Week 27!

Week 27 - Beginning of the 3rd Trimester!

Can't believe it has gotten here so fast!!  This pregnancy has flown by.  I'm sure that moving, new jobs, trying to sell the house, looking for a new house, etc has contributed to that.  But still, only a few short months away til this little guy will be here with us.  :)

SO, I ACTUALLY HAD A BELLY PIC TO POST THIS WEEK ALONG WITH THE PICS OF HIS COMPARISONS.....AND OF COURSE THE COMPUTER IS NOT COOPERATING!  SO....SORRY.  IF IT WILL WORK NEXT WEEK, I'LL INCLUDE THEM IN THE NEXT POST!

Baby Kirby is now about 2lbs and around 14-15 inches long.  In other words, we can compare him to:

A Rutabaga

A Roast

And a Teddy Bear!

Baby Boy Kirby's Week:

• He now could most definitely survive if he decides to arrive early, although it would probably be with some medical help.
• His eyelashes continue to grow, and he now can open and close his eyes.
• Activity is definitely increasing!
• Body fat is beginning to accumulate so he can have that nice cuddly appearance.

My Week:

• The movements are definitely becoming much more noticeable (both from the inside and the outside!)
• Continue to have mild swelling of the feet/ankles, but not as bad as I would expect working 12 hours shifts!
• A little more shortness of breath, especially with activity.
• Sciatica still flares up occasionally, but usually not for more than a day at a time.
• We started our registries last week!  Still have some things to add, but we got a good start!  Just in time too, because shower dates are beginning to crop up.....
• We also picked out a crib.  :)
• We have the name narrowed down to 4 choices, so hopefully soon.....

Week 26

Week 26

I do have a picture for this week, but it's not really a belly shot.  I went to Atlanta for a compression hose fitting, and met with some of the Northside girls for dinner....

Baby Kirby is now close to 2 pounds and about 14 inches long.  So for our comparisons this week, we have:

A Head of Lettuce

Length of a scallion

And a Zucchini!

Baby Kirby's Week:

• His eyes are no longer fused!  He can open and close them when he feels like it now
• The iris of his eyes are beginning to develop some color, but not very much yet.
• His eyelashes are fully formed now
• He is having lots of brain development at this time!

My Week:

• No more Sea-Bands as of Monday!  I still keep them with me, and may end up using them at work tonight...but it is progress!
• The Prilosec seems to be helping with the reflux, hopefully it continues.
• Leg cramps were terrible last week, but I read about some simple stretches to do before bedtime that seem to be helping now.
• Sleeping pretty well, especially because last week of daytime orientation wore me out!!
• My uterus is supposedly now the size of a basketball.  Wow.
• I got my compression stockings to wear at work....tonight will be the first night trying them!
• Little guy is becoming quite the gymnast.  I can tell the (big) difference now between when he is kicking/punching or actually turning around in there.

Week 25 Catch up!

Week 25 Catch Up!

Sorry I lied in the last post...I promised a week 25 update that would be on time and didn't do it!  But I do have a pic from last week for you.....

Baby Boy Kirby's Week 25:

He is now about 1.5 pounds and measure somewhere around 13.5 inches.  So we could say he is comparable to - 

A Head of Cauliflower

An Acorn Squash

A Papaya

• His capillaries are forming under the skin, which makes the skin look more pink!
• Up until now, his nostrils have been filled with mucus;  they are now opening up so he can practice breathing.
• He is starting to gain some baby fat, and his hair is continuing to grow.
• His body is now able to tell which was is up and which way is down!

Week 24

Week 24 Catch Up!

So sorry that I keep getting behind!  Barely making this post during Week 24, tomorrow (Monday) will officially start Week 25.  We had a lot going on this week.  Patrick started work in Chattanooga, so he has been in TN all week.  My mom came to stay with me in Atlanta while he was gone.  It was my last week of work at Northside Forysth :( which was hard.  But I had my last check up with my OB in Atlanta, and baby Kirby is still doing well!  And on the house front....we let our Realtor use the house for a home tour in Westview this past Saturday (June 29).  We actually received two offers on the house after the tour, before we even put the house on the market!!  So we are currently under contract and awaiting inspection/appraisal.  And as of last night, I'm in Chattanooga for good.  Well, besides some visits to gather last minute items from the house, sign papers as needed for the house, etc.  As I said, a lot going on!  So no picture for this week.  But I promise to post one in the next few day with my week 25 post.  

Baby Boy Kirby

He is about 12 inches long right now, and probably weighs about 1 1/3 pounds.  That means he is:

The same length as a foot-long hot dog or foot-long sub sandwich!

The size of an ear of corn

The size of a cantaloupe when he is all curled up :)

Changes for Baby Kirby this week:

• Lungs are continuing to develop and surfactant (helps baby's lungs work correctly) is developing.

• He is still super skinny at this point, but from here on out is supposedly going to gain weight and fill our pretty quickly.

• His ears are continuing to develop and hearing is becoming better and better!

My Week:

• I read that as of this week my uterus is about the size of a soccer ball!  No wonder its getting a little harder to bend over to put on socks and no wonder I'm feeling a little more out of breath!

• The swelling is still pretty minimal, but I'm going to get fitted for some compression socks soon, just in case!!

• Sleeping is hit or miss; some nights I sleep great and only have to get up for one bathroom break.  Other nights I toss and turn forever and feel like I'm going to the bathroom non-stop.

• I did find out for sure over this past week that part of my issue with the throwing up has been reflux.  My doctor recommended I try a stronger over the counter med (starting to take Prilosec vs. Pepcid) and see what happens....I can always try a prescription if needed.

• Definitely feeling him start to be much more active.  I'm really enjoying feeling him move so much!  Its still just occasionally that I can let someone else feel him during the hours I'm up and around because it is so sporadic.  But Patrick can pretty much count on being able to feel him move either before we go to sleep, when we wake up, or both!  Every once in a while, I can actually see my belly move when he moves, which is cool but a little creepy!

• Over all, I can't complain at all!  Now that we are officially in Chattanooga, I feel like Patrick and I can really start to enjoy the pregnancy.  (AND PICK OUT A NAME!  Its driving me crazy not having a name for this little guy yet!)

Talk to you again shortly with my Week 25 update!!

Week 23

Week 23

 

Time is continuing to fly by...can't believe week 23 is here!  Sorry, I've been terrible about pictures lately.  I'll try to post one on Instagram later this week!

 

Baby Boy Kirby is 11.5 inches long and slightly over 1 pound in weight.  So...we could say he is about the size of:

 

Mango

 

 

Eggplant

Baby Boy Kirby's Week:

 

• Skin pigmentation is starting to happen.

 

• His little boy nipples are forming!

 

• The lungs and pancreas are making big strides in development this week!

 

• This idea kinda weirded me out, but his skinny is supposedly very saggy this week because it grows faster than he is gaining weight at the moment.

 

 

 

My Week:

• Sleep is beginning to elude me more often....I hope once the move is over this might get a little better!

 

• The Snoogle pillow is fabulous!  But the back ache and hip pain is sticking around...luckily its bearable!

 

• Sciatica is rearing its ugly head.  It isn't all the time atleast, but can get pretty severe at times.  We will see what happens with this...

 

• I have a Dr's appointment next week, so I'll give a good update after that visit!!

 

Week 22 Catch Up

Catch-up:  Week 22!

 

 Sorry guys, with all the home repairs and packing going on I got behind with my updates! 

 

This week's picture is actually from 2 days before I officially turned 22 weeks, but its the closest I have.

 

 

 

Baby Kirby's size isn't going to be changing very much over the next few weeks (especially the length).  He is still about 11 inches long, but now weighs about 1 pound!  So he can be compared to:

 

1 Lb Bag of Coffee Beans

 

 

Spaghetti Squash

 

 

Papaya

Baby Boy Kirby's Week:

 

• He is growing, but is currently very skinny!  He will spend the remainder of his time in their packing on the pounds!

 

• His grasp is becoming more coordinated, meaning he may begin to grab his umbilical cord.

 

• Hair is now growing on his tiny head, but with no pigmentation is currently white!

 

• The brain is currently going through some rapid growth and development.

 

• His eyes have fully formed, but just like his hair, the iris has not developed color yet.

 

• This little guy is now awake for 10-12 hours a day;  last time this was mentioned he was only awake about 6 hours a day!



 

My Week:

 

• We were able to go see Moon Taxi at Riverbend on June 14, and had a blast!  The pic from this week is after that show.  Baby has had the pleasure of seeing this band a total of 3 times, and I think he is beginning to recognize their music when I play it at home and in the car.  :)

 

• The round ligament pains are becoming more prominent, although I still feel them mostly when I'm first stretching/getting up after sleeping and sometimes when I cough/sneeze.

 

• The back ache is getting worse, and the leg cramps are awful at night!  But I did break down and by a pregnancy body pillow called the Snoogle, so hopefully that will help!!

 

• Not much progress on the name yet, but I hope that soon we will have time to work on that.

 

 

See ya!

 



Week 21

21 Weeks!

It is going by way too fast, I have so much to do and so little time to do it!  Due to moving and lack of cooperating schedules, no pic this week :(

According to my readings, Baby Boy Kirby should be about 13 oz.  But he weighed that our US last week, so he may be a bit bigger now!  Not much change in length, around 7-8 inches head to butt and nearly 11 inches head to toe.

He is as long as a Carrot:

As tall as a Bottle of Coke:

As big as a Pomegranate:

As big as a Cantaloupe:

Baby Boy Kirby's Week:

• He now has fully formed eyebrows and eyelids, meaning he is now blinking!

• Rapid Eye Movement is now occurring when he sleeps, which means he can dream!

• He is starting to form meconium (his first poop).

• This little guy now looks like a miniature version of what he will look like at birth...so cool!

My Week:

• Not a whole lot going on related to the pregnancy.  Still a lot of bathroom breaks, and some slight nausea when I'm at work all night. 

• Starting to have a little discomfort in my hips after being on my feet for 12 hours at work, but nothing that is unbearable!

• Main thing that is on my mind:  Getting this move over with!  Packing, home projects, and a messy house are making me feel a little stir crazy.  I'm ready for the house to get on the market and get sold!!

• Another goal - pick a name!  I know we have quite a while before we have to decide on a name, but I want to be able to call him something besides Baby Boy....

20 Weeks

We Made It!  20 Weeks!

The Halfway Point

Can you believe it??  This pregnancy is already halfway over.  Hard for me to believe.  Only about 5 more months until Baby Boy Kirby makes his arrival....

20 Week Picture...sorry, no chalkboard this week!

Baby Boy Kirby measured 13 ounces at our US appointment.  

They didn't give me a length, but he is probably about 7.5 inches from head to butt, or 10-11 inches from head to toe.  So that means we can compare in him (either in total size, or by length) to:

A Banana:

A Coconut:

A Butternut Squash:

And even an Artichoke:

Baby Boy Kirby's Week:

• He is now swallowing several ounces of amniotic fluid every day!
• He also has working tastebuds, which means that what I eat can affect what the amniotic fluid tastes like to him.
• His tiny teeth buds are starting to form in his gums.
• He is working on developing a regular sleep pattern.
• His limbs are finally all pretty proportionate!

My Week:

• Honestly, not too much to report on my side as far as the pregnancy goes.  The belly is getting bigger, but I love the fact that it's becoming more obvious that I'm pregnant! :)
• Sleep is a little more broken than before....I still require a lot of it, but there are frequent bathroom trips and rearranging to get comfortable.
• Leg cramps are back with a vengeance this week!

But In Other News:

I think enough people now know that it's safe to post on here....we are moving back to Chattanooga!   It is a decision that we have been contemplating ever since we found we were pregnant, but we thought it would probably happen sometime after the baby arrived.  Nope!  Some things happened that made us feel now is the time to move...too many things are falling into place for it not to be the right move.

We both have jobs lined up in Chatt that will start the first few weeks of July.  We are working on some finishing touches on the house before we put it on the market, so these last few weeks down here will be crazy busy.  Everyone send good vibes that the house will be sold quickly!!

I will SO miss my Northside family.  They were all so welcoming to me, and I could not have asked for better coworkers here in Atlanta!  I promise that I will bring Baby Kirby back for visits.  :)  On the flip side, I feel very fortunate to be going home.  We have so many friends and family waiting for us, and I am so very glad that this baby will grow up with them all!!

And Lastly - US Pics

We were also able to get a gender shot this time, but I will refrain from posting on here.  The outcome is still the same....boy!

(We didn't get a gender pic at the last visit since we didn't want to know the sex until our Reveal Party...the less time the sonographer spent in that area the better!)

Week 19

Week 19!

 

Here is my 19 week picture...again after a dinner of Mexican food...maybe I'm beginning to see a pattern :)  I think it is actually starting to look like a "real" baby bump now!

 

 

Baby Boy Kirby is now around 6-7 inches long and approximately 8.5 ounces. This means his size can be compared to:

 

 

Heirloom Tomato

 

 

 

Softball

 

 

 

Grapefruit

 

 

 

 

Mango

 

 

Baby Boy Kirby's Week:

 

• The hair on his head is starting to grow!  (I hope it's curly like his Dad's)

 

• His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.

 

• Brown fat is starting to develop (it will continue to develop until delivery);  this helps give him energy after delivery!

 

• He now has more control over the movements he makes, like kicking, rolling, etc.

 

• Right now, he is only awake for about 6 hours a day.

 

 

My Week:

 

• I'm starting to feel him move!  It's very cool.  Took me a while to figure out what I was feeling, because in my head no one's descriptions fit...

 

• The round ligament pains are still there occasionally, but nothing that is bothersome.

 

• I read that numbness and tingling is normal right now in hands and feet.  I don't feel it all the time, but have noticed that my hands and feet tend to "fall asleep" faster if I don't move enough.

 

• Back aches are starting.  Might be time to buy a belly band!  And a pregnancy pillow...

 

 



Week 18

Week 18!

 

As usual, time is flying by.  Another week gone, another week closer to Baby Boy Kirby's arrival.

 

 

The pictures are getting hard to do...I never feel like they turn out well!  This one was after a day of sleep (I worked last night) and a dinner of Mexican food....

 

 

 

Baby Boy Kirby is now about 6 inches long and between 6-7 ounces.  This means he is compared to:

 

A Dragonfruit

 

A Bell Pepper

 

A Sweet Potato

 

Baby Boy Kirby's Week:

 

• He is moving and flexing his arms and legs quite a bit!  I'm so ready to be able feel these movements....hopefully soon!
• Yawning and hiccupping are common now, although I can't feel them...
• His hearing is becoming more clear.
• A coating on his nerves, called myelin, is forming and will continue to form through his first year of life!
• Vernix is now coating his skin to protect him.

 

 

 

My Week:

 

• Still tired!  But as before, I can handle that without the nausea.

 

• Leg cramps have been killer the past two nights!  I didn't realize it was pregnancy related until I was reading some info for my post today.

 

• My uterus is now the size of a cantaloupe.

 

• Luckily haven't had too much swelling, maybe a small amount after working (my feet/ankles may have looked like this after a 12 hour shift before, I just wasn't paying attention!)

 

• Skin breakouts still terrible....ready for that to pass!!

 

• Some round ligament pains are starting I think...no sharp pains, just a soreness.  Seem to notice it more when I've been in one position for a while then move.

 

• Sleeping is a little awkward.  I've always been a stomach sleeper, and I'm finding it hard to break that habit.  Even when I start on my side, I seem to always wake up on my stomach.  Doctor says it won't harm the baby right now, and soon enough it won't be possible anyways.  





 



Week 17

Week 17!!

Once again, another week has flown by!  These moments are going by so incredibly fast, I can only imagine what it will be like once Baby Boy Kirby gets here!

This has been an amazing week....we now know we are having a little boy!  I can't quite describe the feeling of having yet another confirmation that there is really a tiny life growing inside me....I guess surreal is about as close as I can get!

Baby Boy Kirby is now about 5.5 inches long, and weighed in at 6 oz as of this past Thursday.  I've read the following size comparisons:

The Palm of your Hand

A Baked Potato

A Pickle

And An Onion

Baby Boy Kirby's week:

• Joints are movable, so I hopefully will start feeling him move very soon!!  There was one night about 2 weeks ago where I am fairly certain I felt him turn...but I can't wait for more regular movements!

• His sweat glands are now developing

• Now that his little ears are formed and in place, loud noises can startle him!  But the more he hears and gets used to now, the better he will sleep when he gets here with us.  :)

• Adipose tissue (that cute baby fat!) is forming now, so he will start getting a little more chubby

• The umbilical cord is growing in length and becoming thicker to keep up with the growing baby!

My Week:

• The nausea is still being held at bay most of the time....
• I keep reading that the frequent peeing should be getting better.  But it definitely isn't for me!  But at the US on Thursday, they said he is sitting way down in the bottom of the uterus right now, which I would guess means he is still putting more pressure on my bladder.  Hopefully he will move up a little soon!
• The tiredness is still there too, but I'm kinda used to it now!
• I got my first set of cloth diapers in the mail!  It was a sample pack with one Fuzzibunz, one BumGenious, and one Kawaii.  I think I have ruled out Fuzzibunz, but I love the other two!  So looks like I will get a variety of BG and Kawaii in both snaps and velcro.  Now to find all the good online distributors...
• Went to a friend's baby shower, and had so much fun seeing everything she got!  I was mentally taking notes!
• Now that we know we are having a baby boy, I am looking forward to start picking out some stuff!!  We think we are gonna do shades of orange and grey in the nursery.

Talk to you all next week!!

It's A............

On Saturday we had the pleasure of attending a friend's baby shower in Chattanooga, TN.  It just so happened that we had a 16 week ultrasound scheduled for the Thursday before.....so we decided to make a day of the Chattanooga trip and have a Gender Reveal Party with our families.

We went to our US on Thursday, and explained to the US tech and the doctor that although we did want them to look for the sex of the baby, we did want them to tell us right then!  Instead, we had brought an envelope with a card for them to write down what they found.  :)  As we were leaving the office, we stopped at the information desk and asked the volunteer to call a friend who was making the cake and tell her the gender.

And then comes Saturday....Patrick and I are so lucky.  We have a wonderful immediate and extended family who chose to share this special moment with us!  We had a few snacks, and then cut the cake!!  Here are some pics to tell the story....

Starting to cut the cake...can you tell I was slightly excited!?

Seeing the inside for the first time....

Pulling the piece out...

And it is definitely BLUE!

IT's A....

And to finish this post off....I cannot even put into words how lucky I am.  I grew up with a kind, generous, and loving Mother who taught me trust in myself and trust in family.  I have two amazing Grandmothers who cared for me as I grew up and encouraged me throughout the years.  I have amazing Aunts who have all been wonderful examples to me.  And then to top it all off, I somehow added a wonderful Mother-In-Law (and grandmother-in-law) that treats me like I've always been a part of the family.  I can only hope that I take all I have learned from this outstanding group of women, and use it to raise this little boy in a loving home where he will be treasured.  

And now that I'm sitting here crying happy tears.....Happy Mother's Day to you all!