25 weeks

Vegetable comparison of the week -- a rutabaga! Baby is now 13 inches or so, and about a pound and a half. I have FELT the growth spurt over the past week. Last Thursday evening I just could NOT get comfortable in bed, despite pillows galore. I have since accomodated to the increased size, thankfully. This begins the period when baby girl starts putting on her baby fat, and filling out. Her hair is in now. We'll see if she's a brunette like the rest of the family is (or at least, the rest of the family WOULD BE if God hadn't invented hair color!). It's getting harder and harder to find decent pictures of developing babies on the internet. After wasting way too much time looking for a picture today, I have decided to punt, and leave it up to your imagination. She now looks like...well, a little baby. That's what my sources say, and I'm believing them. The 25 weekers in the NICU that we saw when the boys were born looked like miniature, skinny, babies and so I'm assuming you can all imagine that on your own:). Not looking for a picture gives me more time to do things like... I don't know... do the dishes, and clean out my computer closet. WHOOOPPEEE!!! Luckily, I am still able to do those types of things, instead of being stuck in bed and taking repeated vacations to the hospital!

24 Weeks

We're moving right along here! Baby is now the size of an ear of corn, and most likely weighs over a pound! We have reached an age of "viability", which is another milestone. Not that we would want it, but IF the baby were born at this point, she would have a 43% chance of survival. That goes up to 75% next week, and 83% the week after that. That is good news. I think this baby is going to "stick"!!! I feel her move now often, and Quinn and Colby ask repeatedly to touch my belly to feel her. I think they are really going to like having a baby sister. They already talk about her constantly. Of course, she's pretty low-maintenance at this point, living in my belly. We'll see if they stay that excited once she's "outside" and crying :)

Pre-Natal Visit

Uneventful, short, easy. These are words that never described the last pregnancy's prenatal visits, but this time... there's just not a whole lot to say. 10 minutes long, mainly just to chit-chat. I've gained 4 pounds over the last 5 weeks, measuring at 22 weeks, so a little small (surprise!) even though weight-wise, I am very close to what I weighed when I DELIVERED the twins. UGH!!!! I tell myself that 3 months of bedrest last time deteriorated my muscle mass considerably, and muscle is heavy (all of which is true, but, still.....). Another 4 weeks until the next visit, and all is well!

23 Weeks

23 weeks and it finally happened... I can finally feel our little girl moving! What a comforting feeling that is. While we were on vacation, she kicked me hard and woke me up at 5:30 one morning. I've been feeling her ever since. She's finally bigger than that darn ol' placenta! My sources state that I'm in the stage where I'm gaining about a pound a week. I thought that started at conception.... I feel HUGE! But then I see people farther along than me, and I realize that, yes, I have a looonnnng way to go yet. I will be huger. Comparative fruit of the week... a large mango. She's supposed to be about 11 inches and over a pound! Her proportions are fully "baby-like", she just needs to gain fat. I have some to spare for her.... check behind you in your mama's rear-end, little girl! Her sense of movement and hearing is finely developed, so now I need to watch what I say at all times, and not just when 4-year-old ears are around :). Next pre-natal visit... tomorrow!

22 Weeks

I hear the baby's sweat glands develop this week, and they would certainly be put to good use here in south-central Indiana! It is hot and MUGGGGGGGYYYYY. Our little girl is now likened to a spaghetti squash in size. I feel her move on rare occasions now.... maybe once every other day or so, if I'm sitting just right. Soon she'll be bigger than that darn ol' placenta that keeps blocking her kicks. Next prenatal visit -- when I get home from vacation.

Minor Little Scare

So, I'm at work today, and I start getting crampy and achy. It doesn't go away. I am at about the same point in the pregnancy where I went into pre-term labor with the boys, so this has me very worried. And I am leaving on vacation at 7am tomorrow morning, going to Who-Knows-Where Indiana, with Who-Knows-What kind of medical facilities nearby. Additional nervousness. I call the doctor's office. OF COURSE my doctor is gone for the day. These things always happen late Friday afternoon. The nurse suggests I go check myself into the OB department for monitoring, and, sure enough.... the baby is fine, no contractions. The culprit? My bladder. According to the on-call doc. I can handle bladder issues. It's those contraction thingys that I don't like. So all is well, and I'm going on vacation tomorrow!

21 Weeks

This is another "milestone week" in that the youngest babies ever born to survive happened at 21 weeks! Amazing. So, since I couldn't find ANY pictures on the internet of a 21-weeker in the womb, I'm posting a 21 week old baby OUT of the womb. I think there's only been two to survive at this age - one boy and one girl. But still. Amazing. Our baby is now the length of a carrot, according to my sources. In my experience, carrots come in all sizes (baby carrots to humongo-size) so this, to me, is not a good vegetable for reference. Oh well. She's growing, and that's what's important. I know this, because I am growing. Large.