22 Weeks ~ April 25th

After we got back from Florida I started really feeling the baby kick on a regular basis.  It is the most amazing and reassuring feeling.  It's all starting to feel real and I can't believe it!  It still feels like I'm in the most incredible dream.  I wake up everyday so thankful for this miracle inside me.

Belly pictures ~ 22 weeks

Here is what BabyCenter says about the baby:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

Ethan's Water Polo Game

Ethan had a water polo game close to the city so we went to his game.  He did a great job!  He scored one goal and had two assists.  The game was very intense and they beat them by 1 point in the last few seconds.  

Ethan on offense waiting to get the ball

Ethan playing defense

Ethan getting the ball and getting dunked

Ethan after he shot on goal (you can barely see the ball in the goalies hand)

Marco Island with the Sergi's

Craig and I went to visit our friends Dominic and JoAnn Sergi in Marco Island, FL (one hour south of Ft Myers).  They stay in Marco Island from Jan - April to escape the Chicago winters.  The view from their place is amazing.  We had such a great time hanging out with them.  We had breakfasts on the patio overlooking the ocean, went on long walks on the beach, had amazing dinners and went on a wonderful boat ride on the cutest boat in Naples.  

View from their balcony

 

Dinner at Tara's Steak & Seafood (sat outside)

The boys went fishing early and passed out when they got home

breakfast on the patio 

We had dinner at the Dolphin Tiki Bar and then headed over to the Marriott for a drink

 We went on a boat ride around Naples 

The owner of the boat is from Chicago and takes it to FL in the winter to rent out

Dinner at an Italian restaurant called L'Angolo 5th Ave in Naples

21 Weeks ~ April 18th

We are in Marco Island, FL visiting friends, but I wanted to still post my weekly belly shot

Belly Pictures ~ 21 weeks

Here is what BabyCenter says about the baby:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

First Baby Kicks

When I was 17.5 weeks I was at dinner and thought I felt a couple of kicks from the baby, but I wasn't 100% sure.  Over the next couple of weeks I did feel kicks and jabs, but they were sporadic.  Last night I started feeling him kick several times in the same area and it was the most amazing feeling ever.  Right before I went to bed he was kicking me in the middle of my belly and I was able to feel them from the outside.  He kicked three times in the same area and then once again a little to the left and all four times I felt it from the outside (Craig was out of town for work so unfortunately he missed it).  The other night Allison thought she felt him from the outside when she pushed in my stomach, but she wasn't 100% sure.  Craig is very excited to feel him kick so hopefully it will happen again soon.

20 Weeks ~ April 12th (Belly PIctures)

Belly Pictures ~ 20 weeks

Here is what BabyCenter says about the baby:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

20 Weeks ~ April 11th (OB Appointment)

My 20 week appointment went really well.  The baby looks great and is measuring approximately 8-10 inches and 1 pound.  The ultrasound took a long time as she had to measure every inch of the baby.  I got a little nervous and upset as the technician was not very friendly and did not explain some of the stuff she was doing, which of course made me nervous.  It was all routine and she spent extra time getting pictures of the spine as he was not cooperating at one point.  After the ultrasound we met with the doctor and she was amazing.  She said the baby looks great and she'll see me in 4 weeks.

Baby Braham Ultrasound Pictures:

It's a BOY shot 

(legs on the far left and right, boy part in middle and umbilical cord)

Head and arms shot (looking down)

Profile shot with arm 

Profile 

Profile shot with arm by his face

Profile shot with arm

Boy parts again

Feet

Ethan's Water Polo Game

Ethan had a game on the west side of Chicago so we finally got to see his game. They lost 17-9. This is his first year playing, but he did a great job and played most of the game.

He is number 13, but switched to 19 in the last picture after his game.

Ethan is #13 (middle, right side)

#13 (middle of picture, after his teammate shot on goal)

#19 (middle, after his game)

Happy Birthday to my BFF Allison

Happy Birthday to the most amazing best friend a girl could ask for...Allison is such a wonderful friend and I'm so lucky to have her in my life.  We talk on the phone at least 5 times a day.  :)  She has been such a great help with my pregnancy and honestly with every aspect of my life from 5th grade until now.  I am truly blessed to have such a fun, caring, loving, amazing mother, best friend, sister, daughter in my life.  I hope we grow old together and still remember all those crazy days we had together growing up and throughout life.  Happy Birthday, Allison!

L-R: Dana, Natalie (Allison's sister), Stacey, Me, Dana, Holly

Allison & Venessa

 How amazing that we have been BFFs since 5th grade and we are both pregnant with boys due within 6.5 weeks of each other (her 3rd, my 1st)

 

Stacey, Me and Holly 

We all showed up in coral, but did not plan it

Dana's husband owns a restaurant called Market and he ordered tons of desserts including cotton candy, skillet chocolate chip cookie, fruit, ice cream with chocolate and carmel and a few others

Allison with her Marge Simpson cotton candy hair