21 Weeks Belly Update

My belly son and I went to my dear friend Baydzar's wedding on Saturday. I put on a dress I had bought from Canada about 10 years ago. Since it was elastic, it was the only dress I could fit in. And it was perfect. I felt pretty that day.

Now I look pregnant. I mean people who don't know can easily tell. Below, my mom is listening to her grand-kid (I don't think he said much) Can you tell she is very excited??? She gets disappointed when blueberry kicks and I forget to tell her. And my dad was telling me the other day, you know pregnant women crave weird things, like summer fruits in the winter, why don't you crave stuff like that and we'll go out look for them. They are funny :) Oh and the pictures are from my Sera again...

I have never loved someone

This song made me cry this morning (a lot!). It's a lullaby written by Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond to her son. It's just beautiful!

I have never loved someone the way I love you
I have never seen a smile like yours
And if you grow up to be king, or clown, or pauper
I will say you are my favorite one in town
I have never held a hand so soft and sacred
When I see you laugh, I know heaven's key

And when I grow to be a poppy in the graveyard
I will send you all my love upon the breeze
And if the breeze won't blow your way, I will be the sun
And if the sun won't shine your way, I will be the rain
And if the rain won't wash away all your aches and pains
I will find some other way to tell you you're okay

You're okay (x7}



My Brightest Diamond | I Have Never Loved Someone | A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

20 Weeks Belly Update

Hi everyone, I'm in Istanbul with my son :) Above is a picture my Sera took at my parent's place. I'm being spoiled endlessly by my parents and my family. I mean freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast, getting a ride from everywhere to everywhere. The other day I was leaning on the table to get myself some salad, and my aunt was like "don't lean, I'll give it to you". They are raising the bar so high that upon my return poor claude will have a lot of difficulty meeting the needs of princess neda.

It's very funny to see my parents talk to and kiss (yes, that happened) my belly. The other day my mom and I went shopping because I needed some shoes. And of course, we bought nothing for me and 6 jumpsuits for the blueberry. I have a feeling that we'll end up with too much stuff for him but I let my parents be since it's their first grand-child :)

and it's a......

We had our ultrasound today. Both claude and I were stressed last night, we knew it was going to be a long ultrasound to check all the organs and the bones.

As usual, his legs were crossed at the beginning to my big disappointment. Then the OB started checking his heart, his liver, his stomach, his bones etc....And everything was perfect, right at the curve, everything right where it is supposed to be...

Then finally the doctor said, I think it's a boy but I'm not sure. Then he moved again, and for sure, it's a boy :) Everybody, but everybody around me was convinced that I was going to have a girl. My dad, claude, my best friends, they were not even doubting. So he tricked all of us that playful one :)

So it's very funny, as if I have been waiting for a boy for years, I couldn't have been happier. I hope he'll have curly hair just like his dad :) and I'm really fine with being the queen of the house and being adored by my boys :) It's very strange, now that I know the sex, even though I'm by myself, I'm not feeling alone anymore...I have him with me :)

Yesterday, we went to a friend's dissertation defense on enzymatic bio-batteries, and he did not stop moving during our friend's presentation. I never, ever experienced him that active. I think we have a biochemist coming :)

Now, we need to find a name or two :)

19 Weeks Belly Update

Too much happening nowadays! We're busy planning our move, christmas is on the way, I'm planning my trip...Too much...

I have to run out right now but I wanted to put my belly picture. I will update the blog with the latest development sometime this week. Oh and on Friday we have our ultrasound. This time it is supposed to be a half an hour detailed ultrasound, they will look one by one to all the organs, count the bones, etc. Hopefully all will go well. I'll let you know.

18 Weeks Belly Update

Hello people, this week's photo shoot was a little difficult: I was by myself, I used a huge pot on a table as a tripod, and I wasn't wide awake. So I ended up with this picture.

I think now people notice my belly if I wear tight things, which I do, cause I like it when they notice :) I still don't get offered seats in public transportation but the other day a woman gave me her place in a supermarket line (I'm not sure if it was because of my belly though). One thing I know is I definitely get sympathy gazes from fellow pregnant ladies in the street. Vive preggo solidarity!

Sweet Baby Kick!

I think I felt my first baby kick last Sunday morning. It was like a butterfly in my belly, I quickly touched where I felt it, and indeed felt like something went up and down. But I wasn't sure. I mean when you're pregnant, you feel like you're constantly being kicked at all sides. So it's hard to differentiate. Then there was nothing for the following days. And I convinced myself that whatever I felt was not a kick. 

Then 2 nights ago, Claude and I were sitting on the couch. And I really felt the kicks. I got really excited and held claude's hand over my belly where I was feeling it. And he told me that he felt something there as well. Then of course, we sat there completely frozen, waiting for another sign to come, and there was nothing.

I can't wait to feel the kicks everyday and of course the hiccups :)

Is it a boy or a girl???

I respect parents who wait until birth to find out about their baby's gender, but I'm definitely not one of them. I like making plans and thinking of the future and I think that gender is a factor that shapes those plans. Hopefully, not that drastically, but I think it's naive to argue otherwise.

Although I had a slight preference for girls at the beginning of my pregnancy, the more I think about it, the more I realize that I couldn't have cared less. I mean, a boy or a girl, I know my love won't change.

But since the suspense is hard, I decided to look online for some tests and here's what I found:According the very complicated Chinese lunar calendar baby prediction, it's a girl:
http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/Charts/BabyGender.htm
According to some numerological things, it's a boy
According to some Mayan even number/odd number thing, it's a girl
Then I found the following website who told me this: 
You have a 40% chance of having a boy. And you have a 60% chance of having a girl.
http://www.childbirth.org/index.html

And Here's Why...
You are carrying the extra weight out front, so it's a boy. The hair on your legs is not growing any faster during your pregnancy, so it's a girl. Boys are carried low. You are going to have a boy. Dad-to-be hasn't been gaining weight along with Mom-to-be, so it will be a girl. The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair (dyed or natural), so a girl will be born. You didn't have morning sickness early in pregnancy, so it will be a boy. You are not looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a girl, because girls steal their mother's looks. Your chest development has been quite dramatic during pregnancy. You should expect a girl. Since the sum of the mother's age at conception and the number of the month of conception is an odd number, it will be a girl. A needle on a thread held over you belly moves from side-to-side, so it will be a girl. Your urine is a dull yellow color, so you will have a girl. You have a craving for salty or sour foods, which means that it is a boy. Your nose hasn't changed during pregnancy, which indicates a girl. You have been craving meats or cheeses, so it is a boy. Your baby's heart rate is above 140 beats per minute, so it's a girl.


Bottom line is we still have a 50 % chance. And we're going to have to wait a little bit longer to find out :)

nb1

16 Weeks Belly Update

Photo shoots became a part of our Sunday morning routine now. We get up, take a shower, and get ready for the shoot :)

This week as opposed to other weeks where I was feeling and seeing that I was expanding, I felt like nothing was happening. I had a flat tummy, the little symptoms I had were gone, and I was feeling quite energetic. I started to get worried that blueberry wasn't growing. It's very annoying that you cannot know what's happening inside until the baby starts kicking. I started thinking whether it would be a good idea to buy a doppler to monitor baby's heartbeat. Given the conflicting reviews, I'm still unsure. Or a fetal stethoscope...Because I know that to hear his heartbeat would make me feel much better at times of worry.

But looking at this week's picture, I see that compared to last week I am still expanding. So that's good. Claude is thinking that I complain when I get bigger and complain when I don't. I guess it's true :)

Blueberry's First Gift

Hande Teyze came to visit us in Strasbourg and she came with this outfit. It makes me happy just to look at it. It's for 0 to 3 month-olds :)  Now, we're going to have to find space in our closet to put blueberry's clothes.

I really like the color. I like that nobody knows the gender and they try to get gender-neutral stuff. Althought she told me she had a hard time finding gender-neutral stuff in Turkey, I think, unfortunately,  it's the same in every country.

I can't wait to see our blueberry in this.

15 Weeks Belly Update

  

Hi there!Yes, I'm 15 weeks already. We missed the 14 Weeks belly update because blueberry went to visit his family in Rennes. So we didn't have the time for photo shoots. It's interesting because some friends we visited guessed my pregnancy before we told them. So I started showing just a little. But as usual, at nights, I'm 6 months pregnant, without a doubt. Actually, I'm going to try to put a picture of my belly after I eat at night so that you know what I mean. 

We had 2 crazy nights of partying thanks to Cha and Claude's gang from Landerneau. I'm talking about dancing until 3AM, go me!!!Then we went to G & G at St Malo. It was really nice to be with family. It was almost like a big christmas reunion, only without gifts. Almost everybody was there. So both Claude and I really appreciated this nice break, we were happy to spend time with everyone, especially the kids, to be close to the sea, and of course to eat good food...

13 Weeks Belly Update

I know you like my belly updates, so here's another picture I took this morning.

I'm truely expanding in an unimaginable pace. It's very early for this, normally pregnant women are not supposed to show before their 4th month (week 16) but I guess bellies come in all sizes. I'm not of those mothers who freak out about putting on a lot of weight during their pregnancy, but I have to admit seeing my pictures makes me laugh  nervously. This week, I had to buy myself maternity clothes, just tops, I can still fit in my pants if I don't zip. Thank god!

It seems to me that I will have a hard time hiding my pregnancy from friends in Strasbourg that we have not told yet. Maybe it'll make our job easier: instead of telling them, we'll just say "hey look!"

Mamie and Papi know about you!

On Sunday, we finally got a chance to call Mamie and Papi, Tata G and Gw. They were all very happy to find out about the news and to know that the family was getting even bigger. Of course, Gw being himself, got very excited. Tata G. wholeheartedly supported our decision not to wait to find a job to have a baby. On Monday night, we called your tata E., who was also very happy.Your tata G. is waiting for her third son already. She said she was hoping you would be a girl.

Are you a boy or a girl blueberry??? I guess we're going to have to wait a little longer to find out. In any case, when you will be born you'll have 4 very adorable boy cousins in France. And no matter what you are, we will love you :)

We'll see all of them in St Malo next Sunday. It's going to be really nice to celebrate the good news face to face with the family.

Left Preference

Last night, when I was sleeping, I noticed I had a big, very obvious lump on my left abdomen and nothing on the right.  I got worried (of course, as usual, why can I not be a cool mom?). I woke Claude up and made him touch my abdomen. He also thought it was weird. So we went online and tried to find more information in the middle of the night. What could that mean?? Why the bump was only on the left?? Was something not right? Looking back, it's funny how easily we freak out over little things, although I couldn't see the humour at all at that point.

It turns out that right now blueberry you have plenty of space in my belly to move. You can go left, right, or disappear completely in my abdomen. And apparently, last night you were really on the very edge of my left side. It was funny to feel you like that. Doctors say that babies might have a preferred corner where they feel more comfortable. So it seems like, you prefer the very edge of my left side :) That's good, you're already choosing the right political side ;)

12 Weeks: First Belly Update

I know a lot of people will not be able to see me pregnant :( But Claude and I will try to regularly update you on my belly progress. Here's a picture of my belly at 12 Weeks. Yes, I know it looks like there's something but calm down, I think it's my usual belly. Having said that, it's true that at nights, especially after I eat, it gets HUGE!

So I don't think I'm gonna be one of those sexy pregnant chicks who wear mini skirts throughout their pregnancy. I think I'm gonna be BIG!Oh well!

What a happy day it was!

I told the good news to my family and a few very dear friends (Petek tantik, Arpi yev Baydzar).

Blueberry, you are one lucky baby. You are already loved and impatiently waited by so many, it's amazing!

Sarkis was very excited, happy and surprised, surpik shouted on the phone, sera and babu almost cried of happiness, nartu and arev were exctatic.

It was just such a happy day October 14! I felt very good because all these people I loved so much were so happy. As Arpi tantik said, there will be another person in our lives and it's so exciting.

Today or tomorrow, we're gonna give the news to mami and papi.

And to crown that happy day, Claude and I went to Charles Aznavour's concert at Zenith. What an amazing voice he has, what an impressive performance despite his age (he is 87!!!)
La Bohème gives me the chills everytime I listen to it...And it was something else to listen to it alive.
La Bohème, la bohème, ça voulait dire, on est heureux!! :)

Yaya and Dede Know About You!

Yesterday night, I finally skyped my parents to tell them the news. I was so nervous and excited before telling them. I knew it was going to be a big shock since they didn't even know we were trying.

So I talked to them normally from daily things at first. Then I told them that I was going to send them a picture of us in Barcelone. And I sent them yesterday's ultrasound's picture. Of course, there were technical issues in between but finally they received it.

You had to see their faces when they opened it. They didn't understand. My mom kept on asking "bu ne neda?" (what is this?) and she was like "senin mi bu??" (is this yours?). And finally they both broke in tears.

Now it's time to tell sarkis dayday (moryegpayr), surpik yaya, babu, sera, nartu and arev medz-horaks :)

nb1

Success!!!

So today we had our second appointment and it went really well. From the ultrasound the blueberry looked something like this.

We had a number of good news: 
1. Blueberry was still alive (yay!) and very active again. To the point that the OB was like "hey calm down so that we can measure you". I think that's definitely not from his dad :)
2. He is right on curve in terms of his growth. In 10 days he grew from 3.8 cm to 5.7 cm (not including legs). He seems to have very long legs. His head grew from 1.4 cm to 1.85.
3. His nuchal length(!) was very low. So the doctor said we could rule out down syndrome by 80%.
4. My décollement healed itself. So no more scars, nothing to worry.
5. The doctor said that the chance of having a miscarriage after this point is minimal ( I so want to believe it is true!)

So I asked all my questions and many more. I love my OB (did I mention this before?). She is letting me eat fish as much as I want (INCLUDING SUSHI!!!!That's right!). And when I told her that the emergency OB asked me to stop running, she was like, yeah, he is old school and affraid of all. You can run for as long as you want :) Yayy!!

Claude seemed very proud of his blueberry's activeness. He was holding my hand throughout the ultrasound and we were smiling at each other. Since he had to run to work right after, we couldn't really talk.  Oh we also tried to capture his kicks through the video of the I-Phone. But I'm not sure about the quality.

More pix to come very soon.

Tomorrow: Our second appointment

I love my OB. If you live around Strasbourg, I highly recommend Dr Catherine Gay. She is very knowledgeable, laid-back, and trustworthy.

Tomorrow, it's our second appointment. It's exciting and stressful at the same time. I'm hoping with all my heart that everything is well, that the blueberry is still alive (hello, are you there?) and that he is growing as fast as he should. I sometimes wish I had a device to monitor him every second to make sure that he is fine. Claude will be coming with me for the first time. I wonder how we'd feel.

We also have to declare my pregnancy officially to the Sécu and CAF. I'm sure it would feel weird to officially declare that.

I prepared a list of questions that I should ask my oB:
1. Discharge: Is it normal?
2. Do I need to stop running/yoga?
3. Should I take more iron pills? (my nails don't look healthy at all)
4. What are the chances of miscarriage after this point?
5. sleeping: I often sleep on my belly, I'm wondering if it's not a good idea.
6. Can I travel/take the plane/bus as much as I want?

I'm sure I'm leaving stuff out. Maybe Claude would have more stuff to add.

Tomorrow, I'll let you know how this appointment goes.

Fingers crossed,
nb1

Barcelona

Last week, Claude had to go to Pamplona for a conference. So I joined him. After 2 days of staying at Pamplona, we went to Barcelona to spend 3 days, from Friday to Tuesday. And we stayed at our friend Anne's place who very happily moved to Barcelona from Strasbourg a year ago.

What a beautiful city to visit!!We did so many things in those 3 days, we met maybe 5 or 6 of Anne's friends, we had delicious food and tapas, we went to I don't know how many bars and restaurants, we visited the Pedrera, Parc Guell, and Sagrada Familia. We even spent our Sunday on the beach at Gava. Yes, that's right, in October, we went to a beach to swim, that's Barcelona for you. Up there is a picture of us in Gava (note the bathing suits and sun glasses).

Knowing that there would be many drinking occasions, we decided it would be simpler to tell Anne about my pregnancy. So just like that, she became the first person that we announced our blueberry face to face.

It was very bizarre to talk to somebody about it. I felt like both claude and I needed it. Claude kept on talking about the ultrasound, and how his legs and arms were moving. Proud papa :)

nb1

Finding the perfect template for this website

I have spent I don't know how many hours to find the perfect template for this blog. The blueberry photo was from a website, the template from blogger, I played for days with the settings. I even wrote the HTLM for a favicon (that's the little icon you seen on the page, instead of the ugly Blogger logo).

Despite all my efforts to make it gender-neutral, it's a little too pink for now, but I kind of like it like that.

I needed something to work on, something that would make me happy, something that would give me hope for the future,so I made this blog my project.

It was therapeutic.

My first post

Today, we were a little scared. I had some bleeding and we found ourselves at the ER of the Clinique de la Robertsau on a Sunday. Sitting there, waiting for the doctor to come, not knowing what to expect, not knowing what this all meant was a terrible feeling.

Then we saw our blueberry in the ultrasound, who was constantly kicking his legs and moving his arms, as if wanting to get out of there.It was quite funny to see it. The doctor was impressed by how active the baby was, and so were we :)And we found out there were 172 happy heart beats per minute.

So there was nothing to be scared of, just a little décollement of 1 cm, he told me to rest for a while. Poor Claude, after he found out that all was fine almost fainted. He was under so much pressure. He's cute :)

And we got our first baby picture :) We can't stop looking at it.

nb1