There are lots of beautiful sounds in the world: laughter, spring rain, a crackling campfire, Andrea Bocelli singing...
But there is one that is more beautiful than all the others:
Lub-dub lub-dub lub-dub
It's the sound of your unborn baby's heartbeat (especially the first time you hear it). I've been feeling the little one move for over a month--little flutters at first, and in the last couple of weeks some good thumps too (the kind that can't be mistaken for intestinal bubbles!), so I know that baby is alive and well...but there is still nothing quite like that quick little lub-dub lub-dub on the doppler.
So my first prenatal appointment was today. Given the choice, I would have liked to do it a month or so ago, but this was how the logistics worked out, so 18wks gestation it is. Being the small world that it is, the midwife I saw (whom I'd never met before) lived in Alaska for several years--including 4 years in one of the areas we're considering moving to. She told me her recommendations concerning the providers there, and when I mentioned the provider I'd heard recommended (a GP who does obstetrics), she said oh yes he's wonderful, and by the way he's also LDS...and on the school board...she said he's the kind of guy that if we call him and say hi from her and then tell him our situation, he'll probably go out of his way to pull strings and try to help Hubby find a job there. So I'm inclined to call him. ☺
In a couple of weeks I'll have an ultrasound and at that point we hope to be able to see whether this wild thing is made with pink babydust or blue; but until then I am more than content to hear the soft little patter of lub-dub lub-dub lub-dub.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Perfect Mother
"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother.
Each situation is unique.
Each mother has different challenges,
different skills and abilities,
and certainly different children.
The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family...
What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply
and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband,
prioritizes them above all else."
~M. Russell Ballard (LDS Apostle)
Each situation is unique.
Each mother has different challenges,
different skills and abilities,
and certainly different children.
The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family...
What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply
and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband,
prioritizes them above all else."
~M. Russell Ballard (LDS Apostle)
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
17 Weeks
(did you notice that I've started using different tickers each time? It's kinda fun finding new tickers! This particular site has a whole bunch of cool icons--babywearing, carseats, finger signs, zodiac...oh yeah, and did you notice the brilliant use of leopard print?! ☺ )
Don't be too shocked but... your baby is EVEN bigger than it was last week, not to mention getting cuter, and smarter every day! As you’ve come to expect, there’s no shortage of growth and development this week: your fantastic little bean stalk has added yet another half inch to their overall height-- making them nearly half a foot long! Their little limbs have reached (or are within one week of) their relative proportions, and will continue to grow evenly with the rest of the body after this week. Reactive listening has begun for your baby, even though their ears are not yet structurally complete or fully functional. Meanwhile, different parts of their astonishingly complex brain are developing to process your little one’s hearing and other senses, (you know, sight, smell, taste and touch). Mind boggling factoid of the week: if you’re having going to have a little girl, her ovaries have already produced millions of primordial egg cells, which, within a few weeks, will develop into actual eggs!
I can't post a picture this time because we're still on the road, BUT I will try to get one soon, along with updating you on all the other fun stuff that's going on!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Concerning the Rampant Overuse of "No"
How many parents do you know who use the word "no" like some new punctuation mark, liberally dabbing it throughout each sentence they utter--at least if that sentence is directed toward their child? Do you feel badly for those kids (oh please say yes!). Sure, it's important to intervene with kids sometimes, and "no" is an important and useful word for a child to understand at an early age, but if they hear it all the time then how likely is it that they consider it worth responding to? I believe that the overuse of "no" leads it to become just another filler word, like "an" or "the," and even though they use them (in imitation), I don't know a single toddler who actually knows what either of those words means.
If you are yelling "No!" at your child every 5 seconds, or even every 5 minutes, he will begin to tune it out, and in the moment when it really matters (eg: as he's running into the street) he will neither hear nor respond to you. (Yes, I watched an over-no'ed neighbor child do just that. He was a darn lucky kid that the truck was not going very fast and was able to stop in time.)
So, it is without hesitation that I seek to avoid telling my children "no." Does this mean that I let them just do whatever they like? No! But it means that I try to save that sharp "NO!" for when it is really important.
What do I say instead? Lots of things!
"Yes!" (because, let's face it, the occasional surprise "yes" is a great thing for morale)
"Yes, when _____" [yes, you can play the video game, when you've finished your homework]
"Yes, if ___" [yes, you can go fishing on the dock if you wear your life jacket and stay in the marked area]
"Let me think about it for a minute" (this gives me a chance to think about it for a minute...this is a nice option if I'm really not sure how I want to respond to the request)
"Why should you get to?" (in other words, talk me into it--this is particularly fun with elementary schoolers, as they come up with some fascinating reasons why they should be allowed to do the things they want to...but I think it is a great tool for teens as well--let them learn to make their case!)
If you are a thoughtful reader, as hopefully you are, you may have noticed that my alternatives all tend to be responses to questions, as in, when my son asks if he can have chocolate cake for breakfast... I have not really talked about applications for reducing the use of "no" in non-conversational situations, such as while watching kids play on the playground, or when they are getting into the kitchen cupboards at home. I have two thoughts about these 'observational' situations: the first is to try to avoid problems--keep hazardous things stored out of reach, lock cupboards, put plugs in the electrical outlets, and take your children to parks which have age-appropriate playgrounds... The second alternative then becomes more obvious: just say nothing.
Children do not need us to micromanage their lives, not even when they are 2. They are exploring the world and learning about the laws of physics (like gravity!). Falling down, getting dirty and yes, a certain amount of getting hurt is a normal part of childhood. Eating a little dirt or the occasional bug will earn a "eww, yukky!" from me, and getting filthy will get a "wow, we'd better get you straight into the tub/shower" (or sometimes a "we'd better hose you off before you come inside!"), but no trill of screamed "nonononononooooooooooo!!!"
Obviously I will intervene if a child is in serious danger...but the little spills and mud pies? Naw. Let kids be kids.
(Can you think of other alternatives to "no"? I would love to hear them!)
If you are yelling "No!" at your child every 5 seconds, or even every 5 minutes, he will begin to tune it out, and in the moment when it really matters (eg: as he's running into the street) he will neither hear nor respond to you. (Yes, I watched an over-no'ed neighbor child do just that. He was a darn lucky kid that the truck was not going very fast and was able to stop in time.)
So, it is without hesitation that I seek to avoid telling my children "no." Does this mean that I let them just do whatever they like? No! But it means that I try to save that sharp "NO!" for when it is really important.
What do I say instead? Lots of things!
"Yes!" (because, let's face it, the occasional surprise "yes" is a great thing for morale)
"Yes, when _____" [yes, you can play the video game, when you've finished your homework]
"Yes, if ___" [yes, you can go fishing on the dock if you wear your life jacket and stay in the marked area]
"Let me think about it for a minute" (this gives me a chance to think about it for a minute...this is a nice option if I'm really not sure how I want to respond to the request)
"Why should you get to?" (in other words, talk me into it--this is particularly fun with elementary schoolers, as they come up with some fascinating reasons why they should be allowed to do the things they want to...but I think it is a great tool for teens as well--let them learn to make their case!)
If you are a thoughtful reader, as hopefully you are, you may have noticed that my alternatives all tend to be responses to questions, as in, when my son asks if he can have chocolate cake for breakfast... I have not really talked about applications for reducing the use of "no" in non-conversational situations, such as while watching kids play on the playground, or when they are getting into the kitchen cupboards at home. I have two thoughts about these 'observational' situations: the first is to try to avoid problems--keep hazardous things stored out of reach, lock cupboards, put plugs in the electrical outlets, and take your children to parks which have age-appropriate playgrounds... The second alternative then becomes more obvious: just say nothing.
Children do not need us to micromanage their lives, not even when they are 2. They are exploring the world and learning about the laws of physics (like gravity!). Falling down, getting dirty and yes, a certain amount of getting hurt is a normal part of childhood. Eating a little dirt or the occasional bug will earn a "eww, yukky!" from me, and getting filthy will get a "wow, we'd better get you straight into the tub/shower" (or sometimes a "we'd better hose you off before you come inside!"), but no trill of screamed "nonononononooooooooooo!!!"
Obviously I will intervene if a child is in serious danger...but the little spills and mud pies? Naw. Let kids be kids.
(Can you think of other alternatives to "no"? I would love to hear them!)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Out of the Mouths of...Cookies?!
We went to dinner at a Chinese restaurant tonight. I've often chuckled at the inane comments found inside fortune cookies, but tonight's were so fitting that I thought I'd share them with the world.
Mine:
This year you should explore your feminine side
[I dunno, maybe by having a baby?]
Hubby's:
Now is the time to make your family a priority
[He probably would not have left Pelican if it weren't for the rest of us...]
Wolf:
Your words are charming. You should write a letter tomorrow.
[admittedly not as perfect a fit...although it sounds like someone knows that somebody needs some encouragement to write more ☺]
Bear:
Soon you should explore some nearby coastline
[perhaps by ferry?!]
Mine:
This year you should explore your feminine side
[I dunno, maybe by having a baby?]
Hubby's:
Now is the time to make your family a priority
[He probably would not have left Pelican if it weren't for the rest of us...]
Wolf:
Your words are charming. You should write a letter tomorrow.
[admittedly not as perfect a fit...although it sounds like someone knows that somebody needs some encouragement to write more ☺]
Bear:
Soon you should explore some nearby coastline
[perhaps by ferry?!]
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
So long, farewell!
Right about the time this message posts on this blog, we and our van will be on board the MV LeConte (the ferry in the photo), pulling out from the Pelican dock...probably never to return.Goodbye Pelican . . . There are some things I will miss about you, but honestly, not enough that I think I will ever want to come back to visit...
Tonight we'll be in Juneau, and in a few days we'll catch a ferry up to Haines, and from there we will drive the 850ish miles to Anchorage.
We don't have an apartment yet, we just have a storage unit, where we will be putting most of our stuff before flying south to visit family for the next few weeks.
I will probably not be online very much in the coming weeks, but I have scheduled a number of blog posts in my absence, and I will check in from time to time.
Have a happy summer. I know I will!
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Mama Bear
How public is your blog?
Photos, real names, where we live...no secrets -- 8 (21%)
Have photos, but use kids' initials or nicknames, not detailed on where we live -- 16 (42%)
No photos, no real names, very vague about where we live -- 2 (5%)
I avoid topics that would require me to name my kids or discuss where I live -- 0 (0%)
My blog is private (invited readers only) -- 3 (8%)
I don't blog -- 8 (21%)
About two years ago I wrote a post about being public vs private in the personal information that we share on our blogs. At that point, I was always very vague about where I lived (I just said "western USA" though I've since specified the state); since coming to Pelican, however, I've been a lot more open. The reasoning is simple--if some creep wanted to come steal my kids from here, they would have to go to a LOT of trouble to do it (6hrs each way on the ferry? Not likely. Expensive seaplane ride? Even harder--the seaplane folks know my kids and wouldn't let them board. ) If someone in town wanted to swipe my kids, all I'd have to do is go door to door for 20 minutes until I found them. Really, I just don't worry about that kind of predator out here. (The bears are, admittedly, a whole other issue, but they don't read this blog!)
However, now that we're preparing to move--to a place with roads this time--I'm going to get more vague again. No photos that show our house or our neighborhood, nothing too specific about our town... I'll probably just stick with "Alaska" (it's a nice big state!) and leave it at that. The chances of a creep going to the effort to try to track us down is still minimal, but I'm not going to do anything to help, because those creeps are out there.
I will continue post pictures of my kids from time to time, but I will also continue to use nicknames for my children--they are minors, and frankly their names are not any of your business. ☺ I don't mind mentioning my own name, or my husband's, because 1--we are adults and 2--we both have really common names. But my kids, well, I reserve the right to be a protective mama bear for my little cubs. ☺
SO, yes, we are moving. No, I am not going to tell you quite where...but we are leaving the bush, and we're oh so happy about that.
Photos, real names, where we live...no secrets -- 8 (21%)
Have photos, but use kids' initials or nicknames, not detailed on where we live -- 16 (42%)
No photos, no real names, very vague about where we live -- 2 (5%)
I avoid topics that would require me to name my kids or discuss where I live -- 0 (0%)
My blog is private (invited readers only) -- 3 (8%)
I don't blog -- 8 (21%)
About two years ago I wrote a post about being public vs private in the personal information that we share on our blogs. At that point, I was always very vague about where I lived (I just said "western USA" though I've since specified the state); since coming to Pelican, however, I've been a lot more open. The reasoning is simple--if some creep wanted to come steal my kids from here, they would have to go to a LOT of trouble to do it (6hrs each way on the ferry? Not likely. Expensive seaplane ride? Even harder--the seaplane folks know my kids and wouldn't let them board. ) If someone in town wanted to swipe my kids, all I'd have to do is go door to door for 20 minutes until I found them. Really, I just don't worry about that kind of predator out here. (The bears are, admittedly, a whole other issue, but they don't read this blog!)
However, now that we're preparing to move--to a place with roads this time--I'm going to get more vague again. No photos that show our house or our neighborhood, nothing too specific about our town... I'll probably just stick with "Alaska" (it's a nice big state!) and leave it at that. The chances of a creep going to the effort to try to track us down is still minimal, but I'm not going to do anything to help, because those creeps are out there.
I will continue post pictures of my kids from time to time, but I will also continue to use nicknames for my children--they are minors, and frankly their names are not any of your business. ☺ I don't mind mentioning my own name, or my husband's, because 1--we are adults and 2--we both have really common names. But my kids, well, I reserve the right to be a protective mama bear for my little cubs. ☺
SO, yes, we are moving. No, I am not going to tell you quite where...but we are leaving the bush, and we're oh so happy about that.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
"Manipulating Parents" by Paul W Robinson
The first, and most important, point of this book is that children do not try to manipulate their parents per se, they simply seek ways to get what they want. In other words, their intentions are pure, but sometimes their methods are problematic.
I do agree with that basic premise--that children often engage in manipulating behavior in their efforts to get what they want. I have mixed responses to the author's recommendations for how to respond to these behaviors, but here I will go into the parts which with I agree.
Robinson begins by outlining classic methods of manipulation:
Robinson offers a list of ways that the parent can stay in the drivers seat, including classic recommendations such as "be aware of your child's manipulations and never give in," "be consistent," and "give children freedoms in direct proportion to their appropriate behavior." I used to think that these things made a lot of sense, but as illustrated in past (and future) parenting posts here, some of my perspectives have shifted.
I do agree with the author on the following points:
Robinson speaks of punishment methods to use to break manipulative behaviors...while I appreciate that sometimes parents do need to impose consequences, I am not a fan of punishment as such...I agree with him that it is important to always address problematic behavior, I just have different opinions about the best ways to address it. ☺
One very important point Robinson makes is that we as parents need to be careful that our expectations of our children are appropriate. As I've said before, I do believe that children (and adults) tend to live up to what is expected of them, but we do need to have realistic expectations. A third grader cannot do algebra, and a toddler cannot lift the milk jug to pass at the dinner table...on the other hand, a 5 year old can check in before going outside, and a teenager can schedule in advance to borrow the car.
For those parents who are firmly in the "gentle discipline" camp, this book will probably offend you greatly. When I first read it I thought it had a lot of good ideas, but as I said, my philosophy of parenting has shifted since then. I think that this book (like most parenting books I've read) has its good parts; however I've just covered them all for you, so now you don't need to read it yourself. ☺
I do agree with that basic premise--that children often engage in manipulating behavior in their efforts to get what they want. I have mixed responses to the author's recommendations for how to respond to these behaviors, but here I will go into the parts which with I agree.
Robinson begins by outlining classic methods of manipulation:
- ask for more, settle for less (child asks for 10 more minutes, haggles down to 5, but still gets more time which is what he wanted)
- repeating (they ask so many times that the parent wears out and gives in)
- setting parents against each other ("but mom said..." "dad would let me...")
- shaping (asks for something small, then more, then more)
- wearing out the parent (they squirm until let go, ignore until parent gives up, etc)
- follow the crowd ("but everybody is doing it")
- playing favorites ("you let __ do ___, you like him better")
- threats ("I'll run away") or tantrums
- public places (they know you'll respond differently in front of friends or a crowd)
Robinson offers a list of ways that the parent can stay in the drivers seat, including classic recommendations such as "be aware of your child's manipulations and never give in," "be consistent," and "give children freedoms in direct proportion to their appropriate behavior." I used to think that these things made a lot of sense, but as illustrated in past (and future) parenting posts here, some of my perspectives have shifted.
I do agree with the author on the following points:
- The child should take responsibility for his own actions (don't put blame on yourself or anyone else)
- The child should take responsibility for his own knowledge
- Respond to (correct) your child as necessary, regardless of location, situation, or surrounding people [a personal note: if in public, I think it is important to correct children in a discreet way, but I do think it's best to address problems immediately rather than waiting]
- Make sure the child knows that you love him. Say it, show it, and remind him often.
- Make sure that your words match your actions. Be someone your child can count on [and, I would add, don't utilize manipulative techniques on them either!]
Robinson speaks of punishment methods to use to break manipulative behaviors...while I appreciate that sometimes parents do need to impose consequences, I am not a fan of punishment as such...I agree with him that it is important to always address problematic behavior, I just have different opinions about the best ways to address it. ☺
One very important point Robinson makes is that we as parents need to be careful that our expectations of our children are appropriate. As I've said before, I do believe that children (and adults) tend to live up to what is expected of them, but we do need to have realistic expectations. A third grader cannot do algebra, and a toddler cannot lift the milk jug to pass at the dinner table...on the other hand, a 5 year old can check in before going outside, and a teenager can schedule in advance to borrow the car.
For those parents who are firmly in the "gentle discipline" camp, this book will probably offend you greatly. When I first read it I thought it had a lot of good ideas, but as I said, my philosophy of parenting has shifted since then. I think that this book (like most parenting books I've read) has its good parts; however I've just covered them all for you, so now you don't need to read it yourself. ☺
Friday, May 15, 2009
Facebook Friday (evening edition)
Ha, it's Friday again and I nearly missed it (again).
Highlights from the last two weeks...
Saturday 5/2
8:58pm
Jenni is delighted that the pull-ups I got for Bear for nights have cars on them. Bear is delighted about the new "car underpants." Now I will wash and pack the last of the cloth diapers (which he was using at night, but I'm pretty sure he's staying dry...I just wanted the little 'disappearing dots' on the pull-ups for a few weeks to make sure!)
Monday 5/4
12:47 pm
Jenni's husband has two job leads today!
Tuesday 5/5
11:01 am
Jenni is enjoying the shorter haircut now that the sun has finally come...it feels springy and spunky and cute. :)
Wednesday 5/6
11:04am
Jenni is praying for Hubby's job interview this afternoon to go well. Also she's craving a strawberry milkshake...but the job interview seems more important.
4:51 pm
Jenni is very happy that Hubby's interview went well. Now it's ok for me to obsess a little more about that strawberry milkshake (which I will have to get in about three weeks...when we hit mainland...)
[I subsequently found out that it's possible to get one here in town...rural prices are not at all the same as mainland prices, but hey, it's possible to get the pregnant woman a strawberry shake...]
Thursday 5/7
8:26am
Jenni is impressed that the 2yo has slept the last two nights in plain regular underpants...but sad that last night he cried a lot about not nursing.
11:31am
Jenni just got a strawberry milkshake!! (Bear filched a large portion of it, assuring me that it was actually his...oh well, I used the opportunity to tell him about how it's great to be a big boy--and give up nursing--because then you can get cool stuff like milkshakes!)
10:02 pm
Jenni tucked two boys in in one big bed (mine), and now they have both gone to sleep and need to be carried to their own beds...or maybe Hubby and I should just sleep in Wolf's bed...it's a double...hmmmmmmm.
Friday 5/8
1:38pm
Jenni is tired...and frustrated...but hopeful! [on this day we thought we had a job offer but then it was actually not an official offer it was a call of interest, but they do seem very very interested!]
Saturday 5/9
12:57 pm
Jenni wants a strawberry milkshake again. :s
3:35 pm
Jenni has done 2 loads of laundry and packed 4 boxes today. check! check! oo, that to-do list is shrinking!
Sunday 5/10
4:34 pm
Jenni has tickets to come to Utah this summer!
Monday 5/11
7:49 am
Jenni is thrilled that Bear slept through the night last night *in*his*own*bed!!
Tuesday 5/12
4:00 pm
Jenni just tried the priceline "name your own price" thing for the first time...and will soon be staying in Juneau's luxury Baranof hotel for less than the Super 8 price!
Wednesday 5/13
8:38am
Jenni had a dream last night that she gave birth to a girl...then she woke up to find that Bear had slept through the night in his own bed again. Mmmm, what a great morning!
Thursday 5/14
8:46 am
Jenni feels very fat today
2:18 pm
Jenni is pleased to announce that Bear fell asleep for his nap without nursing for the second day in a row. Yes, I am shamelessly using movies to accomplish this, but the point is the not-nursing, right?
Friday 5/15
9:14am
Jenni's goal for the day: find a storage unit place to hold our stuff for the summer
5:13pm
Jenni got chinese takeout for dinner. Yes, it had to be flown in. Mmmm, my hubby loves me!
Highlights from the last two weeks...
Saturday 5/2
8:58pm
Jenni is delighted that the pull-ups I got for Bear for nights have cars on them. Bear is delighted about the new "car underpants." Now I will wash and pack the last of the cloth diapers (which he was using at night, but I'm pretty sure he's staying dry...I just wanted the little 'disappearing dots' on the pull-ups for a few weeks to make sure!)
Monday 5/4
12:47 pm
Jenni's husband has two job leads today!
Tuesday 5/5
11:01 am
Jenni is enjoying the shorter haircut now that the sun has finally come...it feels springy and spunky and cute. :)
Wednesday 5/6
11:04am
Jenni is praying for Hubby's job interview this afternoon to go well. Also she's craving a strawberry milkshake...but the job interview seems more important.
4:51 pm
Jenni is very happy that Hubby's interview went well. Now it's ok for me to obsess a little more about that strawberry milkshake (which I will have to get in about three weeks...when we hit mainland...)
[I subsequently found out that it's possible to get one here in town...rural prices are not at all the same as mainland prices, but hey, it's possible to get the pregnant woman a strawberry shake...]
Thursday 5/7
8:26am
Jenni is impressed that the 2yo has slept the last two nights in plain regular underpants...but sad that last night he cried a lot about not nursing.
11:31am
Jenni just got a strawberry milkshake!! (Bear filched a large portion of it, assuring me that it was actually his...oh well, I used the opportunity to tell him about how it's great to be a big boy--and give up nursing--because then you can get cool stuff like milkshakes!)
10:02 pm
Jenni tucked two boys in in one big bed (mine), and now they have both gone to sleep and need to be carried to their own beds...or maybe Hubby and I should just sleep in Wolf's bed...it's a double...hmmmmmmm.
Friday 5/8
1:38pm
Jenni is tired...and frustrated...but hopeful! [on this day we thought we had a job offer but then it was actually not an official offer it was a call of interest, but they do seem very very interested!]
Saturday 5/9
12:57 pm
Jenni wants a strawberry milkshake again. :s
3:35 pm
Jenni has done 2 loads of laundry and packed 4 boxes today. check! check! oo, that to-do list is shrinking!
Sunday 5/10
4:34 pm
Jenni has tickets to come to Utah this summer!
Monday 5/11
7:49 am
Jenni is thrilled that Bear slept through the night last night *in*his*own*bed!!
Tuesday 5/12
4:00 pm
Jenni just tried the priceline "name your own price" thing for the first time...and will soon be staying in Juneau's luxury Baranof hotel for less than the Super 8 price!
Wednesday 5/13
8:38am
Jenni had a dream last night that she gave birth to a girl...then she woke up to find that Bear had slept through the night in his own bed again. Mmmm, what a great morning!
Thursday 5/14
8:46 am
Jenni feels very fat today
2:18 pm
Jenni is pleased to announce that Bear fell asleep for his nap without nursing for the second day in a row. Yes, I am shamelessly using movies to accomplish this, but the point is the not-nursing, right?
Friday 5/15
9:14am
Jenni's goal for the day: find a storage unit place to hold our stuff for the summer
5:13pm
Jenni got chinese takeout for dinner. Yes, it had to be flown in. Mmmm, my hubby loves me!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
14 Weeks
I think I've kindof gotten myself into a tri-weekly update thing, which works for me...not so often that this is turning into a pregnancy blog, but often enough to decently update the people who want to hear about this stuff.
Welcome to trimester two! Your beautiful baby is covered in downy hair known as lanugo and really starting to move around. It may still be a while before you'll be feeling it, but they're in full motion anyway. At about 4 inches & 2.5 oz, their little body and limber limbs are coordinated enough for loads of complicated motions. In fact, their whole body is moving right now! You're probably not feeling it because their current size is still a bit too small to make an impact you'd recognize. Still, their movements are recognizable on an ultrasound. [At this stage I had an ultrasound with Bear where I was able to clearly see that he had the hiccups...one of the funniest things I've ever seen!] Your baby's heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood a day! He or she is also starting to develop the ability to move their eyes this week, although the eyelids still remain fused shut. What's more, they can make all sorts of fun facial expressions as they practice squinting, frowning, and grimacing. Cute development of the week: their little hands can grasp at things and they may already be sucking their thumb!
So, 14 weeks...this is a big deal, as it's the gestational period at which I had my first (and latest) miscarriage. Passing this date is a sigh of relief for me.
(Holding my tiny baby in my hand was as amazing as it was heartwrenching...yes, he looked almost exactly like the picture there. To give you a sense of scale, he fit in the palm of my hand, both his hands and both his feet could all fit on my thumbnail.)
I'm officially into the second trimester (most people count that at 13 wks actually), I'm pretty much over my morning sickness (YAY!), my belly bump looks more like a baby and less like too-many-twinkies, depending on the pregnancy this is about when one starts feeling movement (I'm pretty sure I've felt a few little bops already)...yeah, it's a nice place to be.
(yes, this is at sortof an odd angle...Hubby was sitting in the chair and I guess he was comfy so he didn't get up. I should have had him move to the other side of the room though so we could get one from a comparable angle to the last one! Anyway, I've hit that milestone of belly-sticks-out-further-than-bustline...yep, I look pregnant!)
So, 14 weeks...this is a big deal, as it's the gestational period at which I had my first (and latest) miscarriage. Passing this date is a sigh of relief for me.(Holding my tiny baby in my hand was as amazing as it was heartwrenching...yes, he looked almost exactly like the picture there. To give you a sense of scale, he fit in the palm of my hand, both his hands and both his feet could all fit on my thumbnail.)
I'm officially into the second trimester (most people count that at 13 wks actually), I'm pretty much over my morning sickness (YAY!), my belly bump looks more like a baby and less like too-many-twinkies, depending on the pregnancy this is about when one starts feeling movement (I'm pretty sure I've felt a few little bops already)...yeah, it's a nice place to be.
(yes, this is at sortof an odd angle...Hubby was sitting in the chair and I guess he was comfy so he didn't get up. I should have had him move to the other side of the room though so we could get one from a comparable angle to the last one! Anyway, I've hit that milestone of belly-sticks-out-further-than-bustline...yep, I look pregnant!)
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