Monday, August 31, 2009

25 Weeks (6 months, 1 week) Pregnant - Baby Eggplant








By pregnancy week 25 your baby is approximately 1.5 pounds and just under 13.7 inches long. From this point on however your baby's weight and length may vary somewhat. Every baby is different as you'll soon realize during your pregnancy week by week. Some babies will be born weighing 7 pounds and others 10. The bones begin to harden in this stage and you can notice the baby sucking its thumb. The skin gains more vernix which is a coating that protects the baby from the acidity of the amniotic fluid and helps to maintain the body temperature after birth. In this week the baby acquires an important function which is he/she can cry and reaches a milestone of surviving if born prematurely at this stage. If your baby is delivered at this time, it would have a good chance of surviving. It is best for your baby to remain inside of you for the remainder of the pregnancy, but great advances have been made in the care of a premature baby. Ventilators, monitors and medications all help premature babies develop and grow outside of the womb. If your baby were born this early, he would probably have to spend several months in the hospital and would be more susceptible to infections and other complications. The skin is thin and delicate but the body is gaining weight and taking more space in your uterus. The baby’s taste buds are developing and the baby might be able to tell the difference between a sweet and salty or sour taste. The baby has fully formed fingers and toe nails and its eyes should open at any time. The brain keeps growing rapidly now. The baby who now has a well proportioned body starts putting on baby fat. The skin begins to smoothen out and lose its wrinkled texture.

The top of your uterus is between your bellybutton and your sternum. Your uterus is about the size of a soccer ball or volleyball now! As your uterus continues to grow you'll notice it places some pressure on your back and pelvis. This can sometimes cause you to experience shooting pains either down your leg or in your lower back. For some women these pains get more and more severe during pregnancy.

You can hear your baby's heartbeat with both a Doppler and a stethoscope at this time, and your partner may even be able to hear the heartbeat unaided if he puts his ear in the right position. Babies also begin to prefer their left hand or right hand at this time. Because babies settle into routines of sleep and activity, you might begin to notice these patterns as well. Some women experience the most fetal movements while they are trying to rest.

Well, 1 week down in kindergarten. Last week was definitely a challenge and a LOT different than both 2nd and 4th grade. I am loving it though. Right now I have 23 kiddos in my class (all of us are sitting really high student to teacher ratio) so it looks like we might be getting a 5th kindergarten teacher. It's been 6 or 7 years since they have actually had 5 teachers in kindergarten! CRAZY HUH?

After my long day on Friday, Eric treated me to a pre-natal massage with his yearly profit sharing bonus. It was soooo nice. Saturday night we went to the Frisco Roughriders AAA baseball game with some friends. It was beautiful weather and a TON of fun since we were so fortunate to have box seats RIGHT behind home plate...if only we could have those seats every time we went right?

Well, this week starts our craziness full of fun weekends...Mariam and Philip's wedding pre-stuff, their wedding, Wynne's shower, and then my shower. :) I can't wait to see what the girls have planned for Brianna's shower. They bought the most amazing invitations so I can only imagine what the shower is going to be like!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

24 Weeks (6 months) Pregnant - Baby Ear of Corn


If I look super duper tired in this picture, it's because I am. :) I worked 12 hours Monday, 14 hours yesterday and 13 hours today (all of these days being non-stop work ! Welcome to the first week of kindergarten! :) I think that Brianna really has enjoyed me being in kindergarten because she sure kicks A LOT during the day now...enough where I can feel her quite a few times in the middle of the day! She must either hear all the comotion with the kids, my singing of the kindergarten songs, or me talking louder than I do at home. (You kinda have to talk a little louder when you have 23 kiddos - 15 of them being boys...yes, you read that right!) I told my kiddos yesterday that I have a "little baby girl growing in my tummy so we have to be gentle when we hug Mrs. Grounds." They have been so interested and asking lots of questions about how big she is (if she is bigger than them...ha ha), if she is kicking (and if they can feel her), what she looks like, etc...luckily NOTHING about how she got there...ha ha. If that happens, we decided to say that the stork put her in me. HA HA! Before I told my class about "my baby," a little girl came up to me and said, "My mommy told me that she thinks you have a baby in your tummy." I of course told her, "Your mommy is right...I do have a baby in my tummy." I later told the mother what her little girl had said and she said, "Oh good. I was hoping you did! I probably should not have said anything to her just in case you were not. Wow would that have been embarrassing!" So needless to say, I guess I actually finally do look pregnant instead of people thinking, "Is that girl fat or pregnant?". :)








At about this time the reality of having a baby is definitely setting in (maybe it's the fact that you can't see your toes)...ummm...luckily I CAN still see my toes...

Your baby isn't just sitting around (on your bladder) doing nothing, she's working hard preparing for life outside the womb—perfecting her lungs and packing on the pounds. She'll gain ½ pound this week alone. Other highlights this week:Things are starting to get a little crowded inside the old womb as baby grows bigger and bigger. The fetus does not have as much room in the uterus now as space gets tighter. Because of the increasing weight of your body you can experience backaches, bladder problems, and fatigue and sore feet along with nose bleeds in some cases. (I have had all of the above unfortunately...) The baby now has no place in the uterus to do somersaults and cartwheels as the baby is getting plumper and the tummy tighter. Your ribs are probably pining away for the good old days when they didn't have a foot permanently lodged between them. Hate to break it to you, but it's going to get worse before it gets better.Your baby's ears are fully functional now. And since they are, you may notice that loud noises and sudden movements can startle the little bugger. She's getting used to the everyday sounds inside the womb: the sound of your heart beating, your lungs inhaling and exhaling air, the growling of your stomach because your partner promised he'd be right back with that double cheeseburger and he's taking forever! He'll even be able to hear your voice when your partner finally arrives and you ask him where the bleep he's been! So talk nice!Baby's got a fully developed inner ear now. This means her sense of balance is working and she can tell whether she's hanging upside down or right side up. She can also feel you moving, so go ahead, pop in your favorite tunes and boogie.Your little Wiener schnitzel is about the length of a foot-long Chicago hot dog or ear of corn and weighs about 1 1/3 pounds.

Monday, August 17, 2009

23 Weeks Pregnant - Small Baby Doll







Well, I started back to work today (the kids arrive next Monday...can you believe I will be 6 months pregnant at that point???). As most of you know, I will be teaching Kindergarten this year. I am super excited because I am so blessed with such a great team. Two of us are 34 and two of us are 27 so we are all around the same age. 3 out of 4 of us went to University of North Texas at some point. (GO EAGLES!) It looks like I am going to have 22 kiddos this year (the state maximum allowed) so that will be fun!

I had my 22 week doctor appointment last Friday. Brianna is truly growing. My uterus is measuring right at an inch and a 1/2 above my belly button. I have now gained a total of 13 pounds which is "perfect" for this point...however, 6 pounds of those I gained in the last 4 weeks (which apparently is too much over 4 weeks). My doctor said my weight goal is to do only a pound a week...so we will see how that goes. She is weighing in at about a pound right now...crazy huh?

Here is the information for this week:

Your baby's got a while to go before her lungs will be ready for air and is practicing her "breathing" on the amniotic fluid—sucking it in and out of her lungs. Other highlights this week:Fat production is in overdrive at this point (for the baby, not you! Well, OK, maybe for the baby and you). Your baby will basically double in weight over the next four weeks! You'll be happy to know the same won't apply to you. Your Mini is starting to look more like a newborn as her skin becomes less see-through. Her body is looking more proportional now, although her head is still kinda big compared to her cute little body. Your baby is positively HUGE during pregnancy at 23 weeks, a whopping 1.1 pound (or almost at least!). That is quite an accomplishment for someone that used to weigh less than one ounce. Your baby at 23 weeks is now the size of a small baby doll you might purchase for a little girl. That's pretty impressive considering your baby could fit in the palm of your hand just a few short weeks ago. Your newborn baby is also about 11 inches long by pregnancy week 23! Your baby can often hear loud noises in the womb from now and as you continue your pregnancy week by week, so don't be surprised if your baby seems to move around a bit when you are vacuuming or in an environment where loud noises are quite common (she sure moved around a lot this morning during our team meeting with our principal...I guess she did not recognize the male's voice since it was not Daddy (Eric talks to her all the time now so that she will recognize his voice when she arrives) so she must have been quite curious who was talking a lot that was sitting next to me or within close ear range...ha ha). The bones located in your baby's middle ear are starting to form by pregnancy week 23 and your baby is continuing to fill out and look more and more proportional. If your baby were born this week there is a small chance your baby would survive, however it is best that your baby stay put for a number of weeks! Many women start to wonder what might happen if their baby is born prematurely. A baby born between 23 and 24 weeks would have a 10 to 70 percent chance of survival. It truly depends on a number of factors that have to be taken into consideration. Every day your baby stays in the womb increases their survival rate approximately 3 percent during weeks 23 and 26. Generally after 26 weeks the survival rate jumps to 80-90%.

Fact: You are carrying around several extra pounds of weight located not only in your belly but in your bra as well. Who's baring the brunt of all this poundage? Mr. Shoulders and Mr. Back. Don't suffer in silence. Get sweet relief:Even in early pregnancy, back pain can be a real bother, and when you get to the halfway point, forget about it! Try lying on a cool ice pack to relieve some of the strain. Some alternative approaches like acupuncture (ummmm....NO THANKS...needles and me do NOT mix!!!) and massage (ooooo...I could use one of those right about NOW!) can ease the pain. And if not, having someone rub you for an hour still feels pretty darn good (thank goodness Dad bought Eric and I the massage chair Christmas before last...we have gotten a lot of use out of it...especially me right now!). Your uterus is continuing to grow and expand at 23 weeks pregnant, and by now is about 1.5 inches above your bellybutton. You are probably feeling less and less graceful 23 weeks pregnant as your belly continues to expand. Your baby has lots of room to move in your uterus now, so her movements are probably quite strong at this point. You probably feel lots of flipping and flopping, and may even notice your stomach moving about!

Well, off to bed...super tired and it takes me FOREVER to fall asleep now because it's so hard to get comfortable. Until next week...

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

22 Weeks Pregnant - Baby Papaya

Picture I Painted for Brianna's Room


Angel Poem I Painted for Brianna's Room























Well, Brianna is now the size of a papaya and should be through week 24...so you won't see any name changes in my blog for a few weeks. :(

The baby is gaining weight during this period. At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash or a papaya) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. The baby resembles a newborn child at this stage, only difference is that it is much thinner as there isn’t much development of baby fat yet. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she'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 her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until she adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Baby's hair is now a short, bright white crop (Billy Idol, eat your heart out!). No matter what color it will end up—red, blonde, black—all babies' hair lacks pigment at this point. Inside her belly, her pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily. Your baby's senses are developing daily. The fetus now has a full complement of neurons in the brain and is learning about her body and surroundings through touch. Touch is one of the first senses to mature and your baby may stroke its face or feel her arms and legs.

By this time you might also start noticing that your belly button is starting to protrude (mine is not poking out yet, but it is not as much of an "innie" as it used to be, therefore, I would not be surprised if it pops soon). Most women's navel will protrude or pop out after about the 20th week of pregnancy. Don't worry, your belly button should return to normal after delivery.

Eric and I had a great weekend this past weekend! I went to my old roommate, Amanda's son's first birthday party. Then Eric and I went to Rob and Beth's baby shower (her little boy is due to arrive in October). We really had a good time with all of his old HS friends.

As most of you guys know, I am moving to kindergarten this year. I had a TON to do because obviously kindergarten is a lot different than 2nd grade. We had our team planning (for the first week of school) yesterday and then I went back to work on my classroom today. I am ALMOST ready. We start our Professional Development on Monday and then the children's first day is August 24th. I am really excited. If anything, kindergarten will prepare me even more for Brianna since they are so young when they first arrive! I was looking at my class list, and one of my children is actually turning 5 on August 22nd which means that he/she (I can't remember) will have JUST turned 5 when school starts. That should be interesting! Right now each of us (there are 4 on my team) are sitting at 16 children in our class. Registration starts up again on the 13th and goes through the first day of school so we will see how many we end up with each!

I have my next doctor appointment this Thursday the 13th so if there is anything interesting going on, I will update this blog then.

Until next week...

Monday, August 3, 2009

21 Weeks Pregnant - Baby Banana

Take a look at the difference 4 months and 1 week makes in the same outfit! This is the first picture we took about a week or two after we found out we were going to have a baby!



Wearing the maternity shirt Wynne got me that says, "I LOVE My Hubby."
My friend Meredith and I at her baby shower this past weekend. She is due to have a little girl on October 11, 2009 (Susan's birthday).
Meredith and I Again

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot or banana. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now. By pregnancy 21 weeks your baby's growth has now slowed somewhat though your baby is still growing and developing at a remarkable pace. At pregnancy week 21 your baby's organs and central nervous system are still developing and maturing. Your baby's skin continues to develop and mature as well. Though not fully matured or developed, your baby's digestive system is also working minimally at pregnancy 21 weeks. The intestines are slowly starting to contract and relax during pregnancy at 21 weeks, and your baby is able to swallow and absorb fluids through the amniotic fluid at 21 weeks pregnant. Though it seems unusual that your baby may swallow amniotic fluid, this actually helps mature the digestive system. At some point in your pregnancy, you might actually start noticing that your baby has started hiccupping. Believe it or not, hiccupping in utero is actually quite common, and typically not a sign that your baby is in distress. Fetal hiccups typically begin sometime during the second trimester. You may notice hiccups as a small, repetitive and rhythmic movement that occurs for a few minutes at a time in your belly. Many women actually enjoy the sensation of their baby's hiccups because it reminds them that all is well with their newborn baby. Some babies will hiccup more than others. Whereas one mom might only notice her baby hiccup on occasion, another might notice their baby hiccup more than 5 times a day. Your baby's blood circulation is completely functional. The umbilical cord system continues to grow and thicken as blood travels with considerable force through the body to nurture the baby. The placenta is now almost equal in size to the baby. You should be able to feel your uterus about a half of an inch above your navel. Your weight gain so far will be around 10 to 15 pounds.
This week was quite fun. Read my previous blog for details...Eric felt Brianna kick for the first time FINALLY!!! No one else has felt it yet so I am glad he was the first. :)
We had a CRAZY (but fun) weekend. Friday Eric got a 1/2 day (since his training finished early, they let them go home) which was nice. I spent all day doing laundry and getting the house ready. Friday night the painters came back to check on the nursery and realized that it was not good and needed to be re-done. We then went to dinner with some friends and stayed at their house pretty late talking (Heather and Roy) and helping them get ready for their shower. Saturday morning the painters came back to re-do the nursery (long story short, the original paint did not totally cover the Dr. Seus and it was showing through with the matte finish even though they used some super expensive primer...the lady had used permanent marker on the wall which pretty much ruined the wall). They finished and it looks 100% better! Then as soon as they finished I took a shower and walked over to Heather and Roy's house (our neighbors that we have been hanging out with a lot) and attended her baby shower (she is due in 5 weeks, but we all think he will be here in about 2 1/2). After that, I came home, finished laundry and then drove to Coppell for another baby shower for my HS friend. As soon as I got home (around 10pm) another neighbor (that is a college friend) text me to let me know that one of our mutual friends was in town and at their house. I had not seen her in forever so I went over there and talked pretty late. We woke up this morning, finished our registries at Target (www.target.com ) and Babies R Us (www.babiesrus.com) and then went to the Grounds' house for dinner. We got home a few hours ago and I worked on laundry agian...it's never ending. Fun but BUSY to say the least!