Week 25: Turn it around... and around

Baby's development in pregnancy week 25: Your little grower’s physical proportions are evening out at this point and most of their remaining development will largely be weight gain and lots and lots of nervous system development. The good news is: if your child is born premature now they’ll be more likely to survive without too much trauma as their lungs began to produce “surfactant” last week, which means their tiny respiratory system is getting stronger with each passing day. Yes, now’s a good time for a minor sigh of relief and a quick pat on the back. All that hard work and conscientious living is really getting your child prepared for a healthy delivery. Keep up the fabulous work mama! This week they’ll be scootching slowly out of the old breech position and start rotating (already!) into a better position for exit during their birth. Their head and feet are slowly rotating so that the head is pointed down towards the birth canal. Time is short (or really long, depending on who you ask)—just (still!) 14 weeks left before you can go back to being a single-resident human.

And how's mom doing? Trimester two is finally almost over, which means you have that one final trimester of pregnancy to enjoy (and suffer through). You could celebrate this landmark passage by purchasing some piece of clothing designed to make your curvy body look as gorgeous and classy as possible... and don’t let the Try to practice good posture—it will alleviate some of the back fatigue as slouching is actually harder on your back price tag stop you, this is an act of self-love not book-keeping. But before you max out your credit card, remember: you’re only going to get larger, so buy smart. Speaking of larger, you’re obviously carrying more weight now and your back is going to let you know. Don’t let this get you down or make you feel like a weakling—it all comes with the territory of being preggers. Try to practice good posture—it will alleviate some of the back fatigue as slouching is actually harder on your back. It’s also common for women to experience leg cramps during this period. Go ahead, strong arm someone who loves you into giving you a massage. Or if you're lucky enough to have the extra bucks, head to a spa that specializes in pregnancy massages and get the full-treatment.
You may have already noticed that your hair seems fuller, thicker, more plentiful and darker-- especially your body hair. There are two basic reasons for this: 1) you're shedding much less (head) hair than you usually do and 2) your body's hormones contribute to the way your body hair is growing right now. Not to worry, all the hairiness will return to normal after you've delivered your baby.

Please pray for the Chapman family!

This is an article from the website of Steven Curtis Chapman. For those of you have never heard of this man, please check out his website at www.stevencurtischapman.com. He is an amazing Christian artist whose life has not only been dedicated to sharing Christ through music but through his own ministry starting Shaohannah's Hope. Please check it out and continue to pray for this family while going through this tragedy.




MARIA SUE CHAPMAN, DAUGHTER OF STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN, DIES IN ACCIDENT AT FAMILY HOME

NASHVILLE, TN...5/21/08... At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there. Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

More than five years ago, Chapman and his wife MaryBeth founded The Shaohannah’s Hope Ministry after bringing their first adopted daughter, Shaohannah, home from China. The ministry’s goal is to help families reduce the financial barrier of adoption, and has provided grants to over 1700 families wishing to adopt orphans from around the world. Chapman is a five-time GRAMMY ® winner and 54-time Dove Award winning artist who has sold over 10 million albums and garnered 44 No. 1 singles

Week 24: Breathe baby, breathe!

Baby's development in pregnancy week 24: This is another big week for your magical growing baby! Just take a look at the checklist for this week: 1) ears: done; 2) fingernails: done; 3) (if you have a boy) testicles: taking their 3-4 day trip from the abdominal wall to the scrotum; and 4) lungs walls: secreting “surfactant”. What’s that? Well, surfactant is sort of what it sounds like: a surface-activated fat whose main purpose is to assist the your baby's little lungs during inflation (as in, filling with air, not getting more expensive). Just in case you’re curious, your submerged baby is still breathing in amniotic fluid, preparing and rehearsing the lungs an oxygen-filled life outside the womb. By the end of this week, your child will be weighing around 2 lbs and 14 inches long. Your cutie-patootie may even be a little more plump, but isn't anywhere near their full baby-fatted cute-self. Most of the “filling out” is coming up in that long awaited (and slightly dreaded?) third trimester. Woo-hoo! Get ready!

And how's mom doing? Your little one is moving (spinning, kicking, pirouetting, shimmying, and maybe even doing a bit of the Can-Can) so much these days that if you invite your friends and/or family to touch your belly there’s a good chance they’ll get a milder sample of what you’ve been experiencing . You’ve may have We recommend taking the belly-touching calmly and if it really offends you, just say something like: “I just fell in a large vat of anthrax.” experienced the oddity that is strangers who feel a protruding pregnant belly is public property and a silent invitation for belly touching. We recommend taking the belly-touching calmly and if it really offends you, just say something like: “I just fell in a large vat of anthrax.” Or perhaps something a little less aggressive, like, “Please, at the very least, ask me before touching my body.” Still, there are many women who enjoy sharing this touching ritual with others. Find your comfort zone and good luck with the rest.
Scary stuff you should be aware of: The danger of getting preeclampsia (a.k.a. Toxemia) during pregnancy is significantly higher and is characterized by significant swelling of the hands and face, excessive weight gain, blurry vision with severe headaches or abdominal pain. Obviously, swelling is common during pregnancy, but should be monitored closely, and sudden ongoing swelling to the hands and face could be a concern. Talk with your physician for more information. Preeclampsia can also be diagnosed by high blood pressure and the presence of certain proteins in your urine. Again, high blood pressure alone does not mean you are affected, but it might be something you and your physician will want to/need to monitor throughout your pregnancy. Preeclampsia can prevent the placenta from receiving enough blood, thus depriving your baby of essential nutrients and lower oxygen levels, possibly resulting in low birth weights and other problems. There are several websites dedicated to preeclampsia education such as: http://www.preeclampsia.org/.

FUN TIMES!

Michael and I were so busy this weekend that I am just now able to blog about it. We were constantly on the go with so many activities. So bare with me, it’s gonna be a long one!

Friday
We went to the Rangers game with the family for my Dad’s birthday. We had so much fun! It was such a good game. Michael was disappointed that the Astros lost. It turned into a homerun derby almost. My brother David gave Michael a hard time the whole night. The food was excellent. When we first arrived I told my sister-in-law Natalie, “If you see the hotdog man, tackle him!” I had a foot long hot dog with a pickle spear. Actually, two because Michael didn’t want his! YUMM. Even though I’m not very big, it got more difficult through the night trying to stand and cheer every time we scored. My dad got a big laugh watching me trying to get up and cheer or do the wave. David thought he’d be funny and warn me each time the wave was coming our way so I could get a head start! We were so tired when we got home, I don’t even remember going to bed. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! LOVE, RALPH!














Saturday
Natalie worked real hard to give David a surprise birthday party. Since his birthday isn’t until May 25th he was clueless. She surprised him with a new charcoal grill. Everyone brought whatever meat and drinks for their family and the fixings were provided. David did the grilling and was enjoying every bit of it. We got to catch up with a lot of family we hadn’t seen in several months. That of course was fun. Especially for me because they hadn’t seen my round tummy yet! So they enjoyed rubbing on it occasionally. I love it when the family does that. It’s almost like they are giving Daniel a little hug. Sappy I know! We were the last one’s to leave about 4, I think. We were so exhausted. I think it’s mostly from being up so late the night before. We got home around 5. I laid on the couch and crashed! I woke up every now and then to see the Rangers game. They beat the Astros again! Next thing I know it’s midnight and time for bed. YIKES!














Sunday
It was senior recognition at church. My little brother John is graduating from Waxahachie high school. I feel so old. They received a gift bag with a bible and did a little slide show of childhood pictures. I couldn’t tell for sure, but I think my dad shed a few tears. How sweet! After church, Michael and I had an appointment to check out a rent house there in town. It wasn’t for us. So, our search continues. We went to Marble Slab afterwards and gorged myself on a banana split. As the guy handed me my dessert I noticed some ice cream starting to drip off the side, so I licked it. There was a lady standing next to me in line that saw this and giggled. She then looked at my belly and said, “You are just precious.” I smiled and said thanks. Whatever lady, I’ve got ice cream get outta my way! Later that evening was John’s baccalaureate service. Thankfully it was short and to the point. (Unlike this post!) Afterwards we all went over to Dad’s and had some of Lisa’s amazing brisket. And Dad graciously shared his pickle stash. Needless to say, I was so full of food by the time I got home Sunday evening. By the way, the Astros finally won today!

Congratulations to Michael & Corsicana HS Choir

Corsicana HS choir earns top honors at event

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND - Corsicana High School’s choir students received the Overall Outstanding Ensemble award last weekend at their annual spring contest, the highest honor a school can achieve.

The 12 CHS students earned a Superior Rating and were also honored as Outstanding in Class by the judges, all of whom serve as UIL judges.

“Being such a small group, it’s sometimes hard to keep a strong unified sound, but they did just that,” said CHS Director of Choral Activities Mike Huffstetler. “Overall, I feel the trip was a success, and is a good primer for not only recruitment, but building a larger and stronger choral program in Corsicana, not just CHS.

“While most schools who attend these contests steer away from classic UIL literature and perform more pop-based repertoire, we went the opposite route, performing one of our UIL pieces by G.F. Handel, an English Madrigal, and what can only be described as a jazzy tune with strong choral elements. I don’t believe in what many consider ‘fluff’ music, instead opting for pieces that will help the students grow musically.”

The students who participated in the contest included: Nathan Horton, Jon Castleman, Arely Avila, Jamoya Thomas, Leah Ribaul, Randy Woods, Taylor Horn, Sarah Schmidt, Nidya Guevara, Shannon Beasley, Kati Tibbits and Alexis Aguirre.

Week 23: Dancing baby alert!

Baby's development in pregnancy week 23: At this point you’ve pretty much adjusted to the fact you’ve got a moving little gymnast inside of you, but now they’re going to kick up the party a notch because they can hear and react to sounds from the outside world. Sounds from your alarm clock, a thunder roll, or that darned car honking at you across the intersection can actually jar their little ears enough to elicit a kick or violent bout of squirming. Of course this also means that their little ears are picking up the sounds of your voice and those near you. So go ahead, sing a lullaby to your little angel—if they start kicking, it’s likely they just want you to stop… or maybe it was a kick of approval? You decide. Your baby's tiny taste buds are still growing and their bones are continuing to ossify (harden), their tiny veins are visible through their translucent yet wrinkly skin. (Think of it this way: they’ve been swimming in the equivalent of a long hot bath for the past 23 weeks, so you can’t blame them for being a little prune-like.)

And how's mom doing? If no one warned you about the joys of the pregnancy-sleep-challenge, you’ve probably already started to discover just how difficult it can be to find adequately comfortable sleeping positions. The good news is: some people actually invented pillows specifically designed to give a pregnant woman if you want to further reduce the dreaded appearance of pregnancy “cankles” (calf-ankles) try to avoid sitting for long periods of time—and for the hundredth time: don’t forget to stay active! a better chance of sleeping through the night. There are a variety of different designs, but inevitably you’ll want some sort of belly support as well as a body pillow between your legs and under your belly to relieve a bit of the discomfort you're sure to be experiencing right now. If you choose to buy the (rather spendy) pregnancy pillows they've got on the market, make sure you keep the receipt as some women still have problems sleeping and fare better with their own unique pillow collection and set-up.
As if there's not enough to keep track of already, are you remembering to drink lots of fluids? Plenty of good ol’ fashioned H20 (water) can help reduce swelling in your poor ankles and feet-- resulting from the pressure your now over-sized uterus is putting on your pelvic veins, thereby slowing fluid circulation to the lower half of your body. Also, if you want to further reduce the dreaded appearance of pregnancy “cankles” (calf-ankles) try to avoid sitting for long periods of time—and for the hundredth time: don’t forget to stay active! Keeping your fluid intake up is also good for your little resident swimmer as dehydration is frequently connected with premature birthing. Yep, it’s a lot of responsibility, but you can do it! You’re almost two-thirds of the way there already! Keep up the good work mom!

Your pregnancy: 22 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at 10.9 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound. Her skin will continue to appear wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her head and body is now visible. Her lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. Her eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and her pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily.

And how's mom doing? Take a moment to think about this: your uterus has now stretched to such unholy proportions that it extends beyond your navel! The not-so-exciting part of this remarkable fact is that growth like this tends to leave stretch marks and can itch like nobody’s business. If it makes you feel any better, Don’t get suckered into buying really expensive creams that supposedly make stretch marks ‘magically disappear.'Stretch marks are scars on your skin and won’t disappear with a topical cream stretch marks on the belly are extremely common. Don’t get suckered into buying really expensive creams that supposedly make stretch marks ‘magically disappear.'Stretch marks are scars on your skin and won’t disappear with a topical cream . But feel free to apply all the aloe-vera (and other anti-itch lotions) to alleviate the itching. In terms of preventing their appearance, cocoa butter-based creams and creams full of Vitamin E have a reputation for helping-- but there's still no guarantee that those pesky stretch marks won't show up despite your best creaming-up efforts.
Also, your doctor may offer you a glucose screening test sometime in the upcoming weeks. The test checks for a high blood sugar condition that some women are susceptible to during pregnancy. At most, 5 percent of women actually test positive for this problem, but if you do, you will probably have a few more follow up tests to be sure. If you end up with a positive test, make a plan with your physician or nutritionist for treatment. Untreated, the high sugar content in your blood enables the overproduction of baby fat for your little one, and often results in overly high birth weight which can induce premature birth and/or the necessity to deliver via cesarean.


I have a few interesting points to add to this week's update. As of last Monday, Baby James is already measuring well over a pound! And is making his presence known more and more. Especially during church. I guess he appreciates a good preaching. Also, I have already discussed the possibilities of having a large baby with my doctor. And not because of poor diet or high blood sugar. It's already a family joke that I'll be giving birth to a toddler. For those of you who don't know, here's a little birth history. I weighed 10 lbs. 3.5 oz. My darling husband weighed almost 12 pounds! ENOUGH SAID!!

Michael's Parenting Tip of the Week

If it's Baby Einstein, it HAS to be good, right?

The sonogram pictures!

These are all of our sonograms from the very beginning.

Sorry this has taken so long guys!

This first picture was done on 1-8-2008.

We were only five or six weeks at that point and couldn't see much of anything.

All we could see was the "sac" and this little dot resting inside. It was from this first encounter that we started referring to the baby as "Baby Dot".

Because the first sono was so hard to see the doctor had us come back on 1-22-2008 to do the official confirmation. At this point we got to see and hear the baby's heartbeat.

It was the most amazing feeling. All I could do was cry. There really are no words to describe the feeling the first time you hear that sound!

These next prints were of our appointment on 4-28-2008. They are listed in the order they were shot. The reason I specify that is because the doctor said that before determining the sex he starts from the top and works his way down. He checks everything else out first to make sure the baby is developing okay.

The moment the paddle hit my belly, this is what we saw. A full moon!

Needless to say we got to see the baby's sex before anything else. I had my mom on the phone so she could hear everything going on. She was just as shocked as we were. Here's her reaction: "What! Are you sure?!?!"

The doctor got a good laugh! While Michael and I were giving each other high-fives.

Someone at work suggested I have a coke before my appointment so I could see some activity. I loaded up on candy apple rings and a cherry coke. The doctor had to wake the baby up by pushing on my belly! Once he got him moving I got a swift kick in response.

Here's his foot!

We then checked out all the major organs and saw that everything looks great. We saw the kidneys, heart and the umbilical cord that goes up through the body. The doctor tried to get a face shot. He was so snuggled in that he couldn't get him to cheese for the camera. But he did show us his ear!

Towards the end of the appointment I started asking the doctor lots of questions and just going back over a few things. Michael asked one last time, "So everything looks good?"
The baby gave us the thumbs up.

Here are some pictures I've been meaning to post.

This one's for my friend Candi!

Frito kept bringing me his Maverick's basketball while I'm trying to watch the Ranger game.

I hate basketball!

I need to find him a baseball.

While helping my sister pack for her big move, we ran out of bubble wrap. So, my mom decided to use styrofoam plates instead.

She was very proud of herself!

FYI: The piggy bank made it through the move unharmed!