The Baby at 34 Weeks

Rising Doughboy (or Girl)

Your baby could be as tall as 20 inches right now and about five pounds. Need a visual? Hold a five-pound bag of flour in your arms and imagine it's your soon-to-be-born baby (cradle it, and you'll only get strange looks in the baking aisle). Then stack three such bags one on top of the other (and get ready for some more strange looks, maybe from the same clerks who saw you grinning and holding that one-pound box of sugar a few weeks ago). That's how tall your baby is now. (Now go bake some oatmeal raisin cookies with all that flour!)

If your little doughboy is, well, a boy, then you'll be pleased to know that this week his testicles are making their way down from his abdomen to his scrotum. (Some baby boys — three to four percent — are born with undescended testicles, but they usually make the trip down sometime before the first birthday.)

Your baby's fingernails now reach the end of the fingertips and may even curl over the tip, making a manicure one of the first things you'll need to do for your little bundle.

A Very Close Call ... and the Grace of God

This weekend Liz and I were en route to Albuquerque and highway traffic was zipping along at 75 mph (or more). Traffic then came to an immedate stop and most of us drivers were caught completely off-guard. Tires were screeching and smoking and cars were veering off the road in an attempt to maintain control.

As if all that wasn't scary enough, I looked into my rearview mirror only to see a mini-van coming up behind me ... FAST ... and he wasn't slowing down.

I recall my immediate thought was, "I'm pregnant, my sister is in the car, and Bella is home alone." I quickly moved my car onto the highway shoulder to get us out of the way. The van went barreling past me on my left, and then had to swerve to avoid hitting the car that was in front of me. Had I not moved to the right, we'd have been hit behind with full-force, and been thrown into the car in front of us.

Now that was scary!

God definitely had his hands on us: What if I hadn't looked into the rear view mirror at that exact moment to see that van? What if the van had swerved to the right at the same time I did ... or what if there was already a car on the shoulder (I didn't have time to look before moving over).

So many other ways that situation could have played out. But we were safe and so were others who were in the immediate vicinity.

Praise God! (how could we not??)

Jennifer

Labor, Delivery, Epidurals, Spinal Blocks and All That Jazz

This week's prenatal class focused on all the things that freak out an anxious mommy-to-be: labor, delivery, epidurals, spinal blocks, etc. We even watched a video on C-sections (which wasn't nearly as gorey as what I've seen on Discovery Health).

And here is what I have to say: knock me out and wake me up when there is a baby.

Last night, I watched the newest show on The Duggars (you know, that family who just had their 17th child? They named the baby Jennifer, by the way). So she's done this labor and delivery thing several times ... and keeps coming back for more. Women throughout history have been having babies and certainly in less desirable locations and conditions that I'll be in. So I'm trying to get a grip on the whole thing. But man, several hours of the most intense pain I've ever felt in my life is just a scary thought.

When I was a kid, I proclaimed I would never have children because it would hurt too much. Somewhere along the way, I forgot about that little fear ... until recently.

But, this is what I signed up for. And in the end, we get a baby. And that is all that matters.

Jennifer

The Baby at 33 Weeks

Week 33: Water Weight

This week your baby may be anywhere between 17 to 19 inches in length and weigh more than four and a half pounds. Your baby could grow a full inch more this week alone — especially if he or she has been on the shorter side. Weight gain can range from a third more growth to a full doubling before the big debut.

The level of amniotic fluid in your uterus has reached its maximum, making it likely that you have more baby than fluid now. That's one reason why you're probably feeling lots of nudges and pushes — there's less liquid to cushion the blows. (Of course that means you're even closer to your baby now!)

If your uterine walls had eyes, here's what you'd see: your fetus acting more and more like a baby, with his or her eyes closing during sleep and opening while awake. And because those uterine walls are becoming thinner, more light penetrates the womb, helping your baby differentiate between day and night (now if only baby can remember that difference on the outside!).

And good news! Your baby has reached an important milestone about now: The development of his or her own immune system that (along with antibodies from you) will be able to provide protection from mild infections.

Save the Drama for .... THIS Mama ...

I had an interesting, and unexpected evening last night ...

First let's start off with what happened earlier in the day. Yesterday morning, while walking Bella, she and a mean dog behind a gate and a bit of a tiff. As I struggled to pull my 50 pound dog away from the gate, I tripped over her and crashed onto the sidewalk. The photograph is "Exhibit A." :)

The baby seemed okay and was moving like crazy all day long. So I didn't think the fall was a big deal (aside from scraping my leg up pretty badly).

By coincidence, I had a Dr. appt. yesterday afternoon. I told her of my fall that morning and she was very concerned about the baby and told me I needed to go to the hospital for EIGHT hours of observation. EIGHT! And, I was told if the baby was in distress, I'd end up getting an emergency C-section.

Well, you can imagine that with Jonathan in D.C. and a dog to take care of, I was in a bit of a panic.

So long story short ...

I drove to the hospital ... crying all the way. The nurse was very nice and after hearing my fall had taken place 12 hours earlier, she told me it was unlikely they'd keep me there the entire eight hours. She said if the baby was moving as usual, I was not leaking any fluid and had no blood, etc. then likely all was fine.

I was on the monitor for four hours last night. And one point, the nurse came in with a huge pitcher of water and told me to drink up, because I was having CONTRACTIONS! I was shocked, as I wasn't feeling a thing. But she assured me her monitor was detecting contractions and that hopefully, I was only a bit dehydrated and the water would take care of it.

So I chugged the water and later on, she returned to tell me the contractions had stopped. Lesson learned: DRINK A LOT ... ALL DAY, and ALL NIGHT.

All had been quiet on the maternity floor until about 10:00 p.m. That was when a woman in early labor arrived and was placed next to me ... with just a curtain separating us. I heard all her agony with every contraction and it was starting to freak me out ... big time.

So when, an hour later, the nurse returned and told me I could go home I thanked her for letting me go before the lady next door experienced any further pain.

I tell ya ... I can't wait for Jonathan to be home for good. Nothing makes you miss your husband more than an unexpected trip to the hospital.

Jennifer

And He's Off ... Again ...

Jonathan departed this morning for his final trip to D.C. He absolutely loves to travel, but isn't looking forward to this trip. He's had too many hangups at the Atlanta airport on recent trips and is concerned about what future delays are in his travel future.

He's also concerned about leaving his very pregnant wifey behind. I have assured him all will be well ... and we are just praying Baby Lucero loves his environment and will stay put until Daddy gets home. As we still have a few weeks left, we're confident he won't try to make his way into this world before Jonathan returns on September 27.

My sister, Liz, will be coming to stay with me for a few days, so that will be nice. And that leaves Jonathan fewer days to worry about me ... which is nice, too.

After this trip, Jonathan is home for good - yay!!

Jennifer

Pregnant Women are Supposed to Relax

(Be sure to check out today's "The Baby at 32 Weeks" ... just scroll down)

I frequently get told, by various people, that as a pregnant woman I need to "relax" and "pamper myself." And, hey! I agree! But ...

As you may have noticed, my blog writings have been pretty sporadic lately. This week was my company's annual conference (translation: annual nightmare). The weeks leading up to the conference were busy, the days leading up to the conference were even busier and this week itself was just plain CRAZY.

It wasn't until after the conference ended yesterday and I was simply carrying a stack of notebooks (one of the lightest loads I've carried in recent weeks, by the way) that people started saying, "Oh, let me do that for you. You're pregnant. Just sit down and relax."

But the way I look at all the physical work I've had to do lately is that doctors are always emphasizing that pregnant women need to exercise. So I believe I've met my exercise quota and plan to relax the next few weeks.

Most importantly, I want to thank Jonathan. I have been a tired (read: sleep deprived) and cranky wife this week. I think I did a fairly good job of not snapping at him, but he did get some raging hormones and frustration and tears directed his way a couple of times (the poor guy!). So here's a huge thanks to him for being patient with me, for helping me load the car and take all the conference material to the hotel ... and for just being a great husband. Thank you ... and I'm sorry for being so icky. I love you!

Jennifer

The Baby at 32 Weeks

Week 32: Squirming, Pushing, Growing

This week your baby weighs almost four pounds and could be up to 19 inches long. And though that's a head-to-toe length, your baby is actually back to a curled-up position (you try standing up in those cramped quarters!). You're likely feeling tapping and squirming instead of your baby's signature rocking and rolling. That's because, while comfy, your baby is a bit tight for exercise space right now.

While your baby is still getting nourishment through the umbilical cord, it won't be long before you'll be bringing on the breast milk or formula (and soon after, the mashed carrots and peas). In anticipation of that momentous transition to mouth feeding, your baby's digestive system is all set and ready to go.

And because your baby is accumulating more fat, his or her skin is finally turning opaque (like yours), which means those see-through days are over. Though weeks away from D-day, your baby's looking more and more like a newborn.

And speaking of that big day, hope you're resting up for it — because your bambino certainly is. In preparation for that big first date with you, your baby is sleeping like a baby — with sleep cycles of 20 to 40 minutes long (which would also account for the decrease in movement you're likely feeling these days.

Welcome to New Mexico!

We'd like to welcome our fabulous friends, Valerie and Jon (aka "Bol and Mr. Ashe") to the Land of Enchantment!

Valerie has lived in the Bay Area for several years and returning to the Albuquerque area, and Mr. Ashe has lived in the Bay Area all his life. We applaud him for taking on the adventure of moving out to the desert Southwest! Quite a change from San Francisco life!

For those of you you know the Ashes, we invite you to check out their blog at http://rightturnatabq.blogspot.com.

We're just delighted to have them here and look forward to some good times and great company. Especially when they become Auntie Bol and Uncle Mr. Ashe in a couple of months!

We love you guys and welcome you with open arms!

Jennifer and Jonathan (aka Whenathan!)

The Baby at 31 Weeks

Week 31: Thumbs Up

As far as growth goes, your baby's still on a roll, measuring an impressive 18 inches and weighing in at more than three pounds. You can still expect your baby to gain at least three to five pounds, possibly more, before you two meet.

Your baby's brain is working overtime these days, developing faster than ever. Connections between individual nerve cells are growing at a frenetic clip, and your baby can now perceive information from all five senses. Sure, your baby can't smell anything right now, but that's only because he or she is still submerged in amniotic fluid and needs to be breathing air to get a whiff of anything. Lucky for you — and your baby — yours will be one of the very first scents your baby breathes in, a scent that will quickly become his or her very favorite.

So what's your little dove doing all day while you're busy feathering your nest for his or her arrival? Making faces, hiccupping, swallowing, breathing, pedaling with little hands and feet along your uterine wall, and even sucking his or her thumb. In fact, some babies suck their thumbs so vigorously while in the womb that they're born with a callus on their thumb (what a little sucker!).

Time Keeps on Slipping ... into the Future

... or at least that is what The Steve Miller Band sings in their song ...

So here's how things are moving along:

• We took our first of six pre-natal classes last night. I gotta say, it was pretty lame - there is very little structure to the class and I'm not sure how much we'll actually learn (as opposed to the books I read and the shows I watch on Discovery Health). As is typical for those classes, we watched a video on labor and delivery. It was on a very small screen, so the gore was minimized. For my part, I just couldn't get past the obvious fact that it was filmed in the 1980s ... ah, the hair!
• I've been getting "Braxton Hicks Contractions" for a while now. They say these "contractions" are just practice contractions. Apparently, they can get quite uncomfortable, but for now, its just a brief tightening sensation ... and then its done. My Dr. says as long as its no more than four an hour, its okay. So far, so good.
• The baby moves around A LOT! I think he's going to come out wanting to run, just like his daddy does! I really wish I could somehow get a camera in there and see what the little guy is doing!
• I'm starting to experience some of the classic late pregnancy issues: back pain and a difficulty in being able to sleep comfortably. The back pain is still relavitvely minor, and for that I am thankful.
• Looks like this weekend, we'll be painting the baby's room. The bottom half of the wall will be light blue and topped with a really cute alphabet wallpaper border that Jonathan selected.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Jennifer

The Baby at 30 Weeks

Week 30: Making Headway

Your baby's height and weight haven't changed much in the past week, but the big news is your baby's brain gain. Until now, the surface of your baby's brain was smooth. Now, your fetus's brain is taking on those characteristic grooves and indentations. The reason for this change in appearance? Those wrinkles allow for an increased amount of brain tissue — a necessary change as your baby prepares for life outside your womb, and the street smarts he or she will need.

Another big change this week: Your baby's bone marrow has taken over production of red blood cells (before, tissue groups and then the spleen took care of producing the blood cells). This is an important step for your baby, because it means he or she is better able to thrive on his or her own once born (with a little TLC from you, of course).

So it's in with the new (brain cells, red blood cells) and out with the old (lanugo). Much of the lanugo — the soft, downy hair covering your baby's body — is beginning to disappear now because both fat and the brain are regulating your baby's body temperature (so no need for that furry coat anymore). But you may see a few leftover strands of fur on your newborn's back and shoulders.

I Love Good Healthcare!

After yet another Dr. visit today (all is well with the baby), and another run to the pharmacy (my fourth in the past week), I started pondering how lucky I am ... and how lucky most of us in this country are.

My employer provides very good health insurance, as does Jonathan's company (and therefore, I'm double-insured). I know healthcare in this country is always a huge political issue (and just an issue, period, for those who don't have health insurance). And so I just have to bypass all the politics and proclaim, "I am so thankful for my health insurance!"

I thought about those people in this country who have no, or inadequate health inurance. Or let me go a step further ... people who live in poor countries who don't have any health insurance and limted (or no) access to medical care.

My Dr. is just a phone call away. The pharmacy is just down the steet. My Dr. is awesome and catches "issues" in their early stages and fixes them. During the pregnancy, I pay one co-pay at the beginning and then I have no expenses to pay at each Dr. vsit. I am so incredibly fortunate!

Starting at this point, I will have Dr. visits every two weeks, and I'm glad. As I mentioned, there are "issues" (with me, not the baby) that need to be monitored. So its nice to know that just around the corner will be another appointment.

We're gettng close! Just ten more weeks until this baby is fully-cooked. :) And only seven more weeks until this baby is considered "full term."

Man, reality is really starting to sink in. Big time.

Jennifer

The Baby at 29 Weeks - Part Deux

(from another weekly e-mail I get ...)

If you’ve been feeling butterflies moving around in your belly, it’s not just your run-of-the-mill pre-birth performance anxiety. No, it’s your amazing baby with a case of the hiccups: a fairly common occurrence at this point resulting from practicing breathing for their big birthday. In addition, to getting a round of butterfly-like hiccups, your little swimmer has arduously managed to accumulate enough baby fat to account for nearly 3.5% of their overall body weight. Yeah, compared to we adults, it’s not a lot, but when they’re little like that—it’s certainly a healthy (and warming) accomplishment in its way. Another fantastic accomplishment: your baby's spleen is now in charge of hematopoiesis—the 10 dollar name for the process involved in building up certain important blood components.

Another fantastic-accomplishment: your little monkey has been peeing into their amniotic sac for a little while now (this is why potty training takes a while) and if you didn’t know, actually swallows it along with the rest of the amniotic fluid. Although the concept is nasty, their urine is sterile and as part of the amniotic fluid base, is replaced several times throughout the day. So if you didn’t know before, now you can tell people, that yes, you drank your own urine—you were still in the womb, but nonetheless, you’ve been there.

The Test Results

I endured the dreaded three hour glucose test on Saturday. Fasting for 12 hours, a lot of glucose consumed and three hours of waiting along with four different blood draws. It really wasn't too bad ... its just boring to sit there so long. The techs were hesitant to let me go any futher than the bathroom, just in case I have a weird reaction to the glucose. But nothing happned.

The Dr. left a message that all was well with the test. So, I don't have gestational diabetes. YAY!

I considered celebrating by consuming a box of Red Hots. But instead, I decided to satisfy my curiosity about what Ben & Jerry's "Pistachio Pistachio" tasted like. I ate the whole pint in one sitting and it was mighty tasty! Tastes like a frozen version of Jello Pistachio Pudding ... in case you're wondering. And besides, that ice cream has more nutrition than Red Hots. It has calcium and protein. :)

Today is Thursday and Jonathan returns in one week - yay! So far, Bella has been a little angel in Jonathan's absense. She hasn't dragged me too far or hard on our walks. I'd be so bored without her. She really is the best dog ... EVER!

Jennifer

The Baby at 29 Weeks

Week 29: Putting on the Pounds and the Padding

Your baby is almost 17 inches tall now (nearly as tall as he or she will be at birth), and close to three pounds (a weight that will likely more than double — and may even come close to tripling — by delivery time). His or her wrinkled skin is smoothing out as more fat is deposited under the skin surface. This fat, called white fat, is different from the earlier brown fat that your baby accumulated. Brown fat is necessary for body temperature regulation while white fat (the fat you have, Mom) actually serves as an energy source.

Which explains why your energizer baby feels so…well…energized! Space in your baby's living quarters is now at a premium, so you'll be feeling jabs and pokes from elbows and knees mostly. But those kicks will be more vigorous than before (and also less erratic) because your baby is stronger and excitedly responding to all sorts of stimuli — movement, sounds, light, and that candy bar you ate half an hour ago.

Luckily, your baby doesn't have teeth yet that would need a brushing after that sugary treat, but it won't be long before you'll need to buy that first baby toothbrush! You'll recall that your baby's baby-teeth buds formed weeks ago, but now the buds for permanent teeth are forming in his or her gums as well.

And back to those kicks, who's counting? Actually, you should be. Now's a good time to start doing a kick count twice a day to make sure baby's doing just fine (plus, it's a good excuse for a rest). Lie down (preferably after a snack) and keep track of your baby's movements. You're looking for at least ten movements in an hour's time (don't forget to count movements of any kind — kicks, flutters, swishes, rolls, and so on).

Every Day is a New Adventure

Early in my pregnancy, a co-worker asked how I was doing and said that he had heard from pregnant friends that "Every day is a new adventure for a pregnant woman." At the time, every day of my pregnancy was the same, and so I had no idea what he was talking about.

Now I do.

Some days, I feel like I could tackle the world. Other days, I feel like this cartoon.

Which brings me to the adventures of this week.

My latest glucose screening test showed elevated blood sugars, which can be a sign of gestational diabetes. Tomorrow I must do a three hour glucose screen. That involves fasting overnight, drinking a really sugary solution and then not eating for three hours before they suck FIVE vials of blood from my veins. Telling a pregnant person not to eat is like telling a bird not to fly. So I'm not looking forward to that three hour timeframe.

And it sounds like gestational diabetes is not CAUSED by consuming too much sugar (i.e., my beloved Red Hots). Its just caused by the body incorrectly processing the food/whatever I've consumed. But, its not gestational diabetes just yet ... so let's all think happy thoughts!

The other adventure in the Lucero household this week was me getting sick. Started off with a day of what seemed like really bad allergies. By Tuesday night, I was a blubbering mess and poor Jonathan wanted to help, but couldn't. I made it to work on Wednesday, but when I hit the point of being practically delirious, Jonathan had to take me home. When I woke up from my nap, I had a fever (a bad thing while pregnant). So it was into a cool bath for me and a call to the doctor. My sweet Jonathan ran out and got me Tylenol for the fever and a prescription of antibiotics. I do love that man!

Jonathan leaves on Sunday for D.C. He'll be gone for two weeks. I hope its an uneventful two weeks for the baby and me. If not, you'll get to read all about it on this blog.

Stay tuned!

Jennifer

The Baby at 28 Weeks

Week 28: Dream, Dream, Dream

Are you dreaming about your baby? Your baby may be dreaming about you, too. Brain wave activity measured in a developing fetus shows different sleep cycles, including the rapid eye movement phase, the stage when dreaming occurs.

By now, your baby, who weighs in at about two and a half pounds and stands — or rather lies — at almost 16 inches (measured head to toe) has added blinking to his or her growing bag of tricks. (Outside in the real world, blinking is necessary to help keep foreign objects out of the eyes.) Other impressive new talents being added to your baby's roster include coughing, more intense sucking, and, perhaps most important, better breathing.

The good news is that babies born this week, though premature, have an excellent prognosis because their lungs have reached the point (for the most part) of maturity — so you too can breathe a little easier now. Of course, it's still best if a baby doesn't check out of that uterine hotel just yet — there's still a lot of growing and maturing to do over the next 12 weeks.

Pregnancy Humor

According to all I've heard and read, pregnant women are known for their rollercoaster of emotions. I've been pretty normal throughout my pregnancy, if I do say so myself. I'm sure Jonathan is quite relieved!

But now let's visit an incident that happened the other night, shall we?

They say that at this stage in a baby's developoment, he can hear sounds outside the womb. So, every night, Jonathan reads to the baby from a children's book of Bible stories that we have. On this particular night, I was laying in bed, highly amused at the strange shape my stomach becomes when I sit up just a bit. And I got a bad case of the giggles, just like a kid does. The giggles interrupted Jonathan's story time and so he eventually closed the book and put it away.

Enter pregnancy hormones.

I was immediately moved to tears because he stopped reading. I was truly upset by it. So I got up, took the book and proclaimed I was going to read the Bible story for the night. Poor Jonathan was dumbfounded by my tears. And frankly, so I was I.

So what did I do? While crying, I started laughing ... and then I continued crying. Oh, boy. It was just weird. I was highly amused and seriously upset at the same time.

And so when I saw this cartoon today, I just had to share it.

Jennifer

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Liz!

My sister, Liz, turns 31 today (and there are few things that make an older sister feel OLD than knowing her LITTLE sister is 31!)

Jennifer

The Baby at 27 Weeks

Week 27: I Sense Something Is Going On

Most babies this age, yours included, still like to snuggle in a slightly curled position inside the uterus (thus the term "fetal position"). Even so, beginning at this stage, your baby's length will be measured from top of head to toe — which makes your baby nearly a full 15 inches now. And at just over two pounds, he or she has doubled in weight from four weeks ago.

Your baby's auditory development (hearing) is progressing as the network of nerves to the ears matures. And even though the sounds your baby hears are muffled (thanks to the creamy coating of vernix covering those ears), he or she may recognize both yours and your partner's voices. So this might be a good time to read and even sing to your baby (or rather, your belly) — and a good chance to start boning up on those nursery rhymes and lullabies you'll need to be repeating (and repeating) pretty soon. And while you're at it, here's another way to have some family fun: If your partner presses his ear to your belly, he might be able to hear the baby's heartbeat.

Your baby's taste buds are very developed now too (with more taste buds than he or she will ever have outside the womb, actually). Need a taste test? If you eat some spicy food (you hot mama, you), your baby will be able to taste the difference in the amniotic fluid (but keep in mind that you'll have different mealtimes, with your baby's coming about two hours after yours). Some babies will even respond to that spicy kick by hiccupping. And although hiccups (which feel like belly spasms to you) may seem like they're disturbing to your baby, he or she isn't stressed at all. It's just one more sensation that babies need to get used to.

What a Week ...

What a week ... and that might explain why I've posted nothing since Tuesday.

Jonathan flew out to D.C. last Sunday, and thankfully comes home this evening.

All is well with the baby this week. I'm starting to find it difficult to find a good sleeping position at night and it seems when I finally do get comfortable, its time to get up. But regardless, I know I'm still getting way more sleep now than I will once the baby comes. So, as they say, "Its all good."

This week, I have learned that Bella (you know, the dog ...) is pretty much a Daddy's Girl. She's excited to see me when I get home and when she gets the hint that she'll be going on a walk. But aside from that, she seems to be oblivious to the fact that I even exist. But, I kind of understand ... Jonathan interacts with Bella much more differently than I do. He's her playmate. I'm just the Mom.

Probalby the hardest thing about Jonathan being gone is that I am the one who has to walk Bella twice a day. She's 50 pounds of energy on those walks and I'm just a big ol' pregnant woman slowly walking along, trying to keep Bella from running off after rabbits, birds and unknown creatures that lurk in the bushes.

Aside from Bella, work has been crazy for me this week (and will get progressively more busy until our annual conference comes and goes next month).

This girl needs a nice, quite, and relaxing weekend with her husband!

Jennifer

Cheap Thrills ...

... and there's nothing wrong with cheap frills. In this case, my thrills are free!

The baby has been moving around like crazy today ... and it makes me laugh! And I love to watch my stomach as he moves around. Ever seen that movie Alien? That's what its like - only nothing is bursting out of my stomach (yet!).

Jonathan finally felt the baby kick this weekend. The timing was good: it was his strongest kick yet, and Jonathan's hand was right there to feel it. YAY!

Jennifer

The Baby at 26 Weeks

Week 26: Eyes Wide (Almost) Open

Look who's looking. Your baby's eyes — which have been closed for the past few months (so that the retina, the part of the eye that allows images to come into focus, could develop) — are now beginning to open. What this means is that your baby is able to see what's going on now (unfortunately the view in your uterus isn't all that exciting). But do try this at home for kicks (baby's that is): Shine a flashlight at your stomach. Your baby might kick in response (as in: "Get that light out of my eyes!").

The iris, the colored part of the eye, still doesn't have much pigmentation (that'll fill in over the next month or two), so it's too early to start guessing your baby's eye color. Even the color your baby will be born with might not be the permanent shade; so you may be kept guessing until your baby is close to six months old.

Look what else is going on this week: Your baby's brain-wave activity is kicking in, which means your little one can not only hear noises but can now also respond to them. Not in so many words, of course, but with an increase in pulse rate or activity.

And talking about activity, at your baby's current height and weight (about nine inches tall and two pounds), and at the rate he or she is growing, your baby will soon be feeling a little cramped in your uterus. Not to worry, there's still plenty of room for your baby to grow. It just means your gymnast will have less room for those somersaults, cartwheels, and other Olympic feats.

It Finally Happened ...

My pregnancy books, and previously pregnant friends, have all mentioned that perfect strangers will approach a pregnant woman and make "pregnancy talk." This afternoon was the first time for me.

As the classic story goes, I was in line at the grocery store (well, Whole Foods, so it was a LONG line) so I had a few minutes to chat with this woman. It was actually a very positive conversation: she asked if it was my first baby, told me to take advantage of being able to eat everything, mentioned if I'd be breastfeeding, then I get to continue eating everything I wanted, etc.

And then ... she lookes at my stomach and says, "So you must be due pretty soon then?" I said, "No, actually ... not until November."

The poor woman. She didn't know what to say ... and I felt embarassed for her. So I quickly said, "I keep wondering how many babies are in here!" She laughed, I laughed and all was well.

I still haven't had perfect strangers come up and want to touch my stomach. And you know what? I don't think I'd mind if they did. I am just soooo happy to be pregnant!!!

Jennifer