Belly at 35 weeks

Another 5 weeks to go!! Getting bigger each day...

Just look fat from the front view!!

Car Seats Dilemma...

Most new parents by this time would have already gotten everything sorted out - like the crib, car seat, stroller, baby essentials etc.

We're still waiting for the house to be done before we can even set up anything!! 5 weeks to go, and fingers crossed the bean does not decide to come earlier than expected! AND... we're having a really hard time getting a drivers license in PA. This means, we're not able to buy a car at all! And this means our research in getting the car seat we wanted goes out of the window.

After shopping around, we decided Maxi Cosi had one of the most comfortable seat (not that we have tried it out literally, but we think the baby would feel most comfy in that as compared to the Chiccos and the Gracos).

Our first choice was the Maxi Cosi Pria. This car seat can be used from infants till about 40lb. BUT... this means we'd need a car. It's hard renting a car and moving this big bulky car seat in and out of rental cars and carrying it around. (plus you look a little stupid doing that too)
Ohh... i just love the look of the Pria 70!!!

This means, our options are limited to an infant seat carrier - of which we short listed this to the Maxi Cosi Prezi and the Mico AP.

THE PREZI

It's got the rebounding foam (which absorbs impact) and the Air Protect Technology. Prezi could be carried around, and can be used to about 30lb. The seat itself weighs about 11lb. Imagine if the bean was 30lb, and seat 11lb... would any mom be able to carry a 41lb (that's a whooping 18.6kg) car seat on her arm? That's like lifting a luggage bag and carrying it everywhere you go without dragging the wheels. OK i admit, i'm not that strong. No way the bean's gonna be in this till 30lb.

Colours are limited though...
And is this really worth $289??

THE MICO AP

The AP (aka Air Protect) has the Air Protect Side Impact Technology which just means that during a car crash (touchwood), the impact will be minimized through the release of air. The Mico AP carries the baby till about 22lb. Which I guess is a good weight before needing to change seats.

A whole range of colours to choose from too!!! And they did recently release a white base one too!

 

 

 

Loving the variety of colors...

And it's going for $199 (which is $90 cheaper than the Prezi)

Decisions decisions....

Week 34.5 to see Dr Renbaum at Penn Obgyn

The last time, we waited about 40 minutes to see the doctor. 

Today, the waiting time increased to a whooping 1 hour!! Well, if you read reviews, that's the same complains that everyone has. Thankfully, I have not much to do before and after the appointment. Ahh the joys of being a poor housewife.

I've realized that there's no point incoming early. Your waiting time is still gonna be the same!

Weight check this week : 148lb (67.1kg)

Must be due to the 8 hour non stop walking around Boston!! Half kilo weight gain in the last 2 weeks... even after feasting on those lobsters

The usual tummy measurement was still 50th percentile and normal baby's heartbeat 145bpm.

Boston Before Baby

So Z has some school event in boston and it's probably the last time I can tag along freely without the bean in tow.

Chomped on lobsters, gobbled clam chowders and lobster bisque... So awesome!!! 

And at 34w 3days, I just look really fat in a puffy coat

Presents from the Bean's Aunty Sharon

Received our first mail order present from Aunty Sharon and family!

Thanks! We'll set it up soon and snap a few shots when he's in the rocker and the baby gym!

The Bean's got a Bugaboo!!

We have been blessed by a very generous grandaunt who has said "pick whichever stroller you want and it's my gift for the little bean".

OK... so we did. Since Dubai days... we did a few test with strollers at Dubai Mall, and also talked to veteran mums. We watched many reviews on the strollers (Babygizmo.com does very good youtube reviews on strollers). Amongst our options were:
1. Stokke Xplory
2. Bugaboo Cameleon 3
3. Inglesina Avio
4. 4moms Origami (oh this one is soooo cool - it folds by itself at the touch of a button, but unfortunately a little too heavy for me)

So we finally settled on the Bugaboo... only because I really like the colour!! lol
The colour I wanted was a summer colour and it was sold out everywhere. Suddenly decided to search it out again, and diapers.com had stock (but only 1 left!!). So we settled for the Bugaboo Cameleon 3, Jewel Blue.
Otherwise the bean would have gotten the new Urban Blue Stokke Xplory.

So we ordered our stroller from diapers.com and it finally arrived today via UPS!!!

Very excited, and cannot wait to set the stroller up!!!
We'll have to wait for Z to finish his exams before we set it up... Post will be updated soon.

Sciatica

Probably my first pregnancy niggles...

So far, I've been spared morning sickness, elephant feet, lower backache etc.

But over the last 2 days (since the start of 32 weeks), I've been hit with backside pain which goes down my left leg. This happens only when I've had too much dinner to eat. Tough to get to bed on a full stomach. When the food digest, the pain is gone. Oddly, pain doesn't come during the day even when I overdose on breakfast and lunch. Perhaps it's all the walking around Philly that is helping!! (On the average, I walk about 2-3 miles a day to and from the city!)

The doctor said it's Sciatica and it's common amongst pregnant women.

First Visit to Penn Obgyn

It's been 5 weeks since I last saw Dr Jozsa.... So technically, i missed one appointment in between.

So... seeing a doctor in the USA is so different from Dubai. With Dr Jozsa, I get to see the little bean every time I see the Doc. And I get to bring back souvenir images!! In the US, I would say it's pretty backward (considering that the cost of each obgyn visit is higher than Dubai).

For starters - blood pressure is taken using one of those old school hand pump with a dial. Not the electronic ones where you just push one button... and it's done. Blood pressure today was 116/72. A little higher than my usual, but still normal i guess???

Then... there's no scan. Doc just listened to the heart beat using a handheld doppler... And she used a measuring tape to measure the belly... Hmmm... that's really new to me. She said I was average, and the bean's heartbeat is about 138 (which is also about average).

Conclusion - I'm not considered high risk - which is great. But it was all over in like a minute.
I really would have liked to see the bean... This is one of the few times I wish I was back in Dubai. The grass is always greener on the other side.

Weight check: 147lb (66.6kg). That's another 2kg in the last 4.5 weeks!

Belly @ 32w 2d

And I am starting to get bigger Than Z now

Exercise

Before moving to the US, I used to swim about 2-3 times a week, and maybe do the dubai mall walk from the car park to the office (which is about 12 minutes each way)...

Couldn't exactly find a pool around the area to continue my swimming routine, and a tread to the UPenn pool is like a million miles away. But my daily walk to the city (just so I could get out of the house to escape the construction noise, dust and smell) made it all up!

Distance per day: 2-3 miles a day
Walking Time: 30 minutes each way (or there abouts)
Shopping / Standing around time: Hours and hours

Air Conditioning please

Ya it's true when they say you feel hot when you're or preggy. It didn't hit me till just this week at the end of week 31!

Night temperature was 18 and I was dripping in disgusting sweat...

Belly @ Week 29

First belly photo from the US of A!!