20 Weeks: Cantaloupes, Movement, Half Way & More

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana (or cantaloupe, according to the bump). (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

It looks like I'm pushing the tree over! Ha!!

This week has been a big week for all 4 of us. I am officially half-way through this pregnancy! I am feeling the babies move, which is so exciting. Thursday evening, Todd got to feel Baby A kicking. He was thrilled. He felt one kick, moved back to process what he just experienced, the came back to feel another kick. I love that he is just as excited about this whole journey as I am. I love that he already loves his boys... He likes to pat my belly and say hello.

Since the school year is coming to a rapid end, my team had a shower for me this past week. I was just beside myself with the turnout of co-workers, friends and family. I really thought that I might have 10 people come, max! Honestly, one of my biggest fears about showers/parties is that no one will come. I would have completely understood if people could not come. This time of year is trying, especially since everyone has to pack up everything and has very little time to accomplish this; not to mention other end-of-year responsibilities and challenges. I was very touched that people would so generously spend their time on me. The shower was beautiful. The gifts were cute and abundant. These are the pictures my mom took with my camera. I think Aunt Pat has quite a few more that I am hoping to get a copy of.

My Kindergarten Team

The Gift Table

My speech about how much I appreciate everyone coming... (I HATE speaking to a crowd of adults. I get SO nervous. It doesn't matter what the topic, it sounds and looks like I am about to cry. Pathetic.)

Shower presents. (Grandma Wright's handmade lovies & bag and the double stroller given to us by the K-team are not pictured.)

We have had a nice, relaxing, and productive weekend. Todd's mom and her husband came to visit for a few days. It's always nice to see them, and we appreciate that they are willing to make the trip to come see us. When his mom comes to visit, she doesn't expect us to "go and do" for her, but really likes us to just do as we would normally. We went out to eat a few times, rented and watched some movies, and I got to do some weekend chores while enjoying their visit.

Having this extra weekend day has been a much-needed bonus. As part of getting rid of the "junk room" to make it a nursery, Todd installed shelving in our laundry room today. We are able to fit a lot of things in there now that have been stored in the junk room. Since we don't have a garage (and most of you know why), most garage-ish items have been stored in the junk room. We have a shed, but it is pretty much full with lawn equipment and larger tools. We are having to get creative with storage at this point.

The Junk Room with all of the babies' furniture in the boxes. It will take days to put all of the furniture together!


Todd at work. My totally awesome handyman!

**Bonus: Early pregnancy pictures. Because, why not embarrass myself on my blog?

One of my first positive tests (yes, tests... I took many!).

I had purchased new bedding and we decided to paint our bedroom. I painted as much as I could, but I was soooo tired. Of course, I was sensitive to smells too, so the following picture is what happened. I crashed on the box springs with Rollei.

This pretty arrangement was delivered to me at school. A few of my students' parents from a few years back are still spoiling me!


Oh, and I thought I had a belly here! Ha! Please explain to me how I was more tan in March than I am in late May.

19 Weeks: Mangos

Baby Center:
"Your baby's sensory development is exploding! His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to hin, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato (or mango, according to the bump). His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. His kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on hisr scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid."

I am quite sure I felt the babies, or a baby, kicking me at bus duty today. I felt a thump right under my belly button, then put my hand there and felt 3 more kicks. Yay!

I have been feeling really good lately. I have a lot of energy back, and just in time to put in extra hours at school packing my classroom - fun! I am trying to take it as easy as I can doing all this physical work at school. I am not lifting filled boxes.

Here are some ultrasound pictures taken at 17 weeks, 4 days downtown at the level-2 doctor's office.

A body.

Baby A's face.

Baby B's face.


Baby A's profile.

I have a shower at school this week. My team is so nice to put this together for me through the trouble of the end-of-year chaos. We have actually had to change locations twice, since the library is being packed and the science lab is storing all of P.E.'s equipment. So, we'll have a little shower in the cafeteria on Thursday.

About 90% Sure

We are officially about 90% sure on names for the baby boys.

The washing machine is having serious issues. Looks like replacement is coming quickly!

My "new" car has been in the shop for about a week. We're so lucky to have access to another vehicle from my parents to use while mine is being worked on.
Get this: The brake assembly has a "service bulletin" on it, but not a recall. So, what's happening is usually when I brake, I get normal resistance from the pedal and have no problem stopping in adequate time, but sometimes when I hit the brake, I get no resistance and no stopping power until the pedal is nearly to the floor. Very unsafe. You would think that since this is a known problem/safety hazard and it has been acknowledge by a service bulletin, the company would fix it. NO! We have to pay to replace the whole brake assembly! GRRRR!!! Well, we can't not fix it. So frustrating.

13 more days of school.

18 Weeks: Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potato picture from the bump d o t com.

Baby Center says:
"Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound."

I have had so many ultrasounds, and we're not even half way through. I went downtown for a "level 2" ultrasound today. After a 2 hour wait (okay, we were an hour early), we got to see the little guys again. This doctor spent a lot of time measuring their arms, legs, heads, watched their hearts, and many other things I couldn't follow. We were able to see a few 3D images. I'm sure the images later on will be more clear. This doctor wants to see me once a month in addition to my bi-weekly visits & ultrasounds with my regular OB. Yikes! Lots of appointments. The report today is that they are looking great. He currently sees no complications and they are measuring about 4 days bigger than their actual age. They both weigh about 1/2 a pound. I have to say, I'm more and more taken back and in awe over the little people that God is creating and trusting into our care. What an amazing miracle having a baby is! I will post some more current ultrasound pictures soon.

Some of you may know that the location of my job for next year was unknown because we are opening another elementary school next year... Found out today that I will be staying in the same building and will still teach kindergarten. This was my first choice, so I'm glad it worked out that way. I'm also glad that I will be staying with many of my current team members, but will miss the 2 that will be going to the new campus.

Todd and I had a GREAT weekend in Abilene. My eldest niece was baptized on the ACU campus at Jacob's Dream on Saturday. I'm so glad I got to be there! Thanks for letting me & Todd be there with you, K1! We are so proud of you! Rollei also had a great weekend with his doggy sitters. He had his first 2-hour walk and loved it, I'm sure.

This is another busy week, of course. I will have a late night at work tomorrow for a combined open house and math night, then Thursday is our field trip (rescheduled because of rain).

Have a great week!

17 Weeks: Onions

BabyCenter says:
"Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — his lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and he's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. He can move his joints, and his sweat glands are starting to develop."

I don't have much to report this week. I go for another ultrasound at my regular doctor's office on Thursday, then have a more specialized ultrasound downtown on Monday (something that is standard for twin/high(er)-risk pregnancies). I haven't noticed any movement to speak of. I may have felt some little flutters here and there, but since I don't know what movements should feel like, I'm not sure if the very faint flutters are actually baby movement or not.

We have purchased the babies' furniture. Thanks to their grandmas, they will have handsome matching cribs. I'm really excited about the furniture! We were able to order a nice changing table, chest of drawers, etc. Here are a few pictures. I need to start thinking of bedding and room decor. I have no ideas on that, but am sure about a few things that I know I don't like. (Who isn't?)

We have a busy weekend planned. The end of the year is hitting hard around here. We both have so much to do in the next few weeks. I get very stressed and overwhelmed just thinking about the things that must get done at school. But, the end of the year will come. The things that need to be done will be done, one way or another. I will miss the class I have this year... they have been great, and I love teaching, but Summer is nearly here and I'm so happy for the long break to come!