25-27 weeks

So, once again, I have been lazy, well, busy!

Officially, as of writing this, I am 27.5 weeks pregnant, but lets recap all that baby has learned to do in the last 3 weeks.

25 weeks: Baby was 13.5 inches long and weighed about 1.5# (rutabaga size). He started to gain some fat to look more human and less alien as well. Hair was starting to grow- if we could see inside, we could see color and texture already (just going out on a limb here and saying it is probably not a blond baby!) As for me at that time... my hair is also getting more "lustrious!" I am not even kidding, it is much more managable and less frizzy! Other than that, I was pretty status quo.

26 weeks: Baby's nerves are continuing to develop. His ears are gradually becoming more sensitive and he can hear our conversations now (watch the profanity)... he is also getting accustomed to other noises (like Ripley barking and the vacuum cleaner) so we don't discourage these things now, the more he hears now the less they will bother him when he's napping! He is also still practicing his breathing of the amniotic fluid! He weighed about 1.66# and was 14# long (an English hothouse cucumber). For those of you who are excited he is a boy... his testicles are beginning to descend (this trip takes 2-3 days- so as of writing this, this trip has been completed!)

27 weeks: (where we are currently!) He weighs about 2 pounds (as much as the head of a cauliflower) and is about 14.5 inches long. He has established sleep/wake cycles (he likes to work out about 9pm when I am trying to go to bed!), he opens and closes his eyes regularly and may even suck on his fingers. His brain is becoming super active (obviously- look at his genes!) His nostrils have now become patent (meaning open) and he is practicing breathing in the amniotic fluid through his nose! He also can start having the hiccups! As for me... to save you all the drama of this traumatic experience... I am having no problem gaining weight or fluid! I have to do a 24 hour urine protein test in the event that I could develop pre-eclampsia (this is only a mild concern at this point with my swelling issues... also, my blood pressure jumped, it is still normal 120s/60s but it had been 100s/40s, so they are just going to watch it more closely). I have to do my diabetes test in another week so bring on the fake orange pop! Now lets talk about back pain... honestly, it is so not fun! Even with the back brace which helps my super curved spine, my SI joints are plotting war with me! (this is the joint between your hip and your spine- the sacrum and ilium) Mental note to self... DO NOT WEAR HEALS! Thankfully, my wonderful husband got me a gift certificate for an hour massage for my birthday--- will most definately be using this soon!!!! Oh, I have also had my first few Braxton-Hicks contractions (the "pre" contractions of the uterus- not labor contractions- where the uterus "practices") they were pretty comical actually! An awkward strange feeling that kinda tickled but my whole belly was super hard (or were those just my stellar abs!!!- I wish!)

We will get pics posted this week- I promise- so you all can enjoy looking at my huge belly! We will also post some pics from our vacation in Door County!