The Life and Times of Swarley
Thursday, December 15, 2011
37.5 Weeks
My nervousness about having two little ones was finally quelled when I said to myself, "That's what's happening and you're not the first person to do it, so GET OVER IT!" and then I got over it. Now, I'm mainly just excited to meet Swarley, while also slightly mourning the coming loss of what little sleep Gus lets me have.
Today is the first day that I do not have some sort of work to do at nap time, and I am THRILLED! I am going to spend it doing the most unproductive things I can think of -- eating chocolate pudding and watching Gossip Girl. Though, I may throw some reading in there, too, if time allows.
I am still feeling pretty good, though I'm moving a lot slower and I do find more to gripe about. I am tired most of the time at this point, but going to the chiro has kept me almost pain-free, which is GLORIOUS! At this point with Gus, putting on pants or getting in and out of the care required so much concentration and caused so much pain that it basically wasn't worth it.
Cravings have taken over again recently -- I crave ice cream, milkshakes, protein shakes...A lot of dairy, apparently. I've gained almost the exact same amount of weight as I did with Gus, which is weird because I feel and look smaller. Hopefully it's not as hard to lose the weight as it was with Gus!
Names are still up in the air, though we have a few that would work. I've had many moments of "This is the perfect name!" and Jacob has had an equal number of, "Nope, it's not perfect." moments. Meaning, he is lame and I am awesome about naming our baby. :P We are going with his plan, which he worded beautifully, "We'll just see what pops out of you and then find something."
Lastly, I'm trying to remind myself regularly that these are our last few days or weeks as a family of three. When I first became pregnant, I was sad at the thought of not getting to only have Gus -- of losing that closeness, and the freedom which allowed me to give him my undivided mom attention. Now, though, I so look forward to him meeting his little brother or sister, and watching the relationship that develops. I do still have a little bit of sadness for moving out of this part of my life - a mom of one wonderful boy - so I do look for ways to spend time as just the three of us. But, I know that tiny piece of sadness will be gone the moment I get to hold baby Swarley, and experience that amazingly unique and wonderful moment of looking into my baby's eyes for the first time.
BabyCenter update:
Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)
Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.
Friday, October 14, 2011
28 Weeks
Monday, August 22, 2011
21 Weeks
Swarley is a mover and shaker, that's for sure. Not long after I posted by 18.5 week update, Jacob felt Swarley kick. Now, a bunch of people have felt the kicks and punches that seem to happen every time I sit still! I am currently sitting here SEEING Swarley move.
This is truly one of my favorite parts of pregnancy. I get SO excited when it first happens, and my excitement never seems to diminish for the rest of the pregnancy. Then, I miss those movements after the baby is born, even though I'm getting to hold my baby in real life!
We have a regular appointment with Nora tomorrow, which is always fun. Swarley's heartbeat had increased a little bit more into the "girl" heartbeat range, so I'm curious to see what it is tomorrow! I believe it's been 150 and 160. (I know it's just an old wives' tale, but it's still fun!)
Gus' second birthday is coming quickly. It's so hard to believe how big he's getting! He can now (mostly) count to 10, though he regularly skips five and seven. He's also getting into trains, and loves Yo Gabba Gabba...Unfortunately for me and my ears. He is so sweet, funny, and smart...I've said it from the beginning, but I feel so privileged that I get to watch him grow up. When he was very small, I said to Jacob, "I feel so lucky that we get to keep him!" I still feel that way!
Here's the haps with Swarls: Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.
Now to decide whether or not to indulge this crazy craving for pancakes!
Friday, August 5, 2011
18.5 weeks
Today, for the first time, I felt Swarley's kicks from the outside! I've been anxiously awaiting this milestone, as it is that much more fun for Jacob, and I think it will be fun for Gus, too! I felt three or four little taps before Swarley moved away. Very exciting, if you ask me!
I am beginning to feel a faint nesting itch, which I think has more to do with the fact that we have done next to nothing to prepare for Swarley, and I feel like time is flying. My plan is to spend tomorrow morning going through stuff in the room which will be transformed into Swarley's nursery! Up until now, it's been our office-guest-extra books-stuff we don't know what to do with-papers to save room. So, it'll be quite the challenge to find a place for everything.
When people ask how I'm feeling, I also feel like I give such a lame answer. It's always "Good!" with a smile and a little head nod. The thing is, I DO feel good most of the time. Yes, I have my hormonal days, or the days where halfway through a meal I am disgusted by my food, but 99% of the time I just feel good. It's nice.
Oh, btw, I don't know how I survived my last pregnancy without a body pillow.
Here's what Swarley's up to:
18 weeks: Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.
And 19 weeks, because we all know I'll miss that post: 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.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.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Fifteen Weeks
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Eleven Weeks
If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.
In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.
11 weeks: Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long andabout the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.