23 Week Update

Week 23:Singin' in the womb!

Fetal development in pregnancy week 23

~length
11.4 in | 29 cm

~weight
1 lb | 450

Your little womb hi-jacker is starting to kick their break-dance party up a notch now that his/her ears are registering sounds from the outside world!

The sound of a phone ringing (or that catchy ring tone), a thunder clap, or a car honking will actually jar their little ears enough to elicit a kick or violent bout of squirming.

More importantly, this means that their little ears are picking up the sounds of your voice and others around you.

So, if you've been yelling a lot (and really, who doesn't get cranky when they're pregnant?) it's time to reign that in and practice a little self restraint for the sake of your little eavesdropper, who is becoming more exquisitely sensitive to all of your behaviors every day.

The equation is simple: happy healthy mama = happy healthy baby.

Stress during pregnancy is quite literally BAD for your baby's developing brain. It's time to clean out the toxic relationships and situations in your life for your sake and your child's sake.

Take the time to center and be quiet - to reflect on the growing life inside of you and the future you will share together. Read up on infant development and attachment to start preparing yourself for the first time you meet your child.

First Take -- Easter PICS

Jason has been home for pretty much a solid month, but he just left on a short trip so I am catching up on all of my things: blogging, crafting, and photography! (Yay, for his new schedule and job at FedEx--- I cannot even begin to tell you what a blessing this company and job has been---I'd need a whole 'nother post for that!) But, I have really enjoyed my week alone with my little man! We have had lots of fun playing and just hanging out just the two of us! 

I am working on arranging a trip to let Jacob play with some baby chickens for some extra special Easter pictures. (We have several Memphis friends with chicks so hopefully I can work that out!) Today has been such a beautiful day I couldn't resist getting Jacob all dolled up for some pictures --- He LOVES going outside and almost every time he passes the back door he points and says outside (Rain or Shine)! We got a few good ones and he just LOVED playing and running around outside!

LOVE his sweet smile! (And, YES this is my chair from the re-upolstery project~ I need to get
up the motivation to do the other one! ...Won't be doing anymore upholstery for a LONG time
after that one! 

I can just read his mind -- "Seriously, Mom, have you lost your mind?!"

Not sure what he was after but that face!

Sweet BOY! --- TOO pretty of a day for pictures 

I KNOW... But I just LOVE this barn!

He decided he was NOT going to stand on the stairs

I know they're all the same~ I just couldn't pick!

LOVE his sweet expression... 

And, His true feelings come out! ALL DONE! (Yes, those are
bruises on his head--- He bangs his head when he gets mad!) SHEESH!

"Pterodactyl J..."

Update on Jacob

Well, After ALL THAT girly, baby stuff DON'T think for a minute our sweet little Jacob is being forgotten! We spend lots of time playing everyday! He is getting SO smart and surprises me DAILY by the things he knows! He is still not talking too much but says: fish (goldfish), milk, juice, outside, Da  (sometimes Da Da), Ma (he likes the one syllable thing!), Bye Bye, Hi, Woof Woof, Too Too (his train noise), kitty cat, cheese, shoes, and a few other things. He is becoming VERY opinionated (gee, I can't imagine where he gets that!), and we are working on discipline and consistent boundaries for him (SOOO hard)! He is SO funny and has such a BIG personality! He cracks me up daily! Here are some random pictures I've taken lately!

One of his favorite "toys" ... Yes, a calculator! 

Helping Daddy!

Yes, DADDY's boy!

He LOVES sneaking in Daddy's office to "play"

LOVE his new pajamas! I call them "old man jams"...

More Daddy/Doggy Love.. He really is a very affectionate little guy

he LOVED our outing to Lowe's to check out paint for baby girl!

LOVING PB&J and insists on feeding himself whenever possible

The Ruffles and Bows have begun!

We are SO excited to welcome a little girl to the family! I am a pretty "girly girl" and LOVE all of the pretty things they have out there for little girls! I have already started shopping for her, but am TRYING to be sort of careful because a lot of the stuff I bought for Jacob before he was born didn't fit at the right times...RUNT! ;) I am having a blast with pinterest projects during nap time, and have already completed a few! Here are a few of them!

Barefoot Sandals... Look Cuter in Person! I hope they fit!
Followed this tutorial ... http://1plus1equals9.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/diy-project-baby-barefoot-sandals/

Burp cloths... These are my favorites from Jacob
(flour sack bar towels from Wal-Mart) made over with Rit Dye! This is
"petal" pink... a little brighter than I hoped, but still cute! I'm going
to try to find a pale baby pink and do some more!

Pretties burp cloths... (I liked this style for my shoulder, but not for wiping)

Ruffled Bottom Onesie... Turned out cute even though I don't
have a serger (so it will have a slight fray after its washed). Serger
is definitely on my wish list! Here is the tutorial I used...
http://www.u-createcrafts.com/2009/05/ruffle-butt-onesie-tutorial.html

This embellished onesie idea also came off the site above!
 http://icandyhandmade.blogspot.com/2011/04/tutorial-onesie-fun.html#more 

The front of the ruffled bottom onesie... I used another pinterest find!
This one is a fabric flower tutorial... I added the rhinestone button
for a little pizzaz!
This the tutorial for the fabric flower: http://icandyhandmade.blogspot.com/2011/04/tutorial-onesie-fun.html#more

I LOVE how this gown turned out, and it was SUPER easy!
I just took some leftover scraps from a burp cloth projects and cut off
the bottom of one of Jacob's old under shirts! 

This is my current project... Eeee! Its gonna be a tough one! Re-covering Jacob's old
car seat! Luckily I got most of the fabric on sale 80% off at Hancocks, so if it's a total flop oh well!

 Yes! I have been busy! The pink chenille I found 80% off at Hancock's was a steal! So, I bought plenty of that! (And, it is the greatest shade of pink too!) I have plans to make a changing pad cover out of that! I am also planning on making a hair bow holder in the near future too! Too bad Jacob doesn't sleep all the time anymore! I really cherish my time at home with him right now, but I also love my time to un-wind with my craft projects!

I am also having LOTS of fun designing her room! I really do love some pretty frilly stuff and Jason hates it! So, we are trying to work it out so that we both love her room! Jacob's room has some really pretty things about it that make it perfect for a baby girl (a little nook with a beautiful oval window, a big window, and a BIG walk-in closet)! I feel a little bad for evicting Jacob, but we are going to make him a REALLY cool big boy airplane room.

Here are a couple of ideas for Baby Girl's Room! (Yes, still baby girl -- Jason and I believe her name is SO important and are waiting for the right one to stand out!)

We are going to put her crib in front of some big windows like this!
I am also leaning towards an antique white iron crib made by Bratt Decor.

This is a very similar crib to the one I LOVE, and a similar wall color to the primary
color we are thinking of going with! (I am going to paint the beautiful nook with
the oval window a shade of very pale pink!)

Here's one of the style ideas I have for Jacob's big boy room - the crib and
+ a big boy bed! (We will be converting his crib to a full size bed here soon!)

22 weeks

Ok. So, Baby #2's pregnancy has been TOTALLY different than the first! I am hoping that continues and means we have a full-term, healthy, non-NICU baby! Here are the differences I have noticed so far:
1) I am carrying baby girl higher than I did Jacob
2) I am starting to show faster with Baby #2
3) NAUSEA ... Oh Boy! I am still puking! (I think someone is playing an evil trick on me for saying morning sickness was just people "trying to milk it"... Yes, I really said that with Jacob because I had NO nausea!)
4) No food cravings --- Maybe this goes with the nausea but NOTHING sounds good to eat. (With Jacob I wanted MEAT and DAIRY...)

Well, That's pretty much it! We are staggering our monthly visits to the OB and perinatologist so we are seeing a doctor every two weeks right now. They will begin NSTs and more regular checks beginning the third trimester (28 weeks)! But, Everything is looking ok so far and we are monitoring my blood pressure twice a day for any signs of increase!

Week 22:I'm wrinklier than a raisin!

Fetal development in pregnancy week 22

~length
11 in | 28 cm

~weight
15 oz | 425 g

Congratulations! You’re now housing a human who weighs nearly a pound and measures nearly a foot in length!

Your wee babe's perfect little pancreas (a super-duper organ that produces hormones and aids in digestion) is now making its own hormones for your baby's body and brain!

If you were worried, you can finally stop that: your baby's future in the circus as a world-famous tight-rope-walker is secure now that their inner ear is developed to the point that they have their own sense of balance.

Luckily for your little womb-explorer, this new balance promotes physical dexterity, which has them actively feeling out their surroundings where skin, body parts, and the resident umbilical cord are the big sensory experiences.

Your sweet babe is sort of looking like an oversized red prune right now as more and more skin (and therefore wrinkles) are showing up each week.

Not to worry, all those wrinkles are just your baby's way of planning ahead for the time when they’ll start piling on all of that irresistible baby chub.