"A Trip"

(This week's update on BabyCenter was really good, so I just copied and pasted most of it here. We never learned how to cite on a blog, so this is the best I could come up with!)

"The network of nerves in Sam's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both my voice and Josh's as we 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."

Each week we try to guess what the next produce comparison will be and last week when we were going from corn to rutabaga, I actually guessed English cucumber and Josh was like, "A what?" Turns out I wasn't kidding as much as I thought I was once we read this week's update...:)

Always the Helper

Paxton always likes to keep me company in our family room/yoga studio while I'm trying to be a good pregnant lady and do yoga to "make more room for my growing baby." Today he really wanted to be involved and made himself quite comfy on my blanket. He wasn't too sad about moving when I needed it.

On to the Next Phase

I was so excited when the girl taking my order at Panera asked me how many months I was! I wasn't sure I was quite "pregnant enough" for strangers to ask. She also guessed that I was having a boy and when I asked how she knew, she said her stomach looked just like mine when she had her son. I felt like I walked away with that "pregnant glow!"

That was a nice change from this weekend when we were at a BBQ and some girl sitting on a cooler of beer asked me if I needed her to move so I could get a beer. I pretty much just ignored her and got out the water I had been heading for. Josh informed me that even though I definitely look pregnant, I could have been giving birth in front of her and she wouldn't have caught on...(it was one of his co-workers)...

Sam's First Wedding

Josh's sister got married this past weekend in Richmond so we drove down for the day. I have to admit it was pretty fun getting dressed up knowing that people could tell that I was pregnant! YAY! I think my bump is almost big enough that people won't feel nervous assuming I'm pregnant. I don't think it will bother me when people ask me general questions about the due date, how I'm feeling, etc. But, I know it will bother me if random strangers try to touch my belly! I'll have to come up with a good come-back if people try that...

Week 25

I didn't quite know what a rutabaga looked like, so I couldn't come up with a witty name for this post! The point is that by the end of this week, Sam will measure about 13.5 inches long and weigh close to a pound and a half! Apparently, Sam is starting to fill out a little and his wrinkly skin is already starting to smooth out. I love looking at our most recent ultrasound pictures and trying to picture what he will look like when he comes out! Some of Josh's coworkers think that he will have a lot of hair due to a strategically placed shadow in the pictures...we shall see...

Popcorn Sam!

I have always been a fan of popcorn, but since I became pregnant I have become an even larger fan. I have even been known to eat a big bowl of popcorn for dinner...! By the end of this week (week 24), Sam will be almost a foot long, which is about as long as an ear of corn. He also should grow to weigh just over a pound! This week is full of technical development: Sam's taste buds continue to develop, his lungs are developing branches of the respiratory "tree", and cells that produce surfacant (the stuff that will help his lungs inflate once he's born) are developing. Sounds like he's doing what he's supposed to!

We are pretty excited because Josh gets to feel Sam kick almost nightly now :) Last night he kicked Josh in the head (he wanted to get an up close and personal sense of the kicking)! Hee hee!

The Big Day!

Well, we posted the pictures stating the news we got Friday, but I thought I'd take a step back and recap those doctors' appointments. We got great reports at both! The OB check-up was a bit useless since all they did was weigh me, take my BP, and listen to the heartbeat. All of those things happened at the ultrasound too...Oh well, we are doing what they tell us! The ultrasound appointment was at a separate place and our technician was SO nice! Our OB had been running REALLY late and I had to start drinking my 32 oz of water in the waiting room. By the time we were called in for our ultrasound, I was definitely feeling the effects of that! It paid off and totally impressed the tech! She took a few pictures and then let me go to the bathroom--that was really nice of her :) Then she checked out EVERYTHING and showed us everything as she looked at it. We saw so many cool things! The highlights probably were: seeing so clearly the two hemispheres of the brain, the spinal cord, ribs, little feet and hands, a nose, and the mouth opening and closing. We have tons of pictures we got to bring home along with a very cute envelope stating the gender!

Originally, we had hoped to save the envelope until we had a time to get together with family, but by the time we were able to find out, I was super anxious to register and to KNOW! We waited a few hours until later that night. Friends of ours just had a baby and we had her take the baby in the bedroom, check the envelope, and bring the baby out wrapped in the appropriate color clothing! It was SO cute! So, we are now proceeding with life and are SO excited Sam is a boy! The name is under wraps for now, but "Sam" is nowhere in it!

Yay Daddy!

On Sunday night, Josh officially felt Sam kick! I was so happy he finally felt it! I was definitely right that one night that I had felt Sam kick. His kicks have been getting steadily more frequent and stronger and I knew it was only a matter of time before Josh could feel it. I can't wait until we can see his little hands and legs moving across my belly :)

Holy Mango!

This blog is going to be so nice to write because it's the first one where I can just say "he" and be right! Woo hoo! That he/she thing really bugged me ;) Alrighty, by the end of this week (week 23, by the way) Sam will weigh about as much as a large mango (just over a pound)! He should grow to be more than 11 inches long too. Sam apparently has a well developed sense of movement now and can feel me dance! I was particularly intrigued to read that Sam is already getting used to some regular loud noises while he's inside me! Cool!

In other news, I found a great use for the crib before Sam occupies it: a drying rack for laundry! LOL!