16/17 weeks

How many weeks? 16/17

      Photo from 16w6d

Showing? Yes.

How am I feeling? Scared out of my mind. Uneasy. Anxious. I was so used to having appointments every two weeks in the states (OB, and MFM specialist) that having to wait four weeks between each visit here really messes with my head. I need constant confirmation that this baby is still alive and thriving. 

Doctor’s Appointment? I saw an OB at the new hospital. She was very attentive and interested in understanding my history of losses. I even had an ultrasound in 3D/4D! I was especially touched by the nurse who accompanied us to the ultrasound picking Sal up when he started to fuss. She brought him to my side and held him while Nick and I paid attention to the ultrasound. We went in not knowing what to expect but I walked out a very satisfied patient. Next visit is in four weeks for the level II anatomy scan.

Workouts? Sal and I walked to the vegetable market a couple of times in the 100+ degree heat. The day we went to Shanghai was 102 f but the real feel was 114! It's brutal. I should find something to keep active as I gained more weight the last four weeks than I thought I had. 

Sleep? I am still napping while Sal naps to make up for my exhausting nightmares and wild dreams that I've been having.

Weight Gain?  Oh my, yes! 2.8kg (that's like 6 lbs, in four weeks!)

Baby preparation? We chose a hospital for all of my care and purchased thE prenatal and birth packages. I also ordered the second seat for the stroller and our cousin has offered to pick up the carseat adapter on craigslist for us. I'm having to break my not-buying-anything-until-30 weeks rule this time around because some of the things we need are only available in the USA and we will need to bring them back with us next month.  

Likes/Dislikes? Apples and peanut butter, apple juice 50/50 with water, cream cheese, frozen grapes, water with lots of lemon

Say whaaaaat?

Sal wasn't sure how he felt when he heard the news...

But he came around and shares our joy....

Words can't express how excited, scared, anxious and happy we are to be expecting again. 

I  found out I was pregnant again while in California. NZ and I were out shopping and all of a sudden I felt faint.  "Nick, if I didn't know better, I'd think I was pregnant."  He didn't say anything, and I quickly dismissed the silly notion because that just doesn't happen to us. Sal was four years in the making--no way we would be so lucky to get pregnant while he's still such a little guy. 

Two days later, still feeling faint and tired, I bought a test.

Sure enough, two pink lines.

PREGNANT.

I may or may not have uttered some expletives, but they were happy expletives. 

We were scheduled to fly back to China a few days after my discovery,  so I called my old OB and they fit me in before we left to confirm we had a viable embryo.  Right away, my Doc eased my fears and said, "strong heartbeat. One baby. Six and a half weeks."

Awesome-sauce.

I got my little printout of our speck of rice, thanked the staff and headed to my car with a sigh of relief and smile on my face. That night, NZ and I raided our storage facility and pulled out my maternity clothes to bring home to China. It felt good to be pulling them back out. 

Two days later, we boarded the plane bound for China with the happiest secret in the world on our minds. 

Stay tuned for an overdose of pregnancy updates, my takes on maternity care in China and most likely a few freak outs and obsessive posts about how I'm gonna juggle a toddler and a newborn come January.