Week 26

It is now week 26. I’m definitely feeling more pregnant these days but still feeling great. My belly is getting bigger each week and people are really noticing the changes in me. I don’t feel like I am waddling yet but Mark swears that I am…he is SO mean! Well it is now official…I have to have help tying my tennis shoes! I can still tie them myself but it is really uncomfortable. If Mark is home I usually ask him to help me! That is just so sad!

The only complaint that I have this week is that my back has starting to bother me. I went to a physical education training last week for work and I think that I over did it when I was participating with the group. It didn’t feel like it at the time but my back has been sore ever since. I’m also having a little sciatic nerve pain on my right side…that started about the same time as my pulled muscle so I think that those two are related. I just have to make sure that I wear good supportive shoes (that sounds so old ladyish) and not be on my feet for really long periods of time. I find that stretching helps too. All of these aches and pains make me feel older more than it does pregnant.

This week the network of nerves in our baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. B-C may now be able to hear our voices! The baby is inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of the lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when B-C is born and takes that first gulp of air. The baby is continuing to put on baby fat and now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If B-C is a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days. Can you believe that if B-C is a girl that her reproductive system is already fully developed and that her ovaries house all the eggs that she will ever produce? That is SO amazing! Mark had a great first Father’s Day yesterday. He didn’t receive much this year except a free breakfast from McDonald’s and a new Blu-ray movie. I couldn't really think of anything creative so I had to fall back on the old reliable…food and entertainment! And truthfully I didn’t even realize that McDonald’s was offering a free breakfast for dads on Father’s Day until we got there yesterday morning and read the sign on the door…don’t tell Mark! But all in all it was a great day. We were in Perry visiting family and seeing my dad. All four of us kids were able to be in town and spend quality time together. It was great. I can’t wait for our baby to get here so he/she can take part in our family gatherings…they are so much fun and so memorable. Another big event this past weekend was we got a new/used car. We sold the Jeep last week and we found a used Honda Accord that we were able to pay cash for…it was almost an even trade! It will be great to have two family-ish cars that we can use once the baby gets here. I feel like we are so grown up now…all we need is the baby to get here to make it official!