23 Weeks

Baby now weighs as much as a mango!

Baby's little face is fully formed...minus the baby fat, of course. The next task at hand for baby: sprouting two teeny-tiny nipples! Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With his sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that he'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 him squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him 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 him when he hears them outside the womb.

How far along? 23 weeks 2 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: I think Ryan moved off my bladder! I don't seem to pee nearly as much as before, and my bladder doesn't constantly feel full like it used to. This is just for the past 2 days, so we shall see. I don't feel kicks as much as i was a couple days ago either, they're muted again. I got the best sleep of the whole pregnancy Monday night, an entire 6 hours without a pee break. Now i remember why i loved sleeping so much. And just because i haven't mentioned it yet...when pregnant you bleed a LOT. I get a bloody nose every day, and my gums bleed super easily too. This is normal and common, just annoying.

I Wish I'd Known...: Exactly what was meant when people told me "Pregnant women pee a lot" That's a huge understatement. At least it was, hopefully that has changed now!

Best moment this week: Ryan kicking up a storm to Daddy's harmonica skills.

Worst moment this week: Rough days at work suck (but there are plenty of good days too.)
Movement: Oh my gosh, Ryan's movements have exploded! I feel him *all* the time now and Jake can too! In fact, Jake jiggled my belly really fast because the baby wasn't kicking and Ryan got MAD! He kicked right back. Ryan also seems to like dancing a lot. Jake played the harmonica the other day and Ryan immediately started dancing away! I wish he would kick on command sometimes because although I can feel him kicking off and on throughout the day, it seems like whenever anyone else wants to feel him he's still.

Food cravings: Trying to ignore them because they tell me to eat bad, bad things.

What I miss: Shoes. My feet start hurting so easily now that i don't even bother with anything other than flip-flops and tennis shoes.

What I am looking forward to: On Sunday Jake and i will celebrate our 6th Anniversary! It's crazy to think we've been together for ELEVEN years altogether. Then Tuesday is finally Ryan's viability day!

In Other News:

   Viability is generally considered to be at 24 weeks. At this point the hospital will do whatever is necessary for the baby to survive. I'm personally holding out for full-term, but it's comforting to know we've made it this far already!
Completed Weeks of Gestation at Birth       Survival
21 weeks and less                                          0%
22 weeks                                                    0-10%
23 weeks                                                   10-40%
24 weeks                                                   40-70%
25 weeks                                                   50-80%
26 weeks                                                   80-90%
27 weeks                                                    <90%
30 weeks                                                    <95%
34 weeks                                                    <98%
   Half the time the picture of the week is based on length and the other half is based on weight. Now that it specifies which, i'm updating the intro to "weighs as much as" or "is as long as". It makes comparisons a lot easier, but i don't know why they keep flip-flopping!
   I just realized Ryan will be arriving right in the middle of Fall TV Premier season. That's just not going to work for me. Please oh please let the new Tivo come out before September!
   I used Jake's ipod to play some tunes for the baby. So far his favorites are Jimmy Buffett and Neil Diamond. To be fair, though, there wasn't any Lady Gaga or Britney Spears for him to try out. I think on the way in to work tomorrow maybe we'll rock out to some Journey (from my Glee CD, of course). Apparently he's excited about this idea because he just started dancing around my tummy!

   Congrats to everyone ending their school year! I've got 2 doctors, a nurse, and a teacher in the making. I foresee this being very beneficial!

22 Weeks

Baby's now the size of a spaghetti squash!

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.

How far along? 22 weeks 2 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: I gained 9 pounds this month. (I was supposed to gain 2-4) Oops. It was probably just that ginormous slice of cake i had at Lucas' party, it probably weighed 9 pounds. My ankles aren't any worse, thankfully. My blood pressure has gone up, but is still in normal range (128/72...higher than pre-pregnancy). I definitely waddle now, but i think i have been for awhile. I seem to get irritated easily again. I'll just go ahead and blame that on the hormones.

I Wish I'd Known...: How much the waiting game sucks. I'm done with all the fun or exciting things like ultrasounds and finding out the gender. From here on out all i have left is getting bigger, more and more doctor visits, and worrying about things like blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and swollen ankles. They need to re-do this whole pregnancy scheme and throw some more fun stuff in the last half.

Best moment this week: My first Mother's Day! Jake got me some really cute flowers, a little stuffed lamb, and a super-sweet card. It made me go Awwww.

Worst moment this week: The scale at the doctor's office actually laughed at me. I wish i'd had my camera, 'cuz i know you guys won't believe me. It had little beady eyes and an evil grin.

Movement: Jake felt Ryan kick! Or at least he thinks he did. I dunno, it's still pretty faint, but i'm feeling him more often now.
Food cravings: Uh-oh, i'm starting to get my sweet tooth back. I *really* want some peach cobbler right now...

What I miss: Coffee! At the restaurant tonight the waitress walked by with a cup of coffee and i practically drooled. Then when we dropped off Carla at Starbuck's..... Mmmm, the smell is SO intoxicating.

What I am looking forward to: Possibly painting the nursery this weekend. That's if i don't procrastinate, which i tend to do. I did finally get the changing table put together, and we had a very special volunteer tester. 

In Other News:

   The doctor's visit went ok. My iron is good, but as i said earlier my weight and BP aren't so hot. They gave me the glucose drink for my diabetes test. I have to drink it within 5 minutes and have my blood sugar tested an hour later, and that will be done at my next appointment in a few weeks. Hopefully things will turn out better by then.
   Jake says he's not so sure about using Cole as the middle name. It's been Ryan Cole for months now! I'm gonna throttle him...

   Since i haven't taken any pictures since i've been pregnant (except the belly pics, of course) I got a bunch this weekend to share with you! It was an awesome weekend!

My Weekend In Pictures

Mother's Day

Lucas' First Birthday

The Changing Table

5 Months

Baby's now the size of a papaya!

Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

21 Weeks

Baby's now the size of a banana!

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. Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

How far along? 21 weeks 3 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: The ankles are a little worse, in spite of: cutting back on salt, drinking lots of water, walking every day, and wearing compression stockings. My belly button will soon become an outtie within the next couple of weeks, i suspect. When i laugh or sigh it pops out a little, which is funny to watch. I feel Ryan dancing around more now. He especially likes it when i sing along while watching Glee, and i remembered a lot of the words to "Ice, Ice Baby"!! Oh and apparently those pains i've been feeling off and on for quite a while? Those are Braxton-Hicks contractions. At least i won't be freaked out that i'm in pre-term labor since i know what they feel like.

I Wish I'd Known...: That i don't *really* get to eat whatever i want while i'm pregnant. I feel robbed! I'm "dieting" more now by eating veggies and healthy things than i ever did before. I can't fathom what i'd look like if i had a milkshake every time i wanted one, which is VERY often. It's not fair!

Best moment this week: Getting a pair of super-comfy shorts to go walking in. Soooo much better.

Worst moment this week: Attempting to try on my old walking shorts...that no longer fit over my ass.

Movement: Feeling Ryan's dancing while i sang was so cute! His movements are still very random and faint, but at least i can feel him sometimes now. I told Jake that toward the end when my stomach is really stretched and Ryan is really big that he'll be able to see little alien hands/feet poking my belly. He doesn't believe me though.
Food cravings: I'm still craving Casey's Home Cooking....i have to eat there at least once a week but could totally eat there more often. They must put crack in their food...

What I miss: Not worrying about my salt and sugar intake. I never realized how much sodium is in pretty much everything!

What I am looking forward to: My very FIRST Mother's Day! Does it stiIl count if he's in my belly?? Carla's home! She gets to see my belly for the first time! Also, Iron Man 2. I loooved the first one and i hope the second is just as good.

In Other News:

   I have my 22 week checkup on Monday and then they will schedule me for the Gestational Diabetes test. I have a blood glucose monitor from work and my levels have been great so far. I'm also keeping track of my blood pressure at work. It's still normal but is creeping up a little. I don't know if this is because my blood volume is finally leveling out or if this could turn into a bad trend. We'll see what they say about it on Monday.
   Saturday is Lucas' First Birthday party! But most importantly...i get to eat CAKE! I'm soooo excited about that.
   Ryan really likes Gummy Bears. Jake picked some up at the grocery store yesterday and Ryan went nuts when i ate a couple! It was right after we were rocking out to M.C. Hammer on Glee, though, so that may have had something to do with it.
   I think i'm going to start wearing diapers. Having to go pee every single hour (especially at work when i have to walk across the store and up 2 flights of stairs) is getting really old really fast.
  The weekly fruit pictures will be a little different now. Apparently the bump decided that after 21 weeks you only need a monthly update, but for my journaling purposes i want to continue the weekly post. Therefore i will be using pictures from a different site. While still veggies and fruits, the choices are a little more unconventional. I have no idea what half those things are, but luckily i work in a grocery store so i can see what the heck it's talking about. Look out for a scavenger hunt on the veggie aisle next week!

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?