3 months old

Appetite: Hungry! We've gone to a combination of nursing and formula... I wasn't making enough milk at a time to fill her tummy for bedtime and now we're mostly using formula. 4oz every 3-4 hours isn't bad - tonight I gave her an extra 1.5oz before bed hoping maybe she'll sleep longer? I'm really looking forward to when we can give her food! She's been watching us eat very intently, I'm excited to see if she likes it right away.

Sleep: She is fabulous though - 8 hours and then back to sleep for 4-6 more? I read today that babies 3-6 months old sleep 12-15 hours including naps and nighttime sleep and that "through the night" is 5-6 hours!! They said not to expect 8 hours at a time! ... She's been doing that since she was about a month old or younger! It is no wonder her 3 naps are only 30mn! ... They say we should wake her up in the morning to get a good sleep pattern? I think we have a good sleep pattern!

Learning: Where her toes are! :) She can almost get them in her mouth. She has also been studying her hands and we play games to get her to track moving objects and find where a sound is coming from. Also? Learning to sit up and trying to teach her rolling over :) I'm going to start giving her a spoon to play with some and to chew on so she's used to it in her mouth when we try her first foods... I hope it works!

Noticing: People and everything around her! It is no longer an easy thing to get her to nap while I grocery shop! Too much to see. She loves looking out the window in the car but thankfully can still fall right to sleep!

Talking: She jabbers! :) It is so precious! If I ask her questions she pauses and then 'answers' me :)

Favorites: She has a rattle that she can pick up and shake on her own! And she has a few toys that play music but she especially like Magic Seahorse (as we call it) and this little jukebox thing from Baby Einstein with flashy lights.

New likes: Sitting in the highchair watching us in the kitchen :) It is so cute. Also: Patty-cake and Peek-a-boo/Where's-the-baby?

She's mostly SUCH a happy baby! :) I wonder what adventures the future will hold? She's grown so much in these 3 months!

38 weeks

9 Months 


As you know, you've arrived at the final leg of your pregnancy journey, and if you're still carrying your little love around, they've just about reached their birth weight (somewhere between 6 to 8 pounds is average depending on whether they're a boy or girl). There really isn't a lot to report on baby this week, so lets do a quick recount of where we're at: all internal organ systems are pretty much ready for the outside world, they've got their meconium stockpile building up (their first black baby poo), lots of healthy baby fat, a rapidly developing brain (that'll keep growing with them for years to come), and they've more or less reached official baby status-- all they need to do is "head out" and say hello to the rest of the world and especially their ready-to-pop momma.


How far along? 38 weeks
Due Date: August 13, 2010

Total weight gain/loss: +12.5 ish. Not bad... haven't gained anything in 2 weeks and now almost 2. Hm.
Maternity clothes? Yea.
Sleep: Once I find my comfy spot... I'm a-ok. Before I'm comfortable I'm very uncomfortable. Oh yea - I woke up to some contractions last night. :P

Best moment this week: All the work in the basement and contractions starting!

Movement: Yes. But less... she's really running out of space!

Food cravings: Not really.
Food aversions: I haven't noticed anything lately... but I have to avoid peanuts and peanut butter because they comes back later :P indigestion, heartburn... whatever you call it, it is uncomfortable!
Gender: It's a girl!
Labor Signs: Yes! Contractions started being 'consistent' at 10-20 mn Thursday morning... by last night we were at 8-15... They slowed down a lot today... we'll see what happens. The waiting game has started!
Belly Button in or out? Half out... I can feel it through my shirt
What I miss: Subway!!! (Cold Subway!) But I've been good this long, I'm going to wait out these last few weeks and then eat a celebration sub!
What I am looking forward to: Labor! :) I know, silly - right? Well, that's what it is going to take to get this baby here!
Milestones: My last day at work is today!

36 weeks

The countdown continues… and in fetal developments: most of the bones (soft skull aside) in their little body are now completely hardened, providing a solid structure from which they can now make their grand debut into the world. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are structurally ready for a secure launch. In physical fitness news: their muscle tone has also improved over these past few weeks, and you’ll definitely be impressed by their steel-like Ulnar grasp (a newborn reflex that occurs if you lay your finger in their palm). Finally, in the fluids/excretion department: the amniotic fluid-to-baby ratio has fallen over these past weeks, although they’re still swallowing fluid (building up even more meconium for that historic first poop), and some vernix caseosa. They will be more than ready to swallow and digest milk after birth. Just in case you didn’t get it quite yet: you’ve got yourself an adorable and hungry 6.5 lbs 20 inch baby—are you ready?

How far along? 36 weeks
Due Date: August 13, 2010

Total weight gain/loss: +11. Same as last week.
Maternity clothes? Yea.
Sleep: Once I find my comfy spot... I'm a-ok. Before I'm comfortable I'm very uncomfortable.

Best moment this week: I'm pretty sure she's dropped even farther now... my belly is really sitting on my lap at work... and I waddle, a lot!

Movement: Yes. Lots of it. I LOVE when other people get to see my belly move.

Food cravings: Fresh food and sweets. ... Especially Oreos!
Food aversions: I haven't noticed anything lately... but I have to avoid peanuts and peanut butter because they comes back later :P indigestion, heartburn... whatever you call it, it is uncomfortable!
Gender: A little wiggly girl!
Labor Signs: A couple contractions an hour at the most... I think still Braxton Hicks but definitely uncomfortable especially if I'm not sitting.
Belly Button in or out? I can feel it through my shirt sometimes... starting to poke out.
What I miss: Subway!!! But I've been good this long, I'm going to wait out these last few weeks and then eat a celebration sub!
What I am looking forward to: Strep-B test this week... not really a 'looking forward to' but we need to find out if I'm positive or not... we want 'not'.
Milestones: At the end of this week she will be considered full term... yes, this may be next week's milestone as well :) I think it is pretty important!

35 weeks?!?!

I can hardly believe I'm at 35 weeks!
... 35 weeks down, 35 days to go!!

Congratulations! You’re now carrying nearly 6 lbs of baby not counting their amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord, or the placenta itself. We’re impressed because that’s a LOT of work non-stop. Are you feeling proud of yourself yet? Well, get to it—you’ve done an amazing job! At this point, your little grower is almost busting out of the womb size-wise, which make their restricted attempts to move much challenging. Of course, your stubborn little sucker is still trying to move around as if they weren’t in a cramped space. And the accumulationg baby fat deposits are starting to level off so your little butter ball will be padded and warm when they head out of their super snug little home. http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/calendar/week35
How far along? 35 weeks.
Due Date: August 13, 2010

Total weight gain/loss: +11. :) I'm good with that.
Maternity clothes? Yea.
Sleep: A little hard to get to sleep... once I'm asleep I'm very asleep... when I start waking up in the morning I do a lot of shifting around to be comfortable.

Best moment this week: Visiting the hospital for a tour Thursday night. The lady who led really needs to learn to walk slower... but she was very full of information. Easy to get to Labor&Delivery and lots of necessities are provided - snacks and food etc. :)

Movement: All. The. Time. No need for me to track her movement. Her most active times are morning, afternoon and 9-10pm.

Food cravings: Fresh food and sweets.
Food aversions: I haven't noticed anything lately... but I have to avoid peanut butter because it comes back later :P indigestion, heartburn... whatever you call it, it is uncomfortable!
Gender: A little wiggly girl!
Labor Signs: Not true labor... but is is possible that she pushes and it causes a contraction? Because that is how it feels.
Belly Button in or out? I can feel it through my shirt sometimes... starting to poke out.
What I miss: Subway!!! Seriously... especially now that it is hot - I want to eat not-hot food.
What I am looking forward to: This is an uneventful week coming up ... I'm looking forward to that! :)
Milestones: We had the last ultrasound this week - her kidney is the same, which is what we were looking for this time. We got to see her face again and she looks like a little baby doll! She DEFINITELY has my nose :) ... and hair... "LOTS of hair!" The tech could see it on the ultrasound! WE even saw it once she showed us what we were looking for.

Other: Baby pics :)

34 weeks

 Feeling huge.

Obviously the big change for you is the notable weight shift (known as “lightening” or “engagement”). Now that your baby is resting deeper in your pelvis, you may find yourself walking as if you're carrying a watermelon between your legs. Yes dear, you’re officially “waddling” these days. Try to comfort yourself with this thought: it’s nearly over. Soon, you’ll just have to carry your adorable little watermelon in your arms. And in a rare spate of good news: this weight shift means you can breathe easier now that your lungs aren’t compressed.

Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

How far along? 34 weeks.

Due Date: August 13, 2010

Total weight gain/loss: +10... I gained 3 this week? I guess I did eat more.
Maternity clothes? ...... Yea.
Sleep: Like a rock.

Best moment this week: making it through the week. I was so tired and sore. :P

Movement: Constantly... especially when I'm trying to concentrate!

Food cravings: Fresh food and sweets.
Food aversions: I haven't noticed anything lately.
Gender: A little wiggly girl!
Labor Signs: No. Thankfully. I think I'm starting to confuse Braxton-hicks and her pushing out on my belly so I'm not sure :P
Belly Button in or out? I can feel it through my shirt sometimes... not an outty really... but not totally in!
What I miss: Subway!!! Seriously... especially now that it is hot - I want to eat not-hot food.
What I am looking forward to: This is an important week! Tuesday is our next ultrasound and Dr appt and Thursday we are going to visit the hospital for a tour. :)
Milestones: I'm pretty sure she's dropped. Between Monday and Tuesday to be exact. I know because I could walk normally on Monday but Tuesday was another story entirely. :)

Other: Watch close around 13-15 seconds!

32 weeks

In the latest womb reports, your amazing baby has now developed sensitivity to temperature! This means you’ll probably get a swift kick if you put a hot pad on your ginormous belly.
By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.


Post is a day late... had a sick dog :( it was her food and she's getting better already! YAY!


How far along? 32 weeks.

Due Date: August 13, 2010

Total weight gain/loss: +6.  I'm supposed to gain a pound a week now.
Maternity clothes? ...... Yea.
Sleep: Like a rock.

Best moment this week: Monday at work she was  pushing against my belly really hard... and as I rubbed my hand across her back I put a finger on either side of her. I realized... that's my BABY... that's MY baby! It was so amazing and special. I'm very excited to meet her.

Movement: Constantly.

Food cravings: Fresh food and sweets.
Food aversions: I haven't noticed anything lately.
Gender: A little wiggly girl!
Labor Signs: Not real labor, thankfully... and most of the Braxton-Hicks I feel aren't painful :) YAY
Belly Button in or out? Starting to pop out... just a little. But it is going. :)
What I miss: Subway!!! Seriously... especially now that it is hot - I want to eat not-hot food.
What I am looking forward to: We have another Dr appt this week. Time is about to fly I think... we're going to be going to the Dr every other week for now... but after a few of those we'll be going every week because I only have 8 WEEKS LEFT!!
Milestones: I think that 8 weeks left is a milestone! That is less than two months!


Other: Just wanted to mention that I'll be very surprised if she has no hair... I'm SURE that is what I felt! Over by my left hip... sometimes when she moves I feel her head move and it actually feels like hair. Weird, I know... lets just wait and see!

31 weeks

You baby weighs between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 pounds. She continues to gain weight at a faster pace than she lengthens, which will give her those cute chubby cheeks. She's about fourteen to sixteen inches tall, although individual growth rates vary. Your baby begins to run out of room as she puts on weight.
This week marks an incredible milestone in your baby's lung development. Before now, the air sacs and branches in your baby's lungs were present but not functional. The lungs were not able to inflate properly. However, now there is surfactant being produced in your baby's lungs. Surfactant prevents your baby's lungs from collapsing outside of the uterus and the baby is able to take in air and breathe properly. The fetal ear is almost completely developed both inside and out. Your baby can hear your voice and other familiar sounds that she will recognize after birth. Your baby is putting on white fat under the skin and the skin's color is pink instead of red at this point. Your baby's fingernails have grown to the end of her fingers and she may scratch herself while she is in the womb. 

How far along? 31 weeks.

Due Date: August 13, 2010

Total weight gain/loss: +5 Total. Same as last week. Cool! :)
Maternity clothes? ...... Yea.
Sleep: This week I started waking up at night... she decided that it is very fun to move a lot when I lay still.

Best moment this week: Childbirth class was fun and VERY informative and getting to see little Eliana again was SO cool!! WE GOT TO SEE HER BLINK!! She has my cheeks and chin, for sure! She weighs 3lbs,14oz (according to the ultrasound) which is the 54th percentile, right on track. :)

Movement: Constantly. It tends to be distracting and is getting to be painful sometimes... she figured out the way to make my belly bigger is to push from the inside I think. :)

Food cravings: Fresh food and sweets.
Food aversions: I haven't noticed anything lately.
Gender: A little wiggly girl!
Labor Signs: Not real labor, thankfully... and most of the Braxton-Hicks I feel aren't painful :) YAY
Belly Button in or out? I think I can still say in... but it is definitely starting to pop a little.
What I miss: Subway!!! Seriously... especially now that it is hot - I want to eat not-hot food.
What I am looking forward to: Seeing a friend (maybe 2?) from college! Shaula and I have the same due date! :D
Milestones: Eliana's lungs should not collapse! Since she is producing surfactant now her lungs can handle air! YAY!! She'd be able to breathe! (We still want her to wait for August.)

Other: Picture!  Bigger already?

30 weeks!

By this time, your baby's crown-to-rump length is a little over 10.8 inches and the total length of your baby is about 17 inches! Your baby weighs about 3 pounds now. Your uterus, baby, placenta and the amount of fluid will get larger over the next ten weeks. You should be gaining about a pound a week at this time. If your baby were born now, she would be able to keep herself warm. 

How far along? 30 weeks.

Due Date: August 13, 2010

Total weight gain/loss: +5... :) No change from last week! So, I kind of met my goal! +5 @ 30 weeks! I guess I'm supposed to start gaining a pound a week now so we'll see what happens?
Maternity clothes? ...... Yea.
Sleep: Like a rock. I'm exhausted when I go to bed.

Best moment this week: Baby shower! :) Last Friday was my first baby shower... so much fun! Our friends from Ohio stayed the night too :)

Movement: Constantly. It is a bit distracting... and uncomfortable when she decides she doesn't have enough space and she pushes out... hard! So I push back and she moves :)

Food cravings: No... and it makes it really hard to decide what to eat for dinner. 
Food aversions: I haven't noticed anything lately.
Gender: A little wiggly girl!
Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks... definitely!
Belly Button in or out? In... barely! Looking very flat right now... I still have some in but it is changing fast. 
What I miss: Subway!!! Seriously... especially now that it is hot - I want to eat not-hot food.
What I am looking forward to: Saturday is Childbirth class and next Wednesday is our check-the-left-kidney ultrasound!
Milestones: I am 30 weeks pregnant... 70 days to go. The countdown alone is a milestone!

Other: Picture! I think I've changed grown a bit in the last 2 weeks :) I'll have to make a progression pic soon... my belly doesn't look attached. :P

28 weeks

Your baby is equal in weight to a Chinese cabbage -- about 2 1/4 pounds. (Length: almost 15 inches, from head to heel.)

As your belly gets larger, that now-heavier-than-two-pound baby you've got hanging out in your uterus is stacking on the fat. What's more, they can sense light, blink (with their little eyelashes!) and move their head in response to bright light shone on your belly. You, on the other hand, are having more difficulty moving and would do well to sit down, put up your feet, and make sure you've got a good name for your little one.

How far along? 28 weeks.

Due Date: August 13, 2010

Total weight gain/loss: My appetite has been increasing so I shouldn't be surprised, but +4 total (means I gained 3lbs this week! Crazy.)
Maternity clothes? Yes... two of my normal shirts are about to be retired until after baby gets here and I have one maternity top that I'm stretching out the buttons too much and I may have to be done wearing!
Sleep: like a rock! I'm exhausted when I go to be and when I get up I feel like I could sleep for another hour at least.

Best moment this week: Seeing family that I don't normally see... and Geoff, Mom and my cousin all got to feel Eliana move!
Movement: Yes... but she apparently has stage fright... she'll be jumping around making my belly dance but when I try to get someone to see it? They are lucky if they catch a little bump.

Food cravings: TWIX - seems to be a rather consistent craving... if you can call it a craving :)
Food aversions: less... I'd rather not go into detail. I'm working on getting over it but talking about the food type that is questionable makes me queasy.
Gender: GIRL!! A healthy wiggly(!) girl
Labor Signs: Nothing.
Belly Button in or out? In... but feels like it is disappearing.
What I miss: Subway!!!
What I am looking forward to: Next Friday is my first baby shower! :) I'm excited to get some things to start settling in her room and then I might have an idea if I need more storage or not :P
Milestones: Third trimester! I'm officially in my third trimester no matter which source you check :) (Some books and websites said last Friday, some said today)

Other: I'm 100% positive that I've experienced Braxton-Hicks Contractions... my belly is so tight sometimes and other times relatively squishy. :) YAY! My body is practicing for labor! ... that makes me feel better for some reason!

Also: Geoff commented Thursday night that now, seeing me pregnant and how I get off the couch and move around in general, he realizes how great I was at my role of Betty in "263" (an annual play at my university - I was Betty for 3 years!) :) That made me really happy! :D