Third Trimester!!!! Baby Girl Update - 28 weeks!

How Far Along? - 28 weeks

Total Weight Gain? - Why is this even a question? Why would any pregnant woman freely give out this info? I mean, come on!

Stretch Marks? - I would like to find a part of my body that doesn't have them, no, seriously they just pop up when ever they feel like it.

Sleep? - Lately I have been sleeping really hard and when I wake up my hips and abs hurt...bad! Apparently I sleep so hard that I revert back to my pre-pregnancy sleeping positions and they squish Cali so she kicks as hard as she can to make me move. It must work because I always wake up flat on my back feeling like I have bruises the size of babies on my insides...thanks Cali...can't wait for you to do it again tonight!

Best Moment This Week? - Picking out girly fabric for all the covers and blankets I am making for the Princess. It was actually a lot of fun and Zack even helped...for those of you who don't know, Zack is one of the most opinionated but nice people in the world. He could absolutely hate something when I pick it out but not say anything because he doesn't want to hurt my feelings. Then, when I bring it out later he tells me that he doesn't really like it...uh, couldn't you have told me that before we paid for it!!! It's aggravating to say the least so the fact that he was picking out patterns and giving me his opinion on ones I picked out says a lot for him...way to grow Babe!!

Worst Moment This Week? - Hip pain. I have bad knees from years of dance so I at least thought that they would hurt the most but nope, not even a twinge. My hips....well they feel like I need a double hip replacement. Not cool.

Miss Anything? - Seeing my feet. You don't realize how much you depended on looking down at cute new shoes until your big, beach ball of a belly makes it so you can't see anything below the boobs. Also, working. We have been in this limbo type of situation with Medicaid so I can't get a job that would be reported to the State. So I have been jobless since last month. Can you say, 'Daytime tv sucks!!'

Movement? - She is quite the swimmer these days. Sometimes she moves so much that when she stops I freak out and think she's dead. She then kicks me really hard in the bladder or sciatic and I quickly withdraw my thought. Little punk.

Food Cravings? - Fruit, like in the summer. Fresh peaches, cantaloupe, watermellon, oranges, green apples. Winter pregnancies suck if you are a fresh fruit gal. All there is available is canned crap that tastes like metal. Bleck!

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick? - Men's cologne and I'm recently back to hating on Mexican food. Well I should say, it hates me.

Gender: - GIRL!!!!!

Labor Signs? - Nope! :)

Belly Button in or out? - In

Wedding Ring, On or Off? - Wedding band still on but I've opted out of the engagement ring as it fits a little more snug and I refuse to ever have that thing cut off!

Happy or Moody most of the time? - I'm reaching that stage when all you want to do is just get things ready and put together. Those thoughts keep me pretty happy but then I realize that I still live with my sister and I can't really set up a nursery for my daughter in someone else's house. It's kinda lame. So I'm pretty happy with times of depression. It sucks.

Looking forward to: Having our own place soon. Hopefully really very soon! Something to do during the day, Zack not working nights anymore....it's a long list.

Baby is the size of a: Chihuahua!

Baby's development this week: So I have found this new pregnancy information site called 'Pregnant Chicken' and it is hilarious! It's written by this lady from Canada and her experience with being pregnant. She tells it like it is and can be a little vulgar at times but it is so real (and hilarious!) and at times dead on to what I'm feeling that I go with it. So....at 28 weeks, Baby Cali is the size of a Chihuahua. Roughly 16 inches long and about 2.5 lbs. She is getting better at discerning light and dark and might even be able to see light through my belly. As I'm not inside my belly, I cannot verify this statement. Her brain is active and her movements are getting stronger and more deliberate (opening/closing fists, sucking thumb, turning, etc.) and can cause pain...don't I know it! She is now in her third trimester and could be here pretty much when she feels like it in about 2-3 weeks. Let's hope this princess doesn't like making a grand entrance but rather prefers to be fashionably on time, when she's supposed to, not late, not early....on time!

Baby girl update - 27 weeks!

How Far Along? - 27 weeks

Total Weight Gain? - I'm not sure about me but baby girl is growing like a weed...almost .5 lbs in the past week.

Stretch Marks? - I would like to find a part of my body that doesn't have them, no, seriously they just pop up when ever they feel like it.

Sleep? - Yes and no. I can sleep on the couch like a champ but sleeping in bed (no matter how many pillows I have) is a different story. There really isn't a good position for me and I'm finding that rolling over takes way more energy than it should.

Best Moment This Week? - Um, no big things happened but I have loved feeling Cali have hiccups. She gets them all the time and from what I can tell, laughs afterwards.

Worst Moment This Week? - Practicing for labor...those Braxton Hicks contractions suck!

Miss Anything? - Laying on my stomach. I have only 3 months left and I can lay on it again!!!

Movement? - All the time! She's going to be a feisty little lady. She kicks me in the sciatic and it kills but I feel that is a good thing...no matter how mad it makes me. She's moving and every movement is proof that she's still alive and that I haven't killed her like every plant I've ever had.

Food Cravings? - Cinnamon rolls. Big, fluffy, warm ones and Code Red, I have a problem.

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick? - Men's cologne. I am doing better with Mexican food but some of it still makes me queasy.

Gender: - GIRL!!!!!

Labor Signs? - Nope! :)

Belly Button in or out? - In

Wedding Ring, On or Off? - Wedding band still on but I've opted out of the engagement ring as it fits a little more snug and I refuse to ever have that thing cut off!

Happy or Moody most of the time? - As I am 27 weeks pregnant...what personality you get you should be happy for. Hey, no one ever said it was a perfect system.

Looking forward to: Having our own place soon. Hopefully really very soon! Something to do during the day, Zack not working nights anymore....it's a long list.

Baby is the size of a: Head of Cauliflower

Baby's development this week: She is about 2 lbs and is 14 1/2 inches long. She sleeps in regular intervals and opens and closes her little eyes. She might even be trying to suck her thumb now. Her brain is continuing to develop and is very active now. Her lungs are still immature but she would be able to breathe with medical help if she were to be born now. Any little movements I may feel are most likely her having hiccups. They only last a few moments and don't cause her any harm, they just cause a tickling sensation for me.

Braxton Hicks is a stupid name! - Baby girl update 26 weeks!!!

How Far Along? - 26 weeks

Total Weight Gain? - 5.5 lbs but who's counting...(not me, it just makes me depressed.)

Stretch Marks? - I would like to find a part of my body that doesn't have them, no seriously they just pop up when ever they feel like it.

Sleep? - Yes and no. I can sleep on the couch like a champ but sleeping in bed (no matter how many pillows I have) is a different story. There really isn't a good position for me and I'm finding that rolling over takes way more energy than it should.

Best Moment This Week? - Seeing my little ones knee pop right out! She's really loving the frog style sleeping position but when she wakes up....those legs get to kicking right away.

Worst Moment This Week? - Last night I got to experience my first go around with Braxton Hicks contractions. Yay me... For those who don't know, Braxton Hicks contractions are the body's way of practicing for the big event to come. Most women have them all during pregnancy but don't feel them until later in the 2nd trimester as the uterus has more demanded of it. Mine started about 4 pm and didn't really stop until about 2 or 3 am this morning. Not to freak anyone out but, they really hurt. Today I feel like I did about a million sit ups....boy, do my abs hurt. Oh well, all in the name of getting her here, right? It was definitely an experience to never forget.

Miss Anything? - Laying on my stomach. I have only 3 months left and I can lay on it again!!!

Movement? - She likes to sleep in random patterns but when she's up, I know it. She's going to be a free-willed kind of lady. Oh Joy! She can kick my phone off of my belly and I love laying propped up so that I can watch her move. It is so weird! She gets a little hand shy when Zack tries to feel her but once she realizes that it's not just some sort of 'stranger danger' situation happening out here and it is her daddy, she'll give him a good kick.

Food Cravings? - Cinnamon rolls. Big, fluffy, warm ones. Code Red, I have a problem.

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick? - Men's cologne. I am doing better with Mexican food but some of it still makes me queasy.

Gender: - GIRL!!!!!

Labor Signs? - No, just lovely Braxton Hicks contractions....how come they are named after a guy who never could feel them. I learned that he was the man who determined what they were and their purpose and he even told the medical community that they were, "a mildly uncomfortable way for the female body to prepare for labor.' I'll give him a mildly uncomfortable way to prepare for labor....a punch in the face. They are so much more than mildly uncomfortable if they are making it so I can't sleep. Yes, thank you Sir, you're a real professional. Let's leave the diagnosis of female problems to those who can/do experience the symptoms, mmmkay?

Belly Button in or out? - In

Wedding Ring, On or Off? - Wedding band still on but I've opted out of the engagement ring as it fits a little more snug and I refuse to ever have that thing cut off!

Happy or Moody most of the time? - I feel like I'm doing the best I can. I mean, I don't freak out on anyone or get really upset over things but I have my moments...which are often late at night when my mind plays 'Let's see what we can get her to freak out over this time' and I lay in bed picturing horrible scenarios from labor problems to Cali being born with all her teeth. Yeah, my imagination is wild!

Looking forward to: Having our own place soon. Hopefully really very soon! Something to do during the day, Zack not working nights anymore....it's a long list.

Baby is the size of a: Scallion

Baby's development this week: She is just a little over 1 2/3 lbs and 14 inches. She is practicing breathing in and out which will help her breath more easily when she gets here. Her sense of hearing is more keen and she can now hear it when Zack and I are talking, not just talking into the belly. Hopefully Zack with start talking in French soon so that Cali will be more apt to going with the flow when he starts it up at her birth. He says that it will be his way of bonding with her and that she WILL be bi-lingual. It's going to be an adventure!

Baby girl update - 25 weeks!

How Far Along? - 25 weeks

Total Weight Gain? - 5 lbs

Stretch Marks? - Yep!

Sleep? - um, depends on the day....I'm pretty sure I grow in the belly region while I sleep so sometimes sleep isn't so wonderful.

Best Moment This Week? - Finding out that I don't have gestational diabetes. My numbers were so low that it won't even be a problem for me. Yay!!!

Worst Moment This Week? - Not having something to do during the day. Zack is working graveyards so he sleeps all day. My sister works from 11-4 so, I get to spend a lot of the day entertaining myself and watching a lot of t.v. The glucose test drink sucked BIG TIME!!! It was so disgusting and I had to do it twice. Bleck!

Miss Anything? - Hot showers and seeing my feet.

Movement? - Every chance she gets. So far she sleeps like Zack...in circles.

Food Cravings? - Cinnamon rolls. Big, fluffy, warm ones.

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick? - Men's cologne. I am doing better with Mexican food but some of it still makes me queasy.

Gender: - GIRL!!!!!

Labor Signs? - Not yet and she better stay in there for at least another 10 weeks before she can even think about coming.

Belly Button in or out? - In

Wedding Ring, On or Off? -On

Happy or Moody most of the time? - I am trying really hard to be happy but I have never have dealt with loss of control or not having a plan very well so, I've been a bit emotional...

Looking forward to: Having our own place soon. Hopefully really very soon!

Baby is the size of an: Large rutabaga

Baby's development this week: She is just a little over 1.5 lbs and 13.5 inches. She has more fat by now but still looks like a spider monkey. She's growing more hair now and if we could see it we would be able to discern color and texture. My guess is that she's bald just like I was, (I didn't have hair until I was almost 2.)