A Poetry Journey

Category: Randomness – Poems, Haiku, and Other Stuff

  • Week 33

    Your Baby

    The big news this week is lung development—baby’s respiratory system is almost completely mature. That means if your baby was born this week, odds are he’d be a healthy bouncing baby with a just a little help from his friends (aka, the NICU). Some of the specifics are:

    Your baby can now detect light and tell the difference between night and day (of course that ability will miraculously disappear once he’s born and up all night screaming). His pupils will constrict and dilate in response to light. If you shine a flashlight on your belly, your baby may shy away from the light as if to say, “Cut it out, Ma. You’re soooo annoying.”

    The bones in your baby’s skull are soft and are not yet fused together. In other words, now is not the time to teach him how to do a headspin while breakdancing. This pliability allows the bones to overlap; making that trip down the tight birth canal possible (and resulting in that surprising cone head look your baby will sport for the first few days post-birth. Don’t worry, it’s totally normal and that’s what hats are for.)

    Your baby will continue to pack on the pounds gaining around ½ pound a week from here on out.

    Your baby weighs about 4½ pounds, as much as a grownup duck, and is approximately 17.5 inches long, about the same as a collarbone-length pearl necklace. (Did somebody say push present?)

    via 33 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • Week 32

    Your Baby

    Although your baby will still remain active, his days of trying out for Cirque du Soleil are nearly over. About this time your baby will settle into the head-down position in preparation for birth. Other fascinating facts:

    Both you and baby are putting on some serious weight at this point. You’ll probably gain about a pound a week for the next few weeks, with half of that poundage bulking up baby. He’ll likely double his weight in the next eight weeks.

    Ever wonder what your baby is doing in there these days? He’s busy blinking, looking around, grabbing things, making faces, practicing his breathing, peeing and listening to everything around him—pretty much exactly what he’ll be doing for the first three months of his life, sans the adoring audience and the flashing camera.

    Your baby may (or may not) have a full head of hair now. If she’s a baldy, don’t worry. You can always buy a Baby Toupee or some adhesive barrettes.

    By the end of this week, your baby will weigh about 4 pounds and measure over 17 inches long—about the length of a hot pair of above-the-knee boots. Christian Louboutin? Manolo Blahnik? We’re thinking Isaac Mizrahi for Target—you’ve got a nursery to furnish!

    via 32 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    +++

    Two Words this week:

    Glucose Test

    What is a Glucose Test you ask?

    Mom to be had to go down to Lab Corp on Thursday – July 26th, 2012 – in order to take a three-hour test that involved, fasting, not drinking water, and drawing blood four times.

    The test runs three hours and mom to be has blood drawn when she gets there, waits an hour, draws more blood, waits another hour, draws even more blood, and then waits another hour before having the last bit of blood drawn.

    4 times, that’s right.  I can’t believe a pregnant woman has to go through such extremes in order to be tested for Gestational Diabetes.  It’s crazy.

    Mom to be did pretty well though, she’s tough, but it even got to her by the end of it.  Funny thing was, most women give out in the first hour, mom to be made it all the way to the last hour before crashing out.  Tough girl.  I was proud of her.

    Then we had a check up that afternoon.  You know what happened there?

    Yes, they clipped her finger in order to draw more blood.  It was just a rough day for her, but she held up.

    Other than all of that, it is same old same old around here.  Baby to be is getting more responsive to both of us and he is moving like crazy.

    That’s it.

  • Orgasmic Birth

    * * * STARS

    The trailer isn’t R rated, but it is a sensitive subject.

    I tell you what, when your wife is pregnant you learn so much about the ways and means of bringing a child into this world.  This video is yet another example of what women are trying, in order to bring joy to the pain of child-birth. 

    I will admit that I had a lot of hesitation before watching it.  It looked like some free love hippy kind of thing with people dropping babies somewhere in the deep dark woods.  I will admit that I was wrong.  This is a very informative documentary, that honestly, opened my eyes to the world of orgasmic births.  It sounds bogus and hippy dippy, but it really isn’t.  

    The most amazing story to me was the couple at the start.  Three hours before child-birth and she was outside with her husband.  They were holding each other and kissing, getting a rhythm going.  Then they went to the back deck and laid out an area (complete with all the necessary medical supplies) to give birth on.  Then easily enough the baby slid right out in the midst of mother nature and the world at large.  I couldn’t believe it.  This wasn’t the normal scene, woman strapped down, stuff being pumped into them, screaming their heads off.  This actually looked like it caused this woman minimum pain.  That was the kind of documentary this movie was.  

    I have found that by watching videos like this, that it really allows for options, which all women should have.  It may not be for everyone, I get that, and some women just need to deliver the traditional way.  I get that.  Some women have complications and need medical help.  I get that as well.  I’m just saying that women should explore their options before just deciding to go to the hospital and be with a doctor.

    This wasn’t as good as The Business of Being Born, but it was still a solid documentary.  I would have lost the background music, annoying, but other than it was good to watch.

  • Week 31

    Your Baby (replace she with he)

    From this week on, your baby will continue to gain around ½ pound a week until shortly before birth (even though it may feel like a whole lot more with every step you take). Other highlights this week:

    Due to increasing space constraints, your baby’s arms and legs stay drawn up close to the body now, known as the fetal position (oh, so that’s where that name came from!). Plus, your baby can now process information from all five senses—so she’ll be all set to smell the pureed peas, taste them, feel them as she mashes them into her hair, hear you crack up and then see the flash as you grab the camera to snap picture after picture.

    By now, your baby’s lungs are the only system not fully mature. And by mature, we’re not saying that the rest of your baby’s systems are mature enough to be out past 10 PM with the neighborhood hooligan, just that her lungs need a little bit more time to bake before they can kick it in the outside world.

    Your baby weighs about 3½ pounds and measures a little over 16 inches, about the same length as that miniskirt you used to wear (and will again someday!).

    via 31 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    +++

    Not much this week.

    Just more of the same.

    I can’t believe we are now down in the single digits – 9 weeks to go according to the 3D Pregnancy website.

    Mom to be and baby to be are doing fine.  Baby to be is moving around quite a bit now, doing whatever it is babies do inside the womb.

    So far so good.

    That’s it.

  • Week 30

     

    Your Baby

    Big news for baby’s brain this week: It’s starting to wrinkle and fold and looks like something that grew in the back of your fridge. This is due to the rapid growth of your little genius’s brain cells. Other highlights this week:

    Fingernails and toenails are finally finished—causing his or her parents great fear and anguish the first time they try to cut those little daggers (it gets easier, we promise)! Plus, the bone marrow is completely in charge of red-blood-cell production now. Trust us, this is a good thing.

    Baby is starting to shed his lanugo—the downy hair that was covering his skin. Now that he’s chubbier and better able to regulate his body temp, he doesn’t need to sport a fur coat 24/7.

    “I spy an umbilical cord and the inside of my mom’s uterus!” When your baby is awake, his eyes are now wide open and he’s whittling away the hours looking around, checking out his rather dark, limited environs.

    Your baby hasn’t gained much weight or height this week, as most of his energy’s been channeled to the brain. He weighs about 3 pounds and is approximately 15.5 inches long, about the size of London, not the city, Britney Spears’ Yorkie terrier. Of course your baby is less hairy and way cuter!

    via 30 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    There hasn’t been all that much happening this week.  We are gearing up for some childbirth classes and other things like that.  Mom to be is going through normal pregnancy symptoms  (don’t need to go into detail) and the little one is kicking away.  We are starting to feel body parts and see more of him moving around.  It is pretty awesome to witness.

    There was some good news this week from mom to be’s brother.  He and his wife had their first – a healthy baby boy just over 9 pounds.  Congratulations go out to them.

    We have a doctor’s visit later on today – July 12th, and mom to be has the dreaded glucose test to take.

    What is a glucose test?

    It’s basically this, mom to be has to down this large sugary drink (fruit punch like) and be at the doctor right on time to get her blood drawn.  This is a way for the doctor to test for a form of diabetes women get during pregnancy.  It’s all normal stuff and part of the process, but as long as it keeps her safe we will do it.

    That’s about it.

  • Week 29

    29 Weeks Pregnant

    Your Baby (replace she with he)

    Having a baby prematurely is frightening, no doubt. But here’s a reason to relax: Due to the impressive advancements of medical technology, if your baby is born this week, she’d have a 9 out of 10 chance of survival, which is seriously great news. Other awesome developments:

    Baby’s brain can now control her breathing and body temperature. She can also cough, and her sucking abilities have been perfected. Look out, boobs!

    Your Mini’s skin is looking less wrinkled as she packs on the pounds. She’s starting to look more like a Pampers model and less like a Depends model. She’s now beefing up on the energizing and insulating white fat she’ll be born with (unfortunately, white fat is not energizing and insulating for adults!).

    And speaking of energy, your little Energizer Bunny is on fire these days. You’re sure to feel your share of kicks, punches and elbows, especially when you’re lying down. You might want to start keeping a kick chart to monitor your baby’s movements, and also to later show your 13-year-old child what you endured for him or her. Ask your doctor how to count kicks and how often you should do it.

    This week your baby is a little over 15 inches long—about the length of a loaf of bread—and weighs about 3 pounds, as much as a Macbook Air laptop.

    via 29 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

    +++

    There’s not a lot going on this week with mom and baby.  We have crossed into the third trimester so all we need to do now is keep both of them healthy.  This is really the growing and showing stage.  Everything is supposed to increase over the weeks up until the birth.

    I have started to learn a lot more about what goes into a delivery.  It isn’t as simple as the movies and TV shows make it out to be.  There are a lot of things to decide on, not only for the mother, but for the father as well.

    We did get away for a small Babymoon this week to Ocean Isle Beach, N.C.  It was a nice chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life.  A nice way for me and mom to be to have a few days just to reconnect.  The trip was fun, a bit noisier than we would have liked, but overall it was nice to get back to the ocean.   Technically this is our first of two Babymoons before the baby arrives.  The second one will be a trip to the mountains in August.

    That’s it.

  • The Business of Being Born

    * * * * STARS

    Director Abby Epstein’s controversial documentary takes a hard look at America’s maternity care system, juxtaposing hospital deliveries against the growing popularity of at-home, natural childbirths that some expectant parents are opting for. Former talk show host Ricki Lake was inspired to produce this compelling exposé after a dissatisfying birthing experience with her first child left her with many unanswered questions.

    via Netflix: The Business of Being Born

    I was shocked when I watched this with my wife.  I had no idea the world of birthing a child could be so complicated.  I had no idea there was so much stuff going on behind the scenes that may or may not be necessary.  From a guy’s point of view or the uneducated eye – here’s the way it goes:

    Woman goes into hospital.

    Doctor does what he or she can to deliver the baby.

    That’s it.

    That’s what TV shows and movies have taught us through the years.  The woman is flat on her back and the doctor is giving her whatever they deem necessary at the time of the delivery.

    After watching this movie a lot of that thought process has changed.  I had no idea (or didn’t want to believe) that doctors could be so cold to a woman in labor.  That they would worry more about getting home than they would be about getting the woman to have a healthy baby.  Aren’t doctors supposed to take care of us?  We have to trust them because they usually know what’s right or am I misguided in thinking this.

    The topics explored here are topics that all women should have the option of knowing about.  It is like there is this secret under layer to pregnancy  that the hospitals and insurance companies have enough money to keep quiet.  It’s disgusting to see money take over in such a way.

    This was a solid documentary that everyone should see whether you are pregnant, not pregnant, thinking of being pregnant, or you are just someone who needs an eye opener.  Is the mid wife way the best?  It seems to be working throughout the world, but not here in America.  Watch this movie and then decide for yourself.

  • Week 28

    Well folks.  Welcome to July and the third trimester.  That’s right.  Mom to be is now into the last stage of her pregnancy.  She’s gotten through two trimesters so far and that is so hard to believe.  I said this last week about how it seems like time has flown so fast from the first time we learned she was pregnant.  Now here we are, entering the dog days of summer, one of the hottest weekends of the year, and she is going into the home stretch.  Two full months and then a couple of weeks until her due date.

    There hasn’t been a lot going on this week.  It is a lot of same old same old, which is good.

    We did find a pediatrician.  So that’s a plus.  Mom to be and I attended a small class they had on Monday.  It was very informative and we learned a lot of stuff we didn’t know.

    That’s about it.

    Your Baby

    As the Big Day nears, your baby is getting ready to go towards the light at the end of the tunnel (the tunnel being the birth canal, the light being the one the doctor is shining directly into it so she can see what the heck she’s doing). Other highlights this week:

    Your baby’s eyes are partially open now and can blink. Truly superior babies can actually wink. (OK, there is no way to prove that, but it’s fun to imagine, no?) Your baby can also now become a shiny, happy person as she has begun having rapid eye movement (Get it? REM? Shiny, happy person?? We’ll be here all week.)

    Her eyes have color now, too. It may not be the color she ultimately ends up with, especially if they’re light gray or blue. The eyes typically don’t settle on a final hue until nine months after baby is born. So when your mother-in-law says that the baby has her eyes, you can politely inform her that they’ll most likely change soon. Sorry.

    Your babe is downright chubby compared to a few weeks ago. She is about 15 inches long, about the length of an amusement park cinnamon-sugar-coated churro (yum!), and weighs 2 to 3 pounds.

    via 28 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • Week 27

    Well folks, one week away from the third trimester.  Can you believe it has gotten down to that already?  Almost two trimesters already in the books.  I still can’t believe how far it has progressed from that first moment when we saw the stick say, she was pregnant.

    There isn’t a lot going on, as usual for this part of it.  Mom to be is now showing some symptoms that we knew would eventually happen.  Such as, swollen hands and feet, sore hands with carpal tunnel syndrome like symptoms, and various other unpleasant things like that.  It’s just part of the process.

    That’s about it.  Right now it’s just a lot of growing and showing.

    Your Baby

    Baby’s lungs and immune system are maturing this week as baby prepares for his grand entrance. If he were born today he would have an 85 percent chance of surviving as his lungs are capable of breathing air (with medical assistance, of course). Other exciting developments:

    Baby’s done a lot of growing over the past few months. His length has more than doubled in the past 15 weeks! And that’s not the only thing growing—baby’s brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace. His brain waves are now firing away just like those of a newborn baby. If baby is a he, his testes will have completely descended at this point.

    Your baby now weighs in at approximately 14½ inches and just over 2 pounds, or about the size of that roast you made last time your in-laws were in town. (OK, the baby is the size of that roast you meant to cook before you decided that ordering Chinese was a much better idea.)

    via 27 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • Week 26

    To epidural or not epidural that is the question?

    We have started talking about birth plans and how does she want to deliver?  What mom to be is found is that a natural birth is actually the better way to go.  The epidural way has a lot more side effects and issues with it that the movies and all those TV shows don’t tell you about.  People are always screaming for the juice and they get it so easily when it comes to fiction, but in real life its a lot more complicated.  There are a lot more issues that can come out of it.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.  None of them are easy to make, but they have to be made.

    Other than that all is well for mom to be and baby to be.  He’s been kicking and punching and doing whatever it is he can inside of her.  Pretty cool stuff.

    Your Baby

    Deep breath! Air sacks are developing in your baby’s lungs, which means it just might be possible for your baby to take a breath at the end of this week. The air sacks (technically called alveoli) will continue to grow for the next nine years. The membrane that keeps the alveoli separate from the blood vessels is now thin enough to allow for that oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange we call breathing. Other highlights this week:

    The retina completes the development of its normal layers this week—all the better to see you with. Well not you, per se, because her eyes are still sealed shut and it’s really dark in there, but your baby’s eyes are now fully developed.

    Brainwaves for the auditory and visual systems are detectable in baby’s noggin this week. That means baby’s brain is registering things like sound and light. She can’t understand what any of it means yet, but she’s on track to comprehend an entire episode of Blue’s Clues in no time!

    As hearing continues to develop, your baby will start to recognize your voice. One hint that your karaoke rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” is not the best would be when the baby starts banging on your gut. Your bambino will also start to recognize your partner’s voice. He may feel silly talking to your stomach, but assure him that somebody other than you is definitely listening. Research has shown that newborns actually recognize familiar sounds after birth. Proof that your baby has been paying attention all along.

    Break out the sparkling apple juice—baby has now completed two-thirds of her stay in Hotel Womb. Your baby is about 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long head-to-heel, or about the length of a burp cloth (otherwise known as your primary wardrobe accessory for the next several months).

    via 26 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • Week 25

     
    Your Baby
     
    Get ready for pat-a-cake! Baby’s hands are now fully developed and he spends most of his awake time groping around in the darkness of your uterus. Brain and nerve endings are developed enough now so that your baby can feel the sensation of touch. That doesn’t mean he can feel it when his father pokes your stomach, however, so tell him to knock it off. Other highlights include:Your baby’s arms and legs have grown to almost the proportions they will be at birth, which is still sort of short. So don’t be alarmed when your newborn’s arms barely clear his waist. Baby’s nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, clear out (like he’s taken a super-dose of Sudafed) and he can practice breathing through the nose. The structures of your baby’s spine are now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings and some 1,000 ligaments. Can you believe you’re growing something that complicated inside of you?

    The capillaries, the teeniest blood vessels, are now forming in your baby’s body, giving his formerly translucent skin a pink glow. The blood vessels in the lungs also develop this week. You’ll see how well that worked out when your baby gives those lungs a workout while you’re on line at the bank in a few months. 

    Your baby weighs about a pound and a half and is about 13½ inches long—roughly the length of one of those recorders you played in elementary school music class. Who’s up for a round of “Hot Cross Buns?” 

     
     
    There hasn’t been a lot going on this week.  Mom to be is settling in to the pregnancy and the baby is growing and moving.  I’m not sure if he is in there doing little acrobatic tricks or kicking or what, but he’s active.  I have actually been able to sit and put my hands on her belly and feel him move that way.  He gets so active sometimes that you can even see her skin move.  Crazy stuff to witness and certainly something I will always remember about this pregnancy.  You just don’t see stuff like that every day.

  • Week 24

    Not a lot of news to speak of concerning mom to be and baby to be.  We are in the holding pattern right now and looking for the landing strip.  Mom to be still has a few things that pop up from time to time such as headaches and backaches, but that’s to be expected.  The night’s are getting a little more eventful with the baby starting to kick and move a lot more.  He seems to wake her up off and on, but mostly its towards the earlier parts of the morning.  All in all things are going okay for now.

    Your Baby

    Your baby isn’t just sitting around (on your bladder) doing nothing, he’s working hard preparing for life outside the womb—perfecting his lungs and packing on the pounds. He’ll gain ½ pound this week alone. Other highlights this week:

    Things are starting to get a little crowded inside the old womb as baby grows bigger and bigger. Your ribs are probably pining away for the good old days when they didn’t have a foot permanently lodged between them. Hate to break it to you, but it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

    Your baby’s ears are fully functional now. And since they are, you may notice that loud noises and sudden movements can startle the little bugger. He’s getting used to the everyday sounds inside the womb: the sound of your heart beating, your lungs inhaling and exhaling air, the growling of your stomach because your partner promised he’d be right back with that double cheeseburger and he’s taking forever! He’ll even be able to hear your voice when your partner finally arrives and you ask him where the bleep he’s been! So talk nice!

    Baby’s got a fully developed inner ear now. This means his sense of balance is working and he can tell whether he’s hanging upside down or right side up. He can also feel you moving, so go ahead, pop in your favorite tunes and boogie.

    Your little Wiener schnitzel is about the length of a foot-long Chicago hot dog and weighs about 1 1/3 pounds.

    via 24 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • Poem – The Gout

    I’ve been under a massive gout attack the last few days that is finally starting to subside so I thought what better way to get some frustration out than to write a poem about it.  Anybody out there suffer with this?  It stinks, right?  Throw some stories my way if you feel like venting about it.  We can share this pain together.

    Gout - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Gout, a 1799 caricature by James Gillray

    Lurking in the body,

    deep in the shadows of uric acid.

    Hides a creature,

    that isn’t so passive.

    One day you are fine,

    the next day you’re not.

    This creature has attacked,

    right on the spot.

    You can fight it,

    try to show it the door.

    You will not win,

    because this animal knows how to roar.

    The best you can do,

    is find a place to lay low.

    Because if you can endure,

    it will go away, ever so slow.

    But even when its gone,

    it is always there.

    Hiding and lurking in the shadows,

    soulless and evil, a creature without a care.

    Gout (also known as podagra when it involves the big toe)[1] is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected (approximately 50% of cases). However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate nephropathy. It is caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the blood which crystallizes and the crystals are deposited in joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues.

    via Gout – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

  • Week 23

     
    This has been the baby’s most active week.  Not only has mom to be been feeling a lot of movement, but I’ve been able to get in on the fun as well.  I have felt him a couple of times myself as he seems to be doing some kind of aerobics inside of her belly.  She’s even been able to see her stomach jump from time to time with his movement.  Pretty neat stuff.
     
    We found that not only do peanut related things and pizza cause him to move, but tonight (Thursday – 5/24/2012) we found that pancakes do the trick as well.  It seems like carbs and sugar are the best thing to get him “Sweating to the amniotic fluid”.  In case you are too young to remember it,  Richard Simmons had a show back in the day called “Sweating to the Oldies” so it was a play on that.
     
    All in all things are moving along quite well.  Mom to be is having some minor back pain, but a lot of the other symptoms including the headaches have subsided.  The back pain is to be expected so we just have to get her through it.

    Your Baby (substitute the she for he in this article)

    Your baby’s got a while to go before her lungs will be ready for air and is practicing her “breathing” on the amniotic fluid—sucking it in and out of her lungs. Other highlights this week:

    Fat production is in overdrive at this point (for the baby, not you! Well, OK, maybe for the baby and you). Your baby will basically double in weight over the next four weeks! You’ll be happy to know the same won’t apply to you.

    Your Mini is starting to look more like a newborn as her skin becomes less see-through. Her body is looking more proportional now, although her head is still kinda big compared to her cute little body.

    Your baby is about 11½ inches long and weighs 1 pound, or about the length and weight of a Harry Potter book.

    via 23 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar

  • . . . and so the nursery begins part two

    We got the glider together which was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

    The crib on the other hand.  Here goes.

    Do you see how the crib isn’t all together?  That white piece leaning against the side of it had a flaw in it.  It came down (I kid you not) to one last screw that didn’t want to connect because the hole was drilled wrong.  That rail was all in place and ready to go – crib finished.  When it happened.  I couldn’t believe it.  This close to the end and a problem came up.  My father in law tried to help me get it together and he and I worked on it for a long time before we realized what was wrong.  So frustrating.

    I thought it might be an issue to get a replacement, but it wasn’t.  One simple email and now a new piece is on its way.  Once it gets here that will complete it.  It will be nice to get it done.

    Now we need to lay the new rug down, get some new blinds, and the nursery will be complete.

    So far so good.

  • What to Expect When You’re Expecting

    * * 1/2 STARS

    My review to this one is dropping in my http://atothewr.com/ site today.  Swing on over if you want to check it out.

    If you want a brief review on it.  I would say this one is stuck between good and bad.  It’s not the train wreck people are making it out be, but it isn’t great either.  For expecting parents it can be a decent watch and maybe expectant grand parents as well, but I’m not sure about the average movie goer.

  • Week 22

    On Wednesday the 16th, mom to be had another doctor’s visit and it went all according plan.  The baby’s heart beat was great and mom to be got a clean check up.

    We found out at the office that the baby is now standing up and what mom to be is feeling is him kicking as he stands there.   He’s been very active this week and he should continue to do so as the days move forward.

    Found out the joys of Belly Butter this week.  A necessary tool for the ever stretching stomach.

    All in all things are going fine.  The headaches are gone and a lot of those first trimester symptoms are behind mom to be.  Here’s to growing and showing the rest of the way.

    Your Baby (replace the she with he when you read this)

    Your Mini’s hands have grown bigger and stronger and the nerve endings in her fingers have developed her sense of touch. She’s in there testing out her newfound abilities by touching her face and grabbing the umbilical cord. Other cool developments:

    You’re already raising a little Einstein. Your baby’s brain is developing at a clip this week and will continue to do so until she’s five years old (so load up on the Omega 3)!

    Baby’s hair is now a short, bright white crop (Billy Idol, eat your heart out!). No matter what color it will end up—red, blonde, black—all babies’ hair lacks pigment at this point.

    Your baby has started growing taste buds and may be able to detect strong flavors in the amniotic fluid. If you could see inside, you might catch her sticking out her tongue for a taste and then grimacing, a sign that perhaps you should chill on the chili powder.

    Your baby now weighs almost a pound and measures almost 11 inches from her head to her heel, which is how the Stretch Armstrong in your uterus will be measured from here on out. Up ’til now your baby’s legs were curled tight up against her torso, so she was measured from her head to her bottom (or crown to rump) and not head to toe. This week your mini is about as long as a package of Oreos and as heavy as a large bag of tortilla chips. Who’s hungry?

    via 22 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar.

     

  • Poem – What is Time?

    Time is fleeing,

    floating so quickly away,

    it would be nice to freeze one day,

    one day for a stay.

    +++

    Why do we try to keep it?

    Like an animal in a cage,

    for time needs to run free,

    time needs to be.

    +++

    I wish I could be a thief,

    and get back the moments of wasted time.

    For if I could.

    Would that be such a crime?

    +++

    Who wouldn’t want?

    Just  a few extra hours,

    to get back at that monster,

    that monster that towers.

    +++

    Yes time can flee,

    so easily,

    it can pass,

    in the blink,

    of an eye,

    but we live for it,

    we harness it,

    we make it our own.

    For to be without it,

    that is something few,

    few, have ever known.

  • . . . and so the nursery begins part one

    Well I started on it, but it isn’t nowhere close to finished.

    Earlier today I retreated down to the lower parts of the house because our air conditioner was broken.  It was too hot upstairs, the job search was done, the blogs were updated, too hot to work on my latest novel.  I thought, why not go downstairs and try to work on the crib and changing table.

    Here’s the reason why that last part of the statement is so odd.  If you know me.  I’m no handy man.  I’m a buyer not a builder.

    However, I just felt like today I wanted to work on the three boxes we’ve had sitting in the nursery for a few weeks now.

    I opened the box (the crib and changing table came in two – the glider in one) and thought if the instructions were too much I would stop there.  I honestly looked at it and thought, this doesn’t look too bad.  I dove into it and what I found surprised me.  I actually enjoyed doing this and what I thought would be a stress inducing nightmare, wasn’t.  It actually took my mind off of the broken air conditioner and the other things floating around inside my brain.

    I still have some work to do on it as you see, but the bulk of it is done.  The rest of it looks a little more challenging and the glider is going to have its own share of difficulties, but it will get done.

    By the way – the air conditioner is now fixed and we are enjoying some sweet cool air.  Refreshing – ahhhhhhhhh!

  • Week 21

    Happy Mother’s Day to all mother’s reading this post.  Here’s a little poem I wrote to help celebrate the day.

    +++

    How to describe a mom?

    Well,

    it may be too hard to do,

    without leaving out,

    too many things,

    that are true.

    For a mom is a blessing,

    a true gift from God,

    her patience and virtue,

    is something,

    you could never prod?

    +++

    We are up to Week 21 on this side of the screen.  That is just over half way.  I can’t believe it.

    There hasn’t been a lot to comment on this week when it comes to mom to be and baby.   The biggest thing has to be the movement.  Mom to be is starting feel the baby moving around a lot more inside.  It seems like humus of all things is a big catalyst to get him moving.  We found out pizza does it as well.  That’s my boy.  Not even out of the womb and he already loves pizza.

    All in all things are getting back to a sense of normal around here.  I think now it is time for growing and showing with the occasional doctor’s check up to make sure everything is okay.

    Your Baby

    Chances are good you’re feeling someone performing a round-off back handspring in your uterus by now. Is there any other feeling this cool? Other highlights this week:

    By now your baby looks like a mini-version of what she’ll look like when she’s born. All her facial features are formed and hair is growing on her head. She’s even acting like a baby and will occasionally suck her thumb or yawn. Aww …

    Baby’s heartbeat is getting stronger and can be heard using a good old-fashioned stethoscope. Ask for a listen at your next prenatal visit! By 21 weeks, fetal bone marrow starts making blood cells—previously done by the liver and spleen. This may not sound that exciting, but it’s good news.

    The amniotic fluid that has been cushioning your little bean now serves another purpose: Your baby uses it to “practice” chowing down. Yes, it sounds gross (as many aspects of pregnancy do), but it’s an important step for your baby toward being able to chow down in the real world. Your baby has been swallowing amniotic fluid for a while now, but now the intestines are finally developed enough that she’s absorbing small amounts of sugars from it. And let’s face it, being able to effectively digest sugar is important at every stage of life.

    Your baby now weighs between 10 and 11 ounces and is approximately 7 inches long—the size of a delicious, cold, frothy bottle of root beer. Float anyone?

    via 21 Weeks Pregnant – 3D Pregnancy Calendar