25 Weeks

I had a doctor's appointment this past Thursday (04-26-07). Everything is growing well! I have gained a total of 13 pounds (average is 14). My belly measured 24 (average is 25 for this far along). I have to have the glucose testing at my May 17 as well as another sonogram. Lauren's heartbeat is really strong. Dr. Faruque only listened for a quick second before Lauren kicked the dopplar and told the doctor that she was done! (It was rather funny actually.)

Her brain and organs (especially her lungs) are continuing to develop and her bones and muscles are what are really starting to take root. Her taste buds work now, too, but I'm not sure what she can taste...don't think I'd want to know! She can hear and starts when there is a loud sound. (I can attest to this!) She's about a pound and a half and just about a foot long. Lauren has been moving around. She cannot stand it if I lean forward for a long period of time or if I let my seatbelt get on my belly. She will kick and punch until I move to where she's comfortable, then she rests quietly.

I've been reading Charlotte's Web to her the past few weeks before bed. If I've had a really busy day, I skip it, but I read to and with my students (and my students read to me), so she hears plently during the day. I'm hoping to really get her to like to listen to stories.

24 Weeks

I have gotten a LOT of comments on the growth of my...um...soon-to-be "baby bottles" (if you need further explanation, just email me and I'll be more direct!) this past week especially. Along with that, Lauren is growing right along below! Lots of people (who I know) are rubbing her when they see me. (I haven't had any strangers assult my belly yet, but I've been warned that it's coming.) She hasn't kicked for anyone except for Paul and me, and she really gets moving when I'm reading aloud. I started to read Charlotte's Web to her and she REALLY seems to enjoy that story! She moved all around while I was reading. (Weeks 24-28 are most active, according to what my newsletters say, because she has enough room to wiggle and flop. After 28 weeks, there is less room, so she'll take to kicking.)

Lauren is almost a pound and a half right now. From the top of her head to the bottom of her feet, she measures around 10-11 inches. I saw a picture of an eggplant on one of the internet pages, so I guess that would be about how big she has gotten! Her eyes are completing their development, but she cannot open her eyelids yet. Her iris does not have color yet. I thought this was neat--her eye color won't completely be settled until after she's born!

Paul and I started looking at daycares this past week. I have to bump 4 people off of the waiting list to get into one of the places that we really want. (I know 3 people who have kids there, so if I needed a hand to have someone pick her up, it would be easy.) There are 2 other daycares that we're considering seriously, so please say a prayer because these are some of the nicer, 5 star rated, daycares in our area.

I have been having more back pain (especially pain in my left hip and thigh) as Lauren grows. I've been sitting on the heating pad and bought a pregnancy wedge pillow for my belly. After three sleepless nights this past week, I said, "Forget sleeping on my side!" (The books all say to sleep on your sides, especially your left.) I laid on my back last night, put the pregnancy wedge under my knees (to keep my blood circulating, I hope!), and slept very well. I even woke up with no hip or back pain! Yea!

One finally funny (not to me) note. I was doing laundry on Sunday and made an off the cuff remark to Paul about being big but still being able to see my ankles. As I looked down, I discovered that I could no longer do this! I was really surprised because my growth has been very gradual. I guess it's been a while since I've looked down!

23 Weeks

I've been on spring break this past week and have recouperated from the exhaustion of weeks 20 and 21. I've taken it easy, resting as much as possible (and actually reading two books for pleasure!). A lot has happened in the past week...

The baby weighs almost one pound now! She's about 8 inches long from the top of her head to her bottom. My baby books says Lauren is about the size of a small doll. Her skin is wrinkled because she doesn't have enough fat to fill it out. Her eyelids and her eyebrows are formed. Her pancreas is developing.

I've been feeling Lauren wiggle around in my belly, but she kicked for the first time (so that I could feel it with my hand) on April 10th around bedtime. Paul felt her, faintly, on the 11th. She seems most active between 9 and 10 am and 8:30-10:30 pm. She still settles when I rub my belly.

One of the baby updates that I get in my email said her hearing has developed and she can hear my voice. I started to read to her on April 2. Paul made fun of me, but he has gotten used to it. I try reading to her in the morning, around 4 pm, and at bedtime, hoping that she'll get into the routine of listening to stories when it's time to sleep (as well as trying to develop, as early as possible, a strong vocabulary and love of literature!). I'm trying to also get Paul to talk or read to her, but he'll only say hello or blow raspberries on my belly!

The cats have taken to sleeping along my belly. I try to pet them enough so that they will purr, hoping Lauren will enjoy them and that the cats will not be so afraid and spiteful toward her when she arrives. She kicked Jinx hard one night, so it's typically Catlyn who sleeps next to my belly.

Lauren Elizabeth

Paul and I have decided that we're going to name our little girl Lauren Elizabeth Wade. Lauren will be named after Paul's Grandpa Wade, Laurence. (I have always liked the name Elizabeth, so we settled on that for her middle name. Elizabeth is not a family name for either side.) Paul and I both kept talking about this and that for Lauren, even though we were trying to remain impartial. (And, of course, when Lauren comes and if we don't think she truly is Lauren, we reserve the right to make a name change!!)

We also googled the name Lauren and talked extensively on offensive nicknames that could come of her name, but nothing arose! Her initials will be L.E.W., but I'm hoping no one calls her Lew!

My friend, Suzy, and Me

This is my best friend, Suzanne (Suzy), and me at church on Easter Sunday. (Paul and I are trying to regularly get to church again; this church is a Methodist church in a neighboring town, Newton.) Paul's mom mentioned that I talk about Suzy in my blogs and on the phone often and thought it would be nice for everyone to see who I spend all of my time with! (We share a classroom and a lot of the same likes and ideas.) As you can see, my baby is at 22 weeks and her son, Harris, is about 16 weeks in this picture.

22 Weeks

Well, I have been shopping for our little girl. It has been EXTREMELY tough refraining from purchasing little girl things! I cannot believe how many cute things exist for a little girl! We've found that thechildrensplace.com has some awesome deals on adorable clothes!

I have picked out my bedding (I think). I have to order it and the complementary pieces from the internet because none of the stores around here carry it. It's called Sweet as a Daisy by Lambs and Ivy. If you type that into Google, it will pop up with everything. I think it will match the lavendar room well. I ordered a sheet and some receiving blankets from Amazon.com to check the color and style before spending the money on the bedding. (Amazon.com, compared with 6 other sites so far, has had almost everything about half off of the other websites!) I have also found the furniture I want from J.C. Penney called the Cottage Collection. We'll order it in antique white. However, again, I am refraining from buying anything for a little while longer to make sure we don't find something we like a little better.

The baby has grown more. She is about 7 2/3 inches long and weighs about 12 ounces now. One website said she was about the size of a banana now. We're still having a tough time deciding upon a name. I think both of us want to make sure that something we name the baby will be a good name for an infant, toddler, child, and adult while making sure that the baby isn't one of four kids in her class with the same name!

I'm still feeling really good. I went for a massage last week and felt better. As I grow, there is more pressure on my lower back and left hip especially, so having massages really is helping. I'm also walking about 8 miles a week (especially with the beautiful weather we've had) and that makes me feel good, too.

My friend, Suzanne, and I went for pedicures at The Spa at Rock Barn. She took my picture outside of the Spa on April 10th, so technically this picture is me at 22 and a half weeks!

Ultrasound Pictures 03-29-07

These are three of eleven ultrasound pictures we received at our 20 week appointment. I did not want to put up so many pictures!



It's a girl!!!!




Turn your head sideways to the right and it looks as though our baby girl is saying, "Okay, enough pictures. I'm tired."



You can see the baby's face in this shot. She turned her head toward us to see us. You can see the eye socket clearly.

Baby Gifts

Paul's parents came to visit this weekend. His mom found us pink John Deere socks (too cute!!). My dad sent the key chain. My dad also bought the little pink guardian angel holding the baby back in January when I was about 7 weeks along. He was that confident that I'd have a little girl!

21 Weeks

Here I am at 21 weeks. As you can tell, it was a little cold that day. The baby is about the size of a banana now (and about 7 1/4 inches long). She weighs about 10 ounces.

On Friday night (March 30), I felt the first true kick! My cat, Jinxy, was curled up with me, purring. Apparently baby didn't like the sound of his purr (she's never done anything when Catlyn curls up with me and purrs) and kicked once! Jinx jumped off the bed and didn't come back! I put my hand on my belly and there wasn't any more movement. I've started to feel a little movement, but it almost feels like a cat tail lightly grazing the middle of my stomach. As soon as I touch my belly, it stops.

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!

Paul and I are so excited! We found out on Thursday, March 29, that we will be having a little girl in August! Everything looks great with both baby and me. She is growing at an appropriate size for now, as am I. I have gained 11 pounds overall, which falls into the 10-15 pound range for mid-pregnancy. My blood tests for Downs and Spina Bifida came back negative and, in the ultrasound, the baby's spine was very strong without any gaps! So far, all is healthy and well!

We had a name picked out, Lauren Elizabeth, but we aren't sure that she'll look like Lauren when she arrives. We've come up with an alternative, Katheryn Elizabeth (the spelling of Katheryn isn't a final spelling) and call her Katie Beth. We've also decided that we'd like, to the greatest extend possible, to try to incorporate family names into the names of our children, but that also isn't written in stone. So, as for now, we have Baby Girl Wade officially and the rest will come later!