16 September 2013 - Can't Wait to See You!

               Today we visited our doctor in the evening. We could not manage to get an appointment for late evening or early morning. So the appointment was at 3 p.m and your dad had to come very early from office to take us to the doctor. Your sister was fast asleep in the car, so I went alone to the Doctor's office leaving your dad and sister in the car. 

               But then, after the tests by a nurse, I was waiting for the doctor to arrive and got to know that she had to leave immediately for a baby delivery. So I took permission from the nurse and went down to tell your dad about the delay. I saw your dad and sister coming out from the car as they had seen the doctor rushing out to the hospital. We all came up back to the visiting room and waited for another 20 minutes and finally there was another Doctor who came to attend us. She said our Doctor might take some more time and therefore she was there to check me. She had seen me for the first time and she said I look too small and so are you. She measured my tummy and asked us to take an ultrasound in the next visit after two weeks. Usually our Doctor keeps saying that everything looks normal and good after measuring my belly. But the new Doctor asked me your sister's weight at the time of her birth, which was below 6 pounds. She herself said that  it might be fine because we all look small and yet healthy. Being small runs in our family. 

               I thought that they are used to seeing the big built people here in USA and Indian babies are usually much smaller. She didn't seem worried anyway, but she told us to go for an ultrasound to be at safer side. Your dad later said that the insurance company pays for 4 ultrasounds and we had only three so far. Now they are asking for the next one for their benefit. But whatever it is, I am somehow not worried that you are small, because I know you are not and you kick more than your sister used to. I am quite sure that you are healthy. And I am even more glad because I get to see you again in the next visit. Who wouldn't be happy if they get to see their little one once again that too when we are sure that the baby is fine? So I am really waiting for the next visit right from now.

               After two weeks, I will be 36 weeks pregnant and there after you can come out any day and still be considered full term baby. So only two more weeks to go and you will not be premature anymore. Unfortunately, we could not manage to get any appointment with ultrasound combination for that week and ended up taking an appointment for after three weeks. So I will be 37 weeks pregnant when I get to see you again and I am sure that you are going to look just like a newborn in the ultrasound. I can't stop getting excited. It is an opportunity even for your granny to see you as she will be here soon. 

               Your kicks are little different than the kicks I used to feel when your sister was inside. She used to just kick me and pull her legs back immediately and then repeat it again. This used to feel like little pats from inside though they were not that mild. But now the kicks are even more painful. You kick me hard and then drag your leg as if trying to find some soft place to tare and come out. You are not going to find such a soft skin to tare now, but in the process I really wonder if it tares. It pains a lot when you do that and everyone can see that little foot moving from one end of my stomach to the other. It is painful and at the same time it looks extremely cute! Anyone can even touch and feel your tiny foot. 

               Your granny is once again coming to USA to welcome you on the 23rd of this month. Looks like she is coming just for you because she will be here one week after your sister's birthday celebration. Anyway right now she is packing all the goodies for your mom, dad and sister. I am just waiting to hog all the food and that will reach you!

26 August 2013 - Are You Going to be a Football Player?

               So this time, it was after 3 weeks we had our doctor's visit. Your heartbeat was 152 per minute. That is good and sounded cute. We have now crossed 31 weeks. I can't believe that we have reached so far this soon and the remaining journey still looks so far for me. I can't wait to see you! I should have wished for you to stay inside for as long as possible after experiencing your sister's mischief. But somehow that doesn't stop me from getting eager to see you soon. I don't want you to be born premature nor before the due date. But I just want the time to fly quickly. 

               Your sister's first birthday is coming up and we are planning it together. Even you are not getting left out from her first birthday, you will be sitting in the VIP seat, warm and protected. No kids can harm you on that day because you will be safe inside your mom's tummy. Yet you can enjoy the food, the voices of other kids and the party mood! 

               You have started kicking me hard and sometimes it even hurts. I don't remember if your sister used to kick me with this force and strength you have right now. But I wonder if we are going to get a football player at home! Your sister now uses my big tummy as her personal pillow. She loves the bump, rubs her face on it and it is adorable to see how much she loves her little brother! Even you try to interact with her by the only way you know - kicking! She gets a lot of kicks every time she jumps on my tummy. I am not sure if she has noticed it yet. I don't know if she realizes that her mom is not doing that for her. Neither do I know if you realize that your mom is not keeping that heavy weight on you and it is your sister. But I love to see you both interact in your own ways knowingly or unknowingly.

               From the last few days I have noticed that little bump above my naval and this time even before my doctor said I know it for sure that, your head has come down to the birthing position. When your sister was inside, for a long time I had thought that it was her head. But now I know that it is your little butt! I like hitting it every time you kick me because after you have come to this position, the kicks are even more painful. I feel them deep inside and your father is going to miss the feel of your kicks! He can only touch your bum now and sometimes the rolling bum from left to right and then from right to left! :p
               You are now the size of a pineapple, about 16 inches long and 3 pounds. All your five senses are working in order. You can now turn your head from side to side. Since you are moving a lot these days, it is becoming difficult for me to sleep. My tummy is quite heavy to turn and change the sleeping position. Most of the time I wake your sister up lightly in the process of changing my sleeping position. But at night she falls back to sleep soon. And you still ask for a lot of food and I eat it for you.
               Your sister has now got this new habit of listening to songs and watching them all the time. So basically even you get to listen to all those songs all the time too. I know all those songs by heart by now and your sister enjoys it even more if I join them in singing. She laughs and starts dancing for that. I hope you enjoy it all too. I think you do because if you had trouble bearing your mom's singing, you would have kicked me to let me know it. I then would have stopped singing. But you don't do that, you calmly listen to the songs.
               This time both your grannies are coming to USA to welcome you one after the other. Your maternal grandma's tickets are already booked for 23rd of September and your paternal grandma's VISA interview date is fixed for the 16th and 17th of September. All are getting ready to see you and the list of items to bring here is getting ready! You will have a lot of goodies!!!

5 August 2013 - We Have Reached the Third Trimester!

               Your time to see the world is getting closer as we have reached our third trimester! Give me a high-five! May be you can kick me now and I can touch your little feet with my hands. :) I am now 28 weeks pregnant.

               Today we had another appointment with the doctor and here after we will be meeting her once in three weeks. I had my diabetes test and anemia test last week and the results came to be normal. So we can go ahead eating sweets! But this time, I don't crave much for sweet which I did when your sister was inside. But now I feel like eating a lot of spicy food. I even made your Chaithra atthe's father get me mango pickle from native place. And the big full bottle has already reached half its way! One of your great grandmothers even advised me to reduce the amount of pickle I eat, she says that the baby's eyes might burn inside! Whatever the reason is, I need to eat less spicy food anyway.

               You have started practicing how to breathe and as of now you breathe the amniotic fluid. I wonder if my stomach looks even bigger than the last time now, because already my pack of clothes that I can not wear anymore is doubling in its size. And once again I have become friends with all the bathrooms at the nearby shops. I visit them almost every 1 and a half or 2 hours. I feel shortness of breath these days. Climbing stairs makes me very tired and breathless. Bending down and picking your sister up is tiring too, but she is still small and can't walk yet.  

               As per the baby sites, you have started using your brains and here after you will have to keep using it till the end! You are now the size of a big eggplant and weigh around 2 pounds. You are putting on the layers of fat in your body. And what makes me really happy is that your lungs are mature enough to survive even if you are born now! Your eyesight is developing too and you can now see the light that passes through my womb. I have recently felt your hiccups too for the first time and this time I didn't have to make a research on it. I already knew what they exactly were and was really amazed to get those little tickles!

8 July 2013 - My Belly is Growing and So Are You!

               I had an appointment today with my doctor and now we have crossed 24 weeks. I was not very desperately waiting for today's appointment because I knew from my past experience that I will not have any more ultrasounds here after. That means that I get to see you only after you are born and till then it is just going to be heart beat check and the measuring of my baby bump. Your dad and I will have to be satisfied with only the sound of your heart beat and the doctors comment "he is growing well, everything looks good" and nothing more. 

               So that is a little disappointing. But though I wish that my tummy was transparent, that is never going to happen. And more ultrasounds are not good for your health. So we better wait to see you till the end of October than you having any trouble with your health. 

               I am not vomiting anymore, but the craving for different food items is still increasing day by day and I eat like a 'pailwan'! My weight is increasing with every doctor's visits and we are glad about it. I can even see and feel my belly growing and becoming heavier. I wonder how you would look. Every baby boy I see these days is making me think of you. And every time your sister troubles me, I wonder how my life will be after you join her in the mischief! 

               My legs ache at nights after a long day's running with your sister and the regular cooking and cleaning. The work is not very hectic, I do everything slowly, but I do feel very tired these days. Your dad takes us out for lunch or dinner almost every week ends. And I desperately wait for those little breaks every week. 

               According to my baby sites, now you can hear my voice and you are listening to what is going on in the outside world. You might have heard the sound of dogs barking or cars honking by now. And of course your sister screaming! Your heart beat was 148 per minute as per today's test. And it sounded great! You are now the size of a cantaloupe with almost a foot long body like a corn! Your skin is not see-through anymore. You sleep for 12 - 14 hours a day and I have been trying to play with you every time I feel you move.