24 Weeks

2 mangoes

Comparisons this week:
2 mangoes
1 ear of corn
1 grapefruit

Your baby is about 11 and a half inches long and weighs one and a half pounds, gaining steadily at a rate of six ounces per week. Much of that weight comes from accumulating baby fat, as well as from growing organs, bones, and muscle. Those little ears of hers are getting sharper and can hear very loud sounds, from a yapping dog to a jackhammer. Also by now, that fabulous face is almost fully formed, complete with eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair. Is your baby a brunette, a blonde, or a redhead? Actually, right now her locks are white since there's no pigment yet.


At week 24, baby’s progress isn’t just about internal stuff, it’s about his looks too. With pinker, more opaque skin, he’s looking more and more, well, like a baby. You, on the other hand, are probably experiencing some of the discomforts of the later months of pregnancy at week 24 -- leg cramps, backaches, swollen feet. 

I am doing well this week! No complaints.

Avery was happy to help with the pictures this morning.  This weekend she hugged me and said "I can't wait to see my baby brother." It's times like that that I think she really does get it! But then when she tells the cashier at TJ Maxx that she's having a sister I wonder.

Congrats to the Brown family who welcomed baby Kloe into the world this morning!

Bedding & Room Decor

I've been thinking about what colors I want in the baby's room since we found out we were having a boy.  I knew I didn't want a "theme" in his room.  I'm not into cutesy/babyish prints either so finding something I really like has been a little difficult.  I found a few things I loved that were super expensive (champagne taste, beer budget and all that).  I don't want to spend all that much money, even though I think he will get quite a bit of use out of it.  Avery is still using her original bedding (sheets and crib skirt anyway) nearly three years later as she's still in the crib, converted to a toddler bed.

I've kicked around having the main colors be gray and yellow, but questioned whether that was too girly.  I also like gray and green, which seems a bit more boy-ish.  Recently I found this bedding (online) that I think will work well with what I have in mind.

Skip Hop Mod Dot

I will be able to highlight the gray, yellow, and green in other aspects of the room.  I already have gray curtains.  I feel like this will grow with him for the next few years.

They have this at Target, Buy Buy Baby, and I even found the set (new) on Ebay for $140 so I think it's doable.

They also have this set, which is pared down (no bumper) BUT I don't want a brown crib skirt. Which is unfortunate, because I really prefer the price of this one ($120).  The alternative is to buy the sheet separately and have to find a solid crib skirt in either gray or green.  I could definitely do without the bumper and even the blanket.

http://www.skiphop.com/product/completesheet_moddot.html

Some other inspiration:


Prints

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/61838230/subliminal-baby-letterpress-art-print

http://www.etsy.com/listing/61838230/subliminal-baby-letterpress-art-print

DIY Mobile

http://www.firsttimefancy.com/2011/06/diy-fabric-pom-pom-mobile-winner.html

Colors & poms

http://www.thenateshow.com/photos/share-with-nate-kid-rooms/#2

Stats

http://www.etsy.com/listing/62027509/8x10-custom-birth-print-aquayellow

Framed name

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/h-is-for-harpers-roomnursery-t-116287

23 Weeks

Spaghetti Squash

Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango). His skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing. He can swallow, but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth. 
Your baby's brain is now starting to grow rapidly, with billions and billions of brain cells developing in the next couple of weeks. These brain cells will control every aspect of your baby — from breathing to circulation, recognizing sensory stimulation to movement, and everything in between.
He's listening to your voice and your heartbeat -- and even to loud sounds like cars honking and dogs barking.
His face is fully formed now -- he just needs a little extra fat to fill it out.

Side note: I like how it points out the baby's eye and ear.  You don't say!?  I would never have guessed such complex anatomy.


As for me, I'm doing fine.  Sleeping good.  Sciatic pain has been off and on, more off than on this last week, fortunately.  My back and feet hurt if I'm standing/walking a lot.  Picking Avery up a lot is getting taxing.  I can feel him moving around pretty often.  


We bought our first package of diapers last week and I went outlet shopping with my mom this weekend and bought him several more outfits.  I'm trying to figure out how best to dress a newborn in the middle of summer.  Newborn sized onesies only? Long-sleeved things for inside and sleeping (although he'll also be swaddled)?  We're looking at about 2-2.5 months of really hot weather after he's born, then we'll be into fall.  I can't remember how long Avery wore newborn stuff-maybe a month or so.  I guess I'll just get a variety and hope everything is useable.  

Top row from Carter's
Bottom row from Gap 

Also, I think I figured out why I hate these pictures.  I've noticed when I wake up in the morning I have major sheet marks/indentions all over my body which leads me to believe I'm swollen/retaining water, hence more puffy looking.  Tuesday is the day my weeks change and also one of the days I work out after work so if I wait until I get home, I'll be sweaty and in workout clothes.  Oh, well.  

We couldn't convince Avery to get in the pictures this morning.  She was being stubborn and a bit disagreeable.   And fine, maybe I did say "we took pictures without you" when we were done, sending her to tears.  Rob was like "whyyyyyyyyyyyy did you have to say that?"  What!?  Then of course we had to take one more with her, tears streaming down her face.  All this after we all overslept and were majorly running late.  Ha! Awesome morning.

Green Day

We've had a couple days of green around here.  On Wednesday Rob told me Thursday was Green Day at daycare.  Avery needed some new spring clothes anyway, so I got her a few green items.  We arrived on Thursday to find that Green Day was actually Friday, so, more green today!

Watching-who else?-Coen get out of his car

Drinking her smoothie

Big girl

Climbing

She requested her picture be taken holding this game

Modeling

Showing her bag of fruit

Baby's wearing green too

Happenings

Last Saturday we went to a birthday party in Norman for some special boys who turned 1.

Some light reading and she was soon asleep for most of the ride.

Jordan, Harper, Cailyn, & A having some dinner

Birthday boys

Avery & the guys

Harper & A having a cupcake

Jordan, Harper, & A

On the way through Tulsa we dropped Avery at Mimi's house so we could hit up a couple more parties-a going away party and a birthday celebration for Summer.

Sunday was rainy and we didn't do much all day.  This week we've been adjusting to the time change (ahem, get on board, Avery).

This weekend was also HUGE in the world of potty training.  Avery has been pee potty trained for a long time, but has refused to poop in the toilet.  Yes, refused.  She would wait until she got a bedtime Pull-up on every.single.night.  We have been begging, nagging, and bribing her to do it and she finally did last Thursday night (and has been continuing to since then).  As she says "it's so easy."  Told you.

Anyway, we treated her to a Baby Alive doctor doll as a reward.

Yes, Rob is wearing a headband.
I'm sure other "girl dads" totally get it.

She is loving being the doctor.

Checking on the baby.
Actually, she was listening to the pretend horse in my stomach

The weather has been so great this week.

Enjoying some outside time on Monday

22 Weeks

Major variances again this week.  One source says coconut, one says large mango, another says papaya.  They all agree on the weight: about 1 pound.




Now that he's got more developed eyes and lips, he's looking even more like a newborn.
He's sleeping in cycles -- about 12 to 14 hours per day (hint: they're probably those times you're not feeling any kicks!).

During this week, your baby's skin will make the transformation from being translucent to opaque but will still look red until enough fat builds under the skin layers. The skin will also be very wrinkly under the thick coating of vernix until the fat fills it out.




I had a doctor appointment this morning.  Everything is going fine.  Blood pressure is normal, results of anatomy scan were good, and I only gained 2.5 pounds in the past month!  I go back in 4 weeks, and after that I will begin the third trimester and appointments every two weeks.

Last week, my sciatic nerve started acting up.  This didn't start until 30 weeks with Avery.  It is by far the worst symptom of being pregnant, for me.  If you've never experienced it, it basically feels like a very sharp/shooting pain in your back/butt every time you take a step, stand up, roll over, etc.  And there's really not much you can do about it aside from stretches.  The good thing is that it's not consistently bad everyday.

I have one small chair in our office that is slowly filling up with stuff for baby boy.  So far I have bought maybe 5 outfits for him and a sleep sack and a swaddle blanket.  Rob and I agree we should probably start stocking up on diapers but have yet to buy any so far-ha!  We need to find some bedding and get a toy/bookcase (something like this, which we have for Avery's room and it works out great).  Avery is sleeping in the crib (converted to toddler bed) so she will need a new bed and dresser, and of course bedding.  So while we have most of the big "stuff" for him, we have a lot of holes to fill in too.  No worries though, we have a few months.

I don't even want to talk about this picture

Last Weekend

Last weekend we hung around the house and took advantage of the nice weather.  Yep, again.  Nothing too exciting, but that's alright!

Saturday Avery was invited to a birthday party for one of her classmates (her social calendar is becoming fuller than ours).

Avery best friend at school, Coen, also broke his collarbone about two weeks ago.  His was actually broken in half and his arm was in a sling, so he has been out of school for about two weeks.  Needless to say, Avery was missing him very much.  Everyday we would hear "Coen wasn't at my schoolhouse today." Big sigh.


Well, Coen was able to come to the party and they were very happy to see each other.

We got to meet Coen's parents and were happy to hear that Coen talks about Avery all the time (they suggested we book the band and the venue now).  Like Rob said, it's nice to know the feelings are reciprocated and she isn't going Fatal Attraction on him.

Kiele is Avery's other good buddy (yeah, the one who was like "she doesn't want you, she wants her DADDY).

3 buddies playing musical chairs

Oh, and Avery won musical chairs, beating out a few 4 and 5 year olds.  That's right.


Sunday we enjoyed the nice weather.

Rob cooked burgers and Lynn, Drew, and Stephen came over for a bit.


Avery likes to put on our shoes and assume the identity of the owner.

"Hi! I'm Mommy!"

Yesterday morning she put on Rob's shoes and, in a deep voice, told him "come on Avery.  I'll take you to school in my car."

This kid.  Hilarious.

21 Weeks

YOUR BABY'S SIZE: 5 tangerines
Yet the ticker on the right says butternut squash.  Butternut squash?! Really?! Those are huge.  One of my apps says banana (feasible) and another says cantaloupe.  Again, cantaloupes are pretty big! Sometimes I don't know where they come up with these things.

YOUR BODY

You're most likely looking and feeling pretty pregnant at this point. As your appetite increases, make sure you're eating healthy, balanced foods (read: not an entire bag of tortilla chips) that both you and your baby can reap the nutritional benefits from. For instance, make sure you're getting enough iron from red meat, shellfish, spinach or soy-based foods. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in your blood. Since you're now producing more blood, you also need more iron.

YOUR BABY

Your baby's digestive system is maturing, now enabling the fetus to swallow amniotic fluid, absorb much of the water in it, and then pass unabsorbed matter as far as the large bowel.

This may also be a good time to start thinking about baby names, if you haven't already. Be careful when sharing your choices though — everyone will have an opinion, and it might not be what you want to hear.

I got Avery in on the picture-taking this morning in the hopes that she would detract attention from me.  She was being goofy.





So, 21 weeks.  More than halfway there.  And yes, we know that for sure this time.  No going to 42 weeks as I'll be having a repeat c-section somewhere around 40 weeks, if not on my exact due date, a couple days before.  My doctor does scheduled c-sections between 39 and 40 weeks.  She doesn't let you go over your due date when a c-section is planned (not that I would want to anyway) because that increases the likelihood of going into labor on your own which could potentially create an urgent situation.  I would like to be awake and have Rob present this time, so the less urgent the better.

I am starting to really believe-and actually get excited-that we are having a baby in July.     Don't get me wrong, it's not that I wasn't excited before, it's just that I have been so cautiously optimistic.  To a fault.  I am starting to snap out of that and just be excited and not worry about what could possibly happen between now and then.

I still haven't bought much for him yet.  We will use the crib and dresser that Avery is currently using, so we already have furniture and basically everything for the room except bedding and various decor.  I found some bedding I like from Land of Nod but it costs eleventy billion dollars.  I'm not spending that much money on bedding (and it's currently out of stock anyway).  Maybe it will go on sale.

I am feeling fine and pretty much normal.  I'm starting to feel him move around more frequently, mostly when I'm laying down but sometimes when I'm sitting at my desk.

I have a doctor appointment next Tuesday.