24 Weeks

The weather is really starting to cool down and we have had a few fires in the fireplace over the last few weeks, which to me really kicks off the change in seasons.  This Saturday was a rather nice day and we were able to get outside and winterize the yard.  Perry helped me clear out the garden (he does love pushing dirt around) while Chris took care of the lawn.  It felt nice to get outside and move around.  When Chris was done he took Perry for a few laps around the house on the mower, so he was one happy little guy. 

Hard to believe we only have 16 more weeks to go.  With the holidays right around the corner and with trips coming up to Austin for Thanksgiving and Salt Lake City for Christmas, the rest of the year is going to fly by. 

 

Week 24 Developments

Baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. Since she's almost a foot long, she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Her brain is also growing quickly now, 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 her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

23 Weeks

Adeline Lou Allen

A few weeks back I randomly picked up the baby name book and begin over again on the first page of girls names. There was Adeline, and after saying it out loud a few times I decided it was worth mentioning to Chris. He liked the name also and we started talking about nick names like Ada and Addie. We decided to take the name to the top of our list.

A week later I had gone up into the attic to put a few things that Perry had outgrown away in storage. I came across a Cabbage Patch Kid doll that I had bought 5 years ago while we were living outside of Philly. I had been at the grocery store and walked down the seasonal isle, which I never do. They had these 25 year anniversary Cabbage Patch dolls and there was one that looked just like the doll I had as a child, blonde side braid and everything.

So after mulling it over some I decided to buy her with the thought that one day if we had a daughter I could give it to her and if not I could be that crazy lady with a doll still in a box. The doll has moved with us since then to three different houses and all the way up to Maine. Back in the attic, I picked her up from where she had been tucked away and decided to take a look at the name. I don't think I ever really had before. This is what I saw..

 

I was stunned. After staring in disbelief I took her downstairs to show Chris. He couldn't believe it either and said "so I guess her name is officially Adeline now". If we were looking for some kind of sign, it has been delivered.

I called my sisters and my mom afterwards. My mom and Kim confirmed that the doll is indeed the same one I had as a kid. It turns out the 25 year anniversary dolls were made using the same molds that the originals were. So five years ago I bought a doll, my doll, to give to our future daughter and she already had her name, how amazing is that? I am still in awe. Adeline, we have been ready and waiting for you for a long time.

 

Week 23 - Development Update
Baby's sense of movement is well developed by now. She's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango). Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that the baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as dogs barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

22 Weeks

This one is late in coming as we hit 23 weeks tomorrow! We had our 22 week appointment at the end of last week and Baby B was really bumping around, she gave the doctor a good laugh. Her heart rate was at 140 and we have graduated to the measuring tape, where they measure your fundal height. I said it on my last blog and I will say it here again, fundus is a great word.

Perry stood in for Daisy this week..

Speaking of Perry, I started painting his new room a few days ago. I have three colors going on the wall; muslin white, mustard yellow and indigo blue. Going for the same look as below but with a darker blue.

 

I am also working on his dresser, which is a dark red in chalk paint by Annie Sloan (such great stuff). My hope is to get him in and situated over the next few weeks so we can start working on the nursery. We may even convert his crib into a toddler bed (by taking down one side and installing the toddler bed frame). He is on the verge of climbing out of his crib, in fact he did pull it off once a few days ago and I was luckily there to catch him. Considering his propensity to climb everything, this day was bound to happen. In fact I am surprised he has given us as much time as he has!

And on the baby name.. I will share with my next post, promise!

Week 22 Developments
At 11 inches and 1 pound, 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 the 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.