Week 24 and 25 :)

Happy Holidays to all of you!

Luckily I've had the last two weeks off for winter break :)    My belly seems to have grown so much the last week or so!
It was very nice to catch up on the sleep I've needed and to put my feet up when I needed to during my time off.   This Christmas was also very fun because Maia had her own stocking at Grandma and Grandpa Stime's house and even got a couple of gifts! 

 My sister in law AnJi also brought down some hand me down items and a BAG full of little girl clothes (so cute!).   We also attended our second wedding pregnant 

 WEEK 24

 WEEK 24, AS LONG AS A EAR OF CORN, ABOUT 8.5 INCHES

 SORRY FOR THE UGLY PJ PIC :)  WEEK 25 BELLY PIC!

 WEEK 25, AS LONG AS A 9 INCH EGGPLANT, HOWEVER, THIS WAS THE BIGGEST ONE WE COULD FIND, JUST SHORT OF 9 INCHES :)

 THE PAC N PLAY THAT AUNTIE ANJI PASSED ON TO US :)

 AUNTIE ANJI  ALSO BROUGHT THIS ROCKER :)


SOME OF MAIA'S CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM UNCLE TOBY AND COUSINS MATT AND JACOB, AND GRANDMA AND GRANDPA STIME

Aside from the holidays, it's been exciting to hit this point of the pregnancy because although it is not good to be born premature, the youngest of the preemies that have a chance of making it are about 24 weeks old.   I want her to make it as far as she can, but it is somewhat of a relief that she's at a viable age to live outside the womb.  
As for me, I've been getting more tired, falling asleep at the drop of a hat, and if I'm on my feet for even a  little while my legs feel like I ran at the gym the next day :(  I did have some very minimal spotting start again a couple of days ago, but after a check up, everything looked fine ( baby's heartbeat was fine, cervix is closed, etc), and they are doing a more in depth test to make sure I don't have any infections.   
As we make our way to the last trimester and the 7th month it's getting  to the exciting/scary part of the anticipation of what's to come.   Some of my showers are starting to be planned and at our last appointment we had to start filling out our pre-admit forms for labor and delivery, our birth plan and we are signed up for a childbirth class, nursing class, and a "Hello Newborn" class .   

Here's to hoping that this last trimester goes smoothly and that our little Maia makes it as far as she can.   Thanks for checking in on me :) 

Week 22 and 23

What a busy 2 weeks!   Tis the season for concerts-after my own at Stan State, I ran the two winter concerts at my school last Wednesday and Thursday, and then ran a booth for the music department at the GKE Winter Wonderland.   Baby girl was not happy with all that running around.   In the past, when I tried to wear anything but flat shoes at a concert I knew I could expect sore feet after the 2 hours or so of running around before, during, and after a concert.   This time I wore my comfiest flats and my preggo feet swelled so much I had to go barefoot afterwards and on the way home :(.

We also had Beauty and the Beast rehearsals this week that (thank God) our choreographer Heather was running/leading: 

   During this crazy week we also found out my car was pretty much a "walking dead" situation and spent most of Saturday looking and buying :) a new car.   I finally got to see most of my side of the family on Sunday.  All great, but the constant go, go, go, left me incredibly tired.   

This week was just a blur of trying to catch up on everything that I didn't have time for during last week's blur and THANK GOD tomorrow is our last day before winter break.   

Last week was week 22 (can you believe it's already this far along!), and I'm starting to feel VERY round and she's definitely made her presence known.  I am definitely feeling little thumps and squirming around in there :)  
Here is my belly shot from 22 weeks:

During our last anatomy scan they couldn't get a good picture of her spine because she was moving around so much, so we got to go again last Saturday (before our car adventure) for our 2nd anatomy scan.   We got to see her cute little face, yawning away and rubbing her eyes.   Josh was able to see a little better than I, and said he was able to see her heart chambers working away.  Josh does have a video from this appointment.   Our results just came back and everything looks okay so far :)   
Below are two of her ultrasounds from this visit:

In this one she is looking at you with her face on the left.  Her mouth was open and she was rubbing her eye.   

This one is in profile with the head again on the left.  


Week 23:
Aside from the business of the work week, the most exciting news is that we got to see her move slightly on the outside of my belly!  I was sitting watching TV and I saw a little thump from the outside of my belly.  We tried to videotape it but she apparently became shy all of sudden and stopped, but I'm sure there will be more opportunities to catch that on film later :).    

We have been not only blessed with her healthy pregnancy so far, but also by our loved ones around us.   So many of you have been so nice and want to lend/give us baby items.   I have been blown away by the generosity :)   A big thank you to all of you from the 3 of us :).  Even most of the items we have from previous pregnancies were gifts or hand me downs from family and friends :)

Here is my belly shot this week.  She is apparently the length of an ear of corn, about 8.5 inches, and weighs a little more than pound!  I've had little growing pains these past two weeks, but no spotting, so I believe (from what the dr. has told me and what I've read/heard) this is normal.  We are almost done with the 5th month and about 3 or 4 weeks away from the last trimester!!!!   We are so excited!!!!

Side shot (m), and front shot

 a pink sock monkey :)

and a Rubber duckie for Hanukkah :) 

We also picked up a couple of little things over the last couple of weeks for her:  

Thanks for checking in, Week 24 starts on Monday!  Officially in the 6th month :) 

:)

Week 21 :)

I am actually in week 22, but these past couple of weeks have been so busy I got behind!

Last week we had two appointments.  We had our anatomy scan on Monday the 26th, which was about a 45 minutes ultrasound session where they take like 90-100 ultrasound pictures of the baby-each organ, skeletal system, etc.   The tech was guessing a girl as well :)    We received about 13 of these ultrasounds.   I haven't had time to scan them all, but here is one of her looking directly at the screen.   She was moving a lot an kept putting her hands above her head.   She was actually moving so much that we have to go back on Saturday, the 8th to get another anatomy scan done of her spine, because they didn't get a good picture of it.  

On Wednesday we had our normal prenatal appointment where they listened to her heart and started us on the info packet for the labor and delivery!   It was so exciting just to have reached the point where it starts becoming something that is ready to planned :) We will also be taking some of the classes as well because I've never been through full term labor before.   We're doing the newborn class as well because although  I've babysat since I was 12, have 3 younger brothers I watched over the years, and worked in a daycare , Josh has never babysat or even changed a diaper before in his life.

So week 21 went by smoothly and she continues to grow.   I didn't have the right food to picture with :) but in week 21 she was as big as a spaghetti squash, about 8 inches and is supposed to weigh about a pound.   In her anatomy scan, they estimated her at about 401 grams or about 14 oz.   Here are some belly shots at 21 weeks :)  I am actually starting to feel "round" and pregnant :)    

Week 22 is almost half over so I'm sure we'll update again soon after Saturday's ultrasound ;)


Thanks for checking in!