BABY BEN'S FIRST 3D/4D ULTRASOUND

We got our first 3D/4D ultrasound done yesterday, and we got to see our baby's beautiful face! I can't put into words how much relief this ultrasound brought to me, just knowing that he's still doing okay in there. For those of you who aren't familiar with what a 4D ultrasound is, that's basically just a 3D ultrasound in motion. So, it's live video feed of the baby in 3D.

We went to a wonderful place called Stork Vision. They have many locations, but we of course, went to the local one here in Austin. The owner's name is Juliana and she is the sweetest person! She made this entire experience comfortable and easy. We purchased the "Double the Fun" package, so we'll be able to have a second scan and see baby Ben again! I had this first scan done yesterday, and I was at 24 weeks 5 days. When I go in again, I'll be at 29 weeks 5 days. So, Ben's face will have filled out more and we'll be able to see his chubby little cheeks! I'm so excited to have this experience again in just 5 weeks!

I had been told to eat something about 15 minutes before the appointment to get the baby moving. So, I ate a peach and half a banana. Well, it got him moving alright! He just wouldn't sit still! And he was a little bashful, as he kept trying to cover his face with his hands. :-) He also kept burying his face in the placenta! But, eventually, the sonographer was able to get some pretty good shots of his face.

Here is Ben's adorable little face. :-) I think he kinda looks like Mark!


The sonographer thought this was a funny shot, so she added the "Eww stinky!" to it. :-)


In this one, you can see Ben's right hand and the right side of his face.


Here is a 2D video of baby Benjamin. It's amazing because if you look closely at his face, you'll notice that he's making a suckling motion with his mouth! It's so cute!


Here is a 4D video of baby Benjamin. Apparently, 3D/4D images are tricky. If you take a frontal shot in 2D, it'll be a profile shot in 3D/4D (and vice versa). It might be hard to realize what you're looking at at first, but keep watching and you'll soon see Ben's beautiful face appear. :-) And you'll also notice him moving around a lot.

GOOD-BYE TO MY HUNTIKINS

I had to make one of the hardest decisions I've had to make in a long time. I decided to give Hunter up for adoption to another family. Our last day with him was just a few days ago on Sunday, and it was so difficult to walk away from him. I haven't cried like that in a long time.

While it's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that he's no longer living at our house and that I probably won't ever see him again, I know deep down that this was the right decision. And it wasn't a decision that I took lightly. I've been thinking about this for almost a year now, battling with what I should do. In the end, Baby Ben helped me to make the decision.

This will be best overall because having three dogs and a newborn baby would have been a lot to handle. Even though Hunter was the smallest member of the family, his barking and neurosis really took a toll on everyone, including the other two dogs. It was obvious that Hunter's bad habits (i.e. barking, possessiveness, neurosis) was rubbing off on the other two dogs, and it seemed to be getting worse over time. We just couldn't allow that to continue.

I am hopeful that Hunter will have a wonderful remainder of his life. He's almost 10 years old, and he probably has a good 5-6 years left in him. I hope that the next family loves him and appreciates all the cuteness and cuddliness that is Hunter. He will be missed in this family forever.

24 WEEKS DOWN, 16 WEEKS TO GO!

I am 24 weeks 2 days pregnant today! Another week down! I'm over 60% of the way there! Baby Ben's kicks are growing stronger with each week, and it's such a wonderful, reassuring feeling.

According to www.babycenter.com:
"Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon."


(photo courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

Here's an amazing photo of a 24 week fetus.

(photo courtesy of http://www.caringpregnancycenter.net/)

23 WEEKS BABY BUMP

Here I am at 23 weeks 2 days. :-) I love my son already! I can't wait to meet him! But, I curse my fat arms! :-P

NATURAL VS MEDS

Okay, so up until recently, I kept telling myself (and everyone else who asked) that I will most definitely ask for the drugs when the time comes to have this baby.

Well, after reading books and just thinking more and more about the big day, I am leaning a little more towards trying the natural approach. I know that this may seem crazy to some people, but I at least want to TRY it.

Obviously, I'll need to read up on it more and mentally prepare myself more for a natural birth, but it's definitely something I'm heavily considering.

We'll see!!!

23 WEEKS DOWN, 17 TO GO!

I'm 23 weeks 2 days pregnant today. It's so crazy to think that I still have so much time left, but at the same time this pregnancy seems to have flown by!

Everything has been pretty smooth so far. I recently started getting nervous about the whole birthing process, but I'm trying my best not to freak myself out too much. Also, as dumb and shallow as it may seem, I'm getting a bit bummed out about how fat my arms and my face are getting. I know, I know. People can say whatever they want to me to try and make me feel better about it, but the truth is that it doesn't matter what people say. I hate that my face and arms are fat, and that's that. :-P Eeshk.

Baby Ben is kicking a lot these days. And just a couple of days ago, I felt the hardest kick so far. :-) It was really neat! Mark felt a good kick last night, as well.

I can't wait to meet the little guy!

According to www.babycenter.com:
"Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With his sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that he's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see him squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when he hears them outside the womb."


(photo courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

HEARTBURN STINKS!

Uuuuugggggghhhhh. Heartburn. It sucks. The reflux, the burning, the burping. It's gross, unpleasant, and it burns.

This is a short entry...just meant to be a way to vent today.

BENJAMIN ANDREW MCDONNELL

I've been referring to my baby as "Baby Ben", but I don't think I ever actually confirmed what his full name is!

So, Mark and I have decided to name our baby boy Benjamin Andrew McDonnell. We just love the name Benjamin, and it happens to be the middle name of his Godfather. Andrew is Mark's middle name. And Mark's favorite thing about the name??? The fact that the initials spell out the word BAM! LOL.

22 WEEKS DOWN, 18 TO GO!

I'm 22 weeks pregnant today. That's 154 days, 55% of the way through. :-) So, that means I have 126 days left until my due date, and only 35 days left until my third trimester!

I've been feeling baby Benjamin move around a lot over the last couple of weeks, which is such a wonderful and reassuring feeling!

According to www.babycenter.com:
"At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily."


(photo courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

BUY BUY BABY vs BABIES R US

I've been going back and forth on this. Do I register at Buy Buy Baby? Or Babies R Us? Well, I've finally made up my mind. The winner is: BUY BUY BABY!

There are pros and cons to both, but Buy Buy Baby has more pros than cons, and way more pros than Babies R Us! Buy Buy Baby seems to have a better and wider selection of baby items, and because they are under the same company, they accept Bed Bath and Beyond coupons!!! The only downside is that because they are fairly new, there aren't a lot of locations open in Texas yet. But, most of their shipping is free, so I figured there really isn't much of a downside to picking a baby store that doesn't have very many locations.

So, Buy Buy Baby is where our registry will be! :-)

MY BABY IS A PAPAYA!

So, over the next few weeks (my 5th month of pregnancy), my baby is about the size of a papaya. :-)

The website I refer to says the following:

"Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop."

21 WEEKS DOWN, 19 TO GO!

I'm more than halfway there! Baby Ben has been moving around a lot lately, which is the most amazing and reassuring feeling. :-) I can't wait to meet the little guy!

According to www.babycenter.com:
"Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well."


(photo courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

MY BABY IS A BANANA!

This week, my baby is the size of a large banana. :-) Here is what the website has to say on the subject:

"Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch."

IT'S A BOY!

Mark and I found out today that we're having a baby boy! I started crying when the technician told us. It was just such a wonderful feeling knowing that we're going to have a SON! And even better, the technician and the doctor said that the baby looks healthy, which is awesome!

Mark and I already feel so blessed! We feel so lucky and relieved that we have a healthy baby boy on the way. It's when you see images like the ones below when you truly realize how awesome God's power is!

Here is the proof that it's a boy! And he wasn't very shy about it either! He was curled up in a ball, and his feet were by his head. So, basically, he was spread eagle...showing us his goods.


Here is the shot of one of his feet next to his head. Notice all of his perfect little toes???


This is a picture of his beautiful spinal cord. :-)


Here is his face. :-) It's kind of a creepy shot, but still. Imagine the skull-like image with flesh around it. LOL.


Here is a video of the baby's heart beating. You can see all four chambers of the heart! Amazing!

20 WEEKS BABY BUMP

Here is a baby bump pic of me at 19 weeks and 5 days. :-)

20 WEEKS DOWN, 20 WEEKS TO GO!

I'm halfway through my pregnancy today! :-) 140 days down, 140 days to go! It's so exciting! And tomorrow is the BIG DAY! Hopefully, we'll find out that our baby is healthy and whether or not it's a boy or a girl. :-)

According to www.babycenter.com:
"Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery)."


(photo courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

100TH DAY PARTY

As many of you know, I'm Korean-American. Having lived in The States for all of my life, and the practice of typical Korean culture kept to a minimum, I am not fully familiar with all of the traditions of my culture.

Having said that, my parents told me in great detail yesterday about the Korean 100th Day Party. It's a party that is thrown on the 100th day after a baby is born. It's pretty interesting! And sounds like a lot of fun! :-)

Because my parents are already bringing it up, I'm thinking that a 100th day party will definitely be in the works.

Here's some information about a 100th day party:
http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/cel/birthday_celebrations.htm

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/252667/100_day_celebration_for_korean_children.html?cat=25

19 WEEKS DOWN, 21 TO GO!

I'm 19 weeks pregnant today! :-) I can't believe how fast this time is passing by! I have been able to feel the baby moving around for a little while now. I'm getting more and more confident of what I'm feeling, and that's good. I'm anxious for the day that Mark can feel the baby, too!

According to www.babycenter.com:
"Your baby's sensory development is exploding! His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to him, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on his skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid."


(photo courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

IT COSTS $222,360 TO RAISE A CHILD

I saw an NPR article on how much it costs to raise a child. Here is what it had to say:

"A middle-income, two-parent family will spend $222,360, on average, to raise a baby born in 2009, according to a government estimate released today.

Yes, a number like that screams false precision. Still, some of the broad outlines that go into the estimate are pretty interesting:

Housing is the most expensive part of raising a kid. It accounts for 31 percent of the cost, followed by childcare and education (17 percent) and food (16 percent).

The annual cost rises a bit as the child gets older -- from less than $12,000 per year for a baby to more than $13,000 for a teenager.

Among urban areas, the Northeast is the most expensive region to raise a child, and the South is the cheapest. Rural areas, which are lumped into a single category, are even cheaper.

The cost per child for a two-child family is 25 percent lower than the cost per child for a one-child family.

Researchers broke household income into three levels: Less than $56,670; $56,670 to $98,120; and more than $98,120.

People in the lower-income group spend 25 percent of their before-tax income on a child; those in the middle-income group spend 16 percent; and those in the higher-income group spend 12 percent. But in absolute terms, spending increases with income.

The figures are adjusted for inflation, and costs are calculated through age 17. [Copyright 2010 National Public Radio]"

You can see the article at this link: http://m.npr.org/news/front/127600351

MY BABY IS A MANGO!

This week, my 19th week of pregnancy, Baby McDee is the size of a mango! The all-knowing website says the following:

"Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature."