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.

17 Weeks

We had an appointment with the midwives this morning and I must admit that I love the sense of relief I feel after every appointment. Having a chance to get answers to the questions that have been building in my mind and hearing Baby V's wonderful heartbeat (145 beats per minute) brightens up my day. At 17 weeks I still don't look very pregnant (unless you see me at the end of the day and after dinner :)) and I have only put back on 2.5 lbs of the 6 I lost in the first trimester. These things bring a bit of worry to my mind....until I hear that wonderful sound and am offered reassurance from the midwife.

She went over my blood work and testing results...everything looks excellent. No problems with my blood work and the genetic testing we had done after the last appointment turned out perfectly and I won't need to go back in for any more tests. I have been having dizzy spells everyday over the past week or so which she said was fairly normal in pregnancy because a woman's blood pressure has a tendency to get on the low side (I was at 90/50, normal is 120/80). It's just becoming an annoyance and is starting to interfere with day to day activity. Unfortunately there isn't much I can do except stay well hydrated and don't change positions too quickly. This too shall pass.

I have been having a lot of 'growing pains' over the past week or two. Nothing painful, more like quick bursts in my lower abdomen where my uterus is beginning to do some serious stretching. I was also able to finally feel the top of my uterus the other day, just below my bellybutton. Very strange sensation! As the belly gets bigger, I am noticing that I am having to starting to adjust certain activities. Leaning against the counter to do dishes or put on make up is a definite no no and sitting straight up from a laying down position is becoming uncomfortable and puts a lot of pressure on my uterus.

We go back to the midwives on October 19 for the big 20 week appointment. Whoa, almost half way done!!! At that time, we will have an ultrasound and get the final say on Baby V's gender (as long as he cooperates) and then let the baby shopping begin :) Can't wait to see our little bean again!



Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

Lindsey

Have you seen my friend?

We used to be really good friends...in fact only a few short weeks ago we couldn't get enough of each other. Now he seems to have abandon me. If you see him, tell him I miss him terribly. Oh and by the way his name is Sleep.

Apparently, my body has decided that is it enough to have to wake me up at least 3 times a night to use the bathroom but now during one of these trips I should have to lay in bed, wide awake for an hour or two. Ahhh, I miss the days when half of a Xanax would set me back into a peaceful slumber. Oh well, guess I am preparing for things to come.

Sweet dreams....

Lindsey

16 Weeks

It's like someone flipped a switch in me! The second trimester is such a blessing and much needed reprieve. My energy is up and so is my motivation. There are lots of little things I want to get done around here before Baby V's big arrival and we are no longer left with any free time. We started to paint the baby's room last weekend. Yes, I understand it may be a bit premature but if you have ever met me, you understand that I hate putting things off until the last minute and I like to have a plan. And this plan works even if Baby Boy Voigts turns out to be Baby GIRL Voigts! I will put up pictures once we have 'phase 1' done.

My dad is driving out in a few weeks (thank you, thank you, thank you!) to bring us some furniture and among said furniture is the crib my parents used for me when I was a baby. I am well aware how old this crib is and we are going to check it over thoroughly to make sure it is safe and that the slats aren't too far apart. But I am very hopeful that we will be able to use it because that is $200-$300 we won't have to spend on a crib!



Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.



Lindsey

15 Weeks

Wow...we are moving right along!!! I can't believe I am at 15 weeks already. Just five more weeks until the half way marker and we get the official say on Baby V's gender.

This week has been fairly uneventful, which I must admit I am happy to report! I have been a bit stuffy for the past week or so, hoping that I was not getting another cold. Low and behold, nasal congestion is just another wonderful side affect of pregnancy! When they say that pregnancy is total body experience, they weren't kidding! Oh well, I would take this any day over being nauseated everyday!

We have spent some time starting to plan our holiday season...I know it's only September but when your extended family lives 1000 miles away, advanced planning and logistics is a must. All I can say is what a friggin' nightmare. And I am well aware that holidays are only going to get more complicated once we have Baby V. I am just hopeful that over time Justin and I will be able to work out a 'holiday routine.'

Unfortunately, I don't have any other big news to report this week :( Ooooh, I forgot, we did receive our 'travel system' Baby V this week. Premature, yes. Nonetheless, exciting! The travel systems (otherwise known as a stroller and car seat) was a gift from my mom and grandma...Thank you, thank you ladies, I LOVE it!!!









Here is Baby V's 15 week update! Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

Too bad we don't have a doc appointment this week!



Lindsey

14 Weeks

Happy Tuesday...Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!!! Well I have officially entered into the second trimester and the rumors about this trimester are true...kind of :) The second trimester is supposed to be when most expectant mothers start to feel like a normal person again and I have definitely noticed a change in the past week. I am still ready to call it a day by 9 pm but my daytime fatigue has pretty much disappeared and my motivation level has increased significantly. My super sensitive sense of smell is still very much present however the nausea caused by this is beginning to lighten and food is starting to look appealing again. In fact my appetite is BACK! Great for Baby V, unfortunate for my waistline. Oh well I knew that gaining weight was an inevitable part of being pregnant, but I suppose the 6 lbs I lost in the first trimester will give me a nice buffer ;)

Despite still having a bad day or afternoon occasionally, I AM feeling better and I feel like my attitude has improved greatly. I think that the appointment at the midwives office last week helped to ease a lot of fears that I had buried deep down. I have not allowed myself to focus too much on the 'bad stuff', but that doesn't mean the fear of a miscarriage or something else going wrong with me or the baby wasn't in the back of my mind all the time. Now that I have heard his heartbeat and seen how much he has grown, I just feel more at peace with pregnancy. I am finally allowing myself to be completely open to this experience and our child. It's almost as if I had built up a wall, not permitting myself to get too emotionally involved with this pregnancy but the sound of a heartbeat tore that wall down and I'm in love.

So I told myself when we found out that Baby V is most likely a boy that I would refrain from shopping until the 20 week, 100% confirmation appointment. However, I never realized that baby shopping would be so much fun! My mom was out last week and we went a little crazy ;) (I did save my receipts, just in case!)





Love, Love, Love the little overalls and flannel shirt outfit!



Mom and I found this great baby consignment store nearby. On top of the bibs for a buck and the amazing little stocking caps, we also found this bouncer and baby carrier for a steal....love a deal!!!



And Baby V got another care package from Cathy this week which was full of adorable onesies that she made! And FYI, 'Opa' would be Grandpa Schrof ;)

Here is the Week 14 update...This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.



In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.



Lindsey

The Sweetest Sound

This should not have been so difficult but I FINALLY figured out how to get this up on the blog! Hopefully, everyone can access this...



Lindsey