A baby story: Week 25

Week 25: Baby’s the size of an eggplant!

This week has been extremely eventful when it comes to babies…Sirena had two future playmates born this week!

Our close friends Kim and Frank welcomed Amelia Belle into the world on Feb 23.  Kim is my first close friend that has had a baby and the birth of Amelia has really made this whole pregnancy thing so much more real for me.  When Kim announced on Facebook (where else??) that she was checking into the hospital, I was just blown away and was so anxious to know what was going on and how mama/baby were doing.  Then when I saw the first photo of Amelia I just couldn’t stop staring at her itty bitty face.  I cannot wait to meet that little (and when I say little, I mean little…she was 6 pounds!) bundle of joy who I am sure will become one of Sirena’s close friends.  Kim wrote me something really sweet and touching, she said, “I can’t WAIT for you to feel what I’m feeling now…my heart is full.”  Believe me, mama Kimmy, I can’t wait either!  🙂

And Kevin’s family friends, Shani and Loren, welcomed their baby girl Sadie into the world on Feb 28…can’t wait to meet that little cutie as well!

This is my last week student teaching with the 6th graders and although it’s bittersweet, I’m definitely looking forward to getting started on and finishing my second placement!  Luckily I have a few day’s break in between this placement and my second but next Thursday I’ll be joining a 7th grade history class at the same school site (so at least I can go check in on my 6th grade knuckleheads over the course of the rest of the semester!)

Some pretty major news for our household came about this week (and no, I’m not referring to the noisy/inconsiderate upstairs neighbors moving out, although that’s a pretty major event in and of itself)…Kevin was offered a permanent position at his work!  He along with a group of guys that was hired around the same time as him have been temporary status and he is finally getting what he deserves with better pay and benefits.  He was the first of all of the temp workers to be approached to be hired permanently and I could not be more proud of him!

My sister Jessie is also experiencing some pretty major life-changing things right now…she’s starting a month-long yoga teacher training in Colorado and will be there for the entire month of March!  I’m going to miss her a ton but I’m so happy and excited for her.  Plus she’s going to be staying with us in April so I’m sure we will more than make up for lost time!

And last but not least…Kevin and I scheduled a babymoon for the end of March!  Our last trip away (other than to Long Beach) was one year ago when we went to Monterey for a night (and before that it was in 2008 when we went to Australia!) and I am so looking forward to getting out of town and spending some time with my future baby daddy before the baby arrives.  We’re going to a cute bed and breakfast up near the Russian River in Sonoma County and I cannot wait!!

Belly shots!

Take 1 (without Lola)

Take 2 (with Lola, yawning)

Other pregnancy updates

• Total weight gained: 5 pounds
  
• Fun baby developments this week: All five senses are now fully developed.  She may start sucking her thumb in utero around this time…how cute! And she most likely has a distinct sleeping and waking schedule (she is most definitely up and at ’em between 7-10 pm).
• (Dis)comforts of pregnancy: The past few weeks I’ve been experiencing some back pain that includes a pinched-nerve-feeling in my upper back (most likely from the hours of sitting at the computer for work and school) and also includes some lower back pain that travels down my rear (cute).  I’m trying to focus on taking more walking breaks during the day and doing some exercises to relieve the pain and to keep it from becoming a major issue.
• Number of classes/appointments we scheduled this week: Seven! This includes Kaiser’s Childbirth Preparation classes (two class meetings), a hospital tour, a Labor and Delivery Team visit, a Late Pregnancy class, plus a Breastfeeding class and a Newborn Care class…phew!
• Number of days until our next prenatal appointment: One! We have our next appointment tomorrow afternoon.
• Number of weeks left in the second trimester: Two!  The third trimester starts at 28 weeks…not too far off!