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Just a small part of her blog:  

Here are some facts about adoptions from Korea 
    An average of 1 out of every 250 Korean babies born are given up for adoption. Adoption is simply not accepted in Korea. Korean traditional society places significant weight on paternal family ties, bloodlines, and purity of ‘race’. This is why there are so many more boys for adoption than girls. Boys carry on the family name so girls are more likely to be adopted by Koreans. Children of mixed race or those without fathers are not easily accepted in Korean society.Many families would go through excessive and expensive procedures such as surrogacy or in vitro fertilization to ensure that their offspring are at least related than to accept a child of a complete stranger into their family. Korean citizenship is directly related to bloodlines. Children not a part of a Korean family (orphans) are not considered legal citizens of Korea. Another reason is the stigma of adoption. Ninety-five percent of families who do adopt choose babies less than a month old so that they can pass them off as their natural born offspring, overlooking older adoptable children. This is why all babies from Korea are 6 months or older. Furthermore, the rate of adoption disruption( orphans are given back to orphanage) among domestic adoption in Korea is outrageous. It makes me terribly sad to learn that Korea will end international adoption because all these babies will go without homes. They will remain in social welfare.

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www.followingmyseoul.blogspot.com/

Baby Bump Week 27

Week Twenty-Seven:
Baby:
Baby Size: 14.5 inches / Cauliflower
Baby Weight: just over 2 lb.

This week your baby looks like a thinner, redder, more wrinkled version of what she will look like at birth, but in the next few weeks more fat will fit out his appearance.  Your baby's immune system is continuing to mature as are your baby's lungs which are still practicing breathing amniotic fluid.

What they say my body should be doing and feeling:

Just when you are getting used to your second trimester, you may find uncomfortable symptoms beginning during your third trimester.  You may notice more leg cramps due to the pressure of your uterus on your veins and nerves running from your torso to your legs.  Remember to stretch and move your legs to ease or prevent cramping.

How I'm feeling:
I have been feeling good.  I have been getting tired a lot more often and getting comfortable at night is a thirty minute process.  She also can't stop moving, especially at night.  Her new favorite place to kick is my cervix and bladder.  Gotta love her!

Week 27 Covered

Week 27 Uncovered

Week 27 Front view

Family Time

Friday night we headed over to Jamie and Emily's to wait for Mitch and Jess and the kids to get there.  We stayed for a little while after they got there, but knew we would be spending all day Saturday with them.

Saturday morning they all headed to apple orchard, so we headed over after they got back.  The boys spent the afternoon watching the Hawkeye game in the basement, while Jess and Emily made apple pie and apple sauce from the apple orchard.  Then we enjoyed watching the kids run around the after each other.  It made me that much more excited for Bo to come and hang out with her cousins and Aunts and Uncles.

After the game Josh and I head home to take Pistol out, only to come back to enjoy a delicious dinner and some homemade apple pie.  (I don’t think I will ever make an apple pie with a crust and not crumbles on it again.  Yum!)  Then after the kids headed to bed we played  “A box of things” and “Balderdash”.  It was a lot of fun, I enjoyed the non stop laughing at all of the answers  However,  I was getting really tired, and my back was in a lot of pain, so we headed home.  A great time was had by all.

Grady with his Godfather

In and Out they love to follow each other

Bucking Couch Horse

Avery's turn

Uncle Josh reading to the kids

Josh could not stop laughing at this one

Baby Bump Week 26

Week Twenty-Six:
Baby:
Baby Size: 14 inches / Hothouse Cucumber
Baby Weight: just over 1.75 lb.

By now, your baby's lungs and brain are much developed.  In fact, your baby can likely detect light and dark through the nerve.  Your baby can now also hear more than just your rumbling tummy, such as outside noises like your partner's voice.

What they say my body should be doing and feeling:

Earlier in your pregnancy your blood pressure probably dropped.  But now, the reverse effect with your blood pressure increasing a bit.

And it's likely you'll still have an aching back as the weight of your belly continues to grow and shift forward.  When moving or bending and lifting, it's important to maintain proper posture.  For additional back support, some woman favor maternity belts which provide support under your belly and stabilize your back.

How I'm feeling:

This week has been great because Bo is moving like crazy and I am enjoying knowing that she is OK in there. Josh has also started reading to her, which has been fun, the other day I actually fell asleep to him reading.  (I think hearing her daddy reading calmed her down enough to stop kicking me so I could get to sleep.)  Josh has also been putting the coco butter on my belly for me, as it has been making my hands break out in hives when I have tried to do it. Last but not least, I am hungry all the time, and love to lay and watch TV when I get home.  I am trying to enjoy every minute of this because I know it won't last long after Bo arrives.  

Week 26 Covered

Week 26 Uncovered

 

Week 26 Front

 

 

 

 

 

(Wow I look like I got punched in the face in the last pic)

So Sweet

I forgot to share how sweet my students are...

One of my former students sent baby Bo a gift, and a box of homemade cookies for both Josh and I and also for staff.  We received a Critterz blanket (it's the 20x20 pink blanket in bottom left corner of the first picture) blanket it is so cute it is with the 8 little stuffed animal heads on it.  It is so soft and snugly.

Also another staff member and I are 3 weeks apart in our pregnancy (Bo is due first).  One of our students planned a baby shower for the both of us which will be include all of the staff and all of the students.  We found out about it last week, but she has been planning since the beginning of September. She has even planned Halloween treats and beverages for everyone.  So sweet!

CrAzY Weird Amazing

Words I would use to describe the feeling I have when Bo moves.  Her favortive time to move is at night when I am tring to fall asleep.  It has gotten to the point were she makes me nousious.  Baths have helped with that, but it always freaks me out.  She also likes to kick me in the middle of meetings which is sometimes a little aackward.  Overall, I am enjoying knowing that she is MOVING.

Baby Bump Week 25

Week Twenty-Five:
Baby:
Baby Size: 13.5 inches / Rutabaga
Baby Weight: just over 1.5 lb.

Your baby's body parts are continuing to become more proportional to each other.  Baby fat is also continuing to fill in your baby's wrinkled skin for a smoother look and more hair is growing, developing texture and color

What they say my body should be doing and feeling:

Now roughly the size of a soccer bal, your uterus is halfway between your sternum and your belly button.  All this gowing might cause stretched out skin to feel itchy in places.  Try to relieve the itching with lotions and moisturizers.

On the flip side, you're probably still enjoying the fullness of your hair, actually caused by hormones decreasing the shedding process.  Unfortunately, this extra hair won't last after you've given birth.

How I'm feeling:
I have been having another great week, super busy at work with the end of the quarter, and start of the new, but overall good.  My hives have come back full force but that might have something to do with the fact that we are house hunting and the thought of buying a new house and having a baby a month later scares the crap out of me.  Josh doesn't seem to be fazed  one bit by this, which I haven't decided if this is helpful or annoying. 
As for the full head of hair thing, I have always had a lot of hair and couldn't do anything with it, and now I have more and it still does nothing.  Whatever I guess.

Week 25 Covered (sorry about the closed eyes)

Week 25 Uncovered

Week 25 Front View

Back to Iowa

We headed back down to DeWitt this weekend to meet Van. 

We ended up getting late Friday night, so we had to wait until the next day to meet the cute little boy.

Sat morning I went garage sale shopping with Karen; while Josh went over to his grandpas to help take the air conditioners out.  Karen and I had a great time looking for things for baby Bo.  Our buy of the day was a Bumbo with tray for $5 (thanks Chris) it had never been used,so excited about that.  Then we found lots of cute little summer clothes which Karen bought for her.  She is to sweet. 

After garage sale shopping Karen and I headed over to see Stevi and Van.  Van is so tinny and I loved  being able to hold him.  It was also enjoyed talking to Stevi about the delivery and the first weeks home with Van.  It is so nice to talk to her about these things, because I will be doing the same thing in just a couple of months (its good to know what I will be getting into).  After a couple hours  Mark and Josh came over with Van's gift from us (a build a bear with a cubs outfit).  They removed their air conditioners and Josh decided he wanted to hold Van.  He was so proud holding him, so sweet. 

Uncle Josh with Van

Such a cuddle bug

I love his feet

Us with Baby Van

After spending quality time with Stevi, Chad and Van; we headed back to Mark and Chris's so the boys could take out their air conditioners too.  Then Mark made us dinner and Stevi, Chad and Van walked down to eat with us.  It was great because Van had his eyes open the whole time he was there. 

Later that night Karen and Neighbors came over to hang out by the fire.  While the girls hung out by the fire and the boys watched sports in the garage.  A great time was had by all.

Sunday morning we got up and got ready to leave,  but before we could leave town we had to go see Van and Stevi again.  We also wanted to stop and see the Kueter's.  

On the way home me stopped several times to stretch my legs and to get Pistol his birthday treat at DQ

Right after his birthday treat (so tired)

Baby Bump Week 24

Week Twenty-Four:
Baby:
Baby Size: 12.5 inches / Corn
Baby Weight: just over 1.25 lb.

With all the rapidly developing senses in your baby, he should probably be able to sense what is upside down or right side up.

Your baby's respiratory system is also rapidly growing, lungs are developing in preparation for breathing, moving amniotic fluid in and out of the lungs.  For now your baby still gets oxygen through your placenta

What they say my body should be doing and feeling:

Your uterus is roughly two inches above your belly button.  Around this time your medical practitioner may preform a glucose screen test to check for gestational diabetes which affects around 10% of all pregnant woman.  It can be a risk to you and your baby if left untreated.  Gestational diabetes can make vaginal delivery difficult, causing a longer labor due to the baby's larger size, or it might make cesarean delivery required.  However, the good news is that this condition often disappears for most woman after pregnancy.

How I'm feeling:

 Besides the cold (which is mostly gone), I really don't feel very pregnant.  I fall asleep just fine around 9pm then between 2-3am, I wake up and start thinking about all of the things that have to get done for either work or trying to figure out where we are going to live after our lease is up before the baby comes.  I know it will all get done, but I am a worry wart.  Beside not getting enough sleep I am feeling so much better with breathing and my cold.

Week 24 Covered

Week 24 Covered

Week 24 Frontview

Can't Breathe

I have had a cold for the last 4 days.  I thought I was actually starting to feel better. Then today, at work, I walked down to my bosses office (about 30 feet down the hallway), and I went back to my office and couldn't catch my breathe.  I called the doctor and after several conversations she told me to go to the doctor as soon as possible.  This scared me, so I called Josh right away he didn't answer; this sent me into more of a panic because I knew he should have been home.  I headed home from work early to go to the doctor.  I just hoped Josh would be there because I was scared to drive myself.  Thank god he was home and we headed to urgent care right away.

When we walked in I went up to the counter to check in and told them I was having trouble breathing and she got up and walked away.  Weird right?  Then all of the sudden there was a nurse with a wheelchair she put me in it and quickly rolled me into the back room where 4 nurses started checking my vitals.  Josh was gone, and I got scared.  What in the world was going on?  After they checked all my vitials, they said that they were normal and sent me off to the doctor.

We found Josh and headed to see the doctor.  He listened to my lungs, asked me a ton of questions, then went to get the machine to hear the baby.  All I could think of was what is wrong with the baby.  Then it occurred to me he just wants to make sure she is alright.  SHE IS!  He told me it could be 1 of 4 things and thank god it was the one that was no big deal.  I was getting enough air to my lungs but because of the cold and baby Bo pushing on my diaphram my lungs didn't have enough reserve to keep me breathing regularly.

What do I do?

Use an inhalator, use a salt solution to clean out my nose, get lots of fluids, and rest.

Can Do!

Thank goodness that is all it was, but it was very scary for both Josh and I.