Our Apartment

Behold... our new apartment! Samdo Mirae Town - mirae meaning future- is somewhere between Pohang and Heunghae. It's not quite as convenient as living right in the city, but it is certainly more peaceful. Ah, the blissful absence of barking dogs, stray cats mating in the abandoned house next door, and buzzing mosquitoes. It's a little strange being this high up - neither of us has ever lived higher than the 4th floor and we're currently on the 15th - but if the height is what accounts for the lack of mosquitoes then we're all for it! I plan on taking the stairs up all 15 flights at least once while we live here (Colin has already done it) but that moment will have to wait until the baby lets me breathe normally again.

How long will we stay in Korea?

Some of you back home in Canada and the US may be wondering when we plan to return to North America. Our original plan after getting married in 2003, was to be here just a year while doing the visa paperwork for the US. However, some aspects took such a long time (fingerprints from the RCMP - 5 months!) that we knew we'd end up staying a little longer. So we extended our contracts an additional 7 months until January.

Sometime during those next 7 months life took another turn and we decided if we were going to start a family, now was the best time. As far as the best place... things were too complicated with regards to visas and health insurance in the US and Canada so this became the best place too.

We've now been here 2 years and we still aren't positive when we're leaving. Right now the issue hinges on whether we can get an extension on our visa application. If so, we may be return around July of 2006. If not, we may have to start everything over again...

The tables are now turned. Whereas previously we were waiting for them to examine our paperwork, they are now waiting for us to submit the next step of the paperwork. But the timing is tricky. Our medical check has to be delayed until after the birth of the baby because it requires a chest x-ray. And by that time our RCMP fingerprint check will be due to expire - which could mean another 5 months of waiting to get that again. 5 months is no problem for us since Colin is contracted until July of 2006, but if there are no extensions, then our visa application will be cancelled.

Oh, the complexities of life!

Latest doctor's visit

Well, one more visit to the doctor. Seems like we're there all the time now that it's every 2 weeks! Our little guy had the hiccups during the ultrasound today and we could see his whole body moving with each hiccup! He also had his eyes open. His present estimated weight is 2300g - just over 5 pounds. And I've now gained about 20 pounds! He still didn't want to give us a really clear look at his face, but the doctor printed the best one he could get.

We've both been very pleased with our doctor so far. That was one of our biggest concerns - would we be able to find a doctor that spoke enough English and had a view of birth and labor that was compatible with ours? Fortunately our friends Grace and Bryce came to our aid and incorporated our situation into some English classes they were teaching to two doctors. The doctors each interviewed an OB/GYN they knew using some questions I had written out and brought the answers to class. Based on that information we contacted Dr. Bae, and he's been wonderful. Not only has he been professional and knowledgeable (as one would expect) but he's exceptionally kind - we have had 3 3-D ultrasounds but he only charged us for one, since our little boy was being so shy the first 2 times. He also gave us information on how to contact him directly so we wouldn't have to go through the hospital and try to communicate in broken Korean and English.

The ultrasound is not that easy to tell what you're looking at. So, in case you can't tell, it's a side profile with the baby facing right. The right side of the picture is the placenta.

Baby Shower

Yesterday our friends threw us a baby shower. Grace masterminded the operation, closely assisted by Charity and Mun-Ju. These girls hand-made invitations - including the envelopes- planned the games, food and prizes... everything was wonderfully orchestrated down to the last balloon lovingly blown up by Bryce. Elizabeth put together a baby book with special decorations on each page for the guests to sign. We left the men on their own while the girls played games. Despite our friend John's parting comment that he hoped never to participate in such an event again, I believe everyone had a wonderful time!

What do you mean I'm not cute?

Today was a "fun" Dr.'s appointment. I had to drink a bottle of glucose and get blood drawn for a gestational diabetes test. (All clear! Woohoo! Sorry Karen and John A. - I wasn't particularly eager to join the diabetes club going on in our family.) I also got the shot of partobulin as a protective measure since I am RH- and the baby might be Rh+. The part of the visit I was really looking forward to was the 3D ultrasound because the doctor was going to try and get a good picture of our baby's face. Unfortunately he didn't co-operate. (The baby, not the doctor.) He's already head down and facing my spine, so it was difficult to get a good shot. But, we now have a picture of a puffy eye and cheek. Also something else which we think is either part of me, some strange growth, or the baby's nose... The doctor said that even though the picture was (definitely) not cute, it doesn't mean our baby will not be cute.

Cute or not, I think he's going to be stong, as he seems to be doing quite a bit of Tae Kwon Do already. The ultrasound estimated his current weight at 1520g (about 3.3 pounds). I keep visualising his size and weight by comparing it to pounds of butter. More than three pounds of butter in my gut, and there could be another five or more by the time he's born! Yikes!