The Bump @ 25weeks 6days

All Girl!

I can still see my feet...kinda!

It is nice to have a husband who not only loves taking photos but is good at it! We both had fun with this.

The Movements

Its amazing how fast things really move when pregnant. Of course waiting nine months to see the baby isn't all that fast. However, progressing from one stage and new development to the next takes place fairly quickly.

The most amazing change yet is feeling the baby kick, punch, squirm, and have the hiccups. I admit, sometimes its unpleasant, especially with a full bladder or when I really want to sleep, but most times it is enjoyable and fun to sit, relax and try to anticipate the baby's next move!

I first felt her move at 19 weeks and now i feel like a pro at recognizing movement. I know when she is having the hiccups or when she kicks. Punching is generally softer and not noticeable by looking at my tummy. She is fairly active after meals and in the evening.

I often wonder how Elijah feels not being able to experience the kicks firsthand. I want to feel bad for him and all dads-to-be, yet a small part of me is happy because it is something only I share with my little girl. After all, in 3 short months, I will have to share her with the rest of the world!

The 24 week scan and Pregnancy Highlights

The 24 week scan went very well. Managed to pass some baby cake to my doctor! For the doubting Thomas' out there, I asked my doctor to check again to make sure he did not make a mistake with the gender. So he scanned over to her back end and showed me her very tiny little butt and the "white lines" that indicate girl (as opposed to a boy that would show what looks like swelling between the legs). I admit, that I was beginning to second guess the doctor's assessment after hearing all the stories that people are so willing to share regarding someone they know having a boy when they thought it was a girl. Now, I have complete confidence in my doctor and I saw with my own eyes that she is all girl!

24 Weeks - Head on right (can clearly see eyes, nose and mouth)

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 24 weeks
Size of baby: Corn
Maternity Clothes: Finally got a pair of maternity jeans, that are a bit big for now and some new dresses that I love! Most of my tops ride up over my belly button, so they are in the storage bin for now :)
Gender: 100% GIRL
Name: We've selected the first name but can't seem to find the right middle name just yet.
Movement: She is an active little one… her punches are soft, but her kicks are strong! She settles down when I play the music from the baby snow globe Grandma and Grandpa Low gave her!
Heartbeat: 136 beats per minute!
What I miss: Bak Kut The, peanut butter and soft serve ice cream
Symptoms: Occasional heartburn and swollen ankles. There is certainly no shortage of backaches by the middle of the day.
Medications: Prenatal vitamins, Calcium and Omega 3 
Best Moment this week: The doctor appointments are always my favorite!
Funny Moment this week: My baby brain gets annoying at times, I tried turning on the air con with my phone!

24 week scan details:
Estimated Fetal Weight: 757 grams
Head: 60.3mm (equivalent to 24wks 4 days)
Abdominal Circumference: 196.3mm (equivalent to 24wks 2day)
Femur Length: 46.7mm (equivalent to 25wks 4day)

Translating these numbers: Basically the baby is right on schedule, development is normal and she is tall (hmmm, I wonder where she gets that from)!

The Trimester Breakdown

I'm getting really confused about how far a long I actually am. There are so many different breakdowns of week by week and what weeks start a new trimester. Some say the second trimester ends with the 26th week. Other calculations say it ends with the 28th week. So which is it? Over night I went from thinking i was in my 5th month to being in my 6th month!

I guess which month I'm in is less important than the week. After all, it is still a 40 week countdown despite which month the weeks fall in. Today, I'm 23 weeks and 7 days!

The First Letter

My mom was inspired to write the baby a letter, she read it to me and I nearly cried. So I thought I would share it all with you. Baby's first letter from Grandma Bristol!

Dear Little One,

How wonderful it is to know you will arrive in September and be the center of everyone’s admiration and love. You have already commanded everyone’s attention.

I have followed your growth and activity since we knew you were more than a desire.  It has been fun for me to experience your Mommy’s wonderment that you were growing inside her. She and Daddy have written Baby Journals and weekly blogs to keep everyone informed and entertained. We saw her bump grow and we even saw ultrasounds of you. So precious!

What fun we had at the G.A.P. celebration. Mom and Dad announced your gender at the party. Mom was shocked and so happy as they sliced and pulled out a pink  chunk of cake. I could see clearly on Dad’s beaming face the joy and happiness as I measured the width of his smile. I could easily see he was truly thrilled about having a little girl to spoil. Later Mom mentioned how much fun Dad had picking out your first clothes. Mostly ALL pink, of course.

Soon you will be born in Madison at the same hospital your Mommy was born in 24 years earlier. How special for her.

It may be difficult for me to fly to the states for your birth but I will not miss any of the excitement thanks to skype. I will for sure see you face to face and hold you at Christmas. I can hardly wait!

In the meantime, be good to Mom and Dad and Grandpa. See you in September.

Love you more than I can say,

GRAM

The Braxton Hicks contractions

Felt my first contraction at 4am this morning (week 23). I feel like I'm breezing through this pregnancy!!! It felt like just yesterday that I first felt the baby move and then found out it was a girl and now the contractions! I'm enjoying every minute of this pregnancy, except the days when the hormones really kick in to overdrive and all I want to do is cry for no reason… But this blog is not about my stupid hormones, it's about the contractions.

Now before you freak out (those of you who are not familiar with pregnancy), Braxton Hicks contractions are normal. What it is, is sporadic uterine contractions. In simple English, it feels like a tightening in the stomach and lower abdomen region. They are said to aid the body in its preparation for birth. These contractions actually begin around 6 weeks but are not noticeable till after midway through pregnancy. Some women may not even feel them. However, they are completely normal. It will continue to occur but will remain infrequent, irregular, and painless up until the last weeks of pregnancy. They get their name from an English doctor who first described them in 1872, John Braxton Hicks.

I'm so glad everything is right on track!

The Growth (Part 1)

Today marks the first day of Week 23! More than half way there and the time has simply disappeared. I'm certainly in no hurry for the next half to be over but I can't help imagining what it will be like to hold my baby girl for the first time… knowing me, I'll be so emotional and my eyes will be full of tears that I won't be able to see at all. Speaking of growing, this blog post, part 1 of 3, will cover the last 4 weeks of the second trimester (month 6) and the growth of the baby in comparison to fruits and vegetables, based on my BabyBump iPhone app!!

[From week 21 on, measurements are taken from head to toe.]


Week 23
Large Mango
11.5 inches
.499 kg

Week 24
Corn
12.5 inches
.567 kg

Week 25
Rutabaga
13.5 inches
.680 kg

Week 26
Hothouse Cucumber
14 inches
.794 kg