Week 22: Oh, My Papaya!

Baby Girl is the size of a papya this week. Mmmm.... delicious papaya!

She weighs about a pound of feisty activity and according to one site, she's as long as a bag of Oreos (I think I'll have 3) and as heavy as a large bag of tortilla chips. Which sounds like dinner to me.

She has long, strong legs and big ol' feet that I can feel poking out every once in a while. I had a dream weeks and weeks ago that I was playing the Poking Game with my baby, where she would poke her foot out my belly and I'd push it back inside. Now we're playing it, for real!

Our little Thumper is loving music a lot, I can tell. We were watching "Glee" on Tuesday night. The big Britney Spears episode. And she was kicking up a storm during every musical number. The first one, I put my hand on my bare belly and felt her from the outside! I'd felt her from the outside last week for the first time, but this time, Colby was sitting next to me. I grabbed his hand and put it on my belly. We sat there silently for a few seconds and I felt a good thump. I said quietly, "Did you feel that?" and he said, with surprise and stunned delight, "I did!" and we both giggled.

Monday night and Wednesday night this week I rehearsed for the Big Deal Cabaret benefit I'm singing in next Monday night, and she was dancing along with the music then too.

She also especially loves to play bouncy castle on my bladder, as well as whatever side I happen to be (trying to) sleep on at night.

I've gotten to 22 weeks, which is a few days longer than I got with Esther Virginia, and my last check-up revealed that the cerclage is holding just fine. I go in every 2 weeks to get that checked, but I'm taking great care of myself and Sarrazine, so I feel very confident and happy and excited and optimistic!

Week 21: Our Little Acrobat

I was scheduled for my "big" ultrasound (20 week gender and anatomy scan) for today, but due to my suspected problem a couple weeks ago, and my Level 2 ultrasound that happened to be scheduled for the following week, I really wasn't "entitled" to this ultrasound. But because this is the one where they tell you to bring a DVD in to record video, the techician gave me a "freebie"! WE LOVE HER!

All the measurements are exactly average (57% actually, so just slightly above average in terms of size) and once again, Sarrazine was an active little girl. I had only had about 1/3 a cup of McDonald's orange juice along with my Egg McMuffin, but honestly, she doesn't need much sugar to get her going.

I'm going to try to include the video below... at about 3:09 she appears to be sucking her thumb, or at least resting her hand on her face. At 6:00 the scan settles in to see a "baby," not just body parts and organs. And at about 7:00, she starts to TURN A SOMERSAULT. She ends up facing downward and puts her arm in in a "Rosie the Riveter" pose. At 8:00 she moons us, and then proceeds to try to kick her way out.

Oh, she's a cutie!


Last night I made beef stew in the new crock pot. Colby said it was too much and maybe he should be put in charge of future meals. It gave me new respect and sympathy for my mom, trying to cook for us ungrateful kids all those years. But he ate 3 helpings between then and today and I had 2. It's good stuff and will keep for a while in the freezer. When we're ready for red meat again, I'm going to make noodles with it. It was SO GOOD.

I also made apple crisp tonight. So I am determined to become a domestic goddess mama.

Week 19: Thumbs up from doctor (and Baby!)

Wasn't feeling quite "right" on Thursday, so called the nurse. She and the doc in the office were concerned enough to call me in immediately to check me out. When another nurse took my weight, she said, "So, we think your water broke?"
Um. Do we?

Doc took a sample to check for amniotic fluid, and came back in moments later to gave me the Thumbs Up (also some cold water and a cup of M&Ms!) and let me cry it out in the exam room until the ultrasound room was ready. :)

Everything's A-OK, Mom!

I was called in for my ultrasound, so... bonus pictures! My fluid level was perfect, baby looked perfect, and the tech (Kathy) confirmed 100% she's a girl. So our little baby is named Sarrazine Michelle!

She was VERY active (maybe from the M&Ms), waving her arms in the air and kicking and stretching her long legs like crazy. Got some good pics, but my favorite was the last one the tech took.... Sarra was giving me the THUMBS UP! :)

The tech said, "OK. Now that makes me cry."

At least right now, Sarra has slightly longer legs than average

(and a slightly larger noggin. I said, "That's to fit in all her brains!")

According to BabyCenter.com, at 19 weeks, Sarra is the size of a large heirloom tomato. The ultrasound revealed she is on target for 19 weeks, maybe a little over (she's got long legs and a slightly large head.... oh, joy.)

 

But she's starting to be able to hear, so I've been singing more to her. However, I think she's going to think that Carolyn McCormick is her mommy, because I've been listening to "The Hunger Games" trilogy on CD for the past few weeks, non-stop.

Our little drama queen is giving the "Woe is me!" arm across her forehead.

I'll be singing more often now that I'm going to perform in two cabarets this fall... one in Buffalo Grove (Monday, October 4), and one in Deerfield (at Kevin's Place Diner, Friday & Saturday, October 29 & 30).

That's right. I just plugged my gigs on my baby blog.

A Profile in Baby

Baby Name Dilemma

If we have a girl, we want to name her after my late mother. Colby suggested we use her last name.... Sarrazine (the "e" is silent) and call her "Sarra". The spelling would be tricky, but it would at least differentiate her from other Sarah/Saras. Her official name would be Sarrazine (although I would be concerned she'd be called "Magazine" by the other kids).

I've always been slightly annoyed by weird spellings of names, because it just adds needless complications to a child's life. I still remember being TRAUMATIZED in 3rd grade when a teacher mispronounced my last name, and I was too polite to correct her, so she and a new kid in class called me by the "wrong" name for several weeks until I broke down in tears and told my mom, "I did a terrible thing!" She thought I'd murdered someone, or at least stolen their milk money.

Or we could just call her Sarah and be done with it. I've always liked the name, and it means "princess."

Thoughts?

Week 18: Our little sweet potato

Baby is getting bigger and I am feeling more movement. I can't be 100% sure it's all Baby, but I think it is. I am going in for a Level 2 ultrasound and high-risk consult in a couple weeks on the recommendation of one of the doctors in my office, due to my age and high risk for Down Syndrome. Hopefully all will measure out OK. Looking forward to seeing my active little Sweet Potato again soon!