Dearest Pumpkin,
I feel like the trend of posting every few weeks will be the norm for the remainder of our blog posts together. Our lives are filled with fun, work and play! We cannot wait for you to be a part of it!
During the end of week 17 and just before week 18, we attended your cousin Morgan's first birthday party! It was a lot of fun for Oliver! He and Alexander are only 6 months apart and so far, your only cousins that are close in age. Danny, Hannah and Madison (on mommy's side) are much older. I think someday you have have lots of fun with Alex and Morgan! We also made a stop that day to see your Grandpa and Grandma Ellen. They continue to think you're a little girl and are excited for your arrival this fall. Oliver gave Grandma Ellen her mother's Day gift, a cement stone to put in her garden. It was Memorial Day weekend so we spent the rest of the weekend in the garden cleaning out leaves, weeding and Daddy worked at his fish tank business as well. Every day you're moving more. Not so much kicking yet, but rolling and putting pressure in certain spots. Mommy still has headaches every day and hoping they will end soon. School is winding down for mommy in a few weeks so things will be much better when we have a little vacation in Massachusetts. :)
Week 18 Mommy had the wonderful joy of having T-Jocelyn and Shaina here to spend the weekend. It was so much fun! We had plans to go to the Dave Matthews Band concert on Saturday so they arrived on Friday. We spent Friday night up late talking (and spraying stinky diapers) and then Friday we went downtown to see if they had necklaces for T-Jocelyn's wedding for Shaina to wear and did a little shopping. We also went to the Christmas tree shop and picked up a few things. Then we drove the nearly 3 hours to the outdoor concert - weather was beautiful, but it was definitely a sight to see the various folks at the concert. Some very young, some very much older than us and some behaving badly. Overall we had fun and you went to your first concert! I so enjoyed their company - and telling them all about my ideas for your room and their thoughts on you being a little girl. Shaina said something that your Vavo also said - that people were guessing you were a girl just because we already have a boy...I think this is true. I still have no feeling one way or another.
Sex Poll for Baby Bouchard
GIRL BOY
Vavo Vavo - he is SURE you are a boy!
Grandma E Grandma - she said she isn't sure but she guesses boy.
Grandpa T-John
Shaina Hollie
T-Jocelyn Uncle Timmy - for sure a boy!
T-Craig Aunt Kathy
Uncle Chris
Melissa
Julia
T-Mary
Danny
Dave
Sara
Joey
Auntie Britt
Jesse
Helen
Laura
Uncle Josh
Uncle Louis
Thea
Susie
The Juiffres
Kristy
T- Scott
Daddy :)
Team PINK has 26 votes and team BLUE has 6 votes...
Week 19 - I am thrilled to say we are having another baby BOY!!!
You are a BOY! More importantly a healthy baby boy! Your ultrasound was painstaking! There was a medical student doing the ultrasound and then she had to have a technician and the attending come back and screen us. It took well over an hour. It took a very long time for her to tell us you were healthy (b/c she was a student) and we have TONS of pictures b/c she didn't take very good ones so the tech also gave us a few. They didn't want to give us 3D pics but Daddy is good at being persistent! I saw the tell-tale signs that you were a boy several minutes before your daddy did - he was in shock. He really thought you were a girl b/c they had guessed during our 12 week (with 80% certainty -ha ha) that you were a girl. I did not believe them one bit and had always kept an open mind that you'd be another beautiful boy. They did tell mommy some interesting news - that I had a heart shaped placenta, which seems really cool! They did say, however that this could increase your chances for being breech. I am hoping this won't be true, but only time will tell. I do, however, think I want a picture of the placenta now (maybe in black and white so I don't get squeamish).
It was a hectic day because the ultrasound took so long. Mommy had to race to a dentist appointment across town and daddy had an ultrasound that day as well. Then I went over to the party store to get a balloon that read "it's a boy" for us to take to Oliver at daycare to surprise him. Although we knew he wouldn't really be that excited either way, we knew we could get him excited about a balloon. We were right! He was excited and so were all of his friends. When we got home and I talked about him having a baby brother he looked at me straight faced and said, "yes mommy, and a baby sister" - as if saying - "yeah mom, we've been talking about this for a few weeks now I know" but he was convinced about having both! I think it was all of our talk about a baby bother or sister that got him into thinking of you in terms of an "AND". It was very funny!
Mommy had to then dash to the Vergennes graduation so Daddy and I on conference call told Vavo and Vavo about you being a super healthy baby boy :) They are SO excited for us!
Mommy then called T-Jocelyn, T-Craig and Shaina and told them all about our excitement! They too are excited and liked hearing about the names we have on our list.
Daddy called Grandpa and Grandma and they were both excited too!
Mommy sent a message via facebook to our extended family and friends saying:
"I am officially in love with three men!"
It is so true! I couldn't be more in love with you and your brother and your daddy! I know the minute I see you - that will change dramatically into an even deeper love that I can only imagine at this stage. I hope you know how cared for and loved you are my sweet little boy.
Following that amazing news on Friday, mommy, daddy and Oliver went to the Kid City gear swap on Saturday and picked up a new little booster seat for the dinner table for Ollie so that you can have his highchair when you need it. We also looked at lots of furniture there and started to think and daydream about your room.
On Sunday we went up to our old neighbors camp in St Albans, the Juiffres and daddy dove for a few of the lost moorings of their neighbors. It was cool for Ollie to see Daddy dive, but he is just about 3 and lost attention quickly. We got to hang out and play with the Juiffre boys all day and later go for a boat ride with them. It was the first time Daddy and Ollie fished together. You did not seem fazed at all by the boat ride and I am sure rather enjoyed it as mommy did.
Week 20 was supposed to be mommy's last full week of work however on the Monday and Tuesday of that week mommy wasn't feeling the greatest. On Monday, mommy was at her last big meeting of the year in Middlebury and afterward had a very real contraction. It was a minute to 2 minutes long and afterward there was cramping. I drove towards home and went in to see the Dr to just get tested for some common infections that cause cramping. Dr Hansen checked my cervix and you were nicely sealed up in there. Everything was in tact and as it should be - no dilation whatsoever and cervix was long and thick. She told me to go home and take it easy. I did my best to do this before picking up Oliver and then daddy helped after he got home. The cramping went away which was great!
The next day, mommy woke up severely dizzy and a bit nauseous - I couldn't stand up straight and the room was spinning for hours on end. I laid on the couch the entire day. It was very sweet that when Oliver woke up he came check on us and took out his medical bag to take care of mommy.
After that day, all appeared to go well and mommy minimally took care of the house to prepare for house guests on Friday for Oliver's 3rd birthday and Father's day on Sunday. The party was tons of fun - Planes, Cars and Thomas! For Father's Day - Oliver made artwork for daddy, vavo and grandpa and a book where every year Oliver and eventually YOU will answer questions about your daddy. I think it will be a sweet sentimental thing to have for years to come.
During the weekend before I turned 20 weeks, I also stopped taking benadryl to sleep. After a day full of migraines, mommy became annoyed and figured she'd just try to sleep again on her own, with a body pillow. This has seemed to help and now I am sleeping much better and without migraines daily.
Development:
Week 18
The tiny nerve
cells of your baby continue to develop and through little blood vessels
fluid will be transported to the brain and the spinal chord. This fluid
must be able to flow back and forward or the baby can develop water in
the brain. Even if this does happen it is now possible to correct this
while the baby is still in the womb. The brain of the baby grows very
quickly now as much as 90 gram per month!
If this is your first pregnancy your tummy may still not be visible with your clothes on however if this is your second or subsequent child then you may be developing quite a paunch by now. From now on sleeping on your stomach will become increasingly difficult and you should try to start getting used to sleeping on your side, preferably your left as this allows the blood to flow more freely to your heart which is best for you and your baby. Your heart will now pump 40 to 50% faster than normal which is fine for a healthy heart and light exercise is till possible. Make sure however that you continue to eat healthy and get enough rest.
Week 19
You are now almost halfway through your pregnancy. Your baby's teeth and palate are already formed and this week your baby will begin to develop its adult teeth.
All the senses (smell, taste, sight, hearing, touch) are now developing and research has shown that some babies are already able to hear this week. Feel free to talk or sing to your baby as it can be relaxing and comforting for him to hear a sound or a song he recognizes after birth.
Week 20
Congratulations! you are now halfway through your pregnancy and have reached another milestone. Usually by this time you really start to enjoy your pregnancy as most of your ailments have gone and you are beginning to feel your baby move more regularly.
You should now have plenty of energy and this is the best time to start to plan and decorate your nursery or shop for baby clothes and accessories.
Your uterus should now be quite large and hard and the top may be in line with your navel.
Although every
woman is different when it comes to feeling their baby move you should
around this time begin to feel slight movements as your baby swims
around in his amniotic fluid, wiggling his arms and legs. Although your
baby will move around 200 times per day most of these will be faint and
if you are busy you wont even notice them.
Your baby's hearing works much better now and he may even be scared by new and strange noises coming from outside.
Around 20 weeks you should be getting an ultrasound scan and it is during this prenatal screening that any abnormalities in the development of your baby can be detected. If something serious is found this still leave you time to decide on a range of options which will be explained by your midwife. However, in most cases everything is found to be fine and this will be used mainly to measure the length and progress of your baby.
It is also possible that your echographist can see the sex of the baby although sometimes they are stubborn and keep their legs closed. IT is up to you whether you wish to know the sex of your child or not and you can ask at this time for them to see if they can find it out.
I feel like the trend of posting every few weeks will be the norm for the remainder of our blog posts together. Our lives are filled with fun, work and play! We cannot wait for you to be a part of it!
During the end of week 17 and just before week 18, we attended your cousin Morgan's first birthday party! It was a lot of fun for Oliver! He and Alexander are only 6 months apart and so far, your only cousins that are close in age. Danny, Hannah and Madison (on mommy's side) are much older. I think someday you have have lots of fun with Alex and Morgan! We also made a stop that day to see your Grandpa and Grandma Ellen. They continue to think you're a little girl and are excited for your arrival this fall. Oliver gave Grandma Ellen her mother's Day gift, a cement stone to put in her garden. It was Memorial Day weekend so we spent the rest of the weekend in the garden cleaning out leaves, weeding and Daddy worked at his fish tank business as well. Every day you're moving more. Not so much kicking yet, but rolling and putting pressure in certain spots. Mommy still has headaches every day and hoping they will end soon. School is winding down for mommy in a few weeks so things will be much better when we have a little vacation in Massachusetts. :)
Week 18 Mommy had the wonderful joy of having T-Jocelyn and Shaina here to spend the weekend. It was so much fun! We had plans to go to the Dave Matthews Band concert on Saturday so they arrived on Friday. We spent Friday night up late talking (and spraying stinky diapers) and then Friday we went downtown to see if they had necklaces for T-Jocelyn's wedding for Shaina to wear and did a little shopping. We also went to the Christmas tree shop and picked up a few things. Then we drove the nearly 3 hours to the outdoor concert - weather was beautiful, but it was definitely a sight to see the various folks at the concert. Some very young, some very much older than us and some behaving badly. Overall we had fun and you went to your first concert! I so enjoyed their company - and telling them all about my ideas for your room and their thoughts on you being a little girl. Shaina said something that your Vavo also said - that people were guessing you were a girl just because we already have a boy...I think this is true. I still have no feeling one way or another.
Sex Poll for Baby Bouchard
GIRL BOY
Vavo Vavo - he is SURE you are a boy!
Grandma E Grandma - she said she isn't sure but she guesses boy.
Grandpa T-John
Shaina Hollie
T-Jocelyn Uncle Timmy - for sure a boy!
T-Craig Aunt Kathy
Uncle Chris
Melissa
Julia
T-Mary
Danny
Dave
Sara
Joey
Auntie Britt
Jesse
Helen
Laura
Uncle Josh
Uncle Louis
Thea
Susie
The Juiffres
Kristy
T- Scott
Daddy :)
Team PINK has 26 votes and team BLUE has 6 votes...
Week 19 - I am thrilled to say we are having another baby BOY!!!
You are a BOY! More importantly a healthy baby boy! Your ultrasound was painstaking! There was a medical student doing the ultrasound and then she had to have a technician and the attending come back and screen us. It took well over an hour. It took a very long time for her to tell us you were healthy (b/c she was a student) and we have TONS of pictures b/c she didn't take very good ones so the tech also gave us a few. They didn't want to give us 3D pics but Daddy is good at being persistent! I saw the tell-tale signs that you were a boy several minutes before your daddy did - he was in shock. He really thought you were a girl b/c they had guessed during our 12 week (with 80% certainty -ha ha) that you were a girl. I did not believe them one bit and had always kept an open mind that you'd be another beautiful boy. They did tell mommy some interesting news - that I had a heart shaped placenta, which seems really cool! They did say, however that this could increase your chances for being breech. I am hoping this won't be true, but only time will tell. I do, however, think I want a picture of the placenta now (maybe in black and white so I don't get squeamish).
It was a hectic day because the ultrasound took so long. Mommy had to race to a dentist appointment across town and daddy had an ultrasound that day as well. Then I went over to the party store to get a balloon that read "it's a boy" for us to take to Oliver at daycare to surprise him. Although we knew he wouldn't really be that excited either way, we knew we could get him excited about a balloon. We were right! He was excited and so were all of his friends. When we got home and I talked about him having a baby brother he looked at me straight faced and said, "yes mommy, and a baby sister" - as if saying - "yeah mom, we've been talking about this for a few weeks now I know" but he was convinced about having both! I think it was all of our talk about a baby bother or sister that got him into thinking of you in terms of an "AND". It was very funny!
Mommy had to then dash to the Vergennes graduation so Daddy and I on conference call told Vavo and Vavo about you being a super healthy baby boy :) They are SO excited for us!
Mommy then called T-Jocelyn, T-Craig and Shaina and told them all about our excitement! They too are excited and liked hearing about the names we have on our list.
Daddy called Grandpa and Grandma and they were both excited too!
Mommy sent a message via facebook to our extended family and friends saying:
"I am officially in love with three men!"
It is so true! I couldn't be more in love with you and your brother and your daddy! I know the minute I see you - that will change dramatically into an even deeper love that I can only imagine at this stage. I hope you know how cared for and loved you are my sweet little boy.
Following that amazing news on Friday, mommy, daddy and Oliver went to the Kid City gear swap on Saturday and picked up a new little booster seat for the dinner table for Ollie so that you can have his highchair when you need it. We also looked at lots of furniture there and started to think and daydream about your room.
On Sunday we went up to our old neighbors camp in St Albans, the Juiffres and daddy dove for a few of the lost moorings of their neighbors. It was cool for Ollie to see Daddy dive, but he is just about 3 and lost attention quickly. We got to hang out and play with the Juiffre boys all day and later go for a boat ride with them. It was the first time Daddy and Ollie fished together. You did not seem fazed at all by the boat ride and I am sure rather enjoyed it as mommy did.
Week 20 was supposed to be mommy's last full week of work however on the Monday and Tuesday of that week mommy wasn't feeling the greatest. On Monday, mommy was at her last big meeting of the year in Middlebury and afterward had a very real contraction. It was a minute to 2 minutes long and afterward there was cramping. I drove towards home and went in to see the Dr to just get tested for some common infections that cause cramping. Dr Hansen checked my cervix and you were nicely sealed up in there. Everything was in tact and as it should be - no dilation whatsoever and cervix was long and thick. She told me to go home and take it easy. I did my best to do this before picking up Oliver and then daddy helped after he got home. The cramping went away which was great!
The next day, mommy woke up severely dizzy and a bit nauseous - I couldn't stand up straight and the room was spinning for hours on end. I laid on the couch the entire day. It was very sweet that when Oliver woke up he came check on us and took out his medical bag to take care of mommy.
After that day, all appeared to go well and mommy minimally took care of the house to prepare for house guests on Friday for Oliver's 3rd birthday and Father's day on Sunday. The party was tons of fun - Planes, Cars and Thomas! For Father's Day - Oliver made artwork for daddy, vavo and grandpa and a book where every year Oliver and eventually YOU will answer questions about your daddy. I think it will be a sweet sentimental thing to have for years to come.
During the weekend before I turned 20 weeks, I also stopped taking benadryl to sleep. After a day full of migraines, mommy became annoyed and figured she'd just try to sleep again on her own, with a body pillow. This has seemed to help and now I am sleeping much better and without migraines daily.
Development:
Week 18
If this is your first pregnancy your tummy may still not be visible with your clothes on however if this is your second or subsequent child then you may be developing quite a paunch by now. From now on sleeping on your stomach will become increasingly difficult and you should try to start getting used to sleeping on your side, preferably your left as this allows the blood to flow more freely to your heart which is best for you and your baby. Your heart will now pump 40 to 50% faster than normal which is fine for a healthy heart and light exercise is till possible. Make sure however that you continue to eat healthy and get enough rest.
Backache
Most pregnant women will at some point during their pregnancy experience back pains and you may already have felt a twinge. Your uterus is now similar in size to a melon and as the focus and weight of your body moves forward this will put pressure on your lower back which can result in discomfort and pain. Be careful with bending and lifting and ensure you bend at the knee and not the spine. Try to stand as straight as possible and don't lean back too much to compensate for the weight at the front of your body. Week 19
You are now almost halfway through your pregnancy. Your baby's teeth and palate are already formed and this week your baby will begin to develop its adult teeth.
All the senses (smell, taste, sight, hearing, touch) are now developing and research has shown that some babies are already able to hear this week. Feel free to talk or sing to your baby as it can be relaxing and comforting for him to hear a sound or a song he recognizes after birth.
Wheezing
Around this time you may find you sweat more and are a little short of breath when you exert yourself. This is due to changes in your breathing and is not necessarily related to your condition. It is however important to keep an eye on your fitness levels. It is suggested that swimming and cycling are the healthiest ways to stay active during pregnancy and even walking helps. Regular exercise helps with your blood flow which is in turn excellent for your baby.Week 20
Congratulations! you are now halfway through your pregnancy and have reached another milestone. Usually by this time you really start to enjoy your pregnancy as most of your ailments have gone and you are beginning to feel your baby move more regularly.
You should now have plenty of energy and this is the best time to start to plan and decorate your nursery or shop for baby clothes and accessories.
Your uterus should now be quite large and hard and the top may be in line with your navel.
Although every
woman is different when it comes to feeling their baby move you should
around this time begin to feel slight movements as your baby swims
around in his amniotic fluid, wiggling his arms and legs. Although your
baby will move around 200 times per day most of these will be faint and
if you are busy you wont even notice them.
Your baby's hearing works much better now and he may even be scared by new and strange noises coming from outside.
Around 20 weeks you should be getting an ultrasound scan and it is during this prenatal screening that any abnormalities in the development of your baby can be detected. If something serious is found this still leave you time to decide on a range of options which will be explained by your midwife. However, in most cases everything is found to be fine and this will be used mainly to measure the length and progress of your baby.
It is also possible that your echographist can see the sex of the baby although sometimes they are stubborn and keep their legs closed. IT is up to you whether you wish to know the sex of your child or not and you can ask at this time for them to see if they can find it out.
