28 weeks

How far along: 28 weeks

Size of Baby: About 2.5 lbs. and 14.8" (Chinese cabbage)

Total weight gain: +24.5 (pretty much no gain this week)

Stretch marks? Nope.

Sleep: I think I'd describe my sleep as "OK." Lots of tossing and turning and starting to use the restroom more. It's been pretty hot here, and even though we keep our thermostat as low as it can go without freezing, all of you who have been pregnant know how hot you can get.

Best moment this week: Today marks the end of the second trimester! He'll be here in 11 more weeks! That's not a lot of time, and I'm getting more excited every day to meet him and hold him.

Movement: I love his little movements right now. I see a little pokes and swishes and feel him getting stronger. He usually moves at regular intervals, and I definitely see a reaction to food (especially that birthday party cake this past weekend!).

Food cravings: broccoli, berries with homemade whipped cream, chai

What I miss: My back not killing me at the end of the day

What I am looking forward to: My shower, our garage sale, so I can finish Tennyson's nursery

Weekly Wisdom: Hmmm...slow down a bit when you know you need to. I've kind of been overdoing it some days lately.

Milestones: Third trimester begins this week. He can blink his eyes, which now have eyelashes. He's getting white fat to keep him energized, and he's developing millions of brain neurons.

Labor signs: I'm pretty sure I was having contractions late yesterday afternoon and into the evening. I think I was dehydrated; I've been fine all day today. I'm going to make a more conscious effort not to do much outside and to stay hydrated.

28 weeks

27 weeks

How far along: 27 weeks

Size of Baby: about 2 lbs. 14.5" (like the size of a head of cauliflower)

Total weight gain: +24.4

Stretch marks? Nope.

Sleep: Pretty good, waking up more with the tossing and turning and peeing

Best moment this week: Swimming and feeling weightless

Movement: Lots of strong kicks!

Food cravings: kit kats, avocado, peaches

What I miss: eating without heartburn

What I am looking forward to: My shower!

Weekly Wisdom: Not much this week.

Milestones: Tennyson's developing increased fat stores, more mature lungs and has a better chance of survival if born early now (stay in there, baby!). His eyelashes are forming, and he has started to open his eyes to open from time to time. He's started to practice coughing and sucking more intensely.

Tennyson at 27 weeks and Zooey bug :)

26 Weeks

How far along: 26 weeks

Size of Baby: Cucumber (about 15" and 2.2 lbs.)

Total weight gain: +24 lbs.

Stretch marks? Nope.

Sleep: On and off this week with vivid dreams and needing to go to the bathroom.

Best moment this week: I'm really enjoying seeing Zooey's excitement over "Baby Tennyson." She kisses my belly a lot, tells him to move and tells me her baby's moving, too. :)

Movement: Lots! And it's getting stronger.

Food cravings: fresh berries, sausage, salads

What I miss: Hm...not too much yet at this stage. I had to take my wedding rings off this week, and I'm missing wearing them on my hand.

What I am looking forward to: My husband is AWESOME, and Tennyson's room is almost done! So, I'm looking forward to that being completed. I'm looking forward to my shower and to scheduling the C-section at (hopefully) my next doctor's appointment.

Weekly Wisdom: My own: sleep at night while I can! The closer it gets, the more I'm remembering all that getting up in the middle of the night business. :)

Milestones: Tennyson can probably recognize my voice and Ryan's voice now. His immune system is rapidly developing, and he's practicing breathing. His taste buds are very developed, and it's pretty clear he likes it when I get dessert. :)

Labor signs: Some BH contractions

26 weeks

Brushing up on my baby skills with baby Gideon

25 weeks

How far along: 25 weeks

Size of Baby: About 13.5" and about 1.5 lbs; about the size of a squash.

Total weight gain: +20.9

Stretch marks? Nope.

Sleep: It's been pretty decent. Some great nights, some bad nights, so it evens out.

Best moment this week: I am SO super thankful for a couple friends with little boys who gave me their clothes to look through. It was so fun to go through all the clothes, and I think we're actually set on clothes for the first year, minus some things like socks, mittens and hats. Woohoo! This is an answer to prayer.

Movement: Lots of little jabs, and he seems to be on a routine. I can now anticipate when I'll feel him move the most.

Food cravings: chocolate, kale, fresh berries, hamburgers (like fresh off the grill!)

What I miss: I'm starting to get to that point where it's hard to adjust when I'm sleeping, so I miss not waking up every time I need to roll over.

What I am looking forward to: We're getting Tennyson's carpet cleaned tomorrow, and I'm going to go look at paint colors this weekend. I'm super excited to get his nursery done, wash those clothes and put them away and organize the rest of it.

Weekly Wisdom: It is SOOO much easier with the second one. :) I hope so!

Milestones: Tennyson's starting to fatten up, is able to grasp his hands & wiggle his little fingers and toes and his hair color would be able to be seen now. Another red head??

Labor signs: Braxton Hicks.

My next doctor's appointment is Monday, the 10th. She said that we'll discuss the date of my C-section sometime around 28 weeks. I'm guessing that means I'll wait until next month's appointment to get the date. Sarah & I were talking about how if we do it on September 11th, Gideon & Tennyson will be exactly five months apart, and it would be fun to do some of their monthly pictures together - we even bought them matching tie stickers! I'm getting more and more excited to meet little Tennyson! Going through those clothes made me even more excited. I can almost picture him wearing them. Can't wait to meet him!

25 weeks

Here's a cute shot from 24 weeks that I forgot to add last week.

Zooey at 25 weeks.

24 weeks

How far along: 24 weeks

Size of Baby: eggplant

Total weight gain: +19.9

Stretch marks? Nope.

Sleep: Wouldn't you know that once I post it's great (last week), it wasn't so great this week? I just wake up and can't go back to sleep for a long time.

Best moment this week: Seeing those little pokes through my skin.

Movement: His movement is a lot different than Zooey's was. She stuck pretty much to the side, head down, for most of my pregnancy, and most of her  movement was right in the middle of my belly. Tennyson must still be laying transverse, because I feel him on both sides of my belly as well as low.

Food cravings: ice cream, banana bread

What I miss: Bending over to pick up things.

What I am looking forward to: Getting his nursery set up

Weekly Wisdom: Things are easier the second time; you won't be as stressed, because you know what to expect and how to troubleshoot.

Milestones: Tennyson reached viability this week! His lungs are starting to produce  surfactant, he's getting hair on his head and he's pinking up a bit.

Labor signs: I started having some Braxton hicks contractions this week.

23 weeks 1 day

Total weight gain: +18.9

Stretch marks? Nope.

Sleep: Good. I seriously conk out most nights, wake up in the middle of the night and drag myself to pee, then conk back out until Zooey wakes up.

Best moment this week: Picking a spelling for the little guy's name. Actually, we let Zooey finally settle the debate. She picked the same piece of paper twice. Drumroll please....the baby's name is Tennyson! Still no decision on a middle name, but we're getting close.

Movement: Tennyson moves like crazy! And he kicks my bladder a lot.

Food cravings: watermelon, asparagus

Gender: It's a boy!

What I miss: Nothing too much yet.

What I am looking forward to: Getting his nursery done.

Milestones: His hearing is becoming more keen, & the cochlea is fully formed (hopefully he'll enjoy that Taylor Swift concert next weekend - woohoo!). He's big enough that I can see his movement through my clothes. Taste buds have formed, but he can't taste anything quite yet. Most of his little organs are now in place and beginning to function well.



Tennyson,23 weeks

And for comparison, here's my post when Zooey was 23 weeks. :)

22 weeks

How far along: 22 weeks

Size of Baby: roughly 1 lb. and about 11 inches

Total weight gain: +17 lbs.

Stretch marks? Nope.

Sleep: Good.

Best moment this week: Picking a name for Baby this morning - but spelling & middle names are not finalized, so we're not sharing yet (with anyone - sorry!). :) I also completed a small registry, which was fun.

Movement: Lots - he's a mover! This morning, I think he must've been transverse, because I was feeling little pokes on both sides.

Food cravings: watermelon

Gender: Boy!

What I miss: Starting to miss being able to fully bend over.

What I am looking forward to: Decorating the nursery.

Weekly Wisdom: Kinda not for pregnancy, but I heard a quote this week, and I really liked it, "No one tells you being a mommy means saying sorry as much as you expect them to say it." God's been working on me being humble with Zooey and admitting when I do wrong. My prayer is to obviously do that with this baby, too.

Milestones: Baby's pancreas is developing, his heartbeat could now be heard with a stethoscope, he's taking on the shape and size of a small doll & is looking more and more like a miniature newborn.

Labor signs: Nope.

Baby Boy, 22 weeks