One Month Old ~

I can't believe Nathan is a month old already. This time has just flown. He has started to smile a little here and there. The nights have gotten better. He sleeps about 3-4 hours at a time and then we are up for about a half hour to an hour changing his diaper and eating. He seems to be doing better with eating the formula.
We hope everyone has a Safe and Happy New Year!!!

3 Weeks Old

I can't believe that Nathan is 3 weeks old already. Time has just flown by. Our days begin anywhere from 9am to noon and end around 11pm to 1am. We are still trying to get him to sleep longer at night, but he has been up more during the day which is good. Hopefully that will help. He is back up to 9lbs and 21 1/4 in. long.

We are getting ready for Christmas. Jared put up the tree and the outside lights. It has been nice to have him home during this time. He has been a great help during my recovery from the c-section and in taking care of Nathan.

We hope everyone has a great Holiday! I know we will enjoy celebrating Nathan's first Christmas.

Welcome Baby Shuppy!!

HE'S HERE!!!!!

Nathan William Shuppy arrived at 8:50am on Thursday, November 29. He weighed 9lbs 2ozs and was 21 inches long. We had a c-section scheduled for December 4, but my water broke around 3am on the 29th. They did an ultrasound to make sure he was still breech and then we were told we would go to operating room around 6:30am, but around 6 we found out that my doctor had another patient come in and that her water had broken, she was actually laboring, breech and the baby had a leg down, so they had to go first. We got pushed back to 8am. They came and took me back, gave me the spinal and then Jared came in around 8:35am and Nathan arrived 15 minutes later. It was so amazing.

Over the first 24 hours they checked his blood sugars because of my gestational diabetes and he is just fine. I am checking mine every once in a while, but it looks like mine is gone.

He looks just like his Daddy. We have been comparing some of our baby pictures. He does have some of my features too, but he definitly has Jared's mouth and chin.

We are all doing great. If you would like to meet him, you are more than welcome to stop by. Just give us a call first.

38 Weeks Today ~

As you know, you've arrived at the final leg of your pregnancy journey, and if you're still carrying your little love around. Your baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds (our little one is around 8.5 pounds) and he's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). He has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his hand for the first time! There really isn't a lot to report on baby this week, so lets do a quick recount of where we're at: all internal organ systems are pretty much ready for the outside world, lots of healthy baby fat, a rapidly developing brain (that'll keep growing with him for years to come), and he’s more or less reached official baby status-- all they need to do is "head out" and say hello to the rest of the world and especially their ready-to-pop momma.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If he's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If he's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time he's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after he's born, but they won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

Not much to report this week. We are getting excited to meet him and see what he looks like. We are just trying to get all of the last minute things done. We had everything put away for our family Thanksgiving yesterday (he seems to like Green Jello Salad as much as his Daddy, sorry Grandma Brown), which was very nice to have everyone together, but now we will be getting things out for our little guy and transforming our house to baby central. We hope everyone had a great holiday and we will keep everyone posted on the big day.

Dr. Appointment Update~

We had our ultrasound on Monday, he is still breech and weighing in around 8lbs 7oz. We didn't get a picture of his face, his hands were blocking it. We did get to see him grab his foot with his hand. That was really neat. We did find out that the ultrasound weight could range from 7 1/2 lbs to 9 1/2 lbs also. Let's hope he's a little lighter.

We talked to our doctor and he said that there were a few things we could do. They could try and move him (from the outside), but there are a few downfalls to that. Plus he says that it only works about 50% of the time with normal size babies and non-diabetic pregnancies, with our situation it would be successful even less than 50%. Then he may still be too big to deliver. Also, you run into cord entanglement and other problems. So, we have pretty much decided that he will come by c-section sometime the week of December 3. Unless he decides to come on his own before that. We will keep you posted.

37 Weeks Today ~

Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature (his may not be as developed right now because of the diabetes) and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away. It’s the calm before the storm. Changes in your baby's weight have leveled off with only a few ounces of fat added this week. At this point your baby should weigh in at around 7 lbs (as we know our little guy is a little bigger than this) and 20 inches (with boys somewhat heavier and longer than girls). Happily, as far as internal organs go, they are now developed enough to function in the outside world although the oh-so-important immune system is still developing and will continue to do so after birth. With a large boost of antibodies provided by breast milk when nursing begins. Fighting infection and staying healthy should be well within their physical capacity when your little fighter is born. Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

I can't believe we are almost there. Things have gone so well, but I am ready. Mommy and Daddy (and a lot of other people) are ready to meet him. We picked up his travel system and a few other necessities for him last weekend. Jared put together the stroller and swing and we put the car seat in my car the other night. I still need to pack my bag. That I am going to do this weekend. I will update after our ultrasound on Monday.

Dr. Appointment Update ~

We had our weekly appointment today. We passed the non-stress test again. I had to wake him up to get all of his counts and then he went back to sleep. The doctor checked today and I am about 1 1/2 cm dilated and about 70% effaced. We have another ultrasound on Monday to check his size again. The doctor doesn't want to induce because of the chance the baby's lungs aren't developed all the way, but it doesn't look like we will go past the 7th. If we make it all the way to the 7th, we could possibly be looking at a c-section because the baby's shoulders might be too big. But it's not a definite thing. Hopefully we won't have to worry about that since things have already started on their own. So everything looks good and we will update Friday. I will be locking the poll on Thanksgiving.

36 Weeks Today ~

(This one is my favorite from the ultrasound this week, you can see how plump his little lips are and we noticed there is a foot in the left of the picture too.)

The countdown continues… and in fetal developments: most of the bones (soft skull aside) in their little body are now completely hardened, providing a solid structure from which they can now make their grand debut into the world. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are structurally ready for a secure launch. In physical fitness news: their muscle tone has also improved over these past few weeks, and you’ll definitely be impressed by their steel-like Ulnar grasp (a newborn reflex that occurs if you lay your finger in their palm). Finally, in the fluids/excretion department: the amniotic fluid-to-baby ratio has fallen over these past weeks, although they’re still swallowing fluid, and some vernix caseosa. They will be more than ready to swallow and digest milk after birth. Just in case you didn’t get it quite yet: you’ve got yourself an adorable and hungry 6.5 lbs (in our case about 7 1/2 lbs) 20 inch (not sure on length) baby—are you ready?

We ordered carpet for his room this week, it's coming on Monday. Then we can put his crib together and move all of the furniture in.

I didn't post the "Doctor Update", so I'll post it here. The appointment went well, we passed the non-stress test again. The minimum time for the test is around 20 minutes, but I think we were done in 15, so we had to sit the for another few minutes before we could leave. I am measuring 2 1/2 cm larger than what I should, but I don't think that is a big deal. As most already know the ultrasound showed that the baby is around 7lbs 2oz. (let's hope our childbirth instructor is right when she says that the ultrasounds are usually 1 to 2 lbs heavier.) We had our last class on Monday. We are now certified to have a baby.

I had a very nice shower given by my sisters, step-mom, aunt and cousin. Thank you. It was wonderful and the baby got a lot of nice things.

Jared's co-workers had a shower for us this week also and gave us a lot of nice things too, they put a lot of work into it.

I think the last thing we had this week, we went out and celebrated my 33rd birthday after the ultrasound.

35 Weeks Today ~

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
Things are going pretty good. We have had a busy couple of weeks and another one ahead of us, childbirth class, doctors appointments and work. This week in class we went on a tour of the Birthcenter at Genesis, went through pushing (although we didn't really push) and c-sections. I really hope I don't have to have one of those. I also interviewed a pediatrician yesterday. She was very nice, but I have another one to interview next week. I can't believe we are already this far. It has flown by.

Dr. Appointment Update ~

Today was our first non-stress test. I had to be hooked up to a fetal monitor to track the baby's heartbeats and to see if I was having any contractions. They said it could take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. I think ours took about a half hour. I had to talk to him and poke at him a little to get him to move. The test is just to make sure that the placenta is doing its job with the gestational diabetes. His heart rate should go up so much for so long when he moves. HE PASSED! We will do this weekly until he is born. I then met with the doctor and he measured me and told me that he wanted to do another ultrasound, so we will have that done next week. We are excited to see him again (and verify again that he is a boy). The ultrasound is so the doctor can make sure that he is not getting too big. I also got a flu shot to keep me from getting sick while I am still pregnant and to help him the first few months after he is born.

34 Weeks Today ~

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate him body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies. Your amazing baby is on the move! They’ve been riding fairly high in your stretched-out womb till now (while kindly compressing your poor internal organs), but now they’re planning on making the big move to your pelvis this week. If you haven’t noticed it already, you’ll be feeling the weight shift that signals that your baby is most likely out of breech position, with their head now resting on your pubic bone. In liver news: although not quite fully formed, your little miracle’s liver is now capable of processing a certain amount of waste. In general, most of your child’s prenatal physical development is pretty much up to snuff and ready for the outside world. Naturally, further weight gain is expected—so you’re still not at maximum capacity despite probably feeling like you definitely are maxed out.

We had our second childbirth class this week. We learned about the different pain medications that will be available to us. It was nice to learn the different effects of the different medications. We haven't decided for sure what we want to do, but we know for sure we don't want the epidural. There are just to many side effects.

33 Weeks Today ~

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.
In terms of appearances, they’re getting cuter and pudgier every minute as they pile on the baby fat for those adorable little wrist rolls and chubby toes. And as we’re sure you’ve already noticed they’re getting stronger with every passing day. Nowadays, it’s possible to observe a well-placed kick just by watching your belly—but you already knew that didn’t you? Although they’re getting stronger, your bigger-by-the-day baby is losing space to move around, so the actual rate of movement will drop off in the last few weeks, despite that powerful drop-kick they’ve been working on. Hey, did you know you’ll continue feeling their movements even during labor?

Jared painted the nursery last weekend (he wouldn't let me help). It's Costa Rica Blue, it turned out very nice. We also had our first childbirth class this week. We mainly learned about breathing through contractions and a few different was to remain realaxed during labor. We have 3 more classes left.

Dr. Appointment Update ~

Things went well at the doctor today. His heartbeat was 136bpm. He wouldn't hold still very long for the nurse to check. The doctor said I was doing good with my diet and blood sugar and to keep up the good work. I am measuring about 1 1/2 cm larger, but the doctor is not worried. In two weeks we go back and I have to start doing non-stress tests. The doctor said they will check the baby's heartbeat along with his movements and as long as it all goes well he will let me stay pregnant another week. I will be going once a week after the next appointment. We will keep you posted.

32 Weeks Today ~

By now, your baby is just shy of 4 pounds and is nearly 17 inches long, taking up a lot of space in there. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.
In the latest womb reports, your amazing baby has now developed sensitivity to temperature! This means you’ll probably get a swift kick if you put a hot pad on your belly. For the Elton John lovers out there-- yes, baby’s got blue eyes. At this point, all babies do, although depending on their chromosomal disposition, this could easily change after birth (or even between now and labor), but for the time being, blue it is. Thanks to their recently matured lungs and a remarkably strong immune system, over 90% of babies born in their 32nd week, survive premature births. So it’s pretty much a done deal. Even if your little monkey’s planning on heading out early, their survival odds are in everyone’s favor.

Let's see, Jared and his friend Bill moved the big stuff out of the nursery this week. Now the room is empty and ready for paint. It will be Costa Rica Blue. I have all of the clothes seperated into laundry piles. I also started reading to him this week. I went to the library today and got a few books. I have some from when I was little and there are some Disney books about the movies. He seemed to enjoy it. He was moving around while I was reading to him last night.

31 Weeks Today ~

(This is the best picture I have so far of my belly)

This week, your baby measures about 16 inches long. He weighs a little over 3 pounds and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy. The heavy news: you can expect your miracle-gro muffin to gain about a half a pound of weight per week from now until about two weeks before birth. Great. That's just what you needed. Even more weight to carry around! Your baby's still-developing immune system has gained substantial strength over the past few weeks getting them in full gear to face our disease-ridden world o’ wonders. Obviously, a large majority of your child’s immune strength will be derived from exposure to breast milk as well as the outside elements. Their cute little noggin’ (which could already be covered with luscious locks or just purty peach fuzz), is still soft because the skull bones have not yet fused together. As much as that sounds a little too vulnerable, their “skull softness” allows for a much smoother passage through the birth canal during labor—something both you and your little swimmer will appreciate when it’s finally time to “go!” Also, some babies will have that “soft spot” on their head for up to one year after birth.

I have been doing well with my blood sugars so far. There have been a few times where it has been over where it should be, but the doctor isn't concerned and said to keep up the good work! I am still working out what I can eat and making sure I get all of the carbs in where I am suppose to.

We got the replacement parts to his crib this week. Now we need to pick out paint this weekend or next and maybe look at carpet. Then we will be ready to put his bed together.

The girls from work threw me a very nice shower with lots of nice things. It was really nice because some past co-workers came too.

Dr. Appointment Update ~

We went to the doctor today and everything looked and sounded good. His heartbeat was at 150 bpm, he kicked the little microphone when the nurse was listening to it. The doctor said my blood sugars looked good and to keep up the good work. We now start going every two weeks to the doctor and in a month I have to have a non-stress test done.

30 Weeks Today ~

The light is visible at the end of the tunnel! Your oversized self and amazing growing baby have finally reached the single digits (in terms of weeks till birth)! The fine lanugo hair that has been growing all over their little monkey-like body is going to start falling off this week in preparation for the big day. But don’t be shocked if they’re hairier than you’d anticipated, some babies keep their lanugo until after birth. Still, it’s not any cause to be concerned as it will fall off eventually. No surprises here: your little porker is getting even cuter with increasingly pudgy arms and legs this week thanks to the ever-growing layers of subcutaneous fat. Your baby's a bit more than 15 1/2 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

I read in one of my baby magazines that there was no need for me to buy special baby laundry soap if we already use one that is free of dye and frangrances. We already use ALL Free, so I took back the Baby ALL. No need to buy extra if I don't have to.

Jared's step-dad Al came over last weekend spent 6 hours each day helping Jared put in our new sliding glass door. It looks really nice. All Jared has to do is add a little more insullation, some drywall and moulding. Then I get to go pick out new curtains.

I took my 3 hour glucose test this week and didn't pass. My numbers were a little higher than the doctor would like to see them, so I have to check my blood sugar 4 times a day and follow a diet given by a Diabetic nutritionist. My numbers have been good. We kind of anticipated this could happen with my mom being diabetic, but we are confident we will get through this with diet and it will go away after the baby is born. Jared has been very supportive (he always has been) and helpfull. I couldn't have asked for a better husband.

29 Weeks Today ~

If you’ve been feeling butterflies moving around in your belly, it’s not just your run-of-the-mill pre-birth performance anxiety. No, it’s your amazing baby with a case of the hiccups: a fairly common occurrence at this point resulting from practicing breathing for their big birthday. In addition, to getting a round of butterfly-like hiccups, your little swimmer has arduously managed to accumulate enough baby fat to account for nearly 3.5% of their overall body weight. Yeah, compared to we adults, it’s not a lot, but when they’re little like that—it’s certainly a healthy (and warming) accomplishment in its way. Another fantastic accomplishment: your baby's spleen is now in charge of hematopoiesis—the 10 dollar name for the process involved in building up certain important blood components. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Let's see..this week we painted the living room and moved the furniture back in. It looks really nice. Now we just need to hang the drapes. We also registered, I thought Toys 'R Us would do it, but it didn't. We had to go to Target too. I had to keep telling myself that Toys 'R Us is nothing like Babies 'R Us. That ended up being an all day process. We got his crib delivered on Monday. There were two pieces that were damaged, so I called the manufacturer and they are sending two new pieces no questions asked.

I started teaching JA (Junior Achievement) again this semester. This time I have 3rd graders, they are totally different than 1st and 2nd graders. They seem to listen a lot less, or maybe it's just the class. This is the first time I have taught 3rd grade.

28 Weeks Today ~

This is it -- the home stretch! You've now officially entered the third and final trimester. But here's the biggie development news this week: After being sealed shut for many months, your baby's eyes will begin to open and close this week. Even if you could peek at the color of his peepers now though, they might not stay that color, as baby's eyes can change up until he's 6 months to a year old (especially if your little guy is born with baby blues).
He's also probably banging around like mad in there -- except when he's sleeping. Yep, your baby is snoozing on a regular schedule, but in very short spurts (only about 20 to 30 minutes at a time). Right now he weighs roughly 2.5 pounds and measures a little over 15 inches from head to toe.

He has been very active today. Tonight should be interesting. He has been pretty laid back the past couple of days. He's like that when I am busy.

We also cleared out his room this week. There are just a few big items left, but after that we should be ready to pick a paint color. Our spare bedroom has become the staging area for all of his things. We just keep adding to it. I did buy some baby detergent the other day, I have gotten the urge to start washing some of his things now so I'm not so overwhelmed later. I was very excited to find that ALL makes a baby detergent (that's what we use, so I wanted to try and stay in the same detergent family). I finally found it at our Hy-Vee.

27 Weeks Today ~

Your not-so-tiny-anymore brilliant baby(about 2 pounds and 14.5 inches long!) is slowly rotating in preparation to “head out.” Obviously, this doesn’t happen overnight, but when you start to feel an unfamiliar pressure on your cervix, you’ll know you’ve got a fully flipped baby locked and loaded for the countdown to their birthday! He can now open and close his eyes, and he sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. He may suck his fingers, and although his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if he were to be born prematurely. Chalk up any rhythmic movement 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 isn't bothersome to him, so enjoy the tickle. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. Wonder what he's thinking?

I have been feeling good. I am still loving being pregnant. Aunt Julie is still helping once a week with adjustments to help my hips.

Last weekend Jared and I made a trip to Kansas City to visit our friends Bill & Mindy & little Ryan & little Ashley. We had a great time. We had dinner at the T-Rex Restaurant. It is made by the same people that did Rain Forest Cafe, but with Dinosaurs. Ryan loved it. We had a dinosaur by our table and when it roared he would roar back. We also saw my family that lives down there, my grandma and grandpa, aunts, uncles and cousins. Thank you to them for the size one diapers. They had leftovers from the triplets, so they shared them with us. The trip went a little longer than previous trips since I needed to stop a couple of times.

Time is really ticking away. We could have as little as 9 weeks left or as many as 15. Depending on when our little guy decides to show up. Football season has started, so our weekends are becoming limited. I am getting all of my lists ready for us to go register. Wow, amazing how much this little guy needs.

Dr. Appointment Update~

Everything was good at the doctor today. His heartbeat was 150 bpm and I am measuring just right. We got to meet the other doctor in the practice. I think we will start seeing him every other time just in case I go into labor in the middle of the night and he is the one on call.

26 Weeks Today ~

At long last, your little swimmer can see the womb! Your miracle’s little eyelids have finally separated (they were fused closed previously) and they’re probably having their first moments of sight as you read this (or maybe it already happened while you were brushing your teeth or watching Oprah or something). In addition to seeing their little studio in your belly, they’ve recently acquired the ability to say “yes” and “no” in rudimentary sign language as they can now move their head back and forth. This is also the time where your little super star’s head hair is starting to grow! A cute little cowlick or two may be springing into position right now, getting ready for years of cute-but-stubborn bed-head. Also, their toenails have grown in and you little raisin continues to slowly pile up fat beneath their still-loose skin. Most importantly, brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace, increasing their (genius-level?) brain activity and will continue to function at accelerated levels for the first seven to eight years of childhood!

The only thing that has been going on this week is I have been making lists of what we still need. I have been a finatic about checklists, but they help.

25 Weeks Today ~

Your little grower’s physical proportions are evening out at this point and most of their remaining development will largely be weight gain and lots and lots of nervous system development. The good news is: if your child is born premature now they’ll be more likely to survive without too much trauma as their lungs began to produce “surfactant” last week, which means their tiny respiratory system is getting stronger with each passing day. Yes, now’s a good time for a minor sigh of relief and a quick pat on the back. All that hard work and conscientious living is really getting your child prepared for a healthy delivery. Keep up the fabulous work mama! This week they’ll be scootching slowly out of the old breech position and start rotating (already!) into a better position for exit during their birth. Their head and feet are slowly rotating so that the head is pointed down towards the birth canal. Time is short (or really long, depending on who you ask)—just (still!) 14 weeks left before you can go back to being a single-resident human.

Biggest thing this week, Jared finally got to feel the baby move. He kicked 3 times in a row for his Daddy. It's very nice that he has been able to experience that with me now. It has been pretty cool to just sit at night and watch my belly move. Our 2 1/2 year old nephew was really cute the other day. My sister asked him what Aunt Amy & Uncle Jar Jar are having and he gets really excited and says "baby boy", then he tried to lift up my shirt to see the baby. They will have a lot of fun together.

24 Weeks Today ~

This is another big week for your magical growing baby! Just take a look at the checklist for this week: 1) ears: done; 2) fingernails: done; 3) (if you have a boy) testicles: taking their 3-4 day trip from the abdominal wall to the scrotum; and 4) lungs walls: secreting “surfactant”. What’s that? Well, surfactant is sort of what it sounds like: a surface-activated fat whose main purpose is to assist the your baby's little lungs during inflation (as in, filling with air, not getting more expensive). Just in case you’re curious, your submerged baby is still breathing in amniotic fluid, preparing and rehearsing the lungs an oxygen-filled life outside the womb. By the end of this week, your child will be weighing around 2 lbs and 14 inches long. Your cutie-patootie may even be a little more plump, but isn't anywhere near their full baby-fatted cute-self. Most of the “filling out” is coming up in that long awaited (and slightly dreaded?) third trimester. Woo-hoo! Get ready!

Not much has gone on the past week. We are probably going to work on a few things this weekend since it is suppose to rain here. We have started to look at cribs, WOW, what a tough decision that is. So many things that he will need, but we are having fun figuring it out. Names, names, names. So many to choose from.

23 Weeks Today ~

Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. His skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing and he can swallow. At this point you’ve pretty much adjusted to the fact you’ve got a moving little gymnast inside of you, but now they’re going to kick up the party a notch because they can hear and react to sounds from the outside world. Loud noises heard often in utero — such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze your baby when he hears them outside the womb. Sounds from your alarm clock, a thunder roll, or that darned car honking at you across the intersection can actually jar their little ears enough to elicit a kick or violent bout of squirming. Of course this also means that their little ears are picking up the sounds of your voice and those near you. So go ahead, sing a lullaby to your little angel—if they start kicking, it’s likely they just want you to stop… or maybe it was a kick of approval? You decide. Your baby's tiny taste buds are still growing and their bones are continuing to ossify (harden), their tiny veins are visible through their translucent yet wrinkly skin. (Think of it this way: they’ve been swimming in the equivalent of a long hot bath for the past 23 weeks, so you can’t blame them for being a little prune-like.)

Things have been pretty quiet this week. Jared was in Texas for 4 days for work, so we're taking it kind of easy. Jared did pick up the baby's changing table last week and we went looking for rockers, but didn't have any luck. Grandpa Johnson did end up finding a very nice one for us, so thanks again Grandpa J. We will get a lot of use out of it, the little guy will have lots of story times there. Thank you Grandma Brown for the Hawkeye outfits. He will really like them. Ok, so he won't really know, but we will enjoy putting him in them when the Hawks go to their bowl game this year (and any other day).

Dr. Appointment Update ~

We had our monthly appointment today. Everything is looking good. His heartbeat was at 156bpm. I think it was up a little because he was very active during the appointment. I have been feeling him a lot more the past couple of days. It's a pretty good feeling.

22 Weeks Today ~

The grow must go on! He weighs nearly a pound and measures nearly a foot in length. Your baby's future in the circus as a world-famous tight-rope-walker is secure: their inner ear is now developed to the point that they have their own sense of balance. Lucky for your little explorer, balance also promotes physical dexterity, which has him actively feeling out his surroundings where skin, body parts, and the resident umbilical cord are the big sensory experiences. Your foot-long baby, is looking a bit like an over sized raisin right now as more and more wrinkles are showing up each week. Not to worry, all that excessive wrinkling is just their skin’s way of planning ahead for the time when they’ll start piling on that irresistible baby chub.
Her lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. His eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and his pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily.

Things are going great. My belly just seems to be getting bigger every week. I think he still likes laying sideways with his head on the right side. If I try to lay on my right side, I have to take it slow. It's heavier on that side. It's kind of weird. I have really enjoyed being pregnant. I can't really complain. We have bought a couple of things for his room. We got him a ceiling fan that Grandpa Al is going to help Jared put in and a bassinet from one of my friends for him to sleep in while he is in our room. It will only hold him until he is 3 months or 15 pounds. That will be good for me because whether I like it or not he will have to go in his own room then.

21 Weeks Today ~

Your beautiful little miracle-gro baby will be putting on a full ounce and a half this week (and weighing up to 16.5 ounces), but that’s just the beginning! Within the next five weeks,he’ll really be packin’ it on! For now, we’re pleased to report the addition of rapid eye movement (REM) a key component to any healthy baby’s sleep schedule. While in the dermatology department: his thin soft skin is very red, rather translucent, and a bit wrinkled. Not to worry, it’s not a premature aging disease. It's just his clever little body setting him up with extra space that will smooth out once your little one starts packing on the baby-fat. That won’t be for a few more weeks, though. So for the time being, your munchkin is still a little lean mean growing machine! The beginnings of what is commonly called “brown fat” is just starting to fill in to help your baby retain some body heat, which is crucial as they’re not yet capable of regulating their own body temperature. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And you can certainly feel him move. He's oblivious to your schedule, though, so don't be surprised if he starts working out just when you're settling down for the night.



He has been moving around a lot more now (of course at night). It shouldn't be too long and Jared will be able to feel him too. Jared started to paint the basement last weekend to get it ready to drywall and carpet. I tried to help but the waterproof paint is a lot stronger smelling than regular paint, so I found other things to do.

IT'S A BOY!!!
He was very active yesterday and wouldn't cooperate much with the tech when she wanted to check his heart. Apparently he likes to lay under my belly button (which creates shadows during an ultrasound and makes it difficult to see stuff). He was the only boy the tech saw today, the others either weren't cooperating (or mom and dad didn't want to know) or they were girls. As you can tell by the picture of his spine, he was pretty curled up. He straightened out a little more at the appointment went on (for 45 minutes). He wasn't shy about showing what he was either. I showed that one to a few friends who knew they were having boys and it's pretty similar. It has made things a lot more real, I mean we got to see him at 7 weeks, but he was just a little peanut and now he was actually moving and doing things. It was really neat to see him moving around and kicking. Jared of course is beside himself with his little boy on the way now.

20 Weeks Today~

WE'RE HALF WAY THERE!! :)

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. They're also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to her bottom — known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby's legs are curled up against her torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats her entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for their digestive system. Their little delicate bones continue to ossify and toughen while their itsy bitsy finger and toe pads are finishing up. Your little monkey now has teeth buds, although they’re hidden beneath the gum line. And finally! Their limbs have reached their relative proportions—no more alien baby! Their cute pink lips are more defined, and might be helping out in a bit of prenatal thumb-sucking. What’s more, eyelashes and eyebrows are also visible. At this point, your little one really looks like a miniature baby—and we do mean miniature as your little swimmer currently weighs a mere eighth of their final birth weight. With half the pregnancy behind you, the most significant gains are yet to come!

We would like to thank everyone for their support this far. We are getting more excited as time gets closer. I can't believe we are half way there. Before we know if our little one will be here. Jared and I attended a two night "Baby Basics" class this week. There was some pretty basic things that I remember from babysitting and taking care of our nephew Ryley (he's 2 1/2). We also learned about what will go on at the hospital and some rules that they have about things during our stay. We did get a lot of handouts that will help us in making sure our home is safe for baby too and what we should have when we put the nursery together. I know I can't wait for Jared and I to start picking out nursery colors and designs. The baby has been moving a little more regularly, but I feel it most at night when I am lying down or sitting quietly. They are pretty much just little kicks right now. As tiny as the baby is, it has managed to find my bladder and kick that a few times too. We've had two big moves, it was like a tighten in my stomach and then it felt like something brushed up against it. That will still take a little getting used to. We will hopefully know in 3 days if we are having our little slugger or our little princess. We will send pictures.

19 Weeks Today ~

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the length of a small zucchini. Their arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of their body now. Their kidneys continue to make urine, and the hair on their scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. If your baby is a girl, she has an astonishing 6 million eggs in her ovaries. They'll dwindle to fewer than two million by the time she's born.

I am doing pretty great right now. I had thought I felt the baby move last weekend, it was just a little flutter that went from one side to the other, but I definitely felt the baby move Tuesday night. I was laying in bed on my side and all of a sudden my stomach got a little tight and then it felt like something brushed up against my left side. It was a pretty big move, I don't know if he or she was doing a somersault or what. I haven't felt one that big since. It's just been little tingles here and there. Now that I am feeling them, I can't wait for Jared to be able to feel it too.
Ten more days until our ultrasound.

Monthly Dr. Appointment ~

We had our monthly checkup today. The baby was being very active, it barely sat still long enough for the nurse to check the pulse. It was 159bpm today. I think I felt the baby yesterday when I switched from laying on one side to the other. It was like a butterfly just glided across my belly.

18 Weeks Today ~

Head to bottom, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and they weigh almost 7 ounces. They are busy flexing their arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. Their blood vessels are visible through their thin skin and their ears are now in position and stand out from their head. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around their nerves, a process that will continue for a year after they are born. This is a big week for their baby skin. There are now two distinct layers—the epidermis (or the surface skin) and dermis. Currently, their skin is covered with a greasy, waxy, cheese-like substance, known as vernix caseosa. Sure, it sounds pretty nasty, but this mixture of fatty secretions covering your little swimmer from head to toe is the best way to protect their oh-so-thin skin from bruising and abrasions as well as chapping caused by amniotic fluid exposure. If you're having a girl, her uterus and Fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

I'm not sure if I've felt the baby move or not, but it's possible. I have asked a few friends, they weren't really sure either until about 20 weeks or so. Mindy said that it wasn't until her ultrasound and the tech asked her if she felt the baby move that she knew what she was feeling a couple weeks prior was the baby. It was nice to see our friends over the 4Th, the party has really changed over the past few years. It's hard to believe that just 5 years ago no one had kids and now there are 9 of them with 2 more on the way (all under the age of 5). It was a lot of fun though. We got to meet our new "niece" Ashley, born June 4. Jared has been kind of nervous around really little ones, but when I was holding her for a while he asked if I was going to hold her all day. I gave her to him and he did a great job. Then we couldn't get Ashley away from him. We also got to see our friends Ben and Jessie who are due in August, it was neat to be able to see their little one moving around. We can't wait for that to start happening. We have just over two weeks until our next ultrasound, hopefully our little one is going to cooperate and let us know. I haven't had a feeling of boy or girl, I've just had a feeling that he or she is not going to let us know and make us wait until they arrive. I hope they prove me wrong, but if not we will just wait for our big surprise.

17 Weeks Today ~

Your baby weighs about 5 ounces now, and they're around 5 inches long — about the size of a large onion. They can move their joints, and their skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. Their sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, their lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby is more flexible with ability to move head, mouth, lips, arms, wrists, hands, legs, feet, and toes. Fingerprints are forming now.

Things are going pretty good. I have been busy this past week with training in Aurora (AAA Chicago Headquarters) to be a certified Child Passenger Seat Technician. Another co-worker and I have taken the course and we passed yesterday. This is something that I will have to do Continuing Education for every two years so I don' t have to take the four day class again. I didn't realize there was so much to know about your vehicle's seat belts, air bags and child restraints. I know I will feel better putting our baby in our vehicles, so watch out those of you who might be transporting our little one someday. Don't be offended if I check out your vehicle someday.

16 Weeks Today ~

At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, they'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling their weight and adding inches to their length. Their lower limbs are much more developed now. Their head is more erect than it has been, and their eyes have moved toward the front of their head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of their more advanced body systems are working, including their circulatory system and urinary tract. Their heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating their total blood volume through their body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of their scalp has begun, though their hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, their eyes are moving (slowly), and they've even started growing toenails.

Things are continuing to go well. I have still had some problems with my hips from having to sleep on my sides, but Aunt Julie (Jared's sister) has adjusted me and we are going to do that once a week. That should help me sleep better and help with delivery later.

15 Weeks Today ~

At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 ounces. They're busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help develop the air sacs in their lungs. Their legs are growing longer than their arms now, and they can move all their joints and limbs. That means their hands are more functional, too. Sweat glands are appearing, and although their eyelids are fused shut, they can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, they are likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but their taste buds are beginning to form. Many of their major organ systems are increasing in capacity—particularly that amazing tiny heart and complex circulation system, which is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood per day, and will increase to a very impressive 200 quarts per day by the end of the pregnancy. As far as hair goes, we’ve got some new scalp patterns beginning to develop on the head, although actual head hair is not yet present.

I have been feeling pretty good these days. I do get some sore hips from sleeping on my sides, but it's nice to have a Chiro in the family. It is a busy weekend for us, I am in a wedding and Jared is in a golf tournament. Then we should have some free weekends to do some things around the house. Just 5 more weeks and we will be half way there already. That is so hard to believe.

Monthly Dr. Appointment ~

We went to the Doctor today. Everything is good. The baby's heartbeat was at 158bpm. They said that the normal rate for 2nd trimester is between 110 and 160.

14 Weeks Today ~

This is what the baby's leg looks like now.

Head to bottom, your baby's 3 1/2 inches long — about the length of a lemon — and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. Their body's growing faster than their head, which now sits upon a more well-defined neck. By the end of this week, their arms will have lengthened and will be in proportion to the rest of their body. (Their legs still have some growing to do, though.) They're starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair all over their body (called lanugo). Their liver starts secreting bile this week, a sign that it's already functioning properly, and their spleen starts contributing to the production of red blood cells. They're also producing and discharging urine into the amniotic fluid, a normal process that they'll keep up until birth. You still can't feel your baby's movements, but their hands and feet (which are now half an inch long) are more flexible and active. Thanks to brain impulses, their little facial muscles are getting a workout as they squint, frown, and grimace. They can grasp now, too, and they may be able to suck their thumb.

So far second trimester has proven to be quite nice. The nausea that I used to get after eating has subsided, but I do get a little nauseous still in the morning if I don't eat right away. We have a doctor's appointment Monday, so I will post with the results of that.

Jared and I celebrated our 4th Wedding Anniversary yesterday. We went to Bass Street Chop House for dinner. I had won a free dinner for two at a Chamber event that I had attended. We got to order anything we wanted. If anyone has been there you know that it is not very cheap. It was really nice. I think I have leftovers for the next two days.

13 Weeks Today ~

Here is the update on the baby this week:

The baby is only about 3 inches long crown to rump — roughly the size of a jumbo shrimp — and weighs just about an ounce. Fetal growth is amazing from now through about the 24th week of pregnancy. Despite the small proportions, there's a fully formed baby inside your womb now. Much more proportional than it was a few weeks ago, their head is now only about a third the size of their body. Their tiny, unique fingerprints are already in place. Their kidneys and urinary tract are functional, and they are starting to urinate out the amniotic fluid they have been swallowing. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed. Their cozy little amniotic sac is also increasing in size and mass, as it continues to fill with more fluid. There is a milky membrane that surrounds your baby. It is pierced by the umbilical cord and is made up of two layers, which are fused together. Your placenta provides most of the nutrients and oxygen that your baby needs. Tissue that will form your baby's bones is being laid down, especially around the head and limbs. The nose and chin are becoming more prominent. Your baby's eyelids meet and fuse together and they will not open again for nearly four months. The eyes started out on the side of your baby's head and they are now moving closer together on the face. The ears come to lie in their normal position on the sides of the head. If examined outside of the womb, you will be able to distinguish male from female at this time. The sockets for all twenty teeth are formed in the gums, and vocal cords are beginning to form.

I am still doing pretty good. I had to be home from work yesterday, but I think it was a result of the baby not liking what we had for dinner the night before. That was the first time we had Genghis Grill since we found out we were pregnant.

12 Weeks Today ~

Here is the next update on the baby for the week.

Even though your little Einstein’s body is still growing quite rapidly and is about 2 inches long right now, the overall super-speedy growth of their amazing brain continues to leave the head proportionately larger than the body— and is actually slightly more than one third of their total body mass! The head and neck are still straightening at this point as can be seen by their little chin lifting off of the chest. Your baby is also actively rehearsing “breathing” by using amniotic fluid to prepare the lungs for future air respiration. Your baby may have acquired more reflexes by now, including sucking, and they'll even squirm, though you still won't be able to feel their movement for several weeks.
The big news: your little pooper is now officially going to need diapers! Although a majority of the waste produced is transferred to the mother’s system for discharge (to avoid lingering in the amniotic sac), some urine is released to the amniotic fluid and your baby will actually breathe it in before passing it on to your for discharge. Not to worry, urine--in this particular form is actually harmless to your child.

I have been starting to feel better. The nausea is starting to subside, I just have to eat as soon as I start to get hungry because then I will become nauseous. All is good. We are continuing to work on the house, we have to get other things done before we can start on the baby's room because everything in there has to go somewhere else.

11 Weeks Today ~

Just to give you an update on what the baby is doing this week.

They will be gaining a substantial amount of weight this week, and have already achieved fruit-size-status comparable to a plum. Your little scientist is already starting to explore their body, focusing most intently on touching their head, and especially their face and mouth. The mouth in particular will provide them with hours of entertainment. This happens not only because your baby is gaining coordination, and is therefore able to move a hand on command, but also because their palms have gained sensation and can actually “feel” what it touches.They're also developing their swallow refllex this week. And lastly, your baby's smelling and other olfactory senses begin developing this week, which when combined with the maturing taste buds, will provide your baby with their first experiences of taste and smell.

Telling Everyone

As all of you know or should know by now, Jared and I are expecting our first baby on December 7, 2007

We are both very excited. We found out on March 23 and had our first ultrasound on April 20 (to determine our due date). We got to see our little peanut for the first time and it's little heart was just beating away at 150bpm. They said that was normal and good.

On Mother's Day we told our parents. They are really excited. We gave the "Grandmas" little photo albums that say, "Grandma's Show-and-Tell" on them. They were a little thrown off at first, but when we told them it was for our new baby, they couldn't be happier. Jared's two little sisters (14 & 12) are excited to become Aunts for the first time.

Monday, May 14, we went to our appointment and were able to hear the heartbeat for the first time. What an amazing thing. I think that made it even more real for us that there is a little person in there. I can't believe how much you can already start to love someone that you haven't even met yet. The heartbeat was at 178bpm, the doctor said it will be a little higher now and then come back down as we get closer to delivery.

Everything is going well. I still have some nausea after I eat, but that should be over soon. I am still pretty tired. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon I really need a nap and then it's usually around 8 or 8:30 at night when I fall asleep on the couch. I'm ready for all of that to be over too. I should be getting areprieve from that here pretty soon, at least for a couple of months.