32 Weeks = 8 Months!

This week marks the start of the eight month of pregnancy. All my baby books say that an infant born after the 32nd week has an excellent chance of being perfectly healthy (albeit a little small), so I can breathe a sign of relief now that I've hit that milestone. That is, when I'm able to breathe! My expanding belly and growing baby literally take my breath away these days. Amazingly, the baby is still moving a lot. I can't imagine how it has so much energy, when I feel so sluggish and ungainly. Also, how is there any more room in there? Although I don't get full sommersaults anymore, I sure do feel plenty of kicks, streches and yogic poses. We're either having a prezel-bending yogi, or a soccer player!

Week 31: Kvetch and Groan

It's week 31 of this pregnancy. Baby W is moving as much as ever, but Ema (that would be me) is slowing down big time. I am so full of awe and gratefulness for the health of this baby and pregnancy, but am more than a little tired, sore, and grumpy. Everything hurts. I've gained 25 pounds, and am supposed to keep gaining about a pound a week from now till the baby is born (and by the way, why do they say pregnancy lasts 9 months, when 40 weeks=TEN months??), and I can't imagine lugging around any more extra baggage. The only clothes that feel comfortable are sweats, and the only position I want to be in is in bed with my many pillows. Kvetch, kvetch, kvetch. Though I would never want to go backwards (I'd love for this baby to be just a little early!), I definitely miss the second trimester. We all do!

Baby W in Steelton

Baby W, future Aunt Daya and I! went to Steelton for a visit during week 31. We enjoyed having future Grandma Yablon (or Nana, or MomMom, or whatever she decides to be called) cook for us and pamper us, and everyone had fun watching the baby roll around and try to punch its way out of my belly when I sat down on the couch to watch TV.

Hannukah 2007

Our Hannukah has been very eventful so far. The first night was spent at future Saba and Safta Wylen's house, for Saba Stephen's famous latkes and a visit with Uncle Eli and Max. The second night was spent in snowy Philadelphia, where we celebrated little Daniel's bris, and got to meet the little fellow for the first time. In this picture, Daniel waves hello to his little cousin to be (notice Alys' burgeoning stomach--at 28 weeks). Seeing a baby "on the outside" certainly makes the imminent arrival of our little one seem even more real than ever. Oy! Hannukah miracles are everywhere.

Daniel Matthew Venit arrives!

Just days after Thanksgiving, on Nov 28, Baby W's first second cousin was born! We are all so thrilled to welcome Daniel Matthew, son of Hannah and Kyle. In just a few months, Daniel will have a littler cousin to play with (or at least look at), and by next Thanksgiving, they'll both be eating solid food! How fun! We're looking forward to meeting little Daniel at his bris on Dec 5, and sharing in this big simcha with the extended family. Mazal tov!

Thanksgiving Butterballs

This Thanksgiving, we went to Jeremy's family in Philadelphia. His first cousin, Hannah, is 11 weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy, which means that she is due in just 2 weeks (in this picture you can see the difference a whole trimester makes--I am at week 27, Hannah is at 38)! We are all very excited to be producing mini cousins who we hope will be great friends as well as family as they grow up, since they will be nearly the same age (and let's face it, once you get past the first year of a baby's life, 11 weeks' difference in birth dates is pretty irrelevant!). Hannah and I have been comparing notes for last bunch of months, and it's been fun to see each other through this whole process. I know that once she gives birth, our impending big day will seem closer than ever, and the whole thing will take on an added reality for us. Once I make it through this week, I'll officially be in the third trimester--so I'm 2/3 of the way there!

26 Weeks: Alien Movements

We're nearing the corner of the third trimester, and for the last few days not only has the baby been moving so much that it can be felt by others, but it can be SEEN by others. That's right--the baby has become so active, that sometimes I look down at my belly and watch it twitching and moving around like there was a serious alien in there. Nighttime is especially amusing. Last night I got a preview of what motherhood might be like. Exhausted, I was unable to sleep for at least an hour, because the little one growing inside me decided it was time to do some aerobics, or jumping jacks, or something... Oy!

22 Weeks and Finally a Blog

Since this is the age of immediate access to information, we knew that creating a blog for our growing family was inevitable. Now, just 22 short weeks into our pregnancy, we've finally started one. The idea is to give the family access to our milestones, photos of ultrasounds (and eventually, of course, of the baby!) and Alys' growing belly, and other fun stuff. . . . Here is the latest "picture" of our little wonder. Taken at 20 weeks of gestation, on October 8, 2007, this showed our little soon-to-be waving and stretching, and generally enjoying this time in the Wylen womb.