21 Weeks

We had an interesting night on Monday night...We were in bed and at about 9:30 the doorbell rings. I just assumed it was kids being pests but then someone started knocking. J went down to check and there was a man and 5 kids at our door. Apparently the kids had stolen two pumpkins from our porch and destroyed them. The man (a police officer who lives down the street) saw them do this. The man told the boys that he could arrest them which scared the hell out of the boys and even brought one to tears. Instead, he brought them to our house and made them apologize. The boys were told they needed to replace the pumpkins they stole...to my surprise we had 3 new pumpkins and an apology letter on our porch the next day!

And much to my annoyance, the intersection in front of our house was covered with the remains of several pumpkins this morning.

I know kids do stupid stuff and not that long ago I was doing stupid stuff but you don't appreciate how disrespectful and upsetting it is until you are an adult and a homeowner. So it got me thinking....what would I do if one of these boys were my son? And then in a sudden panic I realized someday I will have a teenager! Good god the prospects of parenthood can be terrifying. I feel like now that I am in the second half of pregnancy, I am starting to anticipate his arrival and all of the new experiences that will follow.

Speaking of new experiences, Baby V has been kicking up a storm over the past few weeks but this morning I was actually able to see my belly move! Feeling him move is one thing but actually seeing your belly move around might take some getting used to!!! But I admit, I am loving every minute of this new part of pregnancy. Every morning, baby boy wakes up shortly after I do and I lay in bed a for a bit with my hand on my belly, enjoying every kick and the reassuring feeling that we have made it through another day.

We were able to get one of the guest bedrooms painted and FINISHED over the weekend. It feels so good to have another room done and we are both very happy with the end result. Only one more bedroom to do and we will be done!!! Well, done with rooms that need to be repainted immediately. The family room and kitchen need a fresh coat of paint but those jobs would be best done by the professionals ;) Every additional room we get done makes me love this house more and more because it is finally starting to feel like us....like OUR home. Once February comes and goes this will be the longest I will have been at an address since 521 W. Reynolds St Pontiac, IL....9 years ago!

We start childbirth class next Tuesday! Early I know but we have decided to take childbirth classes on the Bradley method and they are once a week for 12 weeks. I will go into more detail next week.



Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

Lindsey

20 Weeks....HALF WAY THERE!!!

140 down and 140 to go! I have been waiting for this day for a very long time. On a day to day basis, it feels like time moves so slowly but it amazes me that it has been 16 weeks since the fateful day I found out I was pregnant. March will be here before I know it!

We had our 20 week appointment/ultrasound today and we were given nothing but GOOD news. Well it is 100% official...BABY V IS A BOY!!! The first image I saw in the u/s told me without a doubt that it is a boy ;) In retrospect, I think next time I'll wait until 20 weeks to ask about gender because the 'there's a 90% chance it's a boy' has been driving me nuts. I feel so relieved to know for sure that it's a boy. Woohoo, we don't have to return anything :) So bring on the blue!!!

Most importantly Baby V is growing and developing very well. My uterus is measuring right at 20 weeks and he weighs 13 oz which puts him a little ahead of schedule at 20 weeks 5 days. His heartbeat was 150 and we were able to clearly see all four chambers of the heart. We were able to have a 4D picture taken (4D is an u/s that allows us to clearly see the baby's facial features, etc.) BUT baby boy was being stubborn. He had his arms up around his head and he was facing my back so we couldn't get a clear view. Oh well! Just seeing him on the 2D u/s was everything I needed. Justin was even able to see him open and close his mouth and stick out his tongue!!! I, at the time, didn't know what the hell I was looking at ;)
Unfortunately, this will be the last time we get to see Baby V until his arrival.

In the meantime, Baby V has been and will hopefully continue to kick and punch up a storm much to his mother's delight. I felt a lot of movement in the lower part of my uterus this morning and I just assumed it was his feet but in the u/s his head was down so it looks like we may have a little boxer on our hands.

We were able to get some u/s pictures...

This one is a bit creepy. The machine is able to see through his eyelids and that is how you can so clearly see his actual eye. His hand is next to his face and I believe his torso is towards the left. J calls him our "Terminator" baby.



Here is a hand...



Again, another creepy eye picture with his torso to the left...



And here is a foot...



Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).



Here I am at 20 Weeks...



This how far we have come in 10 weeks.




Lindsey

19 Weeks

This week has brought an exciting milestone to Baby V's development...mama bear can officially feel him move! I "thought" I felt something for the first time last Tuesday but being that this is the first time I have had something growing inside of me, I couldn't quite be sure. That first day I only felt it a few times within a few minutes and the best way I can describe it it was like a little hummingbird inside. I am now positive what I am feeling is our little bean kicking, punching and stretching. I have never felt anything like it and the last few days the movements have been much more pronounced and frequent. I have heard people describe the feeling like a 'flutter' and in all honesty that is exactly what it feels like. I can't help but stop everything when I feel him and hope that he kicks again! Truly an incredible sensation.

Next Tuesday we have our 20 week appointment with the midwives and ultrasound afterward. I CAN'T WAIT!!! 20 weeks marks half way, we get to see Baby V and we will finally get the final word on gender (fingers crossed, he cooperates).

At 19 weeks....Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.



Lindsey

18 Weeks

Okay Lindsey is not really feeling it tonight so a quick update from the sperm donor. This week has been fairly un-eventful. Lindsey is feeling much better and actually gaining weight. She is super excited about this fact but I foresee a time in the future where she will be stressing about gaining too much weight. (ahhh women???) We had company this weekend which was nice as Lindsey's dad drove a bunch of furniture out and we actually got a lot accomplished. We got Baby V's room painted. See pics below and got a lot of other projects done around the house. Lindsey's dad also generously purchased Baby V's dresser see pics below. Thanks Greg!!! Last night Lindsey felt a weird sensation in her stomach which we believe might have been the baby kicking. Too cool!!!. Tonight I think we finally decided on a Baby V's name. We shall call him ........ Sorry folks but you will have to wait until he is born. We are keeping this one a secret. Love all of you

J & L








Proof that I did help :)



The girls wanted to help too!



And here we are with the finished product...



Phase 1...DONE!





And here is your 18 week Baby V progress report...Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.