Ultrasound Pictures!!

We had our 4D ultrasound today and got to see our sweet girl! Of course, we think she's the most beautiful baby ever but we're a little biased. As soon as we have some baby pictures of Mama and Daddy, we'll post them on here so you can decide who Lydia looks more like!

She refused to put her hands down away from her face, but this is the clearest full-face shot we have of her.

























She's a little unhappy in this picture. Mama was eating some peanut M&M's as she was walking back to the ultrasound room and Lydia clearly didn't like the taste of them!




Five itty-bitty monkey toes! She'll be able to write, eat, and perform sign language with those toes!






Of course, Lydia was a bit feisty during the ultrasound. She's stubborn like her Mama, and hates having her picture taken like her Daddy. Just like last time, when then nurse was poking Mama's belly to get Lydia to move, Lydia decided to kick back...and hard! I guess she thought that would teach the nurse not to wake her up! After "fighting back", Lydia proceeded to lay back exactly how she had been and refused to move...no matter how hard we pushed and poked. She did, however, give us a WONDERFUL shot of her tush.

Week 26

Let your spouse put an ear to your belly -- he might be able to pick up baby's heartbeat (no stethoscope required) [We tried to see if this works and unfortunately, Daddy couldn't hear Lydia's heartbeat yet...maybe next week!]. Inside the womb, the formation of tiny capillaries is giving baby a healthy pink glow. Baby's also soaking up your antibodies, getting the immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and baby will soon perfect the blink -- perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes.

26 Weeks Pregnant

Deep breath! Air sacks are developing in your baby's lungs, which means it just might be possible for your baby to take a breath at the end of this week. The air sacks (technically called alveoli) will continue to grow for the next nine years. The membrane that keeps the alveoli separate from the blood vessels is now thin enough to allow for that oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange we call breathing. Other highlights this week:

The retina completes the development of its normal layers this week—all the better to see you with. Well not you, per se, because her eyes are still sealed shut and it's really dark in there, but your baby's eyes are now fully developed.

Brainwaves for the auditory and visual systems are detectable in baby's noggin this week. That means baby's brain is registering things like sound and light. She can't understand what any of it means yet, but she's on track to comprehend an entire episode of Blue's Clues in no time!

As hearing continues to develop, your baby will start to recognize your voice. One hint that your karaoke rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" is not the best would be when the baby starts banging on your gut. Your bambino will also start to recognize your partner's voice. He may feel silly talking to your stomach, but assure him that somebody other than you is definitely listening. Research has shown that newborns actually recognize familiar sounds after birth. Proof that your baby has been paying attention all along.

Break out the sparkling apple juice—baby has now completed two-thirds of her stay in Hotel Womb. Your baby is about 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long head-to-heel, or about the length of a burp cloth (otherwise known as your primary wardrobe accessory for the next several months).

Congratulations and Other News...

We have to give a big congratulations to a couple of friends. First, our dear friends Geoff and Michele welcomed their new baby girl, Carmen Elise, last Wednesday, December 17th. She arrived 4 weeks early and weighed in at 4 lbs. 11 oz. We can't wait to see pictures of their beautiful daughter!

We also need to send congratulations and best wishes to Mama's friend at work, Dana. She gave birth to identical baby boys on December 11th. James Daniel was born first at 2 lbs. 9 oz. and John David was born second at 2 lbs. 14oz. They are truly miracle babies and are hard fighters. We wish them all the best and hope they continue to do well.


Last week Mama had a nice surprise early Christmas gift from someone she wasn't expecting...Lydia! Mama and Daddy always joke that Lydia has a good shot at becoming a Radio City Rockette since she likes to kick so much, so she bought a Christmas ornament announcing her intentions. There was also a wonderful card attached to the ornament. I'm not sure if you can read the inside of the card or not, but it says:
"Mommy,
I'm sorry I kick so much. I may be a little girl, but I have big dreams.
I love you
Merry Christmas,
Lydia




















This was by far the sweetest gift Mama has ever received!!
















More exciting news: Mama and Daddy get to see their sweet girl for the first time next Tuesday when they have their 4D ultrasound!! We're really excited about this and we're already taking bets on what color her hair will be. Mama thinks she will look a lot like Daddy with dark hair. I guess we'll just have to wait and see! Of course we will post pictures as soon as we get back from the doctor.

Some not-so-exciting news is that Mama has her glucose screening next Friday to see if she has gestational diabetes. Wish her luck as it would not be fun to have to cut all her cravings out of her diet!!

Here are some new pictures we have from Thanksgiving:
Mama and Daddy













The Dobrinski family (Mama, Daddy, Aunt Beckie, Grandpa Jim, and Grandma Sue):















And here are some pictures from Mama and Daddy's Christmas card. They wanted to send cards that show Mama's belly:

And we shall call her....

Lydia Grace and she shall be ours! (We hope there are at least a few of you out there that caught the "Finding Nemo" reference).

After many months of calling her Squishy, we finally settled on a name that can actually go on a birth certificate (though Daddy was holding out hope for "LaSquisha"....yeeaaahhhh....). But all is not lost for Squishy. We decided to make good use for the name and get Lydia Grace her first toy; a Build-A-Bear we named Squishy. Daddy's uncle gave him a teddy bear when he was just a wee lad, so hopefully this will be something Lydia will keep for a while-unless Otis gets a hold of it, then we give it 5 minutes.





Oh! I almost forgot (gotta love pregnancy brain!)...we have new BELLY SHOTS! Actually, it's shot - singular...
Yeah...there's Mama in all her gross glory. This is what I'm-so-tired-I-can-barely-stand-much-less-smile-with-my-back-hurting-and-cankles-swelling-larger-than-my-head looks like. And don't lie...you love the wife-beater look...it's so chic. Marc Jacobs, eat your heart out!

Week 24

Are you getting tired of these yet?! I promise we'll try to get some belly shots soon and get some interesting updates ready (although our lives are pretty boring)...

24 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby isn't just sitting around (on your bladder) doing nothing, she's working hard preparing for life outside the womb—perfecting her lungs and packing on the pounds. she'll gain ½ pound this week alone. Other highlights this week:

Things are starting to get a little crowded inside the old womb as baby grows bigger and bigger. Your ribs are probably pining away for the good old days when they didn't have a foot permanently lodged between them. Hate to break it to you, but it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Your baby's ears are fully functional now. And since they are, you may notice that loud noises and sudden movements can startle the little bugger. He's getting used to the everyday sounds inside the womb: the sound of your heart beating, your lungs inhaling and exhaling air, the growling of your stomach because your partner promised he'd be right back with that double cheeseburger and he's taking forever! He'll even be able to hear your voice when your partner finally arrives and you ask him where the bleep he's been! So talk nice!

Baby's got a fully developed inner ear now. This means his sense of balance is working and he can tell whether he's hanging upside down or right side up. He can also feel you moving, so go ahead, pop in your favorite tunes and boogie.

Your baby isn't just sitting around (on your bladder) doing nothing, he's working hard preparing for life outside the womb—perfecting his lungs and packing on the pounds. He'll gain ½ pound this week alone. Other highlights this week:

Things are starting to get a little crowded inside the old womb as baby grows bigger and bigger. Your ribs are probably pining away for the good old days when they didn't have a foot permanently lodged between them. Hate to break it to you, but it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Your baby's ears are fully functional now. And since they are, you may notice that loud noises and sudden movements can startle the little bugger. He's getting used to the everyday sounds inside the womb: the sound of your heart beating, your lungs inhaling and exhaling air, the growling of your stomach because your partner promised he'd be right back with that double cheeseburger and he's taking forever! He'll even be able to hear your voice when your partner finally arrives and you ask him where the bleep he's been! So talk nice!

Baby's got a fully developed inner ear now. This means his sense of balance is working and he can tell whether he's hanging upside down or right side up. He can also feel you moving, so go ahead, pop in your favorite tunes and boogie.

Your little Wiener schnitzel is about the length of a foot-long Chicago hot dog and weighs about 1 1/3 pounds.

Week 23

23 Weeks Pregnant

Yes, our sweet girl is mooning you all! Here's what she's up to this week (courtesy 3dpregnancy.parentsconnect.com):
Your baby's got a while to go before her lungs will be ready for air and is practicing her "breathing" on the amniotic fluid—sucking it in and out of her lungs. Other highlights this week:

Fat production is in overdrive at this point (for the baby, not you! Well, OK, maybe for the baby and you). Your baby will basically double in weight over the next four weeks! You'll be happy to know the same won't apply to you.

Your Mini is starting to look more like a newborn as her skin becomes less see-through. Her body is looking more proportional now, although her head is still kinda big compared to her cute little body.

Your baby is about 11½ inches long and weighs 1 pound, or about the length and weight of a Harry Potter book.