This baby deep inside of me, ever so small, is a child of God. A child that God gave to me to take care of whether for a day or for years. That care began at conception. Whether he or she lives or dies each day I am with him or her is a gift and has a purpose with eternal consequences. My baby is now a part of my life, my testimony. -Brenda Rodgers, "New Rules for Announcing a Pregnancy"
How far along: 26 weeks! Only 14 more to go! Wow!
"this week, her eyes, which until now were developing under fused eyelids, start to open. Of course, there's not much to see in there, but if your baby spots a bright light (or hears a loud noise) near your belly, you may notice an increase in fetal activity. ... What accounts for that response? Her brain is more developed and sophisticated." -What to Expect When You're Expecting, 4th Edition
"this week, her eyes, which until now were developing under fused eyelids, start to open. Of course, there's not much to see in there, but if your baby spots a bright light (or hears a loud noise) near your belly, you may notice an increase in fetal activity. ... What accounts for that response? Her brain is more developed and sophisticated." -What to Expect When You're Expecting, 4th Edition
Baby size: "now weighs a full two pounds and measures nine-plus inches." -What to Expect When You're Expecting, 4th Edition
Gender: We'll find out when he/she arrives in March!
Belly: I love this little baby belly! Some days I get up in the mornings to what appears to be a belly that has grown overnight! It's amazing. It still cracks me up to look down to see the interesting formations my belly takes as he/she moves. He/she usually likes to stick to one side which gives the belly a rather wop-sided appearance. On occasion, he/she will lay perfectly sideways and my belly looks just like I swallowed a dumb-bell! haha!
Sleep: Sleep is ... well, it is what it is. I'm so thankful for the ability to rest or nap during the day when needed!
Clothes: This baby and belly are growing fast! Maternity clothes are ideal, but I have continued to try to make a couple of my non-maternity sweaters fit. I will probably wear out the few that still fit before long. I love cozy sweaters in the winter! (Too bad the vast majority of maternity clothes are thin or knit material, which doesn't do much in the winter). I'm considering doing a little online Black Friday shopping for some warmer pieces and/or coat. I have a giant coat that I've only worn once because it's so big. Well, not any longer! The zipper and velcro tabs barely close now! Oh my
Clothes: This baby and belly are growing fast! Maternity clothes are ideal, but I have continued to try to make a couple of my non-maternity sweaters fit. I will probably wear out the few that still fit before long. I love cozy sweaters in the winter! (Too bad the vast majority of maternity clothes are thin or knit material, which doesn't do much in the winter). I'm considering doing a little online Black Friday shopping for some warmer pieces and/or coat. I have a giant coat that I've only worn once because it's so big. Well, not any longer! The zipper and velcro tabs barely close now! Oh my
Movement: I'm still trying to incorporate the Bradley Method exercises or walking at the gym into my daily routine. I've got a lot more improvement to do in the discipline area of exercise, but little by little it's going to happen. I know how valuable the benefits are now and will be later for the baby and I.
Baby Movement- This baby is quite an active one! He/she wiggles and kicks constantly. It's amazing how such a little being can kick so hard sometimes! I rather wonder what he/she is doing in there. I can tell that he/she is definitely getting higher in my belly. On occasion, he/she will snuggle up close to my ribs. It's still incredible to feel. Of course, that is unless I'm trying to eat because then it becomes a battle for space between food and baby. haha! Somehow all those kicks are still hit or miss for David to feel. He's so funny in that he'll lay his hand to my belly and say, "high five!" He cracks me up!
Baby Movement- This baby is quite an active one! He/she wiggles and kicks constantly. It's amazing how such a little being can kick so hard sometimes! I rather wonder what he/she is doing in there. I can tell that he/she is definitely getting higher in my belly. On occasion, he/she will snuggle up close to my ribs. It's still incredible to feel. Of course, that is unless I'm trying to eat because then it becomes a battle for space between food and baby. haha! Somehow all those kicks are still hit or miss for David to feel. He's so funny in that he'll lay his hand to my belly and say, "high five!" He cracks me up!
Food aversions: I don't think there are any anymore. Anything and everything sounds and tastes fantastic.
Food cravings: Any kind of citrus fruit! Mmmm! Fortunately, it's a good source of vitamin C for the winter time!
What I'm excited about: I love looking down this growing baby belly and feeling him/her there! It still astonishes me that we will have a little child in only a few months. I am still just so excited to watch him/her grow and discover the person he/she will be. The weeks are going by so fast, and we're beginning to really tackle all the projects we've had in mind. We've finally begun reorganizing our second bedroom. It's pretty exciting to see the room cleared and ready for a new purpose! David is painting a dresser set we have and he'll make one of the surfaces a changing area. I have a handful of patterns that I'd love to sew for the baby. The list goes on, but it will be fun to accomplish.
Comparison posts/pictures:
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Thanks for the update. You look great! It is amazing to watch this journey and pretty soon we'll get to see photos of your little one! How exciting! I also have to clear our second room for our baby, but am going to wait until after Christmas to begin that job. Sometime between now and then I have to figure out where to put everything! Are you having that issue with emptying the room for baby?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! It won't be long before we'll be able to see photos of your little one in belly bump form as well! It is such an exciting journey! I've enjoyed us getting to be a part of each other's journey! :)
ReplyDeleteFinding alternate space for items did pose a challenge at first. However, we set our priorities for how we would use our current space and doing so really settled the matter quite simply. We (I) wanted the crib to be in our room initially. We also wanted all toys to be contained in a single bin in our living room. We'll keep two additional bins for toys and whatnot in the garage, and then rotate them periodically so that a) toys are scattered all over our home b) toys are kept from being excessive and c) children's imaginations and focus during play is strengthened when toys are minimal and "new" ones are introduced periodically. Instead of a changing table, we'll just use the surface of a dresser we already had. Without those items, there actually isn't much left to fill the second bedroom space! We had been using the space for our desk, bookshelf, and my craft supplies. We just moved everything to one side and the other side will be the child's space. Since it's pretty bare and likely will be for a while, I imagine that I'll just lay a blanket with some toys on the floor so that he/she can play a bit while I work on Reviving Homemaking blog or Etsy projects when need be. The intention is to establish bedrooms for resting and bring play and interaction into the main areas of the home where the entire family can be together. I still have some work to do to finish clearing the second bedroom. I've been trying to minimize the items that we keep to only those that support our space priorities. I've also selected baby items very strategically by taking a minimalist and sustainable approach. We may have a small townhome, but it is plenty spacious for our family! :)