Then Two Became Three and then finally Four

26 weeks I've got the 'smuggling a melon' look going :) Size : I'm not feeling lazy today so I will actually talk about Harper's developments this week instead of just copying and pasting. ;) This week she has hit the TWO pound mark! And she measures about 9 plus inches. Her eyes are beginning to open this week as well! Although there's not much for her to look at in my womb, she moves more if she senses light (or hears loud noises). I actually just went to a movie and she was moving like crazy through most of it. Now I know why! It was noisy :) All this responsiveness is connected to the fact that her brain is more developed and sophisticated at this point! Yay!  Total weight gain/loss: Things have been staying pretty steady this past week. Maybe I need to eat more? haha I can totally work with that!  Maternity clothes:   I am wearing a lot of the same things over and over again due to the limited amount of things that will fit. It ...

25 weeks Approaching the third trimester!  (Which begins sometime between 25-28 weeks. Everyone seems to have their own opinion on it :) )    Size : Little Harper, you are growing up so fast in there! Your baby is growing by leaps and bounds, reaching nine inches in length and passing the pound and a half mark. Under her skin, capillaries are forming and filling with blood and by week's end, air sacs (also lined with capillaries) will develop in her lungs, getting them ready for that first breath. Mind you, those lungs aren't ready for prime time just yet — but they are developing surfactant, a substance that will help them expand after birth. And speaking of breathing, your baby's tiny nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open, and her vocal chords are getting ready to roar. ( http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-25.aspx ) Total weight gain/loss:  As Harper grows so do the numbers ...

First of all, I would like to say Happy Fathers Day! Its a day late but better late than never, right?;) I am so thankful for the wonderful father that I have, who has always been there to support and love me through out my 25 years. And I am also thankful for my wonderful husband, who I know will also be an awesome father! I can't wait to see him in action! :-D This is me and my father a few years back :) <3 This past week was quite a slow one, to say the least. It seemed to drag on, but I guess that's what happens when the previous weeks are full of activity. :) Yesterday, I got to go swimming for the first time this summer and I foresee much more of it in my future! Feeling weightless in a swimming pool is pretty heavenly when the back aches start to become a problem from baby weight. It's crazy how heavy you feel coming back out of the pool, though! That's when you can really feel the difference. 24 Weeks Size:   Your baby is about eight and a h...

This weekend was our friends, James and Kristin's, wedding! They are finally MARRIED and I am so excited for them. :) It was such a beautiful and fun wedding and everything turned out so great! They are such a beautiful couple inside and out and I hope they are enjoying their much deserved honeymoon in Hawaii! Love you guys!                                                 23 Weeks <3 Size:  Your little doll-sized babe is about to chub up a bit. Her saggy skin will start to fit her frame as fat deposits fill things out. Beginning this week, she'll start to pack on the pounds (which means you will too!) and by month's end she'll be double the weight she is now (though you won't be — whew!). Right now, your baby's organs and bones are visible through her skin, which has a red hue due to developing veins and arteries beneath. But once those fat deposits s...

Harper Patrica Shifflett     Tyler and I both fell in love with two names and Harper was the winner in the end! :) It doesn't really have any sentimental meaning to either one of us, we just both really liked it, so it became the one . The middle name, however, had to stay because Ms. Harper will make it the 4th generation of Patricia. It was my Grandmothers name, is my moms name and it is my middle name, so I am thrilled that she will be able to carry it on. <3 22 Weeks Size:  This week, she weighs in at a whopping pound and measures nearly eight inches, about the size of a small doll. But your little doll (who now has eyebrows, eyelashes, and maybe even some hair on that little head) is a living one who can now perceive light and dark. She can also hear your voice, your heartbeat, your gurgling stomach, and the whoosh-whoosh of blood circulating through your body. And as her brain and nerve endings develop, she may reach for her face (or whatever...