Week 28

Tomorrow marks 28 weeks (beginning the 7th month!).  

The baby responds to light and sound.

The baby is now about 15 to 16 inches long and weighs about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds.

The baby can open and close her eyes and suck her thumb.

The baby exercises by kicking and stretching.

From here.  

 I read some where that it is good to start kick counts in the third trimester. So I started and it is very easy. In the morning I just roll over once and then start counting. The 10 movements come in less than 1-2 minutes. The rest of the day I feel the baby regularly and so I don’t worry about “officially” counting. Today I took a nice soak in the tub. First one in 6 weeks. Is there any nicer way to wake up? This baby better love baths as much as I do. The baby seems to wake up just when I start to relax. I went out on the porch this afternoon with Ty Ty and because we live in such an uninhabited area I decided to push my shirt up to my ribcage and let the baby catch the rays. Apparently the glow of sunshine is seen through the walls of the uterus. Sure enough Feisty kicked several times. Maybe I interrupted nap time. Tyler just rolled and rolled in the green grass apparently in pure bliss. He has been enjoying being home with us. Smiling all the time. Because of course dogs smile. Jacque (who watched Tyler while we were in Australia) and the family came over yesterday evening for the once a year cheesecake night and Tyler had a total cow seeing them all again. He loved it!

Tuesday morning Andrew and I headed to our midwife appointment. We had a good visit. Did the gestational diabetes and iron check and all the levels were good. The midwife poked around at Feisty and said “Oh there’s the but.” I am fascinated that she can tell where the baby is by poking around. She tried to feel for the head which was kind of uncomfortable because she poked a lot in my lower pelvis but the baby’s head isn’t engaged yet. Well it still has 12 weeks so thats okay. Apparently the baby is head down and snuggled in quite well towards my left side. I do however wonder if the baby sometimes wriggles out of that position. Lets just hope it gets in that position for good before labor. Also the baby is officially reaching my rib cage and now as Andrew observed I am no longer growing “up” but rather “out”. She checked the heart beat next and found it was pretty high at 150-160 beats per minute. She said that suggested girl. According to a friend who just had her baby with this midwife, the midwife (Norla) has a 70-80% accuracy rate.  Norla was right with my friends baby. She delivered a girl this past Sunday. Since the visit I am starting to seriously “think pink”. We had already thought it was a girl from the moment we found out. Everyone else who has guessed has guessed girl also. So we will all be surrpised if we get a boy. Although I must say I would be thrilled to be wrong too. The birth center’s birth prep classes start July 28th (I can’t believe it is time to start them already!) and my midwife appointments are now every 2 weeks. To be honest the pregnancy is going so fast it is almost a blur. I am trying to just slow down and enjoy the little special parts of it.  I am almost so used to the baby kicking now I hardly notice it and tend to ignore it most the time. What a change from several weeks ago.

I was at the store yesterday and the store clerk said I was looking “very pregnant”. I was a bit surprised and decided I sure don’t think so. I am looking pregnant yes..but very–I don’t think quite yet! I still have maternity clothes hanging my closet that are too big. You decide. Anyways I know this baby will be making me grow some more as it is just above 2 lbs right now. I am guessing we will have a 7lb-er as that is what Andrew and I weighed when we were born.

Today I finally ordered (after months of pain-staking (okay so I had fun) research) the diaper covers, wool wash, waterproof diaper totes and pail liner, snappis, glass bottles (BPA free), a pair of baby legs and a few other postpartum and newborn related products today. I think I am almost done gathering the baby things for diapering! We already washed up the prefolds and they are soft and fluffy. We had to wash them 4 times in hot water to get the natural gums out of the unbleached cotton. The prefolds are a pretty oatmeal color.

I decided to buy for diaper covers one newborn sized Prorap, Thirsties and a Pull On Pant to supplement with the odd wool covers we bought of Ebay (Picture below). The pictures of the wool covers are all size smalls and mediums. I am hoping some of the smaller wool wraps come in the mail soon. I can hardly wait to look at them. They are cute patterns and colors. I am also bidding on one or two all in one diaper specifically for babysitters who may not feel comfortable with prefolds. Asthose are the most like disposables. I think I still need to convince my brother in law that using cloth won’t mean he is constantly getting wet on. He is a little concerned. :)

The whole nesting/cleaning kick hasn’t ended. I have a new cleaning supply that I LOVE. It is cheap, easy, non-toxic and versatile. I bought 2 simple clear spray bottles one filled with white vinegar and the other filled with hydrogen peroxide (the same stuff you find in those brown bottles at the grocery store i.e. food grade). I read that this has been provento kill germs just as well as other methods. But it is important to spray the vinegar first, wipe, then spray the hydrogen peroxide then wipe again and it’s clean and also safe to eat on! You can spray both on vegetables to clean them also before cooking or making a salad. I use it in the kitchen and our bathrooms on almost all the surfaces. It leaves the sink and all the surfaces bright, streak free and smelling fresh also. I might add some essential oils to the Hydrogen peroxide solution some time (that would have to be if we didn’t use it on our vegetables obviously!)  Anways it works for us.

Here are a few pictures: (IN KANSAS for a change!)

Dress and shirt compliments of my Mother who likes to dress me in bright colors. Before she sent these my wardrobe consisted of wihte, brown, black oh and did I mention brown? :)

Ty’s expressions are quite enigmatic.

The new couch which makes one fall asleep when sitting down with intentions to read.

 

The cover on the left is termed a ”longie”. I like the colorful one best I think.

The cheesecakes. I made the chocolate one with cherries on it because I had this craving while in Australia for chocolate cheesecake. Well, funny enough I ended up liking the classic white lemon one that Wendy made best! So much for chocolate cravings. I also got totally sweeted out after like my 6th bite and had to give the rest to Andrew. He happily obliged. Pregnancy changes your taste buds I tell you. I have also been craving wheat grass/carrot juice. Hopefully this weekend we will make some. The wheat grass is growing quickly as you can see.