A few pictures of our beautiful sunflowers!! Aren't they gorgeous?
Sunday, August 29, 2010
35 Weeks...
Ok, so it looks like my good luck with having such a great pregnancy has run out. Last Friday while at work, I got up to use the restroom and was overcome with pain over my pubic bone. Every step I took the pain got worse unfortunately and it never ceased. So I looked it up on the internet and apparently what I have is called Pubic Symphysis Diastasis. This is where, usually in later pregnancy, the hormone relaxin causes the pelvis, particularly at the pubic bone, to loosen. This is supposed to make birth easier for mom and baby. I guess that is my body's way of preparing for childbirth which shouldn't be too far away now. My last two visits to the doctor confirmed that her head was down as she's preparing.
I went to the doctor just to get things checked out and he said that unfortunately it probably won't get better but will get worse. I can't really complain though because I have truly been blessed with such a good pregnancy up to this point. The only downfall though, besides the pain of course, is that I can't work out because it hurts to even walk. I have been lucky enough to work from home which has been nice and hopefully will help with the pain.
Michaiah is now the size of a honeydew and weighs about 5.5 lbs now.From now on, her growth is mostly in the plumping up department -- though she won't get much longer, she'll put on a pound or more of baby fat before birth. (She's about 15 percent right now and will be about 30 percent by full-term.) Her hearing is also totally developed.
I went to the doctor just to get things checked out and he said that unfortunately it probably won't get better but will get worse. I can't really complain though because I have truly been blessed with such a good pregnancy up to this point. The only downfall though, besides the pain of course, is that I can't work out because it hurts to even walk. I have been lucky enough to work from home which has been nice and hopefully will help with the pain.
Michaiah is now the size of a honeydew and weighs about 5.5 lbs now.From now on, her growth is mostly in the plumping up department -- though she won't get much longer, she'll put on a pound or more of baby fat before birth. (She's about 15 percent right now and will be about 30 percent by full-term.) Her hearing is also totally developed.
Almost there...
Michaiah's size at 35 weeks
Thursday, August 19, 2010
34 Weeks...
Only six more weeks to go...or so they say. Michaiah now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like the average cantaloupe) and is just over18 inches long. 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.
She can now recognize and react to simple songs...time to start practicing my lullabies! In fact, she'll recognize frequently sung tunes after birth and probably find them soothing. Less cute news: She now urinates about one pint per day. Better get the diapers ready!
She continues to kick me throughout the day and night, although thankfully the night kicks aren't enough to wake me. Michael often tells me that he had my hand on my belly while I was sleeping and he's amazed at how I'm sound asleep and yet she's kicking away like crazy. That surprises me too because I am usually a really light sleeper. Not lately though.
Just a few more items to get and we'll have everything we need, for now that is, for when she arrives. We have been so blessed by friends and family that it is truly amazing. My good friend Miko (thanks Miko) sent me her Angel Care Monitor which senses the baby's movements and sounds. If there is no sound or movement for 20 seconds an alarm sounds. I think this will be key as first time parents and will give us peace of mind.
All I can say is WOW and a big THANK YOU to everyone who has given us their hand-me-downs, advice and their love and support. I can't remember if I blogged about this but my mom came over last weekend and helped me organize Michaiah's room. Thanks Mom! What a relief to get that all done. Now all we need is baby.
She can now recognize and react to simple songs...time to start practicing my lullabies! In fact, she'll recognize frequently sung tunes after birth and probably find them soothing. Less cute news: She now urinates about one pint per day. Better get the diapers ready!
She continues to kick me throughout the day and night, although thankfully the night kicks aren't enough to wake me. Michael often tells me that he had my hand on my belly while I was sleeping and he's amazed at how I'm sound asleep and yet she's kicking away like crazy. That surprises me too because I am usually a really light sleeper. Not lately though.
Just a few more items to get and we'll have everything we need, for now that is, for when she arrives. We have been so blessed by friends and family that it is truly amazing. My good friend Miko (thanks Miko) sent me her Angel Care Monitor which senses the baby's movements and sounds. If there is no sound or movement for 20 seconds an alarm sounds. I think this will be key as first time parents and will give us peace of mind.
All I can say is WOW and a big THANK YOU to everyone who has given us their hand-me-downs, advice and their love and support. I can't remember if I blogged about this but my mom came over last weekend and helped me organize Michaiah's room. Thanks Mom! What a relief to get that all done. Now all we need is baby.
34 Weeks
Michaiah's Size
Michael getting some practice in. He looks so happy with his baby duck!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Green Thumb
Michael has taken on a new love of gardening and planting. He has done an absolutely wonderful job with our garden and beautiful plants. After much frustration because of some rodent eating our cilantro, Italian parsley and sunflowers and a few months without any produce we have finally been able to enjoy some things...mainly our peppers! Michael was able to pick a ton of cayenne peppers, some Thai chilies and even a few jalapenos. We can't wait for the habaneros to to come in so then I will be able to make Michael's favorite 5 Alarm Salsa.
We've got about 4 tomatoes growing although our tomato plants are over 6 feet tall! Who knew they could get so big? We're hoping that they'll start producing more fruit soon but because of the weather it has been slower. Our basil (sweet, lemon & Thai) and rosemary has been doing great! It's so nice to just go outside and pick some basil instead of having to run to the store to get some.
Michael planted me some sunflowers because he knows how much I like them. When I lived in Italy I always loved the fields of sunflowers but I never thought that I'd have my own little piece of Italy in my own yard. You'll see in the pictures below that some of our sunflowers are taller than our roof line!
We've got about 4 tomatoes growing although our tomato plants are over 6 feet tall! Who knew they could get so big? We're hoping that they'll start producing more fruit soon but because of the weather it has been slower. Our basil (sweet, lemon & Thai) and rosemary has been doing great! It's so nice to just go outside and pick some basil instead of having to run to the store to get some.
Michael planted me some sunflowers because he knows how much I like them. When I lived in Italy I always loved the fields of sunflowers but I never thought that I'd have my own little piece of Italy in my own yard. You'll see in the pictures below that some of our sunflowers are taller than our roof line!
Michael & his garden
Huge tomato plants!
Our humongous sunflowers!
Can you see the praying mantis?
33 Weeks
The 33rd week of pregnancy and the four weeks that follow mark a time of astounding growth as she reaches her ultimate birth weight.This week Michaiah weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 18-inch mark. She might grow a full inch in length this week alone!
She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood. The pupils of her eyes can now adjust to bright or dim light, just like ours.
My amniotic fluid has reached its maximum level now — there's simply no more room! With less fluid to cushion them, her kicks are starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.
She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood. The pupils of her eyes can now adjust to bright or dim light, just like ours.
My amniotic fluid has reached its maximum level now — there's simply no more room! With less fluid to cushion them, her kicks are starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.
32 Weeks
By now, Michaiah weighs almost 4 pounds (try picking up a large jicama) and is taking up a lot of space in my uterus. Of the pound a week that I'm gaining, roughly half of that goes right to my little girl. 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.
Amazingly, to accommodate her growing needs, my blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since I got pregnant. My expanding uterus is shifting my center of gravity and stretching out my abdominal muscles while my joints and ligaments are stretching out as well. I guess that's what's happening when I wake up in the middle of the night to some serious hip pain!
Amazingly, to accommodate her growing needs, my blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since I got pregnant. My expanding uterus is shifting my center of gravity and stretching out my abdominal muscles while my joints and ligaments are stretching out as well. I guess that's what's happening when I wake up in the middle of the night to some serious hip pain!
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