Peek-a-Boo Everybody

On Friday, August 17 we had our second and final 4D ultrasound and Maya was in playful form. For most of the ultrasound her hands were covering here eyes, almost as if she were playing peek-a-boo. The technician tried moving her around but she wouldn't budge, and come to think of it, I think that she was taking her afternoon nap. My doctor told me that she sleeps for an hour and then is awake for an hour. After a while, Brad decided to tap my belly, and as expected, she moved for him. She does love her Daddy!
Maya is within the 87 percentile with regard to her growth and the doctor is very impressed with how well she is developing. When taking measurements of her brain, we were told to "save our pennies because this child is going to Harvard." Brad prefers MIT, but I think we'll take what we can get - after all, Harvard is only one of the best. Maya has long arms and long legs, and with her hair developing, the doctor also saw that she will have long eyelashes. It amazes me how much they can tell from one of these ultrasounds. After being bothered some more, Maya finally gave us some nice 3D portraiture. She was smiling the entire time and I thought I heard her say, "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." When she smiled, the doctor pointed out some cute dimples. Now I know that we are biased because she's our angel, but isn't she just a beautiful baby?
Maya is right on schedule, but weight-wise, she's a week ahead in development. This probably has to do with the gestational diabetes, but doctor said that I am doing well sticking to my diet and exercising, and that my sugar levels were good. Her projected weight, at birth is 8lbs 12oz - a number that is beginning to freak me out a bit.

Gestational Diabetes

Before I was pregnant with Maya, I knew what diabetes was, but did not know that there was a specific type known as Gestational Diabetes. Apparently, this type occurs during pregnancy, and is usually discovered after a sugar test at the 20 week period. I took my first sugar test, and expected it to come back normal. After all, I was not extremely overweight, had been watching my diet, and exercising. The test came back abnormal and I had to go in for a 3 hour sugar test where I sat in the lab for 3 hours, drank a horrible sugar solution, and had blood drawn every 45 minutes. When that test came back abnormal, I was told that I had gestational diabetes and had to cut out all sugar from my diet.
According to Wikipedia, Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a form of diabetes that affects pregnant women who have never had diabetes before. There is no known specific cause, but it's believed that the hormones produced during pregnancy reduce a woman's receptivity to insulin resulting in high blood sugar. My doctor told me that I could control this diabetes by diet, but I had to be very dedicated to striking out all sugary foods, lower my carbohydrate intake, and keep exercising. I took her words to heart and have stuck to my diet. I get to prick myself four times a day so that I can test my sugar level and so far, all numbers are within range. There is a great nutritionist assisting me and we meet once a week to chart my progress. I have learned to eat smaller portions and to substitute sugary foods (or foods that are high in starch) with other healthier options. So far Maya's weight is within good range and I have not gained an enormous amount of weight either.

There's a Whole Lot of Shaking Going On

There certainly is - rolls, kicks, hiccups, bumps...you name it. Maya is quite the little mover and shaker and when she gets moving, she doesn't stop for a while. Today, Brad decided to create some sounds on my belly by tapping, and after a few taps, Maya kicked his hand and he got to see her foot create a bump on my belly. When I reached the five month mark, my doctor told me that I would begin to feel little flutters of movement. I so anxiously waited and waited, and one day, I felt something real. It was the most amazing feeling because it verified that there was life inside of me, and it was growing.
Maya moves after meals, and when she does, it is kicking motions. In the morning, when I wake up, she is in a fixed, tight position on the lower left side of my belly, and only when I rub my tummy and walk around, does she move. I have discovered that when she finds a position that she likes, she doesn't budge...is this the sign of a stubborn streak? She also moves around as if she is playing the drums, when I am sitting at my desk at work. It's great because it adds a nice purpose to the work that I am doing.
The picture above shows Maya Rose peacefully resting against the placenta - what a little angel she is. I can't wait to meet her, shake her hand, and let her know how glad I am that I'm her Mommy!

Taking the First Major Step to Getting Ready

Brad and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary on Sunday, August 12. It seems that we have known each other for a lifetime, and with Maya coming, it seems that we have been married longer than a year. We spent our weekend getting ready for Maya. Betty (Brad's Mom) has given us a maple cradle, the one that Brad used when he was born. I unfortunatley have nothing from my childhood (other than lessons and memories) that I can share with Maya, but I am glad that she will have something tangible from her Dad's childhood. Brad cleaned and varnished the cradle and we picked up a mattress from Babyland. Betty also got us some pretty pink bedding and we set everything up. The cradle is sitting in our bedroom and everytime I look at it, as I fall asleep, I imagine my little girl rocking away as she falls asleep. She will be the perfect child, and will sleep the proper amount of time, feed at the right time, and poop the right amount - how could she not...she's PERFECT!
On Sunday, we spent the afternoon shopping for immediate supplies at Target. Diapers, baby wash, lotion, socks, burp cloths, wash cloths, aspirator, thermometer, micro nail clippers. The nail clippers are what really floored me - they had a magnifying glass attached to them - I can imagine how small the finger and toe nails are for us to use a magnifying glass. I also purchased some items for my "hospital bag". I get this feeling in the pit of my tummy that Maya may come a little earlie than scheduled, and I just want to be prepared. In addition to the basic items she needs, Maya has a very stylish wardrobe building. She's got cute embroidered jeans with a matching brown top, couduroy pants with satin ribbons, a pretty pink sweater for a special holiday visit, a beautiful peach satin dress from Grandma Juliet, a Chinese pansuit from Dolla and Elson, jammies from Grandma Betty along with lots of little shirts, onesies from her Daddy and Mommy, and a pair of pink booties. I have seen such pretty shoes to match every outfit, but I am restraining myself until she's born - she may not even want to wear shoes at first - silly me, ofcourse she will!
Brad created some space in his bathroom for all of Maya's toiletries, and he has promised to start setting up the nursery during the Labor Day weekend - how appropriate.

7 Months Pregnant and Counting

I am now in the 7th month of pregnancy and are eagerly awaiting the birth of our Maya Rose. Her name is simple and beautiful and that is what she is. My pregnancy has been a smooth one so far and I feel healthy and beautiful. In fact, I think that this is the healthiest and fittest that I have been. Thanks to the kindness of the next door neighbor, I have had the opportunity to swim almost every day, and thanks to the house I live in, I have a huge sand ring to walk in every night. Gestational diabetes is the hiccup I am now experiencing, but I am committed not to let that affect my little one...I will eat sugarless food for the rest of my life it means that my Maya will be unhurt. It is rather difficult being limited to the kinds of food that one can eat, but I am eating more vegetables, protein, and am monitoring my blood glucose level. Maya becomes more real everyday when she moves inside of me. It's hard to say when I first felt her, because I have felt her inside of me since I found out that I was pregnant. She now rolls, and kicks, and hiccups, and every time it happens, it feels like the light of life inside of me. God has really given me a treat, and despite what is going on outside my little pregnancy bubble, he must think me worth it to be the mother of such a treasure. Maya has raised my self worth, at least when it comes to my role as a mother. When I daydream about the life that she will have, I see myself as a good mother, a kind and loving mother. On June 1 I got to see a 3D ultrasound of my little baby - at the time, I thought it was a boy, but boy was I mistaken...there on the screen was a pretty little girl. The 3D facial image showed her has having my nose and lips and chin. Do you know how stupefying it is to see an image of yourself on a little person - someone in whose creation you had a part. There must be some bit of perfect in me if I can be an ingredient in my little perfect girl! My first trimester was slightly uncomfortable. Nausea, lack of appetite and an ongoing fatigue. After the 4th month, I felt my body and my soul blossoming. I took my pregnancy so seriously that I even took up walking regularly. The greatest compliment I received yesterday was when my Dad-in-Law told me that he didn't recognize me because I don't look pregnant from the back. In fact, he event ventured to say that I looked great. My goal is to be Maya's Hot Mum...I guess a MILF is not to far in the future. All Maya's tests have come back great. Her brain is developing well, the dreaded test for cystic fibrosis came back negative, Down's Syndrome was a negative as well...God has really blessed me with such a perfect baby - Long Live Beans!