Weeks 28 & 29 - June 10, 2009

Week 28:
As the Big Day nears, your baby is getting ready to go towards the light at the end of the tunnel (the tunnel being the birth canal, the light being the one the doctor is shining directly into it so she can see what the heck she's doing). Other highlights this week: Your baby's eyes are partially open now and can blink. He can also now become a shiny, happy person as he has begun having rapid eye movement (REM). His eyes have color now, too. It may not be the color he ultimately ends up with, especially if they're light gray or blue. The eyes typically don't settle on a final hue until nine months after baby is born. Your babe is downright chubby compared to a few weeks ago. He is about 15 inches long, about the length of an amusement park cinnamon-sugar-coated churro (yum!), and weighs 2 to 3 pounds.

Week 29:
Having a baby prematurely is frightening, no doubt. But here's a reason to relax: Due to the impressive advancements of medical technology, if your baby is born this week, he'd have a 9 out of 10 chance of survival, which is seriously great news. ther awesome developments: Baby's brain can now control his breathing and body temperature. He can also cough, and her sucking abilities have been perfected. Look out, boobs! Your Mini's skin is looking less wrinkled as he packs on the pounds. He's now beefing up on the energizing and insulating white fat he'll be born with (unfortunately, white fat is not energizing and insulating for adults!). And speaking of energy, your little Energizer Bunny is on fire these days. You're sure to feel your share of kicks, punches and elbows, especially when you're lying down. You might want to start keeping a kick chart to monitor your baby's movements, and also to later show your 13-year-old child what you endured for him. This week your baby is a little over 15 inches long—about the length of a loaf of bread—and weighs about 3 pounds.

Last week was fairly uneventful, just working and doing normal things around the house. On Saturday, Mike and I attended infant and adult CPR class to learn some basics...just in case....when I tell Mike that I'm going into labor and his heart stops....I can save him. It was a good class and we learned about how to save a choking child and perform infant/child CPR. Since we were the only married couple in the class....and were joking around a bit...we provided some comedic relief for the other participants.

This week we had a bit of a scare. On Monday, I was driving back to the office from an appointment and realized that I really hadn't felt Eli move this morning...which is very unusual. He has been moving around constantly and rarely an hour goes by in which I don't feel him moving or kicking me. So, I went and bought some orange juice, a trick everyone tells you to get the baby to move, and drank it and waited to feel movement. Well, I didn't feel anything different and decided to call the doctor's office. They told me to come right over and they would put me on a monitor to see what was going on. I called Mike to meet me at the doctor's office...fell apart on the phone with him and my boss took over and spoke with him and then drove me to the doctor. A godsend! I don't think I could have driven myself. They took me back and put a monitor on my belly, it took a few minutes for the nurse to find the heart beat....but once she did...all was well!! Eli started moving around, probably reacting to the sound waves of the monitor and was back to his usual active self. The nurse said that sometimes babies get into funny positions and move toward your back which makes it harder to feel any movement...all this is perfectly natural. Everyone at the doctor's office kept reassuring me that calling and coming in was the best thing to do. Their motto is "better safe than sorry." It's very refreshing to a first time mom because they don't make you feel like your over-reacting. After about 30 minutes on the monitor I went back to work with a smile on my face.

Mike was absolutely wonderful through this whole ordeal. He kept reassuring me that Eli was fine and focused on calming me down. He is going to make a wonderful birthing partner and father!! I am very blessed to have such a supportive husband...he has been with me at every doctor's appointment and is very attentive to whatever I need. (I love you sweetie!!!)

The next few weeks are going to be busy...still lots to do to get the nursery ready. I ordered the border and it arrived last week and starting to collect little items to decorate. Unfortunately, they don't make Spiderman and Friends sheets and crib accessories so I found some fabric and a pattern and mom (I think) is going to make a few things for us. We are still waiting for the furniture...which could still be 8 weeks away...but have a bassinette to use for the first few weeks of Eli's life.

Til next week....