Twenty One Weeks

I think I may have died and gone to heaven. I had a feeling this would be a relaxing trip, but I had no idea it would be as laid back and easy as this (and we still have two more weeks left!) I would HIGHLY recommend a pre-baby getaway to anyone considering taking that one last hurrah. Even in the land of off limits free flowing champagne and authentic margaritas I’m on cloud nine.

I felt like a champ, but it has been a week of firsts and testing new waters (literarily). We’ve experienced quite a climate change over the past couple days. It was in the mid 40’s and a bit chilly at home when we left. Now we are smack dab in the middle of the hot, hot direct sun, with temps in the high 80’s. During our fifteen mile (okay maybe two mile) hike on the beach in Acapulco I started to feel a little lightheaded and a little too warm. It wasn’t enough to cause major concern but it was a good lesson to pay attention to my activity level and surroundings in the coming weeks.

I’ve also discovered this week I can’t make it up five flights of stairs without feeling like my chest is going to explode.

Four flights, completely doable, five and the boat starts to spin and it’s hard to catch my breath. On a positive note, the way the boat is situated and our room location, to bypass the SLOW elevators and head to the happen levels, more often then not we are traveling up and down three flights, which is perfect in my book.
Lil' Buckaroo in Cancun

And in Acapulco

And from the Bump...

By week 21, your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces, and his length from head to rump is seven inches, about the length of a spoon. Ten and one-half ounces is also the size bear cubs are when they are born. Your baby has begun his main project for the rest of your pregnancy: putting on weight. He regularly drinks amniotic fluid for hydration and nutrition, urinates in the fluid and breathes in and out (fortunately, the fluid pool refreshes itself every three hours). His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. Taste buds are forming on her tongue. His eyelids are still sealed, but her eyes are active.

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Half Way There! Twenty Weeks

From the Bump.com

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!

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It's a....

BOY! A sweet little BOY!! A healthy little BOY according to the ultra sound test results! Oh my goodness we are soooo excited!

We were about fifteen minutes or so into the scan and we (Jack, mom and I) were still memorized watching the baby move and shift, trying to make out the little features and limbs. And then all of the sudden, he made a slight little turn and I started hollerin’. The tech didn’t even have a chance to ‘officially’ declare the sex before we all erupted. There was no absolutely no doubt to what we were seeing. I defiantly think that ranked up there with one of the best and most memorable moments of my life. We both had been holding on to the hope and wish that it was a boy. To see and discover the news in real-time was a wonderful dream come true.

A BOY! What a wonderful birthday present for daddy!

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Nineteen Weeks

Sometime over the weekend, someone made a sneak attack in the middle of the night and messed around with my pants.  What seemed like overnight I ‘grew’ out of two pairs. Last week they fit just fine, with room to spare, four days later...no way Jose.

Sooo this has been the week of discovering the world of maternity wear.

With our three week South American cruise sailing off next week my introduction was not limited to the comfy cozy fall maternity fashions, I’ve had to hit the full gamut -shorts, tanks, sweaters, formal wear, and even bathing suits. Who knew you could spend a full hour and a half in a small North Bend outlet store?!

Things I learned this week about maternity clothes...

- Maternity clothes are funny.
- Maternity clothes make you look pregnant.
- Maternity pants don’t have real working buttons or zippers. Would you believe they’re all fake and only for show? They’re full blown pull ups.
- They are surprisingly very comfortable.  Now I understand why people sport them as long as they do.
- If you try on a pair of pants and they’re too big, check the waist, there might be a secret squirrel elastic band and button set up that you can cinch up (accentuating the pull-up-ness of the pants).
- You will never catch me alive wearing a maternity top with a tie back (or front, or side) style. No how, no way, not for this kid.  True story, the 80’s called while I was browsing and asked for their ties and bows back.

All and all while on my adventure I believe I truly embraced the whole idea, was pleasantly surprised at what I found and  feeling good about my new wardrobe for our big trip.

Other random ramblings from this week...

My chest wasn’t so ouchy during the night, hooray!  And I’m finding it easier and easier each night to sleep on my side this week.

One cup of drip coffee makes me feel like I’ve just ingested five pounds of crack. The sudden burst of energy is kind of fun and worth looking forward to. (I’ve average maybe one cup a week – I look at it as my special treat.)

More baby how-to books arrived this week, so I think we’re in good shape and set for a good dose of baby reading/education on our trip.

Mom comes tomorrow, she’s been in AZ for the month so I think (because I can’t remember what I looked like) this will be her first baby bump sighting.

I was plagued with a headache that a few Tylenol wouldn’t kill most of Thursday. Headaches pre-pregnancy were extremely rare, so I’m not so conditioned to the effects.

And this week from the Bump.com  

Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.

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Eighteen Weeks

To be honest, I’m a bit shocked. Time these past few weeks have seemed to be fly by, I can’t believe we will learning sex of our little on in twelve more days, crazy!

It was a good week, with the exception of a few hiccups that sidelined me a few times.

I had a minor emotional meltdown at work on Wednesday and had to leave early. For no particular reason I started crying and couldn’t stop. It was somewhat inconvenient, lasting most of the day and into the evening. Jack thought it was cute, I kinda thought it was lame. Darn you hormones!

My boobs (namely my nipples) having been killing me during the night. They are so sensitive to any sort of touch. I’m finding it harder and harder to find a comfortable position to stay put in, so I’ve resorted to sporting a bra and snug tank top each night...yucky yuck I say.

Other random tidbits from this week....

I just phoned the doctor, they still haven’t received their dose of the swine flu vaccine. Maybe next week.

I’ve been sporting rubber bands this week on a few pairs of slacks at work. Maybe it’s time to invest in a Bella Band. *Update* as soon as I typed the last sentence I thought no time like the present, and just purchased belly band on Etsy. On sale AND free shipping, I couldn’t turn that down.

My dear go-to co-worker, Megan had her baby earlier this morning! I’m so excited for her and can’t wait to hear all the details.

And From the Bump

Baby's now the size of a sweet potato!
Baby's become amazingly mobile (compared to you, at least), passing the hours yawning, hiccupping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking, and swallowing. And baby is finally big enough that you'll soon be able to feel her movements.

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I Felt That!

And how did you know what I was up to?!

While sitting at the computer this evening, trying to decide between prenatal yoga or prenatal water aerobic classes the little rascal was unmistakably in full action. And from the feel of things the vote was for water aerobics.

For the last three or four days I've been noticing funny little flutters that I'm sure have been movement from the the lil' one. But they've been so fleeting that I wasn't entirely and completely convinced I could official claim that 'yes' I've felt the baby, until this evening. For sure, while I sit here typing, sippin' away at my Nestle Women's Health hot cocoa I'm definitely feeling those little flutters I thought I was imagining a few days ago.

Some have said their first feeling was a bubbling sensation, like gas bubbles. Others have mentioned a ’popping’ feeling. I haven't felt any of those....I'm feeling like I just swallowed a goldfish. Sort of like the feeling you get when carrying around one of those goldfish you won at the fair. Or better yet when you're on the way home and you're carrying it in your lap, and the little thing bounces and flutters against the bag.

I've been a little down today (okay, a whole lot down...sorta had a melt down at work and had to leave early), maybe the lil' bean knew I was having a hard day and thought it would give me a love punch to let me know everything was going to be okay. If that's the case I'll take it! :)

We have our big twenty week ultra sound and doctor visit two weeks from today. I'm so excited to find out what we are having I can hardly stand it!

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33rd Birthday and Seventeen Weeks

It was such a fun week around the Meyenberg house this week. Saturday Jack and I hooked up with Laura and Jesus for dinner, and a visit with Dad. On Wednesday, my birthday, Jack spoiled me rotten (and I loved every minute of it). Dinner at the Melting Pot, fun birthday goodies, the sweetest Face Book post ever...

"Take a moment to throw some confetti in the air and drink early morning champagne at your desk. Today is the most beautiful woman in the world's birthday!!!! I am so excited! Happy Birthday Brooke!!!! (It is indeed a magnificent day worthy of multiple exclamation points!!!!!!!)"

Thursday our friend Chris came over to help Jack move a huge armoire/entertainment cabinet out of the room that is soon to be the nursery. And yesterday was a kick back Halloween evening at home. A fun busy all week long.


Seventeen weeks and counting
Things I've been pondering this week on the pregnancy front ...

Cloth Diapering
I'm strongly considering running this route. (This coming from a kid who has never changed a diaper on her own.) The material advances they've made, the brands, and the options out there are mind numbing. There is so much to learn and weigh, but I'm willing to give it shot. More to come on this one I'm sure.

Enlisting the help of a midwife or jumping ship to a mid wife completely
I have absolutely no complaints about our current doctor (and his staff)at all. The location is perfect for both Jack and I. The doctor is about as easy going as can be. The staff has been extremely helpful with any request and more. But I'm wondering if I would get more out of the personal touch a mid wife can give. Valley Medical (the hospital we will deliver) offers a mid wife team. I think I may give them a call after our twenty week ultrasound and follow up appointment.


Going El Natural
Call me crazy, but why not give it a shot? One more reason to strongly weigh the mid-wife option. I want our hospital birth to be as 'natural' as possible considering the environment. I'm not so sure being handcuffed to the bed via a tube in my back for hours sounds too appealing. (Although 'glamorous' side of going natural doesn't excite me too much either). We'll see, still so much to learn and talk about.

And...
If all goes well this delivery....a home birth our next go-around.

These are just random thoughts that have been on my mind this week. Who know, next week might be an entirely different story.

The first of their kind - Outstanding (hee hee) self portraits of my belly progress as of today....

And from The Bump this week...

Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.

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