belly shots, 26 weeks OFFICIAL!

OK, I actually got dressed today so I took some better pictures!

This is at real as it gets, just for my faithful blog followers! At least I cropped out the ta-tas! By the way, the neked shots looked pretty stinkin' good, in my opinion! :) Don't worry, they'll never see the light of day!





Some with clothes on?? Sure!



Oh, but you still wanna see the neked belly? Okee dokee!!



And from the tattoo side??? Fine!! Gosh, you're so demanding!!



And a practice for what I'd like to send out for Valentine's Day. Some of Andrew, some of the fam, one of the baby!! I'm not crazy about the straight-on shots but we'll see what we can do.



Sstisfied???? :)

BIG 26 weeks update!

I'm in the home stretch now! heehee

I look at the three trimesters as 13-13-13 weeks so 26 weeks marks the start of the third and FINAL trimester!!

AND my "days to go" is now under 100! Double digits, baby!!

26 weeks counts as 6.5 months, eh?

I had to use the self timer so I had Andrew help me set up the shot. Here he is!



And this cracks me UP!! Me today at 26 weeks.



My two boys.



Ya think Ethan is saying "cheese" too??



And by myself, miraculously.



Then at 26 weeks with Andrew. I really GREW between 25 and 26 with him. I think I "popped" a week or two earlier with this one.



And the most exciting news is that I now have a BABY SHOWER on the calendar!! Saturday, April 4th. That's 4-4. I think we should do it at 4:00!! :) We've never had a spring baby in the family so this will be new to us!!

My dear friend, neighbor and "boss" Chrissy (I call her my fairy godmother) is the hostess and she throws the BEST parties! I know it will super-special and extra-wonderful! I'm excited to have that to look forward to.

Ethan is still squirming like crazy these days! He loves to kick the book resting on my belly or jab my hand when it's resting there. So cute. I love feeling his swishes and swoops! It takes my breath away sometimes!

Pregnancy is definitely taking a small toll at this point. I feel tired and achy sometimes and just plain worn out. I know the Braxton Hicks will start up soon so I try to intersperse lots of breaks with my work. Phew!



Here's the "official" stuff:
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.

How your life's changing:
Are you rushing around trying to get to childbirth classes and prepare your baby's room while still taking care of all your other daily tasks? Make sure that you also continue to eat well and get plenty of rest. Around this time, your blood pressure may be increasing slightly, although it's probably still lower than it was before you got pregnant. (Typically, blood pressure falls toward the end of the first trimester, and it tends to reach a low at about 22 to 24 weeks.)

If your lower back seems a little achy lately, you can thank both your growing uterus — which shifts your center of gravity, stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, and may be pressing on a nerve — as well as hormonal changes that loosen your joints and ligaments. Plus, the extra weight you're carrying means more work for your muscles and increased stress on your joints, which is why you may feel worse at the end of the day. Walking, standing, or sitting for long periods, as well as bending and lifting can all put a strain on your back. A warm bath or hot compress might bring relief. (Some women, though, find cool compresses more comforting.) Try to maintain good posture during the day, avoid activities that require bending and twisting at the same time, take frequent breaks when sitting or standing, and sleep on your side with one or both knees bent with a pillow between your legs, using another pillow (or wedge) to support your abdomen.

25 weeks

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.

How your life's changing
Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but thanks to hormonal changes, the hair that you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. Enjoy the fullness while you can — the extra hair will fall out after you give birth.

You may also notice that you can't move around as gracefully as before. Unless your caregiver has advised you otherwise, it's fine to continue to exercise, but follow a few safety rules: Don't work out when you're feeling overly tired and stop if you feel any pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Don't lie flat on your back and avoid contact sports as well as any exercise where you're apt to lose your balance. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and make time for both warm-up and cool-down periods.

Belly shot: 25 weeks--60% done!

40% left to go!! :)

I realized I left off this 23 weeks belly shot.




And here I am, mere hours before hitting the 25 weeks marks. An old mentor from my youth came from Florida to Phoenix for a Mary Kay convention and she and her hubby took us out to dinner--it was a blast! Here's me when we came back, after a chimichanga, two root beers and ice cream! Phew!

This one has a shadow but you get the idea.




This one's pretty accurate! :)





I love this one, with Andrew's hand on my belly. This wasn't posed, he just does that a lot!! :)

24 weeks--6 months!!

This baby is a serious squirmy-worm!! It's nearly constant now and his movements are getting stronger. I can feel them no matter what position I'm in and sometimes it's that "Whoa!" reaction that almost takes my breath away! He made the book I was reading in bed last night move, and Drew got to feel probably 6 big bumps in a row! I love this part of pregnancy, especially before I get huge.

I'm thrilled to be at 24 weeks/6 months! That sounds so good! Another couple weeks and I'll be in the double digits of days left! Yippee!! I'm already getting anxious to meet this lil' guy.



OK, here we go:
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.

How your life's changing:
In the past few weeks, the top of your uterus has risen above your belly button and is now about the size of a soccer ball.

Christmas belly catch-up!

Ooops! I found these on my SIL's camera!!

They're all from the first week of December when I was about 18-19 weeks along.

Headed to Drew's company Christmas dinner in early December. Not a maternity top but it worked!





Full length.



Monkey had to get in on the action, of course!



My mama and me at her church Christmas party. Again, non-maternity. It's nice when some of your "regular" clothes still fit!



My table at the Crisis Pregnancy Center fundraiser boutique where I sold my jewelry and my cards.



And now you're all caught up!

23 weeks

Well. If I hadn't "popped" yet, I definitely have now! Just in the last two days, my belly seems bigger and rounder.

Oddly enough, I had enough energy today to get a week's worthof chores done and to finally recover from my birthday and Christmas! But now I'm pooped!!

I can't believe I'm almost six months along! YEAH!

Wow, he's squirming around as I write. He's probably been sleeping all day due to my constant activity and is finally perking up!!



How your baby's growing:
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.

How your life's changing:

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.

Belly at 22 weeks

Here's me today, on this lovely winter Saturday.

You get the clothed and bare versions, AND from both sides! :)

Plus, I added me at 22 weeks (the ones in the tank top), pregnant with Andrew three years ago. Wow.

22 weeks

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2009!!!

Guess what?? I'm having a baby this year!! I'm so excited to write all my weeks and my due date on my NEW calendar! Woo-hoo!!

By the way, Ethan is now squirming up a storm and his movements have been felt by my mom and Drew! Yesterday, he was bumping around so much that my skin was moving! I love it! Every day, his movement gets wider and stronger. That means he's growing!!

Andrew was soooo squirmy " in utero" and is a very active monkey now, so...I could really have my hands full!!

Here ya go for week 22! Boy, we're plugging along! I love seeing the "weeks left" number get smaller!



ETHAN:
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.

MOM:
How your life's changing:
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.