Happy Birthday Nonnie & Lori!

Hope you have a great day!

23 Weeks

How far along? 23 weeks - hard to believe I am considered six months pregnant, yikes
Size: Large mango (not sure where they come up with these fruits/veggies since last week was a spaghetti squash which I think is bigger? I've never seen a foot-long mango...)
Maternity clothes? Mix between regular clothes and maternity
Symptoms: Exhaustion, back pain, tailbone pain, and nausea - it's been a hard week, but yoga seems to help so that's good. 
Sleep: Not great - I am up several times a night and the back pain makes it hard to go back to sleep.
Best moment this week: Our puppy was born on Easter! He will be available to pick up on Memorial Day weekend, so we are planning a long weekend on the east coast. Kenya and I are quickly becoming outnumbered!

Carly is the mom and she has the sweetest face!

Worst moment of the week: Not feeling great - being in constant pain is frustrating, BUT - it's worth it so I really can't complain much. As soon as he starts moving around it puts a smile on my face.
Miss anything? Not being awake at 2AM!
Movement: Yes, lots of flipping around in there and Robert has no problem feeling it. In my Tuesday yoga class I had a hard time relaxing and letting my mind ease because he kept kicking and flipping in there! On Wednesday afternoon he was crazy - I got some videos of him moving, since we can see it from the outside. Feels like he is practicing karate (watch out Rowen!). He kicks around the 2-4 second mark in this video (it's easier to see if you enlarge the video and watch on the YouTube website).

Food cravings: Healthy food. Over the weekend we ate pretty unhealthy, leaving me feeling sick and wiped out for about two days. I notice that food effects my mood and energy a lot, so it was back to normal after Robert's birthday dinner on Monday. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: Besides the weekend fare? Nothing in particular, although I am getting fuller much faster which can make me feel claustrophobic. He is taking up more real estate these days and I can feel it!
Have you started to show yet: Yes - I took my first bare belly shot since it looks so different without a top on! It's funny to look at - you can see he is on the right side.

Labor signs: No, but I am getting random cramping pains here and there - I assume it's him growing since the next few weeks he is supposed to grow a ton.
Belly Button in or out? Still in, but strange looking
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: This week I was pretty uncomfortable and irritable
Looking forward to: Girls day this weekend! Can't wait for some shopping, nails, food and girl time. Much needed.

Baby A, size of a large mango

What's the baby up to?

• The baby is over 11 inches tall, weighs about a pound.
• The eyebrows are visible.
• The child can successfully suck.
• Bones located in the middle ear harden.

Your baby does a regular 'workout' inside your womb. He turns from side to side and head over heels. Thanks to a fully developed inner ear, which controls balance, he may have a sense of whether he is upside-down or right side up in the womb (weeee).
Skin pigment is now forming. He is now proportioned like a newborn except it is a thinner version of a newborn baby since its baby fat has not developed much yet.
The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. Baby has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars (that's good, break down those chocolate chips).

Easter 2013

Breakfast followed by a little hunt at Oma and Opa's house - love this tradition :)

Adorable

Wouldn't be complete without Puka wandering around

Happy 30th Birthday, Robert!

We had a fun birthday party for Robert on Saturday with family and friends - thank you everyone who made the trip up here, I know some of you traveled very far to be there! 

Happy 30th Birthday, Robert - I love you and hope you have a wonderful day!

22 Weeks

How far along? 22 weeks
Size: Spaghetti quash (11 inches, 1lb)
Maternity clothes? Nothing new - mix between regular and maternity
Symptoms: Back pain, exhaustion
Sleep: Not as good as it used to be. I am still going to bed late and waking up early (plus waking up throughout the night). 

Best moment this week: We signed up for childbirth classes and a Infant/Child CPR class! Also, while Robert was in Vegas last week I got crafty and made some items for the nursery - they turned out great and I am really happy with the end result. I like one of the items so much, I'm planning on making something similar, but larger, for our bedroom.
Worst moment of the week: My grandpa passed away on Tuesday afternoon - he lived a wonderful and very long life. It's always sad when someone passes away, but I am happy knowing he had a wonderful family and he lived close to my parents, who took great care of him. Honestly, he is probably happier up their with my Grandma anyway, she was his world and I think he missed her a lot over the past four years.
Miss anything? Sleeping on my back
Movement: He is busy in there - in fact, as I am typing this I can see him moving from the outside. The other day I had just finished a cup of hot chocolate and he was doing spins from the sugar. Robert is able to feel him more and more now, which is fun.
Food cravings: None
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not this week
Have you started to show yet: I'm getting approached at work by people asking about baby Andersen. I think the bump is loud and proud at this point.

Gender: Boy!
Labor signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Still in, but funny shaped depending on the day.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: It was a sad week, but overall I am happy
Looking forward to: Robert turning 30 next week - what a monumental year for him! I have a fun surprise for him and am very excited to give it to him at his birthday party. 

Birthday boy

Baby A, size of a spaghetti squash!

 What's the baby up to?

• The fetus reacts to loud sounds.
• The baby is about 11 inches long (crown to heel) and weighs in at about 1 pound.
• Baby starts having a regular sleeping and waking rhythm (he moves a lot around mid morning and right before bed).
• The mother's movements can wake her baby (yea, well his movements wake me up too!).
• Taste buds are forming on your baby's tongue.

Your baby is about 11 inches long and weighs in at about 1 pound. The eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed, and the fingernails cover the fingertips. Sounds from a conversation are loud enough to be heard by the fetus in the uterus. If you talk, read, or sing to your baby, it's reasonable to expect him or her to be able to hear you (aw, hello!).
By this week, your waistline is definitely gone (yep, buh bye). The top of your uterus is now about 1 inch (3cm) above your bellybutton. You're still able to bend over and to sit comfortably. Walking shouldn't be an effort. Your friends and relatives can tell you are pregnant. It would be hard to hide your condition.

21 Weeks

How far along? 21 weeks
Size: Length of a carrot (10.5 inches) 
Maternity clothes? Earlier this week I tried on all of my springy dresses and had to laugh because most don't fit me like I thought they would. They come up in the front too high for what I feel is appropriate at work. Looks like I have to grab a few new dresses when the weather gets hot. 
Symptoms: Back, round ligament, and tailbone pain 
Sleep: I am not sleeping as much as I used too. Falling asleep later waking up earlier. Weird dreams too.
Best moment this week: Found out he is a boy, finished up the registry, got the crib (thank you Oma & Opa!), and signed up for the hospital tour. It's been a great week! 

Wiggly right before ultrasound

I don't think I got any work done on Monday - my mind was racing over and over with excitement. Our last ultrasound was 8 weeks ago, so it was reassuring to see the baby dancing around in there. The doctor asked what I ate for breakfast because he was so wiggly (which led to horrible ultrasound photos!). The doctor measured his limbs, counted his finger/toes, looked at his brain, spine, kidneys, eyes, and heart chambers. It was pretty neat and I wish those appointments lasted longer. It feels nice to call him a he :)
Our registry is almost done, give or take a few things. Thank you to my sisters for all of their help - it's scary when you see how many baby products are out there (and you have no idea which ones you actually need). It is a huge help having two sisters that have gone through this not too long ago!
The crib is up and looks so pretty -  thanks to Robert and my dad for assembling! Lastly, we signed up for the hospital tour/orientation. From what I hear, the Stanford birthing center is really nice and brand new - can't wait to see it.

Baby looking at camera

Worst moment of the week: Nothing to complain about this week
Miss anything? Sleeping on my back and on my stomach. I get sore sleeping on my side and find that I have to readjust often.
Movement: All the time and I love it. He is getting stronger and there is no mistaking that he is in there.
Food cravings: Still eating my chocolate chips at night. Not sure if it's a craving or a routine at this point. I wonder how many bags I will have consumed by the end of my pregnancy?
Anything making you queasy or sick: My beloved steamed broccoli (cue the crying). So sad and I hope I'll get over quickly.
Have you started to show yet: Yep, I am up 8lbs so far and can definitely see that I am getting bigger all around :)  

Gender: Boy! 
Labor signs: No - did have some tingly sensations across my stomach yesterday, not sure what that was about.  I think the baby might be resting on some nerves. After drinking lots of water and walking around, it went away.
Belly Button in or out? Still in, but, weird looking. I have a scar right above my belly button from my appendectomy surgery, so the bigger I get the funnier it looks!
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! Feeling grateful he is healthy and right on track. I am enjoying all things pregnancy since I know it will go by quick (it already has). Before we know it life will be very different, so we are savoring our last months as a twosome.
Looking forward to: A couple of DIY projects for the nursery while Robert is in Vegas - surprise Robert! I am not crafty, so this may not go well. Now that we know he is a boy, I can't wait to at least window shop a little bit too. Baby Gap carries the Gap maternity line, so every time I go in I get distracted by the baby clothes (I'm sure that was an accident). I love that Baby Gap's style is basically adult clothes in baby size.
 

Baby A, length of a carrot!

What's the baby up to?

• Length is now measured crown to heel.
• The fetus has grown to 10.5 inches - 12.7 ounces.
• It is now gaining weight steadily, with fat being added to the body.
• Bone marrow has started making blood cells.
• Their small intestine is starting to absorb sugars.

Your baby's bone marrow has started making blood cells, a job done by the liver and spleen until this point. The placenta has provided nearly all of your baby's nourishment, now your baby will begin to absorb small amounts of sugar from swallowed amniotic fluid.
 
Based on the size of baby's head, which is about 2 inches (5cm), the date of birth can be determined to within one week. The fetus is steadily gaining fat and has grown a whitish coat of a slick, fatty substance to protect skin in amniotic fluid and to ease delivery.
The baby can hear and recognize the mother's voice, and may respond to some types of music (uh oh, Robert better clean up his music selection).