Here's me two more weeks to due date!

I find that with this pregnancy, we haven't been taking much pictures of the bump. I guess with the second one, the novelty of a growing bump is not like when we had Sophie! But I thought we must really take a picture before he pops so there!

I've been having trouble sleeping. Apparently it's baby No 2 resting on a nerve of mine. There's a sharp pain from my lower back to my left butt when I sleep. Anyways. Midwife suggested getting a wheat sac to heat up and rest on it.

So I'm going to try to sleep with my new hottie tonight. Praying that it'll soothe the pain a little and I can get some sleep for the next two weeks before baby comes!

P/s ok I also got it coz it just looks so pretty.

We’re finally doing something!

We’ve set up the cot in our bedroom and washed all of baby’s clothes.

I tried to pack the maternity bag for the hospital but realized that I still need most of the stuff now e.g. sweater, slippers, clothes so I think we’ll just dump that in later. We’re not far from the hospital anyway. It’s only a 10 mins drive from the base into town so if we forget anything we can always get someone on the base to bring it for us.

Almost there! Exactly one more month since Baby No. 2 is due on 25 August!! I really can't believe how time has passed. Our lives are going to change in a couple of weeks. I still cannot imagine having another baby! Sophie's such an amazing kid being who she is and I cannot imagine having another one!

I'm keeping well, thank God for that. A few sleepless nights, bit of backache, a bit more sleepy during the day but all part and parcel of the last stretch…

Sue and I, preggie at same time. She's due end June.

Our baby boy's 28 weeks now and I have a baby bump! For all to see!

This time, I get offered seats on the train, more than I did when I had Sophie!

The pregnancy is going great. Eating well and feeling great. Very thankful. I think I'm in good shape to make the 10 hr ride back to NZ.

I’m not sure if it’s just the heat but I’ve been feeling really tired.

Past few nights I’ve been in bed by 9ish, which is super rare for me. In fact, I’ve been falling asleep faster than Sophie! Swollen feet, eczema flaring up, stretchy tummy and achy back, all part and parcel of this pregnancy. I think Baby No. 2 is a little bigger than Sophie was coz I don’t remember being so heavy until the last month with Sophie.

But all in all, I thank God that it has been a pretty smooth pregnancy so far and real thankful for all the good food that my in laws have been cooking the past few days!

It’s gonna be a BOY!!!!!

We did our 20 week scan in Cambridge (about 45 mins drive from Matamata) with the Freestones. Emily (our friends from England who went with us to Vanuatu) is expecting at the exact time as me. It’s so cool because they are staying on as staff and we’ll be giving birth in the same month! What are the chances? God promised to bring comfort and I’ve got a mummy friend who is going to give birth at the same time as me! GOD IS SO GOOD, IS SO GOOD TO ME!

We got to see baby and looks like it’s going to be a boy!!! No wonder he’s been moving SO MUCH! Oh my! I’m not sure if i’m prepared to have a boy. I think it’s really different. Sophie used to be such a still baby. But I’m looking forward to the change and so is James. He’s looking forward to do boy things.

We are truly thankful and very excited. Can’t believe it’s only 4 more months!

I’m 20 weeks pregnant, which means almost 5 months pregnant, halfway thru and I’m so embarrassed to say that the bump is still almost non-existent! It only appears after meals. How does it fit a 16.5cm baby in there?!?!

It was SO funny at the last visit to the midwife a couple weeks ago. I laid down on the bed for her to check the baby and she teasingly said "Oops, where’s the baby?" coz my tummy went all flat once I laid down. Sigh…

But slowly but surely it is showing… The next scan is coming up on Friday and we’ll know if it’s a boy or a girl. Yipee!

No no no… baby’s not here yet but I got all clucky and went to look back at Sophie’s baby pictures. She was a day old in this photo. So cute!!!!!!!!! So small!!!!! Can’t wait for No 2 to arrive.

The pregnancy is going really well. Sometimes I forget that I’m pregnant. I’m in the second trimester but on certain days, I still feel tired and overwhelmed. For example, after teaching for two days and partying on Friday with the ladies, I was exhausted over the weekend. Need to take it easy.

Sophie loves being an older sister and I hope this carries on when baby is born.

She was so cute. She let Eli sit on her lap to watch TV together. They sat like this for quite a long time! He’s just turning 2 but they are almost the same size.

Having Eli here is great coz Sophie has to learn how to share, how to deal with someone else stomping on her toys and how to love Eli for who he is.

From Babycentre: If you could hold your baby’s hand this week, you’d notice the swirling lines that make up his unique fingerprints. You’d also see the veins and vital organs beneath his tissue-thin skin. He’s growing… Are your long-lost energy making a comeback? If so, you may soon find out why many women call this the honeymoon trimester. For other women, the discomforts last a while longer yet. Every pregnancy is individual  even women who have been pregnant before find that the second or third are different.

We had a baby scan this week and saw the baby! He was so cute and the scan was extremely clear. Sophie came with us and she got to see it too. She was really amazed and I think we were too. It’s been a long time, more than three years ago since we saw a baby scan! Seeing the baby just makes it more real.

From Babycenter:

Your fetus now looks like a baby, with tiny but fully formed fingers and toes. As his body grows and becomes more developed and functional, he’ll start twisting and turning like an acrobat, cushioned and protected by your amniotic fluid. You, on the other hand, are probably feeling less like a gymnast every day. Leg cramps, which can sometimes be a sign of calcium deficiency, and heartburn (caused by pregnancy hormones that relax the valve which separates the oesophagus from the stomach) may be annoying you during the day and keeping you up at night. Just remember, all this suffering is temporary and it’s all in a good cause you’re having a baby!

This week has been amazing! I feel like I’m in the 2nd trimester already. Energy level is up and I’m feeling pretty upbeat most of the time. Which is super cool because school is in full swing now and we have been really busy! I still need that little lie down in the afternoon but generally I’m good. I’m eating every 2 hrs and feel really greedy most of the time. The cravings are really bad this time. I’ve been thinking of eating that pink triangular steamed thingy with glutinous rice (what is that called!?!), duck porridge (Vic/Dan, the Maggi packs you sent are now coming to use! It’s my supper now.), fish noodles etc etc… HELP!

I’ve been reading this book by the Usborne called Flip-Flap Body Book to Sophie. It talks and shows how a baby grows in the mother’s womb, stage by stage. Pretty cool! A bit cheem for her but she enjoys looking at the pictures. Now she says baby is in the womb, not tummy.

We’re actually in week 10, at least that’s what my Babycentre email says. YES! Almost done with the 1st trimester.

I’ve been so off yesterday and today. I’ll start the day super well and then at the end of the school day, i’m so tired out and I threw up twice today. I’m not sure if it’s the bug that is going around coz a few people have got it already or it’s morning sickness. It’s all kinda hard to tell at this point. But it’s making me unable to take in much food at all. Hopefully it’ll get better.

All my grand plans about homeschooling Sophie has come to a standstill since school started this week. The over ambitious me always ends up committing to more than I can do. Anyways I think I’ll take it slow… keep the important things in mind and leave the minor things till later.