HALFWAY!!!!

On Tuesday the 15th of February I hit the halfway mark:  WOO HOO!


It also made me realize we have not done half the things we need to get done. YIKES!  Note to self, I must get more organized over the next few weeks. 


The Ultrasound was great and it was amazing how much you can actually see.  During the 16 week scan you could see the heart beating, but this time (with the help of some color imaging) you got to see the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood flowing through the chambers of the heart and through the umbilical cord.  It was also incredible as to how much you can see: internal organs, skeletal structure and the sex. However, we were good and averted our eyes when the screen showed the gender of the baby, which means the sex is still a surprise.  I will add a poll to the website so everyone can have a guess.   Here are several pictures from the ultra sounds. 

For the fruit comparison of the week, the baby is the length of the banana (for the first 20 weeks the baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, so measurements are taken from the top of their head to their bottom, the "crown to rump" measurement and after 20 weeks, they are measured from head to toe.)  The baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces (298 grams) now and is around 6 1/2 inches (16.5 centimeters) long from head to bottom and about 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) from head to heel.


We also had some sad news with week as both Arthur’s Grandmother and a close family Friend, Jeffery Miller passed away.  They will forever remain in our hearts.

Week Eighteen & Nineteen

The last few weeks have flown by and so I'm playing a bit of catch-up with the blog.  I know I am currently in week 21, but week 20 deserved its own post so they will be posted shortly.

Things have been going very well the past few weeks.  The most exciting news is I have felt a few fluttering baby movements, but it isn’t every day and sometimes I am not 100% sure if it is the baby moving or just gas!  

My biggest noticeable difference this week has been hunger.  The books say the baby is going through a growth spurt, which makes the elevated hunger pains normal.  I try to make the snacks healthy foods such as carrots, apples and oranges, but every now and then I might sneak a cookie or brownie.

During week eighteen Cookie-Dough is now about the size of a sweet potato or bell pepper: approximately 5.6 inches (14.2 centimeters) and weighs 6.7 ounces (190 grams).  Cookie-D is yawning, swallowing, hiccupping, and sucking.

If we were to have a scan of the baby this week, it might appear that Cookie-D is taking a martial arts course inside of me; what with all the twisting, rolling, punching and kicking, the excitement of feeling the baby now, may well become short-lived as the kicks get ever more forceful.

During week eighteen Cookie-Dough is now about the size of a mango or Heirloom tomato: approximately 6 inches (14.2 centimeters) and weighs 8 1/2 ounces (190 grams).  Cookie-D is working on all five senses.  Nerve cells for the sense of taste, hearing, sight and smell are all developing in the brain.  Also a waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Week 18

During week 20 we have a scan so I will tell you all about it in the next post.  

In the outside World, we had a huge storm in Denver from the night of February 2^nd through the morning of February 4^th.  We got approximately 24 inches of snow in this time and, while I got to work from home, I also got to gloat as Arthur battled the snow while shoveling the driveway a number of times!  

Week 19

By Saturday the 4^th I had cabin fever and had to get out, so two pregnant ladies (Rachel and I) headed to Evergreen to go snowshoeing.  While we only got 24 inches of snow, Evergreen got closer to 40 inches making for excellent conditions.  Most of the park we were in had some trails that had already been packed down by other snowshoers or skiers, but in a few areas we were having to forge our own trails. 

On Sunday we had a few people over to watch the super bowl, but to be honest I didn’t really watch much of the game.  Then on Monday the 6^th we celebrated our 4-year dating anniversary with dinner out at the Grand Lux Cafe.

The following week we didn’t get up to much as we were preparing for my sister-in-law, Fran, to come visit us in Denver and for my cousin Shannon’s baby to arrive. 

Shannon and Mike also let the gender of the baby be a surprise and for whatever reason everyone got it into their heads that she was having a boy.  Like everyone else, I was wrong.  Elin Anna Glunk was born on Friday morning at 11:47am weighing 6 lbs 11 oz and was 20 ¾ inches in length.  Both Arthur and I went to the hospital Friday afternoon to visit a beautiful and very alert newborn. 

Arthur and I both got to hold her.  I would love to say Arthur was instantly a natural when holding Elin, but he didn’t spend his youth babysitting, although he did liken it to holding newborn lambs (which he is more practiced in): he will be getting a lot more practice soon! 

Weeks Sixteen and Seventeen

I had my sixteen week appointment last Thursday.   It is the basic appointment, where they take your weight, blood pressure, measure where the uterus is and listen for the baby’s heartbeat.  From what we can tell, Cookie Dough is doing really well as there is a strong heart beat and I am measuring right on.  Also the doctor said the baby was moving around a lot, which is a good sign, but I have yet to feel anything.  Feeling the baby for the first time should happen at some point between 16 and 22 weeks and I am anxiously waiting for that first time. 

I have been feeling great these last two weeks and I have been able to work out every day on my lunch break – it is a very welcome break in the work day.  The downside is that I am having a little difficulty sleeping deeply and uninterrupted, plus my dreams have gone into some sort of overdrive.  In one dream I was dancing in a Justin Timberlake video at about 8 months pregnant…not something I think anyone would want to see!

Last weekend I was finally forced to admit that my regular clothes no longer fitted the way they should (my jeans were being held up by hair ties and Bella Bands) and I kitted myself out with a set of maternity wear.  Now I get to enjoy the comfort of maternity cloths and they are wonderful!

During week 16 the baby was about the size of an avocado and was 4.5 inches (11.4 centimeters) head to rump and 3.5 ounces (99 grams).  A few major developments for the baby this week are:

•   The heart is now pumping about 25 quarts (23.6 litres) of blood each day
•   They can hear loud voices/noises
•   Their hair, eye lashes and eyebrows are growing
•   Their taste buds are forming

16 week photo

During week 17 the baby progressed to about the size of a large onion 5.1 inches long (12.95 centimeters) and weighs about 5.9 ounces (167 grams).  The weight gain from last week is considerable, largely due to the rubbery cartilage that is now turning in to bone, and the baby is starting to put some fat and muscle on those bones.

17 week photo

The next appointment is the 20 week appointment on 15^th of February.  At this appointment we get to have another ultrasound that, I think, is the last one till the baby is born.   We get to see the baby looking almost human and I will post the pictures of this for everyone to see.  It is also the time when you are able to find out the sex of the baby, but we are still holding strong and looking forward to the big surprise in July!

Fifteen weeks

Today is my first day of the 16^th week.  Finally I have been feeling great during this last week, so hopefully that is the last of the sickness I will see for a while!  During the 15^th week the baby has grown to the size of a softball or naval orange, or approximately 4ins (10.2cms) and 2.5oz (70gms).  All the books say the baby is moving around like crazy, but I haven’t been able to feel anything yet; however, I should be able to recognize the kicking and punching at some point in the next 6 weeks.  I am looking forward to feeling the “flutters”, but I am not sure the kicking will be as enjoyable, especially since a friend described it as “like a monkey trying to climb up your ribcage”.  I am starting to show a little bit, but I feel as if I am at an intermediary period whereby I look more pudgy than pregnant right now. 

In other baby news, we started to look for bedding at Babies R US.  As we are not finding out the sex of the baby, we have to go with a gender neutral color/theme.  Arthur was insistent on just going with boy bedding as he is convinced that even if we have a girl he will raise her as a boy. Fortunately, Arthur managed to find the most adorable bedding that is covered in Bees: I think it is a winner!

Image from Babies R Us

In light of finding the bedding, we are now trying to find a suitable color to paint the nursery – of course, as is increasingly the case these days, when I say “we” I mean “Arthur”.  I am thinking a soft gray to make the yellow pop.  Anyone have any other suggestions? 

This weekend we went up to the mountains and stayed with some friends in their mountain house.  While Arthur, Trent and Bethany were all out skiing, I got to enjoy some peace and quiet, enabling me to finally finish a book I had been reading, as I have been getting rather distracted with all these baby books.  It was very relaxing and I was trying to enjoy every minute as everyone keeps reminding me I won’t be getting too much quiet time once the baby is here. 

Fourteen weeks

During week 14 the baby is now around 3.5 inches, weighs around 1.5 ounces and is about the size of a lemon; which is a bit disappointing as I have defiantly gained more than 1.5 ounces in weight!  This week the baby will be busy moving around and could even be sucking its thumb. 

Mommy on the other hand did not have a great week.  I spent Monday, Tuesday and part or Wednesday very close to the bathroom.  It could have been, either pregnancy nausea, or I caught some type of sickness: the Doctor was fairly sure that it was just a bout of sickness, and as my appetite returned on Thursday, it appears I got off fairly lightly.   I have no idea how other mothers-to-be can go through weeks and weeks of nausea when I could barely handle three days!  I spent the time eating saltine crackers, peppermint candy, and drinking mint tea, which is not the diet I had envisaged feeding my little alien! 

The week 14 photo was taken at Adrienne’s baby-shower and has a few additional pregnant family members. From left to right Me (14 weeks), Adrienne (25 weeks), Rachel (16 weeks), and Shannon (35 weeks).  

It was a beautiful shower with fun games, great food, and even better company.  The one thing the shower did make me realize is just how much stuff you need for a baby!  Time to start planning what I need…

Thirteen Weeks

As a means of documenting the baby / my growth, we are going to take pictures each week of my expanding belly. I probably should have started this at 8 weeks when my pants were still loose. Instead, I am starting as my jeans are getting a little tighter due to the baby's growth - or as I try to convince myself, because of all the Christmas treats!


These photos were taken on December 23rd, when I was 12 weeks and 3 days.  

We also received our first Christmas present for Cookie-Dough (Cookie-D): a turtle that plays different musical instruments when you push on the respective arms and legs. Arthur was skeptical of it at first, but there were plenty of toddlers around on Christmas day to give this toy their seal of approval and, thus, educate Arthur on what little people like.  I also took a poll among my brother's kiddos as to what sex the Cookie-D might turn out to be and they were unanimous in assuming it to be a boy...   

Today I reached 13 weeks, which means only one more week and I will be in my second trimester. Currently Cookie-D is roughly the size of a peach (~2.9 inches long and ~0.81 ounces). There are still around 188 days left, so there is plenty of time for it to grow and for me to enjoy this pregnancy. 


I am still exhausted all the time, so much so, I am usually asleep by 7pm on the sofa, leaving Arthur to clean the kitchen. My cravings for all things weird and wonderful have not taken on obscene proportions (and I am hoping that it stays this way); as yet I have only craved citrus foods, so I am devouring grapefruit, clementines and orange juice by the bucket load.

12 weeks and counting...

I have been thinking and talking about starting a blog for years without much success. I hope to be better at this blog than in the past. For now the goal is a weekly update. Well now there is a bigger reason to create a blog. Arthur and I are expecting our first child!  

The official due date is the 3rd of July, but Arthur and I think it is the 4th of July. Arthur says the 4th is easier for him to remember as it is a important date for him as well! 

After lots of deliberation we have created a nickname for the baby, which is Cookie Dough or Cookie D' for short.  

My first trimester has gone fairly smoothly. I have had a few slight waves of nausea and only been sick one time. (Note: Cookie D' didn't like Tokyo Joe's).  I have had the typical exhaustion and occasional strange feeling in my abdomen, which is to be expected as things are growing and moving around to make room.