Baby Bump Update: 28 Weeks

I'm now 28 weeks along and supposedly Cullen is the size of a head of cauliflower this week. I'm going to assume that comparison relates to weight rather than length, as he is about 16 inches long and 2.5 pounds! I am really noticing his length as he has found his way into my sides and ribs. We're still enjoying every minute of feeling him move around.


After visiting my friend Robyn last weekend, she made me a little nervous that we hadn't ordered anything yet for the nursery. So Andrew and I ordered the Pack n' Play that Cullen will sleep in for his first few months at home, just in case he arrives early. Andrew's parents were nice enough to buy his stroller and car seat travel system, so that will be arriving shortly. And my parents have offered to get the crib and changing table, so that that will be my next step. We are sooooo lucky to have such generous families! If you are reading this, we cannot thank you enough for the help! Needless to say, during every bit of downtime I get at work, I spend it browsing Babies R' Us, Target, and Pottery Barn Kids to clean up and add things to the registry. It's more of a reminder of what I need to buy for him before he arrives.


My indigestion is still awful, so I finally called my doctor today who recommended I take Zantac. It's funny because both Robyn and Jennifer's doctors recommended Prevacid, but mine told me not to take that. Go figure! I'm sure they're all fine. I took some tonight and I can already tell a big difference! I'm hoping that it continues to work because the acid reflux was getting unbearable.

Week 28 Summary: Your baby is settling into the proper position for birth, with his head facing downward (toward your body's nearest exit!). Your little work in progress is now about 2.5 pounds and almost 16 inches long. He's busy adding new skills such as blinking to an already impressive repertoire of tricks like coughing, sucking, hiccuping, and taking practice breaths. Your baby's sleep now includes the REM (rapid eye movement) phase — and that means he could be dreaming already (what do you suppose he's dreaming about?). Though his lungs are nearly fully mature (so both of you might breathe a little easier if he were born now), your baby still has plenty of growing to do.  He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.


I'm wondering how you know if your baby has turned. Can you tell when this happens?

Cullen gets the hiccups

My poor baby got the hiccups last night. They lasted about 10 minutes. It was funny feeling my stomach go up and down in a rhythmic pattern for so long. I felt bad for Cullen - hopefully he doesn't hate hiccups half as much as I do.  Andrew tried to 'scare' them out of the baby boy - haha. That did not work. We are so ready for him to get here. Well, we're not physically ready at all since we haven't bought anything and don't have a nursery set up yet, but we're so excited to meet him!

Meeting Rebecca

Introducing Miss Rebecca Elizabeth Richmond...2 months later :) One of my best friends since childhood gave birth December 21st. Thanks to the holidays and snowstorms, it took us 2 months, but we were finally able to hang out and meet the precious baby girl. Here are some pictures from the visit this weekend. We had so much fun and hope to see them soon!

Baby Bump Update: 27 Weeks

I am 27 weeks today which means I am now in the third trimester! I can't believe I'm in the final stretch, but May 20th still seems so far away!  Cullen is the size of a cucumber this week - obviously a very long cucumber based on the measurements. He's about 15 inches long and 2.2 pounds this week.

I really can't complain about my pregnancy - it's been pretty easy so far. The only side effects I'm noticing are the continued indigestion and some shortness of breath. I think I'm experiencing the shortness of breath so early on in the pregnancy because my torso is so short. It's definitely not that bad though. I don't think I've noticed Cullen having any hiccups yet, but I'm looking forward to experiencing that. Drew likes to put his hand on my stomach when I'm sleeping - he says he can feel Cullen moving around and kicking a lot when I'm asleep. He calls these times their "father/son moments" - so cute :) I'm glad I'm a heavy sleeper or else it seems like my little man might be keeping me up all night.


Week 27 Summary: About 75 percent of soon-to-be moms experience edema (mild swelling of the hands, feet, and ankles) around this point in pregnancy. That's because fluids build up in your body tissues thanks (or no thanks) to increased blood flow and uterine pressure on the vena cava (the large vein that cycles blood from your lower limbs to your heart). So while you may have a hard time squeezing into shoes or getting your rings on (or off), keep in mind that the puff factor is completely normal and temporary. As for baby, it's time to trade in the old crown-to-rump measurement for a new head-to-toe standard (that's 15 inches this week — more than a foot long!). His weight is creeping up the charts as well, coming in at just over two pounds. More big news: Your baby may recognize your voice by now, so feel free to serenade your belly. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Mom's Mardi Gras Visit

My mom came in town last weekend for a visit. I can't thank her enough for all the cooking that she did for us. We've been enjoying her red beans and rice ever since she left. We went to Mas Friday night, got pedicures together on Saturday, ate a delicious Boars Head brunch after church on Sunday and watched some good college tennis at BHSC. Here are some pictures before church.

She and Andrew got to enjoy lots of champagne - including our favorite Taittinger Prelude Grands Crus. I obviously missed out. She got to feel Cullen kick a good bit. It was wonderful to see her and as usual, the visit felt way too short. I'm looking forward to seeing her next month for my baby shower in Charlottesville!

Baby Bump Update: 26 Weeks

Posting these pictures of my belly is getting more and more difficult, but I really want the memories after Cullen is born, so I'm going to go ahead and do it. I'm almost 26 weeks right now. My belly goes straight out. 


Cullen is still the size of an eggplant (they didn't give us a new fruit/veggie this week!) but he's about 9.2 inches (crown to rump), 14 inches (crown to heel) and 2 pounds! He is kicking me constantly (no change there) and when he kicks me towards my side, it can really hurt!


The Saints won the Superbowl last night! What a night! Andrew could not be happier, and I could not be happier for him. His Saints blog got over 3,000 hits yesterday (he normally gets around 500 hits/day). Pretty amazing! Geaux Saints!


Week 26 Summary: If a full night's rest has become elusive, welcome to the (sleepless) world of pregnancy insomnia. Between heartburn and leg cramps, bathroom runs and that big beach ball beneath your nightie, it's no wonder your body's having trouble calming down and drifting off. The baby now weighs a full two pounds and measures nine-plus inches. And this week, his eyes, which until now were developing under fused eyelids, start to open. Of course, there's not much to see in there, but if your baby spots a bright light (or hears a loud noise) near your belly, you may notice an increase in fetal activity. The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat.  If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

Music to His Ears?

Word on the street is that Cullen can now hear, despite being in Elizabeth's belly. Elizabeth has been encouraging me to play guitar and sing to him so that he'll be musically inclined and be able to recognize those sounds after birth. We figured no better time to try that than yesterday, as we were snowed in thanks to another 12 inches from mother nature. So I subjected Cullen to my musical ability and vocal range, which navigates anywhere between mediocre and very bad depending on the song, day and time. I'm not sure if he liked my guitar playing and singing or not, but I do think it's fair to say he could definitely hear it. While playing and singing next to Elizabeth as she laid down on the bed, we could see her stomach pulsate intensely. What that means, in plain words, is that Cullen was kicking and punching like an absolute madman. I guess we'll have to wait until he's born and capable of expressing his feelings to find out whether he was enjoying it or desperately trying to get it to stop. I fear the latter :)

I Survived the Glucose Screening Test

I've been so anxious about the glucose screening test. Since the doctor told me I could take it anytime in the next two weeks, for my own sanity and the sanity of my sweet husband, we went this morning. Andrew knows I hate giving blood and I was terrified that I would puke after drinking the solution, so he was sweet enough to go with me. I can't thank him enough, because it was extremely boring and very early in the morning, and it was wonderful having him there for emotional support.

Seriously, why in the world was I so scared of this test? Dramatic much? It really wasn't that bad. You have to drink a very sweet orange drink - it was disgusting. I hate orange soda in general, so any other flavor would have been my preference, but I sucked it down in a few minutes. Then you just sit and wait for an hour. I was a little nauseous for the first 15 minutes, but then it passed. It was boring, but really not that awful. After the hour passes, they take your blood and you are done. I will find out if I have gestational diabetes in the next week. Let's hope I don't, for obvious reasons, but also because I would really miss my sweets :) Thanks again to my wonderful husband for waking up early and going with me!

Baby Bump Update: 25 Weeks

I feel like my stomach has doubled in size in one week. And these baby bump pictures are making me realize I really need to work on my posture - haha!

Doctor Visit: 25 Weeks

I had my monthly doctor's visit today and all went well! Cullen's heartbeat was around 138 beats per minute, perfectly normal. Starting today and going forward, the doctors will measure my stomach every visit to check his growth. His growth was right on track, despite my slow weight gain. It's something I've been worried about, but the doctor was not concerned since apparently all the weight is going straight to the baby boy (so I'm going to stop worrying about it). She told me to eat peanut butter crackers and yogurt, both of which I've been eating a lot lately, so I can hopefully gain some more weight. I was not a big fan of this doctor - she was a lady - but not very personable at all. Hopefully she won't be on call when I go into labor. I have to do a glucose test in the next few weeks to check for gestational diabetes. I hope that goes well because I'm not looking forward to it.

They are calling for snow this afternoon in Charlottesville. I am SO SICK of winter - this has been by far the harshest winter since I've lived in Virginia. In December we got 23 inches of snow (see the picture above), last weekend we got about 6 inches of snow, we are supposed to get 4-6 inches tonight, and some reports are saying that we'll get 24-48 inches this weekend. UGH! I might go CRAZY! It takes forever for the city to clear the roads, so when it snows, you are basically stuck in your house and can't go anywhere.