Memorial Day Weekend 2008

Yes, I went tent camping six months pregnant -- and had a blast! I was a bit uncomfortable on the ground the first night, but probably with a combination of being slightly used to it and putting some extra padding between my knees, did much better the second night. You can read more (and see more photos) about the trip here.

How Cute are These?

Here are the outfits I picked up at the outlet stores in Hilton Head on our way back from the beach this past weekend. I think it's important to note that the dresses come with little matching bloomers... love them!

The 24-Week Belly

It's getting bigger....

The 24-Week Mark

I still can't believe this pregnancy is more than half over, but here we are at 24 weeks. According to babycenter.com, Baby Girl Helms is growing steadily, and has gained about a quarter of a pound since last week, when she was just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), that makes a pretty lean figure, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon put on more baby fat. Her skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, her brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds are developing. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.

She kicked me in the ribs (twice) for the first time on the drive back from the girls' weekend at the beach (you can read about the trip here on our other blog). It wasn't painful, really, just a strange sensation, for sure.

Next week is the glucose screening... mmm sickly sweet orange drink and a blood draw... can't wait.

22-Week Update

According to babycenter.com, Baby Helms is approximately 10.9 inches in length from head to foot (about the length of a spaghetti squash), and weighs nearly a pound. Her skin will continue to appear wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her head and body is now visible. Her lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. Her eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and her pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily.

I can feel her kick on a daily basis now, though still not for very long periods of time, and it still feels fairly week from the outside. I imagine that as she grows, her kicks and punches will become much more exciting.

Dark Chocolate to the Rescue

I can handle this. I am not a huge fan of sweets, but I do like my dark chocolate. And, by the way, if you really want to taste some dark, rich chocolate, try Ciao Bella's chocolate sorbet. Kate introduced me to it, and I was sold at first bite. You can't eat much just because it really is so rich, but it is tasty nonetheless.