27 Week Baby Bump

28 Weeks

Dear Baby,

We made it! 28 weeks is such a big milestone, baby, and your Daddy and I are so happy and feel so blessed that you're still inside your Momma's belly. We're hoping and praying that you'll stay in there for many, many more weeks to come.

At the same time, we also can't wait to finally hold you and meet you, baby! Since you're at such a high risk for coming early, though, instead of saying that we wish we could hold you, now we say that we wish it was November and you were with us.

Your Momma went to the doctor's and saw you again in 3D - you are just so cute! You had your hand up by your face and your nose looked kinda funny because you had it smashed up against your Momma's belly!

The doctor said you weighed 2 pounds and 5 ounces - you sure are getting big, baby!

Love you,
Mommy

Time.

28 weeks. It seemed so far away when I was dilated and had the emergency surgery at 21 weeks, just 2 months ago. I thought it'd be a miracle if we made it to 24 weeks, much less 28 weeks. This morning I woke up - happy and ecstatic that my cervix had been doing well - and that we'd made it to this huge milestone. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders, a sack of worry that had been slung across me that I bore without ever noticing how heavy it actually was until it had been lifted.

I went for my regular checkup at the doctor's office today. And, again, was surprised at how much things can change in just a week. You'd think I'd have gotten used to being surprised by my cervix by now. I guess I don't learn very quickly that things could be going along just fine and all of a sudden there's a change - one tiny little thing is different, and your whole perspective on life shifts. One second I'm worried about if the doctor will let me begin exercising, and the next I'm left wondering if I'll go into labor tomorrow.

Today we saw that the only thing keeping our son from arriving now are the stitches. That's it. Just a couple tiny strings stand in the way of a preterm birth and months of visiting our son in the NICU unit. Nobody knows what will happen. The doctor tells me I am a unique patient - that pregnant women usually have signs of labor if they have an incompetent cervix like mine. Luckily, I've had no signs of labor thus far, and pray that this will continue to be the case for many more weeks. And I pray that the stitches will hold.

The doctor is giving me medicine that may or may not help my cervix to lengthen again, which would put less pressure on the stitches and hopefully buy us more time. The studies done on the medicine have inconclusive results, but it's our only option, and we have nothing to lose.

Time is a funny thing. It flies, so fast that you might be left dizzy or confused. But when you really want it to fly, when you want nothing more in the world than be 36 weeks along with all this worry and stress and confusion behind you, time stops and slows to a crawl. Everyday I'm thankful that our son is still with me, but I always find myself wanting more - more time with him in my belly, more time for him to develop, more time feeling his punches and kicks and rolls. I feel as if we're already running on borrowed time, and find myself reflecting on the completely different path our lives would've taken if our son was born at 21 weeks or if the surgery had failed. I savor each day of this borrowed time we've been given to let our son mature and develop - would it be so wrong to ask for just a little more?

For now, I have faith and I pray that the medicine buys us just a little more of this precious time.

26 Week Baby Bump

27 Weeks

Dear Baby,

You're getting so big! This week your Momma noticed that you were getting so big you were making her belly button really shallow - it won't be long before you're so big you push it out!

You are also developing a regular sleep cycle, baby. So far you seem to be very much a morning person - you like to wake up at about 2AM and don't go to sleep until 2PM. One morning while your Momma was still sleeping, your Daddy put his hand on your Momma's belly and felt you kicking and squirming around like crazy. Your Daddy thought it was the neatest thing ever.

This week you weigh about 2 pounds - roughly the weight of a head of cauliflower.

Love you,
Mommy

25 Week Baby Bump

24 Week Baby Bump

Thoughts on Pregnancy

Since I'm officially over halfway now, I thought it would be fun to share some of my thoughts on pregnancy thus far.

• I really like not having to suck in my gut. In fact, I admit to sometimes pushing it out just to make a point that no, I'm not fat (although I've certainly gained in that department), I'm pregnant. Duh.
• Getting up 123,845,908 times a night to pee has it's advantages: it makes the night feel longer and thus I can trick myself into believing that I'm actually getting more sleep than I think I am. Plus I can rest assured that the toilet, infact, is in perfectly good working order.
• Babies are really flexible in the womb. Apparently being folded in half like an Auntie Anne's pretzel for several weeks doesn't faze them at all.
• In the first trimester I hated sweet things. Fact: I once wouldn't eat baked beans because they were too "sweet". Now, however, anything with a killer dose of sugar or high-fructose corn syrup is fair game.
• I am officially too tired to cook anymore. Many women eat healthier when they're pregnant - apparently I'm just the opposite.
• Never piss off a pregnant lady. You'd have a better outcome pissing off a pimply and hormonal teenager with anger issues.
• It's true: common sense flies out the window when a baby is coming to town.
• Never ask a pregnant woman if she wants doughnuts while she's driving a vehicle. The following scenario might ensue - Tom: "Hey, do you want to get some doughnuts?" Me (slamming on the brakes and looking around wildly for the doughnut store): "DOUGHNUTS!!!"
• This is the only time in my life I've ever been chided for actually losing weight and having to actually convince a nurse that yes, I really am eating food. 
• When you're pregnant people find it acceptable to make all sorts of comments about your body. "Awww, you're waddling!" is apparently a compliment to a pregnant woman. However if I said it right back to that person I bet it wouldn't be taken as a compliment. (and I was tempted)
• Tom likes me when I'm pregnant because I'm more like him: I eat alot, I like the house cold, and I sleep all the time.
• I now know what a drug addict probably feels like.
• I'm thankful for awesome neighbors who told me that Busch NA existed. I've wondered more than once if it would be weird/illegal to bring my own beverage out to dinner with me.
• It should be a law that every store has a "Expectant Mothers" parking spot alongside the handicapped ones. Because really, we're sort of handicapped, too.
• We are buried in ultrasound photos. Our baby is going to have a full photo album before he's even born.
• I now have absolute master control over the thermostat at home, and am prepared at work incase disaster strikes with both a fan and a space heater at my desk.
• "Pregnancy Brain" really exists. And even if it doesn't, this is the only time it's acceptable to blame my stupid mistakes on my hormones. Which I've done countless times already.
• When shopping, sometimes Tom has to put his hands on either side of my face like horse blinders so we can actually leave the store without getting sidetracked.
• We should really invest in some Breyers Ice Cream shares, because I'm pretty sure I've kept their profits in the green for the past 6 months.
• Never before have I specifically been ordered to "be a couch potato" by a Doctor.

And that's it for now. Do you have any of your own thoughts on pregnancy to add?

25 Weeks

Dear Baby,

Apparently you're a gymnast! We saw you again in 3D, baby, and you were all folded up like a little pretzel in there. You were folded in half and your feet and legs were up by your head. We were all laughing as we watched you wriggle your little foot at us and wave at us with your hand at the same time - all while we were just trying to take a look at your sweet face. Your Momma and Daddy don't quite know where you get your flexible abilities from - it's sure not from us!

Your Momma also got some steroid shots this week, which was no fun (and I'm sure you'll agree with me in time when you have to get your own shots). The shots will help your little lungs develop faster in case you decide to come really early. Of course while we want to see you, we don't quite want to see you until you're good and ready to come out - preferably not for another few months (plus we'd have nowhere to put you yet, as your nursery isn't anywhere near done). Nobody knows when you're going to make an appearance, though, not even the doctors, so everyone's playing it safe by giving your Momma the shots - at least for the next 7-10 days, anyways.

Your Mom has also really been nesting like crazy lately, and while it's probably mostly due to the shots, part of it is also because nobody knows when you're going to come, baby! The thought of you arriving soon and having no place to call your own has your Momma all up in a tizzy. She's been on a cleaning spree lately - organizing and cleaning out closets to make room for your arrival. Even though the doctor said to take it easy, your Momma just couldn't help herself (and was driving your Daddy crazy), but thankfully things are settling down again. At least now you've got plenty of closet space throughout the house all ready for you!

This week you're the size of a rutabaga, and you're starting to fill out and put on some baby fat:

Love,
Mommy

24 Weeks

Dear Baby,

You move all the time now! Well, not constantly, but you certainly move a little more each day. So far only Daddy has been able to feel you moving, although I'm sure it won't be long before other people feel you move, too.

We're getting really excited about meeting you, baby, and your Grandmas and Grandpas can't wait, either. They're already spoiling you with lots of clothes and gifts and books - and you're not even here yet!

This week you weighed 1.5 pounds, and you're about the length of an ear of corn:

Love,
Mommy