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Weekly Update

Baby #2 Weekly Update

Baby #2: 17 Weeks

December 4, 2014



baby’s size: onion (approximately 5.1 inches long!)

how I’m feeling: I am back to being tired all the time, but maybe that has more to do with keeping up with a toddler.

best moment this week: Thanksgiving! It was nice to have a few days off to see family and spend some extra time with Cullen.

what I’m looking forward to: Our anatomy scan is a little over two weeks away! And we are trying to get ready for Christmas. Not much decorating going on at our house, but Christmas shopping has begun and Holiday parties are starting!

Baby #2 Weekly Update

Baby #2: 16 Weeks

November 28, 2014



baby’s size: avocado

how I’m feeling: Pretty good. I feel like a normal person and aside from my baby bump, I hardly feel pregnant.

best moment this week: It has been a pretty crazy week. We are under contract on a new house and are trying to sell our house. We spent last weekend getting our house ready to put on the market. While those two days were more than exhausting for this pregnant lady, it feels good to be one step closer to moving closer work and church.

what I’m looking forward to: Our anatomy scan is less than three weeks away! I can’t wait to see this little one!

Baby #2 Weekly Update

Baby #2: 15 Weeks

November 19, 2014



baby’s size: navel orange

how I’m feeling: My nausea has decided to come back. I thought since I had made it into the second trimester and the queasiness I had in the first trimester had disappeared that I was in the clear. It turns out my body has other plans. I still haven’t actually gotten sick, but nothing sounds good when it’s time to eat and I get full really fast. I hope this is gone (or at least eases up for a day) come Thanksgiving.

best moment this week: I had another appointment with the doctor this week. I love hearing that little heartbeat and it was perfect at about 156!

what I’m looking forward to: Thanksgiving, decorating for Christmas, and our anatomy scan is scheduled for a week before Christmas. We have a lot to look forward to through the rest of the year!

Baby #2 Weekly Update

Baby #2: 14 Weeks

November 12, 2014



baby’s size: lemon

how I’m feeling: Cullen had a cold over the weekend and shared with me. Being pregnant with a cold is not much fun. They last longer and there is not much I can take for it. Hopefully it won’t last too much longer, but for now, I’ll keep a box of Kleenex in arms reach.

best moment this week: Pregnancy-wise, it was a pretty boring week. But since Cullen was sick on Friday, I got to stay home from work and snuggle with him all day. I hate that he was sick, but snuggles like that are getting more rare, so I take advantage when I can!

what I’m looking forward to: My next appointment is on Monday. I can’t wait to hear that little heartbeat again!

Baby #2 Weekly Update

Baby #2: 13 Weeks

November 6, 2014

baby’s size: peach

how I’m feeling: Large! I know I’m not really, but I feel pretty big for only being 13 weeks. I’m already wearing only maternity bottoms; I haven’t been able to button my regular pants for over a month. Despite my protruding tummy, I have lost a little weight so far. I did the same with Cullen in the first trimester; I think it has to do with cutting out coffee/soda/tea, drinking a ton of water, and getting full a lot faster. Other than than the acne that I don’t remember having the first time around, I feel great! The little bit of queasiness that I had is gone and I’m starting to get some of my energy back.

best moment this week: Finally telling the world!

what I’m looking forward to: The second trimester and more energy!

Weekly Update

39 Weeks

January 14, 2013

My baby bump at 39 weeks from the side:



And from the front:


























Total Weight Gain: I am up a total of 18.5 lbs. (I gained about 1 lb this past week.)

Movement:  Lots!  If I’m not up and moving around, Cullen seems to be having a dance party in there.  He seems to have dropped some in the past couple of days, so hopefully things are moving in the right direction.

Boy or Girl? Boy!!!

Food Cravings: No cravings.

How I’m Feeling: For being 39 weeks pregnant, I feel great!  I could not have asked for a better pregnancy.  Usually, you hear about women who are miserable at this point in their pregnancy and can’t wait for it to be over.  I have been incredibly blessed that I have had such a wonderful experience and wouldn’t mind being pregnant a little longer (I have a feeling I am going to miss it actually.)  But I am super ready to be able to hold Cullen in my arms!

Size of Baby: Watermelon (19 – 22 in, 7 lbs) 

Baby’s Development:  Baby’s weight and height have probably increased only a little from last week.  But his brain is still developing rapidly (a pace that continues during the first three years of life), with changes we’ll be able to recognize firsthand as baby’s skill-packed bag of tricks expands almost daily.  Baby’s skin has now finally changed from pink to white.  That’s because a thicker fat layer has been deposited over the blood vessels.

Best Part of this Week: Finally feeling like we are ready to welcome a baby into our home!  With help from my parents (I don’t know how everything would have gotten done without them) and Corey being the Super Husband that he is, the nursery is finally done and the house is finally clean.  It feels so good to just be waiting now!

What I’m Looking Forward To: Meeting our little one!  I finally feel like things are moving in that direction, and hopefully we will get some good news when we go to the doctor this week.  They are going to do a growth ultrasound (if I have not had him by then…it doesn’t seem like he is in too much of a hurry).  I am excited that we will have the opportunity to see him one more time before he makes his entrance into the outside world, but am a little nervous that they are going to tell me he is huge and attempting a traditional delivery would be too risky.  But I know that God has a plan, and as long as Cullen gets here safely that is all that matters.  And Corey should get to go with me this week, so I will have some much needed support as we are faced with some decisions about Cullen’s birth.

Weekly Update

38 Weeks

January 9, 2013

My baby bump at 38 weeks from the side:



And from the front:


























Total Weight Gain: I am up a total of 17.5 lbs. (I gained about 2 lbs this past week.)

Movement:  Cullen is still a little wiggle worm.  Lots of squirming going on in there!

Boy or Girl? Boy!!!

Food Cravings: No cravings.

How I’m Feeling: I am ready for this little guy to get here already!  I feel huge some days…and for good reason.  At my appointment this morning, Dr. H said I am measuring at 40 weeks.  If I haven’t had Cullen by my appointment next week, they are going to do a growth ultrasound to see how big he might actually be.  If he is too big, we will start discussing the risks of a c-section versus a traditional delivery.  Hoping this little guy comes before next Wednesday so that we don’t have to make that decision and so that hopefully he is not too big of a baby!

Size of Baby: Watermelon (19 – 22 in, 6.5 lbs) 

Baby’s Development:  With only a couple of weeks left, our little one isn’t so little anymore.  As we prepare for baby’s ETA, he is also getting ready.  Vernix and lanugo continue to shed from baby’s body into the amniotic fluid.  Baby’s lungs are continuing to mature as more and more surfactant is secreted.  All systems, almost go!

Best Part of this Week: Getting everything ready for this little boy!  Everything has been washed, organized, and put away.  Going though everything made me even more excited about his arrival.  I still can’t believe we are so close!

What I’m Looking Forward To: Having this baby!  Corey and I are both super ready for him to get here already.  As much as I want Cullen to come out when he is good and ready, I hope he decides to make an early appearance!

Weekly Update

37 Weeks

December 31, 2012

My baby bump at 37 weeks from the side:



And from the front:


























Total Weight Gain: I am up a total of 15.5 lbs. (No change this past week.)

Movement:  Cullen is constantly moving!  Last night, I could make out the outline of his little foot as he pushed it out against my belly!

Boy or Girl? Boy!!!

Food Cravings: No cravings.

How I’m Feeling: I still feel pretty great!  No problems sleeping, I can still move around pretty well, and no real contractions yet.  I have some Braxton Hicks contractions just about every day, but they usually go away when I sit down for a few minutes.

Size of Baby: Watermelon (19 – 22 in, 6.5 lbs) 

Baby’s Development:  At 37 weeks, my pregnancy is considered full term.  Yay!  At this point, baby can be expected to gain about half an ounce per day.  So what’s keeping little one busy these days?  Practice, practice, practice.  Baby is simulating breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking on his thumb, blinking, and pivoting from side to side.  All these are skills needed for life outside the womb.

Best Part of this Week: Christmas and working on the nursery!  I had a wonderful Christmas spent enjoying time with family.  Then, on Saturday, my mom came over to help me work on the nursery.  We made the crib skirt, worked on the curtains, and I finished the quilt.  So glad it is finally coming together!  (There’s nothing like waiting until the last minute.)

What I’m Looking Forward To: Meeting our little boy!  We don’t quite have everything ready for his arrival yet, so I am perfectly okay with him waiting another 3 weeks to get here, but I can’t believe we are so close.  I get more excited every day about getting to hold him so soon!

Weekly Update

36 Weeks

December 24, 2012

My baby bump at 36 weeks from the side:



And from the front:


























Total Weight Gain: I am up a total of 15.5 lbs.

Movement:  Cullen is still constantly moving any time I’m still.  (And sometimes when I’m moving around.)  I love feeling him move his little legs and feet.

Boy or Girl? Boy!!!

Food Cravings: No cravings.

How I’m Feeling: Pretty good other than the hip pain that I wake up with every morning and start feeling at the end of the work day.  And I think I have another cold coming on…not excited about that.  Overall though, I still feel great.  No problems sleeping and I can even deal with the hip pain.  Only four-ish more weeks of being slightly uncomfortable.

Size of Baby: Large Cantaloupe (19 – 22 in, 6 lbs) 

Baby’s Development:  Baby’s skull isn’t the only soft structure in his little body.  Most of baby’s bones and cartilage are quite soft as well (they will harden over the first few years of life) – allowing for an easier delivery.  Baby is now about 6 pounds in weight and probably measures about 20 inches in length.  Growth will experience a slowdown now, both so baby will be able to fit the narrow passageway to the outside and also so he can store up all the energy needed for delivery.

By now, many of baby’s systems are pretty mature, at least in baby terms – and just about ready for life on the outside.  Blood circulation, for instance, has been perfected and baby’s immune system has matured enough to protect him from infections outside the womb.  Other systems, however, still need a few finishing touches.  Once such notable example: digestion – which actually won’t be fully mature until sometime after birth.  Why’s that:  Inside his little gestational cocoon, baby has relied on the umbilical cord for nutrition, meaning that the digestive system – though developed – hasn’t been operational.  So baby will take the first year or two to bring that system up to speed.

Best Part of this Week: My Christmas break started this week!  Excited about a break from work and time to focus on getting ready for this little one.

Also, I sorted everything that we have been given for Cullen and started organizing his nursery.  I loved looking at all the cute little baby things again!

What I’m Looking Forward To: Christmas!!! And then a week at home with my hubby!  Looking forward to spending some time with him and working on finishing up Cullen’s nursery.
Weekly Update

35 Weeks

December 19, 2012

My baby bump at 35 weeks from the side:



And from the front:


























Total Weight Gain: I am up a total of 13.5 lbs. (I lost about a pound this week.)

Movement:  Cullen is still moving quite a bit.  I know he has to be squished in there and is constantly trying to stretch out.

Boy or Girl? Boy!!!

Food Cravings: No cravings this week, I just want to eat a lot!

How I’m Feeling: A little overwhelmed.  We only have about 5 weeks left until Cullen’s due date, and there is still so much that we need to get done. I have to finish his quilt, make the crib skirt and curtains, and we need to finish organizing the nursery.  I’m hoping I have the energy to get it all done before he gets here.

Other than that I feel about the same as I did last week.  Like just about every other woman does in her third trimester.

Size of Baby: Large Cantaloupe (19 – 22 in, 5.5 lbs) 

Baby’s Development:  Most of baby’s growth over the next month or so will be in weight (with a gain of anywhere from one pound to several), not height.  Baby’s weight is now made up of about 15 percent body fat and will continue to increase to 30 percent at term.  Also continuing to grow at an amazing pace is your baby’s brain power.

Best Part of this Week: My good friend hosted a Very Hungry Caterpillar themed shower for us at church yesterday.  She did such a great job!  It was so cute! And Cullen got lots of cute things from friends and family.

What I’m Looking Forward To: Christmas!!!  I still have a lot to do to get ready, but I am very excited!  And then Corey and I both have the week after Christmas off, so we will have some time to spend together and finish getting everything ready for Cullen.