20 Weeks: Preggopotamus

Baby's now the size of a cantaloupe!

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you'd like your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch. Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper.

How far along? 20 weeks 2 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: I dunno if Ryan is punching my bladder or what, but i can literally pee, wash my hands, and be ready to pee again. It's ridiculous! So if i ask you where your bathroom is, it's in your best interest to point me in the right direction and get the hell out of my way. And no, i can't hold it for 5 more minutes. Everything makes me cry now, too.

I Wish I'd Known...: That cankles are not a myth, and happen a lot earlier than expected. That i wouldn't find my belly "cute" after the first few weeks, but instead cumbersome and with a growth rate that exceeds that of Superman's speeding bullet. That bigger boobs are not nearly as exciting as i was expecting them to be and the bras that accompany them are no longer cute.

Best moment this week: I've reached 20 weeks, the halfway mark!!

Worst moment this week: I'm ONLY halfway through this?!

Movement: If i were to describe what i've been feeling it would be this: Like in those movies when you see bugs and things crawling under someone's skin? Like that. Or sometimes similar to the sensation of your "stomach dropping." One second an area of your tummy feels full, the next it feels empty. I only notice these things if i'm lying still and concentrating on it, and it's very random. Ryan is starting a huge growth spurt so i should be able to feel it better soon.
Food cravings: i had to make a Carrot Cake run to Publix tonight, but that was Ally's fault for making me look at bakery websites

What I miss: my "cute" belly

What I am looking forward to: so many things happening in May! Lucas' birthday, Mother's Day, our 6 year anniversary, Amanda's birthday, Ryan's Viability day, and Memorial Day!

In Other News:

   I picked up the border for Ryan's room. Amanda and i are going to check out paint samples tomorrow. I will (hopefully) have the room cleared out soon so we can start working on it.

   Ally and I watched The Backup Plan today. It actually made me not want to be pregnant, but i guess it's a little late for that now. :P One thing that is most definitely *not* happening ever? A home water-birth. Attending anyone else's home water-birth. Joining a hippie mom group. Naming a kid Penny. Doing the Conga dance when i'm about to pop. Making a pit-stop on the way to the hospital, even if it is for hottie Alex O'Laughlin.

   On the highway today there was a slow spot where a cop had pulled someone over. It was a large bus. Full of clowns. And all the clowns were standing on the side of the road talking to the cop in full clown gear. It totally made my day!

   Here is my belly pic comparing the very first one i took at 13 weeks to my current halfway-there-20-week status. I miss 13 weeks!

And finally, our visit with Baby Abigail!

19 Weeks

Baby's now the size of a mango!

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to him, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you. Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on his skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

How far along? 19 weeks 3 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: I feel really fat and i know i'm just going to get bigger, so that depresses me. I think i've gained close to 20 pounds already, which is way too much! Along with this i become more tired and achey faster. On the plus side John says i'm nicer now that i'm pregnant.
Sleep: i don't have the bone-crushing exhaustion from 1st trimester so i've started falling back into my old habits. It's not uncommon for me to go to bed at 3am now, even when i have to be up at 6:30am. I always deeply regret it the next morning when my alarm goes off. I shall be working on this.

Best moment this week: we got the crib and i put it together (almost) all by myself!

Worst moment this week: since i'm OCD i don't like messes, and the baby room is a HUGE mess....i'm working on it though.

Movement: So i'm just about to the halfway point and Ryan only weights about 1/2 lb. I have 20 weeks (or less) left and he should be around 7.5-8 pounds....if you do the math i'm gonna have to get REALLY huge REALLY fast. It's an average of about 1/3 lb (of baby) a week! I think i feel my half-pound Peanut swimming around but i'm still not really sure. It doesn't feel like butterflies or popcorn...

Food cravings: "home-cooking" We went to this restaurant for the first time that is a buffet of home cooked foods and i'm completely addicted. Plus it's cheap and i'm trying to start budgeting.

Gender: Aren't boys supposed to be rough-and-tumble? I'm not feeling any high-powered karate kicks

What I miss: When bending over to pick something up off the floor wasn't a concentrated effort

What I am looking forward to: 20 weeks, the halfway mark on Tuesday! Next up: V Day

In Other News:
   I finished my registry and picked out my nursery theme! It took forever and i was exhausted at the end of the day, but it was worth it. Now i'm finding lots of projects around the house that need doing and it's kinda overwhelming.
   Ally convinced me to watch the different baby/birth shows on TLC...i wish i hadn't. Ignorance is definitely bliss. I've gotten used to the idea of a little Peanut in my tummy, but not at all used to the idea of just how Peanut is going to get out of there.
   We're going to visit baby Abigail this weekend to support her in the March of Dimes, i'm so excited! Then a couple weeks later it will be baby Lucas' first birthday. It's babies all around!

18 Weeks

Baby's now the size of a sweet potato!

Baby's become amazingly mobile (compared to you, at least), passing the hours yawning, hiccupping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking, and swallowing. And baby is finally big enough that you'll soon be able to feel his movements. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born.

How far along? 18 weeks 3 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: I guess Ryan is sitting on my bladder because i have to pee ALL. THE. TIME. It's getting ridiculous. I'm not even halfway through, and Peanut is just going to get bigger! I'm far enough past the 1st trimester that it's a vague memory, and not to the 3rd trimester when i'll be huge and hot. Right now i'm thinking "Pregnancy isn't such a big deal, maybe i'll do it again next year." Truth be told my 1st trimester really wasn't that bad except for the falling asleep so much and the worrying part. I think i could manage this again....maybe?
Sleep: i can't breathe and i can't get comfy, not looking forward to trying to sleep in a couple months

Best moment this week: FINALLY the anatomy scan! I'm glad we found out the sex early because i was able to concentrate on the other things she was showing us. Little fingers and toes are so cute! Even on alien babies.

Worst moment this week: now that i can function again i've fallen back into the bad habit of staying up waaaay too late. And i can't drink coffee when i have to get up at 6:30am so that *really* sucks. The worst part of the week i guess was having to work all weekend and getting up so early. I passed out Sunday night.

Movement: Sometimes i think i feel Peanut but it's so vague that i just don't know if it's real or if it's just me *wanting* it to be real

Food cravings: apparently i'll start getting crazy hungry again soon. I started off that way in the 1st trimester, but so far in 2nd trimester it's just been my normal pre-pregnancy appetite for the most part. I haven't reached the meltdown point of "If i don't eat something now i'm going to kill somebody" in awhile.

Gender: DEFINITELY a boy!

What I miss: Is it really so much to ask to pee less and poop more? *sigh* Sometimes it's the simple things in life...

What I am looking forward to: 20 weeks, the halfway mark!

In Other News:

As soon as we were done at the ultrasound we went to breakfast and then i met up with Ally, Mom, and Grandmom to start my registry. It took quite awhile but i finished! I learned a lot about things i do and don't need (and what exactly they do in the first place.) Did you know there's like a million different kinds of bottles and diapers and you have to choose one? They are not all created equal! (or so i'm told) I'm starting to get scared...i have no idea what to do with a baby. Who wants to raise Ryan for the first 6 weeks so i can just have a maternity vacation?

18 Week Ultrasound

Finally! The 18 week Level-2 Anatomy Scan. There is a detailed breakdown for my own records :)



Part 1
0m5s: face profile.....head, nose, lips, chin
0m16s: heartbeat
0m43s: alien baby...looking at Ryan's face
0m48s: eyes, nose, mouth...even if it is an alien
1m11s: measuring the cervix, it's closed...no babies today! Ryan is in the breech position
1m22s: anterior placenta....the reason i can't feel little baby kicks yet
1m38s: umbilical cord....it will be anywhere from 3-6 feet long!
1m51s: pretty sure you got knocked up by an alien
2m07s: spinal cord
3m00s: tailbone
3m24s: arm#1
3m32s: arm#2
4m01s: leg#1
4m12s: leg#2
4m40s: trying to get a potty shot but Ryan has his leg's crossed (again) and is being stubborn (again)
5m33s: umbilical cord has 3 artery/vein things....that's good (2 umbilical arteries and 1 vein that transport nourishment to the fetus and remove its wastes)
6m08s: money shot! Ryan is definitely a boy (btwn the legs view showing boy parts + umbilical cord)
6m31s: second money shot
6m50s: profile
7m02s: 5 fingers
7m16s: looking up the nose...2 nostrils and 2 lips...this rules out cleft palate
7m40s: 2 hemispheres of the brain
8m09s: Ryan's brain....it's huge, so he must be smart like his mom



Part 2
0m04s: so far measurements are big for his age....the baby may come a few days early!
1m23s: examining the heart
1m33s: 4 chambers...2 atria/2 ventricles...valves are seen
1m50s: trying to measure the heartbeat, Ryan wiggles around
2m20s: finally get a good reading! HR=140bpm (normal is 120-160)
2m44s: belly measurement i think...looks like a little balloon
3m43s: measuring the right thighbone
4m04s: yep, still a boy
4m15s: left thighbone
4m45s: stomach and bladder...they're opaque and fluid-filled so that means Ryan is processing fluids
5m12s: kidneys
5m39s: profile
6m17s: sitting Indian-style again...legs and feets
6m37s: toes
7m32: baby weighs 8 ounces (1/2 a pound for you non-math types)
7m44s: he is averaging slightly ahead of schedule, showing a due date of 9/12
8m20s: the end!

New Babymobile

Although we've been looking for awhile now, I wasn't expecting to get a new car quite so soon. It just so happens that the color i wanted is not-so-common and we happened to find one in that color with the features we wanted. Check out our new Toyota Highlander!

Lots of buttons and heated seats

Rear climate control and lots of legroom

A third-row seat that folds down for cargo space and second row seats recline

17 Weeks

Baby's now the size of an onion!

Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. His umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes now feature one-of-a-kind prints. He can move his joints, and his sweat glands are starting to develop.

How far along? 17 weeks 3 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: Ok seriously, walking up a flight of stairs gets me winded...what's going on?? I'm trying to walk on most days but my 2 mile trip has turned into probably half that because i just can't make it any farther. I get tired very easily now from just being awake.
Sleep: i can't get comfortable anymore, even with my snoogle. I'm already using the A/C every night because it's just too darn hot to sleep!

Best moment this week: Cake, cake, and more cake! Plus we got a new car!! It's a baby-blue Toyota Highlander.

Worst moment this week: nothing really so i'll just tell you how my maternity jeans are now "worn in" and therefore looser. They won't stay up very well and are always riding really low on my waist so i feel like a pregnant thug when i wear them.

Movement: There was one time when i was eating cake that i thought i might have felt Peanut, but i haven't felt it since so i'm not so sure

Food cravings: still none

Gender: We get confirmation on Monday that Peanut is still a boy, and we think we've decided on a name. Peanut's name will be.....Ryan Cole Bolton (i think...)

What I miss: I thought this was funny at the time but now i totally get it...."when going poo was not such a big accomplishment - worthy of a happy dance." ~J.S.

What I am looking forward to: ultrasound on Monday 

In Other News:

Here are some pictures to entertain you...
Getting my ultrasound to find out that Peanut is a BOY!

Mom *knew* that Peanut would be a boy because she found this beanie baby named "Peanut" that is a BLUE elephant!

My new, very noticeable, belly! My belly button is quickly becoming non-existent.

Peanut Is A...

Originally the tech said Peanut was a girl! That was the clip from yesterday. Here is the last little bit of Peanut's ultrasound where the tech changed her mind and said BOY!!! She seemed pretty confident by the end that we're having a baby boy, but i'll get doctor confirmation at my 18 week scan on April 12th. Does it look like Peanut is a boy to you??

Ultrasound Preview

I'm so impatient! At the ultrasound Tuesday we started off pretty quick. The tech pointed out almost immediately what gender she saw (the arrows). This clip goes on to show little hands and feet and the heartbeat, plus a little baby blob in 3D. I'm going to give you this little preview and let *you* tell *me* what gender you see. A "hamburger" (3 white lines) would be girl and a "turtle" would be boy. Just so you know, the tech saw one gender at the beginning and a different gender at the end. Her final answer was at the end of the ultrasound, but i won't post that until Friday night (sorry!) Some of those that attended the ultrasound, however, saw something different at the beginning (this clip) than the tech, so i'm curious what you see! (You may need to watch this full-screen to see much)

Please post your comments with guesses but if you already *know* the answer don't spill the beans yet!!!!

16 Weeks

Baby's now the size of an avocado!

Watch what you say...tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean he can now pick up your voice. A few more minuscule changes: Eyebrows, lashes, and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop. 

How far along? 16 weeks 2 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: I get worn out very easily, and out of breath too. When we go on walks i usually have to tell Jake to slow down, and it used to be the complete opposite!
Sleep: Sleeping better now but i feel really tired, almost hungover when i wake up.

Best moment this week: seeing Peanut on the ultrasound and finding out the sex!!

Worst moment this week: Peanut didn't really feel like moving much at the ultrasound and was being really stubborn, so i had to drink 2 containers of orange juice. It made me want to throwup!

Movement: I found out i have an anterior placenta which means it's acting as a "cushion" between Peanut and my tummy, so i probably won't feel kicks until later :(

Food cravings: nope

Gender: I can't wait to spill the beans! After the rest of the family all find out on Friday night i have lots of pictures and video to share!!

What I miss: i don't care for this bigger tummy business. I think it's going to get in my way.

What I am looking forward to: Easter dinners...yummm! 

In Other News:

Check back Friday night or Saturday for a very important update!!