My Heirloom

We are in our 18th week now and getting bigger every day. Our sweet little thing is 6 inches long and weighs 6.7 ounces, about the size of a large heirloom tomato. This week the baby is working on hearing. Many of the bones are starting to harden and one of the important ones is in the inner ear. This is why the baby may react to the sound of my belly growling, or my heart beat. I notice when I do feel a flutter, I am always asleep and wake up just as it is passing. I look forward to when it will be constant...I am sure I will eat my words later.

I leave for Italy in less than 48 hours for a 16 day adventure with this little bundle joining me the whole time. I am very excited and a little nervous at the same time, however my OB assures me it is ok. I am really looking forward to getting out and walking and enjoying some good food and fresh air. I think it will help pass some time.....Can't believe we will have our 20 week appointment the day after I get back....I wanna see this little thing so bad!

Belly flutters.....

Well after waiting and waiting, I finally felt it! The flutters!!!! I was asleep on the couch Tuesday night

 (March 8th ) and I woke up out of my sleep with the feeling of a butterfly in my belly. It was just below my belly button to the left and it was a feeling I have never had before...it was so strange and amazing at the same time. So I went upstairs and laid down hoping I would feel it again....to my disappointment, nothing. From what I have read and been told, it comes and goes...they will become more frequent in the next few weeks.

Our Little Sweet Potata

Today marks the beginning of the 17th week. I had a OB appointment last Friday, March 4th, for my 16 week or 4 month check up. Everything is great! The baby continues to have a strong heart beat. I haven't really gained any weight...I seem to lose then gain, lose then gain etc....The Dr. says that is just fine, since my belly is already getting big :o)

The baby is about 5.3 inches long and weighs about 5.9 ounces....about the size of a sweet potato...I like the pick of food this week :o) This week the baby is working of simple reflexes like swallowing, sucking and blinking. The baby may even have hiccups at this point...seems so strange to me....

The baby is starting to develop fat, which will help prepare the baby for the temperature change when he/she is born.

My left hip is still giving me problems, the Dr. said it is normal and there isn't much we can do about it...boo!

Jeff's Mom and I are leaving for Italy in 9 days! The Dr. suggested that I take a baby aspirin before each flight, drink plenty of water and get up and walk around the plane as much as I can. This should help me avoid any chances of blood clots during such a long flight.

We have our 20 week or half way point, appointment the day after we get back from Italy, April 1st. Jeff is still holding out on finding out what we are having....not sure if he will change his mind at the Dr.'s office or not....we shall see.

Im popping in the 16th week

Today starts our 16th week! The baby is about 4.6 inches long and weighs 3.5 ounces....he/she is about the length of an avocado...and my belly is quickly becoming the shape of one!

This week the baby's limbs are more developed, legs and arms are longer and becoming more controlled in movement. The baby's skeletal system is developing more as calcium is deposited onto the bones. Over the next few weeks the baby's weight will double.

My belly really popped this last week. The skin is starting to itch from the stretching but lotion has helped. So far I haven't felt any fluttering yet....they say by week 20 I should start to feel some kicking.

The morning sickness seems to be gone 100% and I can brush my teeth without problems...yay me! My back tends to get achy and I get short of breath at times. It is hard to believe that I have 50% more blood in my body. My hips have been hurting from them rotating outward, by my lovely chiropractor has been helping me with this. Sleeping is getting better, which was much needed.

I have a OB appointment this Friday, we get to hear the heart beat again....very excited about that!

Sweet Little Thang

We are entering the 15th week now and my belly is starting to really pooch out. This sweet little baby is a little over 4 inches long and weighs 2.5 ounces, or about the size of a Navel orange. The baby is growing hair on the head and if we have a dark hair child, is growing the follicles that will make the pigment for the hair color. Oddly enough, the baby is covered in a very fine hair which helps protect against exposure to the amniotic fluid.

The baby's skin is almost translucent  and you if you could see the baby you would be able to see small blood vessels forming underneath the skin. Some babies even suck their thumb around this time.....I am praying for a non thumb sucker...gross!

As for me, the morning sickness hasn't appeared in a few days, which has been a nice break. Brushing my teeth is getting a little better too. The stuffy and bloody nose has come back and from reading, I found this is normal during this stage. My body is again producing more blood for the baby which causes my mucous membranes to swell causing stuffy nose and nosebleeds....glad to know it isn't another sinus infection!

When life gives you a Lemon....

Today we start the 14th week of our pregnancy. The baby is 3.4 inches long and weighs about 1.5 ounces, about the size of a large yummy lemon.

This week the baby's well defined face can make expression like a squint or frown. He or she may also start growing some hair on the head and eyebrows. If we are having a girl, her eggs are already developed inside of her ovaries. If we are having a boy, his prostate glad is developing.

They say that the morning sickness should be moving on, but it isn't. I have had a hard time in the early mornings...I guess this is the baby's way of saying, "Hey, how are ya?". My belly is starting to move up under my belly button and becoming a little more pronounced.

I picked out fabric for the baby's bedding, it is black & white....I really like it. I can't wait to start on it...I think it will help me get thru the next month.

I Promise

Dear Baby,
I was lying in bed last night thinking about you. I was thinking about how messed up our world has become and how scared I am to bring you into it. There is so much hatred between man…it seems like our world is falling apart. I am sure my parents had the same thoughts as they were bringing me into this place. I guess every generation has seen war, poverty, destruction, violence…

So I thought to myself, I will make a promise now, that I will do my best to make your life the most positive experience. To make sure you never have to experience pain with it is not necessary. I promise to love you unconditionally, no matter what you do in your life, I will always always always love you. I promise to raise you to become the best person you can be, to love yourself for who you are. I promise to educate you on the choices of right and wrong, to instill morals and values to live by and treat people by. I promise to tell you every day for as long as I live, that I loved and wanted you before you were ever born. I promise to give you everything you need to succeed in life and to aid you in your path in life, whatever that might be. I promise to shelter you from others hurtful words and harmful ways that best that I can. I promise to teach you to become a strong and independent person. I promise to teach you to see the best in others, even when it seems impossible. I promise to teach you to never take anything for granted, for life is short and you never know when it might be taken away. I promise to teach you to love your family and friends unconditionally, to always be there with an open mind and never to quick to judge. I promise to teach you how to find your match in life, to find someone who will love you just as much as me. I promise to see you live the life that both your Dad and I along with God want for you. I promise to teach you that living isn’t about what we have, it is about who we have with us thru the journey of it all. I promise to teach you to surround yourself with different types of people, so that you may know diversity and love different types of people.

There are so many things that I promise you….and in just a few short months I will get to begin teaching you these things. I can’t yet feel you, but I know you are there. I love you baby…more than I will ever begin to explain to you.

Love,
Mommy