25 Weeks

According to Babycenter: 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.

Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but thanks to hormonal changes, the hair that you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. Enjoy the fullness while you can — the extra hair will fall out after you give birth.

You may also notice that you can't move around as gracefully as before. Unless your caregiver has advised you otherwise, it's fine to continue to exercise, but follow a few safety rules: Don't work out when you're feeling overly tired and stop if you feel any pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Don't lie flat on your back and avoid contact sports as well as any exercise where you're apt to lose your balance. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and make time for both warm-up and cool-down periods.

WTF is a rutabaga you may ask? Once again we are comparing weight to something I have never ever picked up. And never will.

And incidentally, that nonsense up there about full, lustrous, awesome hair is all bullshit. My hair has never been more icky.

Confession

I have a very serious disease - its called obsessive-registry-stalk-itis.

I can't help it though! I blame in on my lack of work to do.

Be careful, I hear it can be contagious!

First Shower Gifts

The UPS man loved us today I'm sure! We came home to 2 huges boxes with shower gifts fro Milo... and a pair of shoes for Mom too. (Honestly, how much bigger can my feet get?!)

We got a daiper pail from my very sweet friend Sara...

And this adorable play mat gym from one of my aunts...

Fun and functional goodies!

24 Weeks

Whoa. That suddenly seems like alot of weeks gone by! Nothing exciting going on this week except that my belly surprised me this week with its size! My belly is officially the part that sticks out the farthest now. I believe this is "viablility" week too - meaning a baby born starting this week has a pretty good chance of survival.

24 Week Belly - Where did this come from?!

According to Babycenter: 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.

In the past few weeks, the top of your uterus has risen above your belly button and is now about the size of a soccer ball.

Most women have a glucose screening test (also called a glucose challenge test or GCT) between now and 28 weeks. This test checks for gestational diabetes, a pregnancy-related high-blood-sugar condition. Untreated diabetes increases your risk of having a difficult vaginal delivery or needing a cesarean section because it causes your baby to grow too large, especially in his upper body. It also raises your baby's odds for other complications like low blood sugar right after birth. A positive result on your GCT doesn't mean you have gestational diabetes, but it does mean that you'll need to take the glucose tolerance test (GTT) to find out for sure.

Milo is the length of an ear of corn now - just like this baby apparently!

This is not going to be exciting to you....

but it sure is to me! Yesterday we got our car seat adapter for our stroller and we installed it last night. Which means, for those of you who do not live and breathe all things baby, our Bugaboo is all ready for us to just snap our infant car seat right on! Yay!

Now, if we could just get Bella not to bark at it everytime it moves we'd really be all set!


PS - Cappuccino chocolate chunk muffins are the best!

23 Weeks

According to Babycenter: Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she'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 her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her 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 her when she hears them outside the womb.

You may notice that your ankles and feet start to swell a bit in the coming weeks or months, especially at the end of the day or during the heat of summer. Sluggish circulation in your legs — coupled with changes in your blood chemistry that may cause some water retention — may result in swelling, also known as edema. Your body will get rid of the extra fluid after you have your baby, which is why you'll pee frequently and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery. In the meantime, lie on your left side or put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, and avoid sitting — or standing — in one place for long periods. Also, try to exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning) and roomy, comfortable shoes. You may be tempted to skimp on liquids to combat swelling, but you need to drink plenty of water because staying hydrated actually helps prevent fluid retention. While a certain amount of edema in your lower extremities is normal during pregnancy, excessive swelling may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Be sure to call your midwife or doctor if you have severe or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, swelling in your face, or puffiness around your eyes.So we were doing size of, then length, and I guess now we are comparing to weight. Too bad I've never picked up a mango so I have no idea how much they weigh!

Officially closer to 30 than to 20!

26 today - what an old lady! ;-)

My favorite thing about today has been using this beauty for the first time:It is a pretty expensive flat iron and worth every cent in my opinion. Seriously, I have had my hair down all day (which I haven't done in weeks... or maybe months) and it is baaangin' still! (Jonathan Antin reference, anyone?) This one beauty tool has made my week!

Oooh and I think there is some kind of cake in it for me tonight too.

Bangin' hair and cake. What more could I ask for?

My dog has me trained.

She has me trained so well in fact that I know that when she gets up to the top of the bed by our heads and shakes so I can hear her giant ears hitting her face I know that means she wants to get under the covers. So, even with my eyemask on, I automatically lift the blankets.
This happens multiple times a night since she alternates under and above the blankets all night long.

At least its not just me. I woke up last night at 2am and me Doug were simultaneously lifting the blankets up for her to crawl underneath.

I highly doubt you would be able to resist this cuteness either though!

Confession

I take full advantage of the fact that now that I actually look pregnant I can take the elevator up just 1 floor and not get dirty looks.

Hey, at least I still take the stairs down, right?

22 Weeks

Well not too much going on this week really, except the fact that the size of my belly is constantly surprising me! At my doctors appointment yesterday she told me that at our last ultrasound the baby was measuring a week ahead, and since she is positive we are right on with my due date (based on my cycle and an early ultrasound) then we might wind up with a big baby. Yikes!

Here is my silly self portrait today since Doug is in Wisconsin eating custard and fried cheese curds without me. What a jerk.

According to Babycenter: 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.

At this point, you may find your belly becoming a hand magnet. It's perfectly okay to tell folks who touch your tummy that you'd rather they didn't. And if people are telling you that you look smaller or bigger than you should at this point, remember that each woman grows — and shows — at her own rate. What's important is that you see your practitioner for regular visits so she can make sure your baby's growth is on track.

You may start to notice stretch marks on your abdomen as it expands to accommodate your growing baby. At least half of all pregnant women will develop stretch marks by the time they give birth. These small streaks of differently textured skin can range from pink to dark brown (depending on your skin color). Although they most commonly appear on your tummy, stretch marks may also show up on your buttocks, thighs, hips, and breasts. There's no proof that lotion helps prevent stretch marks, but keeping your skin moisturized may help with any itching.
Seriously, I am calling shenanigans on this weeks produce reference. This certainly doesn't look longer then last weeks carrot, even though it should. Ridiculous!

Weird Milestone

I am no longer covered when I wrap myself in a towel after showering.

Maybe I should dry off with a bed sheet?!