Pregnancy Update Week 40
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Category Archives: Personal
Litter Fight
Today my 2-year old daughter gave me about 1 hour of extra work that I didn’t ask for! It all started with me changing an old litter box to a new automatic litter box.
As I was pouring the litter into the new litter box, I realized I didn’t have enough. So I dug into the old litter box for extra litter. While I was cleaning out the old litter box in the laundry room, cat decided to pee into the new box that was sitting in the living room. She doesn’t waste any time!
Then I started hearing exciting laughing from my 2-year old. Something was making her very happy. As I picked into the living room Continue reading
My Blog’s Performance Review
This is a quick note, mainly for myself, about what is happening with my blog today. I started this blog in March of 2008. The inspiration came from my husband, who is a successful internet blogger. I thought it would be a fun thing to do, and I didn’t have any particular goal in mind. My blog is kind of a hodge-podge of everything. It’s a personal blog, so I pretty much write about whatever comes to my mind.
This is my 89th post. So far I have total of 179 comments and my Google page rank is Continue reading
Am I a Bad Mother?
Leaving my 2-year old at the daycare this morning, left a very bad taste in my mouth. Since I am almost 37 weeks pregnant and having a harder time keeping up with my daughter’s social and everyday activities, we decided to put her in the daycare for couple of days a week. It should give me a chance to reorganize the house, make room for the little one, move Elyana into her new “big girl’s room”, and to simply catch my breath from constant demands for attention and unlimited energy outbursts of the 2-yr old.
This is her first week at the daycare. Even though she’s not new to it, she went there for a brief period when she was 18 months, few months have passed in between. And today is her 2nd day there without mommy, so she probably knew that my intention was to drop her off and leave. As we got there, she started making her sad face as I was holding onto her. As soon as I started to let go and making moves towards the door, she grabbed onto my leg and started screaming and crying. The teacher had to grab a hold of her, so she doesn’t run outside after me. As I was walking away, I kept hearing screaming and crying and sounds of pounding on the door.
And that brings me to my topic, Continue reading
4D Ultrasound of Our Baby Boy
Today we went to do a 4D ultrasound at my OBGYN’s office. I’m 32 weeks and 3 days pregnant and apparently the best time to do a 4D ultrasound is between 28 and 32 weeks. For some reason I was under the impression that I needed to wait until 35 or 37 weeks to do it. But luckily I asked my doctor about it 2 days ago and they managed to squeeze me in for a 4D ultrasound appointment this week!
The technician told us that the pictures came out great. Apparently it has to do with the clarity of the liquid in the womb, and mine seemed to serve the purpose well. Technician told us that 32 weeks is one of the best times to get a clear pictures. She took total of 39 pictures and uploaded them on a CD. I picked 4 best ones to share with you.
The 4D ultrasound experience got a lot cheaper in the last couple of years. Today it cost us $149 at my obstetrician’s office. Two years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter, my obstetrician didn’t even have the 4D machine. We would have to go to a place specializing only in 3D US and they charged over $300 for a similar experience. We decided not to pursue it at the time.
I am so excited about our soon to be born son! He is definitely a kicker. I don’t think I had nearly as much activity with my first one. It feels like he kicks and stirs all the time. I actually had to ask my doctor whether there is such thing as too much movement. She laughed and said no.
I think when we just started the ultrasound he was sleeping. But he probably got woken up by the pressure from the ultrasound mouse that the tech was sliding all over my stomach. So we got to witness him move around and open and close his mouth. The technology today is amaizing!
Idea Realized Into Reality
So as I was mentioning in my earlier post, I decided to start making a little bit of money for myself. It’s not like we need it to survive, it’s more for the sake of keeping my sanity. At the moment I am a stay-at-home mom, and my main priority is taking care of my family. My daily tasks are housekeeping, cooking, taking care of my daughter and keeping husband happy. But the longer I do it, the more I realize, that my mind is starting to go numb. I am realizing I have no game in my life. It’s not like I wake up in the morning and go, oh goody, I get to scrub the tub today and do a load of whites! Admit it, it’s not terribly exciting.
Obviously, I could always go back to a full-time job. Except that in couple of months we are expecting a son. I would feel terribly guilty dropping an infant at the daycare just so I can keep my life exciting. It would be selfish. I want to keep my son at home until he’s at least a year and half. And even then, I am not sure if I could leave my kids at the daycare for a full day.
So what a mommy to do?
Pregnancy Update Week 31
Thanksgiving Post
I’m glad that a holiday like Thanksgiving exists. You know why? Because every year it happens I get to look over my life and think about things that I am truly thankful for. I’m not sure whether it’s the fate, personal efforts, luck, coincidences, power of one’s thought or one’s imagination that make up one’s life. All I know, is that on this holiday I get to look at what I have and reflect on it.
I consider myself very lucky. Lucky to end up in America, the land of abundance and opportunities. I appreciate the fact that I can turn on the hot water at any time of day or night, and it would run clear and smell free. I appreciate the fact that I can go to the grocery store and buy anything that my heart desires, cook myself to death and enjoy it. I appreciate that for the most part I am surrounded with people that are friendly, polite and odor free. And I do appreciate that when I go to Wal-Mart, I’m being greeted with a smile and a hello.
I also consider myself deserving of things that I accomplished in my life. Like I said, it might be a combination of luck, personal efforts and/or power of thought, but I feel like I happen to be in the right place at the right time and things seem to work out in my favor. So every year around this time, I get to reflect on them and pat myself on the back for my accomplishments.
I consider myself lucky (again) that I ended up with a wonderful man. I am not sure if I am completely deserving of him, but I sure try to be so. I am very lucky to have a gorgeous 2-year old daughter and a baby boy on the way.
I am also thankful for my health, my family, the opportunities around me, my friends, my home… Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to reflect on your life, find things that you are thankful for and realize how much you have! Isn’t it wonderful all by itself?
Happy Thanksgiving every one and pleeeaase find things that you are thankful for! Trust me, it will bring at least a smile (or a happy tear) to your face.
Trip To The Zoo
Today I decided to take my daughter to the Lowery Park Zoo, here in Tampa. I heard good things about it and decided to give it a try. I have never been to the actual American zoo, even though I lived in US for 17 years.
Going to the zoo left a bad taste in my mouth when my parents took me there as a kid back in Russia. The only zoo that I got to experience was a traveling zoo. The exotic animals like tigers, lions, bears, monkeys, etc. were displayed in tiny cages that were set up in a circle outdoors. It was one of the saddest things I have ever seen. I remember the miserable look of captivity in their eyes. Some would pace back and forth from one end of the cage to the other. Others seemed to agree with their fate, sitting in the corner in apathy. As I got a little older, I decided that zoo wasn’t my thing and I haven’t been since.
Well, enough memories. I really enjoyed this trip to the zoo. I love the fact that the animals are placed in a habitat that is similar to their original. They appear to have plenty of room and look comfortable. I decided to purchase a yearly pass versus paying for just one day’s admission. Couple of visits would cover the pass’ cost.