Full Term!!

As of last Friday baby Nations is officially full term! We made it!!! I am still going in for non stress tests 2x a week, and resting as much as possible. Tomorrow afternoon we have another ultrasound that will tell us if I am getting induced on Wednesday night at midnight, or a week from Thursday at midnight- This past week I have gained 3 lbs, which is a good sign that hopefully the baby is gaining weight also!

Weekly Stats:
How far along: 37.5 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 26 lbs
Maternity clothes: Yup! I love maternity jeans lol!
Stretch marks: None!!!!!!! I think I made it!!!
Sleep: Still comes and goes. Some nights are better than others.
Best moment this week: Hitting the 37 week mark- yay!
Movement: Overall it seems like the movement has decreased some. But baby boy went absolutely crazy the other morning at 3am. He started doing somersaults, which was not fun considering how big he is now!
Food cravings: Nothing. Still boring:-)
Food aversions: nope
Gender: boy
Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions, and a couple painful ones here and there
Belly Button in or out: flat
What I miss: Nothing really right now
What I am looking forward to: Meeting my baby boy- It is crazy for me to think that it could be in a few days!!
Milestones: Hitting the 37 week mark!

Induction Dates

I found out today that my doctor has scheduled 2 different induction dates, depending on how my ultrasound goes next Tuesday!! Assuming that the ultrasound shows that our baby is staying at the same growth percentile or increasing, I will be induced at midnight on the morning of the 18th, two weeks from now. If by chance the bedrest and me increasing my protein and calorie intake hasn't helped, and the little guy drops lower on the growth chart, they are going to induce at midnight, the morning of the 10th. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the 18th!! I want to give him as much time as possible to grow before he is born! Hopefully by then I will have started to dilate and efface as well.... We will see! Keep our little guy in your prayers!!

Waiting around for baby

So now I start another week of "rest" and waiting for my baby boy. I went to the doctor this morning and he told me that I'm not dilated yet- grr. I know I still have a few weeks to go till I'm technically due, but it would have been reassuring to know that my body is doing what it is supposed to do. For some reason I am starting to think that I am going to have to be induced since my doctor wants me to deliver early- I just really wished this would happen on it's own!! Now I am just trying to lay on my side as much as possible, and sit on my birth ball. My friend Erin who is a chiropractor, as well as my childbirth instructor said this is helpful in making your pelvis open up, making delivery easier. They told me I should be sitting on it and swaying back and forth for about 30 minutes a day. It is a nice reprive from the couch!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend!! I know Jason and I did!!!

Week 36

1 week till full term! I can't believe that I am almost there. Yesterday I went in for a non-stress test at the hospital, since my doctors office was closed, and my doctor told me that he is going to induce on December 18th if the baby hasn't already come by then- In less than 3 weeks Jason and I are going to be parents! We are so excited, but it is kinda scary sounding too! When I was at the hospital yesterday the nurse told me that I was having a lot more braxton hicks contractions than I thought I was having. I have an actual appointment next week, and will have a pelvic exam to see what's going on, so I am curious to see if I am starting to dilate or efface. Who knows... I would really like to go into labor naturally rather than being induced. Other than that, I have been increasing my protein intake as instructed by my doctor, and trying to rest as much as possible- That part is so hard for me! Hillary, Luke and Ali came over for Thanksgiving, and I couldn't stay sitting down if my life depended on it. They had to keep telling me to get out of the kitchen:-) I love my friends!!

About baby this week:
Baby is about 18.5 inches long, and probaby about 5.5 lbs, about the size of a crenshaw melon. His organs are fully working, with the exception of his lungs which are still possibly in the last stages of development. He is in a head down position, and now loves kicking my left side, and hitting his head against my pelvis.

More doctors appointments

Today I had another non-stress test and an ultrasound at the hospital. The non-stress test took an hour since the little guy decided to take a nap! They couldn't get him to wake up for anything. They shook my belly, had me drink a bunch of Sunny D, and it still didn't work. Finally right before I left he woke up and they were able to get a reading.

After that I went over to the perinatal diagnostic center for my ultrasound. Unfortunately they determined that our baby isn't growing as fast as he should:-/ He is measuring about 3 weeks smaller than he should, which is a cause for concern. They don't know what is causing his growth to slow, but anatomically he is perfect thankfully! At the last ultrasound I had a month ago he was right where he should be growth wise, and now he is below the 10th percentile. Because of this, I have to continue to do the non-stress tests, and assuming that the non-stress tests continue to go well, they will wait a little bit to induce me. I have to go in for another ultrasound on December 8th, and if he is still small, then they will probably induce me then. Right now it is a matter of weighing what is better: Keep baby boy in the womb a few more weeks so that we can make sure that his lungs and everything are fully mature, or take him out so that he can thrive outside the womb. The doctors are opting to keep him in as long as he continues to move a lot, and as long as no other complications (bad non-stress test results) come up. Either way, it looks like I am probably going to have this baby sometime between December 8th and 18th... and he is probably going to be a little peanut:-)

So, along with this, the doctor has ordered me to up my calorie and protein intake, and rest as much as possible. He specifically told me that I am to eat "chocolate Boost drinks blended with ice cream and milk", yummy!!! Also, I am not supposed to be doing any housework, cooking, cleaning etc, and should be laying on my left side for most of the day. That is torture for me!!! I am such an active person, that being "lazy" while my house is a mess just kills me!!! Thankfully Jason is so supportive, and has told me to make a list of everything that needs to be done, and he will take care of it. On top of it all, I am supposed to be hosting Thanksgiving, what a crappy "host" I am going to be!!! Even so, it is going to be a lot of fun to spend Thanksgiving with some close friends!

Week 35

Ya, this is almost a week late, sorry! I am now halfway through week 35! Getting closer to D-day every day!!! It is crazy to think that in about 3 weeks Jason and I will have a baby:-) The baby is now about the size of a honeydew melon, and over 18 inches long. He has run out of room to do flips, and I can tell that he is now in a head down position all the time. He faces to my left, and likes to press his back out on my right side, while kicking out on the left. It really looks funny when you look at my belly, because the right side will be so much bigger than the left! According to babycenter.com, his kidneys and liver are fully functional now.


As for me, my back and hips hurt off and on, but that is to be expected. I really expected my back to hurt a ton more than it does, considering how much lower back/SI joint pain I have had in the past. Thankfully I have gotten through this pregnancy relatively pain free!!! It feels weird being out on maternity leave, but it is a good thing that I am, since I have so many doctors appointments now, and since I am supposed to be resting so much. I really need to take advantage of this time, since once the baby gets here the resting will disappear!!

Last day of work!

Today is my last day of work before maternity leave! Whohoo! Almost 4 months off seems like so long, but I know it is going to go by so fast. I am so excited to be able to really rest for the first time since I got pregnant!

I felt the baby hiccup for the first time this week! It happened two different nights as I was laying down to go to bed. Such a weird feeling!

Also, we had another non-stress test this morning, and it went well- The baby's heartbeat is looking strong, which is always good to hear:-)

I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Non-Stress Test

Baby boy passed his first non-stress test! Whohoo! I now have to go back in on Friday, and every Tuesday and Friday until I deliver. It was actually kinda fun, because I got to sit there for about 20 minutes and listen to the baby's heartbeat:-)

Also, yesterday Jason and I got our carseat inspected at the local police station. That was really helpful! I would highly recommend anyone to get their carseat inspected before using it, since over 90% of people install them incorrectly. Typically if you make an appointment at the police station it is free, which makes it even better! When we went the woman was able to point out some things to do differently, and it makes me a lot more comfortable knowing that our carseat is installed as it should be! She also mentioned a bunch of stuff that seems over the top to me. She said not to use a seat protector, not to use a baby headrest, and not to use shoulder strap covers. Really?!?!? She said that if we do use a seat cover, use the Eddie Bauer one since it is thin. I had bought a headrest for the baby, but she said that the kind I bought can actually push the baby's head down, since it wraps up around the head. She recommended using rolled up receiving blankets instead. Rather than doing that, and risk having them shift around while I am driving, I am going to go take a look at the ones that cradle the baby's head on the sides, and look like ears. That won't push down! I am still on the fence as to use the strap covers or not. I don't want the straps cutting into my baby's neck!! Ugh.

Doctors Appointment

I had another doctors appointment today- As of Monday I am going to be on disability- He wanted to put me out on disability starting tomorrow, but since I am feeling good I wanted to make sure that everything at work was taken care of before I left. I am still measuring small like I had suspected. I have noticed that I am getting much bigger, but not big enough I guess! I have to start doing non stress tests 2x per week to make sure that the baby is doing ok. Basically they will be hooking my belly up to a monitor and monitoring how the baby is doing. Each time should take about 30 mins to an hour from what they said. Also, next Tuesday I have to go in for another ultrasound to see if baby boy is growing ok. To be honest, I'm not worried- He has always looked great on the ultrasound, it is just me that isn't measuring big enough. He kicks all day long, and is constantly giving me signs that he is ok. I guess it is good though that my doctor is taking a lot of precautions! It is better to be safe than sorry! It is crazy to think that I am going to get to meet this little guy in about a month!!! Wow!!

Week 34

3 weeks till full term! I can't believe I am almost there!!!! I was looking at some pictures from Jason and I's trip to Fiji in March, and can't believe how big I have gotten! When I saw the pictures, I kind of missed having a waist... Or a small one at least:-) Though, this little boy is totally worth not having a waist for a while!!

About baby boy this week:

Baby Nations is now about 18 inches long, and weighs about 4.75 lbs, the weight of a cantaloupe! His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. I was reading that a baby with no other health issues other than being born early would be just fine being born between weeks 34 - 37, other than possibly having a very short stay in the hospital. That is good to hear!

About me this week:

I am hurting! I have always carried this little guy pretty low, but now he is constantly putting a ton of pressure on my pelvis, causing a lot of pain. My back and hips are also hurting from sitting in front of a computer all day, and I REALLY can't wait to go out on maternity leave and relax!!! 3 weeks from today is my last day, assuming my doctor doesn't induce me early!! I can't wait:-) Standing for long periods of time is also really hard on me now. I am going to go see Roller Derby this weekend, and unfortunately it is standing only- I wonder how that is going to work out:-/

A couple pictures

I have been lagging on the baby bump pictures, so here are weeks 32 and 33:

Week 32

Week 33

Here is a funny picture of Jason changing out the sinks and fixtures this weekend:-)

Kona being cuddly:-) He likes to use my tummy as a pillow now:-)

Week 33

Sorry this is 4 days late, but here is the weekly update! Hopefully I will have a chance to post week 34 on Friday like I should be!

About baby this week:

This week baby boy is more than 4 lbs, and more than 17 inches long! About the weight of a pineapple. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. Room inside the womb is much more restricted now, and researchers think that babies can have REM sleep while they are sleeping in the womb. I wonder what the little guy dreams about! Also, if he were to be born today, his lungs would probably be strong enough to function properly.

About me this week:

My sleep has gotten a little better the past two days! We need to get a new mattress, but as a temporary fix we flipped it over, and it is a ton more comfortable. Maybe that is why I am sleeping better. The past week the relaxin in my body has kicked into high gear, and everything is sore. My feet ache, and my lower back, butt and hips hurt, especially when I am sleeping or sitting down. Me being the pregnant idiot that I am tried to send Jason a text message yesterday asking him to massage the muscles in my butt after I got home from work, but instead I sent it to my friend Jenny by mistake! hahahah! She thought it was sooo funny. I'll never live that one down! This baby is literally being a pain in my ass! hehe.

Oh, and one more thing. Jason and I went on Friday to a meet and greet with Weezer, and they signed a onesie for the baby! How fun is that! They also touched my belly and said how cute it looked:-) Jason has been on a winning streak with KROQ, a local rock radio station, and this was one of the many things he recently won- Keep it up honey!! I like free stuff! hehe.

Weekly stats:

How far along: 33.5 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +/- 19 lbs

Maternity clothes: everything

Stretch marks: None! YAY!!! Keeping my fingers crossed!

Sleep: sometimes ok, sometimes bad- depends on the day

Best moment this week: Hanging out with the hubby this weekend. He installed new bathroom sink fixtures and a new sink- It looks so nice!!

Movement: All the time. head hitting my pelvis, toes under my ribs, and the fun little kicks off on the side of my belly:-)

Food cravings: Nothing really- I really am the most boring pregnant woman!

Food aversions: Nope

Gender: Handsome boy:-)

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks contractions on occasion

Belly Button in or out: flattie

What I miss: being able to put on my own socks without difficulty!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting my baby boy. Every time I see a baby it makes me want to meet mine more and more!!!

Week 32

Last Friday was the beginning of week 32. I am definitely feeling more and more pregnant every day!! It is getting hard to stand up from sitting on the couch, sleeping has become more difficult, and our little goober is running out of room! Still, my back is feeling great, I don't have any stretch marks, and overall for the most part I am still feeling good! I am definitely counting down the days till my maternity leave though. It is getting harder and harder to get up every morning, and all I can think about is the baby! I am already nesting, moving things around in the nursery, getting things ready, and nothing is ever finished! haha. I guess that is to be expected though. We ordered some wall decorations, and they should be in this week! yay! I also need to go pick up the crib mobile that I ordered, which is waiting for me at JC Pennys:-)

About baby boy this week:

Little boy weighs about 3.75 lbs this week, about the weight of a large jicama and is about 16.7 inches long! He'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

I will post the weekly baby bump picture either tonight or tomorrow:-)

Ultrasound pictures

Here are the two ultrasound pictures from yesterday. One is of his face, and one is of his foot:-)

Ultrasound

We had another ultrasound yesterday, and our baby boy looks great!!! Since my uterus is measuring small when they measure from the outside, my doctor wanted me to get an ultrasound done to make sure that our little boy was growing ok. Sure enough, he is right on target! He was measuring 3 lbs 9 ounces, and we were able to see him opening his mouth and sucking in amniotic fluid! That was so crazy to see:-) His face is filling out, and is looking cuter and cuter! He still has room to move a little, but he has been head down lately, and has taken a liking to hooking his little toes up under my ribs. It might be comfy for him, but not for me! The doctor was even able to see that his 2nd toe is a little longer than his first, which both my dad and my sister have. Crazy to think that even in the womb we can see that he has my sisters toes! We saw his spinal cord, brain, all his organs, etc, and everything looks great!! Keep growing baby, and give my ribs a rest!

I will post the pictures, and maybe even the video soon....

Baby Shower

I had the best baby shower ever! Thank you everyone who came and shared this special day with me:-) So many friends and family came, and it was sooo great to see everyone! Everyone had me convinced that Crystal wasn't going to fly in from Florida, but sure enough, she showed up with Hillary! I couldn't believe it, I was so excited to see her!!!!!!! I got so many wonderful things for the baby, and the nursery is basically ready now! All we need now is our baby boy! I will post more pictures as soon as I get them off my dad's camera. This is one picture that I do have...

Week 31 baby bump

A couple days late again, but here is the week 31 picture:-)

Week 31

I'm 31 weeks now, since my due date got pushed up a few days.. Now baby boy is over 16 inches long, and about 3.5 lbs, the weight of 4 navel oranges! Baby's going through major brain and nerve development these days. His irises now react to light, and all five senses are in working order. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin.

About me this week:

It doesn't matter how early I go to sleep, I can't seem to get a restful nights sleep. I toss and turn all night, and I am sure it is only going to get worse! Because of this I seem to be constantly exhausted during the day. I don't know how I am going to get through the next few weeks till I go out on maternity leave on December 4th!! Also, last night I had a craving for orange juice and drank an entire pitcher over the course of the evening. I don't know it is is just a coincidence or not, but baby boy went crazy! I can't believe how much my belly was catapulting back and forth! Jason was at the Angels playoff game, but I wish he had been able to see it!!

Weekly stats:

How far along: 31 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: + about 17 lbs

Maternity clothes: everything!

Stretch marks: None!!!

Sleep: Sleep?? What is sleep??

Best moment this week: Getting a new OB and picking a pediatrician. Wow that's a relief!

Movement: All the time, especially in the evening

Food cravings: Orange Juice. I can't get enough of it.

Food aversions: Veggies

Gender: boy

Labor Signs: None- It better stay that way for a few more weeks!!

Belly Button in or out: flat. I don't think it is going to pop out much, if at all.

What I miss: sleep!!

What I am looking forward to: My baby shower tomorrow!!

My baby shower is tomorrow! Yay! I'm so excited to see everyone who is coming!!! It has been way to long since I have seen some of you:-)

Week 30

I hit the 30 week mark! Whohoo!!! Actually, I just changed OB's today (after having nothing but problems with my last one), and my new OB, Dr. Melkonian, said that he is using my origional due date of 12/25 as my due date... Once again I am due on Christmas day! Hopefully he isn't actually born on Christmas though! I am so relieved now that I have a new OB. My last one was getting progressively worse and worse, and last week was the tipping point for Jason and I. Dr. Melkonian was recommended to me by my friend Erin, and he was also the doctor that delivered my sister Natalie when she was born 16 years ago! Small world!!! I am going to have to go look through some of Natalie's baby books to see if there are any pictures of him during the delivery. I am sure he looks much different now!

About baby this week:

Baby boy is about 15.7 inches long now, and weighs about 3 lbs! I can't believe how fast he is putting on weight now. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen. His skin is also starting to smoothen, since fat is being deposited.

About me this week:

Last week I actually started to feel the pains of pregnancy. He kept kicking straight downwards, giving me sharp stabbing pains. Heartburn has kicked in, and I can feel him pressing on my lungs when I lay down. My back is still feeling good though, and overall I am feeling pretty good, especially knowing that I have a new doctor now! I also now know that this baby will be born in December... My insurance is drastically changing in January, causing me to have to pay thousands more out of pocket if I deliver in January, so I will get induced at the end of December if I haven't already had baby boy. Now all I need to decide is if I want to be induced right before, or after Christmas... It just has to be after December 18th.

Weekly baby bump picture:-)

Also, Jason and I saw our good friends Sean and Dianne from Arizona last weekend! It was so great to see them. Dianne is 19 weeks pregnant, so we had to get some pictures:-) She just found out she is having a girl! We joked that since J and I met at UCI, and Sean and Dianne met at UCI, and we are having babies so close together, that both of our kids need to go to UCI, fall in love and get married so we can be inlaws:-) hehe. It was great seeing you guys!!!

OB appointment

We had another OB appointment today- It was pretty uneventful, but thats good I guess! My uterus is still measuring 2 cm to small, but it has been since the beginning. The good news is that it is growing at a normal rate, so the doctor just thinks its because im really thin, and there isn't much covering my uterus to measure. I have another appointment in 2 weeks, so if I am still measuring 2cm small, she wants me to go back to the prenatal diagnostic center for another in depth ultrasound to make sure my little boy is measuring good, and that his weight looks ok. I'm not worried though, since last time I had a in depth ultrasound the baby was measuring big, even though I was measuring small- I just look at it as another excuse to see my baby!!

Anways, thats it. Not much to post regarding the visit.... The one weird thing for me was seeing the scale go up to 133 lbs. I've gained 16 lbs total so far!

Week 28 and 29 baby bump pics

So i've been incredibly busy lately and have hardly had the chance to take a picture, no less post it.... Here are the last two weeks pictures though!

Week 28

Week 29

Week 29

77 more days till my due date! That doesn't seem like very much longer! Jason and have started interviewing pediatricians, and we have found one that we really like. We still have 2 more to interview, but it's nice to know that we have one, and that we can only go better at this point! The pediatrician that we like says that he knows my OB, so at my OB appointment on Wednesday I'm going to ask her about him. Hopefully that gives me a better idea about his practice as well- Along with that, I am going from a OB visit 1x a month to every 2 weeks now. The big day is starting to get closer! It's getting harder to sleep, since my joints are loosening up and getting achy. All I want to do is sleep on my back so I don't put pressure on my hips and shoulders, but I can't do that anymore- ugh! I still can't complain though- Overall I feel awesome still:-)

About baby boy this week: This week baby boy is about 2.5 lbs, and about 16 inches long. About the length of a butternut squash. His energy is surging, thanks to white fat depositing beneath his skin. And since he's growing so fast things are getting kind of cramped in the womb. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in his hardening skeleton each day.

Nursery is painted!

Jason and I finished painting the nursery this weekend! Whohoo! It took longer than expected- We painted it green and yellow, and when we peeled the painters tape off the ceiling it took a bunch of the ceiling paint and plaster with it- ugh! I never expected that to happen because of painters tape.... So, our 1-2 day job turned into a 2 weekend job because we ended up having to patch and repaint the ceiling in those areas. Thankfully the ceiling paint we bought matched perfectly, so we didn't have to repaint the entire ceiling!!! Now, the furniture is moved to where we think we want it, and we still need to decorate more, but the room is starting to actually look like a nursery- Now we just need a baby! I love it!!

Week 28

Sorry this has taken a few days to post! It has been a busy couple of days. I found out I passed my glucose screening test! Yay!!! I also am not anemic, which is good to know.

Jason and I started childbirth classes last night- I really like the teacher, and I think it will be really helpful for us! It is the same class that I took with my sister Victoria when she was pregnant, but that was 2.5 years ago, so I don't remember much- It's also different having J there with me, and being the pregnant one, not the support person!

About baby boy this week:

Our little boy is now about 2.4 lbs and about 15.75 inches, about the weight of a chinese cabbage:-) He can blink his eyes, and maybe see light outside the womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

About me this week: I'm now in my 3rd trimester, and still feeling great!! Let's hope it stays that way:-) My sleep is off and on, some nights are better than others. Every day it seems like I am showing more and more!

Weekly stats:

How far along: 28 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: + about 12-13 lbs

Maternity clothes: Everything

Stretch marks: None! Yay!!

Sleep: Some nights are better than others

Best moment this week: having Jason be able to hear baby's heartbeat through my tummy, not even using the doppler!

Movement: All the time. Hes an active little guy!

Food cravings: Outback coconut shrimp- yum!

Food aversions: Nothing really

Gender: Little boy:-) Hasn't changed! hehe.

Labor Signs: None, and hopefully none for about 9-10 weeks at least!!

Belly Button in or out: in, but almost flat

What I miss: having a beer, I'm not going to lie- a beer sounds really good!

What I am looking forward to: This weekend- It's been a long, tiring week so far

Milestones: Starting childbirth classes!

Glucose Screening Test

I have my 1 hour glucose screening test today.... I am not looking forward to it! Wish me luck!

Week 27

Jason and I had a great trip up to the Monterrey area this weekend! We left at the crack of dawn Saturday morning and drove up to San Luis Obispo, where we got to meet up with my friend Erin who I haven't seen in so long! It was great being able to catch up with her. After that, we took Pacific Coast Highway up the coast. Jason and I had never done that drive before, and it was really beautiful! So much different from the coast in Orange County. We stayed in Pacific Grove, a little community right next to Monterrey and Carmel by the Sea. That night we bummed around Monterrey, and relaxed by the beach. On Sunday we went to Whitney and Jeff's wedding in Carmel Valley. It was in the 60's near the beach, and when we drove 15 miles inland it was about 90! I couldn't believe 15 miles or so made such a huge temperature difference. Whitney looked beautiful, and the wedding was very pretty! It was over early, and then had to make the 5.5 hr drive home. Needless to say we have been pretty tired, but it was worth it!

~~~~~~~

On another note, this is week 27! I'm still feeling great, but the heat can really get to me now! Baby boy seems like he is starting to run out of room to make huge kicks, and now seems to be pushing body parts out as hard as he can. Must be trying to strengthen those muscles! It is the weirdest thing to feel a foot or elbow move across my tummy!

About baby this week:

Baby boy is now about 2 pounds, about the weight of a head of cauliflower, and about 14.5 inches long! He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, possibly opening and closing his eyes, and even able to suck his fingers! More brain tissue is developing, and his brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now.

Weekly belly pics:

This Weekend

This is going to be a really fun weekend! A lot of driving, but fun! We are driving up to Carmel early Saturday morning, for Whitney and Jeff's wedding on Sunday. We're going to take the scenic route up the coast, and stop in San Luis Obispo for breakfast with Erin and Greg, who we definitely don't get to see enough! We miss you guys! Then depending on how early we get to Carmel, I might take Jason to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, or just go walk around the different art galleries in Carmel- Then, the wedding is at 1pm on Sunday. Whitney is going to be such a beautiful bride! The only cruddy part is that we have to make the 6-7 hour drive back home on Sunday night after the wedding- Oh well, gotta do what you gotta do:-)

Week 26 Belly Pic

Week 26... 98 days and counting!

We past the 100 day countdown mark! Yay!! 98 days and counting till our little boy's due date!! I can't believe it's only about 3 months till we're going to get to see and hold our little one!

I'm 26 weeks pregnant today, and feeling more and more pregnant every day! Things are getting harder to do, and rolling over in bed has never been such a chore- To think that I still have 3 months to go, getting bigger and bigger every day! I can't complain though, I still feel good, baby boy kicks and rolls around all the time, and overall I'm loving being pregnant!! I'll post a picture tomorrow:-)

About our little man this week:
Our baby is about 1 2/3 lbs this week, and 14 inches long, about the length of an english hothouse cucumber! Getting heavier and heavier every day now it seems! His ears are getting more and more sensitive, and he is starting to be able to hear normal conversations outside the womb! He may even start to open his eyes this week

How far along: 26 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: + 11 lbs

Maternity clothes: Everything

Stretch marks: None yet, yay!

Sleep: Good as long as I don't have to roll over!

Best moment this week: Hearing baby boy's heartbeat on the home doppler for the first time!

Movement: All the time- He is definitely a little kicker! Especially at around 10 pm.

Food cravings: Orange juice, thats about it.

Food aversions: Nothing really... I have noticed that I haven't been eating much veggies. They don't make me want to yak though.

Gender: little boy!

Labor Signs: Some braxton hicks contractions I think, but not for about a week now.

Belly Button in or out: innie, but turning into a flattie! hehe.

What I miss: being able to hold kona on my belly on the couch

What I am looking forward to: Nothing really right now... Ya, sad.

Milestones: Passing the 100 day countdown marker! yay!

Week 25 Baby Bump

Week 25

Only a couple days left till I have less than 100 days to go! Wow!

About baby this week:
Little boy is about 1.5 lbs, about the weight of a rutabaga, and about 13.5 inches long this week! I don't see how something 13.5 inches long fits into my tummy right now- He must be all curled up. He's starting to put on fat now, and is growing hair oh his head:-)

About me this week:
The books and websites say that my uterus is now the size of a soccer ball- it sure feels like it! It is definitely getting a little harder to move around, and I find myself getting tired easily, and moving slower than normal. That is all to be expected though! I also think that I have been having some Braxton Hicks contractions, or something like that... I've been getting some painful cramping in my abdomen on occasion over the past week or so, so I'm going to call my doctor today to talk to her about it. From what I have heard Braxton Hicks contractions usually don't hurt, but I don't know what else it could be- weird. I have my monthly OB visit on Thursday, so that is good!

I've been really bad about not posting the weekly belly pictures, but I will post one tomorrow!

Biggest Boston Terrier

Jason and Kona went to the 4th annual Boston Tea Party on Saturday, a benefit in Huntington Beach hosted by a local rescue society called Boston Buddies. From what I heard, there were hundreds of Boston Terriers and their owners there! There was a contest for biggest Boston, and Kona won! I couldn't believe out of the hundreds of Boston Terriers there, our's was the biggest. Kona is really muscular, so there were some that were heavier than him, but it was because they were fat, not tall like him. I always knew he was a big guy, but not that big! He won a fun goodie bag stuffed with all sorts of bones, chew toys and squeaky toys! Kona has been in doggie heaven ever since:-)

Hospital Tour

I haven't been keeping up with the blog as much as I'd like lately... The past 2 weeks have been so busy!

Last Thursday Jason and I went to a maternity open house at Mission Hospital. It was a lot of fun! During the open house we got a tour of the new maternity ward, which was nice to do. The new labor and delivery, as well as recovery rooms are really nice! They even have mood lighting on the ceiling, and pergo wood floors. Weird! One of the great things about mission hospital is that Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) is one floor above maternity, so if anything were to go wrong, we have immediate access to one of the best children's hospitals.

We feel a lot more comfortable now knowing what to expect when the big day comes!

Ultrasound Pictures

So I am really lagging, but here are the ultrasound pictures from last Tuesday's doctors appointment:-)

24 Weeks Pregnant!

This week I am 24 weeks pregnant! I was reading an interesting article last weekend about how if your baby is born between weeks 23 and 24, it has about a 10-40% chance of survival, but every day the baby continues growing in the womb it increases its survival rate by 3% till you hit week 26! That just seems crazy to me! It goes to show how much the baby is growing every day! Once you hit the 26 week mark, the article said that your baby has about an 80-90% chance of survival. Wow! That just seems so early to have such a high survivability rate. What I do know is that as much as I want to meet my little man, I want him to keep cookin for another 16 weeks or so!!!

About baby this week:

Baby boy is about the length of an ear of corn, almost a foot long! Because he is growing getting plumper, he no longer has room to do cartwheels and doing somersaults in my tummy. Most of the baby's features look the same as they will at birth, his eyelashes are well developed and hair will continue to grow on his head:-) He is practicing breathing up to a liter of amniotic fluid a day, and is covered in vernix, a waxy substance that protects the delicate skin. Lastly, His lungs are developing branches of the respiratory tree as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. Wow!

About me this week:
Still getting bigger every day! I'm starting to notice patterns of wakefullness and sleep with the baby. The most pronounced times where he is really active is late morning around 11, and about 10 pm. At around those times he seems to just go crazy! Rolling, kicking, jabbing and stretching those little arms and legs:-) I'm still feeling good, but was extra tired over this long weekend. I was sleeping about 10-12 hours each night, and still so tired during the day! That's to be expected though I guess!

How far along: 24 weeks! 16 to go!

Total weight gain/loss: + about 10 lbs

Maternity clothes: Yup, everything

Stretch marks: None yet, and crossing my fingers I don't get any!

Sleep: Good when I can get it. I'm used to getting up 3+ times a night now to go pee, so i'm able to fall asleep quickly after now!

Best moment this week: Seeing my baby on the ultrasound... I still need to post the pictures!

Movement: All the time

Food cravings: Nothing really

Food aversions: Nope

Gender: handsome boy!

Belly Button in or out: innie, but flattening out

What I miss: Not having to watch what I eat in fear of getting listeriosis

What I am looking forward to: The angel game tonight with Jason, Mallori and Sean!

Ultrasound Results!

We had our follow up ultrasound on Tuesday to see if the cyst was gone, and thankfully our baby is now cyst free, and a healthy little boy!!!!!!!!! We couldn't be more excited! Just like the doctor said it would, it resolved itself on it's own. Everything else is looking great, and he is measuring 1 lb 2 ounces! Thats a gain of 6 ounces in 3 weeks- I don't know if that is a lot or not, but he is definitely growing!!

I will post the ultrasound pictures as soon as they are scanned.

Week 23

We are in week 23 as of yesterday! Baby is about 11 inches long, and weighs over a pound, about the weight of a large mango! The baby is picking up on outside noises, and from what I am reading the noises that he hears inside the womb like music and Kona barking probably won't bother him after he is born- that is good news!

As for me, I am still feeling good! I'm getting hot really easily, and notice that I have been keeping my house extra cool lately. Jason says he doesn't mind! I will also be sitting and see the little guy kicking through my shirt- That is so weird to see! I've been feeling the kicks for almost 2 months, but only been seeing it for 2 weeks or so. The kicks keep getting stronger, and now i'm feeling him roll and swish around even more than before. I love it! Jason's mom was in town visiting last weekend, and she was able to feel it, along with Aunt Jan and Janae- So fun!

We had so much fun while mom was out visiting! She flew into town on Thursday and stayed until Monday morning. On Saturday Jason's great Aunt Rose had her 90th birthday celebration/Samano Family Reunion, and close to 200 of his Samano relatives showed up! I really love Jason's family, and it was so great to see everyone, and meet even more people that I had not met before. It's to bad we don't get to see you guys more often!!! Diana's visits are always to short, but her and Jason's dad are going to be coming out right after the baby is born to help out, so that will be nice! Who knows, we might even get to spend Christmas or New Years with them depending on when our little guy is born:-) I will post some pictures from the weekend festivities when I have a chance.

Best Husband Ever

I just have to say that I think I have the best husband ever. Jason has been sooooo great during this entire pregnancy! He has been so patient with me when I was acting crazy during my first trimester, and is always there for anything I need, and 99% of the time I don't even need to ask! If I need to get up and get something in the middle of the night he makes me lay back down and goes and does it himself. He has picked up extra chores around the house without me having to ask, and always goes out of his way to make sure I am comfortable. He even had a pregnancy pampering kit delivered to my work last week! He kills all the scary spiders without making fun of me for it, irons my clothes without me ever asking, has no problem taking me to get food I am craving and is always there to give me a back massage! And, to top it all of, he is sooooooo excited to be a daddy. How did I ever end up with such an awesome guy:-) I love him so much!!!!

Week 22

About baby boy this week:

At 11 inches, the length of a spagetti squash, and almost 1 pound, our baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn! His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. Inside his belly his pancreas is developing steadily, and he has wrinkles on his skin that a padding of fat will eventually fill in:-)

About me this week:

I'm still feeling great! The little guy is kicking and rolling around like mad, and I swear he does jumping jacks of the sides of my belly! I can only imagine how much stronger it's going to be in a few months! 4 more to go! Still no stretch marks, and I've gained 7 lbs now according to the doctor last week! Yay for me.

Jason's mom is coming to visit this weekend, and I'm so excited that she will get to feel the baby move:-) This will be the last time it will be OK to kick grandma! hehe.

Weekly baby bump picture:


On Sunday night my family came over for dinner, and Addison was asking Victoria if she had a baby in her belly, and then they thought it would be funny to give Addie a baby belly! How cute is she! I love my niecey pie so much:-)


Then, after they left, Kona was acting really weird and sat perched on the recliner chair footrest for about 10 minutes. So strange, that I had to get a picture!

Anyways, I hope everyone is having a great week!

We had another OB appointment yesterday and everything is looking great! We got to hear baby's heartbeat, and our doctor said right away "Yup! That's a little boy's heartbeat!" Apparently little boys often have slower, galloping heartbeats whereas little girls have faster heartbeats. It doesn't always happen, but still weird!

Weekly belly picture

Sorry this took a couple days!!

Also, look what I built for the nursery!! A toy box and changing table:-) Yay me. Now to move the furniture around and decorate!

Boppy Wedge Pillow

I have been making an attempt to sleep on my left side, and I am noticing that my belly is getting really sore! I tried using a normal pillow, and it just didn't work that well for me. So, I went to Babies R Us and got this awesome pregnancy wedge pillow that I use every night now! For the other pregnant ladies out there, I highly recommend it! It's kinda weird to begin with, but you get used to it. It's much better than having a sore tummy!

Week 21

It is really weird to be counting down the weeks now that I have passed the midway point in my pregnancy. Only 19 weeks to go! Ya it is still a lot, but it's nice to be the halfway mark!

About baby boy this week:
This week baby boy is approximately 10.5 inches long, and 12.7 ounces. I have a feeling he is a little heavier than that, since a week ago the doctor measured him at about 12 ounces... Now he is gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day to practice swallowing and digesting, and his tastebuds work! Studies show that what I eat now will be what he has a preference for as a baby. I need to start eating more veggies!

About me this week:
I am starting to feel huge already, even though I have a long way to go. I need to go to the store and get a maternity wedge pillow to put under my belly when I sleep. My son kicks me all day long, and will push his little body parts out on one side of my belly so it looks like I have a hard growth growing out of my belly. It's so weird!

Weekly stats:

How far along: 21 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: + about 4 lbs probably. Will find out for sure on Thursday
Maternity clothes: Everything
Stretch marks: None... 19 weeks to go- Come on good genes and Palmers lotion, work your magic!
Sleep: Mostly good
Best moment this week: Not having anything we really had to do this weekend, and registering at Babies R Us and Target. So fun!
Movement: Tons
Food cravings: none really
Food aversions: none
Gender: Handsome boy!
Labor Signs: None thankfully
Belly Button in or out: Innie, but flattening out
What I miss: cesar salads at restaurants
What I am looking forward to: My OB appointment Thursday!

Baby boy stuff...

So now that I know were having a little boy, I can't get myself to stop looking at little boy stuff! I'm so used to being around baby girls, and buying girl things, that having the chance to buy boy clothes is so new to me! I love all the little puppy, monster, bug and car outfits! They are so cute... It's taking all my willpower to not whip out my credit card at every store, or every website I visit! This is bordering on an obsession lol.

Outfits that Jason, my mom and I have gotten so far... This is so much fun!!

Kona looking at me like im crazy... Ya, hes probably right...

Name Suggestions and Responses to Baby Boy News

So in the past two days Jason and I have received a lot of phone calls, texts, etc. from people wanting to say congrats on finding out were having a boy... Here are some of our favorites:-)

From Vikki (in a shrill, super excited voice): Really, a boy!! Yay!!! I wasn't going to tell you if you ended up having a girl, but I was really hoping for a little boy to play with!

From Addison: Addie, what should the baby be named? "Macaroni Cheese!"

From Hillary: Luke and I came up with a perfect name. Sir Duke Edgar Bartholomew Nations! haha.

From Ashley (she had picked out a tutu, and really wanted me to have a girl): "...(long pause)...Can I still dress him in a tutu???"

I'm sure there will be more to come!

Ultrasound pictures!

Our adorable baby boy!!!!

little feet:-)

Its definitely a boy!! (look where the arrow is pointing)

picture of our little man's face (or a terminator, see what you want to see!)

Hope you like the pictures! I sure do!

We're having a boy!!!!!

Yes, you heard correct, it's a boy!! After our 13 week ultrasound we just assumed it was a girl since the doctor said we had a 75% chance of our baby being a girl!! Jason and I are both super excited:-) It was a huge surprise, but a great one! I don't know what I'm going to do with a little boy, i'm so used to being around little girls lol! It will be a wonderful, fun new adventure!

Our little man is measuring about 12 ounces, which seems to us a little bigger than what the books say he should be at for week 20, but the doctor said that is a perfect weight. The heartbeat was 142, and we got to see the blood going in and out of the heart, his little toes and fingers, and everything in between! I love him so much already:-)

The advancements in ultrasound technology can really be a blessing and a curse... Because my doctor likes to work with another doctor named Dr. Pan at Mission Hospital for these exams I got a level II ultrasound right off the bat. What that means is that it was a super high tech machine, and Dr. Pan has many extra years experience during genetic screenings, and in depth ultrasounds to look for fetal abnormalities. So, along with all of the great things we learned and got to see, we learned that our little boy has a choroid plexus cyst in his brain. My heart sank when I heard the news, but the doctor was quick to reassure us that it is probably nothing, but that she wants to see us again in three weeks to check to make sure that it isn't getting bigger.

A choroid plexus cyst is a fluid filled cyst in the choroid plexus in the brain, which is the soft tissue that produces fluid to coat the brain. Depending on which sources you read, it can occur in as many as 1 in 100 or 1 in 40 normal pregnancies, and usually goes away by the 3rd trimester. Even if it doesn't go away, it won't cause problems during life. This type of cyst doesn't cause learning disabilities, or any other problems, but it needs to be monitored because it can potentially be a marker for Trisomy 18, a chromosomal abnormality where the fetus dies before birth, or shortly thereafter. We had genetic screenings done in the 1st and 2nd trimester which came out stellar, so Dr. Pan doesn't see a need to worry, but I still do. The doctor said that most of the time these cysts aren't even picked up on the ultrasounds that doctors do, but when they are, patients are referred to her for a more in depth ultrasound to make sure that the rest of the baby looks ok. The rest of little boy looks great, so I shouldn't be worried, but I can't help it!! All I want is a healthy baby, but god never promised us that, so I can't expect it I guess.

Anways, so we go back to see Dr. Pan On September 2nd, so keep our little boy in your prayers!

On a happier note, I will have ultrasound pics to post later today hopefully:-)

Halfway Point!!!

Today we are 20 weeks along, halfway through the pregnancy!!! Wow, time is flying by! This afternoon we go in for our big ultrasound, and will find out if we are having a boy or girl! I can't wait...

About baby this week: Baby is about 10.5 ounces now, and 6.5 inches from head to rump, and about 10 inches from head to heel. This is the first week where the baby is measured this way, since before it was to hard to measure the legs. Its crazy to think that I'm really not that big yet, but I have a little one the length of a banana growing inside me:-)


About Me this week:

I'm still feeling good overall! There have been a couple of nights over the past few weeks where I have woken up with horrible cramps and a backache, one of those nights being Saturday night. Then, of course the baby hardly moved at all yesterday. That just about sent me into a panic! I'm so used to feeling him or her kick multiple times during the day, that when it didn't happen I had my doctor paged and she told me to rest, because before I hit the 20 week mark there is nothing they can do for me... ugh. Why do I worry so much!!! I hate that. But, I'm 20 weeks now, so that makes me feel a little better. Thankfully this morning I got a couple good strong kicks as reassurance that everything is OK! (Maybe that cup of non-decaf tea helped? lol)

Also, we got our nursery furniture delivered this week, and Jason and I put it together this weekend! Two of the pieces were damaged and had to be returned, so its a good thing we took a look at them when we did. The dresser got put together though, and it looks beautiful next to the crib!

Weekly stats:
How far along: 20 weeks today:-)

Total weight gain/loss: + about 3 or 4 lbs probably.

Maternity clothes: everything but some stretchy tank tops

Stretch marks: Nope!!

Sleep: Good, other than the occasional cramps

Best moment this week: getting the nursery furniture!

Movement: Lots of kicks, but not enough yesterday...

Food cravings: Nacho Bel Grandes from Taco Bell and Double Doubles from In-in-Out. Haha.

Food aversions: veggies. I haven't been in the mood for them at all lately... At least I'm not gagging at the thought of them.

Gender: We will find out today!

Belly Button in or out: Innie. I was talking to Holly the other day about this and I don't think mine is going to stick out that far since it wasn't that far in to begin with... She said that she has a deep innie normally, and her's pops out early- I guess that makes sense...

What I miss: Nothing really right now. Just happy to feel the baby again:-)

What I am looking forward to: Our big ultrasound!

Milestones: Hitting the halfway point in pregnancy!