Week 38

WEEK 38!

Watermelon/Leek

Parents.com: Your baby's hanging out, enjoying her last few weeks of snuggly comfort in your womb. However, if she were born today, she would still be considered a full-term infant. Her brain -- in charge of complicated jobs like regulating breathing, digestion, and circulation -- is functioning better every day. Babies come to term anywhere between 38 and 42 weeks; your 40-week due date simply marks the midpoint of this period.

The Bump: The last bits of vernix caseosa (the white goo keeping baby's skin moist) and lanugo (downy hair) are slowly shedding into your amniotic fluid. Baby's head is about the same circumference as her abdomen, and her head could be covered in an inch or so of hair.

Gerber: Your baby's growth: Growth slows down: This is the week that your baby begins to outgrow the watery home where she's been developing these past 9 months. She should weigh almost 7 pounds this week, but at a length of about 21 inches, she hasn't grown much taller. The average full-term newborn weighs from 6 to 9 pounds and is 18 to 21 inches long.Here are a few other developments this week: Slowing growth. Although your baby's growth is slowing, fat will continue to accumulate, providing a thicker blanket of insulation in preparation for her entry into the outside world. Meconium (baby's feces). It will continue to build up in her intestines. Head. By now the circumference of your baby's head and abdomen are about the same.

BabyCenter: Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

Wow..I can't believe it, only 2 weeks left until her due date! I'm starting to freak out just a little since the nursery still isn't done and there's soo much to get done still. Joe just has to finish painting the 2nd coat of paint in the back area by the closet, put the furniture together (since he said "its too heavy for you", and stain/put up the trim in the entire room. I hope he understands that Sydney can come any day now, but I don't think he does =\.

I go to the doctor tomorrow for my weekly appointments and I see a new doctor in the group. Hopefully she's nice since I have to see her next week as well (and that's the last appointment before the actual due date).

Week 36 update

I went in to see the doctor yesterday for my weekly checkups. I am zero centimeters dilated BUT she is head down which is a good thing. I'm getting more and more anxious to meet her every day.

How big is baby: she is about 18 inches long and weighs about 5.5lbs.

Total weight gain: 46 lbs

Maternity clothes? definitely

Sleep: Off and on. Depends on the night i guess. I could be up every hour or every 2 hours or less

Best moment this week: Getting the nursery almost all of the way painted

Movement: Oh yeah. She's a hyper one.

Belly Button in or out? full outtie.

Stretch marks? on my thighs

What I miss: My wardrobe and heels

What I am looking forward to: her finally being here

Labor Signs: braxton hicks

Milestones: 24 more days!!

We finally got the room measure for carpet which will be installed next week! And the room (well majority of it) is painted green. It turned out a lot brighter than i thought it would be but i still love it. It makes it more bright and joyful. Joe's concern is that he hopes Sydney will sleep at night because its so bright. Here's a pic...my phone makes it look brighter than it actually looks in person. (don't mind all of the stuff in the middle of the room.)

Weeks 33 & 34

WEEK 33

HEFT A PINEAPPLE/HONEYDEW

The Bump: Baby’s senses are continuing to improve -- when light peeks in through your (extremely) stretched belly, those tiny eyelids and irises blink and dilate. And, baby can now recognize and react to simple songs… time to start practicing your lullabies! Growth (at least inside your womb) is starting to slow, and you may notice baby descend into your pelvis at the end of this month.

Baby Center: This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

WEEK 34

AVERAGE CANTALOUPE/HONEYDEW

Parents.com: Your baby's preparing for his arrival in just a few short weeks! This week, the protective vernix caseosa (that cheeselike, white, waxy coating that's keeping his skin safe) begins to thicken, ensuring his birthday suit stays smooth and well-moisturized during D-day. Your baby will likely arrive covered in the stuff, especially in the folds under his arms, behind his ears, and in the groin area. But it'll all be washed off very shortly after birth -- during his first-ever bath. By now, your baby weighs around 5 pounds and may be as long as 20 inches, head to toe.

Baby Center: Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

On another note: Joe's just about down with all of the walls in the nursery! About time, huh?!

Next step this week is to paint and go look at carpet, & get it installed! I said this all had to get done before the baby shower...which is in 5 more days. Fingers crossed we get it all just about done by then.

Week 32

WEEK 32: SQUASH/JICAMA

The Bump: Still a squash and Still growing, your baby weighs in at about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds and measures about 15.2 to 16.7 inches. She's getting ready for her descent -- she's likely in the head-down position now. And she's probably feeling a even more cramped. At 32 weeks, baby’s birth still seems kind of far away, but you and baby are physically ready in a lot of ways, just in case there’s an early arrival. Baby may have turned so she’s in the head-down position by now, poised for her trip down the birth canal. And you may have noticed your nipples looking darker. That’s so a preemie can see them for breastfeeding -- isn't your body so amazing? Intensity might be building in the symptoms department, as heartburn and contractions intensify around week 32. But we’re guessing you’re so excited about baby’s impending arrival, they’re not slowing you down much.

Baby Center: By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

Joe's got more of the nursery done. He ran into more problems with the HVAC ducting that lead to some of our other rooms that all connected through the baby's room. He finally finished that last night. He also put the drywall back over it and put the frame around one of the windows. He just needs to finish putting up the drywall around the window and one other wall, tear up the rest of the carpet, fix a hole in the floor then we can get new carpet in there and paint the walls! FINALLY!

On another good note....HE GOT A JOB!!!! He's working back at the HVAC company he was at before and hopefully they give him more work this time.

Weeks 29, 30, & 31

Life has been busy I guess these past couple weeks. I missed writing for weeks 29 & 30. So here's what's been going for this week and the past 2 weeks.

Week 29: SQUASH

The Bump: You’re probably already getting a little preview of baby’s personality, the more your feel him move. You might get some playful kicks and jabs, and start to feel little hiccups, too! At 29 weeks, he’s not just moving a lot, he’s also plumping up. And as he continues to put pressure on your digestive system, you’re going to feel the effects: hemorrhoids, heartburn, pelvic pain and frequent urination are all common at this stage in the game. Week 29 is a good time to start finalizing stuff, like stocking the nursery with baby care essentials and checking out a few potential day cares. You’ll also want to start packing a few things you know you’ll want with you at the hospital at baby’s birth. Leave it by the door, so you can add stuff you think of along the way -- and so you can grab it at a moment’s notice. He's getting a little cramped in there, since he's growing so fast. But you probably already realize that, since you're getting all those jabs and kicks. He's growing white fat deposits under his skin, and his energy is surging because of it. Feel a subtle twitch? It might be baby hiccuping.

Baby Center: Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Week 30: SQUASH/HEAD OF CABBAGE

The Bump: At 30 weeks, your belly’s doing more than just making it tough to find a comfortable sleeping position. It’s made itself a conversation piece. Everywhere you go, someone seems to have a comment about your physical appearance, which isn’t always so fun. And no doubt, you’ve encountered quite a few people who don’t think before they speak and say something embarrassing or hurtful (what’s up with that?) Try not to take those comments seriously, but know which ones should be taken to heart. Like when they tell you you’re glowing, believe them! And take advantage of some of the perks (when someone offers you their seat on the train -- take it!) At week 30, your dreams might be getting even weirder -- if you’re actually sleeping, that is. That could be a result of anxiety, so consider doing some prep work to help you rest easier. One idea? Do a test drive to see exactly how long it really takes you to get to the hospital. Then maybe you’ll stop having nightmares about giving birth in your car. His skin is getting smoother. But his brain is getting wrinklier -- to make way for all that essential brain tissue.He's now strong enough to grasp a finger!

Baby Center: Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Week 31: SQUASH/4 NAVEL ORANGES

The Bump: Welcome to week 31. Can you believe all five of baby’s senses are fully developed? He also keeps getting smarter. That’s probably good to know, since you might actually feel a little dumb. You’re not! It’s just that many moms-to-be find themselves acting absentmindedly during the third trimester. Some say that “pregnancy brain” isn’t a proven physical ailment, but can you think of another time in your life when you’ve had more on your mind than now? We’re guessing no. That right there is enough of a reason to be so forgetful. From 31 weeks on, you’re bound to feel a lot of the same symptoms -- some may get worse, some may become bearable. And you might start to have more trouble getting around as you get heavier and feel more and more short of breath. Remember not to push yourself too much. It’s good for you and baby to get some exercise, but definitely take breaks to rest as much as you need. He's going through major brain and nerve development. ye development, too. His irises now react to light! All five of his senses are in working order.

Baby Center: This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

In the past couple of weeks we've done more in the nursery. A couple pieces of drywall have been put up and this past saturday we got the new windows installed! Joe has to finish the duct work and then finish putting up the drywall. Hopefully this gets done this week. My parents bought us Sydney's crib, dresser, mattress, and changing table! I can't wait to put them together! Also this week we had some family friends drop by and give us a baby hat, sleep sack, and a baby blanket. We also got one set of our maternity pictures done but I'm thinking me and Joe will have to go and do a couple ourselves since I didn't get some of the ones I actually wanted done.

Weeks 27 & 28

A little about the baby and development...

Week 27: Head of Cauliflower

The Bump: Baby's lungs are going through some major developments these days, which (combined with the opening of previously plugged nostrils) means he's now able to practice inhaling and exhaling. The lack of air in your womb means every "breath" is filled with amniotic fluid, but hey -- it's progress.

Baby Center: This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds 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.

WELCOME THIRD TRIMESTER!!

Week 28: Chinese Cabbage

Baby Center: By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds 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.

The Bump: Baby's lungs are mature enough that, if born right now, she has a pretty good chance of surviving (with help from medical technology). Her skin is still pretty wrinkly (one byproduct of living in amniotic fluid) but will smoothen as fat continues to deposit.

These last 2 weeks have been absolutely crazy and stressful. Joe started on the Nursery....He was going to fix a buckle in the wall under one of the windows. Well the people who built the house did a crap-ass job on it and jimmy-rigged a bunch of stuff and that was why is was buckling. So he ended up tearing down that whole wall and then another wall. So the nursery is a total construction zone and I just hope he gets the walls up asap since we still have a long way to go in there. We still have to finish tearing out the carpeting, decide if the original hardwood floors are good enough to sand and stain or if we have to get new carpeting, tear off the rest of the crown molding since they only put it in about 1/2 of that room for some odd reason, paint the walls, and then wait for the baby shower to get the room filled. I feel sooo far behind with getting everything ready for Sydney to come..its becoming very overwhelming. The only thing we have so far are some clothes and diapers. Plus 3 bottles from when we registered with Babies R Us & Target.

On the bright side we got more presents lol. In the first picture we got some clothes, diapers, wipes, a travel kit, baby name book, hair clips, and a photo album from my Godmother. In the second pic we got a hooded towel set and a thing where you put fruit in it to let the kid taste the fruit juice without the pulp from another lady on "The Bump".

Week 25

Today is the 25th week in pregnancy. Look how big my belly got. We got the nursery cleaned out more...thank god. Were getting closer and closer.

Yesterday I went shopping at the JC Penny sale....and I got these adorable things for Sydney for less than $20 :)....(mommy loves me, I love daddy, with pants that have a heart on the butt....and then my heart belongs to daddy)

Moving Along...

Last night I filled out my Pre-Registration for the hospital and mailed it out today! I'm excited and nervous. A couple weeks ago we also registered for the birthing classes. I hope those will be worth the money since they were expensive. I've been reading mixed emotions on all of these birthing classes so i'm a little hesitant.

Up next:
Registering at Babies R Us and Target for all of the adorable baby things.
AND
Working more on the nursery!! =) I'm super excited for this one lol. Tomorrow we are having one of the windows measured for a new one that we are using our insurance money for (from the huge storm we had). And we are hopefully buying paint this weekend so we can get painting before adding new carpeting.

Sydney is kicking a lot more today than she has, i feel like her personal punching bag lol.