Milestone! Week 23

For the past six weeks or so I have been hogging feeling the baby move all to myself. That all changed this morning when Jan finally got to feel her move! (Up to this point he just hasn't been able to feel all that rolling and flipping.) I really should have him writing this week's blog post to give you his POV. All I can tell you is Primo acted up right on cue, doing a few big rolls, twists & turns just for him, then calling it a day. She is on the move lately, still no big kicks or punches, but definitely doing somersaults (and using my bladder as a trampoline) at all hours, day & night. Her ears must be burning because she is in fact rolling around as I type!

Work continues around the house as we're making room for her and getting ready to move our home office down to the guest room so that what is now our office can become the baby's room. Jan has been very busy going through stuff in the garage, and I have been very busy procrastinating about going through much of anything else. I keep thinking I have all kinds of time before the baby comes - but it really does feel like time is flying by. The next 17 weeks (or less, or more - it's not really up to us) will go quickly and she will be here before we know it! We can't wait.

For week 23 - How your baby's growing:
With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound, you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking cat meowing or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb. This week marks the beginning of some serious weight gain. Your baby's weight in the next four weeks alone should double. You have probably heard your developing baby's heartbeat through a Doppler a number of times already (though you never get tired of hearing it), but by now you can also hear it through a standard stethoscope. What a heart throb!

Week 22 - Notes From an Old Mom

Being pregnant is really a fun time and so entertaining. I get a kick out of everyone's interest and occasional expertise in this subject.

The most common questions people ask when they realize I'm pregnant: How far along are you? How are you feeling? Are you going to find out if it's a boy or a girl? I realize people are just making small talk and the answers to these questions don't matter to them nearly as much as they matter to me! And I realize now that if you've never been pregnant before those are the first things that come to mind when you find out someone is pregnant. "How are you feeling?" is well-intentioned no doubt, but after answering it so frequently I feel like saying that I'm pregnant - not sick - and feeling pretty good thank you! The two don't necessarily go hand in hand.

There are other funny things people say to you when you're pregnant. Like the midwife who told me at my first prenatal appointment not to be too worried about how short I am, there's still a good chance I can have a natural delivery (huh?!). Or my friend who told me the reason I didn't have any morning sickness is because I'm an old mom (for the record, the books & websites all refer to it as "advanced maternal age" - and I'm not sure which of those labels I prefer!). Everyone has a theory about why you should or shouldn't find out the sex of the baby. People you barely know want to know what baby names you're considering - as if we'd give up our favorite name ideas to coworkers or casual acquaintances. When people ask what our due date is, and I say February 15, everyone - and I mean EVERYONE - says "Ooooh you might have a Valentine's baby!" Is that a thing? I mean would we be excited if it was on Valentine's Day? I guess these people would be, but personally I think it could really jinx our poor girl to saddle her with a Valentine's birthday.

As grandparents-to-be, aunts/uncles/cousins-to-be, whatever your relationship to Primo, Jan & I wonder what kind of conversations you are having about the baby? Have you gotten any strange/funny/unusual advice or anecdotes? Reply in the comments or if it's easier send us an email! We'd love to hear how you are anticipating her arrival and what you're hearing or saying about Baby Koorn!

And now your week 22 baby update:
At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but her irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until she adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside her belly, her pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily. Blood is traveling through the umbilical cord at four miles an hour, fueling her growth with oxygen and nutrients.

20 Weeks Down, 20 To Go!

Hi everyone, just a quick 20-week update before the weekend. By now you all know the bun in our oven is a girl (or if you didn't, you do now!). We've been having a lot of fun going through the alphabet coming up with potential girl names, thinking about nursery decor and wondering if we'll put her on skis or a snowboard & how soon. Jan of course can't wait to teach her to ride a bike.

Indian summer continues in the Rockes, with daytime highs close to 80 and lows in the 40s. Ideal weather for hiking & biking & playing outdoors! Jan has been doing some night mountain bike rides with the guys to get warmed up for 24 Hours of Moab (which is next weekend, October 9-10) and I've been hiking just about every day. We anticipate doing more of the same this weekend & hope you are also enjoying some good weather.

And now your baby update for Week 20:
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against her torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to her bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, she's measured from head to toe.) If you're having a girl, her uterus is now fully formed and her ovaries are holding about seven million primitive eggs.

Curious what it's like to be 20 weeks pregnant?
Now that you’re at the midpoint of your pregnancy (20 weeks down, 20 more to go!), that little cantaloupe in your belly is becoming more of a reality as you feel her movements and draw smiles from passersby who see your baby bump. You might also be noticing that your nails are stronger (though they could also turn dry and brittle) and your hair (all over your body) is thicker and fuller than usual — all thanks to pregnancy hormones and increased circulation, which furnish extra nutrients to hair and nail cells. The top of your uterus is about level with your belly button, and you've likely gained around 10 pounds. Expect to gain another pound or so each week from now on.

Have a great weekend & check back next week to see what's happening in week 21! XO