26 weeks

I didn't even realize today was Thursday until I got to work this morning!  Missing work on Monday has me thrown completely off but- that means the week ends that much faster though which is good.   When we got home from Houston Monday Chase and I spent the afternoon mulching the garden in the front and back yard.  It's a lot more exhausting work while pregnant that's for sure!

So at 26 weeks- here's what Sprout is up to in development.  (from Babycenter.com)
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. 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.

Basically- Sprouts nearly 2 lbs, over a foot long, getting fatter and practicing breathing.  I have no idea what an English hothouse cucumber looks like- but the Bump.com still has Sprout listed as an eggplant.  That I can visualize.  

I just realized that I'm almost in my 3rd Trimester!!!!  EEk!  Just one (or 2 depending on the source) more week(s) to go.  I also just realized that I'll be 31 years old in 5 days.  Ugh.  I'm getting old.  :(  No fun parties this year.  I think I'll spend my birthday sulking.  

Oh- and since I didn't even realize yesterday was Wednesday, I have not taken my weekly fat belly picture.  I'll do that tomorrow.  (Yes Mom I am taking better pictures with a better camera.  Uploading with my phone is just easier).

25 weeks- I forgot-

I forgot to mention on the last post that we get a new 'fruit' this week.  No more papaya.  Sprout is now the size of an eggplant.

Here's Sprout's update from Babycenter.com:  Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — 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.

I can lay on my back and watch my belly move.  Last night I could tell that Sprout was laying on my right because it was lumped up more than the left.  It's getting more and more real!  :)

I'm in the process of making my mobile and I'll be taking that with my to Houston this weekend.  I'll get some more colorful from Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart there.  Hopefully it doesn't turn out looking like poo.   Chase and I went and picked out the sticks on a long woodsy walk-but since we took the dog with us- poor Kaiser is having HORRIBLE skin allergies.  His eyes are swollen and flaky.  His chest is peeling.  He also has a mesquite thorn stuck in his foot.  Poor pup.  He loves the outdoors but the outdoors hates him.  We can't take him to Houston with us so he'll be spending the weekend at the vet.  Hopefully they "fix" him.  We have him on prednisone but it's just not working this time.

25 weeks

Not much to comment about this week.  Everything is going well.  Sprout's moving about- I was nervous one day but it seems as though perhaps I just wore her out from my busy weekend.  I didn't post any pictures last week cause I was "having twins"and all.  But I'm over it.  Chase did tell me I was a "house" this morning- that didn't do much for the self esteem but I'm sure I'm just overly sensitive.
I've started a few DIY projects.  We made a bird house night light and I painted a frame.  Chase and I are also starting on a functional art project- I'm super excited about it.  It'll take a long time to do but in the end I know it'll be worth it.  I'll keep you posted.
Oh- and This last weekend I got to see my wedding dress "get married again".  My nurse Randi used my dress and her something borrowed.  She was beautiful.  

24 weeks.  Kaiser wouldn't leave me alone!

Randi in my dress!

our bird house night light!

24 weeks and pouting

I'm a little pouty this week.  I was feeling good until Easter when a certain family member actually asked me if I was sure I wasn't having twins, cause I was HUGE.  'Cause that's what every woman wants to hear.  I don't care if I'm pregnant or not- "HUGE" is not an adjective I want used to describe me.  EVER.  So I've been moping around- eating grapes and apples for lunch and  going on walks and lifting weights in my car as I drive to work.  (Why not?  What else am I doing as I drive?  Paying attention?  LOL)  I do this as if I can become "un-huge".  My husband told me to get over it.  I'm trying.  But my HUGEness must be getting in the way of my sensibility.  (grumble grumble grumble)
Anyway-  enough feeling sorry for myself.
I did end up telling my OB that I did not want an epidural.  She was surprisingly open to it.  She said that she's had a number of patients "go natural" and do just fine.  She recommended finding some "meditative" state to get into and to keep an open mind because I have no idea what an actual contraction feels like.  Granted- I don't know what a contraction feels like, but I feel if I go in thinking that I can back out of the no epidural thing- I'll do just that.   I've decided my mind is pretty closed.  No epidural.
On a completely different subject:
I feel like I'm turning into a hippie.  We're not finding out the sex of the baby.  I'm having a "natural" birth, and I'm cloth diapering.  Next thing you know, I'll be growing my own veggies (already looking into planting a garden) to make my own baby food and using only "organic" products.  LOL.  We'll see.  I'll post more about cloth diapering because I know when I first mentioned I was doing this basically everyone though of the old school "flat" diapers with pins.  Well- things are totally different nowadays.  I've learned a lot by researching on line and I've actually taken time to educate others on cloth.  Obviously I haven't gotten to try them out yet but I'm pretty excited.
Here's something to think about:  "Disposable diapers are the 3rd largest single consumer item in landfills, and represent 30% of non-biodegradable waste (9)."  Even though it may seem as if each child doesn't contribute significantly to those numbers, that is a false assumption. Each baby diapered in disposables contributes about 1 ton of garbage, assuming an avg. diaper use of 2 years (from diaperpin.com)


Sprouts update:  Sprout is about a foot long and a little over a pound.  The lungs are developing more of the branches in the respiratory system and the baby is starting to "plump" up a little.  The brain is growing pretty fast now too!  Here's a representation of what size an average 24 week old fetus looks like in the uterus.

23 weeks and....

17 left. Yes- I'm already counting down!
 I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon- the only one so far Chase hasn't been able to come to.  It'll be weird not having him there but really I spend less than 5 minutes with the Doctor at these monthly visits, so he's not missing much.
The appointments go like this:   Doctor:  "Hi!   Everything OK?"   Me:  "Yep"  Doctor:  "Great".  She'll use the doppler- find the heart beat for a few seconds- then we're done.  That's about it.  Oh yeah,  I have to pee in a cup at the beginning too.
I'm not quite sure when to tell the OB that I don't want an epidural.  I just feel like she may think I'm a little crazy- and I may be.  I might tell her today or maybe next time.  If figure now is better than waiting until I'm in labor and dropping that little surprise in her lap.  I've forced Chase to watch "Baby's First Day" on TLC>  this program only shows labor to birth and then a little blurb of family a week after.  Chase now thinks birth's with epidurals are boring and he supports my decision to labor without meds.  He told me he wants me to scream at him and yell and "have my head spin around".   LOL.
Here's what "Sprout" is up to:
Sprout is now more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango) . Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing. We're getting to the point where Sprout is considered a "viable" fetus. 23 weeks is still pretty early to survive but it is possible. Wikipedia tells me 

"According to data years 2003-2005, 20 to 35 percent of babies born at 23 weeks of gestation survive, while 50 to 70 percent of babies born at 24 to 25 weeks, and more than 90 percent born at 26 to 27 weeks, survive.[24] " ] .  

Here's me this AM:

Kaiser felt left out.