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

Baby Stats:

Size: 15 inches
Weight: 2-3 pounds

Baby Developments:

The baby's eyes are partially open now and can blink. Truly superior babies can actually wink. (OK, there is no way to prove that, but it's fun to imagine, right?)

His eyes have color now, too. It may not be the color he ultimately ends up with, especially if they're light gray or blue. The eyes typically don't settle on a final hue until nine months after baby is born. So when my mother-in-law says that the baby has her eyes, I can politely inform her that they'll most likely change soon. Sorry, Jan.

Little man is downright chubby compared to a few weeks ago. He is about 15 inches long, about the length of an amusement park cinnamon-sugar-coated churro, and weighs 2 to 3 pounds.

What We're Doing:

This week is an unusual one.  I've spent my entire week in Chillicothe running sound for a band.  One tidbit of interesting information, that my future son would certainly be proud of, is the a capella rendition of Vanilla Ice's, "Ice Ice Baby" last night in a talent show.  Absolutely amazing.  I believe there is video, but I'm not sure if it will be distributed.

Next Monday, Laura has a baby appointment to test for gestational diabetes with a glucose screening test.

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

Baby Stats:

Size: 14½ inches
Weight: 2 pounds

Baby Developments:

Baby's lungs and immune system are maturing this week as baby prepares for his grand entrance. If he were born today he would have an 85 percent chance of surviving as his lungs are capable of breathing air (with medical assistance, of course).

Baby's done a lot of growing over the past few months. His length has more than doubled in the past 15 weeks! And that's not the only thing growing—baby's brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace. His brain waves are now firing away just like those of a newborn baby.

Little man now weighs in at approximately 14½ inches and just over 2 pounds, or about the size of that roast Laura might make for her parents this weekend. (OK, the baby is the size of that roast she intends to cook before deciding that ordering Chinese is a much better idea.)

What We're Doing:

This has been a relatively calm week, which doesn't happen very often.  We recovered from Relay For Life and now look forward to a restful, holiday weekend.  Laura's parents will be in town and I'm packing up a trailer full of sound equipment to run sound for a band next week.

Farm Report:

Week 27's vegetable is a beet.  The roots and leaves of the beet have been used in folk medicine to treat a wide variety of ailments. Modern research is investigating in further detail how beet extracts could be used to protect normal and diabetic livers, as well as their effects on elevated cholesterol in individuals with cancer, and other medical maladies.

Mark's rating: 1 out of 10

Laura's rating: 8 out of 10

This vegetable has mixed reviews.  Some individuals eat them while others find a hiding place for them under the mashed potatoes.

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

Baby Stats:

Size: 14 inches
Weight: 1 2/3 pounds

Baby Developments:

The retina completes the development of its normal layers this week—all the better to see us with. Well not us, per se, because his eyes are still sealed shut and it's really dark in there, but the baby's eyes are now fully developed.

Brainwaves for the auditory and visual systems are detectable in baby's noggin this week. That means baby's brain is registering things like sound and light. He can't understand what any of it means yet, but he's on track to read a Cover 2 defense in no time!

As hearing continues to develop, baby will start to recognize our voices. Songs like, "Living On a Prayer" and "Don't Know What You Got 'Til It's Gone" have been met with repeated kicks to Laura's gut; an obvious indication of an encore performance from dad. Research has shown that newborns actually recognize familiar sounds after birth. Proof that baby has been paying attention all along.

Break out the sparkling apple juice—baby has now completed two-thirds of his stay in Hotel Womb. The baby is about 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long head-to-heel, or about the length of a burp cloth (otherwise known as our primary wardrobe accessory for the next several months).

What We're Doing: 

This week is the annual Springfield Relay For Life.  Laura and I actively participate on the RFL committee and will be attending the event as Event Directors.  For those of you in the Springfield area, please come on out and see us and help fight against cancer.  I know everybody knows somebody who has been affected by this disease. The event is held at Hillcrest High School from 7 - 9pm on Friday May 15th.  Lots of great things to do for all ages. More details and directions can be found here.

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

Baby Stats:

Size: 13½ inches
Weight: 1½ pounds

Baby Developments:

Baby's hands are now fully developed and he spends most of his awake time groping around in the darkness of the uterus. Brain and nerve endings are developed enough now so that he can feel the sensation of touch. That doesn't mean he can feel it when his father pokes at the belly.

The baby's arms and legs have grown to almost the proportions they will be at birth, which is still sort of short. Baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, clear out (like he's taken a super-dose of Sudafed) and he can practice breathing through the nose. The structures of his spine are now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings and some 1,000 ligaments.

The capillaries, the teeniest blood vessels, are now forming in baby's body, giving his formerly translucent skin a pink glow. The blood vessels in the lungs also develop this week. I can't wait to see how well that worked out when he gives those lungs a workout at 3 in the morning. 

The baby weighs about a pound and a half and is about 13½ inches long—roughly the length of one of those recorders you played in elementary school music class.

What We're Doing: 

I found out that Restless Heart was going to be in Branson last weekend so it immediately turned into date night.  We began with The Landing for dinner followed by a show at the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre featuring Country Tonite and Restless Heart.  Check out these pictures as proof. Also, make sure you follow our guide to The Landing on your next visit.

The Whisler Entertainment Guide to The Landing

• Arrive at your restaurant of choice no later than 5:45pm.  Coordinating the transition time between the early bird old folks and twenty-somethings is critical.
• Count the number of times you hear Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way".
• Play the game, "Old Man Benches".  You'll find most benches filled with older men waiting on their wives to finish shopping.  Count them quickly.  Double points if you walk back and they're still sitting there.  Triple points if they are holding a shopping bag.  Try and beat our high score of 48.
• If visiting in the evening, make sure you play, "Who Dressed Me?".  The goal is to count the number of inappropriately dressed young women.  Bring pencil and paper as you will lose count quickly.

Farm Report:

Remember, Laura and I are both farmers now.  We will bring you the vegetable of the week accompanied by a rating and perhaps a recipe.

Week 25's vegetable is Kale. Kale is a highly nutritious vegetable with antioxidant properties and is an anti-inflammatory. It contains sulforaphane which is a chemical believed to have potent anti-cancer properties.

Rating: 8 out of 10

This vegetable has been approved by Mark and Laura.

As promised, here is the link to the baby registry:  http://www.thewhislers.net/page/Baby-Registry.aspx.

For those of you who receive this as an RSS feed, you will find the link to the registry on the right side of the page.