Happy Birthday, and 30 weeks pregnant check up

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA SOPHIE!!! We miss you and love you.

Jesse and I went Kawloon hospital in Suzhou for 30 weeks check up.

We saw Dr. Ge who speaks OK English. She measured my belly and said it is too small. I was a bit surprised. I feel quite big yet when I looked around Chinese pregnant girls. They are huge. Jesse also compared with them and said, "I thought you are huge but actually you are small". Then the doctor listened to baby’s heart beat. She said she cannot hear it. I didn’t take it seriously because Chinese doctors have been telling me everything negative up front. At the last check up, baby’s heart beat was fine. I feel baby is kicking every day. On the other hand, Jesse was completly freaked out. The doctor suggested doing a special ultrasound to check baby’s heart structure. We paid 300RMB for regular ultrasound and extra 500RMB for special ultrasound.

The ultrasound technician spoke very good English and she looked at baby. She said 90% is a baby boy. My dream of brushing daughter’s hair and makeing a pony tail was disappeared. She also analyzed baby’s organs and heart. She said baby’s heart beat is normal and the structure has no problem. The size of baby is also normal for my week. Jesse asked the technician why the doctor said the baby is small and the heart might be weak. The technician told us measuring belly sometime cannot tell exactly how big baby is. It is also hard to hear baby’s heart beat through belly. Jesse was a kind of upset then doctor should't have scared us such a way.

Jesse is son of doctor. He believes all patents must listen to doctor’s suggestion. I agree. However I think I don’t need to listen to Chinese OB/GYN’s suggestion seriously. In fact, I am going to ignore her suggestion. She told me to count baby’s moving for an hour every day at the same time.

Akiva’s First Fever

I got very sick over the weekend. I usually don’t get high fever. I had a little fever for a couple days with worst headache, then runny nose with headache for another couple days.

Thursday I was much better. I was taking a nap with Akiva. I touched his legs. I was almost jumped out from the bed. He was hot like hot potato!! I was in a panic. I went to look for infants’ fever medicine. I found rectal one. I was ready to stick it into his small butt. The capsule had been melted by Chinese heat. I calmed down myself.
Next four days he had fever 100F to 103F. He couldn’t go to sleep at night for a week. We gave him a baby Tylenol. On the other hand, he had a good appetite. He was active in daytime. He had his 18 months old birthday with runny nose. I felt very lucky he is very strong and healthy. He didn’t have any fever (and major illness) until now.

Now Jesse is sick. He has fever and runny nose. Summer cold is nasty and stubborn.

Akiva is toddler!

Everyday is HOT, over 95F!
Akiva decided to jump into a bucket.

By the end of June, Akiva officially turned into toddler.

He used to cry for hours especially after afternoon nap. Nothing would stop him. He seemed to not know why he was crying. I had to hold him forever. It was torture. I was actually afraid to put him down for afternoon nap. He no longer cries for hours for nothing.

Because he doesn’t cry for no reason, he stopped sucking his finger to calm him down in day time (he occasionally sucks his two fingers while he is sleeping).

The biggest change for me is he is not clingy. He did not allow me to have any time by my self. Now he leaves on my arms at baby group and goes to play with toys or other kids. I can have a conversation with other moms.

He helps around at house. He put back clean laundry to drawer. He likes take a trash to garbage bin. He tries to fix my hair (very sweet!). He can also take a simple command. When I am lazy to pick up stuff (I have a big belly now!), I can point out the stuff and ask him to bring it to mommy.

On the other hand, some things are getting tougher. He often chose to not to listen to us. Even though we tell him to sit on the chair while he is on the table, he ignores our direction and does with I-know-what-I- am-doing smile. This actually makes us harder to eat out.

He gets very upset if we do not allow him to do what he wants. He also gets upset when we interrupt him.

Thank you Uncle Tony!

Uncle Tony came through today. Major score. He send a care package. A birthday present for me and some presents for the better part of the family. I got several science fiction novels. Awesome! For Akiva, a Stars-and-Stripes sun visor, so that he can shade his sensitive eyes from the hot sun, while at the same time showing everyone around him that he is not Chinese nor Japanese, but actually from The United States of America, and therefore is an ardent supporter of Freedom and Democracy. Just in time for July 4th too. Additionally, Akiva received a another cool set of trousers and a red striped shirt.

Haga received small-size fitness clothes. Including a sports bra…(I thought a nursing bra by Haga)

(hmmmmm….)

(scratching head….)

(why a sports bra? What is he thinking? I’m I missing something? Should I get his girlfriend a Victoria’s Secret bra or something?)

But anyway, Haga is happy she received that. Small size in China are made for girls that grew up eating rice and grass and never exercised in their lives. She needs to buy XXL here. But US small size fits her great.

Thank You Tony! We miss you.

Back from Japan

Akiva got into a car, beep, peep

Akiva's best friend in Japan.

Give me good luck, Kitchen God.

Grendma Kuni's Birthday. I can pose, "Peace"