Growth Ultrasound Results

I got the results from the growth ultrasound we did last week and everything looks great. Noemi almost exactly average sized for her gestational age and nothing appears to be amiss. Phew! At this stage, no news is great news. Just one more month (minus a day) until she's full term (that's 37 weeks). We can make it!

Happy Second Birthday Joaquin!

Saturday was Joaquin's second birthday and it was fabulous. His Layla and Laylo were here (Jay's parents) and we took Joaquin to Disneyland for the first time. What fun!

Joaquin loved it from the very beginning. The bus ride from the parking lot to the park was even exciting for him. We went on the train around the park, took a jungle cruise, rode Dumbo and the merry-go-round, had some delicious but not so nutritious chicken fingers and ended the day with a ride on Pirates of the Caribbean. He loved every minute of it. We were a bit nervous about Pirates and hoped it would not be too scary and we were pleasantly surprised that he was not phased by it at all. He loved singing the pirates song after that.

We left the park around 3, as both Joaquin and I were pretty much pooped. Then, after stopping to pick up some necessities and a birthday cake, we went to the hotel where Jay's parents were staying and watched a very stressful yet fun Notre Dame football game. It was the biggest game of the season - against Oklahoma at Oklahoma (ranked #8) - and we won 30 to 13. Yay!

What a great day. Joaquin ended it with some birthday cake and presents and was pretty thrilled all around about this whole birthday thing.

Then on Sunday his grandma and grandpa (my Dad and Gery) came over with some dinner and that beautiful birthday cupcake pictured above. He got more treats and more presents, making this pretty much the best weekend ever for a toddler. He's going to think he's gone to heaven when he realizes that tomorrow is a candy-filled holiday on top of it all.

On a more serious note, the last two years have been a whirlwind of fun and love with our darling little boy. He is a pleasure to be around in every way. His laugh is infectious, his curiousity inspiring and his affection is heart melting. It's hard to believe it has been two years since we welcomed him into this world. As I said to Jay, we've already had him for over 10% of the time he will likely live at home! (To which Jay replied, you never know, he might live with us until he's 30). Haha. Joaquin has enriched our lives in ways I can't even explain and never would have believed until I experienced it myself. He's so great, we decided we wanted to do it all over again!

Ticker Change Thursday - 32 Weeks

Noemi is 32 weeks today and still about the size of a squash. She sleeps 90-95% of the day, and sometimes experiences REM sleep, an indication of dreaming. She is head-down, which is great news. This week her movements will peak. The wrinkles in her face are disappearing and fat is still being deposited throughout her body. The body growth slows down from now on. Because of the lack of space in the uterus, the legs are drawn up in what is known as the fetal position. As a preparation for breastfeeding, she has already learned to root for the breast. The baby will turn its head if touched on the cheek and open its mouth if the bottom lip is tickled. By this time the baby can also suck and swallow in a coordinated way.

How far along? 32 weeks

Weight gain/loss: I'm up a total of 28 pounds.

Sleep? Other than waking up 6+ times a night to pee, sleep is pretty good these days.

Best moment this week? I finally got the office/nursery ready, which was a relief. But, I think the best moment was this morning when Joaquin got a little motorcycle for his birthday from Elizabeth. He was so excited and so adorable riding it around!

Movement: It seems like she keeps kicking the same spot on my belly because I feel a little bruised. Ouch!

Food cravings: Iced tea.

What I miss? The list is long these days: normal clothes, energy, cocktails, sleeping on my stomach, agility. But, of course, it is all sooo worth it.

What I am looking forward to? This merger closing next week. It is killing me. I started working from home this week which has helped but it is still more busy than I would like and can reasonably handle at this point. Just one more week!

Milestones: I had what may have been my last ultrasound yesterday. No pictures, unfortunately, but from what I could tell Noemi's growth is right on track. Yay!!

What I'm nervous about: We are taking Joaquin to Disneyland for the first time on Saturday to celebrate his second birthday. I am really excited because I know he will love it but it is going to be a tough day for me to keep up. I hope I can make it through without ruining his fun!

Belly Picture Friday - 31 weeks 1 day

Apologies for the not-so-great photo. I'm working from home today, as you can see. I'm sure you can also see the work in progress that is the office these days. I can't wait to get it all cleaned up and ready to go! Happy Friday everyone. Hope you have a fabulous weekend.

Ticker Change Thursday - 31 Weeks

Noemi is 31 weeks today and about the size of a squash. She should be approximately 4 pounds. Noemie is busy accumulating layers of fat under her skin. The arms, legs, and body start to fill out and will look less wrinkly as each week progresses. She may be finding the space tighter and tighter at this point.

How far along? 31 weeks

Weight gain/loss: I haven't checked since last week. I was up 25 points then. Hopefully I'm gaining about 1 pound a week.

Sleep? Sleep has been significantly worse this week. I am so big and need to pee so much that I wake up at least 6-7 times a night.

Best moment this week? I'm working from home today, which is pretty nice.

Movement: She is everywhere! It is fun, but of course all of her movements mean plenty of kicks straight to my bladder.

Food cravings: None really. Food is sort of a necessary evil today. I'm only really eating to avoid feeling hungry.

Belly button in or out? Out and to the right.

What I miss? Sleeping on my stomach.

What I am looking forward to? We got the garage organized last weekend and now we need to move the mattress and bookcase out of the office. Then we can get all of the baby stuff set up (and clear some major baby product clutter that has accumulated recently). Getting this done will fill me with relief. I'm weird, I know.

Milestones: I'm officially working from home today. I think this may be at least semi-permanent.

What I'm nervous about: Keeping this baby baking for at least 6 more weeks. 7 would be even better.

Belly Picture Friday - 30w1d

3D Pictures!

I was feeling a little antsy without the great 3D shots we got with Joaquin, so Jay and I went to a special place in Costa Mesa today to get a 3D session and some pictures to share with the blog. Noemi was a bit sleepy and liked to cover her face with her hands, but here are a few shots from our session. Enjoy!

And finally, Noemi says "Peace!"

Ticker Change Thursday - 30 Weeks

Noemi is about 15.7 inches long now and still about the size of a squash. She weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

How far along? 30 weeks

Weight gain/loss: I'm up a total of 25 pounds. This sounds like a big jump from last week, but my doctor just changed scales and said that, alas, this is the accurate figure and the other scale was too nice. Oh well. I am still gaining weight slower than I did with Joaquin, which is good. Maybe I need to increase my afternoon walks and decrease the chocolate covered caramels.

Sleep? We've been pretty busy lately so I've been going to bed later than normal. I hope to get back to an earlier bedtime soon.

Best moment this week? It was great to see Jay's family in Denver and celebrate with Mia. We also had a lot of fun on a short day trip up to Boulder. What a gorgeous town!

Movement: Noemi is kicking up a storm lately. I can see my belly moving all over the place on a regular basis.

Food cravings: Brussel sprouts sound yummy today.

Belly button in or out? Out and to the right.

What I miss? Having enough energy to give Joaquin as much attention as he wants. It's pretty hard to get on the ground and play with him these days, not to mention getting him dressed.

What I am looking forward to? This Sunday is garage organization day, which will free up some room in our place for Noemi's stuff. I am really looking forward to figuring out how to organize her stuff and get it all ready. I was so on top of this with Joaquin I can't believe I'm already 30 weeks and have barely started this time!

Milestones: Only 10 weeks left!

What I'm nervous about: I really hope this weekend's organization activities are successful and that I figure out a way to fit two kiddos in our house with minimal clutter.

Ticker Change Thursday - 29 Weeks (Just a Few Days Late)

Noemi is 29 weeks and 3 days today and about the size of a squash! Her muscles and lungs will continue to develop and mature in the weeks ahead. Her brain is also developing and maturing, with billions of neurons forming daily. She requires more nutrition than ever from 29 weeks pregnant and beyond, so it is important that I eat well and get plenty of sleep during this important developmental period!

How far along? 29 weeks

Weight gain/loss: I'm not quite sure. Somewhere between 16 and 20 pounds though.

Sleep? We've been in Denver for the last few days. Our rental house is nice, but there is no comparison when it comes to mattresses. Our mattress at home is seriously the best thing I've ever spent money on. Plus, I miss my body pillow. Tomorrow night will feel divine in my own bed.

Best moment this week? This whole long weekend has been great. It has been so nice to visit with Jay's family and celebrate the impending arrival of my niece.

Movement: She moves like crazy. I don't remember Joaquin moving this much. You can constantly see my belly moving all over even through my clothes. It's pretty cool.

Food cravings: Fancy cheese.

Belly button in or out? Out and to the right. This was the same with Joaquin. I thought it was because he liked to hang out on my left side. It actually turns out I have mild scoliosis, which causes this.

What I miss? Energy.

What I am looking forward to? I am looking forward to a return to a somewhat normal work schedule. A huge merger I have been working on signed on Friday (finally!) so things should calm down. Thank goodness. I was really at the end of my rope.

Milestones: About 2 months to go, considering how early Joaquin came. Maybe even less than that. I want my little girl to bake as long as possible, but it will also be so nice to finally meet her.

What I'm nervous about: I'm a little nervous about the flight back tomorrow. It's only about 2 hours but flights with a toddler are just hard regardless.