20 Weeks

How far along: 20 weeks
Weight gain: almost 7 lbs total since first appointment
How big is baby: Small Cantelope
Maternity clothes: Finally got a pair of maternity jeans at Old Navy (half the price of Gap.com) and also got a great pair of black leggings at target that I can wear with my boots for the rainy days we're still getting in May (even though hunnie doesn't like them because they look like spandex LOL)
Sleep: Been sleeping pretty well but definitely needing lots of pillows to position comfortably, especially to keep me from being flat on my back 
Best moment this week: Our 20-week U/S when we found out baby was a boy! close 2nd was my wonderful massage therapy appointment, schedule one for another 2 weeks, so relaxinggggg. We've also been going to the chiropractor once a week which has really been helping all the shifting bones, hunnie likes it too, we're pretty hooked. 
Movement: This past week has confirmed my suspicions about the pokes I was feeling, definitely baby moving! At first it was super distracting, especially at work when I was trying to concentrate, but now I'm used to it and it's really exciting to feel him moving around in there. Hunnie is excited too but he can't wait until he can actually feel the punches and kicks too, he's been putting his hand on my belly when I say baby is moving but I think it might be another couple weeks until it's strong enough to feel from the outside. 
Food Cravings: This week I was super lazy about making lunches for some reason, one day I had ramen and my co-worker gave me such a hard time, I agree that MSG should not be part of baby's diet. I was craving tacos all week especially after we had some amazing tacos at our next door neighbors' house last Saturday for dinner. I've been really craving some good authentic Vietnamese food too and was in luck because mama phan was home from Arizona and made us Bun Bo Hue on Monday which was so yummy! I was craving Canh today so we stopped into Seattle Deli and got some along with a couple Banh Bao and Coconut Buns, sadly they were completely out of Banh Mi Thit Nuong sammies, maybe next time. 

Pregnancy Symptoms: Still some nausea at night (around dinner time, yesterday meepers did not like the sweet rice I had at family's house for a snack), braxton hicks contractions (midwife told me this is normal and that my uterus is "practicing")
Belly button in or out: Still an innie, Chi Kim told me hers is popping out now and very sensitive (she's at 28 weeks now). I think mine will look so funny when it's an outie, interested to see LOL!
What I miss: Mama's cooking (she flew out to Connecticut on Thursday to visit George's grandkiddies)
What I'm looking forward to: Memorial Day weekend, hopefully some more sunshine and wondering what and who baby will look like! 
Weekly Wisdom: This week was my wonderful husband's 30th birthday, so he is apparently one year wiser now! HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPABEAR! 

Papabear (Hung) age 1 I think...wondering if this is what baby boy will look like! Such a cutie! And gotta love the red socks too! LOL

The Business of Being Born

Borrowed a movie from our friend Katie a few weeks back but since I had the surgery I had not been "in the mood" to watch anything dealing with hospitals. Since we had our U/S yesterday we finally felt ready and interested to give it a look. The Business of Being Born is a great documentary film and the reason why I wanted to use a midwife for my pregnancy and delivery. I'm not so granola (or brave) as to go with a home-birth but I see the appeal. Working in the medical field, I have some paranoia about what can go wrong so I feel more comfortable giving birth at the hospital and I do like the fact that our clinic at Evergreen has both midwives and OBGYNs as well, this was especially important when my ovarian cyst was discovered and Dr. Dise did a superb job with the surgery. My dream labor and delivery would be as natural as possible, but I realize that things sometimes don't always go as we plan so I'm just praying for the best and hoping for a safe and healthy delivery and baby by whatever means is in God's plan. 

It's a BABY BOY!

"Hi mama & papa!" love, meepers

IT'S A BABY BOY! ☺

Today we had our 20-week U/S, our appointment was bright and early at 8am which was nice since we had been anxiously awaiting today all week long. It was so wonderful to see baby again, felt like such a long time since our 16-week check when we had the portable U/S. First the tech did all the anatomical checks and measurements, everything is doing great and looking normal, 49th percentile! Baby is at the 47th percentile in size right now. Baby was curled up facing my back so it was a challenge to get some profile pics but we managed a few, even when she had me turn to my side we couldn't fool baby because he would turn too, guess baby likes to sleep face down on his tummy, just like his mama (although at this point in the pregnancy that is physically impossible for me to do comfortably). We were both so happy and excited to find out baby was a boy (and would have been equally happy and excited if baby had been a girl). I think I would have been more surprised if it was a girl since all this time I had been thinking he was a boy, just had a feeling! More importantly, we were happy to see that baby was healthy and doing great! We were so excited to tell our family and friends and we finally released the good news on Facebook too. Baby is already getting so much love from everyone ♥

19 Weeks

How far along: 19 weeks
Weight gain: According to scale at work, less than 1lb since less week, about 5 lbs total!
How big is baby: Mighty Mango
Maternity clothes: On Sunday we went to GapMaternity in U Village and found some great tees and tanks, thank goodness because baby bump is getting bigger and my regular shirts are really riding up and becoming so short LOL now need to find a good pair of jeans!
Sleep: Sleeping well, couple mornings this week though I was soooooo tired while driving to work, like "slap yourself and scream to just stay awake enough to keep from driving off the road" tired.
Best moment this week: Had a great time at the Ballard Farmers Market with Hunnie, Lils and the pupps. So much good food. We chowed down on some amazing smoked salmon, cheese and homemade toffee. Delish!
Movement: Feeling some pokes and taps, at first I thought maybe I had a false alarm last week but now I'm thinking it must be baby moving around in there. I don't feel them super frequently but now and then if I'm still and paying attention. I remember from our 12-week U/S that my placenta is anchored anteriorly (between baby and my belly button) and they said I might not feel movement as much because of this extra "cushion". I am however feeling my tummy/uterus get really tight/firm intermittently. Mama Kathy told me these are Braxton-Hicks, didn't realize I would be feeling contractions this early on, they aren't painful, just weird feeling.
Food Cravings: Still loving my Simply Lemonade, Red Mango fro-yo, also Eggo Blueberry Waffles and margherita pizza. I was also craving this short-rib and rice plate from I Love Pho by my work because my co-worker had to last week for lunch and that is what I had yesterday for lunch and it was so yummy! Meepers really loved it :) What Meepers did not love this week was a lunch I had of pasta with shrimp, asparagus and zuchinni. I got very sick at work, but my lovely co-worker Red brought me ginger ale and let me lay down on the Dexa table for a lil nap.

Pregnancy Symptoms: Still having nausea in the evenings, hungry all day up until then though which is good. Not so much cramping anymore but the tightening instead. Fatigue, depends on the day.
Belly button in or out: Innie
What I miss: Nothing really
What I'm looking forward to: Mom is coming home tomorrow from her winter in Arizona, but then she's leaving Thursday for Connecticut for a couple weeks and then off to Vietnam for a month, busy bee traveler! Hoping to spend some time with her tomorrow before she jets off. And of course we are anxiously awaiting and excited to find out the gender of the baby...this week on Friday! Going to be a long week at work while I count down!
Weekly Wisdom: Was too tired this week to attempt being wise LOL

18 Weeks

new shirt from GapMaternity for baby bump pics!

How far along: 18 weeks
Weight gain: According to my scale at work, about 5 lbs!
How big is baby: Sweet Potato
Maternity clothes: Got some new scrubs last weekend at Life Uniform, so much more comfy! Baby bump is definitely getting bigger!
Sleep: Sleeping well, even though it never seems like enough...
Best moment this week: Hanging out in the sun with the pups in the backyard playing fetch.
Movement: I've been feeling little taps or pokes, the first time was while I was driving on I-90 on the way to pick up Hunnie after work. So exciting!
Food Cravings: Simply Lemonade, Red Mango fro-yo, Starbucks Tomato/Mozarella/Basil Hot Panini, Starbucks Green Tea Lemonade and greek yogurt (either honey or strawberry flavor).

Pregnancy Symptoms: Cramping, fatigue, nausea (especially if I eat something Meepers doesn't like...for instance this week it was green peppers on pizza and veggie soup, won't be eating those again for a longggg time)
Belly button in or out: Innie
What I miss: Nothing really
What I'm looking forward to: Finding out baby's gender...funny to compare all the old wives tales...I've been craving sweets which they say means girl, Jacob wouldn't give me a hug which they say means there is a boy in there, HR is >140 meaning girl, all day morning sickness means girl, no acne they say means boy, chinese calendar says boy...can't wait to see which ones were right!
Weekly Wisdom: Had a great mom chat yesterday with new mama Kathy and baby Livie ☺

Sunny Weekend & Red Mango

Red Mango original flavor with graham cracker crumbs, oreos and strawberries

Such beautiful weather this weekend! ☼ Finally getting a glimpse of spring here in Seattle and today it is already May! The yard is in desperate need of weeding but we decided to relax and enjoy the weather instead. Yesterday was Lily & Aaron's Seattle wedding reception at Zen Garden and I was so happy to get my fix of honey walnut prawns! YUM! I also tried Red Mango @ the Alderwood Mall for the first time, there are a couple locations like one at U Village and it's usually always busy so I was curious to see what the buzz is all about. I was not disappointed! I like the original fro-yo flavor the best, sweet and tangy. My first combo was original fro-yo with graham cracker crumbs, white chocolate chips and strawberries. DELISH! Hunnie isn't too keen on the white choc chips so today when I was craving it again I subbed for oreos instead which was still good too. I had that for lunch along with a tomato, basil & mozarella hot panini from starbucks (another recent craving addiction). Also tried this new cupcake place at the mall called PinkaBella, had the red velvet and must admit I think it's better than Trophy! It's now dinner time and I could totally go for another panini and fro-yo. Hunnie thinks I should crave stuff that we already have at home, boo! It's so difficult when Meeper's has a very particular and specific taste!☺

Lily & Aaron's Seattle Wedding Reception

Was able to find a dress at Motherhood Maternity. Super comfy and on sale too! Props to my husband who picked it out ☺

Return to Zen Garden (where we had our wedding reception last August). Mang & Meng ♥

Hubbie & Me ♥

With the newlyweds! Congrats guys!

My doggy mamas ☺

Another one of Mang & me