Baby Update - Week 23

Today, I am officially 23 weeks (plus one day) pregnant! Here's what's been going on over the past week...

Week 23 Highlights
The weather got colder and snowier! It was starting to look like spring, but it looks like we'll have to wait a little longer...

My last day of medical school EVER was Thursday - now I'm just waiting for graduation!

Dad, Baby, and I went to a banquet on Thursday night. It was a successful night for me because my dress didn't burst at the seams and I got to indulge in two pieces of delicious chocolate cake. The dress is going into hiatus until after our big baby boy is born!

We took Baby on vacation - my family met in Des Moines for a fun weekend of swimming, indoor golfing, and shopping to celebrate birthday season. :)

This week in development
Baby is the size of a large mango

He is starting to look reddish in color due to developing blood vessels underneath his skin

His skin will also be pretty wrinkly until more baby fat develops. But not to worry - some serious weight gain is about to take place. Baby is expected to double his weight over the next four weeks

He is getting better at sensing movement and can now feel me dance (or do the "Pretty Girl Rock")

Hearing keeps improving too, and loud sounds from the outside world (Macy's bark, the vacuum cleaner, etc.) are becoming more and more familiar to Baby

How's Mom doing?
I've been doing well and I'm happy to say that I still have plenty of energy. :) Right now, I'm trying to relax and enjoy my time off (residency is set to begin on July 1st with orientation starting in mid-June). Baby has been keeping things interesting by kicking harder! It's fun being able to tell how he's positioned in my belly by the location of his kicks.

How's Dad doing?
"Good." :) Dad got to feel Baby kick this week too - for the first time! He says we're going to have quite a little boxer on our hands! The laundry room is painted, and it looks great. For fun, Dad got to practice his golf swing this weekend at an indoor golf center. He also got pretty good at racing Rob on the water slides at our hotel. Boys...

Baby Update - Week 22

Today I am officially 22 weeks (plus one day) pregnant! Here's what's been going on over the past week...

Week 22 Highlights
My friend Robyn brought her twin boys to Omaha for shoe shopping, lunch at Sgt. Peffer's, and of course, playtime at the park!

Dad, Baby, Macy and I headed to Summerhaven Lake to enjoy the nice weather.

 

Match Day - we found out that our family gets to stay in Omaha while I complete my pediatric residency!

Baby's gender was confirmed - it's time to think BLUE!

Grandma, Aunt Kelsey and I worked on Baby's registry at Target.

This week in development
Baby is as long as a spaghetti squash

Baby now weighs close to a pound!

Tiny tooth buds are developing beneath Baby's gums

Sense of touch is developing more and more each day, and Baby probably grabs onto the umbilical cord every now and then

As sense of sight also continues to develop, Baby is getting better at perceiving light and dark (although it's mostly dark in there)

More hair is coming in, but you'd never guess what color it is... Brown? Red? Blonde? Nope, it's bright white (for now, anyways)

How's Mom doing?
I'm doing great! I had the last week off from school because of Match Day, so I've been enjoying some free time lately. And this next week is my last week of classes before I have a month of vacation followed by graduation. Life's rough, huh? Right now, I'm  getting used to my growing belly and the thought of being a little boy's mommy! It's all very exciting! That upper back pain still nags me, but I've found that it gets a little better if I stand up, lay down, or increase my lumbar support while sitting.

How's Dad doing?
Dad was very relieved to find out on Match Day that we won't be moving! In the basement, the last layer of drywall mud went up today, and paint has now been purchased. For fun this week, Dad joined some friends for a fish fry. Both Mom and Dad traveled to David City to celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Saturday. :)

Ultrasound #3 - Boy or Girl?

Big ultrasound today - looking at Baby's anatomy and finding out the gender! Baby's legs were crossed, which made things a little more difficult, but we eventually got the money shot...

It's a BOY!!! The arrow is pointing at his penis, not to be confused with the umbilical cord (which is the long structure to the right with a blood vessel seen running through it). If you're having a hard time orienting yourself, this is a picture of Baby's bottom from below.

Here are some more great pictures...

Baby's profile up close:

Baby's feet (notice how his little legs are crossed):

Baby sucking his thumb (he also yawned frequently throughout the ultrasound):

Other great anatomy that we saw:

• Lenses of the eyes (and they were moving - Baby is looking around, although his eyes are closed for the time being)
• Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spine
• Heart (it's the size of a quarter this week!)
• Diaphragm
• Stomach
• Gall bladder
• Kidneys
• Urinary bladder

Everything looks good and normal. Baby's heart rate was 131 beats per minute, and he measured in the 56th percentile. These pictures were taken at 21 weeks, 6 days.

Belly Pic - Week 21

Getting bigger every day... (that red shirt used to hide my belly - not anymore!)

Baby Update - Week 21

Today, I am officially 21 weeks pregnant! Here's what's been going on over the past week...

Week 21 Highlights
Joe and I went to Babies 'R Us to look at baby furniture, car seats, high chairs, and strollers last weekend - we left feeling a little overwhelmed... :)

Mark Micheal Mizerski was born on Thursday, March 10th - his mom Mandy is a friend of mine from my old church.

Carson Thomas Chen was born on Friday, March 11th - his mom Ann is my first cousin (on my dad's side).

We hosted poker night, and Joe won! I got fourth place (out of six).

This week in development

Baby is as long as a carrot

Taste buds have developed, and Baby is getting exposed to different tastes via the amniotic fluid - I hope he or she likes pickles!

Eyebrows and lids are now present

How's Mom doing?

This week, I've had a huge boost in energy and I've been getting a ton of stuff done! Here's what I was able to accomplish thanks to some time off from school...

• Renewed my driver's license (DMV guy had to ask, "Are you... ... ... pregnant?")
• Ordered graduation announcements
• Cleaned the bathroom, office, kitchen, bedroom and living room
• Removed two big bags of trash and clutter from our current office (soon-to-be nursery)
• Took some more stuff to Goodwill
• Cleared out last year's hostas from a small area in our front yard

How's Dad doing?

I think my energy's rubbing off - Joe finished framing and dry-walling. He is now in the middle of mudding and taping with the help of our friend Rocket. The plan is to buy paint this week!

Joe and his brother also finished their poker table!

Target Registry

Joe and I went shopping for Baby today (just browsing), and I was inspired to start registering at Target. There are only a couple things on there so far, but there will be a bunch more in a few weeks when we have a better idea of who we're shopping for!

Baby Update - Week 20

Today, I am officially at the halfway point: 20 weeks pregnant! Here's what's been going on over the past week...

Week 20 Highlights
Mom started a new elective this month! Now, she and baby go to seminars a few times a week. This week's topics included End of Life, Cultural Competency, and Addiction Medicine.

Aunt Amber had a dream about Baby! In the dream, she and Uncle Aaron were baby-sitting and playing peek-a-boo with a cute little redhead. Guess who it was...

Baby got to tag along while Mom got certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

Another Return OB appointment--we heard the heartbeat, but you-know-who was kicking the Doppler!

This week in development
Baby is as long as a banana

If Baby's a girl: her uterus is fully formed and she has primitive eggs in her tiny little ovaries now

If Baby's a boy: his testicles have begun their descent this week

Baby is swallowing more and producing meconium, which will accumulate until that first bowel movement (which we hope will happen AFTER delivery)

How's Mom doing?
I am really enjoying the lighter load at school, and I have been feeling much more rested! The belly keeps getting bigger, and my total weight gain for the pregnancy has now exceeded ten pounds. Heartburn is back under control, thanks to some good advice from my cousin. :) This week's problem: back pain (mostly involving my upper back and especially after prolonged sitting).

How's Dad doing?
Dad says he's "doing good," and he has enjoyed taking Mom, Baby, and Macy on walks around the park this week. He and Mom hope to do some framing and drywalling in the basement tomorrow after church.