Baby's room in Tokyo

Well, we only had a week to do it, with no car (we caught the train, and walked in the rain and snow, with everything), no instructions in English, and not really any idea where to start, but I think we have the basics. We leave tomorrow, and I won't return til after the baby is born so I'm happy everything is organised!

From the doorway, the cot and shelves. Tidy for now!

Cute little toys to keep him occupied (instead of crying perhaps?). They all make little sounds when you squeeze or shake them (the aeroplane sounds like the inside of the womb, apparently!).

Spinning musical sun and toys.

Apparently you can never have too many wipes and tissues! Nappies are in the blue box.

Baby monitor ready to go!

The World of Peter Rabbit, on the shelves, ready for night time reading.

Baby Bjorn Babysitter Balance

Kaloo playmat

24 weeks - It's a BOY!!

His appendage...

And a close up!

Wow, I am still in shock! I had my 24 week scan/check up yesterday and all went very well. We listened to the heartbeat, Dr Katayama took all the measurements, and calculated the baby's weight (now a whopping 621 grams!). Even though, at 20 weeks, he was 90% certain that it's a girl, he had told me to remind him to confirm the baby's gender, and lucky I did! "Honto!! ... Otokonoko!!" were the only words I could understand. Anne, the American nurse, was there to translate but Nug and I were already laughing. Its a boy! Finally, the cheeky little thing was ready to show it all off!

So, good-bye pink and hello blue! We're just as happy with a baby boy, and now we get to go through the name game all over again. In a way, I think Nug will have more to say with a little boy. "Lucy, you are NOT putting him in that outfit" and "Oh, don't baby him, we need to toughen him up." ("Nug, he's 2 months old!!") I can see it in my head already!

Everything else with the pregnancy is going really well. I get heartburn often, burp ALL the time, and am always thinking about my next meal. It's all very glamourous! Nug is being very supportive and is good at getting me snacks when I need them in the wee hours of the morning. At the moment, I'm craving a sausage roll and can't wait to have one (OK, two) when we get back to Australia next week!

23 weeks

So, here's the bump at 23 weeks, which is also the start of my 6th month of pregnancy, and the last month of the second trimester. I don't think a great deal has changed in the past couple of weeks? I seem to be carrying quite low and am still apparently quite small, which I think looks a little strange at this stage! I look like I have an abnormally long torso!

Not a great deal has happened in the past couple of weeks, except for the rather startling discovery that my colostrum has started to come in. It was news to me, but quite common in the second trimester. I'll let you google that one.

Her movement is also becoming more and more forceful and you can now see and feel it very obviously from the 'outside'. Nug is pretty impressed with this! Sometimes I can poke my belly, and she will kick back! Last night, I couldn't get to sleep - she was kicking and poking me from the inside, and Nug was on my right, twitching, kicking and laughing in his sleep. What a pair!

I have my last appointment in Japan next Tuesday, at 24 weeks, and then my first appointment with my obstetrician in Brisbane on the 8th March. They have been so wonderful over here at looking after me, but I can't wait to come back to Australia and meet my obstetrician, have a tour around the Wesley (where I will give birth), and start some classes!