29 Weeks Pregnant

Adaline is 17 inches tall now and getting close to 3 lbs. She most likely will double in weight by the time her due date rolls round and could get close to triple the weight. Her wrinkled skin is smoothing out as more fat deposits under her skin surface. She has fat deposit under skin weeks ago to help regulate her temperature but now she is going to be storing fat so she can have the strength for motor skills one she is born.

We had a great time at Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Brewer; we stayed at Bridgette and Cody’s home where Cory was a four day jungle gym for Brindy, Kaely, and Brynna.  Cory is going to be such a good daddy. He really likes to play with the girls and is always willing to read a story, have them sit on his lap, and they even used necklaces on him during church. The latter reminded me of dad. Cynthia and I would sit on dad’s lap during church and we would dress him up with our necklaces, hair bows, and earrings. Many times hanging them over his glasses and provided great enjoyment for the whole ward. I can see Cory having the same calm and gentle nature as my dad. If this past Sunday is any indicator he is going to be great with Adaline.

For Christmas Adaline got some wonderful gifts. Mischa gave her a onezy from Bagdad and my wonderful sisters threw me a baby shower. I now have lots of cute outfits to deck her out in her first couple of months. Bridgette also gave me two boxes full of baby cloths so we have a great start to clothing our little one. Cynthia gave us a wonderful car chair and mom and my sisters gave me money to get what I need for Adaline.  My cousins and Aunts provided me with blankets, outfits, and baby essentials that will help this new mom take care of her precious little baby J

Cory and I hope this New Year is full of joy and happiness for all our loved ones. We pray our Heavenly Father will pour down his riches blessing upon each of you.
 

28 Weeks Pregnant - Christmas is only in 6 days!

Little Adaline is now 16 inches from top to toe and she is weighing in around 2.5 lbs. I feel her each morning and night and sometimes in between (night and morning mostly :). Any time I am active I don't feel her move much but as soon as I sit down to put up my feet or try to sleep she is ready for some action!

According the website Adaline is now experiencing REM sleep which is the dream state. I wonder what she dreams about. It would be interesting to know what she is dreaming about and if I sense her dreams or she senses mine and they are similar. Her only knowledge of this existence is what she knew before she came here to earth to be in my body and her experience in the womb. Could she be dreaming of Heaven? Could she somehow still be communicating or talking with those on the other side when she sleeps? Often revelations come to us in dreams; it would not be hard to imagine she is cramming her last learning sessions in the pre-existence before she comes to earth. It is kind of interesting to think about.

Also she is learning to blink, cough, suck more intensely, and to breathe. All of which she will need to be able to do when she is born. She is also getting ready for birth by trying out the proper position for labor with her head down. The funny thing is I wonder if she ever get a headache with being upside down so much or if like in outer space, she doesn't feel the effects of gravity because she is surround by water. Another funny thing to think about :)!

I can't believe Christmas is only 6 days away. Finishing gifts and getting everything wrapped will be the focus for the next two days. Then on Wednesday Cory and I will start our journey to Arizona. We will be staying the night in St. George with Grandma and Grandpa Ross before finishing the journey on Thursday. I love the Christmas season. This one has gone way too fast. I love the music, the lights, the traditions, and the opportunities to visit with family and friends.

Being pregnant has brought a very special feeling to this Christmas holiday. I understand a little of what Mary must have felt being pregnant and getting ready to go on a long journey. In no way am I attempting to compare a comfortable car with a donkey but I have reflected on Mary and what she must have been going through on the journey to Bethlehem long ago. She knew she was the mother of the Son of God, the One foreordained to come to this earth as proclaimed by prophets of old. I have to wonder thought if those were the thoughts running through her mind at the time, or if like me, she worried about how the journey would affect her baby, would she be comfortable, would she go into to labor, could there be complications, or did she enjoy all of the little moments with her child to be. She knew it was a boy so did she talk to him, sing to him, rub her belly when he was active inside her, she think about what His life would be like, or what she hoped His life would be like. Did she look at her husband and the kindness, patience, love, and utter devotion he must have felt for her? These have been some of my thoughts in the last few weeks and have helped me look at some of the little things Cory does for me and what my Father in Heaven continually does for me. As I have reflected on this incredible season where we rejoice on the birth of our Savior and Redeemer, do we remember the mother Mary? I feel closer to her than ever before in my life. I have an incredibly deepen appreciation for her sacrifice and devotion to her calling. She was the choicest woman because she is the mother of the Savior of the World. She has provided me with an incredible example of how to be as a mother. Kind, attentive, patient, humble, spiritual, teachable, and always willing to do that which my Father in Heaven would have me do. I am so grateful for this chance to become a mother and pray I will raise Adaline to always seek to walk in righteous and to rely upon a loving and kind Father in Heaven.

Merriest of Christmas' wishes and many blessings from Heaven to you!

27 Weeks Pregnant - Welcome to the Third Trimester

 

Now from head to toe Adaline is measuring an amazing 15 inches (Crazy) and at just over two pounds she has doubled in weight from four weeks ago. She is now developing her hearing and a network of nevers to ears mature. She should be able to hear sounds but they will be muffled because of the creamy coating of vernix covering both ears.

Cory and I are hoping she will recognize our voices when she is born J.   A fun game to play with baby, according to the website, is to shine a flash light on my belly and see if she will react to the light. Last night while in bed Cory got his work flashlight out, it has a small high intensity beam, and moved it around my tummy in a light show for Adaline. She was really active before he got the flash light out, kicking and moving, but then when daddy put the light on her, she became totally still. I have to wonder what she thought as she saw this light moving around her. Cory made shapes and squiggles and I hope she was enjoying the strange new experience. After Cory put the flash light way Adaline became active again about 6/7 minutes later.

I wrote Adaline a lullaby. I used the music from Mary’s Lullaby in the children’s primary song book but I re-wrote the words to be specific to Adaline. It was fun and I have been singing it to her every day.

Grandpa Brewer suggested that I read to Adaline and so Cory and I have been reading the scriptures to her at night while we are in bed and I also I have started Parley P. Pratt’s Autobiography and am reading that aloud to her. We listen to music, church talks, and Christmas songs so hopefully she will have a great love for reading, music, and things of the gospel.

26 Weeks Pregnant

Adaline’s eyes are now open – they have been closed for the past few months so the retina could develop. Now she is looking about and probably trying to figure out her environment out little better. She is more active than she has been, she would only be active when I would lay down but now she let me know she is there multiple times throughout the day.

The website suggests that I shine a flash light onto my belly and see if she reacts. I guess that will have to be something Cory and I try tonight. The website says she might kick in response “Get that light out of my eyes!”

Also they say the baby’s brain-wave activity is kicking in. She is able to hear noise but can also now respond to them, maybe not in works, but her pulse can increase and also her activity.

Currently Adaline is about nine inches tall and weighs about two pounds and soon she will probably start to fill a little cramped. There will still be some room for her to perform cartwheels and somersaults in my tummy.

25 Weeks Pregnant

Ok little Adaline is now the size of two juiceboxes high and she weights about four juiceboxs (don't ask me that is how the website described her). Her skin is starting to turn pink as blood capillaries are forming under her skin. Her lungs are still developing and air sacs (also lined with capillaries) will develop in her lungs, getting them ready for that first breath! She will begin in a few weeks to practice breathing the amniotic fluid as training for living in the real world. Her little nostrils are starting to open and her vocal cords are getting ready. (Hmm..I wonder if babies cue in womb.)

My back hurts more now than it has in the past weeks. Sleeping is much more of a challenge because I can't seem to get comfortable. Other than a little heartburn each night and the sleepless nights I am doing really well. The belly is really sticking out now...no mistake that I am pregnant :)

Cory enjoys saying hello to his little girl and gives my belly kisses as he talks to her. I know he is going to be a great daddy. He can't wait for the day he can spoil her and I know she will have him wrapped around her finger.

I am working on her quilt right now. It is zoo animals, like hippos, monkeys, lions, zebras, and the like. I am hand quilting the blanket and it will be nice and warm for her to stay warm on the way home from the hospital. I also finished two crocheted blankets for her as well.

With Christmas coming I can't help but feel that the time has flown. I can not believe that in just a few months she will be here. It is kind of scarry and really exciting. I am looking forward to being a mom and I hope I do as well of job with that my own mom did with me.

24 Weeks Pregnant

Ok, so I know I promised a belly picture last week but it never happened so I will be getting photo-shopped j/k photographed this evening  and I will be revealing my belly tomorrow. But until then here is the update on Adaline.

At 24 weeks she is now about 1 ½ lbs and measures crown to rump 8 ½ inches (standard letter size). She is working on storing fat under her skin to make it not as transparent. If we could take a picture of Adaline we would almost be able to tell who she will look like. Her beautiful face is almost fully formed just not filled out yet with the necessary fat her body needs. She can hear my heart, lungs, and laughter, she can hear my voice and Cory’s voice, both of which she will be able to recognize at birth. She can also hear really loud noise like honking horns, barking dogs, or a wailing fire truck.

At 24 weeks I am feeling a little back pain and having a little difficulty sleeping. They say when you are pregnant your dreams and nightmares are more vivid. I am not sure if that is true or if you just remember them more when you are pregnant but this has been the case for me. Last night I dreamed that I was trying to make my way through this burned waste land with large gigantic spiders. Some of the spiders had been burned but their bodies where larger than mine and there were hundreds of them. Not sure if Harry Potter 7 helped with that little nightmare, Cory and I had just recently watched the final movie for the first time. There were large spiders in the movie L

When trying to sleep I find that I tend to toss and turn quite a lot, Cory will say that I toss and turn all night long normally J but I feel like I am doing it more so now. Adaline seems to like to sleep most of the day with only a few appearance during the day and then at night, once I lay down to go to bed, its play time. Not sure how to fix that but I am working on ways to keep her awake during the day so we both get some sleep at night.

Other than some growing pains I feel really good. I have finished two crocheted blanks so far and am working on Adaline’s quilt. Also there are a few Christmas projects I am working to complete, thanks to a wonderful Relief Society activity, I think may have bitten off more than I can chew, but I am going to work really hard to get them done.

Pregnant 23 Weeks

Little Adaline is about 8 inches long and weighing just over 1 plb according to the website "What to Expect with You're Expecting". She is expected to double in weight in the next 4 weeks. Amazing when you consider that it took 22 weeks for her to get this big. All of her organs, bones, brain, and limbs are fully developed. According to the website her skin is very transparent and from her sonogram pictures of two weeks ago we could see her heart, her bones, and brain, so that is pretty much true to form. Over the next 4 weeks Adaline will start to store fat cells that will thicken her skin and help to make it not as transparent and give her a more fully figure.

I feel her move inside me everyday. It is fun to fill all of her little kicks and punches. She gets particularly active when I drink chocolate milk. I am not sure if that means she loves it like a drug or if she is protesting that I'm drinking it again. I tend to take my multi-vitamin with a big 16 oz glass of chocolate milk to keep it down.

In the past week she has taken to waking me up at 4:00 am to say good morning for 1/2 hour before letting me go back to sleep until about 7:00. I am not sure why she is waking and active at 4:00 but for the past 5 mornings it has become our ritual.

I talk to her and often sing silly songs to her and Cory. When my energy is up I dance around the bathroom or in the shower, or in the kitchen for a few minutes before I get winded :) and I have to wonder if she confused by all the shaking and shimmering.

I love listening to music with her and sometimes when a song comes on that especially meaningful I usually have a spontaneous conversation with Adaline about how much Cory and I love her and how incredible she has to be to be sent first. She will be the older sister that all of her other siblings look up to. I know that I have always looked up to and sought advise from my older sisters. I know that she will be for her siblings what my older sisters have been for me.

Bridgette asked me to take a picture of my belly each week and post it. I did not get a chance to take the picture but I will tonight and will add it to the post tomorrow. The funny thing is when you look at me I look like a marshmellow stuck on top of two skinny pretzels. I have not gained weight anywhere but my belly and chest. Even my shoulders and back are the same size as before pregnancy. So when you look at a profile picture of me it is kind of funny what shape my body makes.