Chestnut Week 16

My belly is definitely growing a lot this week! *rub rub*

Technically, this is what's going on this week:

• Chestnut is the size of an apple - ~3.98 inches and 2.47 ounces. 
• He or she can move its arms and make a fist.
• Fingernails and toenails are present.
• Baby's skin is still very thin.
• Facial expressions are possible!

Physical:

• Weight: 120 lb (+6)
• Belly circumference: 34.00 in (+5.50)
• Gagged once after choking on some water but it was so minor.  Feeling even less nauseous this week and hungry all the time!
  
• Foods that suck: garlic, and...most grilled meats.  And again, less things are bothersome.
• Foods that are awesome: I've been craving tuna. *gasp*  Whatever, paranoid moms!  Imma eat tuna! 
• Sign that I'm feeling better: I don't gag anymore when the Olive Garden commercials come on.

Spiritual & emotional:

• The short getaway with Chin (in Seattle) was wonderful!  We had a lovely dinner at Etta's, walked around downtown, had second dinner in Chinatown, slept in (!), had lunch at Steamers, went to the Columbia City Bakery for a snack, drove around to look at houses and dream dreams, got massages at this kind of shady place in South Seattle...and throughout, we had really enriching conversations.  We both truly needed that.  We are so thankful to our friends:
• Sun - for getting us an amazing deal on the hotel!
• Wayman - who drove us to and from our hotel so we didn't have to park downtown
• Wyman and Armi - for letting us crash their date in Chinatown and even drove us back to our hotel late at night
• The Gray family - for being wonderful people who took Camille, kept her entertained, fed her, and simply loved her. 
  We are grateful for you and are so humbled by your examples of generosity!
• Getting back into the rhythm of things feels good, even though it means being a lot more busy because of having to catch up for my slackin'.

Click here to see the comparison to my pregnancy with Camille (MacNut) at the same gestational age.

Chestnut Week 15

SNOW!!  We were somewhat snow-bound this week and it was a wonderful time of being together as a family.  Chin's sister, May, was also with us and she was a great help with Camille.  Without her, Camille would have gone insane after being trapped in the house with just us. :)  Thank you, Gu Je!

Technically, this is what's going on this week:

• Chestnut is the size of an apple - ~3.98 inches and 2.47 ounces. 
• He or she can move its arms and make a fist.
• Fingernails and toenails are present.
• Baby's skin is still very thin.

Physical:

• Weight: 119 lb (+5)
• Belly circumference: 33.25 in (+4.75)
• No vomiting this week and no gagging!
• Foods that suck: grilled meat still smells offensive, sadly.
• Foods that are awesome: more and more foods are becoming appetizing.  YAY!  I've been craving fish.
• I'm getting less nauseous.
• One morning, I woke up with some pelvic pain.  Seriously?!  I had pelvic pain starting at week 20/21 until the end of my pregnancy with Camille (with Penelope, I also had this pain at week 20 but it stopped soon after delivery at 22 weeks).  I didn't think things were going to start getting bad so soon :(  I made an appointment with a PT who specializes in pelvic pain and pregnancy...and she happens to be less than 1.5 miles from our place.  Hopefully this will help.

Spiritual & emotional:

• I am feeling good that I am not feeling as nauseous.
• Not as productive as I usually am this week since I didn't go to classes or clinical all week due to Snowmageddon 2012.  Which, to a normal person, means catch up time.  For me, it was time to veg and watch a whole ton of Downton Abbey.  I felt a little guilty, but not enough to change anything.
• The "surprise" getaway that Chin has planned for us is going to start tonight!  He has arranged for our pastor's family to take care of Camille overnight tonight and we won't be picking her up until tomorrow at dinner time.  Really looking forward to this time of unwinding together. :)

Click here to see the comparison to my pregnancy with Camille (MacNut) at the same gestational age.

Chestnut Week 14

Oh blissful second trimester, it is here!  I'm still waiting for the "blissful" part, though.  Waiting...waiting...(you can see that my impatience is truly reflected in the photo above.)

Technically, this is what's going on this week:

• Chestnut is the size of a lemon - ~3.42 inches and 1.52 ounces
• Bone is beginning to replace cartilage and the ribs are appearing.
• The eyes are slowly moving towards the center of the face.
• The cheekbones are visible. The first hair is appearing.
• The kidneys are producing urine.
• In girls, the ovaries are moving down towards the pelvis.
• In boys, the prostate gland is developing.

Physical:

• Weight: 118 lb (+4)
• Belly circumference: 32.75 in (+4.25)
• No vomiting this week!  But did gag a couple of times.
• Foods that suck: garlic, and...most foods.  Chin fried up a steak this week and the whole house smelled so gross!  It probably tasted really good, but I was so appalled by the smell.
• Foods that are awesome: ranch dressing still tastes really good, especially in a salad
• I think maybe I'm feeling less nauseous...but I don't want to jinx anything.
• I'm just as tired as any average pregnant woman who's caring for a toddler.  I can't complain.

Spiritual & emotional:

• Second week of school!  Tiring and stressful; but very rewarding so far.
• I'm not sure what is with pregnancy hormones, but I have been loving my time with Camille.  I feel like we really reconnected during my time off (winter break from school) and we've been enjoying our time together. :)
• Chin revealed that for the past few months, he has been planning this secret getaway for the two of us!  (He had to tell me a couple of weeks in advance so I wouldn't plan anything that weekend.)  I'm really excited!

Click here to see the comparison to my pregnancy with Camille (MacNut) at the same gestational age.

Chestnut Week 13

Happy New Year!!  For NYE, our whole family went out and got haircuts.  This was Camille's 2nd haircut.  It took longer than the first because we didn't go to a kids' barber.  But it turned out pretty decent for $8. :)

I think I was mistaken before (with the MacNut journals) in saying that the second trimester started in week 13.  Well, it depends how you look at it, I think.  For instance, as of the time I am posting this blog, I have completed 13 weeks of pregnancy plus 6 days.  Argh, all this calculation of gestational dates is giving me a hernia...  But all that is to say that the second trimester really starts at week 14.

Technically, this is what's going on this week:

• Chestnut is the size of a medium shrimp - ~2.91 inches and 0.81 ounces.
• The baby's unique fingerprints are already in place.
• Baby flexes & kicks; movements can be measured.
• The child will begin to learn to suck his/her thumb.
• The nose is more pronounced. The ears are fully developed.
• The external genitalia are almost defined, it may be possible to tell if baby is a boy or girl.

Physical:

• Weight: 117 lb (+3)
• Belly circumference: 32.25 in (+3.75)
• No vomiting this week!  But did gag a couple of times.
• Foods that suck: anything with a lot of garlic
• Foods that are awesome: buttered cut corn, mac 'n cheese, black beans, anything with a light broth.
• School started up again this week and, boy, I am tired!  I had to ask to sit down several times at my clinical rotation site (which is the King County Juvenile Detention Ctr this quarter) because I was starting to faint.
• I feel like I should be taking better care of my physical health.  I should be eating breakfast.  I should be eating more regularly.  I should be exercising.  But I haven't been doing that very faithfully.  I'm sorry, Chestnut!

Spiritual & emotional:

• This is going to be a busy quarter.  I am liking my clinical site and classes so far, though!  I was really hoping that I would be basking in the beauty of the second trimester by now.  So, I'm still a bit disappointed.  Trying to get over it.
• I get a sense from Chin that I have been complaining a lot about my pregnancy symptoms.  I have.  But they are not untrue!  I just want for him to sympathize with my frustration that I am feeling like pulling out my hair because of feeling gross!

Click here to see the comparison to my pregnancy with Camille (MacNut) at the same gestational age.

Camille: Hilarious

Some amusing moments around the Ng households lately...as told on Facebook:

By Bao on 12/1/2011:

The dreaded "toddler drew all over the wall with markers" happened today...at daycare. Sucks to be daycare. Awesome to be me!

By Chin on 12/6/2011:

Last night, Camille learned how to flush the toilet. She'd flush the toilet, laugh hysterically, and then clap her hands in celebration. "Yaaaay..."

This morning, Bao was puking into the toilet due to morning sickness. Camille walks up to Mom, watches her for a few seconds, pats her on the back, flushes the toilet, then claps her hands in celebration. "Yaaaay..!"

By Bao on 12/6/2011:

Camille had this sneaky smile on her face. I asked her, "Do you need to go potty?" (in Vietnamese) and she raised her eyebrows. I asked, "Did you already go?" She gave me an enthusiastic, "YEAH!" Confirmed. Oh boy...

By Bao on 12/31/2011:

Me: A is for...?
Camille: Apple!
Me: B is for...?
Camille: Bapple!

By Chin 1/1/2012:

I had just finished giving Camille a bath, but had to go upstairs to fetch a diaper. I figured letting her wander around for 1 minute wouldn't be a problem.

When I came back, she was throwing things in the toilet. I thought, "Oh no! She's throwing her bath toys in the toilet." Upon closer inspection, she had crapped all over the floor, was picking up her own poop, and throwing the chunks into the toilet.

A+ for picking up after yourself, little girl.