23 weeks 4days happenings

At 23 weeks and 4 days we had 

1. Regular monthly OBGYN checkup

2.3D ultrasound

3. Gestational Diabetes blood test

I was pretty much beat by the end of the day, but oh boy, the ultrasound made up for it!

Monthly OBGYN checkup

Weight: 138Lbs

Fundal height :average

Blood pressure: normal

Derrick's heartbeat:140

Doc was worried I've only gained one pound for a month. I told her I eat a lot more than compared to the last three months. She just said that as long as I'm not LOSING weight, I'm fine. The baby is growing very well, and she said I have high metabolism. UM. NO doctor. have you SEEN me when I had freshman 50 in college??! 

My guess is I lost so much weight first trimester, it seems like I haven't gained much weight. I was 142 lbs when I was 7 weeks pregnant, then full blown all day sickness, lost 12 lbs by week 12 of my pregnancy, dropped to 130 lbs, and now I'm nearing my 24 week mark, I'm still way below average weight gain chart for my age and height at 138 lbs. 

Husband: "You gain a pound if you drink a lot of water" 

Me: "I know, what the heck, I ate like it was my job" 

Husband: "I know, I saw you eat a lot more, you're weird" 

Me: "I think Derrick just likes to take all of mommy's food"

Husband: chuckles

But- I feel fine, Derrick kicks all the time, and I exercise regularly, so I have no worries, and neither does the doctor. Doc still doesn't want me to work out too much: NO WORRIES DOC :] You don't have to tell me that. I walk my dog for 15 minutes and do yoga stretches including my kegel exercise for 15 minutes a day. That's my exercise routine. Nothing more, nothing less. 

We will have another monthly checkup right after Christmas. Time sure does fly. 

3D Ultrasound

Location: GoldenView Ultrasound

Ultrasound Technician: Allison? Alex? I'll call her Al... Sorry Al

By Appointment only.

Oh man, this was another first, and I just have to say, I had the best time. Of course husband was with me when we went, he has not missed a single OB appointment, or anything related to this pregnancy :]

The office was easy to find, and there was parking, which is really great, considering, there barely is any parking in Chicago. They have to buzz you in, and they tell you what to press and stuff via email after you make your appointment. The office was inviting, and the receptionist was so friendly. 

I had to bring my OB ultrasound to show I'm getting proper prenatal care, and they made a copy of that, and I filled out a general information sheet, and in no time, Al greeted us to the ultrasound room. 

I wish I had taken pictures of the room, it was really awesome, but I was too busy exclaiming over how nice it was and blah blah blah... that's why I couldn't quite catch Al's full name.... hehe

The bed that you lay down to do the ultrasound was so nice! Anyway, we started with the heartbeat, and they had surround sound system, and it was quite different from the one we hear at the doc's. Oh it was very loud and strong :]  

Al: Did the doctor tell you what you were having?

Me: yes, we're having a boy

Al: you want to double check?

Me: why not

Al: yup he's a boy

Me: aw look at his little penis!

The penis had actually grown a lot since 4 weeks ago, and even husband could spot it easily :]

Al actually started with a regular 2D, found where the face was, and converted the image to 3D! WOW... technology amazes me! And Derrick, oh Derrick, he is such a happy baby. He has a smiling face, and he was so active with his body and also with his face, even Al said he might talk faster because he's moving his lips so much already! 

Here he is

He's so beautiful, isn't he?

 Here he is sticking his tongue out! Looks like a cute little baby panda :]

 Here he is smiling again, he has his daddy's nose and mommy's mouth :] And saluting us with his hand! (upper left corner)

This is Derrick's modeling pose: Aren't I just the cutest?

And here he is just laughing away!! 

I was just chattering away" aww look at him babe! Aw! he's so handsome! look at his little face!!"

Husband just stared at the huge projector screen in awe. He was seriously even more speechless than his usual self, which is utter silence.

After we were done, he hugged me real tight and gave me a kiss. I think that was his way of saying 'honey our baby is beautiful' I teared up a little, I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff :]

So after our session, which I think lasted about 15-20 minutes, we got a bunch of black and white copies, 2 color copies, and a cd rom copy of all the stills. The total came out to $69, but husband and I both agree that it was worth it, and we're definitely coming back for our subsequent pregnancies :]

Gestational Diabetes blood test

Just a routine blood test, that tests for gestational diabetes- they will let me know in a day if I do have gestational diabetes or not. I have no worries; I have not OD'd on sweets like I thought I would this pregnancy- I actually don't really like sweet things as of now, so this was just a routine test the doc ordered. When I went, they made me drink something glucose thingamajig that looked like orange gatorade which tasted pretty nasty, and made me wait an hour. Then the lab technician withdrew two vials of blood and that was it!

Whew! All that happened, and I'm so happy :]

God has blessed us with so much and so far this pregnancy has brought nothing but joy and thankfulness to our family. 

We have so much to look forward to, with the holidays coming, and we couldn't be happier. 

Until next time, keep us in your prayers!

My virgin Prenatal Massage experience

Holy mother of pure bliss. @_@

If I had to sum it up in one word it would be: AWESOME

Ever since my baby bump had popped out of nowhere, it really took a toll on my body especially my lower back, my hips, my neck and my shoulders. I'd been meaning to get the prenatal massage way before, but I've read on some sites that I should stay away from prenatal massages during first trimester, since I was high risk. My last OBGYN appointment (second trimester appointment) I asked my doc if I am safe to get prenatal massage, and she gave the green light, so as soon as I got the ok, I booked it. 

After an extensive research, I came across Urban Oasis. It's only 5 minute drive from our house, and it had the best prenatal massage reviews. 

Here is the lobby/waiting area. It was VERY RELAXING and WELCOMING and the staff members were so friendly, I was already unwinding.

They had me fill out some basic information sheet, and after I was done, I found a helpful brochure.

 

I had only waited about 5 minutes and my massage therapist came to greet me and take me to the massage room. Her name was Laurie. 

My room was dimly lit and looked really inviting. The bed was inclined at about 45 degree angle, and there were wedges for different parts of my body to relieve as much pressure as possible when I get my massage done. The bed itself was entirely of memory foam, like Tempurpedic mattress, and it felt SO nice laying on the bed. I did NOT want to get up.

So before we actually got to the massage part, Laurie explained thoroughly of what she will do, what she won't do, what is considered safe, and what is a no-no for pregnant women getting massages. She asked if I had specific areas that needed attention, (YES, my shoulders, lower back!) and she told me to take my time and let her know if the massage pressure was too much. 

Before I moved to Chicago, I always got full body massage every week, so I told Laurie, you can go as hard as you can, but she warned me now that I'm pregnant, even the slightest increase in circulation can be bad for the baby, so she said she'll work with me. 

Prenatal massages DO NOT include the massaging of the breasts, the abdomen, pelvic region, inner thighs, extensive hand or feet massages. Those areas are danger zones that can trigger complications. So if you go get a prenatal massage, make sure your therapist stays away from those areas. 

So the bed stayed like that when I was on my back. Then I flipped over on my tummy, it's been 6 months since I've been on my tummy and it felt SOOOO relaxing! But the bed transforms. I wish I was able to take a picture, but I was in the middle of my massage... The face rest of course goes in, then there is a hole where your baby bump fits in, (a cutout cushion comes out), but the belly doesn't just hang, there is another very soft bedding that 'catches' your belly so it doesn't hang mid air. Laurie asked if everything was ok and verbatim, "my belly fits snug as a bug! oh my goodness this feels awesome"

She also gave me soft towels to put on either side of my breast to relieve pressure that'll be on them once I fully lay down. And of course the massage was GREAT. She went from scalp to toe. AWESOME. 

Here are some of the sensations I felt while I was getting my massage: 1. Derrick kicked non-stop. I was relaxed and happy and so was he 2. I felt hungry 3. My boobs felt they were growing on their own and they felt very tender and slightly uncomfortable

The whole massage was a FULL hour. She did not skimp out on my minutes. Bless her soul. Then after, I was offered a rain shower, or steam shower, and since steam shower is no-no for pregnant women, I chose the rain shower. 

And THIS TOO was relaxing. I get my own private shower, and all the amenities. 

Then when you walk out of the shower, you're not cold since there is a heat lamp. MMMMMMM

And here I am happy as a clam and relaxed to the max. With Derrick of course =)

It was so great, I just booked my next appointment with them before I left. The original price was $100, but I mentioned Yelp deal and I got $25 off, and ended up paying only $75 =)

And there it is, my first prenatal massage appointment at 23 weeks and 2 days!

Derrick and I are super relaxed, and we cannot wait for our next appointment. 

We had a great day today, and please keep us in your prayers for the upcoming events this week!

More to come!

22 weeks 3 days

So I've been wanting to get the baby bump already, and at week 20 I did get a tiny legit baby bump.

I got really excited; but little did I know exactly two weeks later... 

I woke up in the morning, brushed my teeth, looked at my reflection and I literally saw my bump had officially 'popped'!!! It really did happen overnight, like many have testified online forums.

The night before this happened I did feel a lot of pressure on my abdomen and I felt my skin stretching and my bones feeling a bit out of place. I told this to the husband and he probably guessed it was due to me eating more than usual for dinner; however, I only had about 4 bites, and I didn't even touch my food. It felt strange. I woke up the next day, and VOILA! Hello little D!!

I can still see my toes so we're not HUGE as people might say :)

Derrick is still kicking away happily, even more than usual, and I'm thinking it's because there's more room for him now ;)

Next week we have our 24 week OB visit and 3D ultrasound! Can't wait!

Please keep us in your prayers and more to come later!

21 weeks and 4 days

Crazy Dreams Galore....

I'm usually not the person to dream dreams, or remember them if I had one, but ever since I got pregnant, I've been having vivid and bizarre dreams.

So I decided to categorize them, and go into details for a few of my favorites. =)

The Ex Boyfriend Dreams
These started before I took the pregnancy test, and I was troubled. Why would they appear in my dreams? Husband was a bit peeved: why would you dream of your ex boyfriends? BEATS ME! I blame the hormones. I don't think about my ex boyfriends at all, after I started dating my husband, I realized he was the only man that I need to keep in my memories forever... Anyway, the hormones are to blame for this weird neurosis.

The Weird Animal Dreams
From giraffes to pandas... they just randomly appear. Some are so cute and cuddly and some are just downright nasty. Again, hormones, they do crazy things with my brain cells!!

The Hot Erotic Porn-Like Dreams
This is probably due to hormones AND the fact that the husband and I are no longer making love. Husband has sworn to abstinence as soon as we found out we were pregnant:"it's just really weird. our baby is in there and there is not way in hell that we are making love until we have our baby..." Sometimes I'll wake up horny, and I will notify the husband of this situation: "think of our baby"...... ok.....

The Cute Baby Dreams
Cute babies appear... I know they're not Derrick, our baby, but I have been just dreaming of cute babies  =)

The WTF Dreams
1. I had a dream that I was a witch, and I was attending Hogwarts, (yes the school from Harry Potter) and I was the president of the student council, and we had to do a fundraiser and we were conjuring up magic and other events and such.
2. I was in a car with a friend of mine, another car chases us, and then all of sudden, it turns into a car race, and I remember feeling that rush, kind of like the one you get when you're in a roller coaster
3. I'm at a buffet, and there are all the kinds of food that I was craving, but every time I reach for them, they move further and further away

I'm pretty sure I will have more dreams as this pregnancy continues, but for now, this pretty much sums up my crazy dreams. Other changes that are occurring are physical ones, enlarged breasts(went up two bra sizes) abdomen stretching, back aches, body aches.. I think my bones are rearranging themselves to make more room down there. My lower back bones and hip bones feel like they are at different places than before. I can also feel the ligaments in my lower abdomen stretching out. 5 more weeks left in the 2nd trimester and we will already be in our 3rd trimester!

We can't wait to see Derrick, and until we do, keep us in your prayers!

20 weeks 2 days milestones

This has to be recorded: Barack Hussein Obama is 44th president of United States. While little Derrick (Little D) is happily growing inside me, a historical event occurred- Obama is re-elected for another four years.

With that said, I am doing really well so far. Like most pregnancy related websites have so confidently declared, the nausea and the vomiting have subsided to a minimum, my food aversions have gotten better, and most importantly, my mood swings are not so 'swing-y'. 

The last OB appointment showed that I have gained 3 lbs, not as much as the doc would've liked to see, but still, I'm not losing weight, so that's good news. I think I'm slowly gaining weight, and I definitely notice a difference in the curvature of my abdomen :]

I have so many appointments to look forward to: I have the regular appointment scheduled with my OB, I have a prenatal massage appointment in two weeks, (I will definitely blog about that), I have a 4d ultrasound appointment in two weeks as well. (Will definitely blog about that, too)

On a side note, my parents are extremely worried that I am doing too many ultrasounds... but so far we have had one to validate the pregnancy, the NT screening ultrasound, the gender reveal ultrasound and that's it. So that's only three ultrasounds, and the OB has said that we will not have any more until I'm 30+weeks right before I give birth, so I have no concerns. 

Right now I really do feel like I'm in the 'honeymoon' phase of my pregnancy, and I am truly content and I feel so blessed. 

Here is a very long overdue belly pic at exactly week 20. 

Please excuse my dorky longjanes; my mom sent them to me and they are very comfy. 

And the husband and I have already started to buy many books for Little D.

We love reading to Little D and I hope he'll love reading too!

Keep us in your prayers, and more to come later!

19 Weeks 3 Days Gender Reveal Ultrasound!

The little fufu is...

As soon as the doctor placed the ultrasound probe on my tummy this is what he showed us first! His tiny weewee and his round balls :]

The husband breathed a sigh of relief- he had secretly wanted a boy since he was super worried how he'd raise a girl, with all the worries of what ifs.... 

My mom " I knew it all along"

My in laws "first born is a son!"

Me, I'm just happy he's healthy!

We already picked a name for him, the in laws are making a korean name for his middle name, so it will be 

Derrick ??? Kim.

Derrick means "ruler of the people" 

Look at Derrick's little bambi face :]

Derrick is busy sucking his thumb!

Now we can do nursery shopping and such- but ultimately, we thank God he is healthy and doing well. Praise the Lord!

We will be doing 4D ultrasound in four weeks, so we will upload some pics from that! 

Until then, keep us in your prayers!