We Can't Wait to Meet You, Baby.: 24 Weeks!

I don't know how much bigger I can get.

It is so hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I still have four months to go. And on the other hand, it is hard to believe that I only have four months left. My favorite part of the day is when I get to climb in to bed next to Matt, in the comfort and silence of our bedroom, and baby lets us know he is there by his gentle shoves and nudges; it is my favorite. I am going to miss that magical feeling when its all said and done.

This has been a really busy week for us. In fact, this has been a crazy busy month, but that's a different story for a different blog. Matt and I spent the beginning of the week saying our goodbyes to his family in Montana. Followed by a red eye flight to Tampa and a four hour drive back home to Tallahassee, I was faced with Christmas decorations to be taken down, work, laundry and baby preparation. Matt has been up to his eyeballs in Go Radio writing and recording, managing the mood swings and hunger pains of a crazy pregnant wife, and working on baby's room.

As I start to mention baby's room, let me just say... it is hard planning a nursery. Why? Well, I want it to be perfect of course. I want the room to be a beautiful, safe haven for our newborn son where we can read and play all day long; a room baby will love. Colors, patters, furniture, all on an economical penny. Well, we did figure out a few things this week. First off, we bought a crib!

It should be arriving this week! Matt and I are so excited! Then, Matt picked out the wall color; we chose Behr "Roasted Nuts". And that's about it. Then, part of our plan was to buy a door from home depot in which we would install (we are turning a sunroom in to a nursery). But then, handy hubby found an extra pre-existing house door in our garage! So, Matt busily chipped away all of the old paint and sanded the door down to it's original surface. With a new coat of paint and brand new glass knob, Matt saved us about $140.00!

Dad giving Hank a talk about his new brother.

So back to feeling like the world's largest woman.

I think part or most of my issues are a direct result of how active of a person I am, normally. It is hard for me to acknowledge that I can not continue to do all of the normal things I am used to, and that is fine. I guess part of my complaining is because I have a basketball sized belly in my way every time I try to bend down. Earlier this week I did too much cleaning/organizing (nesting) and my back is still hurting from the whole thing. I have reached a new level of uncomfortable and I hear it only gets worse before it gets better.

Well. Here it is. 24 Weeks.

Hello from BabyCenter!
Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.>> Read more about this week

Your baby at 24 weeks

Your baby's taste buds may be working now.

Week 24

by Amalah

Your Baby:

Is just about a foot long now. I believe it is a tradition to consume a foot-long sub sandwich or hot dog in your baby’s honor at this point. I also believe I just made that up.

Is still very skinny looking, with translucent skin, but this will all start changing soon.

Is officially at the edge of viability, and most hospitals would automatically attempt every possible life-saving option if your baby were to be born now.

You:

Will undergo the glucose screening test at some point between now and 30 weeks to check for gestational diabetes. It’s done at a routine prenatal visit and involves chugging down an incredibly sickly-sweet beverage. Then you wait an hour and give a blood sample. And then you get someone else to drive your ass home, because you will be 1) passed out cold from a sugar crash or 2) howling in pain from a headache or 3) both. I brought a book to pass the time but fell asleep 20 minutes after the shot of sugar and woke up drooling on my husband, and I felt like crap for hours afterwards. But I passed! (A positive screen does not necessarily mean you have GD; it just means you have to get a whole OTHER, more-monitored test.)
Oh! But then I had a huge baby anyway, and this one nurse in the recovery area at the hospital was all, “DIDN’T YOU HAVE THE GLUCOSE SCREEN? WE NEED TO TEST YOUR BABY’S BLOOD SUGAR BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU HAD GD BECAUSE BABIES AREN’T SUPPOSED TO BE THAT BIG.”
I did not have undiagnosed gestational diabetes, and Noah’s blood sugar was FINE, THANK YOU.
Oh, I’m sorry, were these bullet points supposed to be about you, or something?
Are probably noticing more aches and pains as we come to the final couple weeks of the second trimester, particularly in your lower back, hips and other joints.

This is the last week I didn't take a picture in front of the chalkboard.

I thought I should celebrate Montana's beautiful landscape as long as possible.

Plus, this picture was a really special moment to Matt and me. Three years ago, on December 22, 2008, Matt proposed to me on the OTO in this exact spot!