Weeks 21 & 22

The baby is about 8 inches long or the size of a small doll and weighs about one pound. The baby can now get a taste of whatever it is I am eating. It's kind of weird, but the amniotic fluid that our baby swims around in and uses to practice swallowing can differ in flavor depending on what I have eaten. The baby's arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are connected between the brain and muscles and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone. Which means the baby's moves are much more coordinated now. The baby is still developing all of its senses but can practice using each one. He may grab and hold onto his umbilical cord. The baby still has fused eyelids but he can definitely perceive light and dark in the womb (he loves to sun tan ;) The baby can hear me and those around me, including my heart beat and even the dogs barking, I guess it's time to start watching what we say. And like I said, he can taste pretty much everything I am tasting too!

We've had a busy couple of weeks with working and a vacation and other engagements, but I am still feeling great and don't really have any complaints. The baby definitely seems to have ramped up his activity and I feel him a lot all throughout the day and Jake can pretty much feel him all the time too. I still feel a lot of his movements in the upper area to the left of my belly button which is where he has kind of been although the movements keep getting higher and higher with each passing week. This leads me to believe he is still in a breech position, but what do I know really?



My main goal in the next couple of weeks is to get some furniture picked out for the baby's room, which can sometimes take 8-12 weeks to come in, so I really need to get on it. Still working on a paint color, but I feel busy and it won't take too long to get it done. I am anxiously waiting for buybuybaby to open up on the northside too so I can register there! And of course, we're still working on the perfect name!

Ultrasound update

Well, he's still a boy! Today we had our official ultrasound with the OB and everything looks great! All his systems check out, 4 chambers in his heart, healthy brain and kidneys, a three vessel cord and spinal cord all intact. Based off of the measurements on his head, femur and abdomen he is weighing in at about 13 ounces. He's a big guy but I'm not measuring ahead so our due date remains the same.

We went out to dinner with the Vieke's tonight to celebrate Jake's birthday and our little boy got loaded down with duds! He's got lots of cute little outfits to look forward to. Thank you Kelli! Jake loved his birthday presents, but I think I enjoyed it even more! I have new ultrasound pics to post that I promise to scan and post soon. I am going out of town next week and planning on doing a technological cleanse (no iPhone, no iPad, etc) so I will update when I get back!

20 Weeks

This week the baby is the size of a small cantaloupe and my belly looks like the size of a melon! He is about 6 and half inches crown to rump and weighs about 10 ounces and our little boy has been busy growing his boy parts. If you were to stretch him out he would be about as long as a banana (head to heel). There is still plenty of room for him in my womb which means plenty of space for twisting, turning, punching, and even somersaulting or what I like to call a "dance party" because that is what it feels like! He is also swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of the digestive system which will make up his first couple of dirty diapers. Interestingly, the baby has established sleeping patterns akin to a newborn and may even have a favorite sleeping position already. At this point in the pregnancy the baby is putting most of his energy into gaining weight so he can be fat and happy at birth (but no more than 9 pounds please!).

This baby has been active for weeks but I've been the only one able to feel it. After long spans of resting with my hand on my belly I have felt a kick or two from the outside, but finally a few nights ago Jake was able to feel a couple of kicks from our little soccer player! It was so exciting and so what I needed after a miserable day at work. I think it was very eye opening to Jake and it was a fun and exciting moment. We're still working on names and when we do come up with it, I am leaning towards keeping it to ourselves (don't hate me!). We have our official OB ultrasound today and I can't wait to see him! I actually haven't taken a peek myself in about 3 weeks so I am sure he has grown to be quite big! Our little guy seems to be more active in the afternoon and evening, but I don't know if this is because I am more settled down at this time of day and have more time to recognize his movements or if he really is just more active then.

I am loving every bit of pregnancy so far and it has been a pretty smooth ride, like I have said I am very thankful for it. When I first noticed my belly ripening and my body changing I was quick to believe it was temporary, but I know better than that. In pregnancy your body keeps changing everyday and I remind myself of the progress it means for the baby and I am usually happy with that. But then I go through the miserable process of trying on a dozen different maternity swimming suits (and even non-maternity suits in desperation) and the self esteem just goes down the drain! Thankfully in the last 20 weeks I can say I have only had a few of these moments, but pregnant or not body image is a battle for most women I know.

Ok, off my soap box and on to another (and I apologize for the melancholy). My baby is getting closer and closer to reaching the point of viability(about 23 weeks). Even at the point of viability there are no guarantees of a healthy baby, a scenario my job makes me all too familiar with. I know those in my family and dear friends who have pregnancy stories that end with the pregnancy and don't go on to be baby stories. I just want to take a moment and recognize those people. I know there is nothing you can say to comfort someone over the loss of a child, and it is always the loss of a child no matter what stage of pregnancy you are in, but this week my heart has been heavy thinking about these families.

How very softly you tiptoed into our world, almost silently, only a moment you stayed. But what an imprint your footsteps have left upon our hearts

Gap

I'm loving the little boy stuff at Gap! So adorable! Little baby v-necks!!

19 Weeks

This week the baby is about the size of a mango, weighs about a half a pound and is about 6 inches long. His arms and legs are finally proportional and all the neurons are now connected between brain and muscle (so now he is purposefully kicking me). The cartilage in his body is still turning into bone, helping to give him even more control over his movements. Vernix now covers the baby's skin, this is a white protective substance that sheds before birth, but some may remain. The vernix helps protect the baby's skin from the amniotic fluid, otherwise he might turn into a prune!

I'm still feeling great and have very few complaints, which I am thankful for everyday. We've been getting a lot accomplished around the house, cleaning out closets, mulching (Thanks to the Vieke's!) and getting the baby's room ready. Usually when I decide to paint a room I like to whip it all out in one day, but I've been taking my time and making myself take lots of breaks. I have two coats of primer on the trim and the first coat of paint. It's been a while since I've had time to get back in there, but I am hoping that maybe over the weekend I can finish up the trim and decide on a paint color. I want the room colors to be navy and grey with some fun accent colors and I think there will be lots of airplanes.

My great friends at work have scheduled my first shower in August so I need to get going on my registries. I've put a few things together online, but I just need to get in the store and get "scanner happy", but I am holding out on buybuybaby to open up on the northside! Maybe I can hit up Pottery Barn Kids later this week.

Our official ultrasound with our doc is a week from tomorrow. I can't wait to have the baby measured and have Jake see him live action rolling around and wiggling.

We have a busy summer ahead of us and after a quick spring I have no doubt that it probably will not slow down. So I'm trying to enjoy each stage of pregnancy and not rush it along, but then I think of all the things we will still have to do to get ready and my OCD kicks in! Don't panic!!

And in between all of that I get to vacation, attend open houses, celebrate my best friend's wedding, keep my yard looking beautiful and grow a baby! No worries :)

I know I said airplanes, but these owls are super cute!