Baby Powell: 18 Weeks

Did You Know...

DID YOU KNOW a woman's brain shrinks during pregnancy?

Anita Holdcroft, an anesthesiologist at London's Royal Postgraduate Medical School, found that women's brain's shrink 3-5% during pregnancy. This may impact learning and memory. In cognitive tests, more than 70% of women had difficulty learning new information during their ninth month of pregnancy. Performances during pregnancy were 15-20% lower on spatial and verbal tests. Six months later, the brain, and scores, returned to normal. The pituitary gland increased in size during pregnancy.

DID YOU KNOW the youngest mother ever was a five year old girl in Peru named Lina Medina, who gave birth to a baby boy by C-section in May of 1939?

You can read more about it and see pics at:
http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/medina.asp

Answer to Quizzes:

What was Jane's biggest craving during the first 8 weeks of her pregnancy?

-Wendy's Cheeseburgers

Will the baby be a boy or girl?

-Girl!

A pregnant women's blood volume increases an average of:

-40%, sometimes it will increase as much as 60%!

When will Jane feel the baby?

- 19 weeks (I think what I'm feeling is baby!?)

Will Jane be able to fit into her wedding dress?

- Yes!

If Jane can fit into her wedding dress, will she be able to wear it through out the whole ceremony?

- Yes... barely!

What was the first item Jason and Jane bought for their baby?

- Party Pooper onesie

Jane can feel the baby, but can Jason? (22 weeks)

- Yes! Jason could feel her moving at around 18 weeks.

Will Jane's belly button change from an innie to an outtie?

-Yes!

If Jane's belly button changes to an outtie, what week will it change?

- around 27 weeks

Will the baby have hair when she's born?

-Yes! (according to 4D ultrasound)

What was Janes biggest craving at the end of her second trimester?

-pasta

What color hair will she have?

-dark brown

Will she have curly or straight hair?

-straight

Will she have baby phat legs, or bird legs like her momma?

-bird legs

Toilet Paper Tuesdays!

FLAG DAY

Today's my 32nd birthday! My husband took the day off today (yet he is at the office right now??) and we are planning on fishing then eating lots of food! I haven't posted any new pictures of my baby girl lately, because I have no clue where my camera is! We're in the process of packin' n movin'. She is doing good though. We've been trying to teach her to swim, take her in the pool almost every day. Right now she can manage to stay on her own with out us holding on to her and she can move around and keep her head above water (she has flotation devices on).

9 Months

Madi is now 9 months!

She can now:
- stand on her own for several seconds, with out holding onto things.
-feed herself some foods, crackers, puffs, and some chopped vegetables.
- hold her own bottle.
- wave bye, sometimes says buh-bye
- clap
- shake head no after I shake my head no. Sometimes I will say no and she will shake her head.
- when she's upset or need's something, she cries out "mamamama"

We took her to the Zoo the other weekend for the first time. She didn't seem to exited, except for when we showed her the piranha tank. She loves fish! Will post pics sometime soon.

Madilyn's First Camping Trip!

Went camping with her for the first time out to Hanna Park. We borrowed an RV so we had A/C, it's so hot in August! Baby girl did very well! She did get a few mesquito bites, so next time we are going to bring a tent to let her play in, or a net to put around the cabana. We had a lot of fun, and are going to go again very soon. Madi started clapping on the trip, it's so cute (she is 8 months now)! I'll say clap clap clap...and she claps!! She's been crawling for a few weeks now, so I'm always up on my feet chasing her around....... walking should be soon! Yikes!!!!

Poor Baby

Madilyn finally got her two month shots, and it was painful to watch. The shots looked about as long as the thickness of her legs, which is where they stuck them. She had to get four! Anyways, she cried..and I almost did, too. She is about a week and a half shy of her 3 month birth day, and can push up on her arms/has fairly good control of her head/rolls over sometimes/and is trying as hard as she can to talk. I swear she says mama sometimes when she is crying. Today we are getting a Jumperoo for her, because she keeps kicking her legs all over the place...oh and she loves sucking on her fist!

Back Home with my sweety(s)!

So happy we were able to check out of the hospital early! I'm laying in bed w/ Madilyn in my arms. Shes sleeping and looks so cute!

Last night she cried a lot, but I was able to get some sleep... which I really needed since I barely got maybe 2 hours of sleep spread out through out the night after giving birth. Talk about tired! I couldn't sleep because I didn't want to keep her in the hospital bassinett because she kept looking like she needed to spit up laying on her back and side, so I held her all night. I also just wanted to look at her all night, she's so cute. I have to admit last night I slept with her in my arms, too...which I know is a big no no. I just want her right next to me all the time though because she's so darn cute.

So Madilyn and I are both still tired. I'm not in too much pain, just my whole body is kind of sore feeling. Not "painful" though. Jason is taking good care of both of us.

My Birth Story:

Dec 3rd I was scheduled to get induced. On the way to the hospital I was not scared and pretty calm, I thought I would be a nervous wreck! I got a good nights sleep the night before, too. Checked into the hospital at 6am, and Dr. Dsemeris broke my water shortly after. Started pitocen at 8am, was 3cm. At 11:30am contractions were getting intense, so got the epidural which did not hurt at all... was 4cm. Started pushing around 4pm, could have started around 3-3:30 but nurse was busy. Pushed about 15 minutes and out she came, with no pain!! I even started laughing during one push, because I made a funny grunting noise. Jason said "don't laugh", and then he and all the other nurses and doctors started laughing, too. Dr almost had to use the vaccuum thing, but gave me another chance to push and did not need it. I did get an episiotomy, but didn't hurt and still doesn't. So, the whole thing was pain free! Except for the uncomfortable contractions in the beginning. Peice of cake!

Here are some pics:

www.tinyurl.com/5lonkq

Last Days

Three more days, I will be ten whole months pregnant! My Dr. keeps saying she thinks Madilyn will come by this weekend, today is Saturday and still no baby. I have atleast had some contractions today. I also had contractions all wednesday, all 40-60 seconds long and 4-6 minutes apart. They weren't bad ones though, so I didn't really think that was going to be the day. We went ahead and scheduled an induction for wednesday, December 3, 2008 if she does not come before.

See you soon Madilyn!

37 Weeks: Full Term!

So according to our Dr., we may only have about two weeks left, whoa! She has for sure dropped. She gets the hiccups just about every day, and her movements are more like squirming and turning. She's definately strong! When I lay or sit, one side of my tummy is usually a lot higher than the other..I'm guessing she likes to lay on her side. Have had a few contractions, nothing major.

I usually put up my Christmas decor right after Thanksgiving, and since I will most likely be in the hospital the week of Thanksgiving, I went ahead and put a lot of it up. Christmas shopping, done. So we're pretty much ready for Christmas and baby now. I think we may have to miss out on Thanksgiving this year, unless she comes later!

Still haven't finished packing the bag!!!! I just need to pack my going home outfit, clothes for DADDY, and a few other things. We also need to install our baby car seat.

There's a full moon tomorrow on the 13th...c'mon moooon!

36 Weeks Happenings:

November 4, 2008...the first black American President was elected: Barack Obama!

November 6... Another Shower!! The girls at work through us a baby shower! Madilyn got pretty much the rest of everything she needed. Jason and I have also have gotten everything ready, except for setting up the car seat and finish packing our hospital bag. I was also checked by Dr. Dsemeris today, and I'm 1cm dialated, and about 50% effaced. I guess all the contractions I was having earlier in the week were doing something atleast. She also said she thinks I may go about a week earlier than my due date! So that would would be around 2 more weeks! Holy moses!!! She will be here before we know it!

36 Weeks....Nine Months Pregnant!

So far these first few days of being nine months pregnant have been pretty uncomfortable! Appetite is pretty much gone. My lower back is killing me! It feels like I've been whacked on the back about twenty times with a baseball bat. It's been a constant pain for two days now, along with some mild contractions. Pretty much stuck in bed, trying to find a comfortable position. Also been getting more Braxton Hicks these past two weeks...those don't hurt at all though, atleast so far! I think they feel kind of cool!

Well, we finally ordered the crib! Should be here in about a week. Then we can get her room arranged and finished. Now I need to get the bassinett ordered ASAP!!

35 Weeks

October 25, Saturday, we had our girls Baby Shower over at Cheryl's house, thrown by Cheryl, Jessica, and Lisa. Had a yummy brunch and mimosa's (none for me). The ham queishe was to die for! We played the toilet paper game, where each person tears off how many squares of toilet paper they think it takes to wrap around my belly (I have a toilet paper tuesday listing above on the left of the page.) Thanks to who ever guessed 19 squares! hahaha!! Little Madilyn got lots of goodies, clothes, and toys. We're pretty much ready for her to come live with us now. All we need is a crib, bassinett, high chair, and car seat.

Jason also had his diaper party with the boys thrown by Luke and Scott. Got lots of diapers. We should be good on diapers for several months. Suprisingly, our house was not destroyed with all the boys. Whew!

Next week is my very LAST two week appointment, after that I go every week! Holy moly! Just about five weeks till the big day...or maybe sooner...

Thirty Weeks

Found out this week that she is no longer breech, yay! It was funny to see her on the monitor, because she was sitting the exact same way I was. One arm over the head and head turned, too funny. Still getting tired off and on through out the day. I thought my new iron supplements would help out with this, but so far I haven't noticed a difference.

Thursday we had our 4D ultrasound....our last and final ultrasound unless I get another suprise one. She was still in vertex position. She had some hair, chubby hands and chubby cheeks. Looks like she has her dad's nose, and maybe even his eyes and chin. Definately looks like her daddy!

Twenty-Seven Weeks

This is my last week of my 2nd trimester! Whoa!! So far this week I have been getting sleepy again, like I was in the first trimester. I hope I'm not sleepy for the rest of the pregnancy because I still have lots to do! I've also been getting really hot. The baby is also not making big movements like she was before, but the dr. says not to worry and that during this time that happens a lot. Jason is leaving for Moscow for a week, so I'm hoping to get the nursery painted by the time he gets back. Next week I have a big Dr.'s appointment to get my RH shot, and glucose test. Then we are registering at the hospital, and possibly take a tour. Only eighty some days till the due date!

Twenty-Two Weeks

Today we went for our last sonogram. She now weighs 1.2 ounces! She already seems very prissy... She kept crossing her legs like a lil lady, resting the palm of her hand against her cheek, and ended it with a pose with her fist against her chin. She opened her mouth a few times, too. We also have another video, but I still can not find anyone who knows how to upload it for me! So far this week I have been super tired, due to lack of sleep.... I have to get up so many times a night it is hard to get back to sleep. Paco is not helping either w/ his whining and barking...

Thirteen Weeks

At thirteen weeks, our baby measured about 3 inches. At this visit they wanted to measure behind the neck and the nose, to see if there is a possibility of down syndrome. So far, everything looks normal! The baby kept turning it's head, and kicking his legs up in the air like it was riding a bike. They tried to look and see if they could tell the gender, but it was still a little too early. They also tried to listen for the heartbeat, but they couldn't because I have an anterior placenta (the placenta is in front of the baby). Overall, baby is doing great!