19 week update - just for J to the 9er

How your baby's growing:



Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you. < Ooh, this baby is in LUCK! I mean, have you heard this chick sing???>

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

You want a bredo with that bodlwadr?

Bella was practicing writing words this weekend and wrote the words "BREDO, JREK, BODLWATER, and BOBLGUM." Translation?  Burrito, drink, bottled water, and bubble gum. Hahahah! Luv me sum fonix! She should get a kick out of this post when she's a little older. ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. ~H.U. Westermayer


Saw this quote on FB and I really liked it. It's a good reminder that there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for, no matter how bad things may seem at times. This year, I'm thankful for this little miracle growing inside my belly. So happy that God has given me a chance to experience motherhood; I can't wait to meet this lil baby in Spring and see what he or she is like! Also thankful for such a hardworking and loving husband. I couldn't imagine living life with anyone other than my Lenster. Love you baby!!! XOXO

Here we go loopty loo

Exciting stuff going on the past few days....I felt the baby move for the first time!!! Yay! It's such a weird feeling. You know how when you ride a roller coaster or drive over a hill real quick and your stomach does a little flip flop? Well that's what it feels like. I kept thinking it was gas at first but when it started happening every couple minutes consistently, I knew it was the babe. So fun! Have I mentioned I heart being pregnant? Lovzies!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I took down all my Halloween decor (a lil late, i know) and cleaned the entire house yesterday. Although I am usually not a big believer in putting up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving, this year I broke my own rule. I just figured since the house was clean and I had nothing else to do today, I may as well  use the free time to put one of our trees up. Yes I said tree(s). Plural. Last year, we began a new tradition - we put our fake tree upstairs in the living room and then we went and cut down a real tree and put that one downstairs in our family room. I decorated the one upstairs with white lights and all our pretty ornaments and then I let Lenny and Bella decorate the one downstairs with colored lights and all our 'fun' ornaments. It worked out well! Everyone got a chance to participate and I was okay with the ornaments on the tree downstairs being all at Bella level. lol

Couple pics of the Gretchie tree

17 weeks

Your pregnancy: 17 weeks

How your baby's growing:

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.

How your life's changing:

Starting to feel a bit off balance? As your belly grows, your center of gravity changes, so you may begin to occasionally feel a little unsteady on your feet. Try to avoid situations with a high risk of falling. Wear low-heeled shoes to reduce your risk of taking a tumble; trauma to your abdomen could be dangerous for you and your baby. You'll also want to be sure to buckle up when you're in a car — keep the lap portion of the seat belt under your belly, drawn snugly across your hips, and also use the shoulder harness, which should fit snugly between your breasts.

You may also notice your eyes becoming drier. Using over-the-counter lubricating drops may help. If your contact lenses become uncomfortable, try wearing them for shorter stretches of time. If you still have discomfort, switch to glasses until after you give birth.

16 weeks

Your pregnancy: 16 weeks

How your baby's growing:

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.

15 Weeks and feelin like a champ

Well here I am, 15 weeks prego, and still feelin like a million bucks. Whoo hoo! Guess I'm lucking out with this pregnancy. Of course it's pretty early still. Ask me again in another 15 weeks and I may have a few more complaints then :)

I'm going to start posting weekly updates on the baby's progress so that I have a personal journal of what's goin on with this little bundle of joy in me belly. This information is from http://www.babycenter.com/. It's a really cool website! Check it out if you get a min. That is, if you care about that kind of stuff. lol.

Week 15 - How your baby's growing:


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.")