24 Weeks!

Yeah! Yesterday we hit 24 weeks! And, Shelly's agreed to post belly shots. So read on for Riley's 24 week update and fun photos.

And, just TWO DAYS until the Fetal Echo appointment.

Riley's 24 Week Update:

• Bring on the bulk! Riley gains about 6 ounces this week. The weight is in muscle, bone mass, and organs.
• Her body begins to fill out with her appearance increasingly becoming more like a newborn.
• Taste buds begin to form. If Shelly drinks something strange or bitter, Riley could be observed showing her distaste. No Wine for Mama Shelly!
• Little creases have appeared on her palms. The muscular coordination of her hands has improved as she sucks her thumb.
• Over the next seven days the sweat glands will be forming in her skin.
• Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
• This week she is officially considered viable with medical assistance to survive outside the womb.
• She weighs approximately 1.3 pound and is approximately 11.8 inches long.

She FINALLY Let Me Feel Her Again!

Riley finally decided to cooprate and let me feel her moving and grooving a little last night and A LOT this morning. Thank you Riley!! This put a much needed smile on my face as I'm starting to get anxious about Wednesday's Fetal Echo Cardiogram appointment. I'm trying to think only positive thoughts and believe that everything will be okay. But I feel anxious at the same time. Luckily besides the Echo Cardiogram they do a full Ultrasound so we'll get to see our precious little girl again. I hope and pray that the Hygroma has either gone down in size, is gone, or has at least stayed the same. Please send your positive thoughts and prayers our way!

We are 24 weeks tomorrow!!! Super Bowl Sunday and Riley is viable. What a wonderful day! More to come tomorrow on Riley's progress at 24 weeks.

Miscellaneous

Shelly and I both seem to finally be on the mend. Now we're both just whiny and want someone to pay attention to us. That's hard when we're both sick. But, we're both working today and I even ventured to the store to get medicine.

I've been trying to decide what to post today. There's really no updates on Riley or Shelly. Both are fine. Riley's a little bratty. She's a big wiggle worm until I try to feel here and then she freezes. She must have also gone through a growth spurt because Shelly's again looking more pregnant.

So, since I don't have any new or exiting news to post, I thought I'd just post miscellaneous thoughts, updates, and fun stuff.

I've posted before that our good friends LB and Erin, Tate's Mom's, are pregnant again. Their due about 4 weeks after us. They had their Fetal Well Being Ultrasound last week. Good news. Their Little One is healthy and measuring right on track. The technician did comment that she has really long legs. No surprise. So does her Mama LB. Did you catch the she? Yep, it's another girl! Tate's having a baby sister. Although she continues to refer to her as Thomas, as in Thomas the Train, or Baby Bubba. It will be fun having little girls so close in age. Plus, Tate will really be like a big sister to both of them.

My good friend Shelly called me last night with an update. After several miscarriages and lots of trying she's pregnant! Yeah! She's about 7 weeks. Once she gets past the first trimester I'm sure she'll have a big sigh of relief. I can't wait to hear what names they pick out. Her and her husbands names both start with S. As do their two dogs, Sage and Sierra. So their little one will no doubt be something like Sedona, Savannah, Shaniqua, Steven, Stu?

And finally, for fun, here is a picture of our adorable Boxer Roxi, strutting around the house with the treat I brought her home from the store.

Sick x2

We're both still sick.

Shelly had a really rough night last night. She finally got out of bed about 11:30 and came down on the couch. All night long she was just waiting for daylight to hit so she could go to the doctor. She had a horrible sore throat and was worried it might be strep. But, she's doing better today. Thank God. I've been absolutely worried about her. Me being sick, no big deal. Her being sick, BIG DEAL! If she wasn't better today I was taking her to the doctor. I just don't want to take any chances. We've already had enough road blocks thrown at us. But again, she's doing a little better and Riley is quite active today. So no doctor visits for her.

I, on the other hand, am doing worse. I'm very close to heading to the doctor myself. I'm having such a hard time getting my breath. But I just took a nice long nap and seem to be doing a little better.

The dogs don't like dealing with sick Mom's. They want attention, especially Roxi, our poodle trapped in a Boxer body. Today she even inserted herself between me and my lap top when I was working from bed. She was determined I must stop typing and pay attention to her. She's such a fun dog. She brings smiles and laughs to our lives every day.

Sick, Daytime TV, and the Countdown to Double Digits

Well, every time I travel I seem to get sick, I've done it again. I've brought a cold into our house and have already given it to Shelly. I'm in so much trouble. Both of us are pretty miserable. It's a strange cold as we're full of chest and head congestion but it's stuck. It's not coming out. My chest hurts so bad. I just want someone to pound on my chest to loosen it up. Shelly is just laying on the couch not saying much. When she's sick she doesn't have much to say. Besides I'm in trouble for getting her sick.

So, while we're sick, and I'm working from home, we're watching lots of Daytime TV. Part of the viewing includes all of the "Baby Story" type shoes on the Discovery Channel. It's so dang addictive! Every time Shelly tries to change the channel I feel all anxious and tell her to, "Go back! I have to see how it ends!" Next thing you know I'll start Tivo-ing Baby Stories, Adoption Stores, Runway Moms, etc., etc.

I love watching our ticker come down at the top of our page. We've got 117 days left to go. I can't wait until we hit the double digits!

Finally, a good friend of mine has entered the world of blogging. I think she's totally addicted already. Go visit her at http://roleplayingwithkids.blogspot.com/.

23 Weeks!

Another hurdle crossed!

We're on the cusp of viability!!!

Riley has been crazy. I know all Mom's say this but we really think she might be striving to be a gymnast. Or, maybe, she just likes torturing her Mama Shelly. She's been very crazy this last week. And now, she's even becoming stubborn! She'll be twirling away until I enter the scene. I put my hand on Shelly's baby and she freezes. She's so just teasing me. Little pill.

Here' a 23 week update:

• Proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since she hasn't begun to form body fat.
• Bones located in the middle ear harden.
• Your baby is able to hear.
• The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation.
• The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. She has begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars.
• If born now, she has a 15% chance of survival, her odds going up with each passing day.
• The average baby at this stage weighs 1.1 pound (501gm) and is 11.38 inches (28.9cm) long.

And, JUST 10 DAYS until the Fetal Echo!

Whew! Back from a Crazy Week

It's been a very long week.

First, the flight from SLC to Toronto, not so bad. Negotiating my way through the Toronto airport, clearing customs, etc. COMPLETE NIGHTMARE!!! Talk about a horrible airport to connect through! Especially going International to Domestic which is in two different, very large, very far away from each other, terminals. After an almost two hour journey of running back and forth between the two terminals I found my gate, and sat my butt down, and had two Keith's beers before I boarded. I was in a much better state of mind after that.

Halifax was beautiful! Definitely a town to come back to during the summer. We worked long hours but also enjoyed the nights. The downtown area reminds me of a older, more spread out version of Park City. Both nights we had very nice dinners, with excellent food. And wonderful FRESH seafood! Then, they would twist my arm to go out for drinks at one or two of the local bars. I've fallen in love with Keith's Pale Ale. Something we really must get in the states!

I did become addicted to one other Canadian staple. Tim Horton's. I love Tim's!!! It's the best coffee in the world. Yes, even better then Dunkin Donuts. I did my good tourist duty of having at least two to three Timmy's a day.

The flight home was long. The leg between Boston and SLC is five hours flying time. Yuck. I did finish an excellent book. The Kite Runner. If you're a fiction reader this is a must read.

Oh, wait, there is an update on the pregnant partner I left behind while I traveled the world sampling wonderful beer, food, and coffee. They're doing great! Riley continues to be very active and has found a special place she likes to kick, an organ, ligament, or something, that gives Shelly some nice pain. I'm so glad to be home with all of my girls!!!

This was the first business trip where I could bring home a present for Riley. I bought her an adorable Puppy Squishy Touch Book and a Roots Canada T-shirt.

Good news. Our close friends, Tate's Mom's, found out they're also having a girl! They're just four weeks behind us. It will be fun raising Riley, Tate, and Baby Girl ??? together.

Just 12 days until our Fetal Echo Cardiogram!