Week 29: Squash

Dear Bun,

This is the last week of the 20's, yikes!  You are around 2 1/2 lbs and just over 15 inches long.  This week, fat deposits are beginning to store underneath your skin, so you should be at an all time high for energy levels.  I believe it too!  When I was at the doctor last week, they told me to start counting your kicks every day or so to make sure you are active.  I am supposed to feel you move 10 times per hour, and if not, I'm supposed to eat or drink something to see if I can get you moving.  Ok, so I sat down to read and I felt 10 movements within 15 minutes!  I used to just feel you in one spot, but now I am starting to feel jabs on the left and right side at the same time, so I think you are kicking and punching together.  Your bones are also soaking up alot of calcuim now, which explains my milk consumption lately.  I go through a gallon in about 3-4 days- that's with just me drinking it too!  Usually a gallon will last both of us at least a week, but not these days.  

I started having lower pack pains on my left side late last week, so I decided to go to the doctor.  Apparently, it's just my SI joint loosening, which is what it's supposed to do in preparation for labor.  The doctor said that the only cure was delivery, but I told my pilates instructor about it, and she showed me some stretches I could do for it, and it helped alot.  It's not totally better, but at least I can walk without a limp now, and can do most of my normal activities.  So, other than back pain, I seem to be doing pretty good.  Every week, it seems like I notice something I can't do anymore though.  Like today, I was trying to paint my toenails, and that was almost impossible.  Tying my shoes is also challenging now.   Something tells me you'll be worth it all though.

Love,
Mom

Week 28

Dear Bun,

We have officially made it to the third trimester, and are now seven months along!  You should weigh around 2 1/4 lbs and could be as long as 16 inches now.  You are mastering all sorts of activities including: blinking, coughing, sucking, hiccupping, and taking practice breaths.  You have also started dreaming and are now getting REM sleep.  I went to the doctor last week, and your heartbeat was a strong 150 bpm and you are measuring right on track.  I also had to get checked for gestational diabetes (they test everyone now) and we passed, woo hoo!  I celebrated later with a sweet treat of frozen yogurt for us :)

I am still doing well, although I had an episode of pregnancy hormonal emotions yesterday.  I cried during my pilates lesson.  Yes, it's embarassing now, but at the time I was so frustrated.  See, my body has been telling me all week I needed to slow down, and I have always had a hard time relaxing, so I have not been listening to my body like I should.  By the time Friday came, my back hurt so bad, but I still instisted on cleaning the bathroom and going to the gym on Saturday morning like always.  Then, I had a pilates session, and 5 minutes into the class, I made it through 20 reps of "The Hundred" and my back was piercing pain by that point.  My eyes started welling up and before I knew it, the owner was over me telling me to lay on my side and drink water.  I finished the class, with lots of modifications to the exercises, but after I came home, John would not let me do anything but sit on the couch with the heating pad.  I snuck a few breaks to clean and do laundry, but other than that, I sat all day. I am trying to not do as much, but it's been really challenging since I like to keep busy on the weekends. This was just proof that my body can't do as much as it used to be able to do because I have a much more important job to do now, like make room for you :) Oh and I got an email from my pilates instructor checking on me today, I guess I caused quite a scene over at the studio and everyone wanted to make sure I was alright.

So, other than my emotional outbreak, I am still doing well.  It seems like almost overnight, my belly got really hard and my belly button is so stretched now, I wonder if it will turn into an "outie" one of these days.  I registered us for our child birth classes and an infant CPR class and am starting to look for pediatricians too.  This is really happening fast it seems!

Love you,

Mom

Weeks 26-27

Dear Bun,

You are still the size of an eggplant, but have put on some weight in the past 2 weeks, you should be around 2 lbs now.  You are now sleeping and waking at regular intervals (although you are still very active at night!) but the most exciting development this week is that you have started opening your eyes!  Up until now, they have been fused shut, but by now they should be opening and closing regularly. Another interesting fact is that you have more taste buds right now than you will ever have in your entire life.  You can taste different flavors in the amniotic fluid based on what I eat, and some people claim that shapes what foods you prefer as an adult.  If there is any truth to that, you will be eating ALOT of dairy because I can't seem to get enough milk and cheese. 

This Thursday will start the third trimester!  I can't believe it's going by so fast.  I am still feeling good, but I think I have reached the point in pregnancy where you say goodbye to sleep.  I wake up every hour or two either because I am getting kicked, have to go to the bathroom, or have to switch sides (since I have to sleep on my side now).  Maybe this is nature's way of preparing me to wake up in the middle of the night with you? 

Last week was Christmas, and we spent it with John's family in Michigan.  You are not even here yet, and you already got several Christmas presents!  Next summer, we are going to take you back to Michigan for John's grandmother's 85th birthday and you will get to meet lots of people from your dad's side of the family.  Everyone is so excited to meet you!  This week, my mom has been in town and we are working on your nursery.  It's starting to come together and I love the way everything looks so far. 

The picture below was taken on Christmas when I was 26 weeks, and the second picture is from 27 weeks.  I have not gained much weight since Thanksgiving, but I know that most people gain rapidly at the end, so I'm not too worried. 

Love,
Mom

Week 25: Eggplant

Dear Bun,

We are now 25 weeks along, you are weighing about 1.5 lbs and are around 13.5 inches.  Apparently that's the size of an eggplant, but it seems like eggplants are smaller than that to me. This week, capillaries are forming under your skin and filling with blood, and air sacs lined with capillaries are developing in your lungs which will help you get ready to take your first breath of air.  Your vocal cords are now functioning and apparently your heartbeat may now be strong enough to hear from the outside without using a doppler.  I'm going to ask your dad to listen to my stomach tonight to see if he can hear it! 

As for me, I have still been feeling great.  I feel you move around all the time but especially after I eat something.  I think I am starting to have experience nesting in a big way.  Last week, I had to go to Raleigh for work and they have a Container Store there.  The Container Store is one of my favorite places since I am a bit neurotic about oraganizing things anyway, but add on pregnancy, and the Container Store was like walking into heaven!  I bought organizers for your closet, the laundry room, and our basement storage area.  This week, I have been organizing and going through things like crazy.  I cleaned out all my drawers and closet space and deep cleaned the house. It seems like I can't open a drawer without tossing half the stuff out and organizing/cleaning the rest.  I love it. 

I wanted to take a "before" picture of your room, so it's below.  It's not techincally before since it was a guest room before, but all we have done is painted and assembled the crib.  Lots more to do, I have so many ideas I can't wait for everything to come together. 

Love,
Mom

Happy Birthday Mom!

Last weekend, I flew out to Colorado to surprise my mom for her 60th birthday.  In addition to my visit, we had also rented The Sheldon House for a high tea with some of her close friends.  The menu was wonderful, and the tea was good too.  It was a huge success, my mom was surprised (wish I had gotten a pic when she first saw me) and the party turned out well too. I knew my mom would not want presents, so I got a journal and asked everyone to come prepared to write words of advice, favorite quotes, fond memories, or funny stories so my mom could have something to remember the party by. Well, the journal went over great, but people still brought gifts!  Sorry mom, I tried, even wrote it out on the invitation, your friends just love you too much! Here are a few pics.  I hope I look as good as my mom when I'm sixty!

And the yummy fruit torte we had for her at the house the next day:

Weeks 23-24

Dear Bun,

I did not update last week because I was traveling, but you are still around the size of a papaya and the length of an ear of corn now.  You weigh about 1 1/2 lbs and are putting on about 6 oz a week for the next few weeks.  You are starting to accumulate baby fat and your taste buds are continuing to develop.  You are very active now!  I still feel the flutters, but now you have started to really kick sometimes.  Last week, your dad was able to feel you kicking from the outside which was really neat!   I had another doctor's appointment last week. You are measuring right on track, and your heartbeat was very strong at around 158 bpm.

I have still been doing really well.  I got a prenatal massage yesterday which was wonderful.  They have a special table with the belly and chest area cut out so I could lay on my stomach.  That alone felt amazing since I haven't been able to lay on my stomach for the past 6 months.  We are making progress on your nursery, the painting has been done and your crib and mattress have been delivered.  We also registered this morning and ordered your stroller and carseat.  I can't believe I am 6 months pregnant, where has the time gone?  I'm sure it will go just as fast once you get here. 

PS Last weekend, we were in Colorado visiting my family.  You got to hear your grandma, grandpa, aunt, great-grandma, and great-grandpa's voices, and over Christmas, you will get to hear some more voices from your dad's side of the family.  Everyone loves to talk to you and feel my belly!


Here I am at 24 weeks:

We have a name!

Dear Bun,


We have decided on a name for you! I love hearing stories of how names are chosen, so I thought you might like to know how we came up with yours. Your name came to us very easy, actually before you were conceived, I mentioned to your dad that I loved your name, and he said he did too. Once we found out about you, we started calling you by that name around the house, and it seemed to fit already. I even have a few nicknames already that I call you by sometimes. So, even though we decided fairly quickly on the name, here is what we wanted/did not want in a name.

1. It could not start with the letter “J”- There are some great J names out there, but since your dad and I both have names that start with J, we did not want to use that letter for our child too. Plus, if you have a sibling, then their name would have to start with J too, so they “fit in” with the family, and I don’t care for alliteration in names, so we did not even want to start down that road.

2. It could not be in the top 10 most popular baby names- Jennifer was the most popular girls name from 1970-1984 (I was born in 1981), so I was always one of many Jen’s around. I remember one time, there were 7 Jennifer’s/Jen’s/Jenny’s in my class of 25. When you subtract out the boys in the class, almost half of the girls were named with some form of Jennifer. I remember hating that growing up, so I did not want to do the same for you. Right now, here are the 10 most popular boy’s names that were immediately eliminated:

1 Jacob

2 Ethan

3 Michael

4 Alexander

5 William

6 Joshua

7 Daniel

8 Jayden

9 Noah

10 Anthony

3. It could not be too trendy- This goes along with being in the top 10, but basically, we didn’t want to give you a name that will tie you to a generation. We wanted a strong, classic name that has stood the test of time. Lots of boy’s names lately are ending in “-den” such as Aaden, Brayden, Jaden, etc., or starting with “Br” like Brady, Brayden, Brody, or ending in “-son” like Greyson, Jackson, etc.


4. It could not be a unisex name, or a name used for girls- Girls names are now crossing over into boy names in a big way it seems. I know kids like to tease about names, so I didn’t want to chance anyone calling you a girl by giving you a name that many girls are now using such as: Parker, Carson, Cameron, Hudson, Mason, Riley etc.

5. It had to be spelled in the most conventional way- This is more of a pet peeve of mine I guess, but it seems like sometimes parents will give their child a common name, but spell it in a unique way. I think that would be frustrating for you because people would always ask how you spell your name, or you would have to correct them. This is more common with girls I think than boys, but still, it was a rule.

6. It could not be a last name used as a first name- This does not bother me, but it does your dad, so names like Carter, Parker, Jackson would never work for John

And the name we decided on is:

HENRY JAMES

And here are some reasons why we love your name:

- We don’t have any negative associations with the name. I don’t personally know anyone with this name, although most famous people with this name are well regarded authors, artists, sports figures, or actors. Some of the famous people with your name include Henry “Hank” Aaron, Henry Ford, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Henry David Thoreau

- One of my favorite literary characters is Henry DeTamble in “The Time Traveler’s Wife” I love the book and his character

- It is my great-grandfather’s name- although I did not realize it at the time, but my great grandfather’s name is Henry Leland. He died when my grandmother was 2, but when my mom told her of your name, she remembered her father

- Your middle name is John’s grandfather’s name and I love that we were able to honor him by using his name. Your dad will tell you all about him since he passed before your dad and I met. Even though there is a great British author with your name, we promise, you were not named after Henry James the author.

- Your name is currently the 71st most popular name in the US for boys- we love that it is not too popular, but not too unusual

- Your name was most popular in the 1880’s and we love that it has such historical roots



We hope you are happy with your name Henry! We can’t wait to meet you in a few months!