It's a Boy!

As we all suspected, the Baby is a Boy! In the start of the ultrasound he was sitting like the little Buddha that he is, his legs crossed under him. The doc pointed out what was supposed to be his male parts, but for the life of me I could not see anything.
But the cutest thing he did which we have a photo of is laying flat on his back and kissing the placenta floating above him.
We just moved to Queens so this week has been the most hectic of the pregnancy yet. Stories of the drama of moving will come soon.

20 weeks: Half Way There

This whole 40 weeks, 9 months business is very tricky, at least for those of us who can do math. 40 weeks aint 9 months and you're a month off depending on what your reading or who you're talking to. Anyway, I know most people say that the first trimester is the hardest and the second is the easiest. It hasn't been going that way for me. The first three months were easier for me, both physically and emotionally. There are more baby health related fears in those months and of course the new-ness factor. But I wasn't sick and wasn't achy and now I feel like somewhat of a mess. I miss the first months of sleeping all the time and anywhere because now even in my bed, I can't sleep. Miss Insomnia is kicking my butt. I got the maternity pillow thing which is supposed to help, and I think it is, but it's like having two more bodies in the bed with us! So I kinda of don't notice Yuriy in the bed anymore, and that's a trade off. Which brings me to the emotional upheaval of late. Its been a rough time. There are concerns floating in my head as I'm sure most first time parents have, and with not being able to sleep it just gets worse. Yuriy and I are both really tired, working a lot, but the difference is he sleeps to recuperate and I suffer awake.
My back hurts, I've been waking up with these ultra ridiculously painful calf cramps, my legs feel like I've twisted everything from my ankle and above....I can sorta keep going. I'm not feeling the ease of the second trimester. And I'm not even huge, I don't know how women that are houses by now handle things. I can feel when the baby kinda jams all the way low into my uterus, its not a pleasant feelings and has been going on more and more lately.
On the bright side, school and research has been going very well and my friends in my program have been beyond amazing with me being pregnant. Its really a wonderful feeling to have them around and it makes me grateful and happy.
So to 20 weeks, now that I've complained a bit I feel better and can tell you that you've been great and for the next 20 to be just as great and more!

For your viewing and laughing pleasure

This pillow sausage thing is supposed to make us pregnant folk sleep better. yes.....

Ok I guess this is how you're supposed to use it:

I'm keeping you in suspense since we still are!

So the baby would not show us the goods on the last ultrasound :(
I was very disappointed. I really wanted to know the gender because I feel like it would create a deeper connection with the Baby. But, we will have to wait till Sept 22nd and hope the baby won't be so shy.
In other news the new semester started and its been great but tiring so far. People in my program took the news amazingly and I was so relieved and happy. They are all very protective of me which is both so sweet and funny. As I am not yet used to accounting for the space I need for this new body, I sorta got stuck in the doorway in class... Everyone in unison screamed "Baby!!" as the door knob was against my tummy and people rushed to widen the door. I found that hilarious!
So its been a very sweet ride.
On the down side, NYC is not going along well with the pregnancy. Walking the street is like...like...I can't come up with a metaphor for all the varied stinkiness of NYC streets. Its just really stinky and nasty. I've also noticed that unlike most pregnant women who have aversions to various foods, I do towards people. I know, I feel guilty about this, but I just find myself repulsed my people. On the train, the streets, waiting endlessly for the bus....there are people that just make me feel icky.
Then there are scenarios like a woman who likely soaked herself in some horrendous perfume for a few days choosing to sit next to me on the bus. What do I do in these situations? While I feel like saying: "excuse me, you stink. I cant sit next to you, your stench is making me and my baby sick. Please leave. Thank you." I understand I cannot. So I just end up blasting the AC that is overhead directly at my face as to diffuse the smell of 2 tons of fermented flowers that this lady has decided to drench herself in.

In other news, people have started to officially come to see our apartment which we are renting out. This makes me very sad. I have mixed feelings about the new place in Queens, but I'm sure once we move in and make it our own, I will like it. I'm also looking forward to only having to take one train instead of a bus and train.

Since I could not find any yoga classes that will fit my schedule I've ordered a bunch of dvd's that are highly rated on amazon. They will be on rotation. Even though I've only gotten to sitting on the coach with Yuriy, eating a Popsicle and laughing at the video, I have high hopes for them and I.

"I'm Not Showing You My Goods!"

Well, our appointment came and went and no baby gender yet.... Baby will have to remain just Baby for another month. I was very dissapointed with the entire appointment actually. I was never told that my doctor and his father who he is in practice with basically take turns with the maternity patients. So it will be a surprise of who delivers the baby...as long as that is the only surprise.