24 weeks

So today I'm 24 weeks, which is a milestone. At 24 weeks Landon could survive outside of the womb (with A LOT of medical assistance though). Unfortunately, I'm really sick. I've had a sore throat and bad cough for the past few days. I went to the doctor yesterday for my normal appointment and they said that there is nothing that I can do for it but rest. I have a virus that's going around, so I just have to wait it out. Poo! They did listen to Landon's heartbeat and he didn't want to stay still, he was kicking the whole time, so it took a little longer than expected to hear the heartbeat. I also put on 5 lbs in the past week, making my total 8 lbs. The doc said it's a good number for how far along I am. I go in again in 4 weeks and will do my 1 hour sugar test, oh joy! After that I start going in every 2 weeks. Below I have my 24 week belly picture that was taken in the nursery, plus some updated nursery pictures. There are more on facebook.

Here is what is going on with me and Landon this week:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

In the past few weeks, the top of your uterus has risen above your belly button and is now about the size of a soccer ball.Most women have a glucose screening test (also called a glucose challenge test or GCT) between now and 28 weeks. This test checks for gestational diabetes, a pregnancy-related high-blood-sugar condition. Untreated diabetes increases your risk of having a difficult vaginal delivery or needing a cesarean section because it causes your baby to grow too large, especially in his upper body. It also raises your baby's odds for other complications like low blood sugar right after birth. A positive result on your GCT doesn't mean you have gestational diabetes, but it does mean that you'll need to take the glucose tolerance test (GTT) to find out for sure.

23 weeks

OK, so I won't be 23 weeks until tomorrow, but I have some time today, so I'm going to update now. This past week has been nice. Dani and Lacey (my sis and sis-in-law) were in town for my baby shower up at the school. We had a good time while they were here, even though we were all on a budget.
Dan got to feel Landon kick for the first time yesterday morning. Our baby boy is active and I feel him from the inside constantly. However, I've only felt him from the outside a few times, but by the time I would call Dan over Landon would stop. Yesterday morning, we were laying in bed and Landon was kicking up a storm, so I grabbed Dan's hand (he was still half asleep) and he got to feel it! It was very exciting!
I was reading in some of the books and it says that right now he should be just under a foot long and a little over a pound. However, since we found out a few weeks ago that he's measuring well ahead, I'm sure our baby boy is well over a foot already and probably a good pound and a half (especially since he was already 14 oz 3 weeks ago). My next doctors appointment is next Monday, but I'm pretty sure they're not going to do an ultrasound.

Here is what is going on with baby Landon and me this week:
Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With his sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that he's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see him squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when she hears them outside the womb.
You may notice that your ankles and feet start to swell a bit in the coming weeks or months, especially at the end of the day or during the heat of summer. Sluggish circulation in your legs — coupled with changes in your blood chemistry that may cause some water retention — may result in swelling, also known as edema. Your body will get rid of the extra fluid after you have your baby, which is why you'll pee frequently and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery. In the meantime, lie on your left side or put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, and avoid sitting — or standing — in one place for long periods. Also, try to exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning) and roomy, comfortable shoes. You may be tempted to skimp on liquids to combat swelling, but you need to drink plenty of water because staying hydrated actually helps prevent fluid retention. While a certain amount of edema in your lower extremities is normal during pregnancy, excessive swelling may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Be sure to call your midwife or doctor if you have severe or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, swelling in your face, or puffiness around your eyes.

Florida Shower

So my baby shower down here in Florida went great. It was held at my school and we got some great stuff. Landon's closet is going to be nice and full after it! We also received our boppy, things for our pack-and-play, a shopping cart cover, a bath toy scoop and SO much more. I will put a few pictures up here, but the majority will be on Facebook (they upload faster there).

22 weeks

So this is going to be a short post word-wise. Tomorrow is my shower up at the school so I'm going to update again tomorrow. For today, I have a new belly picture and pictures of some storage units that we bought for the nursery at IKEA.

22 weeks

wire 8-drawer organizer in the closet

organizer in closet

Our fun shelves

Here is what is going on with Landon and myself this week:

How your baby's growing:At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his 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 his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

At this point, you may find your belly becoming a hand magnet. It's perfectly okay to tell folks who touch your tummy that you'd rather they didn't. And if people are telling you that you look smaller or bigger than you should at this point, remember that each woman grows — and shows — at her own rate. What's important is that you see your practitioner for regular visits so she can make sure your baby's growth is on track.You may start to notice stretch marks on your abdomen as it expands to accommodate your growing baby. At least half of all pregnant women will develop stretch marks by the time they give birth. These small streaks of differently textured skin can range from pink to dark brown (depending on your skin color). Although they most commonly appear on your tummy, stretch marks may also show up on your buttocks, thighs, hips, and breasts. There's no proof that lotion helps prevent stretch marks, but keeping your skin moisturized may help with any itching.

Baby Smith has a name!!

So after much deliberation and tossing around numerous names we have decided that Baby Smith will be:

Landon Daniel Smith

We threw around a lot of names and this one stuck out above all others. :)

The mural is finished!

So the mural in the nursery is finished! Woo hoo! Below are pictures. When the nursery is completely fnished being set up then I will post more pictures :)

More Nursery Pics & Swing

Stephen came over today and finished up with almost all the painting. He'll be back tomorrow to outline the last few things and it will be done. Yeah!!

We went to some big garage sales last weekend and one of our bog finds was the swing below. If flips so that it can swing both ways (back and forth like a normal swing and side to side like a cradle). Plus it had a jungle theme! It was exactly what we wanted and we paid only $30 for it!

21 weeks

So I'm 21 weeks today and baby boy is moving everywhere! The other day I swear he was break dancing in there! You know that move where you lay on the floor on your side and kick your legs so you spin in circles? I think he was trying that out because I felt kicks all over! The weirdest part is when he kicks backwards into organs. It's a very strange feeling, but it's also starting to hurt my lower back since he's still crouched down low in my uterus. The worst ones though are when he kicks straight down, very painful!
Our mural should hopefully be finished up by the end of this weekend and we are very excited about that. I'm ready to get the furniture where it belongs! We hit up garage sales this past weekend and found the swing we wanted for only $30 and a BUNCH of clothes. It was very exciting! I did 2 loads of baby clothes on Saturday in the special detergent and put them away. We are already realizing that we need more storage shelves though.
Next Wednesday is my shower up at the school and I'm very excited! Dani and Lacey (my sis and sis-in-law) are going to be here for it also. Unfortunately I won't be able to have a shower up north though with family, which stinks.
Dan recently got laid off. We knew it was coming but weren't looking forward to it. He's going to try to take a security class to get his security license and then he has a guy who can hook him up with security work. He's also going to try to apply at Disney. It may pay a little less, but job security and great insurance is worth it!
In the description below it says that baby boy should be measuring about 3/4 of a pound (12 oz) but last week he was already 14 oz! Big Boy!

Here is what is going on with my and my little man this week!

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

You're probably feeling pretty comfortable these days. You're not too big yet, and the usual discomforts associated with early pregnancy are, for the most part, gone. If you're feeling good, relax and enjoy it while you can — the third trimester may bring with it a new crop of complaints.

That's not to say you won't have some minor glitches to deal with now. For example, increased oil production may contribute to the development (or worsening) of acne. If that's the case, be diligent about washing well with a gentle soap or cleanser twice a day, and make sure that any moisturizer or make-up you use is oil-free. Don't take any oral acne medications — some are very hazardous during pregnancy — or use any topical acne products without first checking with your practitioner.

You're also more prone to varicose veins now. As your pregnancy progresses, there's increasing pressure on the veins in your legs; higher progesterone levels, which may cause the walls of your veins to relax, can make the problem worse. You're more likely to get varicose veins if other family members have them. Also, they tend to get worse with each successive pregnancy and as you age. To help prevent or minimize varicose veins, exercise daily, prop up your feet and legs whenever possible, sleep on your left side, and wear maternity support hose.

You may also notice so-called spider veins (a group of tiny blood vessels near the surface of your skin), particularly on your ankles, legs, or face. They may have a spider- or sunburst-like pattern with little branches radiating out from the center, they may look like the branches of a tree, or they may be a group of separate thin lines with no particular pattern. Though they may be a bit unsightly, spider veins don't cause discomfort and usually disappear after delivery.