Passenger update -- 24 weeks

24 weeks! We are just zooming through this crazy thing, Little Baby Z and me.

Here's what my precious little ear of corn is up to:
(From What to Expect:)

Week 24 of Pregnancy
Your baby's facial features are really filling out…and your belly button may be really popping out!

Your Baby in Week 24 of Pregnancy
Your baby is about eight and a half inches long and weighs one and a half pounds, gaining steadily at a rate of six ounces per week. Much of that weight comes from accumulating baby fat, as well as from growing organs, bones, and muscle. Those little ears of hers are getting sharper and can hear very loud sounds, from a yapping dog to a jackhammer. Also by now, that fabulous face is almost fully formed, complete with eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair. Is your baby a brunette, a blonde, or a redhead? Actually, right now her locks are white since there's no pigment yet.

(From babycenter.com:)
How your baby's growing:
Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.


In "Mommy" news for this week, yes the belly button has officially "popped" and it is quite the interesting look. No, I don't have red, itchy palms like both sites said I could have at this point. Doesn't that mean I'm going to fall into money? Hmmm...
I have fewer headaches recently but really frequent leg cramps. And my ankles and feet are definitely swollen by the end of the day, especially if I overdo it. (Who, me?)
All of my favorite Web sites and books say now is the time that I have to start being on the lookout for preterm labor (no, thank you!) and at my next doctor's appointment, I'll probably get more blood drawn as well as tests for gestational diabetes (for which I'm at a higher risk thanks to family history and my early pregnancy fainting spells).
For now... we are just enjoying, me and my little man (who does have a name!).

Happy 24 weeks to us! :-)