Maternity clothes!

Hooray for my first maternity clothes purchase! Motherhood Maternity is awesome - lol. I bought two skirts and two shirts, and finally, some maternity bikini underwear!! (Sorry if that's TMI, but it is about time!!)

26w4d

26 weeks...

This pic was taken Sunday after church, in the baby's nursery at home. I swear when I got up on Monday to come to work I didn't look this huge. I say it's the dress... :)

Katelyn's Mommy at 25 weeks 5 days...

Sunday is 26 weeks and I should take a better picture. This one's from today at work and a little blurry...

Katelyn at 25 weeks 4 days...

She appears to be sucking her thumb! :) And check out those long arms and legs! She's destined to be a tall girl!

UPDATE: Great news!!

First, prayer works people - and I thank you all for the prayers you've said over the past two weeks for us and baby Katelyn. And thank God for having it all under control!

Next, the great news is that we saw the doctor today and everything is looking good. The cervix measurement is still the same, but they are fine with that because it's been two weeks and it hasn't decreased. I am not going to be put on full time bed rest - YAY!! I am still on limited bed rest though, and will be seen again in four weeks (instead of two - another YAY) and at that point, if all is still looking well, I won't have to be seen at Winnie Palmer anymore by their specialist, I can continue my follow ups with my regular OB (yet another YAY).

They aren't going to move up my due date again, but they did say baby Katelyn, little over achiever that she is, is measuring ahead, yet again. lol! She now weighs almost 2 pounds!! They said they stop worrying about the cervix measurement after about 32 weeks, so if in the next 7 to 8 weeks all is good, I am ready to go at any time she wants to come - HOLY COW! I would prefer 37 weeks, but we'll see how all of that goes. Although, it did freak out Shawn and I both to hear she could come as early as April!! LOL! You should have seen the looks on our faces - ha ha. But we couldn't be more thrilled that she is doing so well and that things are looking great!

Thanks again for your good thoughts, well wishes and prayers!!

I'll have pictures from today up later in another post...they got some great 3D ones for us today!!

25 weeks 1 day...

This is the picture, an eggplant, that is shown for the baby's size from weeks 25 through 28. Scary part...there are only three other fruits/veggies left on the list!! ::gulps:: I've been through 19 other fruits/veggies!!

4D ultrasound scheduled...

Pretty early on Shawn decided he wanted us to get the 4D ultrasound done. I've seen good ones and bad ones, and I'm hoping ours turns out good. It's scheduled for March 16th and we've invited our moms to attend.

The bad part of that appointment that day, is that it's not just for the 4D, it's also going to be my one hour glucose test. Fun, fun. Same with everything, everyone's experience is different, so I've heard and good and bad things. I'm again hoping that the sugary drink they describe won't be that bad and that, of course, most importantly, I pass my one hour test so I don't have to do the three hour test.

The baby is always very active at my morning appointments and the techs/doctor always comment on that. Today was no exception - - as soon as the PA put the heart monitor on my belly, baby Katelyn decided to kick it spot on. lol! The PA had to chase her around a bit to get her heartbeat but she finally found it and it was strong and fast as usual. Also, for the first time, I noticed my belly move on the outside when she kicked/rolled around. I saw this when I was in the doctor's office laying on my side, and then the PA noticed it too while she was putting the monitor on my belly. It was funny to see her flinch back when it happened. ha ha!

Last night, we used our heart monitor at home and it worked for the first time. We found her heart beat almost right away. Very nice to have that at home!

This coming Thursday the 19th is my follow up appointment to find out about the cervix/bed rest issue. I know that lots of prayers have been said and I'm so appreciative of everyone's support and understanding (and especially appreciative that Shawn has stepped up to do everything over the past two weeks - he's been great about it!) Thank you all for your prayers!

24 weeks 5 days...

Another milestone...

On Saturday, Shawn felt baby Katelyn move for the first time. As I was laying down in our new recliner, I noticed the baby was moving a lot after lunch. So, Shawn came over and pushed down and immediately felt her kick. He felt her move again on Sunday too! It was very, very cool!!

24 weeks! Happy V-Day!

V-day - or Viability Day - is the milestone where your baby, if born, has a 50/50 chance of survival. It's amazing with technology today that such small babies, not yet developed in many ways, can be born and turn out healthy. Baby Katelyn has been advised she must wait until 37 weeks minimum, and it's good to know lots of prayers are keeping her put!!

Today's update: How your baby's growing:
Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts her at just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long, she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

How your life's changing:In the past few weeks, the top of your uterus has risen above your belly button and is now about the size of a soccer ball.

- - A soccer ball, huh? And I'm still being told at least once a week that I don't look pregnant. Nice! That will soon change! :)

Crib delivery, set up & finished nursery!

I don't know why the pics are showing up small. Sorry. I also should explain that while the walls may look white - - they are actually a pale sage green. They were meant to be a "khaki/tan" but for some reason, appear more green. (If you've seen our living room, it's about the same color. Sadly. I wanted something different, but oh well, it's all good and at least it matches).

23 weeks 3 days update...

How your baby's growing:Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

- - I find it interesting that they reference the size of a baby as "a large mango" weighing more than a pound. Where is that mango at Publix?! Never seen it!

3weeksand 3 days from today - I will be 26 weeks 6 days - officially 3rd Trimester!!

::faints::