28 weeks

Monday's appointment wasn't great. On the positive, still no weight gain and Jolynn's HR is around 150. My BP was high again though. They had me rest on my left side for a while and then retested. It went down, but now they want me to test it everyday for the next week and then I have to revisit them on Wednesday. At that point they will decide if I need to come back in a week or if I can start my every two week regime. This sucks. I feel fine. I'm not swelling or light headed or feel like my heart is going to burst out of my chest. My choices are either go to the clinic everyday for a BP check or stop at a Target/Walgreens and use one of those machines. I don't do well with the machines because they get really tight/painful. Plus with camping this weekend, it's going to make it hard to find a place to do this. I'm hoping my mom still has her BP cuff and scope.

Mom's cuff was stolen when the cabin was broken into. So I went to CVS. They had a cuff and scope for $15 and a digital one for $30. I have come to the conclusion that the digital one is not all that accurate because I am reading 154/104 IN THE MORNING. The cuff does say that it has to wrap around to a certain point on your arm or you have to go up a size. Which it doesn't, so I'm sure it's not taking an accurate reading. Again, I feel fine. If I had any of the signs of preeclampsia I would be worried, but I don't.

My 28 week photo for some reason looks smaller to me than my 26 week. I'm so excited for the next few weeks - camping, BOW, volunteering at the MS 150. Then there will be a few weeks of rest. We still have class until the end of June also.

Jolynn's progress:
By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

27 weeks

We attended our first birthing class on Thursday. It was a packed room. Jon and I thought we were early because we were there 15 min before start time. Everyone else was pretty much right behind us. I found that I am not very good at asking the questions. I just don't have any. Talking was not a problem though during the group discussions. With all the books and websites I've been going to, there isn't much I'm not prepared for. Jon on the other hand I wasn't so sure of. I thought this would be nice for him to talk to other expecting dads. He found that he too was much more prepared for what is to come than most of the other dads there. At the end of class we talked to the instructor about how many of the dads were pretty clueless and how Jon was more at ease with everything because of the books he had been reading. She suggested he bring his books to our next class. Women tend to look and read into this more than men, and she thought if it came from him (not the instructor) it would have more weight.

I've been diligently taking my medication and watching the salt intake. I admit, I have had a McD's and we have been to Red Robin a couple times. Do you really expect me to eat salad 7 days a week twice a day?! I need to splurge every now and then. I'm feeling great. I've been weighing myself and still have not seen any weight gain. I have my last monthly appointment on Monday. There will of course be an update in week 28. After that I believe the appointments go every 2 weeks for the next 2 months and then every week for the last month. Cruisin right along! Jolynn was a little quiet the last two days, but has been moving quite a bit again today. Go right ahead. Squirm all you want. Daddy and I love to feel it...and sometimes Polly too.

Jolynn's progress:
This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

26 weeks

I made it to the end of the 2nd trimester! Bring on the last 3 months! I can't believe it. It really is going fast. I think about the things that are left to do with the room and I hope things come together soon. Jolynn moves a lot. Jon has been feeling her more (and believes that it really is her). Polly was resting her head on my belly last night and Jolynn started kicking and squirming. Polly got up and moved to Jon's belly. Haha. I want to try and find a stethoscope. The books say I may be able to hear the heart beat with one at this point.

Things are starting to hit work too. People realizing that there are only 3 months left. I think I am right on track and all the sales reps I work with are really sticking to their deadlines so I can get things done before I leave. Things run so smoothly when everyone does what they are supposed to do.

I've been to a point where I think I should still be able to do things and eat things. Then I do, and I don't want to do them again. Mowed the front lawn; pretty sure I don't want to do that again in the next 3 months. Eating spicy food; pretty sure I can't do that again for a while. Lugging groceries into the house; lighter bags or Jon has to be home to help. All a learning curve.

The one thing I still don't get is how I haven't gained any weight. I've actually lost weight. I'm HUGE. Really. And I still have the biggest growth spurt to go. Where is it going? Was I this big before I was pregnant and the baby has been eating away at my body (as my mom once called-a parasite)? Whatever is going on, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Hope it continues after Jolynn is born.

Jolynn update:
The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches from head to heel.

25 weeks

This marks the week that Jon got to feel Jolynn. I felt some hefty kicks and thought maybe he would be able to feel them on the outside. I felt for it first and did, then put his hand in the same spot. He thought I flexed my stomach muscles - nope, that was Jolynn!

It has also been brought to my attention that I need to slow my purchasing down, at least until after any showers. Mike asked me yesterday (as I was showing him more outfits from Munchkin Markets) if Jolynn had 365 outfits yet. Not quite, but close. I took a few photos of the loot.

Jodi had mentioned also that I didn't have any posts up on here or Facebook about the wall art above Jolynn crib. Here you go.

Next, picture this: Jodi had me send her these two photos so she could make original works of art on canvas to put above the couch.




Jolynn's progress:
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

24 weeks

It was an interesting week. Started with my appointment on Monday with the doc after being on BP meds for 2 days and having a low sodium intake. BP was much better - 130/48. It is still high, but I thought that much lower after 2 days was much better. I also lost 2 lbs! With as much as I am going to the bathroom, I really didn't think I was retaining that much water. They said I didn't have to come back for 4 weeks, so that was also a good thing. Not helping with the low sodium intake - I have been craving potato chips and KFC. I have not given in. Popcorn chicken sounds really good though.

Still keeping myself pretty busy. This weekend I am volunteering at the Parkinson Walk. Something I have done for almost 5 years now. I just help write out the forms for the groups getting their photo taken. Nothing strenous. Then I will meet up with Jodi and possibly Erin for the next Munchkin Market sale at Washington County Fairgrounds. In the evening, Jon and I were invited over to Olaf's for game night. Nice to get together with friends, and after a busy day, glad I'm not hosting it.

Jolynn's progress:

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.

23 weeks

It was an interesting week. I had a doctors appointment on Wednesday. It didn't turn out the greatest. Good news is I still haven't gained any weight. I wonder where it is all going. The books say I should have gained about 10-15 lbs by now. If I am losing the weight, I wish it were this easy before I got pregnant.
The bad news is my blood pressure was extremely high. It has been high before, but they would take it again and it would go down; or it was around normal. Apparently even a few points above 120/80 is still hypertension. Wednesdays visit was 158/90. She asked if I wanted to try and control this with a diet or medication. I wanted to try the diet first. I looked back at what I had been eating the last few days before the appointment and it wasn't great. So I thought if I watched what I ate maybe it would go down.
Fridays appointment wasn't much better. BP was 148/92. So she put me on Labetalol. For now it is a low dosage of 100 mg 1 tablet twice a day. I know they wouldn't put me on anything that would hurt Jolynn, so I'm not worried about that. What I am worried about is the increased BP that could hurt Jolynn or require me to go on bedrest early. I'm not prepared for that. I have another appointment on Monday. Hopefully this medicine will make a difference. I can tell you that worrying about your BP is not conducive to lowering it.
Another good for the week-Jolynn moves quite a bit. Can't wait for Jon to feel it on the outside.

Jolynn's progress:
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, 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.

22 weeks

Really the only change this week has been movement. I feel Jolynn much more now. Other than that things have been uneventful pregnancy wise. Since finding out the sex I have accumulated many girlie outfits. I have found that I have a weakness for dresses with matching bloomers. Margaret took me to a fundraiser/sale at Cottage Grove MS yesterday. You could buy an IKEA bag for $1 at the door. I think we could have filled 3. There were sooo many clothes. Everything was priced from .50-6.00. I think the most we spent on anything was $3. I couldn't believe the deals we found on items that in the store brand new would be $30. Brand name clothing, some stuff still had tags on it! We only went through the 0-12 months. There were other rooms with toys and books, but we didn't even get there. Once the IKEA bag was full we had stuff in our arms. I had to say enough was enough. I had to meet some friends at the MN Zoo to see the Farm Babies exibit. Otherwise, we probably would have stayed longer. There were some ladies that told us of some other big sales like this one. A friend also told me about a website Munchkin Markets. If you sign up, they will send you emails with upcoming events.


Also last weekend Margaret, Mike and I went to the Baby Expo. Some vendors decided to leave way before the end of the show which was disappointing. Good for the other vendors because we still ended up buying stuff and taking pamphlets of their advertising materials. They had pony rides, jumpers, and much more. To the right is a display of a baby at 20 weeks. There is a tube of chapstick next to it for size comparison.

My weekends have been very busy. I am trying. I'm getting close to the third trimester. I'm not very good at waiting for things, so if I keep myself busy I'm hoping I won't think about it.

Jolynn's progress:
At 11 inches and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but her irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until she adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside her belly, her pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.