Baby's Growth

I love feeling the baby kick and move around, I can feel it very regularly now, especially when I eat! I have my next doctor's appointment on Thursday, May 14th. We've decided that we want another ultrasound at about 30 weeks to get a better look at the baby, so at this next appointment I'm going to ask about that and get that scheduled. I'm hoping that will give us a better idea of how the baby's growing and when to expect him. Plus, at 30 weeks the baby will actually look like a person, rather than a blob! Time is such a funny thing, because on one hand I feel like I've been waiting for this baby for FOREVER, but on the other hand I can't believe that I only have 16 weeks left. In 3 more weeks I'll be in the 3rd trimester, the home stretch!!

Your pregnancy: 24 weeks
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.

Baby's Growth

Your pregnancy: 23 weeks

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.

We chaperoned Prom last night, and boy the baby was liking the music. The kicks were strong and frequent, I love it!

Ultrasound Pictures

Sorry it took us a week, but here are the ultrasound pictures from April 16, 2009

This first one is the big one that the technician printed, so it's much easier to see. You can clearly see the baby's head to the left with a nose and chin. Very cool stuff.

Baby's Growth

I'm a little confused as to my due date now, because it was originally August 30, but when we had the 1st ultrasound the techinician said the baby was a little big and she would say that I was about 6 days further, meaning a due date of August 24. However, the doctor said that he is not officially changing my due duate and is leaving it at August 30 even though the ultrasound once again showed that the baby was a little bit big. When I asked him about it, he said "If it were 7 days different or more, I would change it, but since it's only 6 days, I'm leaving it August 30. Look, I'm circling it here on your chart, so it's official."

So, I don't know what to do about the weeks...

Your pregnancy: 22 weeks
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.

Mj Felt Baby Move!!!

I'm sorry it's been 3 weeks since I've updated the blog. We've been crazy busy and this has just gone to the bottom of the to-do list. However, I did have to write about this.



I've been feeling the baby move for about 2 weeks now, and it's getting stonger and more frequent every day. Yesterday I was on the computer and my arm was on my stomach and I was so sure that I felt the kick on my arm. So, when MJ got home from work and the kicks came back I called to him to come quick. Well, of course, we laid there for a few minutes and there were no kicks, and just as I was about to give up, there is was! He was so surprised, the said "What was that?" It was the baby! We were able to feel the movement for a few more minutes, and it was so much fun. There really IS something in there!



I promise that as soon as we scan the ultrasound pictures I'll post them.

Baby's Growth

Your pregnancy: 19 weeks

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, 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 — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Moving Right Along

Yesterday I KNOW I felt the baby move. There is no doubt in my mind, like a few weeks ago. It was moving and grooving for quite a few minutes, and we very cool to experience. It felt very different from what I thought I was feeling a few weeks ago, and was very distinct. Then, last night I woke up because the baby was doing flips. I literally could feel it flipping around in there, so amazing!! Today I've felt it just for a few seconds, but it's normal to only feel it every once in a while this early. I'm just very excited to have experienced that. They say that a person can feel their baby anytime between 16-22 weeks, and at 18 weeks 5 days I'm right in the middle of that range.

Also, per requests, this morning we took some pictures before church. My belly is definitely bigger, although I know it wasn't flat to begin with.

Lastly, we're going on our vacation to San Diego next weekend and we'll be gone from April 3-Apirl 11th. I will post vacation pictures online when we're back. HAPPY EASTER!!