Week 36

WEEK 36:

CRENSHAW MELON

Parents.com: born, baby fat is a very good thing. Your baby is working hard to accumulate all the fat he can at this point -- his body is growing rounder, and those adorable dimples are forming at elbows and knees. This build-up of fat -- about 15 percent of his total weight--will help him maintain his body temperature and give him a store of energy. Because the fat beneath his skin is white in color, it makes his skin appear lighter and less ruddy.

In a first-time mother, the baby often "drops" two to four weeks before delivery, as the baby's head descends into the mother's pelvic cavity. This is called "engagement," or "lightening," and it means it won't be long now before the big day!

The Bump: She's still in the 17.2- to 18.7-inch and 4.2- to 5.8-pound range and continues to beef up. She's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on her own. Her skin is getting smooth and soft and her gums are rigid. Her liver and kidneys are in working order. Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too.

Baby Center: Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly

35 Weeks!

WEEK 35

HONEYDEW MELON

Almost to the finish line...only 5 more weeks left (or less)

Parents.com: At this point, your unborn baby should be positioned with her head facing down toward the cervix and vagina. About 97 percent of babies have adopted this position by this point; the rest remain in what's known as breech position -- when the butt or feet are in place to come out first. If your baby's among this minority, it does increase your odds of needing a C-section, but there's a good chance your healthcare provider can correct the problem by turning him around manually with pressure applied on your belly. Called an external version, this process has about a 65 percent success rate.

Baby Center: Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Joe has finally finished all of the walls & the ceiling. He actually painted the ceiling yesterday which made us late for our own baby shower lol. The room is finally looking more like a room and not like a huge mess. We're still waiting for the carpet guy to get back to us so we can tell them what carpet and see when they'll install it. Joe's new deadline to get this nursery absolutely done is Thanksgiving day! I keep having this nagging feeling Sydney will join us in this world right after Thanksgiving.

We had our baby shower yesterday. It was a lot of fun and very tiring. By the time we got home and reopened everything to see exactly what we got (since it was all a blur during the shower) we were exhausted! We got 3 big ticket items (travel system, convertible car seat, and the exersaucer) and the rest were clothes (only a few pieces of newborn clothes), a lot of hooded bath towels, wipes, blankets and pacifiers. Got a couple bibs, bottles, very few diapers (surprisingly), 2 bottles of baby wash, and a few misc. things. Here's a couple pictures =)

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 26!

English Hot House Cucumber


The Bump: Wow! Can you believe baby has eyelashes at 26 weeks? And she’s amping up to start batting them soon. At this point, it probably feels like this baby (who you haven’t even met yet) has taken over your life. She’s interfering with your sleep. She’s messing with your brain. (Forget much?) She might even be giving you a stress headache or two. It’s normal to be experiencing some mild swelling, but around week 26, it’s important to watch out for swelling severe or sudden -- it could be the sign of a dangerous condition called preeclampsia. Notice your belly occasionally feeling really tight? That’s a contraction. Yup, already. Don’t freak out though -- your body is just practicing some tightening in preparation for labor. As long as the contractions aren’t steady or severe, you’re not in labor.

your baby at 26 weeks

• Her eyes are forming, and his eyes will soon start to open.
• And her eyelashes are now grown, too.
• She's getting her immune system ready for life on the outside by soaking up your antibodies.
• She's taking breaths, too. They're of amniotic fluid, not air, but it's still good practice.

Baby Center: 

How your baby's growing:

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.

Parents.com: This week, some of his most notable developments are cosmetic: His eyebrows and eyelashes are thick and lush now, and the hair on his head has grown longer and denser. By this time, all the parts of your baby's eyes are in place, and he's getting ready to open them in just a couple of weeks! Your baby's lungs continue to grow stronger, readying him for life outside the womb -- although it's about 10 more weeks until they'll be fully mature. To support his growing body, your baby's spine is becoming stronger and more flexible. It's about the same length as the palm of your hand, but it contains a whopping 150 joints, 33 rings, and some 1,000 ligaments.

(just a general ultrasound pic..not mine)

We are also very lucky...my cousins came over and dropped off a bunch of girls clothing and a couple other things ranging from age 6 months to 24 months and a couple just a little bigger!

My mom also bought Sydney a new snow suit...its adorable but I forgot to take a picture. So that will be coming soon =)