38 Weeks! (and prenatal appointment)

We're getting closer to the finish line. 38 weeks and counting! My symptoms are largely the same, although the swelling in my feet seems to be getting worse. My blood pressure and urine checks are still good, so Dr. S isn't overly concerned about the swelling. She has instructed me to keep my feet elevated as much as possible. Yesterday afternoon my size 8.5s felt like size 5s. Not very comfortable! I'm going to work from home tomorrow, and I may start working half-days from home next week....we'll see. (My goal is to work through my delivery date so I don't burn any maternity leave)

I had a prenatal appointment today. It went well. Zoe has dropped a small bit, but she's still not positioned firmly in my pelvis. Her heart beat was nice and strong ~ in the 150s-160s. And my cervix....well, it's not doing much. Dr. S is pretty certain I'll make my appointment next week, so it looks like no Zoe for awhile. :- (

Zoe this week: Zoe is working on a few last-minute details like shedding the skin-protecting vernix and lanugo. She's also producing more surfactant, a substance that prevents the air sacs in her lungs from sticking to one another once she starts to breathe. And she continues to practice her swallowing skills by taking in amniotic fluid. Despite these last minute details, she's ready for life outside the womb. We're ready when she is!

Today Dr. S said Zoe feels like she could weigh as much as 6.5 lbs. right now, which is a little perplexing since she was estimated at 5 lbs. last week. Who knows??? For now, according to the text books, Zoe weighs approximately 6.8 lbs. and she's over 19.5 inches long (about the length of a leek):

37 Weeks!

I crossed the 37 week mark last Wednesday. Zoe is officially full-term! All is well. We're anxious to meet Zoe, but we know she'll enter this world when she's good and ready. Assuming she doesn't arrive late, we're officially at T-17 days and counting.

I'm feeling pretty good. Same symptoms as last week. Someone asked me the other day if I'm officially tired of being pregnant? I'm not. I'm anxious to meet Zoe, but I've been very fortunate to have a smooth and easy pregnancy. No big issues to complain of. Sure I have an aching back, pain in my left rib cage from time to time, swelling ankles as of late, horrendous snoring (according to Trevor), occasional nosebleeds, and other random symptoms, but I don't have the horror stories I've heard other women speak of. I'm truly blessed.

My weight gain is still holding steady at 16 lbs. I'm pleased. My belly is getting big though. (Although I still think I look cute ~ smile) Some of my maternity shirts are even starting to get too short. What's up with that?! I wonder how much larger my belly will get between now and when I deliver?

Zoe this week: since Zoe is officially full-term, there's not much going on in terms of development. All of her organs and major systems are just continuing to mature. Beyond that, she's working on gaining weight and getting practice simulating breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking on her thumb, blinking, and pivoting from side to side. With respect to Zoe gaining weight, I've noticed my appetite has increased, so I guess her nutritional needs are increasing. Zoe has been getting hiccups like crazy lately; sometimes they last as long as 5 minutes. And she's still a little jitterbug, moving like crazy!

According to the text books, Zoe weighs approximately 6 1/3 lbs.; however, Dr. S estimates that Zoe's weight is more in the neighborhood of 5 lbs. Zoe is over 19 inches long (like a stalk of swiss chard):

37 Week Appointment

I had my 37 week appointment today and all is well. Suffice it to say, Zoe seems to be comfortable in my belly and it doesn't look like she'll be entering this world in the next week....but you never know. My cervix still hasn't dilated, but it is starting to soften a bit.

Zoe: still head down, but she hasn't dropped very much. Her heart beat was nice and strong ~ in the 150s. Dr. S estimates Zoe's weight at 5 lb., so we think she's going to be petite. :- )

Mommy: my blood pressure was great ~ 102/70. I've gained 1 lb. since my last appointment. My Group B Strep test came back negative, and I'm no longer anemic. YAY!!!

It was a great appointment! But it was pretty surreal when Dr. S told me to go ahead and schedule my "last two appointments." Crazy!!! Worst case scenario, I'll probably have three appointments because Dr. S won't allow me to go more than 1 week over my due date. T-19 days and counting....

Educational Day

Today was very educational. First, I had Zoe's car seat inspected for proper installation. While Trevor did a really good job installing it, it still needed a few adjustments. We scheduled our inspection with a car seat consultant we found through www.seatcheck.org. (Website was recommended during our Infant CPR and Safety class) The consultant we went with was awesome! My one-hour appointment turned into nearly two hours, and it was the best two hours I've spent in awhile! I learned all about our car seat and infant car seat safety from A-Z, and I now feel equipped to keep Zoe safe! I highly recommend this type of exercise for any new mom or when transitioning a child from an infant seat to a convertible seat and/or when transitioning to a new vehicle. Biggest take-away....don't clean the car seat straps/harness with anything but water. The chemicals in soaps can break down the integrity of the straps/harness and render them ineffective during a collision. If the straps/harness get too nasty or stinky, it's best to buy a new set from the manufacturer. Also, don't use any of the after-market stuff sold as car seat accessories (e.g., seat protectors to place between the base and your automobile's seat, "baby view" mirrors, etc.) because they are not crash-tested with the infant seat, so you have to use them at your own risk. And who wants to risk injury to their child?!

Second, I went to a "New Moms Tea" offered at our hospital. It is a monthly gathering offered for new moms and expectant mothers. It was great meeting and seeing so many new moms with their babies and meeting other moms-to-be. I will definitely be doing this on a monthly basis. (And it's free!) Today's lecture was "Diapers to Dendrites", which focused on infant brain development. It was great!!! We were taught how we can contribute to our child's brain development in a meaningful way from day one. I had a number of take-aways, but my biggest take-away.....LIMIT TV to about 20 minutes per day (once a child is ready for it). I've been so accustomed to hearing family and friends talk about how much their kids love (fill in the blank) cartoon or educational video, so I always assumed I'd expose my child(ren) to the same "entertainment". But we were encouraged to limit TV to help our children learn to entertain themselves and to even replace TV with music if possible. This helps with a child's attention span, which will do wonders for them when they start school. I plan on doing additional research on dendrites and healthy brain development so that we can equip Zoe. (Trevor got a precursor to this lecture during his new dad's boot camp, so we're both pumped!) Another interesting factoid was that kids don't develop socialization skills until age 3 and beyond. I've often heard people advocate day care around age 18-24 mos. all in the name of teaching their kids socialization skills. Apparently this isn't true. Interesting to know from a child care perspective since this will probably influence when we transition Zoe from nanny care to day care.

Today was a good day.

36 Weeks!

36 weeks marks the start of the 9th month! Woot!! We're on the home stretch, and in one more week Zoe will be considered full-term. That's amazing! Not long before Zoe is in our arms. We can't wait! This week I've been having the following symptoms: aching back, swollen ankles (a/k/a cankles), oily skin (yuck!), tons of Braxton Hicks, constipation (TMI--sorry), fatigue, and according to Trevor, snoring at a whole 'nother level. Oh, we mustn't forget the labor scare I experienced this week. What fun! Despite the aforementioned list, I still think I've had a remarkable pregnancy.

No weight gain this week---still up 16 lbs. from my pre-preggers weight. I had an appointment with Dr. S last Friday, and my blood pressure is still picture perfect. As of the date of my labor scare and subsequent prenatal appointment, my cervix is still closed.

Zoe this week: first, she is still moving like crazy, and I still love it! Also, she's been having a lot of hiccups lately. Anatomically, most of Zoe's systems (from circulatory to musculoskeletal) are almost equipped for life outside of the womb. While her digestive system is ready to go, it won't get its first work-out until Zoe gets her first taste of breast milk (hopefully) or formula (hope not). In preparation for taking her first suckle of the breast or bottle, Zoe has been practicing by sucking her thumb, fist, toes and anything else she can get her mouth on. Awww....

Zoe is around 20 inches long and she weighs approximately 6 pounds (about the size of a crenshaw melon....whatever that is???):




Cute pregnancy cartoon (and very apropos given my constipation symptom mentioned above ~ ha ha):

Daddy Boot Camp

I'm so behind on updating this blog! A couple of weeks ago Trevor attended daddy boot camp for new dads. He LOVED it, and it made me feel so good to know he wanted to attend. He learned a lot and came home pumped! He said there were about 15 men there, which is awesome! Before attending the boot camp, Trevor was concerned about changing Zoe's diaper. Now he feels prepared. He even had me show him that I know how to change a diaper. LOL. So, I obliged him and put a diaper on a teddy bear. They also taught the guys how to swaddle a baby, so Trevor taught me. It was so cute. The guys learned a whole host of things in the 2.5 hours they were in class, including different ways to support their wives during labor and after the baby is born. I think Trevor is now equipped with the basics to get off to a good start. It really is so refreshing to know that he truly is just as excited as I am about this new stage in our lives. As I've said many times before, Zoe is so lucky to have him as her daddy. He's going to be great and so loving!

I Want Them Back!

Two things in my life have always been constant--my skinny ankles and wrists. In the last couple of weeks, that has changed. My wrists are still pretty skinny, but my ankles....not so much! I swear I've been walking around on CANKLES lately!!! And they are NOT cute! Thankfully, I can still wear my shoes, including my boots, thus the swelling probably isn't as bad as I'm making it sound. But I really want MY ankles back! Just a few more weeks....

35 Weeks! (plus belly shot)

This is OLD news, but I'm 35 weeks pregnant! Since Trevor's return home on January 10, we've been going non-stop. Last weekend we had family and friends in town for my second baby shower. It was so amazing. More on that in a later post. We've also been busy putting the finishing touches on Zoe's nursery and finishing up our series of childbirth, infant care, breastfeeding, and infant CPR classes. I AM EXHAUSTED!!!

I'm still feeling pretty good, but lugging around a 35 week fetus is becoming tiring! My back aches are getting to be more chronic and miserable. I've been having Braxton Hicks like crazy, and Zoe has decided that she likes to lodge her foot (or feet?) in my left rib cage (ouch!). I'm up a total of 16 lbs. from my pre-preggers weight, but my appetite is increasing so the next few weeks will be interesting. Despite the discomfort I'm feeling these days, I wouldn't change any of this for the world. I'm falling in love with this little girl more and more every day, and I cannot wait to meet her!

Zoe this week: according to the books, Zoe is running out of room to move and shouldn't be doing many somersaults. Well, the authors of those books haven't met my baby girl. She's been quite active, and I think she's definitely learned how to do a somersault or two despite the limited space. Zoe's kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. While most of her basic physical development is now complete, the next few weeks will consist of gaining weight.

Zoe is likely between 18-20 inches long, and she weighs approximately 5 1/2 lbs. (about the weight of a honeydew melon):

Here's a 35 week belly shot taken in Zoe's nursery:

34 Weeks!

Today begins my 34th week. Yep, 34 weeks as in 6 more weeks until Zoe arrives....assuming she arrives on time. Holy moly!!! My pregnancy symptoms are unchanged. But I did jinx myself last week by saying I hadn't had any nose bleeds in awhile. My nose bleeds are now back in full force. They're still only on the left side, and I was a logging a couple of nose bleeds per day for a few days. Lovely.

I lost a few ounces, so I'm up 12.4 lbs. from my pre-preggers weight. All is well.

Zoe this week: our baby girl could be as tall as 20 inches right now and she weighs about 5 pounds. More energy-storing white fat is present, which accounts for approximately 8 percent of Zoe's total weight. Plus it's giving her a smoother, more plunk appearance! Zoe's fingernails have probably reached the tip of her fingers at this point....maybe that's what I've been feeling inside me. I swear it felt like she was scratching my spleen or some other vital organ yesterday. Zoe's central nervous system and lungs are continuing to mature. The good news is if Zoe were born between weeks 34-37, she'd probably be just fine barring any other health issues. What a relief! But I really want her to stay put and keep baking. Lastly, Zoe continues to be very active. And when I lay on my left side, I can feel her inside of me! I can't explain it, but I feel her. Weird! Oh, I had a dream about Zoe's birth last night. I couldn't see her face, but man she had some long hands and feet....I'm talking remarkably long! Hmmm.....

Zoe could be as long as 20 inches now and she weighs about 5 pounds (as much as a cantaloupe):

Another Great Prenatal Appointment

I had my (almost) 34 week appointment today. My appointment was with the second doctor in Dr. S's practice. As mentioned previously, there are two Dr. Ws. I saw Dr. W2 today. I REALLY liked her! She had a great bedside manner and was very friendly.

Everything looks great! My blood pressure was good ~ 102/68. I'm measuring right on target. And it seems that I've LOST 2 lbs. I'm not sure that I believe that to be true. I was wearing high heeled boots and a sweater at my last appt, so I think I was just weighing heavier last time. I'll do my "official" weekly weigh-in Wednesday morning at home, so we'll see what the scale says then. I asked Dr. W2 to check me for a possible bladder or urinary tract infection because I've been feeling some bladder discomfort lately. My urine came back clear, so she said it's probably just pressure from Zoe.

Zoe's heartbeat was nice and strong ~ high 150s, even the low 160s at times. She is positioned head down and is getting close to the pelvic opening. Dr. W2 says she will probably settle into my pelvis around week 36, and she doesn't expect Zoe to turn at this point. Fingers crossed....

The only bad news....it seems that my abs have separated. I've been reading about this, so I asked Dr. W2 if it's possible to determine if it's happened to me. She showed me a little trick, and sure enough, ab separation! Booo!!! She said the abs will reconnect postpartum. I'm just bummed that it happened to me.

33 Weeks!

Today marks the beginning of my 33rd week. A full-term pregnancy is 37 completed weeks. It's insane to think that in 5 short weeks, delivery will be fair game. Where did the time go?! As Zoe's birth draws closer, I'm starting to have "new mom" fears. Will I be a good mom? Will I enjoy being a mom? Will I still find time to enjoy lunch, dinner or a spa outing with a good friend? Will Trevor and I figure out a way to stay connected as a couple? How will I strike the infamous "work/life balance"? And the list goes on. Being a Type A personality, I wish I could figure out answers and solutions to all of these questions in advance, but I can't. I'll just have to do what every other mother does....take it one day/one moment at a time. That drives me crazy! But I wouldn't trade any of this for the world. I truly cannot wait to be Zoe's mommy!

As far as pregnancy symptoms are concerned, it's still more of the same. Lots of acid reflux/heartburn, back aches abound, and I'm still having minor hand and foot swelling. I'm also officially experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions. In addition, I can't seem to eat anything these days without dropping food on my chest or belly. What's up with that?! This year Trevor and I started a tradition of giving one another a gag gift for Christmas. His gag gift to me? A set of bibs! Too funny! I hope I don't jinx myself, but I haven't had a nosebleed in awhile. YAY! Oh, and now I wake myself up with my snoring. LOL. My weight gain is still good. As of today, I'm up 13 lbs. from my pre-preggers weight.

Zoe this week: she is losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together just yet because they will need to move and slightly overlap to get her through the birth canal. Even after birth, they won't fuse until early adulthood so they can grow as Zoe's brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood. Zoe is developing her own immune system so that she will be able to protect herself, with help from some antibodies from me, from mild infections. She's also acting more and more like a baby by closing her eyes when she's sleep and opening them while she's awake. Awww.... The level of amniotic fluid in my uterus has reached it maximum this week, so there's more Zoe than fluid now. That explains all of the thumping and bumping I'm feeling. Between now and Zoe's birth, she can gain a third more weight or even double (yikes!) her weight, and depending on her current height, she can grow a full inch more this week alone. Wow!

Zoe is anywhere between 17 to 19 inches in length, and she weighs approximately 4.5 lbs. (about the weight of a pineapple ~ yum, mommy's favorite fruit):

Finally Feeling Them....

As of last night, I'm finally feeling Braxton Hicks contractions. Actually, they're pretty freaky. So far they aren't painful; just weird. Last night, I was dreaming about them all night. I don't know if I could actually feel them while I was sleeping, or if I was so freaked out about them earlier in the day that I carried them into my subconscious thoughts, but they're all I dreamt about. I've read that a woman can start feeling Braxton Hicks contractions as early as 20 weeks preggers, but the mere fact that I'm just feeling them makes me realize that Zoe's due date is imminent. Wow!

32 Weeks!

Today marks the start of my 32nd week, and my 8th month! Crazy! Overall, I'm feeling pretty good. My most problematic symptoms are acid reflux (daily), back aches (also daily), and occasional hip pain, primarily in my left hip. My skin and nails seem to be going through some changes, too. It could be from the cooler weather though. My skin is dry lately, even though I religiously use lotion, and my nails have been a little brittle. I'm taking a Calcium supplement in the event the nail issue is a sign of Calcium depletion. My appetite is also increasing. I still don't have any vegetable cravings, and my fruit cravings are mild. I hate that! And I can't eat something I don't crave. Bad mommy!!!

Weight gain is still good. Up 12.4 lbs. from my pre-preggers weight. According to the books, I should be having Braxton Hicks contractions by now. I'm not, or at least I don't notice them. I hope I don't jinx myself.

Zoe this week: she now has toenails, fingernails and hair! If my acid reflux is any indicator, and if the old wives tale is true, Zoe has a lot of hair! Zoe's skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth. Our baby girl is (hopefully) settling into a head-down, bottom-up position in preparation for birth. Zoe is still getting a lot of rest these days; reportedly having sleep cycles of 20-40 minutes long. I hope her sleep cycles are much longer once she's here. :- )

Zoe is approximately 17 inches long and weighs a little over 4 pounds (about the weight of a large jicama (so good in salads---not that I'm eating many these days)):

Good Prenatal Appointment (and a pep talk from Dr. S)

I had a regularly scheduled prenatal appointment this morning. The timing couldn't have been more perfect after my classes this weekend and the sense of fear I was left with. All is well with our baby girl. I'm measuring on target - 31 cm - so she's growing at the right pace. Zoe's heart beat was nice and strong - in the 150s. My blood pressure was great - 102/68. Weight gain is still looking good, but I was astonished by the number on the scale today. Most definitely the absolute most I've weighed in my entire life! But I know the number on the scale will go back down to a more comforting number once Zoe is born, so it's all good.

I told Dr. S that I'm feeling a little overwhelmed after the infant care and breast feeding classes. She agreed that it can seem very daunting when one thinks of ALL the things that go into it, but she encouraged me to take it one moment and one day at a time. She told me her own funny story of taking 20 minutes to change her daughter's diaper the first time. Despite all of her years of delivering babies and caring for expectant and new moms, she had her own struggles. Even after 20 minutes of trembling as she changed the diaper she said it still fell off. LOL. She was just so reassuring and put my mind at ease. With respect to breast feeding, she just told me to stay mentally and emotionally committed to it. I'm feeling a lot better today. I'm just going to keep reminding myself to take it one moment/one feeding at a time. I know I can do this. I will do this. I was just a little overwhelmed. I'm glad Dr. S allowed me to talk through it with her.

Preparing for Zoe

This weekend was dedicated to "preparing for Zoe." Saturday, Trevor and I attended an all-day "prepared childbirth" course. It felt as though we were in Saturday detention because it was only us, a woman named Julie and our instructor, Joni. I fully expected the class to be much fuller due to the convenience of knocking it all out in one day, but I guess no one wanted to give up their last Saturday before Christmas. The course was insightful, and it gave Trevor and me a lot to think about. Going into the course I was afraid of what I call the "two epis"---episiotomy and epidural. After the course, I'm not as afraid of the epidural; in fact, I fully intend to ask for one if things get too rough. The episiotomy, on the other other, is a different story. It still concerns me. I think I'm going to ask my doctor to let me risk a tear in lieu of the episiotomy unless she thinks I'll tear significantly. According to Joni, most women only tear superficially (I know there are always exceptions to this rule), whereas with the episiotomy the cut is usually much deeper and longer than the tear would've been.

Sunday's classes were much fuller and involved infant care and breastfeeding. These courses overwhelmed me. There is SOOOO much to consider when caring for an infant. Who knew?! I took so many notes; I hope I can remember it all. Breastfeeding seems like a daunting endeavor, but I'm fully committed to giving it my best shot. I hope I'll have great success. I think the toughest part of all of this will be the days I have to go it alone due to Trevor's piloting schedule, but I know it will all work out.

I hope we can figure all of this out. I know we will. I just hope it doesn't take us too long.

31 Weeks!

31 weeks today! Only 9 weeks to go....wow! I'm so anxious to meet my little Zoe-pooh, but I want her to stay in there and keep on baking. Mommy will just have to wait.

I'm still feeling good despite my various pregnancy symptoms. Although I'm still experiencing more of the same, I've added aching hips to my list of symptoms. The hip pain is more pronounced in my left hip and is courtesy of a hormone called "relaxin". Relaxin causes laxity of joints and tendons, which allows for enough room for the baby to pass through the pelvis. Acid reflux and back aches are getting more problematic lately. But it's all worth it and I know the "prize" will be sweet....literally. Oh, and I officially waddle when I have to pee really bad.

I'm up 11 lbs. from my pre-preggers weight.

Zoe this week: her brain connections are developing at an impressive rate these days. She is able to process information, track light, and perceive signals from all five senses. Zoe is sleeping more these days, still getting lots of REM sleep. 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. Zoe's moving a lot lately. I jokingly told Trevor that she's been slam dancing this evening. :- ) I wouldn't have it any other way.

Zoe is about 17 inches long and she weighs about 3.5 lbs (about the weight of 4 navel oranges):

My Husband, the Comedian

When Trevor and I woke up last Friday morning for our flight to San Antonio, he told me he had something he wanted to share with me. Apparently he was rudely awaken at 2:30 am by a wild hog (a/k/a a snoring wife). To prove to me that I really do snore at night, he did something extreme.....he recorded me on his cell phone. I wish I could figure out a way to download the sound clip to this blog. It was hilarious!!! I can't believe I'm capable of producing such.....NOISE! LOL. I sounded horrible! I even had him play it for some of my friends. They cracked up. This whole snoring thing has become a running joke between Trevor and me. Now when we wake up in the morning Trevor greets me with a very loving "good morning, thunder cat" or "good morning, wolverine." LOL.

First Time for Everything

Acid reflux has become the bane of my existence lately. I still refuse to take the Nexium Dr. S prescribed, so I've been suffering through it with Tums, elevated sleeping and lately I've even been drinking a cup of soy milk before bed. The milk really does help. The other tactic I decided to employ last night was eating less for dinner. That helped the acid reflux, but when I woke up at 4:30 am to pee, I was starving! So much so that I couldn't fall back to sleep. So I did something I've yet to do in this pregnancy, I went to the kitchen for a little snack. I had a banana and some water. Nothing major. But it helped to stave off the hunger pangs. Apparently Zoe had been waiting for that because she started doing a jig about 3 minutes after I finished the banana. LOL. I think I'll start keeping a little snack on my night stand.

30 Weeks!

Today marks 30 weeks. Woot! I had a scheduled prenatal appointment today. Dr. S is in a 3-doctor practice, so she requires her patients to see the other two doctors at some point between weeks 30-40 in the event she's not on call the day I go into labor. Trevor and I appreciate getting an opportunity to meet the other two doctors. The doctor we saw today, Dr. W1 (there are two "W" docs), was nice. The appointment went well. I'm feeling good---just more of the same. I'm measuring on target and my blood pressure was good ~ 116/64 (or something like that). My urine sample was good. Zoe's heartbeat was nice and strong @ 150-155 bpm. I'm up exactly 10 lbs. from my pre-preggers weight.


Zoe this week: lots to report. 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 my 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.) Zoe's brain is taking on characteristic grooves and indentations. In addition, her bone marrow has taken over production of red blood cells (before, tissue groups and then the spleen took care of producing the blood cells). This is an important step for Zoe, because it means she is better able to thrive on her own once born. Much of the lanugo — the soft, downy hair covering Zoe's body — is beginning to disappear now because both fat and the brain are regulating her body temperature.

Zoe is still moving a lot. The last several nights she's been making moves that feel like something out of "The Matrix." I wish I could see inside my stomach to see what she's doing. It's funny.


Zoe is about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs just over 3 pounds (as much as a head of cabbage):

29 weeks!

I'm always late posting these updates, but yesterday marked 29 weeks! All is well, or as well as can be expected when one is 29 weeks preggers. Same aches and pains, and acid reflux issues still plague me. Most troubling, however, is that the first trimester fatigue is back. Boooo!!! Monday, I did something I've never done.....I actually closed the door to my office and laid my head down on my desk. I took a 20 minute nap, and contrary to popular belief, it did not energize me. I really wish I could figure out a way to slip in a 1-2 hour nap midday. I really feel like I need it these days. YAWN!

I neglected to do my weekly Wednesday weigh-in, but as of last Sunday, I'm up 7.4 lbs. from my pre-preggers weight.

Zoe this week: our baby girl's muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger (not too big, I hope) to make room for her developing brain. In order to meet Zoe's demanding nutritional needs, mommy needs plenty of protein, Vitamin C, folic acid and iron these days. (I think I'm doing good on all fronts, except the Vitamin C part. Must work on that.) Zoe's bones continue to harden, thus she's soaking up a lot of calcium---approximately 250 milligrams per day. Good thing I started taking that Calcium supplement (since I can't drink milk - yuck)! Finally, while Zoe's baby-teeth buds are already in place, she is now forming buds for her permanent teeth.

Zoe weighs close to 3 lbs. these days and is approximately 15.5 inches long (head to heel). She weighs as much as a butternut squash: