The Different Faces of Bean

Bathtime Bean


























Playtime Bean





















Sleepy Bean

























Happy Bean





















Beanz Day Out (Sinterklaas)























Dreaming Bean


























Floppy Bean

























"Whats That?!?" Bean


























"Yo! Wassup?" Bean
A.K.A. Jailtime Bean

More Bean Pics!

Bean Arrives!

Nicholas Cameron Dean Venter was born on 12 November 2007, at 13h15 weighing in at 2.990kg.

Here is a pic of baby & Mum:

7 November 2007- Due Date!

So today is Bean's due date and I find myself sitting here wondering if he will decide to make his appearance any time soon. So far it looks like he's quite happy to just sit and hang out a little longer. If he does not come by Sunday, I will be induced early on Monday morning. I would really prefer for him to choose his birthday but I have to trust my doctor and not wait too long.
Very nervous as I have no idea what to expect. But also getting very curious about meeting this little fellow who has been with me for 40 weeks and still kicking around a lot.

Will try to put one more photo up of the belly before he comes. (Pic added by drJ: 14/12/07)

Bean @ 33 Weeks

Bean @ 32 Weeks

Bean @ 26 Weeks

Bean @ 24 Weeks

Last week Friday, we visited Dr Puzey again for a scan and general measurement of Bean to see how everything is shaping up.

The good news is that all is well...he has a healthy brain, heart, lungs, hands, feet... indeed a perfect little bean.

As we were watching the monitor in 4D view we managed to catch a glimpse of some live Bean action - he yawned right at us!

Here is a still from Bean's yawn:



















YES - kicking (and growing) is very tiring work!

Bean is now more active than ever.

He likes to move around quite a bit...

Sometimes he moves to one side, leading to Lopsided Tummy Syndrome (in case you got worried, that's not a real syndrome).

He also likes to kick any time of the day or night...

Just the other day he heard some music and kicked along.

One might imagine him as the Dancing Bean (as opposed to the Dancing Queen):








Sometimes he just feels like a good roundhouse kick and I often imagine it going something like this:







Okay, I know, you're right - that's technically not a roundhouse kick but you catch my drift.

That's it for another Bean'z World update - stay tuned for our next exciting installment!

Bean @ 5 months

Bean is starting to make himself known to the world.

He has started kicking now, and particularly likes roundhouse kicks to the navel.

Take a look below, thats our Bean at 5 months:

Bean - Scan 3 (Thumbs Up)

Bean - Scan 2 (Proof!)

Bean - Scan 1 (Getting Jiggy Widdit)

It's a ......

Went to see Dr. Puzey again today and found out that our little bean is a boy bean. J is totally happy as he definitely wanted a boy first. I don't mind either way as long as he is happy and healthy. Very weird to know but obviously also very exciting. Need some time to let it all sink in.
He looks good in the scan and doctor says all is well so we are one step closer to a healthy bouncy baby boy!

Bean at 16 weeks

4 months wow - can't believe we are at 4 months already.
I am definitely showing now and have to go and buy preggie clothes this weekend as everthing is way too tight.
Had a bad case of the emotional blues this morning - teetering between wanting to cry and wanting to scream at someone. Unluckily J had to bear my mood but luckily he could escape to his office very quickly. This might become a interesting ride. My friends are reassuring me though that it's all part of it and I shouldn't worry.

We should be able to start feeling bean move pretty soon - haven't felt anything yet but am conscious of it all the time.

Until the next scan - bye!

Bean at 15 weeks

On Saturday Bean gave us a bit of a scare - well actually it was probably not Bean at all, and might just have been gas (embarrassing yes I know). Whatever is was, I had an unbelievable pain just below my belly button for a while which made us decide to go to the emergency room. But just as I was getting dressed, the pain miraculously disappeared. Luckily my dad was still in Cape Town and came rushing over to give me a check up. As the pain was higher up it probably wasn't Bean at all - so I probably gave Bean as big a fright as we got.
Makes you realise how fragile you think they are and how attached you are already. J and I (and my dad) were all very relieved.
In less than 3 weeks time we get to see Bean again - I can't wait - I LOVE SCANS! Would have been nice for my mom and dad to come with sometime as they didn't have them in their day.

Tiredness getting better but nausea back with a vengance. Otherwise everything going well and J and I very excited about each new development.

Bean at 14 weeks

Almost 15 weeks now and supposedly the nausea should be going away but it's still here some days and boy am I tired. After 4pm I just can't keep my eyes open. J has had to take over making dinner as I just fall asleep on the couch.

Brushing my teeth brings on immediate gagging - not cool.

Our next appointment is on 7 June when we find out if it is a boy or a girl. J would like a boy first - I'm easy.

Both J and I are reading all the preggie books and mags that we have been given by friends with kids - which are really helpful and nice to know I'm not the only person who feels that I shouldn't be allowed to be doing this yet - or at all. I go from extreme euphoria to bouts of severe doubt. All par for the course I guess.

Got our first beanie, babygrow and T-shirt for bean from Kristel, Rob, Susi and Josee - sooooooooo cute! Now I want to go shopping! Will first have to get suggestions from kids with babies as to what is the best re: prams, cots etc.

Bean at 13 weeks

Finally the day came when we would find out if bean was healthy and that everything was fine. Nervously I picked up J from work and raced to our appointment. J kindly pointed out that we were actually early and that I didn't have to speed there.
Dr Puzey took his time to check everything and said all was fine! Yay! What a relief! He said that we didn't have to do the blood test as well but after the weekend of worrying I decided to do it anyway - and all was fine with that as well.

So now we are finally allowed to tell everyone. What an exciting time and amazing experience. It is now finally becoming real as I can actually talk about it to people.

I've had to apologize to everyone for blatently lying to them over the last 3 months. Apparently some people expected as much - while others were surprised. Only 1 person at work knew - my assistant - but seeing as she has to check my email every day - that wasn't surprising.

Bean at 11 weeks

Going to see Dr Puzey next week to get the 12 week check up with all the necessary tests.
Hopefully we will get the all clear and then we can tell everyone. That will be very exciting. I must admit that having had to lie to people all these months has not been easy. I'm sure that a few people must expect it, especially those that know me well enough to know that usually I'd be the first in line for a good glass of chardonnay.

I have not felt like drinking alcohol at all which is fortunate. The nausea is slowing getting less and sometimes I have to remind myself that the doctor definitely confirmed the pregnancy as it all still seems so surreal.

Till next week after the important check up!

Bean at 9 Weeks - 29 March - 4 April

Last week we went to the doctor, none other than Cape Town's infamous Doctor Puzey. As we sat in the waiting room, I picked up a copy of Bicycling magazine which had an interview with our neighbour, Doug Jenman about his electric bikes. Soon we were greeted by a bearded, smiling, skinny man - Dr Puzey I presume?

This dude talked A LOT, and *fast* but later Nush told me he seemed upset! It turned out that so far that day he had already seen three women, all of them had complications and were scheduled to be "scraped" that afternoon - ugh, far too much information.

This set the scene for the examination room where the kind doctor, wielding a dildo looking like a white light sabre tried to lure me into his lair...while Nush was saying something to the effect of "its alright, honey, you can come inside".

I was not feeling very convinced about all this until, once inside the room, he quickly dimmed the lights and before we knew it the doctor was showing us bean illuminated on his hi-tech gadget.

Man, what a cool ultrasound toy! Apparently it is one of the most advanced in the country: we could see bean in 2D, 3D and 4D (in other words, 3D but moving).

"And what a fine specimen of a happy and healthy little bean", said Dr Puzey!

WOW we were relieved...our bean was perfect in every way :-) Round 1, ding ding, was thankfully over and we left the doctor's office beaming.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programing:

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — barely the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce, but he's poised for rapid weight gain now that his basic physical structure is in place. He's also starting to look more and more human. His embryonic "tail" is now completely gone and his body parts — including organs, muscles, and nerves — are kicking into gear.

His eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. He has earlobes, and by week's end, the inner workings of his ears will be complete. His upper lip is fully formed, too, and his mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The tips of his fingers are slightly enlarged where his touch pads are developing. All major joints — his shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles — are working, enabling your baby to move his limbs. As for his heart, it has divided into four chambers now, and the valves have started to develop. External sex organs are there, but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks.

Bean at 8 weeks - 22-28 March

We have our first appointment on Monday which is exciting and scary at the same time. Can't wait to hear that everthing is okay. Someone at work just lost her baby after about 10 weeks so am very nervous still. This week started with a bang though as I can now say that I truly know what morning sickness is. Lasts all morning and is absolutely horrific. Every day is different, so I have no idea when I wake up what it is going to be like. At least it means things are happening I guess. Very difficult not to tell people but definitely want to wait at least till we get the all clear from the doctor.

Bean at 7 weeks - 15-21 March

Back home and nausea has changed from the evenings to 3 shorts bursts a day. Nothing too hectic and otherwise I feel like I'm just along for the ride. Feel like I should be putting in more effort in bean's development but guess apart from eating right, drinking lotsa water and excercising, bean is going to do it all on his/her own.

Now almost half an inch long roughly the size of a raspberry, your baby has elbow joints and distinct, slightly webbed fingers and toes. In his oversized head, both hemispheres of his brain are developing. His teeth and the inside of his mouth are forming, and his ears continue to develop. Eyelid folds partially cover his tiny peepers and the tip of that nose you'll be tweaking someday is emerging. His skin is paper-thin, and his veins are clearly visible. Your little one also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. His liver is busy producing red blood cells, and a loop of your baby's growing intestines is bulging into his umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from his tiny body. Your baby still appears to have a small tail (actually, it's an extension of his tailbone), but it will disappear in the next few weeks.
You can't feel his gyrations yet, but your little jumping bean is moving in fits and starts around his watery home.

Bean at 6 weeks 8-14 March

Going away with my parents and sister to Baviaanskloof but luckily the 9 hour drive didn't cause too much nausea. I have had some cramps on and off for the last weeks but won't worry unless I have to. Nausea starting a little bit mostly in the evenings. Had a lovely time away but missed J and sharing the little preggie things with him. Can't believe bean has a heart already!

Your baby's heart is growing and dividing into the right and left chambers. But the most exciting part is that her tiny heart is now beating (at a speedy 100 to 130 beats a minute) and pumping blood throughout her body. The cells that will make up all of your baby's body parts and systems are dividing furiously as her body begins to take shape. Right now she's about the size of a small lentil bean (4 to 5 millimeters across).
If you could see through your uterine wall, you'd find an overlarge head and dark spots where your baby's eyes and nostrils will be. Shallow pits on the sides of her head mark her developing ears, and her arms and legs appear as protruding buds. Her hands and feet look like paddles, with thick webbing between the developing digits, but her fingers and toes will soon become more distinct. Below the opening that will later be your baby's mouth, there are small folds where her neck and lower jaw will eventually develop. (Inside, her tongue and vocal cords are just beginning to form.) Your baby's intestines are developing, and tiny breathing passages are beginning to appear where her lungs will be. She's also starting to build muscle fibers and, halfway through this week, she'll likely start moving her tiny limbs. Be patient: You'll probably have to wait until you're several weeks into your second trimester before you get to enjoy feeling your baby's calisthenics.

Bean at 5 weeks - 1-7 March

I immediately called Dr. Puzey on Monday morning who confirmed that I was probably 5 weeks pregnant and set up an appointment for about 8 weeks - 26 March - I can't wait. Still no symptoms but hard to keep it quiet at work. Want to shout it from the rooftops but will wait till 12 weeks.


Your baby is about the size of a sesame seed, and he looks more like a tiny tadpole than a human. The big development this week: Your baby's brain is beginning to grow! It develops from the neural tube (a structure that will also spawn your baby's spinal cord, nerves, and backbone). If you've heard the recommendation to take folic acid to prevent neural tube defects, you can see why it's so important. Your baby is now made up of three layers — the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm — that will later form his organs and tissues. Your baby's neural tube develops in the top layer, called the ectoderm. This layer will also give rise to his skin, hair, nails, tooth enamel, and mammary and sweat glands. His heart and circulatory system begin to form in the middle layer, or mesoderm. The mesoderm will also form your baby's muscles, cartilage, bone, and subcutaneous (under skin) tissue. The third layer, or endoderm, will give rise to his lungs, intestines, and rudimentary urinary system, as well as his thyroid, liver, and pancreas. In the meantime, the primitive placenta and umbilical cord, which deliver nourishment and oxygen to your baby, are already on the job.

Bean at 4 weeks 22-28 February

J and I found out early on 3 March that we were pregnant much to our disbelief as we truly didn't think it had 'worked' yet. No symptoms yet at all but the sudden absence of alcohol in my system was evidence enough that this was real. We went straight onto the internet and signed up with various baby sites - one of which sends weekly reports on what is happening with bean.
Each week I'll share this with you as we progress. This is all very surreal still.

The most dramatic and vulnerable period in your baby's development begins this week and continues for the next six. During this time, all of your baby's organs will begin to develop and function. While your baby is in this "embryonic period," as it's called, she's particularly susceptible to anything that might interfere with her development.
Right now your baby-to-be is an embryo consisting of two layers, the epiblast and the hypoblast, from which all her organs and body parts will develop. The primitive placenta is also made up of two layers at this point. Its cells are tunneling into the lining of your uterus, creating spaces for your blood to flow into so that the developed placenta can provide your growing baby with nutrients and oxygen when it starts to function at the end of this week.
Also present now are the amniotic sac that will house your baby, the amniotic fluid that will cushion her as she grows, and the yolk sac that produces your baby's red blood cells and helps deliver nutrients to her until the placenta is ready to take over this duty.