24 Weeks Along (Friday, 10/31/08)

Happy Halloween! I am six months along now! I am now onto the third trimester of pregnancy.
Saturday we went and picked up Lily’s crib at Mother Hubbard's Cupboard and put it together. I love it. Here is a picture:

After assembly, it was time for the MSU versus U of M football game. It was a bit of a nail biter. Even though my Spartans led for most of the game, I kept expecting disaster to strike. Alas, it did not and my Spartans won the game for the first time since 2001 (that game was right before I hired into U of M). I was very excited! After the game we got ready and went out to dinner as it was our 5th wedding anniversary. My, how time flies. We had dinner at Tia Helita’s in Flint which is where we had our rehearsal dinner. Afterward we visited my parents in Davison and got home really late. Sunday was mostly about sleeping in. Paul worked outside a bit and I spent most of the day being a lazy bum.
The week was mostly uneventful. It started out strange with an impromptu meeting at work that I had to teleconference into from Brighton. The supervisors wanted to inform us all that one of our coworkers quit abruptly but they won’t tell us why. No one has heard from her but the general impression is that something bad happened. I worry about her and hope that all is well.
Today (Friday) is Halloween. Everyone brought a bunch of snacks into work so we mostly spent the day grazing like cattle on chocolates and such and moaning that we were really full. I had my OB appointment at 4pm which I was worried would show that I gained a bunch of weight from all the snacks but actually I lost 5 pounds this month making the grand total a loss of 6 pounds since I got pregnant. I was shocked. Apparently the only way I can lose weight without major dieting is to get pregnant. My doctor wasn’t concerned because the baby is still growing just fine. The heartbeat is strong and her kicks are strong. My blood pressure is still doing great. Sometime between now and my next appointment, I need to drink a bottle of gross sugary stuff and get a blood test to check for gestational diabetes. What fun. We hurried home from work for trick-or-treating from 6-8pm. We lost count but had around 50-60 kids. There were so many cute costumes. I love seeing all of the little kids and can’t wait to have a kid around for Halloween next year. Halloweens just haven’t been the same for us since Rachel moved to New York. Lily will be too young next year to really get into the holiday but we can’t wait to get her all dressed up and share in the fun with her nonetheless.




News from the womb…
The appearance of the baby’s skin has begun to change. The skin is wrinkled right now but as more fat is deposited and more muscle development takes place, it will begin to look smooth. The skin is still transparent because it is so thin. Capillaries are just beginning to develop under the baby’s skin. As blood fills these new vessels, they give the baby’s skin a red or pinkish appearance. Between now and the expected due date, the baby’s feet will almost double in size from about 1.8 inches to 3.3 inches. The baby now weighs just under 1.5 pounds. Most of the weight gained right now is muscle and bone mass as well as growing organs and tissues. Very little fat is being manufactured right now. Sounds that are heard daily by the baby include the beating of my heart, the sound of my voice resonating as I speak, the sound of air filling my lungs and being exhaled, and growling noises made by my stomach and intestines.