs. I feel pretty good about my prenatal care. Whew, it is hard to know when you have no clue (it helps that I have had friends who have gone to this same office).

I also went in to get my AFP screening test today. Hopefully all is well and healthy with Baby Bear. The AFP screening test is a blood test to determine the chance of birth defects, such as Downs Syndrome. We felt it was best to get the screening test to determine the chances of any special needs. I hear there are a lot of false positives with this test, but if there is a problem then we can have additional tests to determine if there is anything truly wrong.

We scheduled an ultrasound for January 19th to find out Baby Bear's gender. I can't wait!!!

Week 18: Move it, move it

Baby Bear is busy moving more and more. Flexing arms and legs, twisting, rolling, kicking, and punching. If Baby Bear is a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If Baby Bear is a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound. We will find out soon.

Baby Bear has now mastered the art of the yawn. How cute; I wish I could see that. Baby Bear's nervous system is now in working order and is maturing rapidly at this time. Nerves are forming more complex connections. And those in the brain are further specializing into the ones that serve the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. Baby Bear's hearing is growing more acute and is now more conscious of sounds that come from inside your body.

More on registry

I reviewed my registry to look at what I still have to add. There are a lot of stuff on my registry!! Yikes! On the other hand, I have items at various price points (there are quite a bit of items under $10). This way, family and friends have a lot of choices and price points so that they can feel comfortable in spending within their means. I just hope I don't seem so greedy when they see how many items are on my registry. As I registered with my mommy friends, I thought of the registry as more of a shopping list for things we will need in the first year of Baby Bear's life. I, obviously, do not expect to get all those items at my shower and we will not need everything right away (but eventually).

My mommy friends suggested that I put everything that we will need and eventually need in the first year because you never know what people will buy. Plus, in the end I get a 10% completion coupon that we can use for things that were not purchased off the registry. I don't have any clothes on my registry except for onsies in every size and some socks since I figure people will get me clothes anyways. Some of the items are not things we will use in the beginning but will eventually need (at least according to my mommy friends) such as training spoons. Just looking at the list make me realize that babies go through a lot of stuff in the first year of life. Life is definitely going to change.

Registry with a little help from some friends

I started my registery at Babies R Us with a couple of good friends. It was extremely helpful for me. There were a lot of little things that I would never have even have thought to put on my registry at all.

I found a bedding set that I really love. I hadn't planned on a bedding set, I knew that I wanted chocolate brown and sage green. This set just happened to fit that color scheme and was so adorable with the monkey.



Some receiving blankets to match:



Graco pack and play. This is great; it has a bassinet and a changing station. This is perfect for us since we are not planning on getting a bassinet or changing table.



We have yet to make a final decision on a stroller, baby seat, and a few other items. Those are decisions that Papa Bear and I will have to make together. Registering was exhausting. It took us 2 and half hours to to go through the store. Whew! Babies need stuff!

Registering Tips

Registering for baby gear can be an overwhelming task. There are so many choices and so many things that I am clueless about. Just walking into Babies R Us is intimidating. So what do you do as a new, clueless parent? Before you walk into Babies R Us or where ever you decide to register, here are a few things you can do to help the process run smoothly:

Enlist the help of mommy friends

Who else to give you advice on what to register for and what gadgets are actually useless pieces of junk than other mothers. I brought two of my closest friends who have 5 children between them. Their experience with breast pumps, feeding accessories, bottle warmers, etc. was invaluable. Each had different experiences with different items and some different opinions on some things, so it was definitely nice to have to information as I attempted to make my decisions. (I will have to bring Papa Bear to the store in a few weeks to look at bigger items to make sure they also work out for him. But he really wouldn't have been very helpful when it came to something like breast pads, bottles, or layettes, nor would he have cared.)

Do your research beforehand

If you don't have any mommy friends yet (remember I also have a close group of girlfriends where I will be the first to have a baby) this is where the research comes in really handy. Research is key (says the researcher) whether or not you have mommy friends. For many things you will want to research for safety ratings (i.e., infant car seats and stroller). Research any recalls of cribs and other baby gear. There are many forums and websites that give you reviews by experts and other mothers. Websites like ConsumerSearch (provides great reviews for many items beyond baby gear) and Babies R Us (you will find parent reviews for most items they sell) have been very helpful.

Baby Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on baby furniture, gear, clothes, toys, maternity wear and much more! by Denise and Alan Fields is a great book to have as a resource. The book reviews a ton of baby gear brands and even grades them. They give helpful information on what they believe to be wastes of money. Whether or not it will help you to save money is yet to be determined for me, but the reviews and advice is extremely helpful as you look at the plethora of choices in each category. This is a great book for first time parents to make sure you are spending your money (and the money of family and friends who are showering you with gifts) on quality and necessities vs. frivolities. For me, this has been a great place to look at reviews for baby gear. Parents want the best for their babies and also the best bang for their buck. This book helps you to make decisions about where you need to spend a little more and where you can save.

I'll post some of my registry items later.