Twenty-three weeks

This week: Wolverine Baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango).

Development: This week, Wolverine's sense of movement is now well-developed, so she can feel when I dance.  (I think this means it's time for a full-on dance party!).  I also assume this means that she can feel when I'm CrossFitting, which would explain why she seems to park her happy self on my bladder when I attempt to run or jump rope.  Her cochlea is fully formed, which means she can hear everything I can hear now, except that it's muffled by my abdominal muscles, the placenta, and the amniotic fluid.  Perhaps it's time Ray and I started being more diligent about the things that come out of our mouths?

Are you craving anything? This morning, it's Coca-cola. I needed some caffeine to get me moving this morning.  And since I'm allowed 200 mg of caffeine a day according to my doctor, and I've not been drinking caffeine at all lately, I feel like this is an okay treat.  And let me tell you, it was delicious.

Is there any food that turns you off? Not today.

How do you feel? This morning, I'm very tired.  But other than that, I'm feeling pretty good.

How is your sleep? Excellent - I slept like a rock last night.

Most surprising thing you've noticed or experienced:  At Lowe's on Sunday, I had a woman ask me when I was due.  It was the first time a stranger had asked about my pregnancy without having been given confirmation of the pregnancy first.  I was excited because I thought it meant that I do actually look pregnant now (instead of just puffy), but at the gym yesterday, a guy I hadn't seen in several months said to the gym owner, "Mandy is pregnant, right??"  So maybe it's still not totally obvious? 

Something you're surprised you haven't noticed or experienced: I'm surprised at the effect Ray's hand on my stomach has on Wolverine.  She'll be kicking up a storm, and the second he puts his hand on my stomach, she freezes.  I have no idea why this is, and it's frustrating because I want him to feel how crazy she gets.  He always says, though, "Honey, it's okay.  She's doing her own thing.  She won't perform on demand." 

Favorite/most comfortable article of clothing: I don't think I have one of those these days.  I feel like I'm just rotating the same skirt, tank tops, and my maternity jeans about every other day or so. I know that's not totally accurate, but my wardrobe is really, really limited at this point.  I'm sick of everything that fits.

How is Ray doing? He has been great.  We registered this weekend, and he was very involved and very patient.  I'm going to write a follow-up blog about that when I get a chance tomorrow.

Twenty-two Weeks

This week: Wolverine Baby weighs almost a pound, and she's the length of a spaghetti squash - 11 inches long.

Development: This week, the baby is starting to look more like miniature version of a newborn.  Her skin is turning opaque, and her lips and eyelids are becoming more distinct.  Additionally, tooth buds are forming under her gums.  Although her eyes have formed, her irises are still without color.  In terms of internal development, her pancreas is developing steadily.

Are you craving anything? Corn on the cob.  I all but insisted that we had to have corn on the cob for supper Sunday night.  This was at eight o'clock after we'd spent the day installing new ceiling fans, organizing remaining items that hadn't been unpacked, and caulking quarter-round.  Poor Ray was exhausted and had no desire to go to Publix and get corn, much less come home and cook it.  We compromised with running to Sonny's and picking up supper, which included a delicious side of corn on the cob.  And when I went to Publix yesterday, I picked up several ears.  When Ray came in the kitchen to see what was for supper, he laughed and asked, "Craving corn on the cob again?"

Is there any food that turns you off?  Not that I can think of, and I've been able to cook supper and deal with the raw chicken and hamburger several times in recent weeks.

How do you feel?  Pretty good overall.  I've had a couple of relapse days with the nausea that have had me taking Zofran again, but otherwise, I've been good.

How is your sleep? Excellent.

Most surprising thing you've noticed or experienced:  Monday night, I was laying down and watching t.v. while Wolverine was having her nightly dance party.  I looked down at my stomach, and I could see it move each time she kicked.  It was completely strange and very cool at the same time.  I said to Ray while laughing, "I've got an ALIEN inside me!!!" 

Something you're surprised you haven't noticed or experienced: Nope.

Favorite/most comfortable article of clothing: Hmmm... Nothing in particular comes to mind, but I will say that my least favorite item of clothing is the the pair of Nike Tempo shorts I've been wearing every time we work on the house.  I'm starting to understand why women talk about wanting to burn a certain item of clothing they wore over and over again during their pregnancy.  This pair of shorts is the only pair I can still fit in (sort of).  I've got to find a pair of maternity shorts.

How is Ray doing? He's a rock star. 

Twenty-one Weeks

This week: Wolverine weighs three-quarters of a pound, and she measures 10.5 inches from head to heel.  That's the length of a carrot!

Development: In week twenty-one, her eyebrows and eyelids are developed now, and her vagina has started to develop.  Additionally, my app noted that I may notice the "initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges."  Um, Pregnancy App, you're a couple weeks behind on that.  She's been having dance parties in there for weeks now, and her moves are so outrageous, even Ray has been able to feel her. (I should note, though, that Wolverine Baby did kick the bejeezus out of me yesterday.  It was so hard that I can only assume that she's in there practicing her high-kicks.  I sincerely hope her toes are pointed...)

Are you craving anything? Bamboo House... still.

Is there any food that turns you off?  Not that I can think of.  I ate scrambled eggs yesterday with no problem!

How do you feel?  Tired.  I think, though, that my lack of energy has more to do with how much we've been working to get both houses in order.  We're almost there, though!

How is your sleep? Excellent.

Most surprising thing you've noticed or experienced:  That kick!

Something you're surprised you haven't noticed or experienced: Not that I can think of.

Favorite/most comfortable article of clothing: I got a maternity tank top from Gap, and it is not only super-soft, but it also stays down over my belly (unlike the regular tank tops I've been fighting for weeks).

How is Ray doing?  I think the reality that he's going to be a dad to a little girl is starting to hit home.  When I shared with him that this week, her vagina was developing, he said very sarcastically, "Great..."  I observed that, as a girl, she actually needed to develop one.  He vehemently disagreed, but he did concede upon further discussion that she didn't need to be developing a penis.  Flashbacks to when he was a teenager, perhaps??

Twenty Weeks - Half way!

This week: Wolverine Baby weighs 10.5 ounces, and she measures 6.5 inches from crown to rump.  However, at this point, she's stretching her legs out now, so she'll be measured from head to heels.  And that measurement is 10 inches or about the length of a banana.

Development: This week, my pregnancy app didn't have much in terms of what's developing with Wolverine, so I spent some time looking around on the internet to find out what was new.  According to one site, she can now hear and recognize my voice.  Additionally, if we had a stethoscope, we could hear her heartbeat.

Are you craving anything? Mexican food and Chinese food.  (Maybe it's the salt?)

Is there any food that turns you off?  Today, salads don't sound too appealing.

How do you feel?  Extremely happy to know that our baby girl is developing normally and that all signs from the ultrasound on Monday point to healthy!  Beyond that, I've been having a lot of pains in my abdomen, and Elizabeth suggested that it's either round ligament pain or the baby sitting on a nerve.  Based on the location of the pain last night, I'm betting she was on a nerve.

How is your sleep? Excellent.

Most surprising thing you've noticed or experienced:  Watching the ultrasound technician try to get Wolverine to move.  Apparently, she was hanging out on her head way down by my pubic bone and wasn't interested in moving so that the tech could get a better view of her heart.  This poor technician poked and prodded and did everything she could to get her to move, but Wolverine refused to cooperate until she was ready to move.  On one hand, I guess her stubbornness shouldn't be surprising given who her parents (and grandparents and great-grandparents) are.  But it did sort of make me laugh to see that she's already doing things her own way in her own time.

Something you're surprised you haven't noticed or experienced: I have not yet experienced this mythical lessening of my need to go to the restroom that's supposed to come in the second trimester.  However, the ultrasound technician noted that Wolverine spent a lot of time sitting on my bladder, so maybe that's why.

Favorite/most comfortable article of clothing: Yoga pants. 

How is Ray doing?  He's as happy as I am that our little girl is healthy, and he's stated that we need to "get serious" about picking out a name for her now. 

Sexy Announcement

Some members of the Majority Office were asking this morning if we'd determined Wolverine's sex yet, and I said that we were finding out at 1:15 today so I'd be sure to send out a press release.  Here's what I sent...

For Immediate Release:

Monday, May 7, 2012

Contact:

Mandy and Ray Handley

Sexy Announcement

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Maternal Fetal Medicine announced that Mandy and Ray Handley will be having a baby girl in September.  The fetus was extremely excited to show off her business for the ultrasound technician and her parents.  While the Handleys were glad to get confirmation of the sex, they now have serious concerns about her exhibitionist tendencies.

In addition to announcing the sex of the Handley baby, TMHMFM also shared that the baby’s heart, stomach, brain, and spine are developing properly, and she has two arms and two legs.

For more information about the Handley baby, please visit www.thehandleybaby.blogspot.com.

 

And, for proof of of her exhibitionism, see picture below...

Just to explain what you're looking at: this is a view of her bottom.  She's facing to the right, and her legs form the frame of "I'm a Girl!"

Nineteen Weeks

This week: Wolverine Baby is six inches long and weighs about 8.5 ounces, or about the size of a mango.

Development: This week, Wolverine's senses are starting to develop as the nerve cells in her brain for taste, hearing, sight, and smell grow.  Apparently, there is some research out there that suggests that she might be able to hear us now.  So, I guess we need to start watching our language?  (Or maybe just make sure we're using proper grammar at all times!)  Additionally, her arms and legs are all in correct proportion to each other and to the rest of her body, and her hair is starting to sprout.  Finally, according to the app on my phone, the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to "prevent [her] from picking in [my] amniotic fluid."  Pickling???

Are you craving anything? Does really, really, really wanting a money tree so that we could just pay someone to finish painting, tiling, and moving count as a craving?

Is there any food that turns you off? Still scrambled eggs.

How do you feel? Very tired, but that has more to do with all the hours we've put in at the new house than with the pregnancy.  On a related note, I also feel very grateful for our parents, who've helped us get things done before the move, for neighbor-friends Mike and Jennifer, who've helped us paint and lay the new flooring, and for Sean and Josh, who'll be helping Ray move the big stuff tomorrow.

How is your sleep? Excellent because I'm completely exhausted when I finally fall into bed.

Most surprising thing you've noticed or experienced:  This weekend, I noticed how very, very difficult it is for me to get up from sitting on the floor without using my hands to push myself up or to pull myself up.  I realized last night that I have a lot of difficulty going from lying on my back to sitting up without using my hands.  I feel very much like I've little to no abdominal strength, and my sense of balance (in terms of getting up off the floor without having to hold onto a wall) is off.

Something you're surprised you haven't noticed or experienced: We were originally scheduled for a big ultrasound yesterday that should have confirmed the sex of Wolverine.  However, the doctor had to have emergency surgery, so that's been rescheduled for this coming Monday.

Favorite/most comfortable article of clothing: Yoga pants.  But it's getting hot.  Maybe I need to get some yoga shorts.

How is Ray doing? He's also very tired and getting a little stressed about the move because he has to do a lot of the heavy lifting (literally) without any help from me.  I'm hoping that my grouting the tile in the kitchen and bathroom this evening will help perk him up a bit.