26 weeks

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Unfortunately, Baby and I will not be participating in any Halloween celebrations this year, because I am sick as can be.  Nasty cold + sore throat + blinding headache + dizziness – drugs = one miserable mama.

On the bright side, we did do some fun things before the plague struck this week. We saw Jersey Boys downtown with the Leschkes, did some maternity clothes shopping, and – most excitingly – picked up the last of our nursery furniture: the rocking chair and ottoman! We now have our crib, dresser, rocking chair, and bedding sets for either a boy or a girl. We’re waiting until after Tom’s first semester to assemble everything and officially transform the office into the nursery; but it’s comforting to know that we at least have everything in our possession. Plus, baby and I have already enjoyed some quality time rocking in our new chair ;)

I also received my baby shower invitation in the mail this week!  My sisters and mom did a great job picking it out, and I can’t wait to see what they have planned for the big day.  I’m so excited to celebrate Baby Leschke with some of my closest family and friends, get lots of belly rubs, and show off the mean half-outie I’ve been sporting the last couple of weeks ;)

As for Baby, he is developing more sensitive hearing these days and can distinguish mine and daddy’s voices when we’re talking. He’s also inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid now, preparing his lungs for his first breath of air! He’s continuing to build up baby fat, weighing in around 1 2/3 pounds and measuring about 14 inches from heel to head. Keep up the good work, little one!

25 weeks

6 months down, less than 4 to go! The imminent arrival of our new addition is growing more real every day. Tom and I signed up for birthing classes this week (4, 2-hour sessions) that will cover labor & delivery prep, newborn care, and a tour of the Froedtert & The Medical College Birth Center. I also got my maternity leave plan approved by my supervisor and HR department at work; so I will be taking 2 months of full time maternity leave followed by 1 month of part time leave (working 2 days/week). With our post-leave work/childcare plans still undetermined, it feels good to get at least a few things finalized in preparation.

In other happy news, Baby and I passed our 6 month prenatal checkup with flying colors. Doctor says my glucose test came back normal, I’m maintaining a low blood pressure and healthy weight, and there are no traces of protein in my urine (a symptom of preeclampsia). And baby’s heartbeat is still strong and regular, coming in at about 150 bpm. We have been blessed with a healthy pregnancy so far!

According to my weekly updates, Baby is now about 13.5 inches and 1.5 lbs. She is finally putting on some baby fat (smoothing out her wrinkled skin) and growing more hair (which has color and texture now!). And mama’s uterus is the size of a soccer ball – which explains my increased difficulty breathing, walking through tight spaces, and bending over. Not to mention my virtual inability to sleep. But every time I tap my belly and feel my baby tap back, it’s totally worth it.

Not much else to report besides some bizarre pregnancy cravings. In the very beginning it was salsa, followed closely by a strange roast beef and s’mores stage. But after that I was relatively craving-free until very recently, when a few uncharacteristic desires had me running to the store - including, but not limited to: honeycrisp apples, cheese fries, bananas in orange juice, specialty Starbucks drinks, apple cinnamon cheerios, and anything red velvet. Aaaaand now I'm hungry...

24 weeks

Pretty tough week this week. Tom was put on the overnight shift at the hospital, so we hardly saw each other for 7 days straight. It really made us realize how much we take for granted the simple joy of each other’s company every day. But Tom eased the loneliness by leaving me a sweet letter on my pillow, sending texts when he had a few moments to spare, and even attempting to stay up one morning to say hi to me when my alarm went off…even though he fell asleep mid-sentence in an upright position. Poor guy. Needless to say, we are both looking forward to getting back to our normal routine.

As for our baby, he gained 4 ounces in the past week! – putting him at about 1 1/3 pounds. He’s almost a whole foot long (about the length of an ear of corn) and is starting to “plump up.” His taste buds are emerging and his brain is growing rapidly.  Baby’s lungs are developing branches and producing cells that make surfactant, which will help his lungs inflate after birth. And if he is born now (God forbid), he actually has a chance of survival. While we are praying for a healthy, full-term baby – of course – it is still comforting to know that modern medicine could keep our beloved little one alive now should he decide to come early.

My friend Jackie and I started prenatal yoga this week, making for some nice pregnancy bonding time with each other and with our babies. It was fun to meet everyone in the class and make time for some safe exercise, stretching, and relaxation. It was a welcome escape from my busy schedule to really focus on this pregnancy and contemplate the little soul living inside me. He is so precious to me already.

Present for Baby Knabel

Speaking of Jackie, the Knabels found out this week 
that their baby is a….GIRL! After so many months of 
convincing ourselves that she was having a boy and I was 
having a girl, the news shocked us both. It left Jackie 
wondering if her baby girl will have a best friend or future husband in Baby Leschke. Official guesses so far are:

Grandpa Vandenberg (a renowned gender predictor): Girl

Grandpa Leschke: Boy

Aunt Sarah: Girl

Uncle Jack: Girl

'Auntie' Lauren: Boy

It’s fun to make guesses and hear people’s predictions, but no one will know for sure until February!!

Final big development this week was seeing the baby move for the first time! I was sitting down with my laptop when I felt some particularly strong movement, so I lifted my shirt and – sure enough – he was squirming beneath my skin in plain sight. I tried to take a video with my phone to send to Tom, but by then it was too late: Baby was resting comfortably in his new position. Hopefully he’ll show off for Daddy again soon ;)

23 weeks

Well, it’s official: I am finally the age I will be when Baby Leschke is born! And I had a lovely birthday. I came home to a beautiful bouquet of flowers and Tom and I went for a nice, long walk after work. We had dinner at my favorite Italian place in the city (Il Mito) and then spent the evening opening cards and eating the delicious cake Tom baked (and decorated!) for me. It was a perfect, relaxing evening.

I also got to celebrate with lots of friends and family this week. On Thursday, my in-laws took us to the top of the Pfister Hotel to Blu Lounge for mocktails and live music, followed by dinner at our favorite steakhouse: Mason Street Grill. On Friday, we met up with med school friends to order pizza and play Risk by the fire. And on Saturday, my parents came down to take me shopping for a winter maternity coat, make us dinner, and take us out for ice cream. I was lucky to see so many loved ones during what my friend Stefanie would call my “birthday week,” and this is the first year in a long time that I’m actually happy to be older. Because that means I’m just one step closer to meeting our little one!

…or shall I say big one ;) Baby is already the size of a grapefruit and weighs over a pound! Her sense of movement is well developed now and she can feel my motions throughout the day. We may even be able to see baby squirm soon! She is preparing for breathing outside of the womb by developing blood vessels in her lungs, and her increasingly keen hearing is habituating to familiar noises (dishwasher, dryer, vacuum cleaner, etc.) so that they won’t startle her after birth. Hopefully that goes for the sound of the train, too!