Wednesday, March 31, 2010

# 2, week 14

Fourteen weeks...hopefully I'll be over this sickness soon. I had a pretty good weekend, pregnancy wise...Saturday I felt ok, even went sans sea-bands. Sunday wasn't too bad either, sans sea-bands again...oh, but Monday more than made up for it! I know I have said this before, but this is probably the sickest I've been this pregnancy. When I get sick, it normally just sounds like I'm coughing so it's not that gross if you happen to overhear, which is good for Jeff (and Jacob has no idea what is really going on). This time, I almost made Jeff sick too. Probably too much information, but it's my blog and I can write whatever I want...if you don't like it, you don't have to read it (so there!).




How your baby's growing:
This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

# 2, week 13

Week 13...1/3 of the way! I got a little excited when I thought about that this morning, then I realized I had 26 weeks to go (since my doctor is inducing the week before I'm due) and 26 weeks is half of a year, so I wasn't so excited. Today has been pretty rotten as far as sickness goes. I think I spent most of the morning throwing up in the handicapped stall at work. Fun times!





How your baby's growing:
Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Love, love, love...

You're supposed to read that to the tune of "All You Need Is Love" by the Beatles. It's one of my favorite songs, especially the way it is done in the movie, "Love Actually." Whenever Jacob or baby # 2 gets married (and I'm heavily medicated) I want to do that at their wedding. I think it would be awesome.

Why the "love, love, love" post...every time I think that I cannot possible love my son more than I do at that moment, he does something wonderful and my love grows. It can be as simple as a smile, or doing what I ask him to the first time. I think what prompted me to post this is during the blessing the other night, he paused and gave me a kiss on the arm and then continued to ask God to bless our food. I might as well have melted into a puddle right then. Plus, there's always the unsolicited, "I love you so much" that he says on occasion...or the sincere "Mommy, thank you so, so, so much for taking me to school today." He has such a sweet disposition and I'm so blessed to call him my son. As Kailan says, he "makes my heart happy!"

Monday, March 22, 2010

# 2, week 12

The week 12 post is a little over due...you'll understand why if you keep reading. Last week, I had the good fortune of being off for spring break. As far as spring break's go, it was probably right up there for one of the most boring & dull, but more me, it was much needed rest...at least starting Wednesday!

Sunday afternoon, I experienced severe abdominal cramping that lasted for an extended period of time. It worried me enough to call my OB-GYN's office. I reached the answering service and they took my information and had the on-call doctor call me back. Since I have had a miscarriage before we were blessed with Jacob, the on-call doctor told me to go to the emergency room and get "checked-out." After being there four and a half hours, blood-work and a urinalysis, it was determined that I had a very bad urinary tract infection. I was dismissed to leave.

The next day, I got my prescription filled and my doctor's office called to check on me (how nice of them!) I told them I had not experienced any more pain and they were going to request the records from the ER. A little bit later they called again...since the ER doctor didn't do an ultrasound, they wanted me to come in that day or the next to have one day. This made me worry...

Tuesday, I went to Brookwood for an ultrasound and to see another doctor since my doctor was on vacation for the week. Everything looked great on the ultrasound and she said she didn't see anything to be concerned about. Jacob got to "see" the baby and hear the heartbeat. He said, "I want to hear the "mohn, mohn, mohn" again. (I don't really know how to spell the way he described the heart beat.)

With that said, here's the week 12 update:

How your baby's growing:

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

Friday, March 12, 2010

# 2, week 11

I'm a few days late posting the 11 week update. I'm not sure what is going on, but I think I'm definitely having some kind of hormone surge this week. Monday (3/8) was the worst day I've had until this morning (3/12). I guess that means that baby is growing and all is normal, but I sure do feel rotten!

From babycenter.com

How your baby's growing:

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

# 2, week 10

Things are moving right along. I don't feel good but I don't feel as bad as when I was pregnant with Jacob, which gives me hope! Some days have been worse than others but knowing how bad it could be, I'm thankful it's only as bad as it is.

from babycenter.com




How your baby's growing:
Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.