22 Weeks

23 weeks 5 days

Today is the 5th day of my official "vacation." I put vacation in quotes because unless you are on an out-of-town trip by yourself, you don't get a vacation from your home life. What I meant by "vacation" was temporary freedom from my paid responsibilities outside of home which is good enough for me. This week the kids & I have enjoyed grandma Chris & grandpa Gerry's visit from Wenatchee. I also carved out some time for trips to Value Village & Target for a few overdue purchases, house cleaning & trying new recipes.


Green Lake

This morning I had an ambitious plan to walk around Green Lake (it's a beautiful waterfront walk that usually takes 30-45" depending on one's speed). I regretted it as soon as we got out of the car. First of all, it took forever to find parking. Then the playground was overcrowded, teeming with too many kids & parents. As I watched Sophia head out in one direction & Gerritt in another, my panic mode set in. Gerritt started crying as one girl didn't want to share a playground toy, "No, it's mine!" Then Sophia almost got knocked down by older kids playing chase at the top of the tall play structure. It was annoying to constantly bump in strollers & other people & their kids. It was around noon, the blazing sun was hot & there was not a hint of shade anywhere. I finally convinced the kids to sit in the stroller in order to walk around the lake, however, I quickly realized I was running out of energy. I've decided to stop my walk while it was still enjoyable by turning around after walking about 1/3 of the loop. It took me forever to get out of my parking spot as people parked too closely in front & behind my car. The car was hot as our air conditioner broke this spring. Red & sweaty we were finally back to our cool & comfortable home (thanks to shade from multiple large trees growing nearby). I learned a valuable lesson - at 22 weeks of pregnancy it's time to scale back on long outdoor & social outings. From now on we'll stick to activities close to home or even in our back yard.
My pregnancy is in full swing. I haven't been sleeping well for past couple of weeks. I get too hot with Gerritt & 2 dogs in my bed. Also my bladder is unable to hold all night like it used to. I can't seem to get quite comfortable & turn & toss often. I now have a constant backache - probably from lifting 2 toddlers in & out of car way too many times. My belly has grown considerably, & I am afraid to imagine how much more it will grow. My feet started to swell up occasionally (especially in hot weather), so I need to watch the time I spend standing.


My husband is grilling AGAIN to satisfy my constant hunger


Our typical summer meal

I am eating every 2-3 hours & the only substance that truly satisfies my hunger is protein (red meat, chicken, peanuts, walnut butter, cheese), so my husband has to grill something at least every couple of days. I feel great otherwise. I am probably in better shape now than I was during the past year, thanks to my walks with our dogs Sammy & Maxie twice daily (at least 30" each time) for the past 2 months. My pregnancy rhinitis is back. I have a slight nasal congestion & sneeze often. I still sleep on 2 pillows, but the pillow number usually increases the further along I get. On a "positive" note, I had to go shopping for new bras since my breast size increased from a AA to a B cup. Pregnancy is the only time I get to have a real cleavage. :-) I now have a hard time putting on my shoes & usually have to do a weird side twist so my abdomen isn't in the way. Unless I am exercising, I will wear mostly easy-to-slip-on flats for the rest of my pregnancy.
I stay positive & try to imagine my little boy's face when I'll hold him in my arms for the first time. I know it will all be worth it. I have only 4 months to go & just like with my previous pregnancies I will not remember most of the unpleasant stuff. I also focus on not wishing this pregnancy away & try to enjoy every moment & every little kick in my belly. I stil remember slight sadness when it was over all too well.


Salmon caviar on a buttered whole wheat toast

My latest food cravings include caviar (I haven't wanted it for years!) & piroshki. After sampling some salmon caviar at my friend's house, I wanted to buy some more. Luckily, one of the largest red caviar distributors in the US happens to be right here in Bellevue. Coincidentally, Awers, Inc. is a Russian-owned business.


It took a lot more work to satisfy my piroshki craving. After reading & re-reading Darra Goldstein's recipe multiple times & gathering all of the ingredients, I braved to make 2 kinds of piroshki - poppyseed & broccoli-mushroom-cheese. My Mom was never good at baking, so I was afraid I inherited her lack of baking talant. Surprisingly, piroshki turned out better than I expected, but the amount of energy it took for me to make them was too high. With hurting feet & back due to prolonged standing & slightly irritated from being interrupted by kids too many times, I finally was able to enjoy the piroshki with tea at the end of the evening. The kids were not interested in tasting them at all & my husband ate only a couple. Needless to say, I probably will not make them again for another few years.

Boehms Chocolate Factory

Today we headed out to join the Day Out with Thomas. We rode the train a few weeks ago & really wanted to experience it again. Little did I know that this outing was so popular for families in the Northwest. All of the event tickets were sold out not only for this, but the next weekend as well. Apparently, the tickets go on sale in April of every year.
Luckily, we didn't have to deal with tears & whining from disappointed kids. We stayed in Snoqualmie & made the most of our afternoon. It helped to discover a cute local cafe called the Bindlestick Coffee & Beer House. The cafe was child-friendly (!) & had a variety of toys, books & puzzles available to keep the little ones busy. Gerritt enjoyed playing the Dora the Explorer memory game, doing the Hungry Caterpillar puzzle as well as Don't Break the Ice game. This game was quite a hit. Both my husband & I took turns playing with him & all of us had lots of laughs. My hubby enjoyed some local beer while I sipped on a delicious cup of my favorite Two Leaves & a Bud white peony tea.


Gerritt posing with one of the statues near the factory


My husband & Sophia entering the Boehms chocolate store


Gerritt & me posing in front of the chocolates (I had to threaten him not to buy him any chocolates if he didn't try to smile for this photo)


Sampling the chocolates outside

On our way back from Snoqualmie we made a spare of the moment decision to visit the Boehms Chocolate store & factory in another cute local town Issaaquah. The factory tours were done for the day, but we got to walk around beautiful park-like grounds, admire a georgeous High Alpine Chapel (a replica of a 12th Century chapel near St. Moritz, Switzerland - a popular place for weddings), visit the factory's store & sample delicious chocolates, of course!
The Boehms Candies, Inc. was founded in 1950s by Julius Boehm of Swiss-Austrian descent. It's known for it exquisite, European-style, hand-dipped variety of chocolates. Boehms Candies even offers chocolate making classes (adults & children 8 years old & up), so another activity for us to look forward to a few years down the road. Another busy Sunday with tired but excited kids & parents!

Thrift Store Shopping

Some of the my finds drying after being washed


Another good find - 2 kids' folding chairs for $8!


A pretty collection of vases

Recently I posted how much I enjoyed shopping & saving money at Value Village (a local thrift store) as a status update in my Facebook profile. Little did I know, the posting would upset my husband. Apparently, some people find it degrading & embarrassing to shop at Value Village or GoodWill. I've met this attitude before from a "typical" middle-class American. She was elaborating how proud she was of her niece going to school during the week & working as a waitress on the weekends. The money made working weekends was not used to pay off student loans or build a savings account. No, no. It was mostly to afford buying designer clothes. When I suggested a thrift store, I got a reply, "Oh, she would never go to a place like that."
After finding a designer outfit & a pair of shoes in Value Village more than once for just under $15 I can never justify paying a full retail price again. You can say, I am addicted to thrift shopping. I find it thrilling going to the store not knowing what you will discover & how much money you can save. It is like a treasure hunt! Although I would not buy underwear, socks or a mattress/pillows from a thrift store, it is my favorite place to buy kids' clothes, kitchen items, toys & clothes for myself. I especially loved buying my maternity clothes there. Most American women (who usually have 1-2 kids) wear it for relatively brief period of time & then give it away to a thrift store in excellent condition. Knowing how pricey maternity clothes can be, I can't imagine a different place to shop. The same goes for kids't clothes & shoes. Children often go through growth spurts & hardly wear out their clothes during that time.
I admit, initially I went to Value Village to save money. But as I learned more about this organization, I also discovered I was contributing to the good in the world by conserving natural resources, eliminating waste & helping others. Value Village's recycling program eliminates more than 500 million pounds of waste from our landfills each year. Also, some of the recycled clothes & household items are sent to the developing countries. So I will continue to be a proud Value Village shopper. Every time Gerritt asks me whether we can shop at Value Village again, it is music to my ears!

It's a Boy!

20 weeks pregnant


Excited family awaiting the ultrasound results

Today we went for our 1st "real" prenatal ultrasound. It was scheduled for 9 am & my husband's Mom spent previous night at our house so she would not miss this important milestone. My hubby took morning off work, & even Gerritt & Sophia were there to share the moment. Thankfully, Sophia fell asleep in the car & continued to sleep all through our appointment. Gerritt was very curious, but observed quietly in his chair.
We waited patiently as the ultrasound tech scanned my belly to check & measure all of the baby's important structures. She saved the best for last, "Do you guys want to find out the baby's sex?" A few long seconds later she announced, "It's a boy!" I was so convinced it was a girl, that it took me a few moments to absorb the news. My husband & his Mom looked happy, & Gerritt was too busy playing with his chair to react. The perinatologist came in at the end of the visit & repeated parts of the scan herself, "Yep, it's definitely a boy." The thought about our ultrasound tech possibly making a mistake crossed my mind, so I needed to hear that I was carrying a baby boy from someone else.
Unfortunately, every time you do an ultrasound, you are likely to find something concerning. There was an MRI involved to make sure my placenta was not too close to the C-section scar when I was pregnant with Sophia. This time I have placenta previa - a condition in which placenta covers the opening to the cervix. I was reassured by the perinatologist & my midwife that there was about 75% chance that the placenta will move away from the cervix as my uterus grows. So a repeat ultrasound for me in 2 months. I will try not to worry in the meantime.


Our little boy - 20 weeks


The little peanut's 3D image

Ultrasound findings aside, I am pleasantly surprised! Boys don't really run on my side of the family, so I am still getting used to the prospect of having another one around the house. My husband breathed a sigh of relief, "Now we only have to pay for one wedding." :-) Although I would have been happy to have another girl, I felt slightly relieved too. Having raised one of each sexes up to this point, I found out that there are some definite differences. Sophia keeps us way more busy than Gerritt ever did. She is louder, more persistent in getting her own way & very mischievous. She keeps us all on our toes! There is no guarantee Sophia's new brother will have Gerritt's personality, but at least I can hope.
Of course, I called to share the happy news with my Mom & Dad in Russia as well as Chris & Gerry. My Mom was just delighted & said she already knew it was going to be a boy just like my husband's Mom did. Apparently, my motherly intuition is not as well developed.
I am 20 weeks along today & already halfway through my pregnancy. Where did the time go? My 1st pregnancy seemed to go on forever, but now I am too busy with my day-to-day life to really pay much attention. My midwife suggested I start baby movement counting recently, & I just laughed. It's so rare for me to have quiet moments to myself.
I can't wait to hold the little guy in my arms! When most people are eating turkey on Thanksgiving Day, hopefully, I will be getting to know my new son & recovering from birth. And best present of all - he'll definitely be here for next Christmas!