Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Week 22 Update!!

Hi all - just a quick update for the week...

Baby Baker is on the move!! I continue to feel more flips & kicks each day - & JD was finally able to feel them too!! Saturday morning at the Darter Dash proved to be a much larger feat than I expected... I was able to finish, but it was tough! Pretty much took the rest of the day for me to rest up. I've noticed that I'm getting up a bit more in the night to potty & it seems that EVERYTHING gives me indigestion!! If the old wives' tales are correct, that must mean that Baby Baker will come out with a head full of hair! :) Also, just in time for boot season, my feet & hands have started swelling, so much so that I can't wear my favorite Fall / Winter footwear :( I know, I can't complain - but this is just another less-than-glamorous side of pregnancy...

We were able to get out & register for Baby Baker this weekend - MUCHO THANKS TO NATALIE FOR HELPING US OUT!! I guess my anxiety about being overwhelmed with registering proved to be helpful, as we found ourselves much being more decisive with the process than I expected! All of our research definitely paid off... still making some updates / changes to our registry now, but should have it all finished by this weekend! I must say, it ended up being a really fun experience, picking out everything for our sweet little bundle, imagining having everything there in the nursery.

This weekend brings more fun as JD has a show Friday night with the big band, Dangerous Cousin. Mom & Dad are coming up on Saturday to help us get more done in the nursery: assembling crib, hanging curtains & new hardware, installing blinds, washing crib bedding, hanging pictures, etc... more pictures of the nursery to follow!!

Enough about that; here's what's going on with Baby Baker this week...


Your Pregnancy: Week 22 (www.parentsconnect.com)



Your Mini's hands have grown bigger and stronger and the nerve endings in her fingers have developed her sense of touch. She's in there testing out her newfound abilities by touching her face and grabbing the umbilical cord. Other cool developments:

You're already raising a little Einstein. Your baby's brain is developing at a clip this week and will continue to do so until she's five years old (so load up on the Omega 3)!

Baby's hair is now a short, bright white crop (Billy Idol, eat your heart out!). No matter what color it will end up—red, blonde, black — all babies' hair lacks pigment at this point.

Your baby has started growing taste buds and may be able to detect strong flavors in the amniotic fluid. If you could see inside, you might catch her sticking out her tongue for a taste and then grimacing, a sign that perhaps you should chill on the chili powder.

Your baby now weighs almost a pound and measures almost 11 inches from her head to her heel, which is how the Stretch Armstrong in your uterus will be measured from here on out. Up 'til now your baby's legs were curled tight up against her torso, so she was measured from her head to her bottom (or crown to rump) and not head to toe. This week your mini is about as long as a package of Oreos and as heavy as a large bag of tortilla chips. Who's hungry?

Monday, October 17, 2011

21 Week Update & Nursery in Progress

Hello All - lots going on since our last update on Baby Baker! We attended our 20 week appointment on Friday morning with an ultrasound - doctor reports that all looks GREAT & baby is growing, growing, growing!! My official due date is still February 26, but the ultrasound tech measured baby last week with a due date of February 13 -- I guess this one is really going to surprise us on the arrival date!

Baby must have known that he / she was in the spotlight all morning because it was dancing all over the place! Not only could I feel it moving, but the ultrasound tech had a hard time keeping him /her on the screen & then the doctor had to keep moving his device to hear the heartbeat! He did get a good heart rate reading & it came in at *134* (for all of you who are playing the guessing game, the rumor is that a lower heart rate means BOY). I'm getting to where I feel baby moving just about every day now, which is such a great feeling! The best one so far was last Thursday morning (10/13/2011)- I woke up, it was overcast, I was really tired as I haven't been sleeping very well, & all I wanted to do was crawl back under the covers to get some more rest - well, as if baby could read my mind, I felt two quick *kicks* in my tummy, as of he / she were saying "Mom - you have to get up & go to work now or else you will be late!!" Well, that was all I needed to get me moving :) Still looking forward to when those kicks are more intense & hard enough for JD to feel them!

This weekend we drove over to Social Circle to visit with my parents! While there, we were able to get a lot of things checked off the list for the nursery, including window treatments, hardware, & an area rug!! I couldn't hardly wait to get home with our new purchases so that we could see how they were going to look in the nursery - I'm happy to report that everything is even more perfect than we even imagined!!! I know I haven't posted any "nursery in progress" pictures yet, but I am ready to do so now...

*the bedding - still no pictures of the assembled crib with the bedding because we haven't assembled it yet... updated pictures will be shared in early November*


*rug & window treatments - this is seriously the SOFTEST rug that I've ever seen in my life!! can't wait to get baby baker down there crawling around on it!!*


*close up of the dresser / changing table - prints were previously in the guest bathroom at my parents' house, we think they will be perfect in the nursery! The fuzzy guy on the dresser is a recent purchase - we just couldn't leave him at the store :)*


*another close up of the window treatments on one window - it AMAZES me what a difference some curtains & a rug will make in a space!!*


We also found these cute little guys from HomeGoods - just couldn't leave them there & they are PRECIOUS in the nursery!!



It's still hard for me to comprehend that we are move the half way hump in pregnancy!! Here's what's going on with baby's development as we kick off week 21...

Your Pregnancy: Week 21 (www.parentsconnect.com)

Twenty-one is a magic number. It means independence. It means you just won a hand of blackjack. In pregnancy terms, it means you have gotten over the hump and you only have 19 weeks left!



Your Baby
Chances are good you're feeling someone performing a round-off back handspring in your uterus by now. Is there any other feeling this cool? Other highlights this week:

By now your baby looks like a mini-version of what she'll look like when she's born. All her facial features are formed and hair is growing on her head. She's even acting like a baby and will occasionally suck her thumb or yawn. Aww ...

Baby's heartbeat is getting stronger and can be heard using a good old-fashioned stethoscope. Ask for a listen at your next prenatal visit! By 21 weeks, fetal bone marrow starts making blood cells—previously done by the liver and spleen. This may not sound that exciting, but it's good news.

The amniotic fluid that has been cushioning your little bean now serves another purpose: Your baby uses it to "practice" chowing down. Yes, it sounds gross (as many aspects of pregnancy do), but it's an important step for your baby toward being able to chow down in the real world. Your baby has been swallowing amniotic fluid for a while now, but now the intestines are finally developed enough that she's absorbing small amounts of sugars from it. And let's face it, being able to effectively digest sugar is important at every stage of life.

Your baby now weighs between 10 and 11 ounces and is approximately 7 inches long—the size of a delicious, cold, frothy bottle of root beer. Float anyone?


That's all for now - looking forward to a visit from the Bakers this weekend for a JD & the Man show at ORE (Friday) & the Freshwater Land Trust Darter Dash 5k on Saturday! Wish me luck - not sure I was in my right mind when I agreed to do a 5k at a nature preserve at nearly 22 weeks pregnant...

Monday, October 10, 2011

Half Way There - 20 Week Update!!

okay, okay - I missed a week of baby updates :( Time is really getting away from me these days - & I know that will only get WORSE! This week marks a few really big milestones for our pregnancy: the half way mark & another *important* ultrasound!! JD & I go back to see my doctor on Friday. Usually, this would be the big gender reveal ultrasound; but, since we're sticking to not finding out in advance, we will just get to see baby again & check to make sure that all of his or her organs, etc are growing as expected!! It feels like it's been forever since I've seen baby Baker - & even longer since JD has seem him / her! We are both really excited to see all of the changes & how BIG he / she is getting!!

More highlights - I've been feeling baby move around pretty regularly over the past week. Since being able to identify what that *flutter* is, I notice it more & more! Some not-so-charming symptoms are increased indigestion, more intense cravings (cheesecake, anyone??), & more difficulty sleeping.

JD has final exams this week for the term - sadly he doesn't get much of a break; finals end Thursday & the next term starts Monday :( This weekend we are heading to visit the Goodroes after their return from sunny Florida!

Your Pregnancy: Week 20 (www.parentsconnect.com)

What You're Thinking
"Twenty down, 20 to go!!"



Your Baby
This is the week most women get that ever-important gender-revealing ultrasound. If your baby isn't shy, the genitals can be clearly seen at this point. Will the baby pee standing up or sitting down? Well, that depends on how you potty train—but if you're interested, you could leave the appointment knowing if you're carrying a boy or a girl. Other highlights this week:

Your baby has established sleep patterns akin to a newborn now. Many babies even have a favorite sleep position already. Some snooze with their chins resting on their chests, while others nap with their head flung back. Many babies at this age fall into noticeable cycles of sleep and activity, so you may know before she arrives whether you have a night owl or an early bird.

If your baby is a boy, the testes have begun descending from the pelvis into the scrotum. If it's a girl, her uterus is completely formed and the rest of her "parts" are in development. (Is that TMI?)

From this point forward, your baby will put most of her energy into gaining weight and, not coincidentally, so will you! Right now your baby weighs approximately 10½ ounces and is about 6½ inches long, about the size of a can of Red Bull (which has way too much caffeine for a pregnant woman to be drinking).

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Latest Indulgence

okay, I'll admit it -- I've become obsessed with the latest world wide web craze, Pinterest. I justify it by saying that it gives me great ideas for the nursery & baby; but, honestly, it's just another way for me to procrastinate.


Check out my pinterest boards here

My suggestion for optimal pinterest browsing?? Do it while listening to Fleetwood Mac pandora radio with your favorite cocktail near by (lately mine has been non-alcoholic wine).

Enjoy :)

FUN in October!

Today marks the beginning of my favorite month of the year -- October!! I think it has always appealed to me as it feels the most like Autumn... September is still a bit hot & November gets swept away with dreams of the holiday season {and the Baker wedding anniversary, of course!} Plus, I am a sucker for all-things-Halloween :)

One local event that we try to make every year is the showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show at the great Alabama Theater the last Friday in October.


It is GREAT fun - everybody dresses up & there are a couple of costume contests (regular costumes & Rocky-inspired costumes). For the Alabama Theater adaptation, live actors do a reenactment of the film while it plays on the big screen behind them. Also, the audience brings "props" to throw during the showing of the film (if you aren't familiar, check it out here) Always a great time, we try not to miss this one!

While searching for this year's Rocky details, I found that during the third week in October, the Alabama Theater is showing classic scary movies every night for cheap! The list is pretty much what you'd expect: The Omen, Amityville Horror, Halloween, The Exorcist, Dawn of the Dead; however, I was most excited to see my all time FAVORITE scary movie, ROSEMARY'S BABY on the list this year!! You can bet that the Bakers will be in attendance for this one!!



Hope everybody has a great October!

Also, a quick shout-out to my dad on his birthday today!! Hope you're having a great time in Florida!! Love Lots.