16 Weeks

Hi, Mom~!




So first of all, I decided to stop pressuring myself to take a picture everyday. I will just take significant pictures (and then some, of course). To be honest, a lot of photos were already being taken days later, so I was kind of cheating anyway. :3

That aside, we had an ultrasound yesterday at our 16-week check-up. It went very well. I had a whole ton of questions written down to ask our doctor, and I was so nervous about asking them. Like I've mentioned before, Koreans are very trusting of their doctors and just go with the flow. Americans especially ask tons of questions to be sure they are at the right place because of how different it is everywhere you go, so it's just the opposite.

I expected to be kind of rushed out, but she never made me feel like she was even expecting anyone else (though she certainly did have plenty of other patients to see). Even at the end, she mentioned how she knows that foreigners especially ask tons of questions and that it's no problem at all. She basically expected it, which is actually kind of nice.

One of my biggest concerns was our 20-week appointment, which I have mentioned a few times here I was nervous about because I knew it would be just like the 12-week appointment, which left me slightly traumatized (though I definitely need not be since baby is just fine). We left her office at the end just expecting to call her two days before the appointment so someone would be sure to have the monitor on for me the entire time. I was definitely pleased with this. Right after we left, though, the assistant told us to hold on, that our appointment date might change because the doctor was making some phone calls.

We got even better news that the hospital offers special times twice a week just for foreigners to have super ultrasounds done where husbands can accompany them! I was just ecstatic and beyond grateful at hearing this. She even still told me to stop by her office right before we went off to have the ultrasound done to be sure they would keep the monitor on for me the whole time. What a true blessing.

I definitely feel much more confident in the overall process at the hospital now. I’ve never doubted my doctor, but I did become concerned with some of the hospital’s rules. Everything really looks about perfect, though.

Anyway, some stats:

Baby:
Approximately 9.3cm, or 3.7”

This freaked me out. First, I keep thinking it’s not all that accurate anyway since our baby is super curly cuddly like I am anyway. Second, I know these are just estimates. Third, I know every baby grows differently.

That’s about an inch behind, though, so it is slightly worrisome. However, our doctor didn’t say a thing, so I am sure it must be just fine. Some tickers say baby is just over 4.5”, and others say 5”, so that’s why I am sort of just like, “Woh.”




These were taken Tuesday, the doctor's 16 weeks and our 15w6d.

Mommy:
Blood Pressure: 105/71
Heart Rate: 87bpm
Weight: 59.5kg / 130.9 lbs (a less than 2kg/4-lb gain)

When the doctor was putting the ultrasound…scanner…on my belly, she said, “You haven’t gained anything, have you??” My belly really flattened out when I was on my back, though many have started to notice it! I though I had gained more than what I did.

Today, two parents of my students on separate occasions exclaimed excitedly that my belly was getting bigger. I think the first said something more like, “Wow, baby is really growing!” because her daughter then wanted to know how she could see the baby, lol. Yes, this is the one who thinks we are having either twins or a purple baby. That child is next to hopeless! I have explained in Korean maaaany times that our baby will be mixed, half-Korean, half-white (“half-American”) and even showed her pictures of our friends’ half-Chinese, half-white baby, and she still asked me today, “Korean baby?” I told her again, “No, MIX…” and she asked if the baby will speak Korean or English, again. I told her if we teach Korean, baby will speak Korean. If we teach English, baby will speak English. She sort of seemed to semi-understand after that, but I doubt it!

After the first mom said I was getting bigger (which does bring me great delight), the two girls in class kept wanting to touch my belly. Too cute.

All of that blabbing on aside, Hee Suk made a video of the scan today. Don't turn the volume up--it's just a lot of me laughing. *^^* Our baby was very seriously lying in the same position I was with my arm. Right when the doctor put the scanner on me, the baby was apparently making a peace sign. She tried to rewind the video to show it again, but no such luck (you won't see that part in the video). Our baby is hilarious. And as usual, he/she was hiding out on the lower left side. ^^



Thank You, my King, for nourishing this little one with Your love and for also holding me tight when I am feeling weak. There are no words to describe the awe I feel when I think of how you designed this miracle. You are incredible, my Lord. Thank You, my Lord. Thank You.