13 weeks

Today I am 13 weeks. One site says this is the start of the 2nd trimester and another one says it starts when you hit 14 weeks. Either ways, I am feeling good! I think the little bit of morning sickness (that should have been called resting sickness) is gone. Someone guessed that I was pregnant, because she said I looked it, but I am still convinced that I don't look it, but hubby said I do. So here are a few self-portraits from Friday. I always have a bit of a tummy, so it looks normal to me. Mateo also wanted in on the photo fun.

The top one is the best, the doctor said the legs were crossed.

I had planned to announce the news last week, but now I feel like waiting longer, hopefully until Mother's Day. Last time we told when we got back from America and I was around 12 weeks. Speaking of America. I checked how much I weighed at this point, last time around. I was already 10 pounds heavier! We were away for a month in America, so that was not good for my weight. I am happy that I am doing better so far than last time, but our 5 week vacation is coming up. I rreeeallly gotta watch it.

21 months

In just 3 months Mateo turns 2! Another year flying by.

Mateo is finally trying to say the words we tell him to. This morning he said Aap (monkey), Essy, Hanne, Leah, Oma, Grandma. I think we have a little Dutch speaker on our hands. The words he often says on his own are Auto (this in excess, think every car we pass on the road gets named and every train/tractor/bus in every book), Kijk (look), Ga Mee (go with), Nog (more).

I did not realize how good he is at pointing to parts of his body. His auntie and cousins are faithful teachers. That is also in Dutch. He gets ogen (eyes) and oren (ears) mixed up, but hair, tongue, teeth, mouth, foot, head, hair, bottom and belly he knows very well.

He is still our little imatator! Sounds, actions, you name it. I really need to film it sometime. It is so precious.

I am glad Mateo's growth is matching up with the season. Most of his long sleeved shirts are pretty short in the arms and his warm pants are getting a little small. We are ready for SPRING!

This month Mateo learned to climb up the ladder alone to go down the slide and to safely get on/off the trampoline (his cousins' of course).

Recently he is acting afraid of the vacuum. He is also scared of toilets flushing, which is just perfectly fine with me. He has not yet discovered that there is water in there!

Mateo is used to the webcam after being on it on a nearly daily basis. He is used that it is Grandma, so he always does tricks for her and comes and brings things to show her. We have also chatted with my aunt and a friend who also has a baby. He is very good about waving and blowing kisses goodbye.

Speaking about those blowing kisses, he blows them anytime I say 'say bye bye'-so he blows kisses to the rabbits, donkeys, cats, houses, people...

Until next month!

10 weeks

Today is April 9th. I had another appointment at 8:00 this morning. I was excited, because this appointment was going to give me a due date. I also like to go and see/hear the heartbeat. The ultrasound said 9w6d, so it matched pretty closely to what I thought. I figured a November 7 due date (birthday present for Ruth?), but she wrote November 5th. Either way, I don't think I will be going to Roekenbosch this year!

Same story as a few weeks ago, feeling sick when laying down, aversion to very sweet things, enjoying warm, cheesy things (pizza, grilled cheese, etc). What has also begun again is the DREAMS. I am not getting very restful sleep, because I dream the whole night vivid dreams. I always dream, but not quite as much.

No weight gain since last time. Yes! But I need to watch it. Keep it under control. I really don't want to gain as much as last time (nearly 40 lbs).

I am pretty proud how much restraint I have shown. I haven't told a single person yet! I wanted to tell mom a few weeks ago, but hubby wanted me to wait until today, so hopefully it works out tonight! Ok, I do admit I bought an adorable dress, but it can also be a gift for someone else.

There is not much to buy/gather this time around. I would like a new carseat, click-in-style. The baby will most likely be sleeping in our room for a while. Mateo stayed until he was 6 months. I would prefer to move baby out earlier if it would help them sleep through the night like it did with him, but we don't have another room. I guess the living room is also an idea! I have a few ideas to make a cute baby corner in our room, but I will wait a while for that.

Today I have been trying to figure out when I can stop working. I want to stop as soon as possible. Sorry clients! I did not know that last time I could have been done a week or 2 earlier. I think it is around 28 weeks unless the gynecologist writes me off earlier. I am gone 5 weeks, so 'just' 13 more weeks of work!

I know some people worry with the 2nd of if they will have enough love or something, but I don't worry about that. I worry about the baby not being as adored as Mateo. Mateo has always received lots of attention and still does. It is because he was such a nice baby (seriously, he only cried for food or dirty diapers), happy and sociable! Ok, yes, he is still that way! I would love to have another baby like him! But am prepared that not every baby can be as good as he was.

Poor Mateo has no idea what is on the way. He loved going with this morning to the appointment. He even loved holding and waving around the ultrasound photo. If only he knew how that teddy-bear-looking-blob is going to change his life!