Week 35: Munchkie is a Honeydew Melon!

Welcome to Week 35: Munchkie is a Honeydew Melon!

Length: 18.5-20 inches
Weight: 5.25-5.5 lbs
This week went by fast. J.D. continues to be super busy at work, so I'm really enjoying spending time with him on the weekends.

Happy birthday Dad!!! (who's bday was on Friday)..so sorry you had to work, but we're looking forward to doing dinner next Sunday! xoxo

I had my normal doctor's appointment this week. Everything looks "perfect" according to the doctor. He's still head down and apparently it's very unlikely that he will flip...so that's good! I have one more appointment in two weeks and then after that I will be going every week!

Check out my belly this week:

.....I can't believe how close it's getting. We have gotten our car seat and are planning on putting it in the car in the next week. I'm also going to pack my bag in the next week as well.

Today we went to Charlottesville to meet up with Robert and Lauren and their 11 month old Rob as well as Bryan and Lauren and their 6 month old Caroline. We went Bodos (Arlington....why don't you have a great bagel place like this??), the lacrosse game (which we won....go HOOS!), Boylan Heights for lunch, and then to Arches/Zazus for frozen yogurt and basketball watching!! We really wish you guys lived in DC!!...but we were so glad to get to spend time with you!

What's happening with the baby:
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Your baby is standing tall (so to speak) this week at about 20 inches and continues her steady weight gain to 5.5 pounds. While she won't get much longer, she will continue to pack on the pounds — including large amounts of baby fat — right up 'til delivery day. Something else that's moving at a mind-boggling pace these day: fetal brain development! There's a lot going on inside that tiny head, which is, by the way, still soft to allow an easier exit through the birth canal.

• The average baby weighs almost five and a half pounds now.
• Most babies born now will survive and without many long-term problems.
• Fat accumulations plumps up the arms and legs this week. These layers of fat will help him regulate his body temperature. They also provide those cute little dimples on elbows and knees!
• Her hearing is fully developed, so be sure to talk to your daughter. Do you find yourself speaking in a high-pitched tone? That's okay since some studies show babies respond better to higher pitches.
• It's getting crowded! Your baby is now taking up most of the uterus and you may even feel like your chest has run out of room! Soon enough though, baby will move down and you'll be able to breathe easily again (just not walk so easily! Ha!).
• Your baby is 18.2 inches (46.2cm) long and weighs 5.3 pounds (2383gm).
• The testes have completed their descent in males.

  

How your life's changing: Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress.