My favorite part of pregnancy is ...

My favorite part of pregnancy is my husbands hands on involvement and support during the entire pregnancy. I am so happy my husband accompanies me to all of my doctor's visits. We both were there when the doctor told us we were expecting. How exciting to share everything with my spouse. We listen to the baby's heart beat together, view the ultra sounds at the same time, and experience everything with the baby together. I have been spoiled by my husband for nine years, but when we found out we were expecting he has been even more attentive. Wow, I am a lucky gal. I couldn't ask for anything more. I wonderful husband, a healthy baby and family. I am so grateful.

Nursery

This weekend we were busy setting up the nursery. We finished building the crib and tried to arrange the room so that everything is in its place. It actually looks good. I thought by adding a crib and a changer to the guest room it would be too crowded, but it doesn't look as bad as I thought. There is still room to move around. So we have the essentials: bed for me, crib for the baby, and changer. Joe still needs to get the rocker, but that would be later on this month. Now I need to start moving my clothes from the nursery room's closet. I don't know where I am going to put all those coats and sweaters.

How did I accumulate all these clothes? I have two closets full of clothes and shoes and one closet full of designer handbags. I guess a girl can't have too many clothes, shoes and handbags right? I guess it's a good think I got all of my shopping fix out of the way, now I don't need to purchase any more handbags or shoes and I can buy the baby whatever it needs. I guess it was a good thing we waited to have kids I don't feel like I will be deprived from having a child. Now I feel like it is time to focus the baby and leave all those wordly possessions behind. By behind I mean behind in my closet. :) Although, I would leave any of my personal belonging just to have a healthy family. I guess having a child does change your life's perspective.

Darn this blog was ment to be about the nursery not shopping. Oh, well.

Baby Purchases

Well, I have been trying to hold off on shopping for baby stuff but I think it is about time to start buying the essential items. My husband's first baby purchase was last week a Victorian cherry wood crib with a matching baby changer and drawers. I helped him assemble the baby changer and drawers, now for the crib. My first baby purchase was a Mickey mouse and Pluto onesie. Just looking at the miniature clothes makes me think of how the baby would look wearing them. I can't wait to meet the baby.

It's a boy!

Well, after five months of waiting my husband and I finally know we are having a baby boy! If you read my previous blog on gender, I guess that Chinese gender calender was right, I am having a boy. At week 20 to 21 you are able to get a nice ultra sound where the doctor can tell if you are having a boy or a girl. I really like my doctor because he provides me with 2D and 3D pictures. He also includes a DVD of the baby which is awesome!

My husband and I have been thinkin of names for a while. He uploaded some pregnancy app to his and my iphone. The app is cool because you enter your due date and the app will tell you week by week what the baby is doing, how much it weighs, the length, tips for mom, baby names, pictures of what the baby should look like, and much more. So we have been using our iPhone app to select names. Of coarse, my husband being a Laker fan wants the baby to be named Kobe which is not happening! As you may know the woman is always right so there will be no Kobe in this family. Since my husband collects Jordan shoes I suggested the name Jordan and he thought that was a cool name. So early on we decided if we were having a boy his name would be Jordan Joseph Nguyen. Little J.J. it has a nice ring to it. I didn't want to put my husbands name, Joseph, as the first name because the baby will forever be known as Jr. or Little Joe which I also did not like. So that's how we came up with a name.

Movement

Pregnant woman can begin to feel the baby move between four to five months of pregnancy. Doctor's say the movement is felt like fluttering butterflies, or butterflies in your stomach. I will be five months next week and I have been anxious to see how it really feels when the baby moves inside the womb. All along I thought I was suppose to feel nervous, well isn't that what butterflies in your stomach feel like? I was so excited this morning because I finally felt the baby move inside me. It was an out of this world feeling. I can't believe a person is actually growing and moving inside me. Let me tell you it didn't feel like a nervous feeling. It felt more like a slight vibration feeling then all of a sudden it moved to one side. It was amazing.

http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-health/move-it.aspx

Genetic Testing

There are routine genetic disorders that doctor's test for when you are pregnant. You can expect to have blood drawn between your 11th to 13th week of pregnancy for your first trimester screening. During the first trimester screening doctor's test for trisomy 18 and trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome). At week 19 my husband and I were fortunate to find out that my first trimester screening was normal. There was a 1:5100 chance of down syndrome. I fell fortunate.

http://fetal.com/

Baby Gender

My husband and I are anxious to find out the gender of the baby. The doctor’s will tell us the gender in two and a half weeks. I guess it’s a good thing that I do not know the gender because I think I would have gone crazy shopping. My husband said I better not be purchasing a lot of baby clothes because babies seem to grow out of them quickly. Why is he always right! My husband and I come from big families. My husband’s family has five boys and one girl and in my family we are five girls and one boy. I guess we were meant to be. My mother in-law would like a granddaughter and my mother would like a grandson. As for me, I really do not have a preference as long as the baby is healthy. Since this will be the first grand child for both families this grand baby will definitely be spoiled! According to the Chinese calendar gender pridictor I will be having a boy. We will see what happens!

http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/predictsex.htm

Week 18

The bulge of my lower abdomen is protruding so this week my pregnancy has become noticeable. I still fit into my normal clothes but they are really snug. This week I have been tired and I cannot seem to focus on homework especially when it comes to writing papers. My brain just wants to shut down when it has to read anything related to school. According to my pregnancy book the baby is growing its fingerprints and footprints. This is what distinguishes us from any individual. Not even blood can do that. If you are identical twins your DNA will be the same but not your fingerprints. At this stage the baby’s bones are hardening. This is known as ossification. The baby will be growing at a more rapid pace than before. I sure feel the difference this week. It seems to take more energy in doing simple daily activities.

http://www.babycenter.com/fetal-development-images-18-weeks

Week 17

Well, I just finished my 17th week of pregnancy and I feel great! I am surprised I have not felt sick or extremely tired. I am four months pregnant and I am still wearing my normal clothes. A baby at this stage weighs about five ounces so I guess I can't blame my luscious curves on the baby yet. According to my pregnancy book the baby is about the same size as the placenta and it is developing reflexes. Apparently the baby can hear loud noises outside of the uterus and can hear my voice. That means the baby can hear me sing in the car. Now I feel bad for the baby.

http://www.babycenter.com/fetal-development-images-17-weeks

When is the right time for pregnancy?

I always kept postponing pregnancy. I would always say I would have children after I finish my Bachelor's degree, after I get a job, after I buy a car, and after I buy a house. As I accomplished my goals my mother asked me when was she going to be a grandmother? I told her until I finish my master's or until I turn 30. That is when my mom said "if you keep waiting for the right time it will never happen. There will always be something you want to do or need to do". I hate to say it but my mother was right. It was not until the doctor diagnosed my mother with uterine tumors that I realized how selfish I was. I kept waiting for what I thought was the right time or should I say when it was more convenient for me instead of really thinking of what was most important, family. When I heard the word tumors I automatically thought of the c-word, cancer. I thought oh my goodness my mom will never be able to see grand kids or see me get older. That is when I decided to throw all of my excuses out the window and realized that my mother was right. There will never be a right time to have children. So when my husband and I found out we were expecting our first child we were both excited. You can only imagine how happy my parents were. I was also fortunate to find out my mother's tumors were uterine fibroids and not cancer. I was so relieved. I'm starting to think she tricked me. I guess everything works out the way it should be.

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/pregnancyandbaby/fertility/conception/articles/0,,4_712645,00.html