Pregnant Women are Smug

37 Weeks

Wow, could that look any bigger? eeek!

Baby's growth slows down dramatically this week, which is great news for your birth canal. Her bones are still soft and pliable and will solidify after she's born.

So if she's all cooked and ready to go, what the heck is she still doing in there?! She's busy practicing for "life on the outside," working on her breathing, sucking, sleeping, gazing and peeing abilities. The only thing she can't practice yet is her ability to scream at the top of her lungs when she's hungry—but she'll do plenty of that in a few weeks.

At this point babies vary in size, but the average length is between 19 and 20 inches and most babies weigh approximately 6 pounds.

Other big news: I'm officially on maternity leave. Yay!!!! (No more paychecks, boooo!!) Hopefully I can rest my feet for another week and then little Emily will come and greet the world! Wishful thinking, haha!

36 Weeks

Baby continues to put on weight at about ½ pound each week. This layer of fat will help baby regulate her body temperature after leaving my climate-controlled womb. In fact, baby will be 15 percent fat at birth.. Even in the womb, baby can listen, feel, touch and see. The only thing separating her from living in the outside world is a little thing called the birth canal. Other highlights this week:

Her gums are firm with ridges that look somewhat like teeth, though her actual pearly whites won't start breaking through until she's between three months and a year old.

Baby has definite patterns of sleep and wakefulness—opening her eyes while awake and closing them while sleeping. Baby will become alert and turn her head toward light and sound just as a newborn would.

Baby is now around 18½ inches long and nearly 6 pounds—just about as big as a breadbox!

Other news: Emily has a mattress!! Her room is now complete, so come any day now little girl!!

35 Weeks and 35 Days to go!

This week the final touches are being added to our mini-masterpiece and most of her development is going to packing on the pounds. Baby's movements may be becoming less jerky, she may do her final somersault in the womb soon—to put herself into the head-down position for birth. (Actually, the doctor said she already has!!) Other fascinating facts:

She can't quite pack the punch she used to due to the limited space inside the womb these days. I'm feeling more wiggles, stretches and rolls than kicks and jabs. The extra layer of fat baby is adding will create those cute dimples on her elbows and knees. Her liver has begun processing waste products, so we know which organ to thank when she has her first blowout up the back of her onesie. I'll let Eric handle that one.

Baby's nails are growing so long they may curl over the tips of her tiny fingers and toes before she sees a pair of clippers. She'll be in serious need of a mani-pedi once she's born, so will I.

Baby is now about 5½ pounds and over 18 inches long—about the size of one of those price-club sheet cakes.

I'm also adding a baby pool on the side. You can put in your guesses about weight, inches, due date, hair, time, and eyes. Good luck, but I may have to curse you if you think she is coming after the due date!!

34 Weeks and Pictures

Baby kind of looks like she's coated in a layer of cream cheese these days. The thick, white substance that protects her skin from pruning in the amniotic fluid is called vernix. When she's born you'll probably see some vernix lingering in her "hard-to-reach" places like under her arms and behind her ears. Other news from the womb this week:

The soft fur, lanugo, that covered baby's body for much of her stay in the womb is now almost completely gone. Baby begins to develop her own immune system, instead of relying solely on antibodies received through the placenta.

This week, baby measures about 17¾ inches, as almost as long as an American Girl Doll and weighs almost 5 pounds, as heavy as a bag of sugar.

Nursery news: We got some pictures hung, the first is Emily's name that Eric's Aunt Jody made for her:



Here's her butterfly painting that I painted to go above the changing table:



The butterfly mobile almost done!! I have about 6 more strands to hang and then clean up all the fishing line:



The nursery view from the doorway, and then the changing table:



And finally, a little corner of pink. I had to get it in there somewhere!!



I got all of the bedding washed this week since Eric and I had planned to buy her a mattress. But, when we got to the store they had all been taken off the shelves due to some safety issue. I just hope she has a bed before she's born!

Plus this past 2 weeks we've been dog sitting Falkor, he is in love with Eric!! A couple of cute pictures, Eric and Falkor enjoying a beer, and Coughlin and Falkor sharing a bed.







(BTW, Thanks Mom and Dad for the new camera!!!)

33 Weeks

The big news this week is lung development—baby's respiratory system is almost completely mature. That means if baby was born this week, odds are she'd be a healthy bouncing baby with a just a little help from her friends (aka, the NICU). Some of the specifics are:

Baby can now detect light and tell the difference between night and day (of course that ability will miraculously disappear once she's born and up all night screaming). Her pupils will constrict and dilate in response to light.

The bones in baby's skull are soft and are not yet fused together. This pliability allows the bones to overlap; making that trip down the tight birth canal possible.

Baby will continue to pack on the pounds gaining around ½ pound a week from here on out.

Baby weighs about 4½ pounds, as much as a grownup duck, and is approximately 17.5 inches long.

Shower Pictures

Emily's First Swimsuit:



My Sister's and I (wow, I'm short):


Sisters and Cousins:


Presents!!


Beautiful Decorations:


Cow Snowsuit:


Awesome Cakes:


32 Week Belly



As you can see from the pictures above I had a wonderful baby shower. Everyone was very generous and I don't think Baby Emily will wear the same outfit twice for at least the first 6 months!!

Special thanks to Mom, Momma Meyer, Amanda, Erica, Carrie, and Aunt Becky for all your hard work! I couldn't have had a better shower!

If anyone has pictures please feel free to email them to Eric or I, or any of our family members.