30 Weeks!

Baby Earl this week: lots to report. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.) Baby Earl's brain is taking on characteristic grooves and indentations. In addition, her bone marrow has taken over production of red blood cells (before, tissue groups and then the spleen took care of producing the blood cells). This is an important step for Baby Earl, because it means she is better able to thrive on her own once born. Much of the lanugo — the soft, downy hair covering Baby Earl's body — is beginning to disappear now because both fat and the brain are regulating her body temperature.

Baby Earl is still moving a lot. The last several nights she's been making moves that feel like something out of "The Matrix." I wish I could see inside my stomach to see what she's doing. It's funny. And with the cold I have had since Friday, she is the only thing I have been enjoying…cant breath though my nose, can’t sleep well, so extra tired on this Monday but hanging in there. I am super excited about mom being here on Friday, a whole weekend together! (My incredible shrinking mom hit the 60lb lost mark today, so proud of her!)

Baby Earl is about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs just over 3 pounds (as much as a head of cabbage):



So other than the runny/stuffy red nose and being tired, I am super excited yet it is so hard to believe I am in my 30th week! I was chatting with Finney last night, and we were talking about how it has just gone by so fast…10 weeks or less to go! Exciting, and a little nerve-racking – so much to do before she is here, but mostly I just can’t wait to meet her!

Thursday we see Dr. Brown for the first time…Mom is in on Friday, Saturday is 31 weeks and the baby shower, Sunday I get to see Niki, so needless to say gotta kick this cold and quick!