26 & 27 week pics.

Again, I run behind on all the prego taking pics. I am taking them, I have just not had time to actually upload them. The closer and closer it gets until David comes home, the more things I try to do to stay busy to make the time go by faster. It looks like this week, I may be stuck in the house though. It is literally raining sideways outside, and puddles are everywhere. I have a strong dislike for rain, and the smell of rain, and the general wetness of rain. I try to avoid rain.

I measured my belly at 38 inches. My uterus is 27 inches high up, which normally is kinda in the middle of the belly button and top, but since I don't have that roundness yet, it actually sits her right under my boobs. That is also the only spot I feel her at. I don't feel her all to often, but when I do, she is kicking me in the boob. I weighed in at 174.5 this morning. My goal was to stay under 180 until after David returned, and if I stay on track, the light is at the end of the tunnel!

On a sad note, Bethany Babs our fish died the other day. She got the "ick". Hyde was really really depressed about it. I knew the exact time frame she died in from his reaction, and sure enough, when I went in there, she had passed. He spent the rest of the evening in a corner, and wouldn't even come to bed. Then in the morning, he still jumped up there to say good morning, and kind of looked at me like "Mom, where is my friend?" I will be getting him another fish. I am waiting on the rain to slow down before I go into that part of town.

Since I am stuck inside today. My goal is to put all the unpacked stuff we have left on craigslist. We need the room in our garage to store baby stuff that we won't use until after we move to New Hampshire. The navy is scheduling the move for late August, which means Baby Moore will be 2 months old. She won't be using her play yard yet, or some of her other toys. LOL. My other goals include finishing up my baby registry, so I can look up reviews, and then give David options to choose from, buying a new bed spread [Hyde tore ours up, and David hates it], buy and set up curtains [So David can have a more homey feel to return to], get David's car oil changed, and a nice detail job done to it, and find some sort of welcome home gift for David.

26 weeks [03/23/10]

Belly coming out

Jeans still fit!

I like this one. You can see roundness, not just fatness! Haha

And now this week. Entering the 3rd trimester as of 03/29/10!!! I was a day late in pics though, so these were all done this morning. I really feel like my belly got huge this week. It also itched, and felt like it was stretching all week too. Plus to me, it looks and feels heavier.

27 weeks. The begginning of the 3rd, and final trimester!!

The belly is coming out from the front now too

Now in the 3rd trimester, and my pants still fit! I tried on some of my summer shorts, and they still fit too. But I would never brave wearing them nowadays. LOL

My belly pops out lots. I hope ppl start realizing I am pregnant now, and not just chunky

At this point, it's impossible to ignore-- so thanks to that 2 pound baby in your womb, you're really looking magnificently preggers these days! Good news: at this point, your baby's lungs are actually capable of breathing, which means if they were to be born prematurely, they'd have a very high chance of surviving. As for you, you're starting to move into that final leg of the journey with plenty of not-so-fun symptoms.

Week 27:I'm a survivor, I'm gonna make it!

Fetal development in pregnancy week 27: fetus in seventh monthYour not-so-tiny-anymore brilliant baby(about 2 pounds and 14.5 inches long!) is slowly rotating in preparation to “head out.” Obviously, this doesn’t happen overnight, but when you start to feel an unfamiliar pressure on your cervix, you’ll know you’ve got a fully flipped baby locked and loaded for the countdown to their birthday! Even now, at the beginning of the third trimester, their little lungs are already capable of breathing air while the pulmonary vascular system can provide sufficient gas exchange and the central nervous system can generally regulate rhythmic breathing as well as their basal body temperature. For what it’s worth, at this point in a healthy pregnancy a premature child (with intensive care) could easily win on the show: “Survivor: The Early Years.”

And how's mom doing? You’ve worked hard, done your research, endured a plethora of joyless symptoms and would like nothing more than to have wonder-baby on the outside. Well, dig in for the final endurance round and say hello again to the familiar but not-so-lovable faces of fatigue and nausea. You guessed it, the dratted the third trimester is really a time to kick your baby-on-the-outside preparations into high gear: baby-proof the home or apartment, buy a car-seat, get a stroller, dress up the nursery and plan a space for diapering, keep mulling over possible names, and try to enjoy this time…hormone factory is once again running at full-tilt (and causing rapid hair growth), sigh…. Your (“yaaaawn”) fatigue stems from several factors, including the proverbial weight gain, shortness of breath and of course, sleep deprivation. (See week 29 for tips on how to alleviate fatigue!).

Yes, ladies, you’ve finally reached the infamous “live-on-the-toilet” stage. Your feet are bigger, your breasts are bigger, your belly is bigger, even your baby is bigger—and something’s gotta give. Annoyingly, nature didn’t choose your butt and instead opted to compress your bladder, which is now being completely squashed by your-super-sized-baby... all day long. So your best shot is to just accept the fact you’re going to need to urinate every 10 minutes (and if you manage to go longer, thank the good lord).

Of course breast tenderness is also very common at this phase as milk production is kicking in. Other thrilling third-trimester symptoms include more swelling (known as edema) and feeling like you live in a sweat factory as a result of increased basal body temperature. Thank your baby: this temperature increase stems from their body heat coupling with your own, which of course all adds up to one hot mama!

Just in case you don’t have enough things to stress out about: we’d like to remind you the third trimester is really a time to kick your baby-on-the-outside preparations into high gear: baby-proof the home or apartment, buy a car-seat, get a stroller, dress up the nursery and plan a space for diapering, keep mulling over possible names, and try to enjoy this time… when you’re not nauseous, constipated, running to the toilet, or just plain wiped out. (And don’t forget to get your sleep, be active, and eat well! Phewee! we're tired just thinking about what you're going through!)

Your Pregnant Body This Week

Week 27 of Pregnancy: Swelling and Edema

Nearly three-quarters of pregnant women start to experience mild swelling of the extremities about now, particularly of the feet and ankles (but also your hands, as you may have noticed when you last tried to take off your rings).

Continuing on those sports analogies (remember, it was a soccer ball two weeks ago), your uterus has swelled to the size of a basketball at 27 weeks pregnant. But unfortunately, that's not the only thing that's swelling. Beginning somewhere around this stage of pregnancy, nearly three-quarters of pregnant women start to experience mild swelling of the extremities, particularly of the feet and ankles (but also your hands, as you may have noticed when you last tried to take off your rings). Called edema, such swelling occurs when fluids accumulate in your body tissues as a result of increased blood flow and pressure of your growing uterus on the pelvic veins and your vena cava (the large vein on the right side of your body that returns blood from your lower limbs to the heart).

Mild swelling sure isn't swell (especially when you try to squeeze into your shoes at the end of the day, when puffiness is at its peak), but it is completely normal. If your swelling seems to be more than mild, talk to your practitioner. Excessive swelling can be one sign of preeclampsia, but when it is, it's accompanied by a variety of other symptoms (such as elevated blood pressure and protein in the urine). If your blood pressure and urine are normal (they're checked at each prenatal visit), there's nothing to be concerned about.

To spell swell relief, avoid sitting or standing for a long time, try to get some pregnancy-appropriate exercise, such as walking or swimming (if your practitioner okays it), and when you rest, do so with your feet elevated (if anyone deserves to put her feet up, it's you). Be sure, too, to drink enough each day to stay hydrated. Restricting fluid intake willnot decrease swelling, but making sure to get your eight glasses daily may. And also try to look on the bright side: First of all, pretty soon your belly will be so big, you won't even be able to see how swollen your feet are. Second, edema is a temporary condition — you'll deflate completely soon after you give birth.

Week 27 of Pregnancy

Your baby moves on to a whole new growth chart this week, while your swollen feet and ankles may need a growth chart of their own!

Puffy? That's to be expected — about 75 percent of soon-to-be moms experience edema (mild swelling of the hands, feet, and ankles) around this point in pregnancy. That's because fluids build up in your body tissues thanks (or no thanks) to increased blood flow and uterine pressure on the vena cava (the large vein that cycles blood from your lower limbs to your heart). So while you may have a hard time squeezing into shoes or getting your rings on (or off), keep in mind that the puff factor is completely normal and temporary. As for baby, it's time to trade in the old crown-to-rump measurement for a new head-to-toe standard (that's 15 inches this week — more than a foot long!). His weight is creeping up the charts as well, coming in at just over two pounds. More big news: Your baby may recognize your voice by now, so feel free to serenade your belly.

Week 27 Pregnancy Tip: Your New Navel

Has your innie been outed? Is it poking straight through your clothes these days, like a timer on a well-cooked turkey? Don't worry: There's nothing novel about navels that pop during pregnancy — just about every belly button does at some point. Still, two questions may now come to mind as you glance down at your bulging belly: One — what can you do now that your navel has taken on a larger-than-life life of its own? And two — will your button ever be…cute as a button again? On the first, there's not much you can do (though this is a great opportunity to clean out all that lint). As your baby grows bigger and bigger, so will your belly button. If you find that the outie look doesn't quite work with the fashion statement you're trying to make, consider taping your protruding navel down with a Band-Aid. As far as what will happen postbaby? Your navel will revert inward after you give birth — though it might be a bit wider and looser than before. My advice: Wear your reconfigured belly button proudly.

OMG I built something

So since we have moved to Groton, CT, we have had 3 boxes left unpacked in the computer room. it was all my books, and notes, from college, plus yearbooks, and just other papers and such. I didn't have enough room in my original bookcase for it, so I didn't bother unpacking any of the boxes until I could purchase another. After searching around, I finally found one I liked at Target for $89. Unfortunately, it had to be built.... by me. I have never pieced together furniture, so it was quite an adventure. It took me 3 hours, and it isn't perfect, but I am so unbelievable proud of it.

I then spent another 90 minutes unpacking and organizing the boxes into the shelf. I am so very pleased with the result. I feel like the computer room finally feels complete. Now if I could just work on the baby room to get the same feeling. LOL

3 hours later

Hyde testing it out for me

Yes I even put together the drawer!

The side

After it is all put together

FOOD!

Ok here are some pics of this awesome dinner recipe I got from Rachel Ray. It is a tad pricey to get bc the meat involved is Pork Rib Chops, but the result was AMAZING!!! I steamed asparagus and made biscuits as a side.

It is Black forest ham and Gyuerre cheese stuffed inside Pork Rib Chops! Yummm [With some basil leaves in there too for extra flava!

On the side, you can include a mushroom sauce to put on top. It called for white button, but I prefer bellas. :) So I changed it. Super nom nommy

Maternity Clothing Pics

So even though my cloths all still fit, I have bought a few maternity outfits. :) They make me look way bigger though. Oh well, they are still cute

24 weeks & 25 weeks Pics

The closer until David gets home, the more busy I have become. Here are some quick pics though of my belly at 24 & 25 weeks.

Monday I will be 26 weeks. It is going by so fast! I weighed in this morning at 173. So at 25 weeks and 4 days I have gained 12 pounds. And yes my jeans and cargos still fit. LOL.

From head to foot, your little one is now about 13.5 inches long, and they're about a pound and a half in weight. They've also started to finally put on the baby fat, which will be the one main ongoing change in appearance in the upcoming weeks. You may be getting tired of all the oddities your body is putting you through including additional thick hair (everywhere!)

ek 25:Turn it around... and around

Fetal development in pregnancy week 25: fetus in sixth monthYour little grower’s physical proportions are evening out at this point and most of their remaining development will largely be weight gain and lots and lots of nervous system development. The good news is: if your child is born premature now they’ll be more likely to survive without too much trauma as their lungs began to produce “surfactant” last week, which means their tiny respiratory system is getting stronger with each passing day. Yes, now’s a good time for a minor sigh of relief and a quick pat on the back. All that hard work and conscientious living is really getting your child prepared for a healthy delivery. Keep up the fabulous work mama! This week they’ll be scootching slowly out of the old breech position and start rotating (already!) into a better position for exit during their birth. Their head and feet are slowly rotating so that the head is pointed down towards the birth canal. Time is short (or really long, depending on who you ask)—just (still!) 14 weeks left before you can go back to being a single-resident human.

And how's mom doing?Trimester two is finally almost over, which means you have that one final trimester of pregnancy to enjoy (and suffer through). You could celebrate this landmark passage by purchasing some piece of clothing designed to make your curvy body look as gorgeous and classy as possible... and don’t let the Try to practice good posture—it will alleviate some of the back fatigue as slouching is actually harder on your backprice tag stop you, this is an act of self-love not book-keeping. But before you max out your credit card, remember: you’re only going to get larger, so buy smart. Speaking of larger, you’re obviously carrying more weight now and your back is going to let you know. Don’t let this get you down or make you feel like a weakling—it all comes with the territory of being preggers. Try to practice good posture—it will alleviate some of the back fatigue as slouching is actually harder on your back. It’s also common for women to experience leg cramps during this period. Go ahead, strong arm someone who loves you into giving you a massage. Or if you're lucky enough to have the extra bucks, head to a spa that specializes in pregnancy massages and get the full-treatment.

You may have already noticed that your hair seems fuller, thicker, more plentiful and darker-- especially your body hair. There are two basic reasons for this: 1) you're shedding much less (head) hair than you usually do and 2) your body's hormones contribute to the way your body hair is growing right now. Not to worry, all the hairiness will return to normal after you've delivered your baby.

23 weeks

Ok so... I suck. I never did do a 22 week belly pictures. On Monday, my week turning day, I had a bug that had me vomiting and very sick. It started Sunday night, and lasted until Tuesday morning. Tuesday, I then went to the doctor, and discovered that while being sick, I dropped 3 pounds. By week 21, my weight gain was 10 pounds, but now according to their charts, it's 7. It took me a bit during the last week to re eat again, but I am now eating properly, and unfortunately put that weight I lost right back on. This morning I weighed in at 172.4 pounds. So at 23 weeks, I have gained 11 pounds. My book says by now should be between 12-15. So I guess this is a good thing. I have gained a lot in my chest, and for some reason my shoulders have broadened. I look more even bodied than pregnant bodied. I basically just look like I got big again. My cloths still fit. My shirts rise up a bit in the tummy, and got tighter in the chest, but my pants fit the exact same.

I am still not "feeling baby" I have some sort of anterior uterus or placenta or something. Basically I am shaped funny on the inside and that is why it is taking longer to feel her. Every now and then I think I am feeling something, but it's so small, and for so short, that I can't really be sure. The doctor told me Tuesday that sometime during this week I should feel her. I am excited for it. I want to feel her when it is still nice little movement, and not lets bruise mommy movement. I'm scared it will just skip right over that.

For dinner tonight, I had steak, and a baked potato with broccoli. An easy meal for one. I am feeling very sleepy now though, so enjoy the pics.

Your baby has now developed the ability to swallow and their little pink taste buds are developed, although they won't really need them till they're born. What's more, you may have noticed that they're really starting to react to sounds from the outside world. Have you started to experience edema (pregnancy swelling due to increased fluid retention) especially in your lower extremities?

Week 23:Dancing baby alert!

Fetal development in pregnancy week 23:fetus in sixth month At this point you’ve pretty much adjusted to the fact you’ve got a moving little gymnast inside of you, but now they’re going to kick up the party a notch because they can hear and react to sounds from the outside world. Sounds from your alarm clock, a thunder roll, or that darned car honking at you across the intersection can actually jar their little ears enough to elicit a kick or violent bout of squirming. Of course this also means that their little ears are picking up the sounds of your voice and those near you. So go ahead, sing a lullaby to your little angel—if they start kicking, it’s likely they just want you to stop… or maybe it was a kick of approval? You decide. Your baby's tiny taste buds are still growing and their bones are continuing to ossify (harden), their tiny veins are visible through their translucent yet wrinkly skin. (Think of it this way: they’ve been swimming in the equivalent of a long hot bath for the past 23 weeks, so you can’t blame them for being a little prune-like.)

And how's mom doing? If no one warned you about the joys of the pregnancy-sleep-challenge, you’ve probably already started to discover just how difficult it can be to find adequately comfortable sleeping positions. The good news is: some people actually invented pillows specifically designed to give a pregnant woman if you want to further reduce the dreaded appearance of pregnancy “cankles” (calf-ankles) try to avoid sitting for long periods of time—and for the hundredth time: don’t forget to stay active!a better chance of sleeping through the night. There are a variety of different designs, but inevitably you’ll want some sort of belly support as well as a body pillow between your legs and under your belly to relieve a bit of the discomfort you're sure to be experiencing right now. If you choose to buy the (rather spendy) pregnancy pillows they've got on the market, make sure you keep the receipt as some women still have problems sleeping and fare better with their own unique pillow collection and set-up

As if there's not enough to keep track of already, are you remembering to drink lots of fluids? Plenty of good ol’ fashioned H20 (water) can help reduce swelling in your poor ankles and feet-- resulting from the pressure your now over-sized uterus is putting on your pelvic veins, thereby slowing fluid circulation to the lower half of your body. Also, if you want to further reduce the dreaded appearance of pregnancy “cankles” (calf-ankles) try to avoid sitting for long periods of time—and for the hundredth time: don’t forget to stay active! Keeping your fluid intake up is also good for your little resident swimmer as dehydration is frequently connected with premature birthing. Yep, it’s a lot of responsibility, but you can do it! You’re almost two-thirds of the way there already! Keep up the good work mom!

Your Pregnant Body This Week

Week 23 of Pregnancy: The Linea Nigra

That dark line that runs between your belly button and your pubic area - the linea nigra - is caused by the same pregnancy hormones that cause all the skin discolorations you might be noticing during pregnancy.

Yes, the baby you're expecting is cozily ensconced in your abdomen — yet, by now you've probably noticed that pregnancy affects you head to toe, and pretty much everywhere in between. At23 weeks pregnant, your head is fuzzy (this is your brain…this is your brain on progesterone), and your toes (well, your feet, at least) are growing. Stretch marksare blooming in vibrant shades of pink and purple on pretty much every available surface of skin and…wait! What's that funky dark line running down the center of your belly?

Believe it or not, it's called the "dark line" — or as your practitioner likes to call it,linea nigra. A common emblem of pregnancy (more noticeable in darker skinned women), the linea nigra, which runs between your belly button and your pubic area, is caused by the same pregnancy hormones that cause all the skin discolorationsyou might be noticing. Like the darker shade of your areolas. And the deeper tone of the freckles on your arms and legs.

Some women (again, more often darker-skinned ones) notice discoloration on the face too, especially in the area around the nose, forehead, cheeks, and eyes. It's called the mask of pregnancy (or chloasma) because it appears as a mask-like configuration on the face. Rest assured, you won't be playing masquerade for much longer. All these skin discolorations will fade within a few months after delivery. In the meantime, bring on the concealer (though not the bleaching creams, which won't work anyway).