28 Weeks

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.

Back in the office today. Main roads are fine! Rob is coming home today AND our dresser is available for pick-up. Score! The last two days at home alone made me realize a few things:

1. If I had no husband I would have a very neat house.

2. If I had no husband I would be very sad.

3. Dogs must have some code of conduct by which they must abide stating "though shalt follow thy master from room to room." Yesterday I caught him giving me the side-eye more than a few times and I'm prety sure he was thinking "will you please leave? I would like to continue my days of immobility."

Last ice picture. From yesterday morning. I call this one "Dingo at Sunrise."

Scenes from the Ice

Stayed in to work from home today. I am not cut out for this. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I didn't have to get out and about on the ice, but holy hell is this boring! Yes, I worked, but work was-not surprisingly-slow. I'm sure there were few people in the office today. So what does one do when iced in, with their husband out of town, in between working, you ask?
Let's see:
Laundry
Organize spice rack
Clean out bathroom linen closet
Throw away old magazines
Organize kitchen pantry
Talk to dog
Fill salt shakers
Empty lint trap
Organize bath and body products
Throw out 3 month old ice cream, year old veggie burger, and broken jar of chicken stock in freezer

Who knows what tomorrow will bring! I'll be working from home again as my car is stuck in "tire spin" mode. Apparently I have the only 2 wheel drive Jeep Cherokee ever made.

Stay warm!

A few pics:

27 Weeks

How your baby's growing:

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.

Possibilities

A couple possibilites:

Babymel Amanda

From the makers of Storksak, made famous by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, comes a new line of chic diaper bags. Babymel Ltd was established in London in 2006 with the aim of providing funky and functional products for parents.

Granted this bag from Baby Mel doesn't meet all the qualifications (but what does besides the Kate Spade baby bag....sniff...moving on). It kind of looks like a diaper bag (the bottle sticking out of the pocket really gives it away) but I like the shape and size and the price is not bad at around $88.


Patent Canvas Diaper Bag-Pottery Barn

We’ve combined beautiful patent leather and canvas with contemporary handbag shapes to create superstylish and useful diaper bags that are up-to-the-minute fashionable. This diaper bag looks like a handbag and has lots of room inside to contain the things you need for being out with your baby.
I would get this in black. It is plain. It would work. $40. Yawn.

The Perfect Diaper Bag...

is as elusive to me as a mythical unicorn. I didn't realize what I was up against here in trying to find the "perfect" diaper bag. I am convinced that it simply doesn't exist. Sure, there are some great diaper bags out there...but the ones I like are way more than I want to spend. Said bag must meet the qualifications listed below:

1. First and foremost, must be cute. And not cute as in awwww, cute as in I would carry this bag if I didn't have a baby in tow. And please don't bother telling me it doesn't matter what it looks like. I won't listen.

2. Must be functional and practical.

3. Must be neither too big nor too small.

4. Must not look like a diaper bag, meaning it must have the outward appearance of a "normal" bag, but must contain all the pockets, divisions, and compartments of a diaper bag.

5. Must not cost and arm and a leg (this is the kicker) i.e. no more than $100.

Now, I have found several bags that fit all the requirements except #5.

Exhibit A:

Kate Spade 'lenox hill - noel sky' baby bag

Hello. #1-check. #2, #3, #4-check. #5-$495??!!? Damn. Moving on...

Exhibit B:Mia Bossi - Maria Diaper Bag in Black Bean

Pretty cute, seems to fit all the other requirements...but $390!

Exhibit C:

DwellStudio Chocolate Dots Diaper Bag

Eh, pretty cute but not $160 cute.

See what I'm up against here!? Anyone know where I can find this mythical, magical bag??

Yay! The final piece of furniture for the baby room has been ordered. I had my eye on this dresser on Walmart.com, then it went out of stock. This morning I saw it was back in stock, and Rob's mom ordered it right away. Thank you Bob and Terri! I think this will be a lovely addition to the room that will hopefully stay with her a few years down the road. We'll also be using it as a changing table as pictured.

26 Weeks

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.



This is my last week in the 2nd trimester. Next Friday I will be bidding it adieu and moving into the 3rd and final tri. I am still feeling fine. Frequent back discomfort, increasing difficulty in tying shoes and crossing legs. Oh, and according to Rob I sigh a lot. I have no idea what he's talking about. Received the bedding in the mail yesterday. Looks nice but I haven't taken it out of the package. The glider is set to arrive next week sometime. Woo hoo!

99 Days

to go (give or take of course)! Baby Thomas is still a girl, weighing approximately 1 lb 10 oz! There were lots of cute shots of her little feet and her profile, but the tech was not very generous with the prints so this is the one we got.

Stuff

My mom generously wanted to contribute the to baby room, so I have ordered the crib bedding and glider. Can't wait to get everything in and start putting it together! If baby is a boy...well, I hope he likes pink and brown!

Dwell Studio for Target-Olivia

Storkcraft - Bowback Glider Rocker and Ottoman, Espresso Finish

25 Weeks and It's a...

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.

It's a...













Girl

Doctor had a couple pretty good shots when the baby wasn't crossing it's legs, and there is an absence of penis or scrotum which should be discernible at this point, so...This is kind of what we were thinking since the ultrasound technician was also unable to find any boy parts at 17.5 weeks. I go back to the ultrasound tech next week so hopefully there will be a confirmation at that appointment. We are thrilled to know at this point-but I'll still be keeping those receipts just in case!
Aside from going to the hospital for another ultrasound next week, my next regular appointment with the doctor is February 6th. After that, appointments move to every 2 weeks, then once a week for the last 4 weeks.

24.5

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.

In Texas-24 weeks

Doctor appointment on Friday!! I shouldn't even say it this time, but maybe...maybe this stubborn baby will cooperate this time. Nah, probably not. I'll update on Friday!