I Miss You....

Dear Sleep,

I can't believe it's come to this. After all of our years together, we must part. At first I was in denial, but after nearly a week without you (last night was the worst!), I've come to terms with the inevitable. I'm not sure who's to blame for what has happened between us. Perhaps you're to blame for not trying harder to meet my needs. Or maybe it is I who betrayed you when I crossed into my third trimester of pregnancy. But I guess it doesn't really matter now, does it? There's nothing to be gained from assessing blame. We just have to accept what has happened between us and move on. Perhaps we'll meet again after Zoe is born, but probably not immediately. Maybe we'll reconcile when she's 3 months old, or 5 months old, perhaps when she's 1 year old. I just don't know???? Let's not put a time limit on it, okay? All I can say is that I REALLY hope our paths cross again. Please know that I really do love you, and I miss you already! In fact, I'm sure I'll miss you more than you'll miss me. Perhaps we can meet up from time to time. I'll leave that up to you.

Ta-ta for now. Until we meet again, my friend.....

A Great Thanksgiving

Trevor and I had a nice, relaxing and somewhat non-traditional Thanksgiving. Since it's just the two of us this year, we decided to go out to eat rather than cooking. We had a late reservation (5:30), so we spent the early part of the day working in our yard. (The non-traditional portion of our holiday) We haven't had time to plant our fall color, so today was the day! It was a beautiful day; a perfect day for gardening. Trevor did most of the heavy lifting, but I was able to make some contributions. The yard looks great! We even started our Christmas decorating....yep, we hung a wreath on the door! :- )

Dinner was okay. We went to the Four Seasons Resort. The ambiance was great, but the food was just so-so. (But the dessert was amazing!) Definitely not worth the money. But hey, it was low maintenance for us (no maintenance, in fact), and it was still enjoyable.

We're already looking forward to Thanksgiving 2009 with Zoe. It'll be so much fun!

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Dear Lord,

Your Word instructs me, in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "to give thanks in all things, for this is God's will for [me] in Christ Jesus." At this time of Thanksgiving, I thank you for all of the many blessings in my life. First and foremost, for Your Son, Jesus Christ, my savior. Thank You for blessing me, Trevor and our families with life and health. I thank You for the many special friends You've blessed us with. Thank You for the amazing church You led us to and for a rich teaching of Your word on a weekly basis. Thank You for blessing Trevor and I with wonderful jobs and careers, for a beautiful home, and for blessing us to be a blessing to others. I thank You that despite the craziness going on around us and in this economy, You are our source, protector, sun and shield.

Thank You for blessing me with an amazing husband who loves me as You've instructed....as Christ loves the church. I thank You for Trevor's gentle spirit, his faithful love, and his heart for You.

Thank You, Lord, for the men and women who are defending our country domestically and abroad. Keep them safe from all hurt, harm and danger, and bless them and their families for their sacrifice.

Last, but certainly not least, thank You so very much for the wonderful gift of life growing inside of me. In fact, her very name, Zoe, means "life". Thank You for blessing her to grow strong inside of me, and I thank You for her life and purpose.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

28 Weeks (Hello, Third Trimester!)

Yesterday marked week 28! Hello, Third Trimester!!! Wow!!! I know I sound like a broken record, but time REALLY IS flying! I'm still experiencing the same symptoms as before, but now I'm also just generally uncomfortable, primarily at night. A good night's rest is becoming more and more elusive these days, thus I wake up most mornings feeling like I just fell asleep. YAWN! I'm also having pretty chronic bouts with acid reflux in the evening. Dr. S prescribed me some Nexium, but I haven't filled the prescription yet. I really don't like taking a lot of prescription meds because they are packed with weird side effects. Let's see, if I take the Nexium I'll be exchanging acid reflux for headaches, diarrhea and nausea....and possibly dry mouth, abdominal pains and constipation. Um, no thanks! I'll just keep popping Tums and spending my first 3 hours of (elusive) sleep sitting upright.


Zoe this week: our baby girl is still squirming around like crazy! And I still love it! While Trevor still hasn't "felt" her move, he did see my stomach jump today. It was pretty exciting! Zoe's new skill this week...blinking! And she's even getting REM sleep these days. (Too bad mommy isn't!) It is even believed that babies in utero start dreaming at this stage. I wonder what our little angel is dreaming about?! I hope all of her good dreams come true!


Zoe weighs approximately 2.5 lbs. this week and she's almost 16 inches long. Zoe weighs as much as Chinese cabbage:

Why?!

So I've been searching for some maternity picture ideas. Although our photographer is VERY skilled, I still want to look around for unique ideas we can incorporate into our shoot. This brings me to my question of "why?!" WHY do sooooo many women want to take nude maternity pictures? I'm not talking about exposing the belly...even I'd do that. I'm talking about really nude, meaning NO clothes. Perhaps I'm just a bit of a prude, but I really don't get it. I understand the wonder of pregnancy, and I believe that pregnancy is beautiful. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get all of that. But I really don't get the whole nude picture thing. I even saw a picture of a couple, where both of them are nude and they're standing sideways (picture a standing up spooning position), looking away from the camera. Where exactly does one display such a photo?! Perhaps in their office? Not! Over their dining room table? I hope not! Over the fireplace? Uh, nope! Oh, in the nursery right? Perhaps a tad bid inappropriate. That probably only leaves their bedroom, right? I can kind of understand that. But what if you have more than one child? Do you just hang nude photos all over your bedroom? It just doesn't seem practical to me. I REALLY do not get it at all!!!! But maybe it's just me....

Last Second Trimester Prenatal Appointment

Yesterday I had my last prenatal appointment for this trimester. The frequency of my appointments will now be bi-weekly. I really can't believe how fast time is flying! The appointment went well. Sunday night I started getting menstrual-type cramps in my lower left pelvic area and then a general sense of pressure along my entire lower pelvic region. Dr. S examined me and everything was fine. My cervix looked good and it's long and closed. I'm not having any bleeding, abnormal discharge, etc. Dr. S said we can probably assume it's just one of the many discomforts of pregnancy, but she said she'll have me go into labor and delivery to get evaluated if I notice it gets worse. So far, it's okay.

Zoe's heartbeat was nice and strong ~ in the 140s. My uterus is measuring at 27 cm, which is perfect, and I've gained 1 lb. since my last appointment on November 7. All is good!

Dr. S gave us a list of recommended pediatricians, so we'll soon begin our search for Zoe's pediatrician. Dr. S also gave us the registration paperwork for the hospital we selected for Zoe's delivery. All of these things seemed like stuff we'd worry about "later." Well, "later" is here. Again, I can't believe how fast time is flying!

Pregnancy Brain Strikes Again

This morning I decided I wanted to wear a pair of shoes that were actually in the back seat of my car, so I got fully dressed, made my way to the garage, changed my shoes and was on my way. Or so I thought. As I was backing out of the garage I hear a loud tumbling sound going down the back of the car, followed by a load crash! I immediately remembered that I sat a GLASS of orange juice (thankfully, with a lid) on the car while I changed my shoes. How is it that I managed to forget about said glass of orange juice in the span of one minute?! Thankfully I didn't run over any glass, but I ended up having to get out of the car to sweep up glass from the drive way. Dang pregnancy brain!!!

Maternity Shoot Scheduled!

I'll be in San Antonio (my hometown) in a few weeks for my first baby shower. I can't wait!!! I decided to contact the photographer that did our engagement and wedding photos to see if he can do a maternity session with us that weekend. I hadn't heard back from him, so I was worried he was booked up. Consequently, Trevor and I did an unintended maternity shoot yesterday when we went to have photos done for our holiday cards. We went there for holiday cards that cost $29/dozen and walked out paying over $550 for photos we never intended to take! And we weren't even 100% in love with the pics. Well, to my surprise, I found an e-mail from our photographer in my in-box this morning! He was delighted to hear our news and is going to do our maternity shoot while we're in San Antonio! YAY!!! His work is phenomenal and will be MUCH better quality than what we bought last night. More than anything, I love the idea of having our photographer take us full circle---engagement, wedding, and now our first child! Needless to say, I will be cancelling our order at the other place!

Some People!

Yesterday Trevor and I had pictures taken for purposes of our first ever photo holiday card. We just went to a place in the mall. Talk about a rip-off city and high sales pressure! But that's a different post. Anyway, we wrapped up our photo shoot and were shown to a waiting area so we could view and select our photos. There was a middle-aged lady in the area who was just beaming as she stared at my belly. After a few seconds she engaged me in the following dialogue:

Lady: "Hi!!" (still beaming)

Me: "Hello." (beaming back)

Lady: "When are you due?!" (still beaming)

Me: "February. February 18." (still beaming)

Lady: "Really?!" (still beaming)

Me: "Yep!" (feeling really good; fully expecting a nice compliment)

Lady: "Wow! You look like you're ready to go any day now." (still beaming)

Me: "Really?" (in a very irritated tone as I turned away; no longer beaming)

I promptly sat down in the furthest seat from that lady and told Trevor, "that was rude. " (Fully hoping she heard me) I told Trevor that I should've asked her when she was due. (She clearly wasn't pregnant, but was a little thick around the waist)

Some people! Sheesh!!!

Sleep Study Complete!

Last night, as Trevor and I were finishing up dinner and watching last Sunday's episode of the Amazing Race (love that show!), I received a call from the sleep center informing me they had a cancellation and asking if I could make it there to have my sleep study completed. As much as I wanted to remain in the comfort of my home, I decided to go in lieu of waiting until December 2. What an experience! I'm so glad Trevor was home from work and able to accompany me. He was a great sport and slept in a recliner all night. (Sleep center rules) I love that man!!!

We arrived after 10pm and were shown to our "suite". Thankfully, the environment didn't feel clinical and was somewhat cozy....until they wired me up. Within about 1.5 hours, they had me connected to an endless number of wires. I'm talking wires for days. I looked like a robot with exposed wires, but Trevor assured me that I looked as beautiful as the day he married me. LOL. Electrodes were attached to my face, collar bone, shins, scalp, and behind my ears using a conductive glue. In total, I had about 15 electrodes and wires dangling from my body. Nasal airflow sensors were taped to my face and situated under my nose (talk about tickling!) and near my mouth, chest and abdomen belts were placed on me, and an oximeter was taped to my finger. I was also fitted for a CPAP mask in the event sleep apnea was detected during the study. Boy are those uncomfortable! One of them made me feel like I was suffocating.

Once I was fully connected, a calibration test was conducted. That was strange. My technician, Evan, directed me to do various things over an intercom to ensure all the electrodes were working. I was told to move my eyes rapidly left to right/up and down, move my ankles one foot at a time, clench my teeth, hold my breath, make breathing motions w/ my stomach while holding my breath, take deep breaths, close my eyes, blink my eyes, etc. Once everything was calibrated, the sleeping began. I was being watched on camera all night and the two-way intercom was always on. Spooky. Twice I awaken by two techs entering my room with flashlights because they weren't getting a good reading on my oximeter. Finally they made the decision to remove my oximeter and....you guessed it, tape it to my face. As if I had any more space on my face for yet another measuring device. When I had to pee I just woke up and told my tech over the intercom. It felt like I was talking to God:

Me: "Evan" (in a groggy voice)

Tech: "Yes, my child."

Me: "I have to pee."

Tech: "No need to fret. I'll be right there, my child." (In enters Evan, disconnects my electrode box, places it around my neck and sends me to my private restroom)

Now, peeing with wires going down my legs, while squatting, was a challenge because I was trying desperately not to pee on the wires. LOL. Plus, (TMI - sorry) since pregnancy brings about its fair share of flatulence, I was trying not to "poot" while peeing because the bathroom had ZERO acoustics so I know it would've echoed over the entire sleep center. LOL.

Thankfully, the "I need to go pee" requests only occurred twice, so that wasn't too bad. When my time was up, Evan came over the intercom with a monotone "Good morning. The sleep study is complete." And just like that it was over. He came in and peeled off all the electrodes and asked the most foolish question I've heard in awhile....."So, how did you sleep?" I wanted to say, "Um, how would you sleep if you were wired up like a bomb?"

Poor Trevor needed some WD-40 to get out of the recliner. LOL. We left the sleep center beat down tired! But it's complete. Evan couldn't tell me how I did; he said the doctor will discuss that with me. However, I was excited that I wasn't made to put on the CPAP mask during the night which must mean that I didn't stop breathing. Fingers crossed....

27 Weeks!

One more week down, 13 weeks to go! I can't believe I'll be starting my third trimester next week. Crazy! Not much is new with me, just more of the same. Although I have found that I'm starting to get more uncomfortable these days. I've been using Rhinocort at night at the recommendation of the sleep medicine doctor and this morning Trevor said he thinks it's actually helping my snoring. YAY!!! Apparently I no longer snore when I'm on my side, only when I'm on my back. Previously I was snoring no matter the position. So I'm hopeful that my sleep study on December 2 won't result in a sleep apnea diagnosis....just a bad case of pregnancy-induced congestion. Fingers crossed....

I'm now up a total of 6.2 lbs. from my pre-pregnancy weight. I'm pleased that my weight gain has been slow and steady despite my insatiable sweet tooth! I'm trying to work in a more diverse palate, but I'm the consummate creature of habit. Thus I'm still downing tons of California rolls, miso soup, hot turkey subs, wheat bagels with grape jelly and lately I've been jonesing for chicken pad thai. I am working in more fruit though. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of veggies on my plate these days. I really need to work on that.

Zoe this week: our baby girl has become a little jitterbug. She's been moving quite a bit lately, and I love it! Unfortunately she's as still as a statue when her daddy puts his hand on my tummy. Silly girl! Our little angel is sleeping and waking at regular intervals now and opening and closing her eyes. Due to the development of more brain tissue, her brain is quite active these days. Her hearing is maturing and she's recognizing our voices more and more. Awww!

Zoe weighs just over 2 lbs. and is between 14.5 - 15 inches head to heels. She weighs as much as a head of cauliflower (what mommy needs to be eating these day):

I PASSED!!!

I just found out I passed my gestational diabetes screening! YAY!! The normal range for the glucose test is 65-139; mine was 118. I'm so excited!! I think this is almost, I repeat almost, as exciting as passing the Texas bar exam! I don't know why this test had me so worked up, but it did. I'm just pleased that I can scratch one more concern off my list.

Severe Case of Pregnancy Brain

I think I've developed a severe case of "pregnancy brain." I've been rather forgetful lately. I've always forgotten silly things like leaving something upstairs in my bedroom, only to realize I've forgotten it once I'm downstairs in the living room. Ugh! I've also been guilty of going all the way upstairs for something only to arrive upstairs and totally forget what I went upstairs for. Again, ugh! Okay, so all of that is normal, thus I won't blame it on pregnancy brain. But lately I've started forgetting my keys are in the ignition of my car. I'll disembark the car and then realize they're still in the ignition when I attempt to engage the alarm. Thank God the doors don't lock by themselves otherwise I'd be racking up a hefty bill with a locksmith. I'm also glad that I'm diligent about engaging the alarm on the car, otherwise my car would be an easy target for a thief. I'm in big trouble if I start forgetting to engage the alarm between now and February.

The other thing I've started to forget.....where I put my cell phone, namely when I'm getting ready to get out of the car or getting ready to start driving. I can't tell you how many times I've tore my purse apart looking for my cell phone only to realize it's between my ear and shoulder. Yep, I'm talking on the phone while looking for the phone. Go figure????

Today took the cake. I totally and completely forgot the PIN number to my debit card. I mean totally and completely! I'm talking about standing AT the ATM machine punching in every sequence of numbers I can think of to no avail. Thankfully it was one of those machines where you swipe your card, otherwise my card would've been confiscated by the machine for suspicious activity. I still can't remember my PIN number five hours later. And I just used that card last week. Strange!

Yep, I have a severe case of pregnancy brain! LOL. The joys of pregnancy.

More Punch, Please!

Today I had my gestational diabetes screening. I chose the fruit punch flavored glucose drink. It was so good! It tasted just like Hi-C Fruit Punch. Yum. Zoe either loved it or hated it because it felt like she was doing back flips! My results should be in within the next couple of days. I REALLY hope I pass.

Nursery Woes Return

Much to my chagrin, I'm obsessing over Zoe's nursery bedding again. WHY???? I really thought we had it figured out....UNTIL I received Restoration Hardware Baby & Child's catalog in the mail. I LOVE their stuff!!! So, despite having crib bedding and matching accessories in my home for the bedding I thought we were going with, I've now ordered the below sets from RH. (Unfortunately their Baby & Child line isn't in stores yet) Once I have all three in my home, I will make a final decision. Thank God for 90 day return policies! I'm so happy we haven't started any painting yet and that all three sets will match our furniture.

I don't know why I'm making this so difficult! Actually, I do. First , because I make most decisions more difficult than necessary. Second, I'm making this difficult because in my mind I want Zoe's nursery to be perfect! But for whom? Zoe won't even know the difference! Trevor has been such a trooper. He indulges me, but I bet he's screaming on the inside. LOL.

Current bedding:













New bedding ideas:

Is that me?!

Today Trevor came downtown to have lunch with me. My husband is the greatest! Anyway, we walked to a restaurant nearby and on our way back to my building I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a window. I thought someone was walking directly in front of me for a second there. Holy stomach, Batman! I've POPPED!!! I have no idea when it happened, but it happened. And I have 3 months to go. GULP! I'll have to post an updated picture soon....but I have to take one first. We may have to set the camera on panoramic mode to get the full image! LOL.

Week 26! (and 2nd trimester screening)

Today begins week 26 of my pregnancy. YAY!!! Things are the same with me....still having aches in my left side under my ribs, still snoring, still having occasional nosebleeds (right nostril only ~ strange), still having occasional headaches, still having minor swelling in my feet and ankles at the end of the day. New this week....sleeping is getting a little uncomfortable. I think part of the problem is that I'm so self-conscious about my snoring, and I'm trying really hard to sleep on my sides and not my back for Zoe's benefit. Also, my back is starting to hurt daily. I've even resorted to taking a heating pad with me to work. What a funny sight! Despite this long list of "ailments", I actually feel pretty good if that makes sense?! I'm up a total of 5.8 lbs. from my pre-preggers weight.

Today we had a subsequent, and final, 2nd trimester screening to look at Zoe's anatomy. Everything looked perfect!! Her heart has all four chambers and looked healthy, her brain is developing properly, and all organs are present and in their proper place.

Zoe this week: our baby girl's eyes are now beginning to open, and she can respond to light. Zoe's brainwave activity is also kicking in at this stage, which means she not only hears noises, but she can also respond to them. Zoe is inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. We actually saw her do this during today's ultrasound! It was sooooo cute!!! She did it twice!!

Zoe is approximately 14 inches long (head to heel) and she weighs 1lb. 14 oz. (according to today's ultrasound). She's about the size of an English hothouse cucumber (whatever that is???):

Breaking 100!

According to my tickers, we have approx. 99 days until Zoe graces us with her presence! I can't believe we broke 100!! I can still remember when we had well over 200 days to go. WOW!!! Time flies when you're growing a baby!

Visit with Sleep Medicine Doctor

I met with the sleep medicine doctor today. He agreed that I could have sleep apnea, but he said the snoring may also be from all the congestion I've been having. He won't know for sure until I have a sleep study done, so that's the next step. Apparently sleep issues abound in the area because the soonest they can get me in is December 2. Shoot! I asked them to please call me if they have a cancellation because I want to get this diagnosed sooner versus later, particularly because I'm pregnant. In the meantime, the doctor prescribed me a nasal spray that should help with the congestion. He believes it's safe to use during pregnancy, but I'm waiting for Dr. S to confirm this. If I have sleep apnea, I will be evaluated again after Zoe is born to see if the problem is corrected. I'm just hoping I don't have it at all.

I was slightly offended that the doctor kept talking about my weight throughout the appointment. He kept saying things like "with the added weight, plus your pregnancy....", "when you lose the weight after your pregnancy....", "due to your weight gain....", etc. I wanted to scream "enough with the weight already!!! Sheesh!!!" You'd think that I had to be rolled in there on a gurney or something, or hoisted up through a window. I'm not THAT big!!! To add insult to injury, Trevor was in the room. Everyone knows that you don't discuss weight with a woman - EVER - especially when her husband's in the room! Okay, so maybe there's an exception to that rule when you're a doctor, but not with my husband in the room! I now have a renewed mission to lose those law school pounds, plus any pregnancy weight I gain!

Snoring Update and Prenatal Appointment

Trevor returned home last night, so I was finally able to get feedback on whether the combination of putting tea tree oil in my bath water, using a saline nasal spray, AND sleeping with a warm mist humidifier is helping to alleviate my snoring. Verdict: the snoring persists. Trevor said there wasn't an ounce of improvement. Lovely! Trevor was successful in giving himself a pep talk to fall asleep despite my snoring. He said he kept telling himself "Trevor, you can do this. You can fall asleep. You've been to SERE school (which stands for "survival, evasion, resistance, and escape"--it is a POW survival course he went through in the Navy)." Too funny! How sad that enduring my snoring can be likened to being a POW. LOL.

So, today I had a regular prenatal appointment with Dr. S. Trevor went with me and described my snoring to her. She's concerned that I may have pregnancy-induced sleep apnea. She's working with my primary care physician to identify a good sleep study center for me to get evaluated. I should have that information later today. If I do have sleep apnea, she's going to put me on a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine for the remainder of my pregnancy because of the risk of cutting off oxygen to Zoe. I really hope I don't have sleep apnea, but if I do, I'm glad there's a remedy for it. In the meantime, Dr. S recommended sleeping in an elevated position to open up my airway.

Until then, the snoring continues....

Today's appointment: Zoe's heartbeat was nice and strong at 162 bpm, and my uterus is measuring on target. My blood pressure was good - 118/70. With the exception of the sleep apnea concern, today's appointment was good.

A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Last night America experienced a defining moment in time. Even if I hadn't supported Barack Obama in this election, I'd still be so proud of America today. As an African-American, I never thought I'd see this day. What an exciting time! There is indeed "a time for everything", and it's America's time.

I pray for the safety of Barack Obama and his family. May the Lord bless you and keep you, President-Elect Obama.

The Year of Your Birth

Dear Zoe,

2009 is going to be exciting for two reasons. First, you'll enter this world. What a wonderful day that will be! Second, you'll be born the same year that America swears in its first ever African-American President! Last night, Barack Obama earned the distinguished title of President-Elect of the United States of America! Sweetie, this is such a monumental time in American history, and you'll be born the year it all takes place. What a lucky girl you are! This country, and the opportunities facing you, will never be the same.

Love you,
Mommy

25 Weeks!

25 weeks, already?! Wow!!! I can't believe that Zoe will be here in 15 weeks! We have so much to do between now and then! Our only hope of getting things done is on the weekends due to the demands of my job and Trevor's travel schedule. Thus, I've starting counting "by weekends" until Zoe's arrival. Thus, we have 15 weekends to prepare, which assumes that we work up until the end, which I don't want to do. Not to mention that we have holidays, baby showers and family commitments to contend with as well. Yikes!!! Trevor and I have decided that we want to finish our baby prep, particularly the nursery, by the end of the year. Time is ticking fast!

The reality that we'll soon have a child is setting in. Our stroller came in, as did the car seat and bases. We still need to assemble the stroller, but it's here. The crib bedding has arrived as well. Before long we'll have nursery furniture. Wow!!!

I'm feeling pretty good still. Aches and pains are the same. According to Trevor, my snoring is getting REE-DICULOUS!! How embarrassing!! I purchased a humidifier, saline nasal spray, and am hoping the snoring gets better. Trevor said that sometimes it sounds like I'm not breathing, so we're going to talk to Dr. S about the possibility of pregnancy-induced sleep apnea at our appointment on Friday. I've also been having more frequent nose bleeds, although they're only from my right nostril. Strange! I think my fatigue is returning; I'm not happy about that.

I weighed myself this morning. It seems I went through a "growth spurt", yeah that's what we'll call it, a "growth spurt." I'm now up a total of 5.4 lbs. from my pre-preggers weight. GULP! I know that's not bad, it just seems like I had a big jump in one week.

Zoe this week: she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. Her wrinkled skin is beginning to smooth out. Her nostrils, which have been plugged up to this point, are starting to open up to give her practice with breathing. Additionally, her lungs are continuing to grow. Capillaries are forming under Zoe's skin and they're filling with blood. Zoe continues to be pretty active and I love it, although a few of her recent moves have been slightly uncomfortable. Oh, I felt her hiccups for the first time on Sunday. She had 11 in a row. How cute!

Zoe is approximately 14 inches long (head to heels) and she weighs just under 2 lbs. Zoe is about the size of a rutabaga (not a very cute comparison):