Baby Belly

Week 23.5 post workout!

I've been trying to workout 3-4 days a week and it definitely makes a big difference in my energy level. I also sleep much more soundly on the nights I workout (I only have to go to the bathroom 3 times instead of 6).

The strange line down the center is called the linea nigra - "black line".

The Wiki explains: It is a type of hyperpigmentation resulting from increased production of the pigment melanin. Why this process of hyperpigmentation occurs on the midline of the abdomen is uncertain. Linea nigra tends to appear around the second trimester. After birth, the line fades slowly, but may never disappear entirely.

Pregnancy does the strangest things to your body. Not only do you have a little being attacking you from the inside, but your body morphs into a strange looking science experiment on the outside. No one warned me about this, so I thought I'd give all of you future moms a heads up.

Only 17 Weeks to Go!

23 weeks already!

Here's the update on B:

"Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. (She must have really enjoyed the wedding!) And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about the size of a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb."

This is good news, hopefully she'll be use to her big sister Sadie's loud bark and will be able to sleep through Sadie's outbursts!




How big is a large mango? These descriptions rarely help me visualize her because it's mostly comparisons to foods that I don't eat... I hope B is a better eater than me.

Nothing new to report. I get a little bigger each day, but otherwise everything is the same.

A Few More Pictures...

I bought this dress for the rehearsal dinner before I knew I was pregnant. It just barely fit me but I was determined to wear it...

Steph trying to hold it together walking down the aisle

Walking back up the aisle as husband and wife

Wedding Weekend

Stephanie and Mike's wedding was perfect!

The rehearsal dinner was Friday night and Mike put together a great slideshow. The wedding was wonderful, and Stephanie looked incredible! It was a great weekend, and I am so sad that Steph and Mike are headed back to NYC this afternoon. It was so nice having them home for an extended period of time - still no luck convincing them to move back to Michigan though.

Here comes the bride...

Mr. and Mrs. Bifolco (Fried)

The wedding cake was incredible! A NYC taxi with "MIKE" as the license plate, and a Motor City muscle car with "STEPH" as the license plate. Marzipan figurines surrounded the cake representing Michigan and NYC landmarks. The cake not only looked amazing, but was delicious!

Me and Stephanie

Me and Linde

Stephanie and Mike

The next time I see Steph (and hopefully Mike) will be late December in Florida, and I'm sure I will be HUGE by then! I think Baby B doubled in size over the weekend - "we" certainly ate well...

She is still kicking like crazy, and I think I may have felt her hiccups for the first time. She is a very busy girl, I hope that's not a sign of what's to come!

Wedding Countdown

We are just three days away from the wedding, and Stephanie is keeping me VERY busy! I can't believe that it is already here. Time really flies... My bridesmaid dress came in and thankfully fits pretty well. I definitely look pregnant in it - I'll post some new belly pictures from the wedding next week.

Baby B's room was repainted last week and it looks great! I've been painting a little rocking chair for her room too, and aside from personalizing with her name it is nearly complete. Now we are just waiting on the furniture. I can't wait to get everything set up!

I will be 22 weeks this Friday, here's an update:

"At 11 inches and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but her irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment."

We've decided we can't wait another 18 weeks to see her again, so we scheduled a 4D ultrasound for the end of November. I also want to reconfirm the gender before I wash all of her pink clothes and linens. Both grandmas are coming with us to see her too!

21 Weeks!

I will be 21 weeks tomorrow, more than half way there! Baby B's wardrobe is growing with each passing week, and has gotten very pink. The nursery is being repainted soon and her crib should be here within the next month. Everything is coming along!

We went with my friend Jennifer to Babies R Us a couple of weeks ago to register - thank goodness for the new house because I think the baby needs at least three rooms to store all of that stuff! We also did some shopping for "B". I think the nesting has kicked in, because I organized B's entire closet by size. Now all of her 0-3 month outfits are in one section, and 3+ in the other. She has a lot of clothes for someone that's the size of a carrot!

Update on Baby B from BabyCenter.com:

"She 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."

Jordan felt B move for the first time on Sunday night, she is getting SO strong! I can't imagine what it will feel like when she gets even bigger. Can you bruise from the inside?

Next week is Stephanie's wedding, I will be sure to post pictures!

Sad Milestone

I have outgrown my jeans, time to make the switch to maternity. Here's the enormous belly at 20 weeks... Half way there!