The Whislers.net

This week is kind of like halftime at a football game.  One half down with one more to go.  The most exciting part comes at the 2 minute warning.  Until then, here's what's going this week with Whisler Baby Boy 2009:

Baby Stats:

Size: 6½ inches
Weight: 10½ ounces

Baby Developments:

The baby has established sleep patterns akin to a newborn now. Many babies even have a favorite sleep position already. Some snooze with their chins resting on their chests, while others nap with their head flung back. Many babies at this age fall into noticeable cycles of sleep and activity, so we may know before he arrives whether we have a night owl or an early bird.  We have both a night owl and early bird at our house so we'll know exactly who his sleep patterns favor.

From this point forward, the baby will put most of his energy into gaining weight and, not coincidentally, so will his mother. Right now the baby weighs approximately 10½ ounces and is about 6½ inches long, about the size of a can of Red Bull (which has way too much caffeine for a pregnant woman to be drinking).

What We're Doing:

Some of the nursery decor has already been ordered and will be arriving shortly.  Laura and I will begin working on that right away.  Personally, I have been spending this month studying for another Microsoft Certification exam with the hope of passing them all before baby arrives.  Just last week I achieved my MCAD designation and will focus on the MCPD next.  Most of you have no clue about what I just said and probably wish you had the last two sentences of your life back.  I've passed 3 exams so far with 4 more to go.  Imagine each test like a bar exam and you'll get the picture.

It’s a BOY!!!

Mark and I are very proud to announce that we are having a baby boy in August.  We had our first ultrasound this morning and baby looks very healthy.  Some of you know that I’ve been experiencing severe pain in my lower abdomen the past week and have been on bed rest since Thursday.  We were very anxious to get the results of the ultrasound to find out if my bed rest would be permanent.  Thankfully, our ultrasound tech was very diligent and found a potential source of my problem.  I have at least one ovarian cyst on my left ovary that is causing me great pain.  The good news is that it’s not baby-related but the bad news is that because I’m pregnant I can’t take anything for the pain.  I’m still supposed to take it easy and not over-exert myself but I can return to work if I feel like it.  I plan to go in tomorrow and see how I do.

Now, back to the important things…our baby boy!  He is a very healthy 9 oz. and heartbeat was 143 this morning.  The tech did all the standard measurements and check-ups and after each one, we were relieved to hear her say “that looks good.”  After her exam was complete, she asked us if we wanted to find out the gender and we unanimously said “YES!”  Unfortunately, baby didn’t want to cooperate.  He’s already showing signs of being stubborn.  I can’t imagine where he would have gotten that.  After a lot of twisting and turning (for me), the umbilical cord finally moved from between his legs and we were able to get several shots that clearly indicated that he’s my little man. 

As you can see from the pics, he’s already very active.  Although I haven’t felt him move yet, he likes to suck his thumb, kick and put his arm above his head while he sleeps (very much like mom likes to do).  Mark and I are so very thankful for this huge blessing in a tiny package and we look forward to the next few months as he continues to develop and grow.  We appreciate all of your love, support and prayers and are very grateful to share this journey with our family and friends.

To view the pictures in a high-resolution slideshow, you can view the ultrasound pictures here.

Profile:

Arm Raised:

Sucking His Thumb:

Boy Confirmation #1:

Boy Confirmation #2:

The time is here; it is ultrasound week.  Here's what's going on this week with Whisler Baby 2009: 

Baby Stats:

Size: 6 inches
Weight: 8½ ounces

Baby Developments:

This week the baby starts bulking up and packing on the grossly named "brown fat" he'll need to keep warm when he gets evicted from his comfortable home.  Vernix, a milky white coating that protects the baby's skin, appears all over the baby's body to keep his skin from getting pickled in the amniotic fluid. Think of it as if the baby has been dipped in yogurt, like those delicious but fake-healthy yogurt-covered raisins and pretzels.  Under the vernix, a fuzzy layer of hair called lanugo now covers baby's body. Don't worry, Mini won't look like Cousin It when he's born. Most of the fuzz will fall off before baby makes his grand entrance.

The baby's kidneys are fully functioning and producing urine this week. Bad news: That means there will be lots of diapers in our future.  She now weighs about 8½ ounces and measures 6 inches, as long as an Italian BMT sub from Subway on warm, delicious Italian Herb and Cheese bread.  Yes, that is a classic Mark sandwich.  The only thing missing is "Gabagool" (for you Soprano fans out there).

What We're Doing:

This week we are going to set up the baby room furniture and prepare to do some shopping once the gender has been revealed.  Try and guess which one of us is doing what.

Only one more week before the gender is revealed.  Here's what's going on this week with Whisler Baby 2009: 

Baby Stats:

Size: 5½ inches
Weight: 5-7 ounces

Baby Developments:

The baby's ears are now facing forward and are completely formed so he can actually hear us talking now. I guess I'll have to make sure I tone down the tech talk over the next few months.  I'm not sure Laura is ready for another software developer in the house.  This week is also the beginning of ossification. And while that sounds like some long and involved paperwork you might have to fill out during tax season, it's really a fancy medical term for the hardening of the baby's miniature bones, teeny tiny bones.  And that's a good thing.

The baby's nerves are making more and more complex connections. Her sense of smell, taste, sight and hearing are all developing. A substance called myelin, which makes nerve connections travel faster, is now coating the baby's nerves.

The baby now weighs between 5 and 7 ounces and is about 5½ inches long—about the size of a pickle from a corner deli.  Laura has acclimated herself quite nicely to pickles.  In fact, I was recently instructed to rush to the store to seek out a particular brand in a specific jar.  Yeah, I failed.

What We're Doing:

The seasons are changing yet again and thoughts often turn to lawn competition.  Alas, the hum of a perfectly-tuned Honda Harmony 216, cannot drown the ominous rumblings of small feet and soccer games that loom on the horizon.  For me, this is the time to reflect and remember a thriving community of fescue that is my backyard, now coined Backyard BC or Backyard Before Children.  Faced with the knowledge that I have more bermuda ahead than behind me, I must look to the future and hold fast to the hope that someday I will trade in that tree fort for a teenager who can hold a trimmer in mid-July.  I cringe at the thought of waterslides, trampolines and sandboxes, but cling to the dream of conducting an ensemble of free laborers from the comforts of a shaded porch accompanied by an ice cold Dr. Pepper.  What has been seeded will one day grow, to sow, and mow...for me.

Here's what's going on this week with Whisler Baby 2009: 

Baby Stats:

Size: 5 inches
Weight: 4 ounces

Baby Developments:

Baby is adding fat stores that will keep him warm and cozy after he's born.  The baby's weight will increase approximately six times over the next four weeks.  Good to know Laura's not the only one tipping the scale.

Baby is also hard at work honing her sucking and swallowing reflexes -- all the better for eating that 2am, 5am and 8am meal in just a few months.  The finger- and toenails are beginning to grow from their nail beds, which would explain why she'll need them trimmed almost as soon as she's born.

The baby weighs nearly 5 ounces and is a little over 5 inches long -- about the size of a baked potato.  Butter and sour cream on the side please.  Laura will take hers fully loaded.

What We're Doing:

We attended the Cox Baby Affair on Saturday and were able to tour the Labor and Delivery and Postpartum floors.  It really helped to get a feel for where we will be as we experience the whirlwind called "giving birth."  Mark's parents were able to tour with us and Mom B (aka Barbara) was instructed that she's in charge of showing Momma J (aka Janet) where everything is so they can be in charge when Mark and I have lost our minds during the delivery process.

We also were able to visit with several vendors and were really intrigued by the new cloth diapers out right now.  If any of you have experience with these, please let us know.  Supposedly, you can purchase a set of diapers that are adjustable for the size of the child and will last from newborn to potty-training.  It almost sounds too good to be true but we are very interested in looking into them further.

Laura is feeling much better and now has her appetite back.  Thanks for all of your prayers.  The worst is definitely behind us so we can start really enjoying the pregnancy.

Here's what's going on this week with Whisler Baby 2009:

Baby Stats:

Size: 4 1/2 inches
Weight: 3 ounces

Baby Developments:

The baby's skin is still translucent and wrinkly, not unlike an old man's, but more fat will soon accumulate under the dermas to plump him out.  If you could peer inside right now, you'd be able to see all of his veins under his skin. And speaking of veins, the baby's heart now pumps about 25 quarts of blood per day, and he hasn't even seen Penelope Cruz yet!

The baby is already preparing for the Nikon camera as she practices all sorts of facial expressions, such as squinting, yawning and grimacing, which will come in handy when we introduce her to pureed spinach.  Also, her eyes are now locked and loaded at their final destination, facing forward rather than to the sides. (Whew!)

The baby weighs about 3 ounces this week and measures between 4 and 5 inches, about the length of a tube of mascara.

What We're Doing

We are reading a lot of baby books right now.  One in particular is called, On Becoming Babywise.  The book is written to bring hope to the tired and bewildered parents looking for an alternative to sleepless nights and fussy babies.  Uh, count us in please.  It's all about developing the proper IMS or Infant Management System.  I wonder who came up with that term?  Yeah, that doesn't sound like me at all.