Back in Blogging Business 26 weeks

Sorry for neglecting the blog this past month, I promise to go back and post the weekly updates at least so we have a complete record. :)

This weekend was my 29th birthday and I was reminded SEVERAL times that this is my last birthday without a little one. It's true, but still hard to comprehend! Our baby still is just a concept, a concept that kicks me all the time but still doesn't seem REAL, you know? It is pretty neat to know that this is the age I will be when I have my first baby. Everyone always asks how old you were, or how old your parents were when you were born. The answer for our first is 29!

I feel the baby move all.the.time. I can now tell the difference between kicks and punches based on location and intensity of the feeling. The baby is definitely head down and the bottom and legs keep getting higher and higher in my abdomen. I now feel kicks about 2 inches above my belly button and the punches are waaaaay down low by my pubic bone. I love feeling the baby move!

How far along? 26 weeks
Total weight gain: 14 lbs
Maternity clothes? I'm pretty much exclusively in maternity clothes now. I'm excited about our trip to Mexico this week so I can wear my summer clothes. My jersey knit skirts, long tanks and maxi dresses fit me just fine!
Sleep: I'm up every 1.5-2 hours at night. I usually visit the bathroom every time I wake up just in case, but sometimes I just wake up because I'm uncomfortable. I'm hoping these catnaps will serve me well when I'm up all night with baby!
Best moment this week: Finding out that a close friend of mine is pregnant! Sorry, I can't say who!
Sex of the baby: Surprise!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out? In, but it's getting more shallow!
What I miss: Sitting comfortably for a long period of time, sleeping for longer than 2 hours
What I am looking forward to: We are going to Mexico tomorrow! Can't wait to spend a week with JUST my husband and no distractions!
Milestones: I'm almost to the point where I can tell the position of the baby based on where I feel kicks and can feel the baby's bottom through my stomach!
Words of Wisdom: Tell your loved ones exactly how you feel. My uncle passed away early Sunday morning and I'm very thankful that we had time to prepare and no words were left unsaid. We'll miss him dearly.



What baby is up to this week:

 

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

25 weeks

How far along? 25 weeks
Total weight gain: 13 lbs
Maternity clothes? Pretty much exclusively in maternity clothes. I'm not a big fan of maternity jeans (at least the ones I have) because they keep falling down! Even the 'full panel' ones don't actually fit over my belly so I don't really understand them. That being said, I don't want to invest in designer maternity jeans since I only have a bit more than 3 months left and I'll be able to wear skirts/dresses all summer!
Sleep: I stay up late, sleep late, and get up probably 2-4 times a night to go to the bathroom. I'm beginning to wonder how long it will be before I actually get a full night's sleep again!
Best moment this week: I passed the glucose tolerance test so I know I don't have gestational diabetes
Sex of the baby: It's a surprise!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out? In.
What I miss: My pre-pregnancy clothes.
What I am looking forward to: My birthday and our trip to Mexico!
Milestones: Kicks are becoming more frequent and Baby will kick in spurts with several kicks in a row, it's so cool! Words of Wisdom: Don't forget to update your blog :)


What's going on with Baby this week:

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

24 weeks, Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone, here's an updated photo!

How far along? 24 weeks
Total weight gain: 11 lbs
Maternity clothes? Yup.
Sleep: Sometimes I like naps better than actually sleeping at night because with a nap in makes sense to wake up after a few hours!
Best moment this week: We got to see our baby again on Tuesday and it was confirmed that s/he is absolutely perfect! Also, Steve and I went to see Ingrid Michaelson and Mat Kearney on Friday night and it was a great time!
Sex of the baby: It's a surprise!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out? In.
What I miss: Wearing whatever I want.
What I am looking forward to: All you can eat Easter Brunch in Naperville with our parents.
Milestones: At 24 weeks a baby is considered to be viable outside of the womb. It's a bit of a relief to know that if, heaven forbid, sometime happened and the baby came early, there's a chance it would survive.
Words of Wisdom: Be creative with your clothes, you never know what might actually fit!

 What's going on with the baby 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.

21 weeks!

Just got back from spending a week in Kentucky with my sister. The week went SO quickly but we had a really good time. She is so excited about my pregnancy and would talk to the baby every day and rub my belly. She even got to feel the baby kick. Baby loves when I play music on my belly and goes nuts kicking around, Torey got to feel some of those kicks. It was great!

Steve and I are looking for an apartment to move into in May. It's exciting but also stressful as we try to find the perfect place for our growing family. Space is a huge issue. We need space for the baby and space for all of our existing furniture. Storage space, outdoor space, parking space... ugh. Now my head is spinning again. haha. We have plenty of time though. We'll find something!

How far along? 201weeks
Total weight gain: 5 lbs
Maternity clothes? I bought a bunch more shirts this week, thank goodness. I was SO sick of wearing the same 3 shirts all of the time. :)
Sleep: I'm still very much a night owl . I was traveling so sleep was kind of all over the place but I had a few good 4 hour stretches of sleep this week which was a pleasant surprise!
Best moment this week: Playing music to my belly, Ingrid Michaelson to be exact, and feeling the baby dance around.
Sex of the baby: Still not finding out... tomorrow would be the big day if we were going to though.
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out? In.
What I miss: Sitting comfortably for a long period of time.
What I am looking forward to: We get to see the baby TOMORROW!!!!!!!
Milestones: Both Torey and Steve feeling outside kicks. Baby is getting stronger!
Words of Wisdom: Drink tons of water!

What's going on with Baby with week:

Your Baby: Week 21

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

Half way there!!

WOAAAHHH We're half way there! 20 weeks pregnant! This has been a great week. I feel like myself again, which is such a relief. No headaches, no vomiting, no fatigue. It's great! Baby is kick kick kicking away in there and I love feeling her/him. The kicks are getting stronger and now instead of tapping it feels like popcorn is popping in my abdomen. It's pretty crazy. I think I felt a kick on the outside last night but I can't be sure since I'm also feeling it from the inside, it's hard to tell.

This whole pregnancy so far I've just been taking pictures with my iPhone or my little point and shoot (shame on me) so Saturday I decided it was time to get some photos with my 'real' camera so Steve and I did a photo shoot out front. Here are the results.

 

  

  

It was fun, Steve did a great job. I'm glad we took them and we will be definitely be taking more as the pregnancy progresses and the bump looks more like a baby and less like a beer gut! 

How far along? 20 weeks
Total weight gain: 4 lbs
Maternity clothes? I'm at the point where I think I need more. My pre pregnancy jeans don't really cut it anymore, even with the bella band. Also, my pre pregnancy shirts just aren't long enough anymore so I need to get some longer shirts!
Sleep: I'm still very much a night owl but I seem to be sleeping a little better. I have to get up to pee every few hours still . I find I get my most restful sleep after Steve leaves for work. We need a bigger bed now that I have a huge body pillow.
Best moment this week: Feeling Baby kicking around in there multiple times a day. Especially last week when I was having a really bad day.
Sex of the baby: We're not finding out. Even though it's getting hard now that so many people who are due around me now know the sex of their baby. I think girl, friends think boy, Steve doesn't have a guy feeling either way.
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out? In.
What I miss: My clothes fitting me!
What I am looking forward to: Visiting my sister in Kentucky this week and seeing the baby next week.
Milestones: We started our baby registry!
Words of Wisdom:Set aside some time to take quality pictures!

About Baby:

 

Your Baby: Week 20

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!

19 weeks

19 weeks already!

How far along? 19 weeks
Total weight gain: 2lbs
Maternity clothes? I've been wearing 1 pair of maternity pants, altho I can fit into some of my regular pants. They're just comfy. And I have a few long sleeved t-shirts that are maternity. I don't need the belly room yet, I just like the length. (same as last week)
Sleep: I've been waking up every 1-2 hours and it's REALLY annoying. I feel the need to nap in the afternoon and then I'm up super late at night. It's really abnormal.
Best moment this week: I was able to share the baby's heartbeat with my sister and my mom via skype. The wonders of modern technology!
Gender: It will be a surprise! I still think girl but my acupuncturist thinks it's a boy! Not finding out is hard!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out? In. I think it's getting deeper!
What I miss: Energy!
What I am looking forward to: More movement from baby. And seeing baby in 2 weeks!
Words of Wisdom: Start your registry early and fill it up over time. It's too overwhelming to do all at once!

About Baby:

 

Your Baby: Week 19

Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.

18 Weeks

Not going to lie, this has not been my favorite week of pregnancy! I haven't been feeling well for the past week or so but I'm hoping it's on its way out! I'm feeling all sorts of stretching and heaviness between my belly button and my hips, it's really strange.

How far along? 18 weeks
Total weight gain: I'm finally back to my pre pregnancy weight. It's only going up from here!
Maternity clothes? I've been wearing 1 pair of maternity pants, altho I can fit into some of my regular pants. They're just comfy. And I have a few long sleeved t-shirts that are maternity. I don't need the belly room yet, I just like the length. (same as last week)
Sleep: I've been waking up every 1-2 hours and it's REALLY annoying. I don't feel rested in the mornings
Best moment this week: Giving in to my first pregnancy craving and eating chicken wings! They were SO good!
Movement: I'm feeling jabs around my bladder. Also, sometime it feels like there's a little eel inside me.
Gender: It will be a surprise!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly Button in or out? In.
What I miss: Beer! Energy!
What I am looking forward to: More movement from baby
Words of Wisdom: This is new to your husband too, there's a learning curve. Try to communicate your needs so he knows how to help you.

About Baby:

 

Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.