Seven Months

I am not sure if it is a fourth pregnancy thing, being close to 30, low iron, blood sugar issues, the heat here, or a combination of all those things but this pregnancy is kicking my butt!  I have been so tired.  Thankfully the nausea is long gone, but I never had that really awesome boost of energy that I did with the others.  I can't believe in two months I will be meeting my little boy!

This month I have lots of projects to finsh up before I head off to a neighboring country to have this sweet baby boy.  I hope I can get it all done! :)

Kind regards,

It's a Boy!

So I had a second ultrasound and found out for sure that it is a boy!  I think that after three girls I won't totally believe it until I'm holding him in my arms.

This whole having a baby in a country they don't speak English; not so fun!  The whole ultrasound he is talking a mile a minute in French and I pick up a work here and there (like hand, foot, head, boy, everything is good) which let's me get the just of what he is saying, but still feeling clueless.  It's a tad bit frustrating.  I did however look up the French word for profile which not surprisingly is very close to the English.  (If I am ever not sure how to say a word I say the English word with a French flare and it works about 50% of the time.  Yes, I know I am a total language genious.  Actually I have decided quite the opposite is true!  But, we'll say I get an "A" for effort.)  So, I was able to communicate to the guy that we wanted some pictures and definitely a profile one.  He did a great job, the printer not-so-much; welcome to Africa!

Face picture which turned out pretty well.

Profile picture which didn't turn out well when printed.

We picked up the girls from school and they got to come with us to the ultrasound which I think they thought was very cool.  I have to say after two years living here, having an African man touch my belly was really kind of akward.  I mean, a lot of times they won't even shake a women's hand so the belly...that was just a bit weird.

Six months down and three more to go!  I am freaking out a little becasue a.) it has been 5 years since I had a baby, and b.) I had lots of complications with Little Sojourner and being in a third world country is not really helping to calm my nerves!  I keep coming back to this verse: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

Kind regards,

My 1st OB Adventure in Africa

Baby #4

Yesterday I had my first OB visit here in Africa.  I had been dreading it and therefore procrastinating it.  I really do not like to go to the doctor ever, but lauguage and cultural complications were making me dread it even more then usual.  I decided I would procrastinate until my second trimester and then make myeslf go.  Thankfully a friend offered to go with me and her French is much better then mine!  That helped ease my dread a little.  I can function pretty well in the local language but most medical terms are in French (and those I am definitely not familiar with) so I was very glad to have her there.  Between her French, my local language, and the tiny bit of English that the doctor knew we faired pretty well.  I feel much better about follow-up visits.  The doctor asked me all the normal questions (they don't do paperwork here because the litteracy rate is so low, so the doctor asks all the questions and records them).  Then, she led us to the ultrasound room.  As I was following her I was thinking she is really, really tall.  Of course part of that may be that I am only 5'2" and another part might be that African women have a thing for high heels (which I do not really understand, I would definitely die trying to walk around these horrible rocky roads with high heels).  She did an ultrasound and we heard the heart beat.  She *thinks* it is a boy, but wasn't able to get a really good look this time, so we won't know for sure until next ultrasound.  She did all the measurements and everything looks good.  She said I'm in my 5th month.  We asked for pictures and she sends me home with two very similar pictures of the head.  So, now I have two pictures (one shown above) of my babies head.  It's not quite the cute prfofile pics I have with my other kids, but maybe we can work on trying to explain that and ask for a new one next time?  We will see.  Oh, and she gave me a script for all the blood work I have to get done.  I am dreading all that even more.  I do not like needles.  Did I mention I am a total baby?!  No, but you figured it out, right? ;)

Kind regards,

Food Cravings

This preganacy I have mostly had food aversions, but recently I started having some cravings.

They have included:

Shrimp.  Which I can not get here.  (Photo Credits.)

Lobster.  Which I also can not get here.  (Photo Credits.)

Crab legs.  Suprise; I can't get those either!  (Photo Credits.)

And, last but not least....a Rubio's Fish Taco.  (Pretty much the best thing you could ever imagine.  But, sadly only with locations in 5 states including one in my hometown which I sadly missed when moving to the east coast.)  Obviously, I can't ge those here either.  (Photo Credit.)

Are you seeing the pattern here?!  All of the things (including the previously posted Chick-fil-A and dill pickle cravings) I can't get here are the things I am craving.  A bit frustrating.  Maybe it means I won't gain much weight?  There has to be some upside to this!  But, we did find out recently that we will be visiting two other countries in the next few months that are coastal countries!  This means I will get some seafood at some point.  That is pretty exciting!

So, (even if your not pregnant) what have you been craving lately?!

Kind regards,