20 weeks!

We've made it to the halfway point!! Can I get a woot woot?? It has all gone by so fast! 20 more weeks seems like a long time, but I'm sure it will go by pretty fast with the holidays coming up in the next few months. I have no doubt that the last month will drag though. At least it will be winter, which doesn't mean a whole lot in Texas. But it should be nice & cool, just the way I like it!

This week, my OB set up my 20-week anatomy scan for next week. When I called the MFM (maternal fetal medicine) office that I was referred me to, I asked if they provide a dvd or allow video to be taken of the scan. They said 'no' to both. I immediately said that I would be calling them back shortly to cancel my appointment. I realize that not every ultrasound is going to be caught on "tape", but if it can be... why not?! Plus, it's *our* baby, and we are paying them good money for their services. There is no reason they should not allow us to record our baby on video if we want. So I called my OB office to see if they would refer me to the same MFM doctor that performed my NT scan at 13 weeks. After waiting about an hour for an answer, they said 'yes'! So I was able to schedule the anatomy scan for next Wednesday with Dr. Earhart. She is wonderful! And I will proudly pay them my $20 to purchase a dvd of our little one's scan so we can have it to cherish forever. This momma bear stands her ground and gets what she wants! :-)

How I’m Changing

Total weight gain: 8 lbs (4 lbs since last week! booooo!)

Maternity clothes? of course

Stretch marks? nothing so far

Sleep: ugh :-( can't get comfy, even with a preggo pillow

Best moment this week: reaching the halfway point!

Miss Anything? blueberry mojitos from Cheesecake Factory

Movement: mostly when I'm walking out of work and driving home... can't say I blame her for doing a celebratory dance! ;-)

Food cravings: pei wei of course (4 times this week!), pickled okra, banana peppers

Anything making you queasy or sick: nope

Gender: girl :-)

Symptoms: swollen feet

Belly Button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: irritable

Looking forward to: the 20-week anatomy scan on Wednesday!!

Baby Kirby Week 20 Update:

your baby's the size of a banana! Baby weighs about 10.2 ounces and measures about 6.5 inches. She's still got a lot of growing to do though. Can you believe you're halfway done? Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you'd like your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

This is how big Baby Kirby is now!

19 weeks!

Praise God for another week! This week was full of lots of little baby movements! Mostly, I feel them when I'm driving home from work, outside (where it's hot), or just ate a yummy meal. But, sometimes, she's just active for an hour or two at a time for no reason whatsoever. I love being able to feel her. The movements can still only be felt from the inside. But I'm looking forward to the day when Shawn can feel them too. And so is he! Whenever I feel something, I have been getting out the doppler so I can hear her move. She thumps against the mic like she's kicking it away. Soccer player?? Nah, maybe drill team dancer! ;-)

I saw my new OB this week. I am so happy that I switched offices! The staff was very friendly, the office was very nice, and I feel very confident in everything I discussed with Dr. Winkelmann. I will follow up with her again in 3 weeks. It would have been 4 weeks, but she is getting married that week. The only complaint I have it that I waited 40 minutes in the lobby to be seen. But, I would rather wait a long time for good care than be seen quickly and treated like a nobody. Hmmm... sounds like my old OB office!!

How I’m Changing

Total weight gain: 4 lbs (no change)

Maternity clothes? yes (and I'm sure this will be the same answer for the next 21 weeks)

Stretch marks? nope! looks like vitamin e oil is working!

Sleep: pretty good

Best moment this week: making it to another week

Miss Anything? nah

Movement: lots of movement, especially when it's hot or I just ate something yummy :-)

Food cravings: Pei Wei... what else?

Anything making you queasy or sick: no

Gender: girl

Symptoms: swollen feet and heartburn

Belly Button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on, but hands are getting a little swollen

Happy or Moody most of the time: depends on the day

Looking forward to: Shawn being able to feel the baby moving

Baby Kirby Week 19 Update:

your baby's the size of a mango! At about 6.0 inches long and weighing in at about 8.5 ounces, she's getting there! Developing a protective coating over her skin, called vernix caseosa. It's greasy and white and you may see some of it at her birth. Working on her five senses. Nerve cells for her sense of taste, hearing, sight and smell are developing in her brain.

Our Chinese fortunes this week! :-)

18 weeks!

18 weeks! I am so blessed to be here! Thank you, God, for another week!! This week, I have felt lots of little flutters. It was hard to tell at first if it was really the baby I was feeling or just air bubbles. But, the more I feel them, the more I realize it's BGK (Baby Girl Kirby)! She seems to be quite active! It went from feeling like bubbles to feeling like someone is tickling me with a finger from the inside. Or like a butterfly is in there and the wings are fluttering against my inner stomach. Pretty cool!

How I’m Changing

Total weight gain: 4 lbs (no change since last week -- woohoo!)

Maternity clothes? oh yes, getting quite a little bump

Stretch marks? not yet -- fingers crossed!

Sleep: the moment I hit the pillow, I am out!

Best moment this week: feeling lots of flutters

Miss Anything? some days i miss xanax :-)

Movement: more noticeable flutters

Food cravings: pei wei lettuce wraps... what else??

Anything making you queasy or sick: nope

Gender: girl!!!

Symptoms: swollen feet, round ligament pain, heartburn, frequent potty breaks... same ole same ole

Belly Button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: probably a little more moody than happy

Looking forward to: feel full-fledged movement and kicks

We went to the mall today, and I stopped in Motherhood Maternity to get some clothes. They have a fake bump to try your clothes on with, to see if they will still fit in the bigger months. It was pretty surreal! But kind of cool!

Warning: not a real bump!

Baby Kirby Week 18 Update:

Your baby's the size of a sweet potato! She's about 5.6 inches long and about 6.7 ounces now and she keeps on growing rapidly. (That's why you're probably feeling so hungry.) Can you believe she's yawning, hiccuping, sucking and swallowing? And she's twisting, rolling, punching and kicking, too -- and she's big enough that you might be able to feel her doing it! She’s working her muscles and practicing all kinds of moves. Over the next few weeks, you should make sure to start sleeping on your side. That’s because baby (and your uterus) are getting big enough to press against large veins in the back of your abdomen, which can reduce the amount of blood going to your heart, making you feel lightheaded, or worse, lowering your blood pressure. Of course, your veins aren’t the only things that are prone to pressure -- you might be too! Not only are you super busy, but you might be having some not-so-fun symptoms, like swollen feet or hands, backaches, leg cramps and nosebleeds. And the stress and discomfort might be keeping you up at night around week 18. Be sure, in your hectic schedule, that you plan some time to unwind. (Great excuse for some pregnancy pampering! Can you say prenatal massage?!) It’s important to give your body and your mind a break for a little while. That just might help you get the sleep you need, too.

17 weeks!

17 weeks! Getting closer to halfway! Not too much has changed this week, other than a growing belly and a little heartburn. I did, however, part ways with my old OB and was accepted by a new OB (Dr. Winkelmann). My first appointment with her will be September 20th. This means I will be delivering now at Memorial Hermann instead of St. Luke's. But, recently, I heard some not-so-great things about St. Luke's. So, I think I'll be pretty happy with the decision I have made. I just hope this new OB shows more care and concern than the last one.

How I’m Changing

Total weight gain: 4 lbs (no change since last week)

Maternity clothes? yes

Stretch marks? nope! looks like the vitamin e oil is working so far!

Sleep: other than trying to find a comfortable position, it's pretty good!

Best moment this week: seeing my growing bump

Miss Anything? sleeping through the night without getting up to pee

Movement: flutters (i think)

Food cravings: pei wei lettuce wraps, crab legs, & cheese puffs

Anything making you queasy or sick: not really

Gender: girl! :-)

Symptoms: swollen feet, round ligament pain, heartburn, frequent potty breaks

Belly Button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or Moody most of the time: a little of both

Looking forward to: finally picking a name! *sigh*

Baby Kirby Week 17 Update:

My how your baby has grown! She's about the size of your palm, weighs about five ounces, and is developing some body fat (join the club, baby!). Her heart is now regulated by her brain (no more random beats) to beat 140 to 150 times per minute — about twice as fast as yours! What else is up? She’s practicing the survival skills she’ll need at birth — like sucking and swallowing.