Tuesday, February 28, 2006

27 weeks = 3rd trimester!!

So, it's official, I'm now in the homestretch!! On Sunday I started my third and final trimester, yea!! I'm getting more and more excited every single day!

Let's see what's been going on this week? First, I had found out that I failed my one hour glucose test, so on Friday I went in for the three hour test. Let me tell you, that was so not fun...They drew blood four times in a three hour period...ugh. But, the good news is that I found out today that I passed the three hour test, so I do not have gestational diabetes...yea!

Also, I am now officially not wearing my wedding rings. Last week I decided to go ahead and take them off because they were getting a tad bit tight, well I got my engagement ring off, but my wedding band didn't want to budge. Bryan suggested that I try running it under hot water (I'd already tried cold water, lotion, soap, etc.). So, I waited until the next day (since my finger was even more swollen because of all the yanking) and I tried it and thank the Lord that it came off, I was freaking out thinking that I was going to have to get it cut off. So I'm now ringless, I'll probably go out and get a cheap wedding band to carry me through the next few months. I miss my rings!! :(

On Thursday I'll have my first prenatal class. This one is going to be an infant care class, and I'm excited about taking it...everything is happening so fast now! Also, my next doctor's appointment is next week and then my appointments go to three weeks apart and then two weeks, two weeks, and finally onto every week! And in two weeks we're getting a 3D/4D ultrasound done, I'm really looking forward to that!!

Oh, and if you're wondering about cravings, my latest thing is apple juice. I can't get enough of it. Before now I don't think that I had any in years...oh, and yesterday I finally gave into the orange sherbert craving that I've had...yum!

Your Baby's Development:
Size- Your baby has doubled her weight in the past month and is the size of a bag of flour. She now weighs almost 2 1/2 pounds. Her total length is nearly 15 inches.

Development- Your baby's lungs are now capable of breathing air! This is big news. It means that if the baby is born from now on, she'll be able to survive with less medical intervention. Your baby's main job right now is to put the finishing touches on major organ systems, such as her brain, lungs, and liver. As you can probably tell, she's also working on gaining layers of fat. Her body fat is about two to three percent. Your baby's eyes, which were covered by her eyelid folds at the sixth week of pregnancy, are capable of opening this week. Her sucking and swallowing skills are improving.

Monday, February 20, 2006

26 weeks...


Well here we are, less than 14 weeks left until my due date... That's kind of frightening! I'm definitely looking forward to being able to meet this little person who's been using my bladder like a trampoline for the last week straight!! It's amazing because I feel her moving around so much. Sometimes it's not even kicks, it just feels like she kind of floats into the front of my stomach.

I'm actually really loving being pregnant, even though now that I'm getting bigger it's getting harder and harder to move around. It's a big ordeal to just flip from one side to the other in bed, I can't even imagine what it's going to be like in another few months...

Let's see, I went and took my one hour glucose test on Thursday, but I still haven't gotten the results back on it. Hopefully within the next few days I'll know. Tomorrow I'm going to call around and get an appointment set up for a 3D/4D ultrasound, I really can't wait to see that!

I've started nesting big time...I don't have a big home (we live in an apartment), but I'm finding plenty of things to tear apart and put back together. Last night I spent about five hours finishing up my bedroom closet and cleaning out my linen closet and under the sink in my bathroom. I've already re-organized the kitchen and the laundry room and the hall closet...Now I just have a really big urge to go out and buy tons of clear plastic containers that way I can be SUPER organized!! Oh well, one can dream!

Also, now I'm craving sweet things a whole lot more. Yesterday we went grocery shopping and I had to buy some ice cream..so I got Ben & Jerry's Fossil Fuel ice cream and Stawberry Whole Fruit bars...mmmm!! I might have to go get one of those out of the freezer now...

Audrey's Development This Week:
Your baby is putting on more weight at this time. Recall that you can expect to gain about a pound a week this month as you and the baby grow. This week marks a special time as the baby's brain wave activity begins for the visual and auditory systems. It will be some time, however, until the baby comprehends what it's sensing.

Other Changes That Are Happening:
~With the nostrils now open, the baby will now making more breathing movements to prepare for taking in air at birth.
~Your baby's lungs secrete surfactant to keep the lung tissue from sticking together.
~At this point the baby has completed two-thirds of it's stay in your womb.

Baby's Size (head to rump): About 9.25 inches

Weight: Approximately 2 pounds

Saturday, February 11, 2006

25 weeks...


...15 weeks to go!! Let's see, what's going on this week...I had a doctor's appointment on Wednesday, everything is looking great! I have to go in either this week or next and do my glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes, they gave me this lemon-lime drink that looks NASTY! Hopefully I'll pass the one hour test so that I don't have to go back for the three hour test. Also, they are going to check my blood for anemia and check my antibodies, if my antibodies are normal then I have to get my Rhogam shot at my next appointment (since I'm Rh negative). Fun stuff!! Let's see, what else? Oh, yeah, it looks like I'm going to be getting a 4-D ultrasound, yea! That will probably happen in about 3 or 4 more weeks, and we'll be able to see what little Audrey actually looks like! And we'll also be able to make sure that our little girl is in fact a little girl!! I can't wait for that!

It seems to be getting closer and closer...in about 2.5 weeks I have my infant care class, and then 2 weeks after that I have a breastfeeding class and then 2 days after that is my first baby shower!! Yea! Can you tell that I'm excited about all of this stuff?! Because if you can't tell then I should let you know that I am!

Oh, here is something kind of strange, the other night I was sleeping on my left side and I was having a dream that I was sitting on a couch and there was someone sitting next to me on the couch and they were tapping me in the side with their foot, well all of sudden I woke up from my dream and it was actually Audrey kicking me really hard in that same spot...kinda weird how reality slipped over into dream world, huh?!

Anyways, I guess that's enough babbling for this week...

Audrey's development this week:
There are many interesting developments going on with the baby right now. The tiniest blood vessels, capillaries, are developing under the baby's skin and turning the color of the baby from a transparent to a pinkish appearance. The baby's nostrils begin to open and the buds for the baby's permanent teeth begin to form.

Other changes that are happening:
  • The baby will develop a very strong grip this month.
  • Nails are continuing to grow from the nail bed and will cover the nail as well.
  • Blood vessels are forming in the lungs.

Baby's Size (head to rump) this week: About 8.75 inches

Weight: Approximately 1.5 lbs

Your baby this week is about the size of a household telephone.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Gordy...


Okay, I know that I'm a sucker, but I had to add in this pic of my baby, Gordy. Whenever I have the camera out he never sits still. But, finally, here's a cute one!

24 weeks...


Wow, 24 weeks already!! 16 more to go...In some ways it seems like it's going to take FOREVER, but then I was reading the messageboards that I go on and 9 babies from the March 2006 board have been born already, can you believe that?!! I better start getting my butt in gear! There is SOOO much that I still have left to do, and I haven't even started my list like I was supposed to do last week. Well, maybe this week! ;p

Audrey is still moving around everywhere, as a matter of fact she's moving right now! I love the feeling of having my baby moving about inside of me! Tomorrow is another doctor's appointment, so I'm looking forward to hearing her little heartbeat again.

Only three more weeks until I begin my first prenatal class. The first one is a one night, three hour class on infant care, I'm actually really looking forward to it! I love learning new things, especially about babies, and with taking the classes it makes it feel more and more like this is happening soon!

Audrey's development this week:
Your baby is steadily growing and it is likely that each day you are becoming more aware of the baby's movements. You can expect to gain about a pound a week this month as both you and the baby grow!

Other changes that are happening:
~The baby's skin is very wrinkled right now but will smooth out when more fat is deposited and muscles further develop.
~The baby's skin is very transparent at this time. If you could see the baby you could see the bones and organs through the skin.
~At this time, you may be able to have someone put an ear to your abdomen and hear the baby's heartbeat without the aid of a stethoscope.

Baby's size (head to rump) this week: About 8.5 inches

Weight: Approximately 1.25 pounds

Audrey is about the same size as the width of a standard size sheet of paper!

Thursday, February 02, 2006

23.5 weeks...

Okay, so I'm now 23.5 weeks along. In some ways this feels like it's taking FOREVER, but in other ways time seems to be flying right along. It's strange to think that in 3.5 weeks I'll be entering my third, and final, trimester. Wow! Thoughts of everything that I have to do before our little girl gets here completely overwhelm my mind. There is a whole lot to do. And it's not only the baby stuff, but Youth ministry stuff (I'm trying to get summer camp planned), and figuring out our living situation, etc. It's just a lot. And I know that especially once I hit the last three months time will really fly.

What's been going on this week? The top thing is Bryan FINALLY got to feel Audrey kicking. It happened at 12:47am on Tuesday. I was still trying to go to sleep (nighttime bathroom breaks are getting more and more frequent!) and I felt her kicking me really hard in the side, so I put my hand on my side and I could feel it really well from the outside. So, I woke Bryan up and put his hand there. I didn't know if I should wake him up considering every time that he's tried to feel her she stops moving around. But anyway, he left his hand there for a bit and then all of a sudden she kicked really hard. He felt her like 4 or 5 times that night. I was crying I was so happy! And he was extremely excited too! Later that day my mom got to feel her moving around two different times. And Bryan also felt her yesterday morning and this morning. Yea! So, that's my BIG news of the week!

Oh and my cravings are changing. Early in the pregnancy my cravings were for things that were salty and savory tasting (I think that's one of the reasons I thought that it was a boy). But now it's starting to shift towards the sweeter things. I'm really getting to where I like fruit juice a lot. I had a white cranberry peach juice the other night and it was SOOO good! I also like fruit smoothies now (I've had two from Sonic since Saturday) and ice cream is also sounding really tasty to me!

Audrey's development this week:
Your baby continues to grow and gain weight. The smallest bones in the human body are found in the middle ear (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) and are forming. This will make it possible for the baby to hear in the near future.

Other changes that are happening:
~A heat-producing fat (called brown fat) is helping to keep the baby warm.
~The baby's body is becoming more normally proportioned, though the head continues to look out of proportion.

Baby's size (head to rump) this week: 8 inches

Weight: 1 pound

Right now your baby is slightly smaller in length than a child's Barbie doll.