Only 13 Weeks Left...Really?

Someone's FB (okay, not just any someone... the amazing, wonderful and fabulous gal that makes my hair anywhere near presentable) status today reminded me that there are 12 weeks left until Christmas.

Holy Cow.

As we hit 25 weeks yesterday, we have 13 weeks left until Luke is scheduled to make his arrival.

Again, I say, Holy Cow.

Believe it or not, I have already been working on getting Christmas shopping done...not quite as much on the getting-things-done-before-Luke-comes front. Working on that. Guess I better try and work a little harder.

We saw Dr. Sweeney yesterday and Luke was doing just fabulously. He weighed in at about 1 lb., 10 oz., which put him in the 51st%tile. Dead average. He was in the 52nd%tile two weeks ago, so that seems to be the continuing trend. Near this point with Matthew, we'd dropped to about the 38th%ile (for weight---certainly not for length!) and it kept getting progressively lower in percentile drop from that point on. I remember crying to Dr. Sweeney about IUGR when Matthew was in the 10th%tile (and that scored me weekly ultrasounds just to make me feel better---which is just proof that their office has been wonderful since Matthew died, but Dr. Sweeney was really wonderful throughout Matthew's pregnancy just because he's that kind of doctor).

Anyway.

Luke's doing great. He has HUGE feet, like his brother (and it's been everything I can do not to pick up cute shoes because those are some of the things I didn't really have too many of for Matthew and would LOVE to pick up for Luke, but not until I know what kind of snowshoes that kid's gonna need!) and I love, love, love pictures of those sweet feet. As per his usual, he kept his hands up by his head for most of the picture ops, but we were able to see him do some very sweet things...he yawned SEVERAL times, had the hiccups, was practicing breathing (hooray!) and we got really deep into analyzing his heart (looks GREAT!) and brain. It was a very thorough and long ultrasound and I loved it.

He has hair!!! I don't know that Matthew had hair (that we could see) this early, so maybe that's indicative of another baby boy with a head of hair at birth! John double-checked to make sure he was still a boy (which I found hilarious because we see the proof every time...this time she made sure we got another picture for John's peace of mind!) and all in all, Luke is, "Very happy and extremely healthy!"

Just what we like to hear.

I've not gained anything--in fact for a few days, was a few pounds lighter. The scale said 110.4 last night, that's what I'll go with. I pretty much weigh at the same time in the morning and the same time at night for my book, but really just use the weights at the doctor every two weeks for 'official' purposes. Ha ha. I *have* gained in the waist, though--37 inches. He's DEFINITELY filling out more and is no longer transverse but head down. Of course, he is a little frog, hopping all over the place, so we saw him bouncing all around on my bladder and cervix yesterday like it was a trampoline! Speaking of cervix, they were all pretty impressed with my 4.7 cervical length. Like Dr. Shonekan has always said...Fort Knox.

Last night after my photography class, I had some really, really, REALLY sore/painful cramping that I guess is more round ligament pain. It was better this morning, but then I got all energetic and did probably way more than I should have and could barely walk by this afternoon. Coupled with my hip pain, actually, and I really couldn't...so I spent a few hours in bed. It's a bit better now, but it's still really painful when walking (or ANY pressure on my stomach, really) so if it's like this tomorrow morning, I'm calling the doctor and see what they say. I'd hate to have to drive back to Annapolis tomorrow after just being there yesterday, so I may think about going to my wonderful L& D here if things don't get better but don't get too much worse. Too much worse, and I'll go to Annapolis just in case.

Luke seems to be just fine, though---moving all around, kick counts done in about 2 minutes and heartbeat good and strong. Just really, really painful and leaves me not able to do much walking. So, we'll see.

Anyway, here we are at 25 weeks:

Another rainy day...feeling like fall!

Sweet little profile!

Love, Love, LOVE my boys' feet!

There's some hair....don't ask how anyone is supposed to know that...

Pursing those little lips together after a yawn!

Here's what's going on with Luke:

Week Twenty Five: Exploration continues

You are 25 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 23 weeks) The unborn child is 34 cm in length and weighs almost 690 grams. Baby is around 13.5 inches in length and weighs 1 and half pounds. Bones are becoming solid, hands are now fully developed. The brain is growing rapidly, the brain cells are starting to mature. The sexual organs are fully developed. Baby is now pretty well built portion wise even though it still has little body fat and its skin is thin. The structures of the spine begin to form -- All 33 rings, 150 joints and 1000 ligaments. The tiny brain is growing rapidly, and the baby is starting to fill the space in your uterus. The uterus is now about the size of a soccer ball and mom looks pregnant. Your baby's hands are now fully developed, although some of the nerve connections to the hands have a long way to go. Dexterity is improving. Your baby can make a fist and clasp objects placed in palm. Exploring the structures inside your uterus may have become baby's prime entertainment. Fascinated by the amount of tactile stimulation a fetus gives itself; it touches a hand to the face, one hand to the other hand, clasps its feet, touches its foot to its leg, its hand to its umbilical cord. Twins will explore each other and begin their bonding. Blood vessels of the lungs develop. Your baby's nostrils begin to open. The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. Their swallowing reflexes are developing. Baby can hear sounds outside the womb and the brain cells are starting to mature also. Already it can learn and remember and can recognise its mother and fathers voice. The inner ear bones have hardened so hearing is more acute. Baby may hear your partner's voice more easily than yours, as baby is sensitive to a deeper pitch. Babies born at 25 weeks of pregnancy have about a 50% chance of survival.