BJ at Week 22

The week of June 22nd, 2009

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, BJ is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's continuing to develop 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 her, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until he adds a padding of fat called "brown fat" to fill them in. Inside her belly, the pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.(Babycenter.com) It's amazing that BJ weighs in at nearly a whopping pound and measures nearly eight inches, about the size of a small doll. She can now distinctly perceive light and dark. She can also recognize my voice and distinguish my heartbeat from her own. What a smart baby!

The 20 week (halfway) mark came and went pretty fast. Now that we know BJ is a girl, the time seems to be moving much faster. Everyone said this would happen so we are just trying to get prepared for her as much as we can. But I still feel like so much has to be done. We were planning to clean out the closet in her room this week, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Not sure if we will. We still haven't picked out furniture for her either. Oh well, if push comes to shove (literally) and her nursurey isn't ready, she can just sleep in the night stand drawer next to my bed :) I know we have time, but it just seems to be going faster and faster and before I know it she will be here. Chip and I also need to start signing up for birthing classes and other classes to take at the hospital. So far, our doctor told us to take the Infant Care class where we'll learn to take care of BJ after she's brought home from the hospital, the Baby CPR class and the Labor and Delivery class. I'm also going to sign up for the Breast Feeding class. I'm debating that last one since after we have the baby we'll get free classes in the hospital, but I think I'd like to be prepared before-hand so BJ can start nursing right away (I hope). I'm excited about starting the classes but I can't believe how LONG they are!

Father's Day was really nice. Tre and BJ each gave their dad a card and a framed photo. I think he was happy and excited :) We celebrated Father's Day as a family at church and then we took Chip to PF Chang's for dinner. It was a beautiful day! Then it was home for a nap because we were both exhausted.

BJ moves around constantly now. I always feel her about 10-15 minutes after I eat something. Her kick-boxing skills are improving and are finally strong enough for Chip to feel them. Monday night was the first time he felt her as she moved and wiggled around. I felt her moving so I put his hand on my belly and she kicked a few times. He said, "Is that her poking you" I said yep, that's your baby. It was the coolest thing. After that he kept poking her to see if she would play back, and after that her poking in response got stronger and stronger. It was incredible. I'm glad he can finally feel her. And for me it was such an amazing thing to feel her move on the inside and the outside. What a special time that was! Now, I've heard at some point, you can actually see the baby moving, so now I guess we'll wait to see my belly flinching. So cool!

She is still VERY low and almost always has some part of her body on my bladder, so I'm constantly going to the bathroom. Also I hear it's pretty typical for your stomach to turn hard as a rock after you eat a big meal, which is very uncomfortable. I personally experienced this last weekend after eating at a birthday dinner for Chip's cousin Erica. I was extremely uncomfortable all night. I couldn't even get comfortable to sleep. I had to sit up most of the night. It was horrible. I vowed to not EVER do that again.

As for me, these days, the only things growing more rapidly than BJ may be my feet!!! As if my ever-expanding belly (body) wasn't enough — now my feet are getting in on the act! I read it's due to the pregnancy hormone relaxin, which loosens my pelvic ligaments. Well, it also loosens every other ligament too — including the ones in my feet. In turn, the bones beneath those ligaments spread slightly, which results, for many women, in a half or whole shoe-size increase. Ugggh! All my cute shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No more stilettos, I've worn you as long as I can, now I must tearfully and reluctantly bid you farewell — at least for a while (that is if my feet don't out grow you). I guess it's time for more sensible shoes to help me balance my big belly and my changing center of gravity. Well, you know how much I love shoes!!!! What a great reason for new ones :) Maybe Chip will take me off new shoe purchasing punishment :) I might as well get something out of this too (other than a baby I mean) :) LOL!!

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