Week 30

Oh My Goodness!  Week 30 is wrapping up!! Although this pregnancy could realistically last another 12-13 weeks (42 total).  It is far more likely that we will get to meet our little boy in just about 2 months.  Time is really flying now!

Extended Family
The Grandparents Renegar and Nana stopped in for a visit early this week.  I am so thankful for the stores of food that they prepared and left for us as well as the help catching up with the house-keeping chores. I think we have another big fan of Nana's chocolate cake on the way!
 
Dad
Another busy week for Dad at the ballpark - although with the rain we were able to spend more time with him than we had expected- what a blessing!  He is picking up the changing table for the baby's room as I write and I'm so excited to see further strides made in the nursery this week (photos to come when the re-design is completed!)

Mom
Mom is still tired this week thanks to the ramped up pregnancy hormones Relaxin and Progesterone.  And although I didn't think it could be any more difficult, I'm having an even harder time sleeping as my belly gets bigger (or "HUGE" as Kirk likes to say!)  

I'm proud to say that I've managed to keep up the walking, stretching, and yoga over the last few weeks and although I'm miles from my pre-pregnancy workout routine, it is nice to be up and moving around with what little energy I do have.  The uterus is now a full 4 inches above my belly button which means that baby has the ability to kick me from the inside of my ribs as he pushes my lungs and stomach out of the way.  This is leading to some nausea and shortness of breath (who knew tying your shoes could make you breath heavily!?)

Baby
Continuing the trend of 1/2 pound a week, Baby should be close to 3lbs about now (about the weight of a large cabbage).  We will have a more accurate measurement next week after our ultrasound (and new photos too!)  With that added weight, his skin is beginning to plump up more and he is becoming less wrinkled.  Brain development continues this week and some researchers believe that babies can even learn within the womb. Call me crazy, but I'm hoping to make future language classes easier for the little guy by slipping in a few conversations in Spanish.  (We'll work on the sign language once he's born).  Regardless, we know for sure that they react to outside stimuli and I've had quite a bit of fun talking to and playing with the baby. 

Week 29

200 Days
I've officially hit (and now moved passed) the 200 day mark.  To me that means a few things.  First, it means that I've carrying this little miracle for more than 1/2 a year.  We sometimes think about our lives in days, sometimes weeks or months, sometimes years.  But consider that each child you bring into the world is with you, part of you, for nearly one entire year. The other thing it means is that I have less than 80 days to go! We are really getting down to the knitty gritty here.

Dad
Dad has been very busy this week with the first official week of the baseball season.  He had 7 games in 6 days and we didn't get see him a lot (except through the fence!).  Still, in the few hours we did get with him this week, Dad managed to sing and talk to the baby and even got him a little worked up on one occasion.  I will say that the baby's behavior at the ball games has been very good this week.  There was the exception of a few rib kicks and one stirring response to 'Eye of the Tiger' played between games.  They say that when a baby is exposed to noises during pregnancy they tend to become adjusted and are less likely to be disturbed by them after they are born.  As we plan on taking in too many ball games to count over the coming years, I'm hoping that the little guy will get used to the loud speaker, cheers, and the sound of the ball striking the bat.   Oh yes-  and a big congrats to Dad for his first regular season wins this week! Go Hawks!

Mom
Mom has been feeling good this week.  It has not been as easy adjusting to the spring baseball schedule as it was last year.  For some reason I just don't seem to have the energy to stay up late and wait for the post-game analysis or pick up the extra house-keeping duties that are being neglected with both of us out of the house at work and games.  It doesn't help that sleeping was once again difficult this week - the spring time change last weekend and the fact that the baby is able to kick my ribs and press my bladder at the same time is quite the combination.  I've also been trying to put in some extra time at work to prepare for maternity leave - I know it will be here sooner that I realize.  I did take a few minutes to pamper myself this week by giving myself a pedicure (while I can still reach my feet!).  My toes are now a happy red color that I'm hoping will stick around for the next 2 1/2 months.  Just because I won't be able to see my feet doesn't mean that other people should have to look at my un-manicured toes sticking out of my flip flops this spring!

Baby
Baby Boy now weighs over 2 1/2 pounds and is more than 15 inches long - nearly the length he will be at birth.  We can expect him to gain about1/2 pound a week putting him at 6-8 pounds at birth.  His lungs and muscles continue to develop to prepare him for the outside world and most of the weight he is adding now will come in the form of muscle and fat (yeah for chubby little cheeks!). Another milestone this week - hiccups! Although I've suspected it before, I am nearly 100% certain that the baby had a case of hiccups this week.  The feeling is often described as a consistent, rhythmic motion.  So unless the baby has learned how to tap out a beat on the Congo drums, hiccups it must be!

Weeks 27 & 28

Yes, I'm getting to be a lazy blogger! Chalk that up to the return of pregnancy fatigue.  Welcome to the 3rd trimester!!

Relatives
My wonderful sister came for a visit this past weekend and we were able to get out and about and have some 'adult' time.  A trip to some of Knoxville's tourist attractions and some small home improvement projects that didn't happen in the baby's room! Ok, it wasn't all sans-baby.  We did run across a used book sale and picked up a small library of pregnancy and baby books for just $1.50 each (per person, not per book)! It was a great time overall and I'm looking forward to the next visit in May!  Aunt Ki-Ki (yes, I did!) also had the privilege of being kicked (or possibly punched) by her nephew.

Grandpa Hylton is visiting with us now and helping to get the baby's room ready to go.  He's volunteered to do some of the less fun activities like painting and installing a closet organizer to house all of those tiny clothes and shoes that will soon be overflowing.  Not completely self-less, we will also be taking in a baseball game (weather permitting) and spending some father-daughter time together.

Dad
Dad has been very busy with baseball season this week, but we've been trying to keep him entertained during his free moments.  A triple play on day care centers took place on Friday (thank goodness that's over!) and baby has been performing acrobatics visible from the outside for his viewing pleasure.

Mom
As mentioned above, the third trimester has brought back some less than pleasant things.  I bounce between enormous energy (Yes, I would like to clean the bathroom at 4am sometimes) and fatigue. My old friend nausea came back for a visit thanks to decreasing room for my stomach. And we won't even get into the weight situation.  Let's just say that the pregnancy books say 'Most women have gained at least 10 lbs, but you may have gained up to xx pounds at this point'  (Yes, I've gained the 'up to' amount!)  But I know that it is all for the baby.  I did pass my glucose screening (for gestational diabetes) so that is one less thing to worry about - now to what curtains to put up in the room......

Baby
Baby is growing like a weed. At more than 2lbs and 14 inches from head to toe by the end of week 28 (about the size of a Chinese cabbage), space in the Mommy-motel is really getting limited.  This is reflected in movement changes from somersaults and kickboxing to squirming around for more room and protest punches whenever I lean over. The eyes that opened in the last few weeks are now blinking just like a real person's - just another training session to be prepared for life on the outside.  The brain continues to develop this week and is beginning to form ridges just like an adults. I read somewhere (and no, I'm not making it up!) that adults form new ridges on their brains whenever they learn something or create a memory.  So it makes sense that with all the learning and exploring baby is doing he would be forming some ridges of his own.

          28 weeks

Week 26

Down to double digits - 99 days (or less) to go!  Even though I've been 'pregnant' since September 1st, I don't technically begin the 3rd trimester until around March 5th - that's what February will do to you.  But so close!

Mom
Mom has been feeling pretty good this week.  The baby bump has gotten to the point that it is actually getting the way and people I know (and some I don't) have no doubt about what is stretching out my shirt! I've had a little bit of back pain and some slight swelling when I'm on my feet all day but otherwise I seem to be sailing through the end of the 2nd trimester.

Dad
Dad has been such a sport over the last week dealing with Mom's woes - a backrub or footrub here and there has not gone unnoticed and someday I'm sure I'll return the favor. He has also been a champ dealing with the pregnancy related mood swings which have unfortunately continued this week (I'm trying!). 

Grandparents 
The Grandparents Renegar came for a visit this weekend and helped to expose the baby to his first baseball experience.  We were also fortunate to get a mattress for the crib (a place to sleep!) and we have a car seat on the way as well (thank you Nana!!).  Although to Mom it seems like the baby's room will never be ready, thanks to all the generous people around us it really is coming together.

Baby
Baby boy continues to grow bigger and stronger (about the size of an eggplant) - and apparently longer as Mom can now feel kicks in the ribs and elbows in the bladder at the same time.  The heart continues to develop and grow stronger - to the point that it can be heard via stethoscope.  Also wrapping up development are the eyes and ears. Sometime this week baby likely opened his eyes this week and got a great view of... well - nothing exciting really, just Mom's insides!  He can hear and react to noises - as evidenced by strong kicks during both the baseball games this weekend and the church's winter worship concert (were those kicks of approval or protest?!)  The baby is also responding to touch at this time - I know this for a fact as he squirmed away from me repeatedly as I rubbed and poked at my belly the other night - just trying to get those reaction pathways going early.