Week 24: Egg Plant

Our baby is the size of an egg plant!

(I think at this point, people have just made up random fruits/vegetables. He is almost 2lbs and about 12inches long)

 

How many weeks? 24 Weeks

Gender: Boy!
Maternity clothes? Still fit in my jeans but definitely wearing maternity tops. And I basically live in sweats and have converted to leggings; which I never thought I would do.

Sleep: Uncomfortably and congestively (yes, I made up that word). Time for a body pillow.

Symptoms: Cramping, stretching, back aches, he decides when I pee, gagging, inability to form sentences, morphed tummy, major heartburn/acid reflux, etc.

Best moment this week: Feeling and seeing Kobe move.

Movement: Oh he moves like crazy. I can totally tell where his little hands and feet are. It's such a weird thing to watch! ...but I absolutely love it.

Food cravings: Just food.

Belly Button in or out? It's almost out...odd!

Wedding rings on or off? On

Names: Pretty sure it's going to be Kobe. We have everyone calling him Kobe, and his name has been written on a few things; for example, Lane's sister got him a book and wrote "Kobe" in it. It just fits.
Nesting/Preparations? What have you done? His room is cleared out other than some junk that needs to be organized elsewhere, but we have our new glider in there, and we're starting to stock up on clothes, diapers, and wipes. I think we're going with a bright blue and green (not completely set on the tone yet), white wainscoting, brown furniture, and monkeys. That's as far as we've gotten, but my mom's coming in February to help!!

Looking forward to: We get to check up on him January 25th with another ultrasound, and then my mom comes! ...and baby shower time!

 

**We had another appointment and feel a lot better about the cyst after discussing it with the doctor. He explained that it is common to find a cyst in the Choroid Plexus and it almost always it goes away. They just had to make note of it that it was there, since they have the technology to find them. If there was a heart defect or other problem as well (which our baby does not have) then there is potential for a developmental issue or soft marker for Down Syndrome. They are still going to check on it in a month but he expressed that he is not worried about it at all. Everything is measuring perfectly- our weight and growth. I also have my glucose screening at our next appointment...totally not looking forward to that!**



 

Lil' Monkey

I've always wanted to get my babies a bear suit...they're just so stinkin' adorable! We bought one the other day, and Lane picked out this cute monkey beanie. I noticed that he is drawn to the monkey-themed clothing for our little man, so I think we will be referring to little man as "lil' monkey." Lane is going to be such a good daddy. He may not like that I am sharing this but I thought it was cute; When I came home from work the other day he started talking about how much he just wants our lil' monkey to be here and he told me, "This is how lame I am. I picked up his little bear suit thing earlier and started holding it like it was a baby ~while showing me with his arms~" I thought it was hilarious that he admitted it to me because, let's face it, we're all guilty of doing silly things like that when we're home alone...most people just keep it to themselves. I hope our son grows up to be just like his daddy, because I'm quite fond of him.

 

Week 22: Papaya

 Our baby is the size of a papaya!

How many weeks? 22 Weeks

Gender: Boy!
Maternity clothes? I still wear my jeans/bottoms but I need to start shopping for more tops.

Sleep: When I do sleep, I sleep great. However, I am starting to get really uncomfortable already, and I already miss laying on my stomach!

Symptoms: Growing, cramping, back aches, bladder being kicked, gagging, inability to form sentences, movement, constant heartburn/acid reflux, etc.

Best moment this week: Every time I feel little man move; which is all the time! I still just smile and am so amazed by the whole experience. Also, finding out Kim is having...a boy! We all thought she was going to have a girl. It will be fun having a boy cousin (Kim's) and a girl cousin (Britt's) the same age, and another boy cousin only a year and a half older (Erin's).

Movement: We definitely have an active child on his way! I'm obsessed with feeling him kick/punch/jump/throw/squirm/dance, or whatever it is he's doing in there. So much fun! I found out piano music puts him to sleep, but he likes to dance to other music. Around 9pm he starts showing off...which means I will need to train him on when it's ok for "wild time" and when it's not ok when he makes his debut.

Food cravings: Just food.

Belly Button in or out? In but for not much longer!

Wedding rings on or off? On

Names: Kobe. We are 99% sure we're going with Kobe. As far as middle names go, we've talked about Dale. Lane likes the name Jay, but for a first name- I could do Jay for a middle name but not first. Sooo, Kobe Dale Larson?
Nesting/Preparations? What have you done? We cleared out the nursery but we've been throwing stuff in there lately so that's on my list of things to do again. So far we've just looked at nursery ideas online. Colors we've decided on are bright blue & green (Lane says Seahawks colors), and white. I would like a splash of orange. I'm thinking stripes with white wainscoting. My mom is coming in February to help!

Looking forward to: Christmas, my mama coming to help with the nursery, and baby shower!

 

*Side note: The doctors found a Choroid Plexus Cyst on little man's brain in the 20 week ultrasound. He told me not to worry about it (how can I not?) because these cysts usually go away by themselves around 24 to 26 weeks. He said it's about the size of his thumbnail; which he also said is small, and again, not to worry. He just wanted us to be aware of it because they will keep an eye on it. When I got off the phone with him I had to look it up and read more about it of course, because how can I just not worry? After reading about them, I understand they are common and that they usually go away by themselves. They are also found on healthy children and adults. Worst-case scenario, it could be a "soft marker" for Down Syndrome. I'm trying not to stress about it because everything else was perfect in his growth and development, and I love him so much already, no matter what, but I just pray that he will continue to grow healthy and strong. We are getting another ultrasound at the end of the month or beginning of January to check up on him. On the plus side, we get to see him move around again!

 

Make-shift Christmas Card

Since I make my life so public via blogging and Facebook, I did not send out Christmas cards this year. So here's our Christmas card for 2012. Next year I plan on taking at least one secret photo that I can put on our Christmas card for 2013!

 

 

December Bumps

Kim = 18 weeks-sweet potato

Gender: Boy or Girl? (Finds out in 1 1/2 weeks!)

Jannica = 20 weeks-pomegranate

Gender: BOY (Is he going to have a boy or girl cousin?)

Brittani = 22 weeks-papaya

Gender: GIRL (Girl=1, Boy=1 for the Mitchell girls)

ps. I love my family!

 

And the Larson Name Lives On...

 Yup, we're having a boy!

I would have been shocked if they said it was a girl, but sure enough, Lane and I both spotted lil' man's part before the radiologist even said, "Looks like a boy!"

I am in love with him. I love feeling him move. I love saying "him" or "my son." I am obsessed with his little hands and feet. I can't wait to kiss them.

First thing Lane and I did (after eating lunch of course because our tummies were growling) was go to Ross and pick out an outfit for him. We just got a set of onsies and Lane picked out some Nike booties. We're leaning towards KOBE for lil' man's name...so far!

Week 20: Small Cantaloupe

Our baby is the size of a small cantaloupe!

How many weeks? 20 WEEKS

Total weight gain/loss: UP 6LBS FROM FIRST APPOINTMENT.
Maternity clothes? JEANS STILL FIT. JUST STARTING TO PURCHASE MATERNITY TOPS.

Stretch marks? NOT FROM PREGNANCY YET.

Symptoms: GROWING, CRAMPING, DISCOMFORT, SMASHED BLADDER, GAGGING, INABILITY TO FORM SENTENCES, SPACEY, GAS...MOVEMENT!
Sleep: SLEEPING DECENT USUALLY. BEGINNING TO NOT BE ABLE TO SLEEP ON TUMMY.

Best moment this week: OH MY GOODNESS...SO LAST WEEK I STARTED TO FEEL FLUTTERS THAT I KNEW WERE THE BABY. ONLY I COULD FEEL THEM FROM THE INSIDE, BUT LAST NIGHT I WAS LAYING THERE WITH MY HANDS ON MY STOMACH AND THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN...~SHWOOP~THE BABY WAS DOING SOMERSAULTS OR SOMETHING. I QUICKLY TOLD LANE TO PUT HIS HAND ON MY STOMACH AND THE MOVEMENT CONTINUED! WE JUST LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND SMILED AND KIND OF GIGGLED. IT WAS AMAZING!

Movement: YES! I WISH THAT EVERYONE HAD THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THIS!

Food cravings: CHEESEBURGERS, PIZZA, AND FISH&CHIPS
Anything making you queasy or sick: NOTHING IN PARTICULAR. I RANDOMLY FEEL SICK.

Have you started to show yet: FIRMING LIL' BUMP.
Gender prediction: I'M LEANING TOWARDS A BOY BUT REALLY, WHO KNOWS?!...I'LL TELL YOU WHO...WE WILL...IN 2 DAYS!

Belly Button in or out? IN BUT GRADUALLY PUSHING OUT

Wedding rings on or off? ON

Names: BROOKLYN ROSE (g) KOBE or QUINN (b)
Best Thing about being pregnant: JUST KNOWING MY BABY IS SAFE INSIDE OF ME, AND FEELING HIM/HER MOVE AROUND.

Looking forward to: FINDING OUT WHAT WE'RE HAVING...NOVEMBER 30TH (2 DAYS)!!