19 Weeks!

October 10, 2012

What Little LaCasse is up to:

• Has the same awake and sleep patterns of a newborn
• Has a favorite position for sleep
• Has recognizable active and rest periods
• Nerves are being coated with myelin
• Scalp hair becomes apparent
• Milk teeth buds have developed
• Uterus starts to develop (girl)
• Genitals are distinct and recognizable (male)
• Baby swallos amniotic fluid and kidneys make urine
• Length (6.02 inches); weight (8.47 oz)

What we've been up to:

• Had 19 week anatomy ultrasound done!
• Baby has all of its parts
• The ultrasound tech kept saying, "Oh my, what a beautiful baby.  This baby has just been so great."  (Although she probably says that about every baby)
• The baby is head down and measuring 19 weeks and 4 days
• The gender of the baby was put on a slip of paper by the ultrasound tech and given to Neety, who waited to open the paper until after I left
• Mindy and I called a psychic and they said the baby's gender is going to be "What I've been wishing it will be..."
• Shawn shed a few tears when he saw the ultrasound pictures for the first time
• Shawn and I came up with another name we like for a baby boy
• Mindy and I are going to the Kids Yard Sale event on Saturday with our wagons in tow
• Some friends and family and I think the baby's mouth and chin area look like Shawn (shit eatin' grin)

First silohette picture.
No, that is not a boob. My shirt just so happened to look that way.

Little LaCasse is a grapefruit! Sooooo yummy, but such a pain in the ass to prepare :/

Little LaCasse smiling :)



Look at those lips!

 

Full body shot.  I suspect that's a boy part between the thighs down there.

Side profile

Long legs! Must be all the milk I drink :)

Footsie

Put em up!

Sucking the thumb

Waving



Hands wouldn't move from face

from babycenter.com



New Obsession

October 8, 2012

I just had to share my new pregnancy obsession, thanks to my wonderful sister-in-law....introducing seltzer water! It's cheap, free from calories, sodium, and artificial sugars, and provides me with the carbonation and flavor I miss from all the crappy stuff I drank pre-pregnancy. 

 

On another bright note...only two days until I get to see the baby again on ultrasound (haven't seen the baby since 10 weeks) and five days until the gender party and I can officially start the nursery! Praying for a healthy baby, normal looking ultrasound, and secretly hoping I get to buy purple paint and start making headbands :)

Dear Little LaCasse...

Dear Little LaCasse,

With your due date being a short five months away, I wanted to write my first letter to you.  These past three months have been filled with many ups and downs and life changing experiences.  I truly believe that "everything happens for a reason" and that one day, everything will fall into place and all of these unexpected changes will make perfect sense and form a life I wouldn't want any other way.

Things I've loved about having you be a part of me:

• Reading you books during bedtime
• Singing at the top of my lungs to every song that comes on the radio and picturing you rolling your eyes and covering your ears
• Never feeling alone, no matter how alone I feel
• Seeing the world through sober eyes and rediscovering all the things I enjoyed to do with my time before my weekends were spent in bars and partying
• Having someone that I love and care about more than myself
• Day dreaming of what you will look like, how you will act, and all of the fun things I want to teach and show you
• Realizing what is truly important in life and enjoying the little things
• Having a reason to constantly better myself in order to give you the best life possible and be a role model for you to help you lead a successful life
• Listening to your little heart beat every night before bed and hearing you squirm around as if I'm annoying you with the doppler
• Being cautious of everything I do, say, eat, and drink for the safety of you and in return, the safety of myself

"For I know the plans I have for you.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Cups & Christmas!

October 6, 2012

It's 5 months until Little LaCasse's due date!!!

 

Drinking camel-like amounts of H2O is a whole lot easier when you have a cute cup (or two).

 

I know it's only October, but I got a sudden excitement for Christmas this week and played my first Chrismas song of the year in the office (It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas), followed by some crafty purchases at Hobby Lobby last night. I walked past these glass ornaments and came up with a crafty idea out of nowhere!

 

 

The ornaments are 4 inches, so I printed out a maternity silouhette from google images, traced it onto the ornament with a fine Sharpie, then painted the silouhette in using a paint marker (found at Hobby Lobby).  It was a bit tedious, but easier than expected and dried super fast.  Once I know the gender of the baby, I plan to write "_____'s Christmas in the Womb. 2012" on the back of the ornament.



18 Weeks!

October 3, 2012

What Little LaCasse is up to:

• Vernix forms on the baby's skin
• Placenta continues to grow and nourish the baby
• Alveoli begin to form in the lungs
• Vocal cords are formed and the baby can cry
• Ventricles and heart chambers are visible on ultrasound
• Length (5.59 inches); weight (6.7 oz)

What We've Been Up To:

• Anatomy scan is one week away! Found out the practice we are using has 4D machines and captures the whole session on DVD!
• I can hear the baby moving a lot with the doppler, but am still not feeling much
• I've hit a wall of fatigue again and can fall asleep at the drop of a hat
• Got my first set of presents for the baby (totally unexpected). An owl book from my friend, Sarah, and a ton of baby necessities and hand-me-down maternity clothes from my sister-in-law's sister, Ronette.
• Had a long, hearty discussion about labor, delivery, and raising a newborn with Ronette, who has a 19 month old son
• Finished making tissue poms for the gender party
• Found the pack and play, with the attachable changing table and vibrating bassinet that I wanted for 1/3 of the price
• Dyed my hair after doing immense amounts of research regarding the safety of the baby and talking to my midwife
• Gained 1 pound!

Hope that 1 pound went to my belly!

from babycenter.com

 

Baby is a mango!
Pretty sure I've never bought a mango that was actually ripe, and therefore, they have always been gross.

17 Weeks!

September 26, 2012

What Little LaCasse has been up to:

• Has a much more normal "human" appearance now
• Fingerprints are forming on the fingertips and toes
• Eyes are looking forward now, but are still closed
• Meconium is accumulating in the bowel
• The umbilical cord is thicker and stronger
• Skeleton is transforming from cartilage to bone
• Length (5.12 inches); weight (4.97 oz)

What We've Been Up To:

• Almost all of the gender party decor is made
• Started a blog about "Little LaCasse"
• Officially discovered that my reason for insomnia is that I'm subconsciously paranoid about sleeping on my stomach or back all night
• Went on a long bike ride through the Gettysburg Battlefield on a super fall day...then had to take a 3 hour nap
• Hair everywhere is growing like weeds
• Got contacts that can be worn overnight and for a month at a time in preparation for sleepless nights and no time for myself
• Bought a humidifier specially geared towards babies that plays white noise, lullabies, a heartbeat, and lets off a soft glow
• Went out for some cooked sushi (Spicy California Rolls) and loved every second of it

Belly is less torpedo and more bouncy ball

Still obsessed with ANYTHING CHEESE!

Little LaCasse is a sweet potato! One of my favorite sides!

from babycenter.com

 

16 Weeks!

September 19, 2012

What Little LaCasse is up to:

• Fat begins to form underneath the skin
• Baby and placenta are about the same size
• Head and neck are straighter now
• Genitals are developed enough to determine gender
• Baby can suck, swallow, blink, and hiccup
• Baby has learned to breathe
• Length (4.57 inches); weight (3.53 oz)

What We've Been Up To:

• My belly is looking more pregnant and less like a beer belly
• Wore my maternity jeans for the first time
• Having some inclinations that the baby is a boy, rather than a girl now
• Shawn has read the entire "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book and took notes to share with me
• I started reading "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way" before bed each night
• Started following other pregnant women's/new mom's blogs
• I'm obsessed with crackers and cheese of any sort
• Had my first pregnancy related dream
• My hair (EVERYWHERE) is growing exceptionally faster
• I'm totally free of pregnancy symptoms
• Ordered decorations for gender party and started making gender reveal box
• I'm not sleeping well at night and am not sure why

Belly is taking on a torpedo shape. Yikes.

from babycenter.com

Baby is the size of a TURNIP!
No idea what I'm supposed to do with a turnip, other than use it in the picture.
 

Killed about one of these containers per day for...a few days.

I've finally reached a point of missing flavor in my drinks and this is about the only additive I could find with real sugar.

Got another card from my friend, Sarah, to welcome in the 4th month!