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.

Week 20 & Level 2 u/s Update

WOW - 20 Weeks and I'm half way done, WOOHOO!!!! Baby D is the size of a cantaloupe this week.



Baby
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).


Updates
I just want to give everyone a quick update of my level 2 u/s. I went in last Friday for it and everything is looking good with my little boy. I had a perinatologist come in to perform the u/s and he showed me his little heart and there is nothing abnormal with it. What a relief. The little boy is still measuring 5 days ahead. He has been measuring 5 days ahead ever since my NT scan at 12 weeks. At 19w1d he weighed 12 ounces, so a little more than the average for 19 weeks. He was moving non stop. He's such an active little boy. At one time he was facing me with one arm under his chin and the other one near his head, but quickly after he completely flipped and than had his butt towards me. So cute!!!

For Easter, John and I drove to NY to spend it with his family. We hadn't been to NY since Christmas so it was nice to be back there. We visited all of the new babies. John's cousin's wife had a baby girl in March which we met and we also visited his step-sister at the hospital that had given birth to a baby boy. It seemed like all weekend we talked a lot about babies and seeing them. We also got a cute little outfit from his aunt. John is a huge NY Mets fan, so Baby D got a NY Mets onesie, so adorable. Let's hope he becomes a Mets fan like his dad.

I think I'm beginning to feel the butterfly flutters. A few times throughout the day, especially when I finish eating, I feel something in my belly. I've never really felt it before, so I'm thinking it has to be him. Hopefully they will become stronger and more recognizable within the next few weeks.


How far along? 20 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: So far 9 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes but only pants. I still fit into all my pre-preg shirts and I actually bought a regular shirt the other day. I'll continue to wear regular shirts until I can no longer squeeze my belly in them.

Stretch marks? No.

Sleep: I've been sleeping like a baby lately. I go to bed and I only wake up when the alarm goes on. It's been a few days now that I don't get up to use the bathroom.

Best moment this week: To know that everything is okay with my little boy.

Movement: I think I'm beginning to feel the butterfly flutters.

Food cravings: Junk food. I don't give in to my craving because I know how bad it is for me and him, but gosh I feel like I could eat junk food everyday.

Gender: boy

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

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I really miss the warm nice weather. It's suppose to be high 60s tomorrow and I just wish it would stay like that

What I am looking forward to: A nice relaxing weekend

Weekly Wisdom: Drink as much water as you can everyday and have a glass of cranberry juice every day. We all know that UTIs are so common in pregnancy and I feel like the water and cranberry juice can definitely help.

Milestones: Week 20 and knowing I'm half way done, what a GREAT feeling!!!!

Here is my 20 week belly bump

Level II ultrasound

So the ultrasound has been schedule for Friday, April 10 at 9:00 am. It's at the same exact location where I have been going for all my ultrasounds. My OB's secretary mentioned that I would meet with a genetic counselor before the ultrasound. Has anyone heard of this? I asked her why, and she said the counselor will explain to me the whole ultrasound and what's going to be done. The word genetic just doesn't sound to assuring for me. She also told me that a doctor will be performing the ultrasound, so I'm assuming it must be a perinatologist. She did say that since it's a doctor, he/she will give me the results as soon as he/she is done. So that's good because I won't have to wait a few more days for the results. I'll know right away if there is something wrong with the little one. So now I can't wait for Friday to come to make sure the little guy is okay. There always seems to be something to worry about.

Week 18, Updates, & Pictures

I can't believe I'm all ready starting my 5th month of pregnancy. It's amazing how fast time is flying. This week my little boy is the size of a sweet potato.



Baby
Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Updates
So yesterday I got a phone call from my OB saying that I need a Level II ultrasound. The u/s tech did not take good pictures of the lips, nose, and heart. He said he wasn't concern with the lips and nose but he is concerned at seeing the heart. I guess the heart picture was not clear at all to where he said he couldn't see the ventricles and he really needs to see that. Sounds like it's just a bad photo job and nothing else. I'm hoping that is what it is and the little guy is doing okay. Everything else looks great he said. He was moving a lot on Monday that the tech kept saying she was not getting good measurements because he was never still. I should be getting a call from my OB's office either tomorrow or Monday with my appt for the Level II u/s.

There are days where I feel some aches around my pelvic area. My belly is not that big and all ready I'm feeling aches and pressure. I mentioned that to my OB and he said it's because I'm growing. They don't last very long, just a few minutes.

I've been looking on-line, BRU, and at Target for the bedding. I'm pretty sure I narrowed it down to the winner (see photo below). I've decided that I don't want any themes, no figures, no cars, no trucks, nothing like that at all in the nursery. I just want a plain and simple room. I like chocolate brown, blue, white, and beige and I'm going to design around those colors. I'm getting SO excited to go and shop for the little guy.



Your probably thinking if we have picked a name for the little guy. John is a junior, so he always said he would like to have the 3rd. But now that we know it's a boy we are having second thoughts about naming him the 3rd. I personally would like the little one to have his own name and not be the 3rd. John said if I don't want him to be the 3rd that he's okay with my decision. So now we are not sure what to name him. There are not many boy names that I like so looks like we have a lot of homework to do. John also wants to keep the name a surprise to the family until he's born.

If you look down below you will see the pictures from my u/s on Monday.

How far along? 18 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 9 lbs. I did not gain any weight in 3 weeks.

Maternity clothes? Yes but only jeans. I'm still wearing my pre-pregnancy shirts and sweaters.

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Lately I'm sleeping all through the night without any bathroom breaks. It feels really good to sleep all night. I know those days will be over when the little one arrives.

Best moment this week: To know we are having a little boy.

Movement: He's moving like crazy on the u/s but I can't feel a thing yet.

Food cravings: This week I really haven't had any cravings. I still enjoy granny smith apples.

Gender: boy

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

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Warm spring & summer days

What I am looking forward to: Shopping for the little guy

Weekly Wisdom: Don't think and act like you know the gender of a baby. My mom kept insisting that my baby was a girl and I think she got a little disappointed when she found out it was a boy.

Milestones: Entering the 5th month of pregnancy


Profile picture of our little boy


Another profile picture


Here is the proof that it's a little boy!!! Look at the arrow.


My week 18 belly shot. I'm starting to see that some jeans make my belly look bigger than others. These jeans definitey enlarge my belly quite a bit. I don't think it looks that big in other jeans.

Dr's Appt Update

I had another appt with my OB yesterday and it was one of the best appt's ever. Why? According to him, I finally graduated!! I only see him once a month now. I'm SO thankful that everything is going SO good with this pregnancy. At first, it was scary not knowing what would happen, especially that I was considered a high-risk pregnancy. And now after all these weeks to know that I can relax a bit and only see him once a month is a HUGE accomplishment for me.

We heard Baby D's heart again. This little boy is all over the place. He was never still at the u/s on Monday and yesterday he was not still at all. In 3 weeks I did not gain a pound, yay!!!! So in 18 weeks of pregnancy I have put on 9 lbs. He did say, don't be surprised if one month from now your weight has gone up a bit. I'm still trying to eat healthy and exercise as much as I can.

We talked a little about childbirth classes but he said for me to call when I'm 24 weeks. I will have a few more ultrasounds done to see how the little boy is doing. I asked him about the baby's weight at birth and what influences does that have. He said a lot has to do with the parents weigh at birth, particularly the father's. That's a little scary because John was almost 10 lbs at birth. Hopefully our little boy will not be like his dad at all.

I started looking at a few things to register. There is an overwhelming amount of choices to make and what to register for and what not to. I feel like you need to take a course on Baby essentials. I plan on doing a lot of research to see what gets good reviews and what doesn't. I'm also getting ideas on the nursery. I can't wait to really start decorating and getting everything ready for our little one to arrive.