Week 23

Baby is still kicking and I think she has started to hiccup! I've definately felt what feels more like hiccups rather than kicks or punches. Kinda cute!

New this week: With her sense of movement well developed by now, Baby can feel me dance, guess we'll have to get out our dancing shoes! And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound, we are starting to see her squirm underneath my clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that Baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as dog barking (Frida) or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb...hopefully!

Well, we started our registry this weekend! Took us forever to just do half the store! So much to look at and think about. I think the wedding registry was more fun because we could just think about what we WANTED and now we have to think about what we might NEED! And there are so many different brands, so reading each package to see what the differences were was a little overwhelming! You should have seen us looking at each different bottle company and all the different nipples and sanitizers and warmers and...But, I think Daddy had fun with the registry gun and got a little carried away since we had a couple of things on our registry that neither one of us remember shooting at! We plan to "finish" the registry some time this week!

Anatomy Re-check Update

So we had a very good ultrasound this morning. Baby must have been a little sleepy yet because she wasn't moving around as much; still wiggly but not as bad as last time. She was facing "out" (toward the screen) today so we got so see her little face. Grandma Bena and Ya-ya Liisa were with us for this visit, so I think she knew she had an audience! We also got to see her heart a little better, along with her lips, and limbs. Everything looked perfect! And she even gave the Grandmas a nice little wave. She was a little shy with her girl-parts (again, I think she knew there was a crowd watching!); covering them up with her hand and legs, but we did get a peek and they re-confirmed that she is a girl!
Above is a face shot of her little skull. Everything seems to be where it should be!

After our appointment we had a nice lunch and did some shopping. The Grandmas sure know what to shop for! Found some good deals and some fun clothes! It was a great and fun day!

Week 22

22 weeks! They just keep getting faster! The baby shower plans have started and so has the shopping! All fun stuff that we are looking forward to!

New This Week: At 11 inches and almost 1 pound (the size of a papaya), Baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but her irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If we could look inside the womb, we'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until she adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside her belly, her pancreas is developing steadily. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. We have to watch what we say now-- Baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. And, Baby is starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. We can definately tell when she's awake!

We had a great time in Preston this past weekend. We were down in Fillmore County celebrating Uncle Jonjon's 18th birthday and Auntie Chelsea's 21st birthday! Had a great dinner at Jenpachi on Friday night with the Wand's. And a great briskit dinner with the Cremer's on Saturday night. We also had a chance to take a peek at all the Grandmas' shopping so far! Lots of fun stuff! Can't wait to see the little one in all those outfits.

We have a follow-up anatomy recheck tomorrow morning. Basically, she was too wiggly at the last ultrasound that they need to go back in and see if she's a little calmer and take some more measurements. Which is okay with us; just means we get to see the little one again! And this time two of the Grandmas will be joining us to take a peek at thier future granddaughter! Should be a busy and fun morning!

Latest Pictures

Here are the two best photos from our last visit. The top one is of her little tush, showing us she's a GIRL!!! And the bottom one is of her hand; waving at us! Mommy is hoping for a nice profile shot at our next visit... lets keep our fingers crossed!!

ZnR

Week 21

We are at 21 weeks now! Baby has been very, very active and continues to let Mommy know that she's down there! She seems to be most active in the evening and right when I'd like to go to sleep. But pretty quiet in the mornings, hopefully that will stay true!

New This Week: Baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the size of a cantaloupe. In other developments, Baby's eyebrows and lids are present now. 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! Guess we'll have to start thinking about what we want our future child to eat as I prepare my own lunch!

We spent last weekend at the Lake. Enjoyed a very, very relaxing weekend. Celebrated our anniversary at a new Carribean resturaunt down there (Braco's). It was great. We even got some shopping in to catch the last of summer sales for Baby's next summer attire! It was a great weekend.

Team Pink!!!

We had the BIG ultrasound (anatomy ultrasound) today! Baby looks very healthy...actively, anyway! She (that's right, I said she!) was very, very active and didn't want to sit still for anything! The Dr. said, with 95% certainty, that we have a girl! They did get a look at the heart, kidneys, stomach, bladder, legs, arms, hands, and feet and everything looked great! We will be back in 2 weeks to get a better look at that little face and the chord since she wouldn't sit still. Plus we get to see her again!

Dr. Marcus was very, very happy with our progress. Again he kept saying how perfect Mommy was doing with her weight gain and that he was very, very proud of us. Baby was measuring 2 days behind, but the uterus was measuring at 21 weeks instead of 20 weeks. So who knows! We'll hopefully get a better view in a couple of weeks!

Today was the perfect gift to celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary!

HALF WAY!!!

We are at 20 weeks today and that marks the half way mark! We're so excited! Baby moves alot now, Daddy is still to feel it all the time, but on a few occasions Baby has shared a kick or two with him!

Baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now and is around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana! (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against it's torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of it's head to the bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, Baby is measured from head to toe.) Baby is swallowing more these days, which is good practice for the digestive system and is also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. Aw, Baby's first poo is accumilating!!!! Funny how the small things are so exciting!

Frida and Mommy had a quiet weekend while Daddy was down in Preston working with Grandpa Jeff. We ordered pizza Friday night and watched some chick flicks. Saturday evening, I was invited to a great spa birthday party with a bunch of fun ladies! (thanks again G for a great time!) It was a nice weekend.

We have a busy week this week...we have a Pregnancy Class on Tuesday evening and then our BIG ultrasound on Wednesday! Hopefully Baby will cooperate and show us what it's going to be...Boy or Girl!!!!