24 Weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:  24 weeks

      

What’s developing:   Ella Kate is growing steadily, gaining approximately 4 ounces this past week.  She is now over a pound.  She is almost a foot long.  She has a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and it will soon start to plump up.  Her brain is growing quickly and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help air sacs in the lungs inflate once she hits the outside world.  Her skin is still thin and translucent, but will start to change soon.

Size of baby:  Ella Kate is the length of an ear of corn.

Total Weight Gain/Loss:   Haven't weighed lately.  :-)  (Guess I need to bite the bullet and just do it)

Clothes:   Maternity jeans/capris and maternity tops.   Still in my regular scrubs pants, but mostly wearing maternity tops with them.

Gender:  It's a GIRL!!!

Movement: Lots of movement lately.  She's an active little thing. 

Sleep: Still waking up about 2 times per night to use the bathroom or get something to drink, seem more thirsty during the night.

What I miss:  Jersey Mikes subs

Cravings:  CHOCOLATE MILK (at least 2 cups per day)

Symptoms:  Heartburn that is relieved by Tums!

Best Moment this week:  Being 24 weeks, VIABILITY (the ability of a thing  to maintain itself or recover its potentialities)!!!

Mike is still at home recovering at home and is getting stronger everyday.  Still remember him in your thoughts and prayers!  

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me." ~ Philippians 4:13

23 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:  23 weeks

      

What’s developing:   Ella Kate measures more than 11 inches from head to heel and weighs just over 1 pound.  With a sense of movement well developed now, she can fell me dance... so turn up the music.  :-) Her hearing is becoming more keen.  The cochlea, the inner ear mechanism that houses all the components for hearing, is fully formed.  She can hear what I hear, but not at the same level.  The sounds/voices are muffled by muscles and tissues around my belly, the placenta, and the amniotic fluid.  Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing. 

Size of baby:  Ella Kate is the size of a large mango. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss:   Haven't weighed lately.  :-)  

Clothes:   Maternity jeans/capris and maternity tops.   Still in my regular scrubs pants, but mostly wearing maternity tops with them.

Gender:  It's a GIRL!!!

Movement: Lots of movement lately.  She's an active little thing. 

Sleep: Still waking up about 2 times per night to use the bathroom.

What I miss:  Jersey Mikes subs

Cravings:  Still the chocolate milk.

Symptoms:  Heartburn and had a little swelling of my feet this week.

Best Moment this week:  Warm weather with FLIP FLOPS and feeling Ella move more and more.  

Mike is still at home recovering at home and is getting stronger everyday.  Still remember him in your thoughts and prayers!  

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me." ~ Philippians 4:13

22 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:  22 weeks

Size of baby:  Ella Kate is the length of a spaghetti squash.  

What’s developing:   Ella Kate measures about 11 inches from head to heel and weighs about 1 pound.  She is starting to look like a miniature newborn.  Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct.  Tiny teeth buds are even beginning to develop beneath the gums.  Her eyes have formed, but the irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment.  If we could see inside the womb, we would see the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin which will be filled in before birth by a nice padding of fat.  The pancreas, essential for the production of important hormones,  is steadily developing.  

Total Weight Gain/Loss:   At OB appointment on Tuesday had gained 1.1 pounds in 5 weeks.  

Clothes:   Maternity jeans and maternity tops. Bought a few new short sleeved maternity tops this week.  Still in my regular scrubs pants, but have bought a few bigger tops!  

Gender:  It's a GIRL!!!

Movement: Definitely feeling flutters now and some of them feel like "kicks".   

Sleep: Still waking up about 2 times per night to use the bathroom.

What I miss:  Jersey Mikes subs

Cravings:  Chocolate milk still (usually at least 2 cups per day)

Symptoms:  Heartburn more frequently.

Best Moment this week:  We went to our OB check-up on Tuesday (and yes, Mike was able to go with me) and everything checked out well.  Her heart beat was 155.  The midwife said my uterus is just above my belly button which is normal.  My next OB appointment is April 10th and I have to do the dreadful glucose test.  Yucky!  :)

On a another positive note, Mike is still recovering at home and improving everyday.  Thank God for his goodness!  Please continue to pray for a speedy recovery.  
"I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me." ~ Philippians 4:13

PIC IS AFTER GETTING OFF WORK TONIGHT...  

(Whew the belly has grown since the last pics a month ago)

   

21 weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:  21 weeks

Size of baby:  Ella Kate is the length of a carrot.  

What’s developing:   Ella Kate measures about 10.5 inches from head to heel and weighs about 12 ounces.  Her eyebrows and eyelids are present now and her vaginal canal has begun to form.   

Total Weight Gain/Loss:  Got on the scale yesterday and have lost 1/2 pound.  Who knows, stress maybe...

Clothes:   Maternity jeans and some maternity tops.  Able to still fit in some of my bigger regular tops too (for now).  Still in my regular scrubs pants, but have bought a few bigger tops!  

Gender:  It's a GIRL!!!

Movement: Definitely feeling flutters now and some of them feel like "kicks".   

Sleep: Still waking up about 2 times per night to use the bathroom.

What I miss:  Jersey Mikes subs

Cravings:  Chocolate milk.  

Symptoms:  Heartburn more frequently.

Best Moment this week:  Mike was discharged home on Friday after almost 12 days in the hospital.  He is much more comfortable recovering at home.  This has been a stressful time for us, but we will make it through it.  We are blessed to have such great family and friends.  On another positive note, Mike felt Ella kick this week!  :-)


JUST A FEW PICS OF MIKE'S PROGRESS...  

Pre-op holding area prior to surgery (02-27-12)    

     Post-op (at home 03-02-12)  

      Grocery shopping trip (03-08-12)

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me." ~ Philippians 4:13

WILL BE BACK POSTING PICS NEXT WEEK (the belly is definitely growing)!!!  

      

20 Weeks (a late post; a week behind)

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 20 weeks

Size of baby:  Ella Kate is the length of a banana.

What’s developing:   Ella Kate measures about 6.5 inches from head to rump and  and about 10 inches from head to heel.  She weighs about 10.5 ounces.  She is swallowing more and more, which is good practice for the digestive system.  She is also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion.  This gooey substance will accumulate in her bowel and will appear in her first soiled diaper.   

Total Weight Gain/Loss:    Haven't gained any weight this week.

Clothes:   Maternity jeans and some maternity tops.  Able to still fit in some of my bigger regular tops too (for now).  Still in my regular scrubs pants, but have bought a few bigger tops!  

Gender:  It's a GIRL!!!

Movement: Definitely feeling flutters now, some are a little stronger than flutters.

 

Sleep: Still waking up about 2 times per night to use the bathroom.

What I miss:  Jersey Mikes subs

Cravings: Back on the chocolate milk craving. 

Symptoms:  Heartburn more frequently.

 

Best Moment this week:  No pics this week either.  Mike had open heart surgery (coronary artery bypass graft done by Dr. Chitwood) to repair his 100% occluded left anterior descending coronary artery on Monday, 2-27-12.  Needless to say, this has been one stressful time for us.  He came through the surgery okay and the doctors state that his heart is perfectly healthy now with no more blockages.  He will have a 8-10 week recovery period.