25 weeks

I'm 5/8 the way through the pregnancy! Woo-hoo!!! I can't believe I am this far along already :)

I love the comments that people have made lately "You're all belly," "You can't be 6 months," etc. It makes me feel really good, though I imagine this can't go on for much longer ;)

I spent much of the day yesterday in 90* heat and humidity walking around Baltimore with a couple of my friends. We couldn't get into the aquarium until the middle of the afternoon so we did a "Duck Tour" first. It's basically this truck, shaped like a duck, that takes you around the city, and then gets into the water, and acts as a boat, too. It's pretty neat. With all the bumping around, and chugging water, I had to pee soooooo badly, that I thought I was going to explode towards the end. The aquarium was nice, though we didn't get to see very much of the exhibits (way too crowded) but the Dolphin Show and 4d show were very cool. All in all, a good day.

Without further ado:
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.


















How far along? 25 weeks

Total weight gain: 13 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Mostly
Stretch marks? maybe 1 on my side but nothing major at all.

Sleep: Very good
Best moment this week: Getting carded many times at the casino in Atlantic City. I haven't been carded in years!

Movement: Every day, multiple times a day.
Food cravings: white wine (luckily I did indulge last week with a half-glass at dinner).

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Not at all, thankfully.

Belly Button in or out? It's going to pop one of these days...

What I miss: my husband!! He comes back in 44hrs (hopefully, although that's a whole other story)

What I am looking forward to: my baby shower in 6 weeks from today.

Milestone: The crib arrived this week and it's beautiful :) We're going to put the nursery together next weekend more than likely.














25w

My original chickens

It has been brought to my attention that my pets have made their way into various photos, so I thought I'd introduce them properly.

This is Chip:


and this is Indiana:




This is how they get along with each other:




















24w1d

24 weeks - VDAY!

YAY! I am ridiculously excited to be 24 weeks today :) What a huge milestone accomplished. My next big goal is 28 weeks. I'm feeling pretty good physically, and I've been fairly active lately. I've been trying to drink a ton of water, especially on the hotter days.

This is a late night update, and I am pretty exhausted, having hosted a little BBQ for about 10 friends tonight, so I will get right to it, and show you all what is going on with the chicken this week:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.
















How far along? 24 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 11/12 lbs. I am so bad and I lost a lb. or so this week. It's been really stressful :(

Maternity clothes? Mostly
Stretch marks? not sure, although I think I spotted a little something on my side, lower down. I can't really tell what it is, but I am hoping it's not a stretch mark.

Sleep: Pretty good this week
Best moment this week: Multiple people telling me how great I look and how I don't look at all like 6 months. Last night, a dear friend said to me that I was the most beautiful pregnant woman she'd ever seen :)

Movement: Every day, multiple times a day.
Food cravings: Nada

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: Not at all, thankfully.

Belly Button in or out? Neither. I'm guessing 3-4 more weeks 'til poppage.

What I miss: my husband :( he's away until the 30th.

What I am looking forward to: my baby shower! It's set for the weekend of August 8th!

Milestone: VIABILITY DAY! And, allowing myself to have about 2oz of white wine tonight with dinner. It was heavenly :)




















24w

Non-baby related post

B is leaving tomorrow for a 12 night trip, and I'm sad. He's going to a very scary place (please pray that he arrives home safe and sound) and we won't get to talk very much. Furthermore, I hate being alone in my house - the dogs are hyper aware of the fact that he's gone and they're very sensitive to every sound, which in turn scares me and makes me think there's someone in my house! I hate when he's gone for even one night, but this is the most we've been apart since we first started dating and he was away for nearly 5 months in the same scary place. Things were a little different then, and we weren't even living together (he moved into my house when he returned from the trip). Since then, the most we've been apart is a week and that has only been one time. By the end of June, he'll have been gone for a total of 21 nights of about 60. I never imagined he'd be traveling so much while I'm pregnant. When he returns, I'll be so much closer to the 3rd trimester. He has promised no more travel... it's way too hard on both of us (especially me).

Otherwise, things are fine. I'm feeling good, sleeping has been fine, and I've been pretty active physically. Just a few short days until V-day! I can't wait.

23w3d

23 weeks

It's been a great weekend. The weather is super warm, I've spent a lot of time outside, and gotten some exercise through walking and playing at the dog park. B was supposed to leave tonight for a trip to the scary land, but it's 50/50 on whether he'll leave tomorrow or go at all. Of course I am praying that he doesn't go, but I'm prepared for the fact that he will. This will be the last time that he leaves at all during this pregnancy, so I am grateful for that! I have lots of fun things planned for the time he's scheduled to be away so that will help. By the time he returns, it will be July. This summer is totally flying. I can't believe I'm having a baby in the fall!!!!

Speaking of the baby:
Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With his sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that he's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see him squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when she hears them outside the womb.

How far along? 23 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 12lbs - it's weird because my weight gain seems to have come to a near stand still. Somehow I am sure I'll manage to gain 20lbs in the coming 14-17 weeks!

Maternity clothes? Mostly
Stretch marks? not yet! I've been applying my cocoa/shea lotion daily, or 2x per day. Feels great.

Sleep: Pretty good this week
Best moment this week: Getting a lot of stranger comments on my belly :)

Movement: Every day, like clockwork at 10:30-11pm. So cute.
Food cravings: Nothing (when is this going to happen!?)

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: nope - and I am so grateful for that. One more week until V-day.

Belly Button in or out? It's gone. It will pop in July (or sooner) I bet.

What I miss: Never having to think about whether I should eat a particular food or not (ie. sushi, medium rare steak, etc.)

What I am looking forward to: One more week until V-day when I can breathe some sort of sigh of relief.

Milestone: Another week down...




















23w

Baby-Ready-Pets

Last night, B and I took a Baby-Ready-Pets class offered by a local shelter. It was rather informative, but left us feeling a little uneasy. We have 2 great dogs, both of whom have their quirks, but overall, are very good pups. I guess I didn't realize how much things are going to change for them when the newest chicken arrives (they are the original chickens!)

We were instructed to do all kinds of prep for them to ease the transition. We were given a CD of baby noises, and we were told to not allow them in the baby's room prior to his arrival or without me being in there, under any circumstance. Also, the baby is *never* to be left alone with either dog. Apparently, a crying baby can be mistaken for prey. There have been horrible stories of even the smallest dogs (chihuahuas and pomeranians) attacking and killing newborns when they didn't have a prior history of aggression. I have to admit, that scares me a lot.

Neither dog has really been around a newborn, or even a toddler for that matter, so I have no idea what to expect. They're not aggressive dogs by nature, but I imagine that could all change :/ They're not high maintenance and while we walk them on occasion, we have a nice big fenced yard for them to run around in, so that's where the majority of their exercise takes place. They have a food and water feeder, so we can't forget to feed them :) That's the good news. I just hope they don't feel too neglected. I know tons of people manage their pets and babies, and I'm sure things will be fine. I can totally see one of my dogs walking around with a pacifier in his mouth...

22w5d

Update: rash

Fortunately, the rash is nearly gone :) I'll assume it was a food allergy type of thing or even a mild heat rash, but either way, it's 90% better than yesterday. And, I got the call from my doctor's office that all was fine with the bloodwork I did. That's definitely a relief :)

22w2d

What I woke up to this morning :(

This is my left arm. This is also what my right arm looks like, as well as my belly. The rash doesn't particularly itch, which is good, but it's not exactly something I want to be dealing with right now. I ate tons of things yesterday which I've not eaten this pregnancy. Let's start with breakfast - waffles with strawberries. A lot of strawberries. We went to the Farmer's Market the day before and I picked up 2 dozen or so strawberries, most of which we shared yesterday at breakfast. As a kid, I had a strawberry allergy (which produced an allergic reaction just like this) but I outgrew that allergy, as most kids do, by the time I was 8 or 9. Perhaps it's back.

For dinner, I made a spicy pork bolognese (with fresh ground pork from the market) as well as buffalo/pork sausage from the market. I rarely eat buffalo, and again, not while I've been pregnant. I had a few unpleasant stomach issues yesterday as well, but I didn't make too much of that...

I also applied cocoa/shea butter to my stomach for the first time after my shower yesterday. I'd like to think that the lotion could not have done this.

I guess I'll find out more when I go to my primary care doc this morning!

22w1d

22 weeks

Another week down... but I feel like I'm in this weird in-between place. I don't love the early 20 weeks. I'd rather be past the point of viability more than just about anything. I still have another 2 weeks to go before Liam would stand a chance outside of me. I've been a lot more emotional lately, and in part, I think it's just due to my worrying about whether something could happen. I'm so grateful for every kick/movement that I feel, even when it keeps me up at night, or wakes me up in the morning, or just simply feels weird when I am trying to do something.

I've had a terrible case of pregnancy brain lately. I forget what my train of thought is half the time, I've left my back door wide open when I go to work, and I've forgotten several things I need at my office, at home, only to have to turn back and retrieve them. These are things I never, and I mean never, did in the past.

We spent all afternoon at Ikea yesterday, which normally wouldn't be a big deal, but I just get so uncomfortable standing/walking for that length of time anymore. My back was absolutely killing me by the end of the day. I actually asked be to check for bruises this morning because that's what it felt like. I did cap the day with a manicure & pedicure, which I desperately needed.

Here's what's going on with my baby chicken this week:
At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

How far along? 22 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 10-11lbs (it's hard to say because my doctor's office claims I've gained 10 lbs and I weigh the exact same as I did this week at the office, maybe plus a half a lb. so I think somewhere between 10-11). If it were just based on my scale, I think I'd say 12.

Maternity clothes? Most of the time, but I wore a regular t-shirt yesterday, which is always nice.
Stretch marks? not yet! I am getting scared though and will probably start applying the cocoa butter this week. I've been drinking tons of water though.

Sleep: Hit or miss. Last 2 nights haven't been great. If I wake up on my back, it's very uncomfortable.
Best moment this week: Getting some big compliments on how I look during pregnancy :)

Movement: Every day - an sometimes see him move at night, which is really cool.
Food cravings: None

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: nope, thankfully.

Belly Button in or out? it's basically on par with the rest of my stomach. I'll give it another 4 weeks or less to pop.

What I miss: Being able to move around freely. Spent 4 hours walking around Ikea yesterday and I felt like I'd been hit by a bus.

What I am looking forward to: V-Day in 2 weeks, and also B returning from a very scary place in about 3.5 weeks (he leaves next week :( )

Milestone: Another week down...

Here's another bare belly pic. I feel very brave for doing this as my stomach gets bigger and bigger ;)




















22w

21 week appt.

I had a very quick appointment today with the midwife. She's the last person for me to see in the rotation - now I can see whomever I want to when I go in. I'll probably stick mainly with my primary OB because I prefer her, but I'll try to mix it up a bit with the other docs as well.

Of course the obligatory weigh-in came first and I was shocked (and happy) to learn that I've only gained 10lbs per their scale, from the first visit until now. I thought it was more like 11 or 12. I'm actually on the "low" end of the normal weight gain for my week, so I'm very pleased with that.

Next, my blood pressure was checked and it was 140/75. YIKES! I panicked until the nurse asked if I was rushing to get the appointment. I explained that I had Pre-natal yoga right afterwards and I had parked in the lot closest to my yoga class and walked to my the doctor's office (half-mile in 90* heat) so she said it was no big deal. Also, the midwife came in and said that my BP was fine and no need to re-check unless I wanted her to. I did ask if at the end of the appt. (which was literally 5 minutes long, at the most) I could get it re-checked. It was 117/70 at the end. It's funny because I've always heard that midwives are a little more patient and have a better bedside manner than OB's. I actually prefer the 3 OB's in the office to the midwife. Oh well. I'll just assume she won't be on call when I deliver. I'm praying that my own doc happens to be on call, but I really think I have like a 10% chance of that happening based on all the factors.

The midwife also said my due date should stay the same as it was for the first appointment. I give up on these damn due dates. He'll come when he's ready! I'm not changing my ticker again, and I'm just going to go on the size he was 2 weeks ago. I don't think he's going to start shrinking any time soon!

21w2d

Weight gain chart

I found this really neat tool online that I'm going to try and stick to: http://www.indiacurry.com/women/pregcalc.htm

So far, I'm in the normal range. If I can keep it up, hopefully I'll only gain 30lbs the whole pregnancy. That would be really great. I hear you lose about 12-15 right after giving birth (depending on the baby's size) and then another few just in that first week, and then I'd be possibly more than half-way there back to my regular weight, which I'm fine with. Breastfeeding can burn up to 500cals a day, so that's a pound a week right there! I plan to do the 30-day shred as soon as I get the OK after delivery. I was doing that for a couple of months before I got pregnant and it was really awesome. I may have to bust out the Wii Fit as well!

21w1d