melted smoosh

bump watch:  definitely growing by the day now! at my last few midwife appointments, i've been measuring anywhere between 1 to 1 1/2 weeks ahead, although there's no talk of changing the due date. baby's just chubbing up and that is a good thing!  sweet pea: is FULL TERM!!! the ideal time for delivery is still as close to 40 weeks as possible, but it's reassuring to know that baby is developed enough at this point to thrive in the outside world. sweetpea  weighs an estimated seven pounds (probably a little more if he's a he, according to the gurus at What to Expect), and will keep adding ounces on over the next few weeks. baby's lungs are producing more and more surfactant, which lowers surface tension on the alveoli to support normal respiration.  image credit from  W hat to Expect When You're Expecting best moment: last night, Nick and i and sweetpea enjoyed an organ concert at our church. any time the low pedals sounded,

bump watch: this week marked the first time i got the "swallowed a watermelon?" comment (at the mall, from a young man determined to sell me salt scrub for $129. his persistence did not pay off.) sweet pea is measuring right on track ... cantaloupe, watermelon, or whatever you want to call it. sweet pea:  in the past month, baby's development has mostly focused on brain growth and chubbing up. at my 32-week appointment, the midwife estimated that sweet pea weighed 4 1/2 pounds. now baby weighs around six pounds and has reached his or her birth length, between 19-21 inches long. sweetpea's circulatory and immune systems are fully developed. every week from here on out ensures that baby's lungs are mature and that the brain and nervous system are well-regulated. keep on cooking, baby! image credit from  W hat to Expect When You're Expecting best moment:  taking the stroller out for a walk with Kaiser. granted, i was pushing around