Thursday, October 20, 2011

Late 24w Pregnancy Update!

How Far Along? 24w4d
Size of baby:
12 inches and +1lb

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 11 1/2 lbs
Maternity Clothes: Yes, all maternity bottoms, mostly maternity tops but still some non-maternity shirts fit
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Feeling him every day now, all throughout the day
What I miss: Having all the energy Im used to having- I wear out a bit more quickly
Sleep: Starting to have my sleep impacted for the first time!
Symptoms: Heartburn!!!! (seems that people think he will have a lot of hair!!!)
Stretch marks: None- slathering on belly lotion daily
What I am looking forward to: First baby shower next weekend, ssssooooo excited for that
Belly button (in or out): Still halfway out
Milestones: Hitting the 24 week viability point this past Sunday and the impending 3rd trimester- now been pregnant for ½ year! WOW!

Update:

People are really starting to notice how “pregnant” I am. There is certainly no way to disguise it at this point. My drs appt a week and a half ago was really uneventful. He listened for the heartbeat and I got my glucose test scheduled for my next appt on November 8th. After that next appointment I will start going to the dr every 2 weeks. I expect it will start going fast after that. I’ve started thinking a lot about what Gavin will look like. I’ve seen some baby pictures of Jason and if Gavin looks just like Jason then he will have a dark complexion, loads of curly hair and really long eyelashes. I told Jason that when I take Gavin out people are going to think I either stole him or am  his babysitter, because we will look nothing alike with my light hair and pale skin. Jason thinks that is very funny!

 Baby Ramey’s Progress

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.


Monday, October 17, 2011

I might be a genius!

The title might be a bit generous but I did come up with something tonight that Im really excited about. I love to cook but of course I dont like to wash dishes. And the one dish that I hate to clean the most are 9x13 casserole dishes. It seems that everything I make in these types of dishes make for the messiest to clean up. They seem to always have food that sticks to the dish and requires at least a few hours of soak time. I cant stand leaving the kitchen for the evening with dirty dishes around. Blame it on my Mom, but I compulsively clean as I cook. For most meals I go so far as to put the leftover food away and clean the remainder of the dishes before I sit down to eat; therefore having a dish that requires an overnight soak really annoys me! Several months ago I discovered these really cool crock pot liners. Its just a piece of plastic that you put in the crock pot before adding the ingredients. It makes for super easy clean-up and I was wishing for the same type of plastic liner for my casserole dishes but they dont make them. Well tonight I improvised. I took one of those crock pot liners, cut it on the seams and laid it flat in my baking dish. It worked beautifully. I made my baked chicken, put the leftovers away, pulled the liner out of the baking dish and Voila! No casserole dish clean-up required! I'll definitely be purchasing more crock pot liners for future use!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Toby and Brutis!

We all know those people that gush about how amazing their children are, all the while their kids are running around wreaking havoc on anything and everything they can get their hands on. I feel like I am THAT parent but not with a human child, but with our 2 furbabies- Toby and Brutis. To me, they are the cutest, loveable animals around. However, I get the sense that not everybody is as enamored with those two as we are. Toby kind of barks a lot and is pretty demanding when he thinks its “cookie” (treat) time. And Brutis, well Brutis is just lazy, but he also tends to want to sit right by you, or on you, whichever he prefers. That makes us, the humans, a bit uncomfortable considering he is every bit of 50lbs.

Jason begrudgingly let me get Toby several years ago when we lived in our apartment downtown. We got him in late fall/early winter so traipsing up and down the stairs of our apartment complex in the cold weather wasn’t very fun. He spent many months destroying everything in sight, including furniture, but I already loved him. For many months he was this little bundle of fur that tortured us with his antics. He hated to be caged up and we hadn’t had him a week when Jason started letting him sleep with us. He hasn’t slept anywhere else since. He didn’t even become fully potty-trained until after we got the doggie door a few years ago. Even now, he will still poop in the house if it rains. Heaven forbid the little prima donna get his feet wet but give him access to a mud puddle and he will be happily covered paw to ears in less than 10 seconds.



Brutis was adopted the year after we got Toby because Toby was so rambunctious we decided he really needed a playmate plus Jason decided he needed a “man” dog. He was tired of walking around with the little teacup yorkie. We were trying to choose between Brutis and his brother and the sales lady pointed out that Brutis was definitely the lazier of the two. We happily chose him and wow, that lady couldn’t have described him better. He is such a couch potato. In the morning he curls up in our sheets after we get out of bed, he jumps down to let me make the bed and then he is right back on top of the bed when it gets made. And Jason’s theory that he was getting a “man” dog quickly disintegrated when Brutis started peeing on himself every time someone new came in the front door, he got scared or anyone raised their voice at him.



I suppose I am that “parent”. I have the terrible dogs that everybody hates, but I still only see their loveable sides. They make our days more fun and they are ALWAYS happy to see us.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Wedding Anniversary!

Three years ago today Jason and I got married. We stood in front of our family and friends and pledged forever to each other. That day three years ago I married my best friend. I married the person that makes me laugh at the silliest things, at the most inoportune times and when Im so mad at him I can hardly see straight. I married the man that is a perfect example of the parent I hope to become. Three years ago I married the man that has proven that he will stand by me, in good times and bad.


The last three years have been full of laughs and some tears too, but through it all its all been made better because I get to share it all with him. I am so grateful to have you Jason and I look forward to many more years together!

Monday, October 10, 2011

23w Update plus the Weekend Wrap-up!


We had a busy weekend. We had the kiddo plus Jason had class Friday & Saturday night so I didn’t see much of him. Friday night Ally and I just ran some errands, got some Soup ‘R Salad and took her to the mall to spend some of her birthday money. Saturday morning we had to get up and hurry off to Ally’s volleyball game. Ally’s team’s height seems to have tripled in size over the summer and they took 2 out of the 3 games Saturday afternoon. I can happily report that they built a new Taco Casa right near where she lives so we had our lunch after the volleyball game there. Love that place. Saturday night Ally and I headed over to watch my nephews so that Jordan and Ashley could enjoy Ashley’s sister’s wedding. I love watching those two and I can’t wait for the time when Gavin gets to participate in their fun. We went to be late Saturday night because after we left the boys I had to stay up to finish watching the rain delayed Rangers game. Happily we came out with the win. Unfortunately the STL Cardinals got beat yesterday by Milwaukee so they have to win today! This is going to be a very, very long week for me at work. We have our BIG upgrade over the weekend. We have been working toward and planning for this event for about a year now so this week leading up to it is sure to be stressful. Then we will actually perform the upgrade and testing starting Friday night so there won’t be much of a weekend coming up for me. However, I will not complain- I will just be thrilled to have it successfully completed! Squeezed in with everything else going on this week is Jason and I’s wedding anniversary too. I can’t believe it’s been 3 years!!!!!

How Far Along? 23w1d
Size of baby:
12 1/2 inches and between 1 1/4 & 1 1/2lbs
in weight– the size of a large mango
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 10 lbs
Maternity Clothes: For the most part yes, all my jeans are maternity but Im still able to wear quite a few non-maternity tops
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Continue feeling him every day

What I miss: Being able to eat without getting heartburn!!!!
Sleep: Still feeling pretty lucky- am able to sleep fine

Symptoms: Heartburn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What I am looking forward to: Drs appt Tuesday, baby shower in 3 weeks!!!!
Weekly wisdom: Every pregnant person grows at different rates. I cant compare myself to anyone else.

Belly button (in or out): Still halfway out.
Milestones: Still anxious to get to the 24 week mark

Baby Ramey’s Progress

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.

Your Body This Week

You may notice that your ankles and feet start to swell a bit in the coming weeks or months, especially at the end of the day or during the heat of summer. Sluggish circulation in your legs — coupled with changes in your blood chemistry that may cause some water retention — may result in swelling, also known as
edema. Your body will get rid of the extra fluid after you have your baby, which is why you'll pee frequently and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery. In the meantime, lie on your left side or put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, and avoid sitting — or standing — in one place for long periods. Also, try to exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning) and roomy, comfortable shoes. You may be tempted to skimp on liquids to combat swelling, but you need to drink plenty of water because staying hydrated actually helps prevent fluid retention. While a certain amount of edema in your lower extremities is normal during pregnancy, excessive swelling may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Be sure to call your midwife or doctor if you have severe or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, swelling in your face, or puffiness around your eyes.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

22w (22w4d) Belly Picture!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Weekend wrap-up and 22w update!

We had such a great weekend! We got together with some friends that we hadn’t seen in a really long time, brought the kids along and headed to our favorite cabins in Glen Rose. It was so different and chaotic from previous trips, but still so much fun! Im so happy that we’ve found these cabins. It’s really a tradition, with and without the kids, that we can keep up for a long time to come. Friday night everybody got there sporadically and we all just spent the weekend catching up. The little kids danced and entertained us. Saturday some of us headed out and went to Fossil Rim Wildlife Park. It was so awesome. You drive through what is their natural habitat where they’re just roaming freely. We saw antelope, elk, deer, zebra, cheetahs, giraffes and others that I can’t pronounce. They were so domesticated and would walk right up to the vehicle and eat out of your hand. It was really awesome. Yesterday was spent catching up- cleaning house, washing clothes, grocery shopping, etc. I must have done a bit too much yesterday because I woke up today and am pretty sore. I want to start off the week on a happy note so I will leave out any commentary on either the Aggies OR the Cowboys. Go Rangers!

How Far Along? 22w1d
Size of baby:
11 inches and 1lb
– the length of a spaghetti squash
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 10 lbs
Maternity Clothes: Maternity Jeans, yes, but still wearing mostly non-maternity tops
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Feeling him every day now, even feeling it from the outside
What I miss: Nada, not a thing
Sleep: Sleeping pretty well
Symptoms: Heartburn has gotten much better since Dr. Seligman got me on prescription medication.  
What I am looking forward to: Drs appt next Tuesday, have some questions
Weekly wisdom: Every pregnant person grows at different rates. I cant compare myself to anyone else.
Belly button (in or out): Recently it has changed a bit, and its halfway out.
Milestones: Inching closer to the really important 24week mark.

Update:

I’ve started feeling Gavin moving around in there all the time. I love it! It’s such great reassurance. Over the last several weeks I have started to also develop the linea negra line. It’s getting darker everyday it seems. All momentum I had started to make on the nursery has come to a screeching halt. I think I’ll get re-engaged once the baby bedding gets here. That’s the plan. I really, really want to have all that wrapped up by Thanksgiving. We’ll see.

Baby Ramey’s Progress

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.

Your Body This Week

At this point, you may find your belly becoming a hand magnet. It's perfectly okay to tell folks who touch your tummy that you'd rather they didn't. And if people are telling you that you look smaller or bigger than you should at this point, remember that each woman grows — and shows — at her own rate. What's important is that you see your practitioner for regular visits so she can make sure your baby's growth is on track.