Week 28: Two Years

June 5, 2010

This week we celebrated our second wedding anniversary! The time has passed quickly and as Ben said, it's been fun to discover that it just gets better and better as the years go by. We hoped to take a vacation before the baby is born, but unfortunately it just didn't work out from a timing perspective. Also, we are trying to save as many of Ben's vacation days as possible so he can take time off right after the birth.

Since an out of town vacation wasn't going to work out, we decided to take a little hometown vacation instead! Over the weekend we took MARTA (public transportation/train) into Atlanta (we live about an hour north of the city) and packed in lots of fun in two days. At the end we both commented that it seemed like we had been gone for far longer! Here's a quick recap of the weekend 'o fun...

We stayed at the Artmore Hotel in Midtown Atlanta. It was a neat, old building and there was an awesome courtyard with comfortable couches, a firepit, and fountain.

Our main Saturday activity was visiting the Georgia Aquarium! We were able to get some discounted passes through Ben's office that gave us admission to the aquarium, a little show in a 4D theater, and a dolphin show. It was lots of fun!

The weather was PERFECT both days of our little vacation. We took advantage of it and relaxed in Centennial Park for a while before heading back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner.

We went to South City Kitchen for our anniversary dinner and enjoyed a delicious meal! They serve "fancy" Southern food and we ended up getting the same thing for our entree (fried chicken with collard greens and mashed potatoes). We added on a side of smoked mac and cheese to share that was also very tasty. Funny story-- after our server took this photo she looked at the preview on the camera and said, "You've got a sassy waiter in the background!" haha

On Sunday we spent the morning having a leisurely breakfast and strolled around Midtown. I used to work near the area where we had breakfast, so I toured Ben around my old stomping grounds. After lunch we visited the Center for Puppetry Arts. Unfortunately they don't allow photography inside so all we have is a lame photo of me sitting by the sign. Whomp, whomp.

In addition to the regular exhibit we were able to get a tour of their special Jim Henson exhibit. We ended up being the only two signed up, so we were treated to a private tour! It was so cool to see Sesame Street and Muppets puppets up close, and learn more about Jim Henson. Many of the puppets in the exhibit were used on screen, and the Ernie puppet (of Bert and Ernie fame) was even holding the original rubber duckie! After the exhibits we saw a puppet show of "Cinderella" which was pretty neat, too.

All in all, we had an amazing time and it was the perfect way to celebrate two years of marriage and the upcoming arrival of our baby boy!

Since we had a little trip and went out to a nice dinner over the weekend, we celebrated our actual anniversary by running errands at Target and eating ice cream. We're a wild and crazy pair, I tell ya! ;-)

In baby news, I had a midwife appointment this week. She said everything looked great and I've gained one pound since my last appointment (about 17 pounds overall). If you go by the books, I should gain about one pound per week from now until the end of pregnancy. The baby was quite active when the midwife was trying to find his heartbeat! She'd land on it and two seconds later he'd squirm away and she'd have to start again. After a minute or two she ended up pressing gently on one side of my belly to try and hold him in place a bit. This time around his heart rate was 135 bpm.

The not so fun part of this week's appointment was the initial gestational diabetes screening. I had to drink a ten ounce bottle of orange flavored glucose within five minutes, and then got my blood drawn an hour later. Friends with babies warned me that the drink was seriously sweet, and they weren't joking! It sort of reminded me of extra sweet flat orange soda or a melted popsicle. The first few sips weren't too bad, but it was difficult to chug down the rest.

 

 


Also, I had to fast for four hours prior to the test which made drinking a super sweet drink on an empty stomach even less pleasant. The nurse who took my blood asked if I was feeling light headed from fasting (she asked before she drew my blood). I told her I felt fine and was just really hungry. She laughed and said she always feels so cruel by having to deny pregnant women food! haha I brought a peanut butter and banana sandwich with me to the appointment and promptly gobbled it down in the car before I headed home. Food never tasted so good. :-)

In other news, we submitted the hospital pre-registration forms this week, and will be touring the labor and delivery area this weekend! It's pretty exciting and is another reality check as to how close we are to meeting our little guy. I'll be sure to write about the tour next week!

Here's what the baby is up to:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world. 

If you're interested in taking a look, I came across this really cool animation of how all the organs shift around as the baby grows: http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/you/the-exhibit/your-beginning/make-room-for-baby/interactive/   Cool, huh?

Second Trimester Recap

At the end of the first trimester I typed up a little recap and I thought it would be fun do the same for the second trimester. Here we go!

Most exciting moment...

Seeing our baby on the ultrasound and finding out we are having a little boy! Feeling him move has also been pretty amazing. There's a real live baby in there!

Most challenging moment...

I don't really know that I have had any big challenges.... I'm a lucky girl!

One thing I'm proud of...

Similar to the first trimester, I am proud of continuing to exercise four to five days per week and eat a healthy diet. Healthy mom = healthy baby!

I'm also really proud that Ben and I have made it a priority to do fun, non-baby related activities as a couple and as individuals with friends. We're savoring this time when we can get out without worrying about finding a babysitter, or having to pack up a bunch of baby gear. At the same time, we often find ourselves saying, "I can't wait until we can do this with the baby!" We know life will only get better from here. :-)

One thing I wish were different...

I wish I could sleep more comfortably! Pregnant women are encouraged to sleep on their side to improve circulation (if a pregnant woman lays flat on her back for extended periods of time the weight of the baby can put pressure on a vein that carries blood to lower extremities). I often wake-up feeling kind of stiff and sore from sleeping on my side and from the weight of my belly pulling me over. This might be too much information, but I also get up at least once (sometimes more!) at night to go to the bathroom. I can't remember the last time I slept all the way through the night! Even on nights when I am up quite a bit from having "rabbit brain", potty breaks, or being up from general discomfort I am rarely super tired the next day. I guess my body is just starting to prepare itself to function on interrupted sleep!

Favorite food...

Dill pickles are still a staple in my diet! It's not uncommon for me to eat one or two as a snack in the afternoon. :-) I have been loving all the delicious summer produce that is available now, too!

Least favorite food...

I'm still not a huge fan of the texture of meat, but I do still eat it on occasion.

My physical state included...

A growing belly! In my first trimester recap I mentioned looking forward to getting a round belly, and I sure did get my wish! My belly button is well on its way to becoming an outie. It flattened out a while back and now the top rim pokes out. You can even see it when I'm wearing a close fitting shirt or dress! Also, my gums have gotten a bit more sensitive (a common pregnancy side effect), and occasionally it's a bit of a squeeze to get my wedding rings on and off. I think the ring issue may be more related to warmer temperatures and humidity than pregnancy, though, since it's not a constant issue.

Symptoms I (thankfully) didn't have...

Leg cramps, stretch marks, heartburn, etc.

One thing that surprised me...

I was surprised at how quickly I turned the corner from not getting worn out to having to take it easy more often. I am fortunate that I am still able to be very active, but I do find that I need to sit down and put my feet up more often.

Looking forward to...

Taking some classes to learn how to care for our baby, and of course meeting him!! I can't wait to see his sweet little face and see Ben holding our son in just a few months.

Week 27: The Home Stretch

I can't believe it, but this is the last week of the second trimester! Next week is the beginning of the third trimester which means we're about thirteen weeks away from the due date. It sure did sneak up on us fast. I feel like I was just writing the post sharing that we were moving into the second trimester! The physical changes in this trimester have been pretty significant. Here's a side-by-side of the size of my belly at the beginning and the end of the second trimester:

Incredible! He went from being a medium shrimp sized baby to a cauliflower sized baby. It's also neat to see how the seasons changed and everything bloomed in the woods behind our house. Ah... nature. :-)

In last week's post I mentioned that I've had to take my workouts down a notch. I also realized that I'm starting to feel all this extra weight a little more just in general. My legs get tired more quickly when I stand for long periods of time, and my toes are a little more prone to swelling (just a little!) when I've been standing for a long time. It sure is motivation to keep up exercise and healthy eating after the baby is born, because carrying excess weight is tiring!

This week I also had a stranger touch my belly for the first time. (Who does that?!)  I was taking a class at the gym and a lady noticed I was pregnant, grabbed my belly, and said "Well you know that baby's going to be active!" I know she didn't mean anything and was just being friendly, but she could have left out the grabbing bit. It was a little awkward.

Here's what the baby is up to this week:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

I posted the weekly photo further up, but in the spirit of keeping the posts consistent here is a larger version for the end of the post. :-)

Week 26: Odds and Ends

Our final piece of furniture for the baby's room was ordered and delivered this week! Fortunately this bookcase/toy shelf was a breeze to put together (compared to the crib and dresser, anyway!) and Super Dad had it assembled in no time at all. Ta da!

We're planning to get baskets for the lower shelf that can hold small toys, and we'll put books on the top shelf. It's about three feet long, so there's lots of space. This is another item that we are hoping will last him many years. It's also basic enough that we could use it in a different room if he doesn't need it anymore. We're still playing around with different furniture arrangements, and are taking both aesthetics and function into consideration.

A window valance and a crib skirt are on the way (both were back ordered), and we still need to pick out how many posters and which posters to order and frame. We also need to get the changing pad and cover for on top of the dresser, crib sheets, etc. I'm sure it will all come together soon enough. Once we are done decorating we'll post a little nursery tour! Maybe even on video... oh la la. :-)  (Note that it may be at least a month before we're done, so don't expect a video next week or anything. haha)

I don't really have any other big updates this week, so here are a few miscellaneous odds and ends...

- Now that the baby is getting bigger I have been feeling many more of his movements. All sorts of kicks, punches, rolls, and squrims! Many of the movements are beginning to feel more human-like which is both cool and slightly creepy. Ben has been able to "catch" them more often, too, which has been a lot of fun (before he'd get to my belly just in time for the baby to stop moving).

- Last Saturday we had a chance to wash and sanitize all of the pre-owned baby gear that we picked up at consignment sales earlier this year. It all looks great and is ready to be used!

- We've settled on a first name, but are still working on finalizing his middle name. It's narrowed down to a few choices! At the moment we're still planning on not sharing his name until birth (surprises are fun!), but we may change our minds...time will tell. Just for kicks-- if we were having a girl her name probably would have been Megan or Audrey!

- I've had to take my exercise intensity down just a notch to accommodate my growing belly and increased weight. A little less jumping during cardio classes (now I hop, bounce, or step with vigor for some moves), and sometimes I lighten my weights during lunges in weightlifting classes. I guess the weight sort of balances out, though, as it's on my body instead of on the bar. haha

- I must look 100% pregnant now because strangers make comments, smile at me, hold more doors for me, and one evening at the gym someone even helped me put away my equipment after a weightlifting class.

- Due to the fact that my belly sticks out and I can no longer see the underside, I often end up with wet marks near the bottom of my shirt after washing dishes or cooking from where it bumps into the counter.

- Some days I'm a stereotypical, overly emotional, crying pregnant lady. For example... A few weeks ago Ben and I were watching a movie and it had a sad/bittersweet ending. Normally I would have teared up a little, but instead I had tears rolling down my cheeks. Ben gave me a big hug and my silent tears turned in to sobs (dramatic, eh?). I could feel him shaking as he tried to suppress his laughter at my over the top crying. This made me realize how ridiculous my reaction was and I started laughing, too! Another day I came across a sweet parenting-related article online. Ben came in the room and found me sobbing in front of my computer and asked what was wrong. I showed him the article (I was so emotional I couldn't talk about it without bursting into tears), and he read a few lines and gave me a look like, "Really, Laura?" Fortunately this made me laugh...but I did have to stop reading the article.  :-)


Here is what the baby is up to this week:

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

Week 25: Decisions, Decisions

This has been quite a week in babyland for the Lilly household! We started off the week with a trip to Babies 'R Us to start registering for items we weren't able to pick up at the consignment sales we attended in the spring (we ended up supplementing the registry on Amazon.com where some of the prices are a little better and there is a bigger variety). When we were leaving Babies 'R Us they gave us a bag with coupons, lists of all the "must have" items, and a few samples. One of the samples was a newborn sized diaper and -- Oh. My. Gosh. It is so tiny!! The diaper is literally the size of my hand.

The cuteness and girly squealing continued when I went through a box of 0-3 month hand-me-down baby clothes from my friend, Niki (same friend who gave us the crib mattress! She's a generous gal.). Her son was born in January so some items are long sleeved and may be too hot, but there are tons of gems  in the mix. Check it out!

I still can't get over how tiny a newborn baby is going to be... take a look at how tiny everything is! (Dollar bill is there for scale.)

Gah!! So cute. I about died when I came across this tiny hoodie...

And look! Ben has a brown hoodie, too, so they already have their first matching father/son outfit. :-)

I have a feeling it may not cool down enough for the baby to need to wear the hoodie before he grows out of it, but you can bet your bottom dollar it will be on long enough for a father/son matching hoodie photo op!

Our other big baby task for the week was to start visiting daycare centers. We are very fortunate in that my boss is going to allow me to continue working full-time, but just have part-time childcare. I'll take the baby to daycare a few hours a few days each week so I can do some work without interruption, and take conference calls without a potentially screaming baby in the background. The rest of the time he will be home with me (I work from a home office) and I'll work while he's sleeping or occupied. If I can't finish everything that day (and it can't wait until the next morning) I will finish up after Ben gets home from work and can take over with baby duty.

We visited three nearby daycare centers and all three definitely have pros and cons. There is one place that is the front-runner right now, but we might check out one more daycare just for comparisons sake. One nice thing about all the places we visited is that they offer care/classes all the way through pre-kindergarten, so he could potentially stay at the same place until he heads off to elementary school. Another nice thing is that all of the daycare centers have you pay by the week. This is helpful because if I know I'm going to have extra meetings or have some other reason we need additional childcare, we can just sign him up for an extra day or a full day for that particular week.

Both of us believe that daycare, or a daycare like setting, is good for the baby to help him learn how to interact with other children, participate in a group, and get comfortable with adults who are not related to him. When I did my school counseling internship it was pretty obvious at the beginning of the year which pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students had been home exclusively with a family member or nanny and who has been in some sort of daycare setting. It's definitely a great way to build life skills and independence. That being said, I'm also glad that we have the opportunity to keep him home the majority of the time so that we can bond with him, teach him our family values, etc., as well as just have an opportunity to enjoy having a baby around before he heads off to elementary school.

In pregnancy news, I think the baby must be having a growth spurt or something. I don't know if this will make sense (particularly to male readers who clearly have never been pregnant! haha), but my belly feels extra full and stretched this week. Sort of like the feeling when you're blowing up a balloon and you know it's on the verge of popping. One night I even commented to Ben that I wouldn't mind a day off from pregnancy to have a normal feeling belly, sleep on my stomach, and wear my normal sized clothes. I was joking, of course. :-)  I am so excited to be having a baby and feel so blessed that I'm able to care for him and carry him until he's ready to meet the world.

Here's what he's been up to on the developmental front:

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.

It's pretty cool that his hair color is discernible! I have a hunch that he will have brown hair, but there is a chance we could have a little redhead as both Ben and I have redheaded grandmothers. We'll see!

Week 24: More Assembly Required

The baby's dresser arrived this week! Super Dad had another big assembly job on his hands as there were about a million different pieces. Each drawer (there are six!) had seven pieces plus all the sides, back, inner rails, etc. Phew! We decided it was good practice for all the "some assembly required" toys in our future. :-)

The size of the dresser is great and the color coordinates well with the color of the crib. We plan to put a pad on top so it can also be used as a changing table, and there will even be space for a basket where we can store some diapering supplies which will be handy. We picked out this dresser with the intention of using it well beyond the baby years. The drawers are big enough to handle "big boy" clothes, so hopefully it will get him at least through elementary school if not longer.

I had a regular check-up with the midwife this week and everything went well! She said my weight gain was on track (I've gained two pounds since my last appointment and 16 pounds overall), and we listened to the baby's heartbeat which was 153 bpm. I'll go back for my next appointment in four weeks which will be a regular visit plus the standard gestational diabetes screening (you can read about it by clicking here, if you're interested). In six weeks I'll have another regular check up plus another ultrasound. By then I will be in the third trimester which (I believe) means I'll start having appointments more frequently.


Here is what the baby is up to this week:

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.


I've read on other pregnancy websites and books that the baby is now "viable" which means if he were to be born right now he'd have a chance of surviving. As excited as we are to meet him, though, we'd prefer he stay right where he is for a few more months! :-)

The shirt I usually wear for my weekly photo was starting to get too stretched out, so I've moved on to a maternity shirt for the remainder of my weekly photos. Hopefully keeping the same color will help keep the view "standard"!

Week 23: Some Assembly Required

Guess what's here?!

A big box...

.... lots of wrapping and styrofoam...

.... a handy Dad and lots of parts...

... Ta Da!

We have a crib!! Our sweet baby officially has a place to sleep. :-)  My friend, Niki, gave us her daughter's crib mattress (her daughter is in a "big girl" bed now), so we have the whole set-up!

We love the look and the color and are excited to get it all fancied up with a crib skirt, sheets, etc. We ordered a dresser, too, but it hasn't been delivered yet. Hopefully we'll have pictures to share next week!

...........

My belly is definitely out there these days. Earlier in the week I visited a work client in Atlanta. As I was putting out some materials for a meeting and I reached diagonally across the table I knocked a whole stack of papers over with my belly! No one was in the room yet, but I had a pretty good laugh on my own.

Here's what's new with the baby:

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.