Closer And Closer We Get!

Our shower was this past Sunday at the Spencer Country Inn, where we also got married almost 3 1/2 years ago.

It was so nice! It was great to see all of our friends and family (well ok, the ladies anyway) in one place and to eat yummy brunch! Everyone was so generous to us - we got so many nice things!!

Eric took lots of pictures, but we haven't uploaded them yet. Once we do, I'll do my best to get them on here.

The baby's room is still coming along with help from family member's when they can. It should be ready before the end of November (crossing my fingers) and I'll be sure to post pictures of that too.

Megan's moving a ton these days. She's moving so hard that she often makes my belly move on the outside! It's so weird to see my stomach just start jumping at random times!

I'm feeling pretty darn good these days for having only 8 weeks left. My belly gets bigger each week and I don't really feel any more tired than before. My hips are aching a little but more if I sit for too long, but for the most part that's it. Even though I don't love being pregnant, I consider myself very lucky to have had the super easy pregnancy that I've had. I hope number 2 is just as smooth!!

I keep trying to get Eric to post more as I think it's nice to hear from his side of things - a different perspective. But for whatever reason, he hasn't posted in quite some time. Maybe if you guys email him, he'll get on it!

On a sadder note, Eric's Uncle Bob passed away this week. He was suffering from Alsheimer's and had been getting worse over the past few months. It's sad to see him gone, but we know it's for the better.

PS - as I am writing this, Eric is in the living room and sneezed. I didn't say "Bless you" so he said it to himself and continued to have a 2 sided conversation - with himself mind you - about how it's tough when no one sayd bless you and how his wife says she loves him, but it's obvious she doesn't. Geez - this is what my baby has to look up to??? ;-)

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?

32 weeks - 55 days to go

total weight gained: 9 lbs

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

Better Late Than Never... Right?

I didn't have a chance to post the baby update last week - so here it is!
Stay tuned for week 32 in a few days... WHAT?!? WEEK 32 ALREADY???

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?
31 weeks - 63 days left

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Had a baby appointment today. Her heartbeat was strong and loud - 140 to 150 beats per minute.

I can't believe how close we are!

More work on the baby's room this week. Eric painted the walls again today (2nd coat) and Mom cleaned out the closet of her stuff so I could put baby stuff in and get it out of the way. Hopefully Eric and Mom can get the rest of the woodwork painted and hung next week and then we can start putting the crib and stuff in there.

As many of you know, we currently live in Mom's garage while we save for a house. There's no plumbing so it's getting tougher for me with all the peeing! We're moving in to the house this weekend so it will be a bit easier on us to shower, pee and so on.

My shower is next weekend and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone!

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?
(30 Weeks - 69 Days To Go)

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Am I Growing a Soccer Star?

Not much has changed since my last blog.

One thing that has changed is how much Miss Megan's been moving. In the past week, she's been moving a lot more and stronger.

The other night Eric and I were laying down while I was getting ready to go to sleep. He had his hand on my belly and I had my hand on his. The munchkin must have been doing some serious moving because I felt her move on both the left and right side of my belly at the same time - and on the right she hit right where Eric's hand was... and I felt it through his hand! It was a pretty powerful wham!

Last night, I was sitting in the kitchen with my hands resting on the top of my belly and she started moving. I called Mom over and she got to feel her as well. That was the first time she had moved in that area, usually it's down in the lower part of my belly.

She's getting bigger and moving more often!

As for me, I feel fine for the most part! Sleeping's becoming a little bit of a chore. I can't seem to get comfortable in any position except on my back, but I'm not supposed to be on my back because the weight of the baby pushes down on a major nerve and can cause both of us problems.

As you saw last time, I definitely have a baby belly now - not just a bump, but a belly! People at work have been commenting on how it's gotten a lot bigger in the past few weeks.

I've got about 2 1/2 months left and honestly, I feel pretty good! I hope this continues until the end, but I know it may not.

Next appointment: Thursday the 23rd

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?
29 Weeks (76 days left)

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. To meet her increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because her bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Apples and Babies

This Saturday is the 30th Annual Brookfield Apple Country Fair. It's the essence of small town New England in the fall. Leaves on the ground, kids running around, crafters, hay rides and more.

It almost didn't happen this year.

The past few years, volunteers have been dwindeling and last year it was announced that there would be no more Apple Country Fair. The community rallied and this year, it's back!

I've been attending the Fair since we moved to Brookfield when I was 9 or so. Last year Eric and I went camping Fair weekend, so you can imagine my saddness when I thought I was missing the very last Apple Country Fair.

This year I'm co-in charge of the Bake Table with Mary - another local woman. But on top of that, I'm having a booth this year for Pampered Chef. I'm going to be a busy beaver Saturday!

I'll post pictures if I remember to take them.

Tonight Eric and I are picking up the "new" car. YEA!

In baby news...
Megan's been moving a lot more lately. And my belly is a full blown baby belly! Sure, I'm still fat, but there's definitely baby belly going on!

Eric talks to her a lot. I've started to recently. It's hard for me for some reason, but I'm trying. One thing I can handle is singing. I sing in the car so she can get used to my voice. I realized recently that I don't talk much during the work day, so I figure I need to get it in where I can so she can hear me.

Her room is coming along... slowly. We're working on painting, cutting and hanging the paneling over the next week or so. Then it's time to start moving in furniture and decorating!

My shower is in just a few weeks.

I can't believe how fast all of it is going!!!

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?
Week 28 - 84 days left

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Catching Up On Some Things

Lots to catch up on...

New Kids on the Block Concert
TONS OF FUN!!
It wasn't like seeing Billy Joel or someone you love as an adult. It was like being 13 again for a few hours. A stadium full of screaming 20-to-30-something women, bubble gum music and 5 grown men dancing like they did 15+ years ago. It was wonderful!

They sang all of the old hits and some of their new ones. My friend Jan was among the group that I went with and she wore one of her old Donnie t-shirts - hysterical! She's going to their concert at Mohegan Sun next month as well. For me, I can wait another 20 years!

Here's a couple of quick videos she took on Sept 26th at the Garden in Boston. If you listen carefully, you might be able to hear me screaming ;-)
Please Don't Go Girl
The Right Stuff
Didn't I Blow Your Mind
Donnie talking to the screaming women!

Baby Class
We finished our Natural Birth class this past Sunday. It was pretty informative, both in techniques and reminding us that for the most part we're in charge at the hospital - not them. We have a Newborn Class at the same place this coming Monday night and I think it will be pretty helpful for both of us. It'll be a refresher for me and new stuff for Eric.

Car Accident
As I mentioned before, Eric was in a car accident last week. He's ok, but his car.... not so much. It was totaled as you can see. We found out a few days ago he's getting a little over $5,800 from the insurance company - which rocks! Last Saturday (after I got home from a night in Boston with the girls to see the New Kids), we went car shopping with my dad and found a great car! A 2005 Subaru Outback with $79,000 miles for $12,400. Between the $500 we put down for a deposit and the $5,800 from the insurance company, we'll only need to finance about $7,000!! We're psyched!

We're waiting to hear from our Credit Union on what the rate they can offer us is, but we're expecting to had the "new" car by the end of next week. Eric gets to drive it until the baby comes and then it becomes my car and we sell my Escort and buy Eric another car.

So I think that's it for now. We've got 13 more weeks till the Munchkin comes. How did time go by so damn fast?!?!?

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO ?
Week 27

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

It's Here... It's Finally Here!

I've been waiting for it all summer and it's finally here.... The New Kids on the Block concert! I saw them 20 years ago this coming December at the age of 12 (it was my very first concert ya know!).

Above: Then & Now

I'm going with my friends Amber and Jan and Jan's friend Jodi. We're going to have a blast!! I've been listening to their old and new cds all day in preperation.

Now I know... it's kinda dorky! But I still giggle when I see them on tv and their music is fun.
It's my last big neight before Megan comes. Better make the most of it!

In other news...
Eric got in to a car accident late Wednesday night. He's fine - just a few burns from the air bag, but his car is toast. We're going car shopping tomorrow with my dad. The hope is to find a baby-friendly car that he can drive for now. Then when the baby comes, we get rid of my car and find a different car for him and I get the car we're buying now. We'll see how that works.

In baby news...
We had our 26 week apponitment yesterday. Everything looks great. We had an unexpected ultrasound since my midwife thought I was measuring a little big (well duh, I'm overweight!). Eric was thrilled to see her again. I'll try to scan and post the pictures when I can.

It's Going By So Fast!

98 days... that's all the time we have left until we become a family of 3 (give or take 2 weeks). I can't believe how fast it's going!

We have our monthly appointment tomorrow morning at 8:45. Probably just the usual quick checkup.

We started our Natural Childbirth class this past Sunday and have the second (and final) class this coming Sunday. It was pretty interesting! We got to see a few videos of babies being born and we learned some pain coping positions and breathing tips. Now let's see if we remember then on the big day!

On October 6th, we also have a Newborn Class. I think I feel pretty good about my newborn skills, but Eric's never been around little munchkins so this will be great for him and a good refresher for me. After all, Emma's 5 1/2 so it's been a while for me too!

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?
Week 26

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

Wonderful Heartburn

Man - this heartburn's been kicking the last week or so! I was having mild heartburn before, but this past week it's been bad. I've had to take a pill every night this week before bed so I could sleep, and now it's starting to kick in during the day too.

I think I need to start carrying Tums with me all the time now - blah. Let's hope it doesn't get much worse!

I was talking t a doctor-friend the other (eh hem - Miranda) and she asked me how far along I was. I told her I was 24 1/2 weeks and she said "That means you're viable Linds! You could have this baby now and she'd be ok! But let's hope she stays put a while longer!"

That freaked me out.

I get my weekly updates from BabyCenter.com and it has a little line of dots that represent each week. There are now 16 dots left... 16 weeks of dots. How did this happen??

I'm excited to meet our little one, but I'm also terrified (which I've been told is normal)! I thought I'd have no problems being a mom. I did, after all, babysit for a while back in the day and from age 13 to 21, I was a counselor at a summer camp and rocked! I thought "I had no problem with that, mom-hood will be the same." God - what was I thinking??

Since they've told their family, I wanted to send a big WOO HOO out to our good friends Shawn and Jan who are expecting their 2nd munchkin in May! Jan's about a month and a half along and so far so good! I'm so excited for them!

They have a daughter, Cassidy, who is cute as a button! She's a year and a half and is already a handful!

I'm excited that Megan will have a buddy close in age to play with! YEA!!

Shawn and I have been buds since the 7th grade - 20 years!! Shaw, Amber, Julie and I were inseperable when we were teens and I love that 3 of us are still close (Julie seemed to have dropped off the face of the Earth a while back).

Shawn and Jan got married in June of 2004 and Eric and I had a blast at their wedding.

I absolutely adore Jan and I think she's a wonderful addition to our "Old Gang" family!

Here's to a happy and healthy 9 months Jan!!

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?

25 Weeks

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

So My Mom Says....

"Did you know in less than 4 months you're going to be a mother?!" Yes. Yes, I did.

Tomorrow (Th Sept 11th) is 24 weeks. That means I have only 16 weeks left.

I feel like I don't have enough time anymore.
Not enough time for me.
Not enough time for Eric.
Not enough time for life.
Not enough time to prepare for her arrival.
I feel like I'm always on the go, yet I'm never doing anything.

It's sort of overwhelming when I really take a moment and think about everything that's going to be happening in a short amount of time.
I'm going to have contractions.
I'm going to have to get this baby out of me - either on my own or with some help.
I'm going to have to take her home.
I'm going to have to be alone with her when Eric goes back to work and Mom and Bob aren't around.
I'm going to have to listen to her cry and cry and cry.

It's all very exciting, yet very scary. I've been waiting a long time to be a mom, and now I'm not sure I'm ready. But I guess I don't have much choice do I?

I was reading through all of my past blogs and was laughing to myself. At week 9, I was complaining about how crappy I felt. Now, I feel like my old self - just a little fatter.

I quickly mentioned how Eric got to feel Megan kick while we were on vacation. I wanted to talk a little bit more about it since it was a big day.

I was laying in bed watching tv when she started moving. I told Eric and he came over. I said "I'm not sure if you'll be able to feel her, but she's here" and led his hand to my lower belly. We waited a minute and I said "There" at the same time that he said "OOH!". It was the last kick of her workout, but he felt it.

He was grinning from ear to ear and I loved it. After almost 2 months of feeling her move inside me, he finally got to feel her too.

He kept talking to her for the rest of the trip and when he did, he'd ask if she was kicking. No hon. I'm sorry but she's not kicking to your voice yet (or even mine). He'd read that if you tapped on Mom's belly, baby would kick back. He tried it, but no luck. He'll keep trying I know.

I was talking to a friend who is due in about a month last night and she asked if the baby was hicupping yet. Nope - not yet. Not sure how that will feel! The kicks are weird enough. I can't imagine frequent thumps in there! I've heard it tickles a little. I'll let you know when it happens.

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?

Week 24

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts her at just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Cruising....On a Sunday Afternoon

Here it is! My review of our week on a boat!
It wasn't all we had hoped, but it was nice.

Food
The food was great the first few days, but then "Lobster Extravaganza" came and it went down hill from there. On the menu for this meal it listed lobster tail, scallops and Tiger shrimp. The plate comes and it literally has one scallop, one shrimp and half of a small lobster tail that was waaaaaaaaay over cooked!

They had an "ice cream bar" that was open from 11-5 each day (weather permitting as it was outside). You got to pick from 2 or 3 flavors and got half a scoop on a sugar cone. No toppings, no bowls, no nothing. Now tell me, what kind of bar is that??

The breakfast buffet was eh. Greasy food, the same exact thing every morning.

There was a Chocolate Buffet one night that was pretty good! Although we were hoping there'd be some fondue-type stuff, but it was all little cakes and things.

Ports
Saint John and Halifax were really nice and beautiful. We were impressed with how clean those cities were. There were recycling bins all over and our tour guides in both places told us that the public citizens donated their own time and flowers from their own gardens to beautify the city - and it showed!

The Public Garden in Halifax was beautiful. We spent a bit of time in there taking pictures of the flowers and trees and ducks.


Sydney - WHATTA STINKER!
This town was tiny and had nothing to do. On the tourist map there was a street with "lots of great shopping". I kid you not when I say it had a used cd store, some crappy pharmacies and other stuff you'd see in a smaller city that gets no tourists. For the life of us we couldn't figure out why this would be a port of call! But... it did have a giant fiddle on the pier and that made it worth the trip!

Bar Harbor - loved it
No surprise that we loved Bah Hahbah. We went there on our honeymoon and were really looking forward to going back. We stayed on the main street and visited the same places as before, but we still loved it!

Weather/Motion Sickness
Not bad at all. The weather wasn't the best, but it's to be expected in that area at this time of year. It was sunny, but chilly.

The water was fine except for early Sunday morning when we were coming back in to Boston. The storm was there and the water was super rocky. I woke up around 3 and had the hardest time falling back to sleep! But for the most part, the water wasn't too bad at all.

We didn't do much on-board stuff. Played BINGO one day and saw one show. We did some gambling as well and I had a manacure (expensive!!). We mostly just hung out together, playing cards or walking around the top deck.

I think cruising just isn't for us. We're more woods/mountain people and I like being able to hop in my car whenever I want. It wasn't as great as we had hoped, but it was nice to get away together.

By no means would I say it was horrible or tell others not to cruise. It's just not for us. We did talk about a shorter cruise or a Disney Cruise/Park with the kid(s) somewhere down the road.

And the highlight of the trip - Eric felt Megan kick for the first time - YEA!

Seriously, Eric and I are weird. The things that impressed us the most were how well the captain moved the ship around! When pulling in to Sydney, he backed the ship up about half a mile. That's right - I said backed up! And in Saint John, he moved it sideways... sideways!!

All of our pictures can be found here. Let me know if you can't see them and I'll email them to you.

Quick Baby Update

Back from the cruise today. I'll post soon about it.
But in the mean time - a quick update on the baby since I missed posting while on the ship (65 cents a minute for internet was a bit too rich for my blood!)

Eric got to feel her move for the first time last week (he thinks it was Tuesday, I think it was later). He thought it was pretty cool and kept trying to her get her to kick him more, but she is already not listening to Daddy.

He received The Expectant Father from his boss a while back and brought it on the trip. He caught up during our down time and now likes to tell me what's happening to me and to the baby. It's cute....in an annoying sorta way (just kidding!). I really love that he's taken such an active role in the whole thing.

This week we need to look and decide what pre-baby classes we need to register for.

Just under 4 months until we see the newest edition to the family!!

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?
Week 23

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Nice to See You Captain Stubing!

Ok, ok. Our Captian probably won't be named Stubing or have a daughter named Vikki, but I can dream can't I?



We set sail on Sunday! I CANNOT WAIT!!!


I've already decided that late one night, I'm order an ice cream sundea from room service - just because I can! I've never had room service before, so I'm going to use it!


I'm really looking forward to 7 whole days away from my regular life. No claims to process. No parties to book. No trash to empty and no recycling to do.


I'll try to blog next week about week 23, but you may have to wait until we get home to get that update.


On the baby front this week: Eric's saying good night to Megan almost every night since we found out it's a Megan. He also tells her to kick me harder - real nice Dad.


We're working on her room as much as we can. It's a slow process since we're tight on funds these days, but it's getting done and will look great! I'll post pictures when it's done.

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?

Week 22

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

Is The Glass Half Full....

...or half empty? I am after all, half way there! Either way, I'll take it!

It's hard to believe that today is the start of the 20th week. It feels like just yesterday we were faced with the word "pregnant" on that little pregnancy stick. But it was 16 weeks ago. How time flies.

I've been feeling pretty well lately. So far so good. I'm trying to savor all the sleep I can get right now since in a few months it'll be hard to sleep at all!

Every one's excited about Megan's arrival in 4 1/2-ish months. Eric and I especially. It's nice to be able to call her by her name rather than "it" or "he/she" or "him/her". I can't wait for her to start really moving and get a small glimpse at her feisty little personality - because you know she'll be feisty. Look who her parents are!

As you're all aware, I'm an overweight gal so seeing a baby-bump will probably take longer than my thinner friends. We have noticed that the top of my belly (just under my check) has gotten bigger, presumably from all of my insides being pushed up do to Megan's need for more room. I hope now that I'm on the downhill side, she'll start to grow more and my belly will get bigger (with baby, not more fat!). As of my last appointment about 2 weeks ago, I had lost 3-4 pounds. I hope I can keep up the small weight loss as things progress.

In non-baby related news: We've only got 17 days left until we set sail for Canada! We're both really looking forward to the time away and to our very first cruise. Tonight we're planning on looking at the excursions to see if anything grabs us.

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?

Week 20

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. (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).

Baby Holm Is.....

A GIRL!!

The ultrasound tech said she couldn't be 100% sure because she was moving all over, but she felt pretty good that it was a girl and pointed out what she felt was the labia. It was amazing to see Baby Girl so clearly and so much bigger than at 9 weeks. She looked like a person, just teeny-tiny!

Eric and I are very excited to prepare for Megan's arrival and are starting the Team Pink duties. We had registered on Sunday, but stayed pretty neutral in colors, now we can add some pink to the mix. But not too much pink!

My mom came with us and I think she was really excited to see the baby and be there for the big reveal.

The tech said the baby looked really healthy and her heart beat was 133. She's measuring right on schedule.

Only 20 more weeks till we can meet the little Baseball Princess!

PROFILE

SPINE
FACE

HI EVERYONE!

147 Days Left

Holy moly - today is the start of week 19! In just 2 weeks, I'll be at the start of week 21, which means I'll be halfway there! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?? It's gone by so fast!!


In just a few days we'll find out if we're joining Team Pink or Team Blue. I'd like Team Blue, but I think it will be Team Pink. Eric does too. And my mom - well she refuses to even consider it could be a boy, so I'm going to have a good laugh if it is a boy... HA! Stay tuned for pictures of the bambino/bambina and don't forget to vote on what you think I'm having!


Honestly, I don't care what our munchkin is, as long as (s)he is healthy!


This weekend I've got a baby shower to attend for my friend Karen. Should be a blast! I've got all my tropical accessories ready - grass skirt, lei and coconut cup!

Lot's of people are asking me how I've been feeling. Not too shabby! I've got a little pain in my stomach from time to time and heartburn is acting up more and more often, but overall I feel good.


Hopefully you'll hear from Dad (aka Eric) soon. He's told me he means to blog and then never does. I like when he blogs. I know he's excited about the baby, but it's nice to hear him actually talk about it some :-)


So c'mon Eric - BLOG ALREADY!!!

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?

Week 19

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, taking to her, 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. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her 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.

Babies and Bikes

This week's been full!

Last weekend I went to our friend's Jan & Shawn's new house for a bbq. I saw some old friends, some little munchkins and had a great time.

This past week, I also had quite a few people tell me I look like I'm starting to show - WOW! I don't quite see it yet, but I sometimes feel like I'm getting a little bigger. I've also had people just reach out and touch my belly. I know they're excited and want to be a part, but it's a bit unnerving. If you see a pregnant woman, please don't touch her belly unless she tells you it's ok.

Baby Holm has also been moving this week. I've been feeling a sort of wave feeling in my lower belly and realized the other day maybe it was the munchkin. I paid a little more attention yesterday and decided it probably was the baby. Today I had a baby appointment and my midwife confirmed it was most likely baby!

Speaking of the baby appointment - it went great. I flew solo today for the first time. I lost another pound - woo hoo! The baby's heart rate was 150 - perfect! And the 1 hour glucose test I took last week was also great!

Looks like everything going great, and I hope the remaining 22 weeks go just as smooth!

And now we come to the bike part of this post.
This weekend is the Pan-Mass Challenge. My brother Tom is riding again and Mom, Bob,Eric and I are volunteering again. This will be Tom's last year to ride. Unfortunately, the PMC asks is riders to raise more and more money, and it's very difficult for a lot of people to raise it each year. Visit pmc.org to learn more about the ride.

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?
Week 18

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.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

It's been raining since yesterday. And it's been raining a lot. It's the head story on the news and it's all anyone is talking about at work.



This morning, my 60-mile commute took me close to 2.5 hours. It just sucked huge. People were driving 30 mph on the Mass Pike, where the speed limit is usually 65 and peple drive 70+. Once I got off the highway and on the street to work, there were huge puddles and flooding. You name it, I pretty much went through it this morning.


In New Hampshire today, houses were wrecked by the weather. It's unclear if it was a tornado, but a tornado warning was issued this morning. Yesterday in Rhode Island, there was an apparent touch down in the water!


The pictures on the news and the internet are unbelievable. Cars stuck in floods, trees knocked over, people stuck in the rain.

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?

Week 17

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

Daddy, Read To Me

In high school, my most favorite subject was anatomy & physiology. The human body fascinates me to no end. The way it attacks itself with cancers, the way it heals itself from a scratch or broken bone. The way it grows, the way it dies. It's all amazing to me.

As much as I understand what's happening scientifically, I'm still amazed that I'm growing a person. Seriously - there's a person growing in my stomach!! A PERSON!!! It started out as 2 little cells joining and each day, each minute, each second - something new is happening!

Sometimes it's a little freaky, sometimes it's overwhelming, but it's always amazing. Growing fingers, growing hair, creating blood and more.

To top it off, after this person is born - Eric and I are responsible for it. ERIC AND I!!!!

Sometimes we can't even take care of ourselves - how can we take care of another person??

But I know we'll be ok. Even though Eric hasn't been around little kids much before he met Josh and Emma, I know he'll do ok. And I've had more than my fair share of kids between babysitting, camp, J&E and my friend's kids.

I've been trying to get Eric to read to the munchkin since I got home from Chicago, but I think he's sort of self-conscious about it. I seriously can't wait for the day he feels comfortable enough to do it.

He asked if he had to read a kid's book or if it could be Stephen King. I told him SK would be alright as long as it was in a pleasant voice during all the killing and swearing ;-)

According to my weekly update I get emailed, I should be feeling faint movement in the next few weeks. THAT will freak me out even more, but I'm really looking forward to it. All I can think about is the alien coming out from the guy's stomach in ALIENS!

In just about 3 1/2 weeks, we'll be finding out if it's a Jack or a Megan. I've added a poll on the right - tell us what you think Munchkin Holm will be!

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?

16 Weeks

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Back from Chicago!

After a quick 3 day trip to Chicago, I'm back! I got home around 11:30 on Saturday night and slept most of Sunday morning and afternoon away until Eric got home around 3:30 and woke me up.

It was a crazy 3 days in Chi-town. It was my first Pampered Chef National Conference and it was busy! Lots of workshops, lots of people, lots of things to see! We got to see the new products coming out on September 1st - there's some great stuff coming out! Can't wait to show you all!

Unfortunately, I didn't have any time to sight see at all. I did get to see some amazing public art while we were on the bus to and from McCormick Place. I also got to see Soldier Field a number of times as it was on the way to the convention center.

I'd love to go back with Eric and really get to see the city - not just the route from the Hilton to McCormick.

WHAT'S BABY HOLM UP TO?

Week 15

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")