The Miracle: 24 weeks

Ok, so this post is a bit belated! I am not as good about posting as Richard is, but I am trying. :o) We are past the 24 week mark (as of last Thursday), which means that if little "E" decided to arrive this early he would actually have a good chance of surviving. We haven't had any indications that early delivery could be a possibility since everything has been very normal so far, but it's nice to know, nonetheless!

I've been blessed with a very easy pregnancy so far, but I am starting to feel more of the aches and pains that are bound to show up the further the pregnancy goes. There have been a few nights of very restless sleep, but adding in a couple more pillows has helped me to find a better sleeping position (there's so many pillows, it's almost like there's an extra person in the bed!). The past couple days I've gotten headaches, which I really haven't had all throughout the pregnancy (though I used to get them semi-regularly before being pregnant), but I'm hopeful that they are due to diet or stress and do not indicate anything more serious. I don't want to be a pansy and call my doctor about every little thing, but I also don't want to overlook anything that could be important! One day at a time, I suppose.

One other thing that I didn't really have throughout the first part of my pregnancy was any kind of craving for a specific food. Well those days are over! I heard a radio show on Friday all about where to find the best cinnamon rolls in KC, and ever since then I have been craving cinnamon rolls something awful!! Richard didn't take the hint and go out and get me any on Sunday, so on Monday night when I was driving back from a Mary Kay event, in freezing rain, I HAD to stop at Wal-Mart and get a tube of Grands cinnamon rolls, and I'm so glad I did! They were delectable. :o) Can't wait to see what's next on the cravings list!

We've also started looking at nursery decor...the fun part! Richard just earned "husband of the year" from me (totally made up for the cinnamon rolls), because while I was gone on an overnight trip to Wichita this past weekend, he not only cleaned the whole house (aren't I lucky!), but he also took everything out of the guest room and set up the crib!! So we officially have the start of our nursery, and it's starting to make everything feel like it's moving so much faster! Anyway, we are trying to decide between different nursery decor themes...maybe we'll put up another poll with links to our top picks to let you help us decide. :o)

In the meantime, here is a little bit about how "E" is developing this week:

Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when he was just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), that makes a pretty lean figure, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon put on more baby fat. Your baby's skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, his brain is growing rapidly, and his taste buds are developing. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.

Close to Home

The comic for today really was "Close to Home." I'm not sure this would be our solution...but it made me smile.

The Miracle: 23 Weeks

We're getting closer and closer to the big day! I suppose that is how it always works...I don't guess we could ever get further away. We are getting ready to sign up for our birthing class, which further impresses the reality of everything. There is so much left to do, but I take comfort in the fact that the baby won't notice or remember if we have his room ready as soon as he comes home. I'm sure we'll probably get it all together - it just feels like the speed of everything is increasing.

Thanks for assisting us with our name choices. However, this isn't American Idol so the most votes don't necessarily win out. We still haven't made a final decision, but you have certainly given me something to think about.

Here is a little more info about how "E" is developing in these days:

Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango). He may be able to feel your movements now, so put on some tunes and dance around the house. No matter what race your baby is, he looks red now due to blood vessels showing through his transparent skin. His true skin tone will develop over the course of his first year. Blood vessels in your baby's lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing, but complete lung development will take many more months. The lungs are the last organ to fully develop.

I still don't get why they constantly compare the baby's size to some fruit or vegetable.

Home Video

Here are some really shaky first attempts at home videos. I need to get my practice in now!

Just having some fun with the video function on our camera, but this does give you a small window into our family time back in Oklahoma.

The Miracle: 21 Weeks

So we are now over the halfway point, and I am feeling great! As you can see from our Christmas pictures, I now definitely have a belly that indicates I am indeed pregnant, and not just something that looks like the remains of too many Christmas cookies (although I have been enjoying my fair share)!

Thanks for all your votes in our baby name poll. I think Richard is a little bummed that "Ephraim" is not getting more votes, since it's his favorite. I will be happy with any of the names so the vote doesn't matter to me, but of course it is still ultimately up to us to decide what name we will stick our baby with for the rest of his life, regardless of public opinion! Until we decide on a name I am calling him "E", since I figure he will definitely end up with one of the three.

And speaking of "E", I think that must also stand for "energetic" because he has been moving around a LOT lately! I got such a kick [some pun intended!] letting my family members feel my tummy to check out "E's" increasing movements during our trip to Arkansas over Christmas. He seems to be most active when I am least active (in other words, when I am sitting down, like in the car or watching tv), though I have been blessed that his movements don't wake me up in the middle of the night. Today during our church service I could not only feel his kicks, I could even see them from the outside! He was so active during the worship and the message...I'm not sure if it was because his daddy was preaching or not, but I like to think maybe he could recognize Richard's voice. :o)

It's so amazing to feel how strong he is growing...at 19 weeks his first movements felt like gentle taps, but he is gaining strength and size, and now just 2 weeks later sometimes it feels like the little drummer boy is going to town in my tummy! I'm sure at some point his movements might become uncomfortable, but right now I am just enjoying each little squirm. It is so much more amazing than I could have imagined!!!

Here's a little information on how "E" is developing at this stage:

How your baby's growing:Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And you can certainly feel him move. He's oblivious to your schedule, though, so don't be surprised if he starts working out just when you're settling down for the night.

What About A Name?

Now that we know we're having a little boy we need to decide on a name. I'm simply going to list out our top three choices. We'd love to hear your feedback even though it may not change our minds. Here they are in order:

1. Ephraim Todd Schneberger

2. Eli Wesley Schneberger

3. Ezra Todd Schneberger

If you have another suggestion, feel free to post it, but I think we're pretty set on one of these three.

It's A Boy!

I was right!...but I'll try not to gloat too much. Actually, we're both just extremely happy that the baby is healthy. He weighs right at 11 oz, which is just a bit over the normal 10 oz weight for this time in the pregnancy. Everything is progressing along as it should. This is obviously the best Christmas gift we could ever hope for. Here are some of the sonogram pics:

This is a great profile shot.

He flashed us the peace sign and smiled!

He also flashed us his boy parts!

We're at the halfway point in the pregnancy. Here's a little more info on his development:

How your baby's growing:Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to his bottom — known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby's legs are curled up against his torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)

A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats his entire body to protect his skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)

Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first messy diaper (although a few babies pass it in utero or during delivery).