Hello Everyone!!!

Gosh I can't believe it's been almost 2 months since the last time I blogged. WOW!I really need to update my blog more often.

Things here are going great. I can't believe Johnny will be 10 weeks on Friday. I can't believe how fast time flies when you have a baby. My days are so occupied with him. I'm still at home on maternity leave and loving every minute of it. I never thought I would love to be a mom as much as I do. It's the best thing in the world.

Johnny has grown a lot. At his 1 month appointment, which he was only 3 weeks, he weighed 8lbs 8 oz. The pedi was very excited with those numbers. He just had his 2 month appointment and he weighs 12lb .5oz and is 23" long. I have to say he eats like a champ. He eats 6 oz of milk every 3 hours and at night before he goes to bed he eats a full 8 oz bottle. We don't have a schedule, he eats when he wants but it's always 3 hours. He basically sleeps and eats all day, just like a newborn. He will be awake for maybe 30 minutes after his bottle but than he will fall asleep and sleep until his next feeding.

He has totally out grown his 0-3 months clothes so he is now wearing 3-6 months. I have to say, it was pretty sad putting away all of his newborn and 0-3 months clothes. It's definitely a good sign that he's a growing boy.

He got his shots and I have to say he did pretty good. He was sleeping (of course) when the nurse came in and as soon as she stuck the needle in his thigh he started to cry and scream. My heart ached when I saw that, that I started to get tears in my eyes and basically I started to cry. I'm horrible when it comes to crying. After the shots, Johnny fell right back to sleep until his next feeding. At night he was a little cranky and was crying quite a bit. You can definitely tell he was in pain. John and I just tried to soothe him as much as we could. The next day he was back to normal.

He's finally starting to smile and it melts my heart. It's the cutest smile ever!
I can't want until he starts to laugh and giggle. It's so adorable.

Well I'll leave you with a few pictures of him!!!

Birth Story

Thursday, August 27
My induction begin on Thursday night, August 27. John and I checked into L&D at 8:00 pm that night. We were put into a room and checked in. The nurses started hooking me up to the NST monitor and to an IV and asked me a bunch of questions. At about 9:00 pm the OB on called came to see me. She did an internal and of course no progression on my part. My cervix was completely closed. She gave me a medicine that hopefully would get my cervix to begin dilating and make progression. The medicine was like a tampon that was placed on my cervix. That night I could barely sleep. Every 20 minutes nurses kept coming in to read the NST and my blood pressure was being taken every 20 minutes automatically. Every time I moved from side to side, the NST would lose the heartbeat and they had to come in to adjust it. So it was definitely a long night.

Friday, August 28.
At about 6:00 am one of the nurses took out my medicine because my OB would be in around 7ish to examine me.

At about 7:30 am my OB arrived and did an internal on me. At that point I was 1-1.5 cm dilated. I thought to myself, wow it's going to be a long day. I couldn't start on pitocin right away because I tested positive for the GBS so I had to be given penicillin first before the pitocin so the nurse started me on a bag of penicillin.

At about 9:00 am when I was done with the penicillin she started the pitocin on me. Every 30 minutes the pitocin dosage was gradually increasing but my pain was not. The nurses kept coming in to ask me my level of pain and I had no pain at all although I could feel the contractions coming.

At noon, my OB came back in to check me and I was still at 1-1.5 cm dilated. At that point he thought maybe he would break my water, but than he decided to give me another bag of penicillin. Again the contractions were coming but I was in no pain at all.

At about 1:30 pm the nurse asked me how I was feeling and I told her I was in no pain. They kept telling me, this is not good. So she increased the pitocin so that hopefully things would start progressing. Well that definitely helped because at 3:30 pm my water broke and I was put into a delivery room. That was when the contractions started coming on quick and strong.

At 4:30 pm the nurse examined me and I was 4 cm dilated. An hour later, I was checked again and I was 6 cm dilated but I could no longer take the pain of the contractions. I was getting a break between them but when they came they were strong. I had 4 cm left to go and from what I had read the last 3 cm are the most painful ones. The pain was getting stronger with each contraction that it was bring tears to my eyes. I wanted to try to go as long as I could without the epidural but at this point I was starting to think twice.

At 6:00 pm I asked the nurse that I wanted an epidural and about 30 minutes later the anesthesiologist arrived to give me the epidural. I knew that my progression could slow down but I wouldn't be in pain. And once the epidural started working I was in heaven. I could still feel the contractions coming but I had no pain which was nice.

At 7:30 pm my OB came in to check me again and at that point I was only 6 cm dilated. That's when I realized the epidural had definitely slowed down my progression. My OB told the nurse to increase the pitocin so that I could keep on progressing. John's mom and step-dad arrived shortly after and they hung out with us for awhile. At that point, I kept feeling a lot of pressure everytime a contraction was coming although it wasn't painful.

At about 9:10 pm the nurse said that my OB wanted her to examine me again to see where I was. At that time, I was 10 cm dilated and she said, I'm surprised this baby hasn't come out yet. She said your OB wants you to start pushing. John and I were in shock that in just a few hours I was fully dilated and ready to push. His parents went outside in the waiting room, John called my family to let them know I was going to start to push, and the nurse was getting the room ready. My OB arrived and around 9:20 pm I started pushing. I pushed for about 15-20 minutes and at 9:39 pm my little boy was born; 6 lbs 8 oz and 21.5" long. John cut the umbilical cord and shortly after he was placed on me. It was amazing when I saw him for the first time. I felt like my miracle baby was finally in my arms.

About 30 minutes later my family and John's family arrived to see Little Johnny and they hung out with us for awhile.

Because I delivered after 9 pm on Friday night, I had the option to stay an additional day at the hospital which I did. I was released on Monday, August 31.

It's now been 2 weeks since he's been born and things are going really well. I tried breastfeeding but had no luck with that, so I pump and bottle feed him. He's still getting my breast milk which I'm happy with. The nights are not bad at all. I thought they would be much worse. He gets up once or twice in the middle of the night and that's it. I still get a pretty good night sleep. John has been home with me since he was born so Monday will be our first day alone. The days go by really quick now because I'm always doing something, between feeding him, pumping, and doing laundry. But everyday John and I thank God for such a beautiful baby.

And here are a few pictures of him.

His going home outfit from the hospital


Sleeping on Daddy's chest


A few hours after he was born


Sleeping on Daddy's chest again


The new family of 3

Baby D has arrived!!!

John Patrick D III, was born last night, August 28 at 9:39 pm. He weighed 6 lbs 8 oz and is 21.5" long. He officially shares his birthday with his mommy. He was born yesterday on my 31st Birthday! Both him and I are doing good. I'll post some pictures and my birth story once we go home.

Induction has been scheduled!!!

Lately I feel like I've been riding on a roller coaster that just won't stop. Between all the NSTs that my little guy has failed, the high bp, the L&D trips, and all the b/w, I'm glad to say this is all coming to an end.

My OB last week had told me no more NSTs because the little guy has been failing every single one of them. So instead, I was going in for BPP u/s. Well this morning my little guy decides not to cooperate at the u/s and fails the u/s. This kid is not out yet and he's all ready driving me nuts. He was such in a deep sleep that he was not moving nor was he practicing his breathing. I must of been on the u/s machine for 40 minutes and nothing. Eventually he did move, a little, but at least enough to record. His breathing, he did not do and totally failed that part. The u/s tech called up my OB and guess what? He sends me for a NST at the hospital. Are you kidding me? After all the times he's failed that. So I drive to the hospital and go see the nurse. She was all ready waiting for me because my OB had called her to tell her I was on my way. I get on the machine and guess what? Not only did he pass the NST with flying colors, the nurse said that was one of the best NSTs she's ever seen. Do I understand this little boy? So after that I went to go see my OB.

He did another internal and no progress at all. He has no intentions of coming out anytime soon. My OB told me if he had failed the NST as well this morning, that he was going to send me to L&D to be induced today. So the plan is as following; repeat the BPP u/s tomorrow morning. If he fails that, I will be induced tomorrow. If he passes the u/s, I will be induced Friday (August 28 which is my birthday). Thursday night between 6:30 - 7:00 I will have to check myself in in L&D and Friday morning the induction will begin. Looks like my little boy will share his birthday with his mommy. Because my cervix has not made any progress I need to go in the night before so the nurses can start giving me medicine to see if things can progress. My OB said that with everything that has been happening lately and with my history of MTHFR, he doesn't want to wait any longer.

So before this weekend I will meet my little boy!!! I really need to start packing and make sure I have everything ready for the big arrival. I'll keep you all posted on how everything goes tomorrow and the rest of the week.

Single Digits!!!

We are in single digits now. 9 days left to go until my due date! I can't believe how close we are getting to meet our little boy.

I have a BPP u/s this morning and than I'm off to my OB for an appt.

Weeks 37 & 38

FULL TERM BABY!!! I can't not believe I am only 2 weeks away from my due date!!! WOW!! I know that any day now could be the day that I will finally meet my Baby D. Baby D is the size of a watermelon and I've been eating a ton of it lately.



Baby
Week 37 - Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Week 38 - Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)


Updates
NST - Last week my OB decided that he wanted me to go twice a week for NSTs now. Well that hasn't worked out too good because he's failed every single one of them except one. And that one that he didn't fail, the nurse kept pressing down on my belly and poking him around for him to move. It has been stressing me out quite a bit these NSTs, the fact that he's not passing them. I swear it's like he knows we are going for NSTs and he purposely won't move and just fall asleep. Just this week alone I've been sent for an AF u/s and a BPP u/s and he passes those with flying colors. So today after another failed NST my OB decided that he no longer wants me to have them done. Thank God! No more worrying about those so I just have a BPP u/s scheduled for next week and that's it.

Blood Pressure - Has been quite high lately that it's ended me in the L&D again. This week alone I have been to L&D twice, once for a failed NST, and the second for high bp. The nurses there are starting to know me. Today, Thank God it was normal. Whenever it's high my OB checks to see if it's pre-eclampsia and thank God it has not been that. I'm sure this warm weather has not been helping me at all. So needless to say my week has been pretty busy at the hospital. My had my appt with him on Tuesday and today I had another appt with him.

Internals - I have had 3 including todays and I have made NO progress what so ever. I have been getting more BH but I guess they are not strong enough to make any progress. We will see how I'm doing next week.

I all ready washed all of his clothes and have put them away in the drawers. I also installed the car seat base in my car this afternoon. I just have to get it check to see if it's installed correctly. This weekend I'm going to start packing my hospital bag. It's crazy to think that I'm due in 14 days. I have 3 weeks at most to meet Baby D because my OB said they let you go up to 41 weeks before they induce labor. I'm hoping he arrives sometime on or before his due date. I have a feeling he will be born right around his due date. It's a feeling I've had for awhile now and let's see if my intuition is right.

Weekly Survey
How far along? 38 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 42 lbs (I'm hoping I don't get to the 50 lb mark)

How much does baby weigh: I'm thinking about 7 lbs now

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Lately I have been getting up once to use the bathroom, but overall pretty good

Best moment this week: Knowing that after 2 failed NSTs he's doing good

Movement: Not as much as before because I'm sure he's running out of space

Food cravings: Watermelon

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: BH and NO progress

Belly Button in or out? In and I don't think it will pop out

What I miss: Being able to do things without my big belly being in the way

What I am looking forward to: Meeting my little boy!

Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy every moment of your pregnancy because it goes by so fast

Milestones: FULL TERM!!!

Week 36

I can't believe I've entered my 9th and last month of pregnancy.
36 weeks and 4 weeks left to go!

Baby
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.

Childbirth Class - So we had our class last Saturday and it was pretty good but long. We decided to go to the all day class instead of once a week for 5 weeks. They talked a little about everything, car seat, labor, complications, excersizing, breathing, etc. We also got a tour of L&D which was nice. So know we are all done with that.

Vacation - Was a lot of fun. We spent 3 days with John's family in CT and all we did was relax at the beach. All of his sibiling and step-sibilings joined us, so all together there were 14 of us. I did enjoy going to the beach and just relaxing. It definitely did help my swollen feet because they look so much better. The rest of the week John and I just took it easy at home. We did go another day to the beach and on Saturday he golfed 18 holes. I did go on the golf course with him, but I sat in the cart and watched him play.

Ultrasound & OB visit - So I had my appointments on Wednesday and I was so happy that John came with me. It was so cool to see Baby D again on the screen. He's head down and his head is really low now. I knew it must of been because I have been feeling some pressure in my pelvis lately. He now weighs 5 lbs 14oz although it could be off by 1 lb in each direction. I still think he will weigh in the low 7lb range, but who knows. We got 2 3D pictures of him and 2 2D of him. I'll have to load them up so you can see him. Than we went to go see my OB. When the nurse called me in to check my blood pressure and weight my blood pressure was pretty high. Lately it had been a little high but nothing like that day. I was put into a room and my OB came in really quick, did the Group B Strep test and an internal. As for the internal, no progress at all, cervix is completely shut tight. He than had me go into his office and was on the phone with L&D. He was very concerned about my blood pressure being that high because he though it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia.

After he told John and I what I was going to have done at L&D we made our way over there. I had a urine test, b/w, my bp was being taken every 15 minutes, and put on the NST machine for 2 hours. My bp came down right away and everything else came back normal. If there were any signs of pre-eclampsia he was going to wait until today and than possibly induce me this week. I'm dying to meet my little baby, but I don't want him to come this early. So after 2 hours I was sent home and was told to take it easy from now until the end.

So that's what I've been doing, relaxing and just taking it easy. I've been napping in the afternoons and just trying to not do anything at all.

I had a follow up visit with him this morning and although the bp was still a little high, he wasn't very concerned with it today. He did test me again for pre-eclampsia so hopefully I'll get the results next week when I see him. My GBS results were not even either so I still don't know if it's positive or negative. He did another internal and no progress again. He did feel the baby's head though so I know he's pretty low. He said that with a first pregnancy he didn't expect to see any progress at 36 weeks. So I see him again next week. From here until the end I now go for NSTs twice a week.

I've been getting a few cramps here and there. I think my uterus is preparing for the big day. They feel like very mild menstrual cramps. I mention the cramps to him and he said it's very normal to feel them now.

I'll have to post my 36 week belly shots later.


Weekly Survey

How far along? 36w4d

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 38 lbs

How much does baby weigh: 5 lbs 14 oz

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I toss and turn a lot but overall sleep is still good

Best moment this week: Seeing Baby D on the ultrasound machine

Movement: Oh yeah. Sometimes he's so active it looks like he's having a party

Food cravings: Fruit

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: Cramps and BH

Belly Button in or out? In and I don't think it will pop out

What I miss: A nice cold beer on a hot summer day

What I am looking forward to: Cooler weather

Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy every moment of your pregnancy because it goes by so fast

Milestones: Entering my 9th and last month of pregnancy

Week 35

I'm down to 35 weeks and 35 days left to go, woohoo!!!! I can't believe I'm getting so close to meet my little guy.

Baby
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.

Sciatic Nerve - The PT has really helped me a lot. I went from so much pain that I could hardly walk to having no pain at all. I'm SO glad my OB sent me there. I still feel a little sore on the days that I go there but for the most part I feel almost 100% cured. When I'm home, I continue to do my exercises as the teach me there so I can speed up this process.

Heartburn - It has officially hit me and it's not fun! It doesn't seem like certain foods make it worse, it just happens to appear every so often.

Swelling - BIG TIME!! My feet look like Fred Flintstone. Not only are the feet swollen, but my ankles, my calves, and my fingers. I can no longer where my engagement or wedding band. I notice that on days that the humidity is really high is the worse. Sometimes just walking down the stairs is a little uncomfortable from the feet being so swollen. I've talked to my OB about this and he said it's very normal and of course there is nothing I can do. Thank God it's summer and I wear flip flops all the time.

So this Saturday, John and I are going to our all day child birth class. I'm so excited. I want to see what they say and take a tour of L&D, although I've been there a few times all ready. It will be different just getting a tour and an explanation of all the equipment and stuff. Plus I'm hoping we get some good information.

We are also leaving on Vacation Sunday morning!!! This will the last time that I go away until Baby D arrives. From here on, I'm going to stay around the area in case something happens. It will be nice to go away to the beach and just relax. We are going on vacation with his family so it will be nice to hang out with them. There are 14 of us getting together so it should be fun!!!

On Wednesday morning I'm going for a growth u/s. I can't wait to see my little guy and see how big he is getting. Since John took the whole week off, he will be coming with me. He has only gone once, when we found out it was a boy, so I'm glad he will get to see how much bigger the baby is. After that, I having my appointment with my OB. John has never gone to any of my appointments, he has never met my OB, so I'm so glad he's coming with me. First, he will finally meet my OB, and second he will see how the appointments are and how the office is.

Belly Shots
35 Weeks


34 Weeks



Weekly Survey

How far along? 35 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 35 lbs

How much does baby weigh: 5 lbs (I'll know on Wed after the u/s)

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I toss and turn a lot but overall sleep is still good

Best moment this week: Feeling better from my sciatic nerve

Movement: Oh yeah. Sometimes he's so active it looks like he's having a party

Food cravings: Nothing in particular

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: I've been getting the occasional BH but that's it

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Not having my feet, ankles, calves, and fingers swollen

What I am looking forward to: Childbirth Class and VACATION

Weekly Wisdom: Don't have one

Milestones: 35 weeks and 35 days to go!!!!

Week 34

Week 34

Baby
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.

I had a very nice weekend. Saturday afternoon, John and I met up with his mom, sisters, aunt, and cousin and we all went to the beach. It was so nice to just sit and relax. Than we met up with them later that night for dinner. His aunt, cousin, and one sister had never been up our way since our wedding, so it was nice that they came and saw the house too. I'm glad that Baby D's room is getting somewhat ready because they were able to see the progress.

Sunday was my baby shower!!! It was so nice to see a lot of family and friends. I got so much stuff, especially clothes. This little boy is going to be dressed for a very long time. Now all I have to do is put away the clothes and separate them by size.

Last Thursday I had my first physical therapy session and boy did that help. That night was the first night I was able to toss and turn in bed without any pain. I'm going this evening for my second session and hopefully I'll feel even better. I'm hardly in pain anymore which is good. I guess my OB was right when he said that the therapy would definitely help me.


Weekly Survey

How far along? 34w5d

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 35 lbs

How much does baby weigh: Approx 4-5 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I'm tossing and turning a lot lately

Best moment this week: My baby shower

Movement: Yes

Food cravings: Nothing in particular

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Not feeling so hot all the time

What I am looking forward to: Vacation next week

Weekly Wisdom: Don't have one

Milestones: My baby shower because it just makes it feel I am that closer to meeting him

Week 33

Week 33 and Baby D is the size of a honeydew melon!



Baby
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.

Lately I have had the worse sciatic nerve pain ever. It started about 2 weeks ago and each day the pain has just gotten worse. Last Wednesday it was so bad I finally decided to call my OB and see what his opinion was. He recommended a few exercises and to take Tylenol if needed. He also said if I don't feel better by Friday to give him a call. So Friday I was not feeling any better so I called him back and he wants me to start physical therapy. My first therapy session is on Thursday. It hurts when I walk, when I move, when I toss and turn in bed, going down the steps is the worse.

I saw him this morning for my appointment and he said that the therapy will help me a lot. I sure hope so!!! Today has been a good day but tomorrow could be another bad day. I was not pleased at all with the scale. I have put on 35 lbs, yikes!!! 6 lbs in just 2 weeks.

I had a good NST this Monday, Baby D passed!!! I also talked to my OB about this and he said it's normal that they fail once in awhile. Lately he has been moving so much, I love it. I love feeling him kicking, poking my ribs, and doing his little moves.

His furniture came in and I'm slowly getting things ready. His bed is done, the curtains are up, and a few small things are in place. I'll post pictures soon!

Weekly Survey

How far along? 33 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 35 lbs

How much does baby weigh: Approx 4-5 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I'm tossing and turning a lot lately but overall I sleep pretty good. The sciatic nerve has been bothering me at night. I can still go all night without a bathroom break

Best moment this week: Feeling Baby D's movements stronger

Movement: Yes

Food cravings: Nothing in particular

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Alcohol

What I am looking forward to: Relief from my sciatic nerve

Weekly Wisdom: Don't have one

Milestones: Getting the furniture and starting to get his room ready!!!

Weeks 31 & 32 & Updates

Lately I have been really bad keeping up with my blog. I've been really busy with work and my whole family has arrived so I spend as much time as I can with them.

I had my 3rd growth u/s at the beginning of the month and Baby D looks great. The best news of that ultrasound, HE'S HEAD DOWN!!! YAY!!! While the u/s tech was doing the u/s, I asked her if the baby was still breech, and she said, no why was he? That was the best thing I heard. I'm SO excited that he's head down and ready to be born. He weighed 3 lbs 11 oz and looks so cute. My next growth u/s is on August 5 and I can't wait to see how much he weighs by than.

The swollen feet and ankles has begun but thank God it only lasted a few days. I kept my feet elevated the whole time and that seem to work. I showed my OB and he said that there is nothing I can really do. It's very common in pregnancy and he said, wait until August arrives. But it's been over a week now and the feet look much better. I've put on a total of 28 lbs in 32 weeks which I think is not to bad. They say at the end is when you put on the most so let's see what happens.

About a week ago I started getting a pain on my right butt cheek which expands out to my right hip. I'm not sure if this is a sciatic nerve pain but it hurts pretty badly. It hurts when I walk, it hurts when I turn in bed, it basically hurts any time I move. This will definitely be on my list of questions when I see my OB next week.

This is my last 2 week appointment. After next week, I start seeing him every week, yikes!!! I feel like I'm getting so close to the end. I think we begin internal at 35-36 weeks so even that is getting pretty close.

As you all know I go for my weekly NSTs and yesterday he failed his NST. He's been pretty quiet in the mornings lately and of course is more active at night like most babies. He moved about 4 times in the first 5 minutes of the test, but after that he didn't move at all. The nurse gave me a cup of apple juice to see if that would wake him up and nothing. She than started pressing my belly and moving it in different positions to see if that would do the trick, and again the baby would not wake up for anything. She even kept me on the machine for 40 minutes and still Baby D would not move. So she called my OB and off to an ultrasound I went. I'm not going to complain about the u/s because I love seeing him, so I get a little excited when they send me for an u/s. I had a BPP (Bio-Physical Profile) u/s yesterday. This is an u/s where they check his breathing, his movements, the amniotic fluid, and fetal tone. Well as soon as she began the u/s, he started moving right away. I had my favorite u/s tech and she said he passed with flying colors. What a relief!!! I got a few cute pictures of him. It's amazing to see how much he has grown. She confirmed again that he is still head down!!!

Tomorrow they are delivering his furniture and the work will begin!!! John and I did not paint his room because our house is all one color and I didn't want his room to be the only different one in the house. I'm picking up his bedding tomorrow morning and hopefully start putting things away. I'm going to start washing his clothes and put them in the draws and separate them by size. I have receive so many gifts that you can no longer walk in my dining room. Once everything is pretty much ready I'll take some pictures for you to see his room.

Week 30 (Updates)

30 weeks done and 10 more left to go, woohoo!!! WOW, 30 just seems unbelievable that I have made it this far.

Baby
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.)

Updates
I had an appointment with my OB last Thursday. 9 out of 10 times I always bring a list of questions to his appts. I always have so many questions that run through my mind and if I don't write them down, I know when I see him I would forget mostly everything. So the list is very important to me. I asked him if he still plans on inducing me and he said at this point no!! I was very excited because I would like to go on my own and wonder when will the baby be here. He said he could change his mind and he will see how I'm doing as I get closer but as of now there will be no induction scheduled for me. I also talked to him about the baby being breech. He said not to worry about it because until 36 weeks he can definitely flip head down. He said that if at 36 weeks the baby doesn't flip that we will be doing some things. It just seems that a lot of people that I talk to their babies flipped pretty early. Lately, a lot of people that have seen me seem to think that my belly is pretty small for how far along I am. So of course I talked to him about that and it turns out that my fundal height was 1 cm ahead. So I guess the outside size doesn't matter at all.

I also discussed with him about fetal movement. I have an anterior placenta and I feel like I still don't feel him all that much. He said that with an anterior placenta you normally don't feel strong kicks or movements until you get closer to the end. John has felt some kicks but overall I don't think you can really feel them from the outside. In just the past few days I have noticed that he's kicks are becoming stronger and I think I'm beginning to feel his arms as well. I feel kicks below my belly button but I have also begun to feel movements near my ribs.

I'm going for another growth u/s on Wednesday so let's see how he's doing. I'm very excited for my u/s on Wednesday. I just love to see him and see what he's doing inside. Hopefully we can get some good 3D/4D pictures this time. I would like to see his whole face instead of half.

I'm very excited for this weekend. My mom, grandmother, sister, BIL, and nephews are all arriving!!!! I can't wait to see them. I'm literally counting down the days.

Weekly Survey...

How far along? 30 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 26 lbs

How much does baby weigh: Approx 3 lbs but I'll know for sure on Wed

Maternity clothes? Yes and the shirts are so comfy

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I'm tossing and turning a lot lately but overall I sleep pretty good. I don't wake up to go to the bathroom but I have noticed that when I toss and turn the belly is starting to feel pretty heavy

Best moment this week: Finding out that Baby D's heart is going up 15 beats everytime he moves instead of 10 beats

Movement: Yes

Food cravings: Vanilla ice cream, I need to get one soon

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In but it's getting pretty stretched that it looks like it's going to close

What I miss: My family

What I am looking forward to: Seeing my family Sunday!!!!

Weekly Wisdom: I try not to drink to much fluids at night so I can sleep all night

Milestones: 30 weeks done and 10 more weeks to go!!!

I'm going to take some belly pics today and I'll post them this afternoon.

Here are my 30 Week Belly Shots!

Week 28 & 29

I've been slacking off big time with my posts. I totally missed weeks 28 & 29 and I'm almost 30 weeks all ready.

Baby D is the size of a squash this month.



Baby
Week 28
By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) 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.

Week 29
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.

I have to say I can't believe how fast the last few weeks have gone by. I can't believe I'll be 30 weeks tomorrow. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

So at week 28 I went to the hospital to get my Rhogam shot. This was the first time that afterwards I had a little bleeding. I think it's probably because I take baby aspirin everyday.

I'm still feeling great. There are days I feel a little tired but overall pretty good.

Weekly Survey

How far along? Today I'm 29w6d

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 23 lbs

How much does baby weigh: I'll find out next week at my growth u/s

Maternity clothes? Yes. I finally out grew from my pre-pregnancy shirts. The belly is just getting to big.

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Great

Best moment this week: Baby D is becoming more active now.

Movement: Yes. There are days that he is more active than others.

Food cravings: Vanilla ice cream

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: My cute summer clothes

What I am looking forward to: Weekend

Weekly Wisdom: I'm not too good with this category, I seem to never have one.

Milestones: He has passed his last two NSTs, yay!!!

Week 27 & 3rd Trimester!

Wow, 3rd trimester is here, unbelievable!!! What a milestone to accomplish knowing I'm at that home stretch of this pregnancy.

This week will be very quick since I'll be 28 weeks tomorrow. I at least wanted to throw in my 27th week baby & weekly survey.

Baby
This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) 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.

Weekly Survey
How far along? 27w6d

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 20 lbs

How much does baby weigh: A week ago he weighed 2 lbs 7 oz, I'm sure today he's put on a few more ounces

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Great

Best moment this week: Sending out all my baby shower invitations!!!

Movement: Yes. There are days that he is more active than others.

Food cravings: Vanilla ice cream

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: My cute summer clothes

What I am looking forward to: The weekend

Weekly Wisdom: I'm not too good with this category, I seem to never have one.

Milestones: Making it to the 3rd trimester, yay!!!!

Growth U/S Update

So I went for my growth u/s on Wednesday morning. When I got called in I was very happy to see that I was having my favorite u/s tech. So far during my whole pregnancy I have had 10 u/s all ready so you get to meet all of the techs. There is this one lady who I have not seen since my 1st tri who is a sweetheart so I was very happy when I saw here. She recognized me right away too and said she hadn't seen me in months.

So we begin the u/s and she always points the screen towards me so I can see the baby. Well I found out that as of now my sweet little boy is breech. I had a feeling he was because I feel his kicks below my button. She said not to worry about it because I'm still early enough where he can definitely turn into the birth position. So let's hope that this little guy from now until the end will decide to flip to where he's suppose to be because his mommy does not want a c-section. She measured his head circumference and his weight and he's at a 51% percentile. She said he's a very average size baby. He weighs 2 lbs and 7 oz.

So after all these good news she switched the machine to 3D/4D and that was so cool. Unfortunately the little guy was not cooperating at all and we did not get good pictures. The only one I got of him is the one posted below. You can clearly see his lips, nose, eyes, forehead, and his arm. She also told me that he all ready has a head full of hair. I thought that was very cute. I was born with a head full of hair and I think John was too so he's definitely taking after his parents.

I'll do my weekly posting tomorrow so that this post is not super long.

So my next growth u/s is on July 1 and I'm hoping I can get some better 3D pictures of him.

Glucose Test

I went in this morning for my glucose test and I passed!!! I was very surprised how quick they do it. I was expecting to have a vial of blood drawn from my arm, but to my surprise it was just a little prick on my finger. Than I thought maybe I had to wait a day or so for the result, well the result was given to me within seconds. So it was an easy quick progress.

I'm going in tomorrow morning for another growth u/s. I can't wait to see my little boy and see how he is doing. I always like to know his weight and how big he is measuring. So I'll update you all tomorrow on that. Hopefully I'll get some good pics of him too.

Week 26 & OB appt

Week 26

Baby
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.

Updates
This morning I had my monthly OB appt and everything went really well. I have officially hit the 20 lb mark, yikes!!! This is my total weight gain, 20 extra lbs. I put on 4 lbs in one month so I'm doing the average of 1 lb per week. The hb was great, although I'm getting so spoiled. I'm so use to hearing the hb for a good 30 minutes a week, that those 10 seconds at the OB is like nothing. He checked my uterus and it's getting pretty big. It's almost up to my boobs all ready. This was my last monthly appt. From here on, I start seeing him every 2 weeks, although my next appt is in 3 weeks because he'll be on vacation. I feel like I'm getting to the final stretch of this pregnancy. On Tuesday, I'm having my glucose test done. I all ready have my lemon-lime drink. Than in 2 weeks I have to go to the hospital to have my Rhogam shot. It just feels like time is just flying right by. I can't believe this is my last week in my 2nd trimester!!!

I've been feeling great as always but I've noticed some new changes. I've noticed that I can no longer bend down as easily as I use to. If I'm sitting on the couch, I need to get to the edge of it in order to stand up. I can no longer see my feet if I look straight down. Thank God the warm weather will be here soon because tying my shoes is starting to become a problem too. And the funny part is that my belly is just going to get bigger and bigger.

So I had an appt to meet pediatrician #2 today, but when I got there she was running an hour behind because one dr called in sick. So I decided to reschedule my appt for June 9. So hopefully I'll be able to meet her than.

Weekly Survey

How far along? 26 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 20 lbs

How much does baby weigh: About 2 lbs (I'll know for sure on Wednesday at my growth u/s)

Maternity clothes? Yes. My pre-pregnancy shirts are starting to become a little short now. I can definitely see that the belly is pulling them up. I'll be in maternity shirts very soon. I just noticed that in the belly pic this week, you can definitely see how stretchy that poor shirt is. I think it's definitely time to switch, although I have no long sleeve maternity shirts. Come on warm weather!

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I'm so thankful that I'm still sleeping all night without a bathroom break

Best moment this week: Seeing the delivery room

Movement: Yes. There are days that he is more active than others.

Food cravings: Burger King - Tender Crisp Chicken Sandwich and I did have one this week

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I have to say the warm weather again. This weather has been so crazy. We have a few couple of warm days and than it's back to high 50s low 60s. I wish it would stay warm and sunny

What I am looking forward to: My growth u/s on Wednesday!!!

Weekly Wisdom: I'm not too good with this category, I seem to never have one.

Milestones: Getting a good nst.

Here is my belly shot....

Double Digits!!!

That's right we are in double digits all ready, 99 days left to go!!! Woohoo!!! Technically I only have about 85-92 days left at most if my OB still plans to induce me like he does, but seeing 99 days left on my countdown looks awesome.

On Monday, John came with me to my NST. The hospital has this special room where all the NSTs are performed. So when we got their there was a note posted on the door saying that all NSTs were being performed in L&D. I immediately got excited because I just love going into L&D to see how it is inside. I have been there twice to get my Rhogam shot, but I've only been in a small little room. The maternity and L&D at the hospital are locked for security reasons, so I had to tell the nurse that I was there for a NST. She opened the doors and the nurse who always performs them recognizes me all ready. So she took us down the corridor and into a new wing of L&D which I had never seen. So we walked into this big room and she asked me if I wanted to sit on the bed or sit on the reclining chair. I told her I would sit on the chair. So I started looking around at the room and noticed that this must be one of the delivery room. I asked her if it was, and she said yes. So she was showing us all the equipment inside. It's a really nice room both John and I were really impressed with how nice the delivery rooms are there. There is a nice size bed, a reclining chair, a normal chair, a flat screen tv on the wall, a radio, a nice bathroom, it has large windows on one side. In general it's a very spacious room, like a big hotel room. Of course there is also the scale to weigh the baby as soon as he is born, the warmer, the NST machine, and other equipments as well. I just got so excited to think that in just 3 months I'll be in there, in one of those nice rooms delivering my little boy.

John was very happy to hear the little one's hb. It was the first time he had ever heard it. It was beating away in the 150 range. This time everything looked great with the little guy. His heart still had a little drop, but the nurse was not concerned at all with it. I really think it's because he's getting older now. Normally you start having NSTs at 28 weeks not at 22 weeks like me. So we got a good result. Let's just hope that from now on everything is going well with him.

Tomorrow is my last monthly appt with my OB. Starting tomorrow I see him every 2 weeks again. Tomorrow afternoon I'm also interviewing pediatrician #2. I have interviewed one pediatrician that I really liked, so let's see how this one is tomorrow. I have a feeling I will like both and than I won't know which one to choose. I'll keep you all posted!!!

Week 25

Week 25 and my little Baby D is the size of an eggplant. The eggplant is weeks 25-28.



Baby
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight a pound and a half isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Nothing new to report. This week I ordered my baby shower invitations which I'm super excited. I saw the proof and I couldn't be happier. They came out so good. I should get them in 2 weeks and than I'm going to be mailing them out. I still need to organize my registeries and make sure there isn't anything else I need to add.

On Wednesday John and I celebrate 9 years that we have been together. It's amazing to think that it's been 9 years. Time sure flies. We went out for a nice dinner.

Sleeping is still good. I did notice that my appetite has increased a little bit. I'm still trying hard to eat healthy but sometimes you just crave those bad things, and you go for them. I've been craving a good ice cream sundae lately. I think it's the nice warm weather that we have gotten that makes me want a nice cold ice cream.

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend and we have nothing planned which is nice. Monday I'm going for my NST and this time John is coming with me since we are both off from work. He's never heard the baby's hb so I think he will enjoy hearing it for a good 30 minutes. Those are going okay. I've had 2 of them done and both times his heart rate drops a little when he moves. This week I had an unexpected u/s to have my AF check. Thank God everything was okay. They think I'm a little too early to have NST done so that's why the heart rate drops, I'm not too worried about it. My OB wants me to have them done every week, so that is the plan. Every Monday I go for my NST. Let's see how his heart rate is on Monday. I hope everyone has a nice Memorial Day weekend!!!

As I said in the last post that we finally ordered the furniture. Well here is a picture of the crib. This crib will convert to a twin size bed which is what I had wanted all along. The rail is a drop down rail which is good to put him down and get him up.



And this shows a few pieces from the furniture set. We didn't get the armoire shown in the picture. We also got the 6 draw dresser which I'll use for the changing table and the hutch to be mounted on. The colors are exactly the same ones in the picture, espresso with a natural wood color. They say it's going to take about 10 weeks for it to come in, so that will be in August. Hopefully it comes in a little sooner.



Well it's time for the weekly survey.....

How far along? 25 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 16 lbs

How much does baby weigh: About 1 1/2 lb

Maternity clothes? Only bottoms still. I did use for the first time ever a maternity shirt this week. But all my shirts are still my pre-pregnancy ones

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: All night without a bathroom break.

Best moment this week: Warm weather!!!!

Movement: Yes

Food cravings: Ice cream sundae

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss:Drinking a Manhattan

What I am looking forward to: 3 day weekend

Weekly Wisdom: I'm not too good with this category, I seem to never have one.

Milestones: Getting to 25 weeks.


Here are my belly pics at 25 weeks...

Week 24, V-Day, & Updates

24 weeks and V-day!!! What a Milestone getting to this point!!!

Baby
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.

Updates
So on Wednesday I met one of the pediatricians that my OB recommended. I sat down with her for about 20 minutes or so and asked her a few questions. I really liked her a lot. The conversation went really well and a lot of my questions just flowed as we were talking. I liked that when he gets sick I can bring him in that same day to be seen by her. They always have nurses on call to answer any type of question you have. You could always ask to speak to her if you don't want to speak with the nurses. Overall I really liked her. I'm meeting the other pediatrician in 2 weeks and let's see how that goes. I think I might have a tough decision at the end.

We finally ordered the furniture!!! I'm SO excited because I kept going back and forth with a few different sets, but that's done. One less thing to worry about. I still have to order the bedding. My baby shower is booked for July 26 and I all ready ordered the invitations for that. Since my mom is in Europe I'm basically planning my baby shower with my Dad. I need to organize my registries and make sure I have everything I want and that I'm not missing anything. I want to send out invitations by early June, especially for John's family who have to travel from NY to MA. I want to give them time to plan for this. So this week was a pretty productive week.

I have another NST on Monday morning. Those are fun because I get to hear the hb for a good 20 minutes which is awesome. So I'm excited just for that.

Weekly Survey
How far along? 24 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 16 lbs

How much does baby weigh: A little over 1 lb 4 oz now, I'm hoping.

Maternity clothes? Only pants, I'm still getting way with my pre-pregnancy shirts

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: This week it's been tough. John has had a cold and he's keeping me up at night. Hopefully he will get better soon so I can sleep.

Best moment this week: Picking up the baby shower menu and ordering the furniture

Movement: Yes

Food cravings: This week nothing in particular

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I have to say the warm weather again. It's been a rainy April and May and I'm getting sick of this. I want nice warm sunny weather.

What I am looking forward to: NST on Monday to hear his h/b.

Weekly Wisdom: I don't have one this week.

Milestones: Meeting one pediatrician and V-day!!!


Here are my belly pictures...

Week 23

Baby
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.

Symptoms
I've been feeling him move a lot lately. No strong kicks yet, but definitely moving around. I notice that the moves are becoming stronger than before. I can't wait to feel those little kicks from him. I have to say I love being pregnant. I wasn't sure how I would feel about it before, but I can say I love it. I love the way I feel, I love to feel him all the time, it's been an amazing experience so far. We will see how the rest goes. My legs are so much better. No more aches at night thanks to that calcium. I'm still going to the gym at least 3 times a week and I think that has been helping me a lot. Lately I have been staying up until 10 at least and waking up at 6:30 am completely rested. I'm sleeping all night like a baby. Very rarely do I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. I try not to drink to much at night.

John has been away in Cleveland, Ohio on a business trip for the past few days so I'm SO excited to see him today. I surely missed him. The house is not the same without him. We are going out to dinner today and take it easy. This weekend is Mother's Day and it will be the first time that none of our mother's are around to celebrate. Both of our mother's are in Europe so we have no plans. My sister and MIL seem to think that I should celebrate Mother's Day this year, but I honestly don't think I'm a mom just yet. I feel that the day I become a mother is the day he is born. (As I'm typing this post, Baby D is just moving around). I guess everyone has different views on when your a mother.

So I called two pediatricians this week (two that my OB recommended) and I have an appointment with each to interview them. I'm excited to meet them and see what they are like. I have to start thinking of questions that I would like to ask. I have my first appointment on Wednesday and the other one is in 2 weeks. If anyone has any good questions I can ask please let me know.

I hope everyone has a great Mother's Day weekend!!!

Here is the weekly survey...

Weekly Survey
How far along? 23 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 16 lbs

How much does baby weigh: From the u/s on Wednesday, 1 lb 4 oz.

Maternity clothes? Only pants, I'm still getting way with my pre-pregnancy shirts

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Awesome, I sleep all night.

Best moment this week: Hearing my son's hb for a full 30 minutes at the NST and seeing him at the u/s moving around.

Movement: Yes and the moves are getting stronger, but no kicks

Food cravings: Ice cream

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Having a glass of wine with my meal

What I am looking forward to: John coming home tonight after 2 days

Weekly Wisdom: Don't drink to much before bed

Milestones: My 1st NST


Here are my belly pictures...

Fetal Non-Stress Test & U/S

On Monday morning I went to the hospital to have my first of many fetal non-stress test done. When I walked into the room, the nurse asked me how far along I was. When I told her I was 22 weeks, she looked at me with a strange face. She said, she typically does this test beginning at 28 weeks. I told her that my OB wanted me to have this done and she still looked a bit confused. I sat on the chair and she hooked me up to the machine and the test proceeded. Your typically hooked up to this machine for 20 minutes, and they check the baby's hb and fetal movement. She called my OB and he said he wanted me to have this test done but I would start going every week beginning at 24 weeks. It was so cool to sit there for a good 30 minutes and listen to my son's hb. I could of heard that sound forever. His heart was beating at 155 bpm. He likes to play hide and go seek. Once in awhile we would stop hearing his hb because he had move to another position. The test went great and I have next week off. My next test is on May 18 and than I start going every week until he's born.

I went for my growth u/s this morning and it was so cool seeing him on the screen. He weighs 1 lb 4 oz and is measuring right on track. We confirmed again that he is definitely a boy. I got a few pictures of him making bubbles. He all ready melts my heart and I haven't met him. Here is a picture of him and his bubbles.

Week 22 and OB appointment!!!

22 weeks and good-bye 5th month, hello 6th month. I can't believe I'm beginning my 6th month. The bump from now on doesn't have weekly fruit pictures, so this is the 5th month fruit.


BABY
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.

So for about a week now I've been tossing and turning a lot in bed because my legs get very achy at night. The aches actually wakes me up in the middle of the night. When I toss to the other side it helps but within an hour or so the aches are back. On Saturday morning I woke up with a charlie horse on my right calf. It was really painful. I went through my pregnancy books and read that leg cramps are pretty common but what I was feeling was not really cramps. At my OB's appointment on Wednesday morning I talked to him about this and he told me for me to start taking a calcium supplement everyday with my PNV. So ever since I have been taking the calcium and I all ready see a big improvement. I'm not waking up as much with aches anymore. I think this all has to do with me not eating enough diary products. I knew from the beginning pregnant women have to intake a lot more calcium and I knew that was my challenge. It's so hard for me to eat anything with calcium because I really don't like any diary products. Thank God for calcium supplements.

My appointment went extremely well on Wednesday. I put on a total of 16 lbs in 22 weeks. I couldn't believe that in one month I put on 7 lbs. Crazy!!! I guess your body is going to do what it wants to do. He gave me the names of two pediatricians that he recommends. I need to call them up and interview them. We also talked about childbirth classes and I'm all booked for that too. They start on July 22 and go for 5 weeks. I also signed up for a special breastfeeding class which is on July 8. I can't believe I'm all ready booked for my classes. I see my OB in 4 weeks and than after that I start seeing him every 2 weeks again. Next time I go I'll be doing my wonderful glucose test. From now until I deliver, I have an ultrasound done every month to see how the little guy is doing. I'm also starting my once a week trip to Labor & Delivery at the hospital. My first trip is on Monday. There, they will hook me up to fetal monitors to see how my little boy is doing. So that will be every week until he arrives. Other than that, it was another great appointment with my OB.

This weekend we are making our final selection on the furniture so we can order it. I know I say this often, but I really can't believe how fast time is flying. I feel like I still have so much to do, including the whole nursery.

So here is my weekly survey...

Weekly Survey
How far along? 22 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 16 lbs

How much does baby weigh: About 1 lb now

Maternity clothes? I'm still only wearing maternity pants. All of my pre-pregnancy shirts still fit me. I think sooner or later I will have to by maternity shirts, but for now I still enjoy wearing my pre-pregnancy ones.

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Lately the leg aches have kept me up but the calcium supplement seems to be working. The past two nights I've slept okay and not waking up with the aches in my legs

Best moment this week: Having a great OB appointment and booking my child birth classes

Movement:Yes I feel those butterfly flutters everyday now. No kicks yet though!!!

Food cravings: Cheetos.

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: No and hopefully not for a very long time

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I'm definitely missing the 80 degree weather we had last weekend. What a tease!!!

What I am looking forward to: Monday for my L&D trip and Wednesday another u/s

Weekly Wisdom: Eat as much calcium as you can to hopefully prevent the leg aches and the charlie horse.

Milestones: Booking my monthly u/s, weekly L&D trips, and child birth classes. It really makes it seem like the little boy will be here before I know it.

And here are my Week 22 belly shots. Not much of a difference from last week.

Week 21

Week 21 and Baby D is the size of a banana this week.



Baby
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. 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, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

My little boy seems to be growing pretty good. This is the week where they weigh about 12 ounces, well Baby D all ready weighed 12 ounces two weeks ago. I'm going to make this week a quicky since I'll be 22 weeks on Thursday.

I have my appointment with my OB tomorrow and I'm really excited. The only thing I hate about the visit is getting on the scale and see how much weigh I've put on. I have a list of questions to ask him tomorrow, things that have crossed my mind.

Here are my belly shots taken at 21 weeks. They were taken last Thursday.