99 Days to Go!

I hope they fly by. We can't wait to meet Joaquin in November!

Back to School!

Well, sort of. Tonight, Jay and I have our first "Prepared Childbirth" class at Hoag Hospital. According to their website, the class with cover "is designed to prepare expectant parents for the joys and challenges of labor and birth."
Topics include:
Stages of labor and birth
Signs and symptoms of preterm labor and fetal kick counts
Pain management strategies, both non-pharmacological and pharmacological
Cesarean birth (indications, what to expect and how to recover)
Hospital admission process
PowerPoint presentation of all maternal units (LDR, MBU, NICU)

The class is 2.5 hours, once a week for three weeks. Normally I would not start the class for a few more weeks but we will be out of town in Spain for a while and I wanted to make sure we were prepared before the trip, just in case.

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our 5 year anniversary!! It's funny how time flies when you are in love.

Belly Picture Friday - 25 Weeks 1 Day

Happy Birthday Jay!!!

Today is Jay's 33rd birthday. It's going to be a great year! Happy birthday honey!

Mayo Got into the BBQ Ashes

Ticker Change Thursday - 25 Weeks

Joaquin is 25 weeks old today and still about the size of a papaya. He is now gaining approximately 6 ounces per week! The structures of his spine are starting to form, including 33 vertebrae (rings of bone), 150 joints, and 1,000 ligaments. These structures will eventually support his body weight. Joaquin's capillaries are also forming this week. By the end of week 25, air sacs and blood vessels in Joaquin's lungs will develop, getting him ready for his first breath. So far, Joaquin's nostrils have been plugged up, but they are now beginning to open up. With the advances in technology, if Joaquin was to be born this week, he has up to an 82% chance of survival with aggressive ICU treatment.

How far along? 24 weeks
Weight gain/loss: 22 pounds last time I checked.
Sleep? I am starting to get too big for the bed.
Best moment this week? Jay and I celebrated our anniversary a little early and went out for a very romantic french dinner at Basilic on Balboa Island. It was absolutely lovely.
Movement: Now we have lots of movement. On Sunday morning, Joaquin changed positions and I could actually see it from the outside and feel where either his head or butt was (I couldn't tell which one it was). It was sooo cool.
Food cravings: Chocolate.
Belly button in or out? Out, and now visible even with a loose shirt.
What I miss? Being agile.
What I am looking forward to? We are celebrating Jay's birthday tonight!
Milestones: We have officially completed everything we planned to do for the nursery decorations, as of last night!
What I'm nervous about: How much bigger I am going to get. I hope I can still reach my keyboard in a few weeks!