Alexa is 8 MONTHS!

OK, so we are more than a week late. But Alexa's 8-month birthday was a busy day! It was Mother's Day and we were up in New Jersey. Here is her 8-Month photo, taken when we got home from NJ. Look how cute she is! Love the hair bow from Aunt Chimmy!

And, here are some fun facts about Alexa at 8 months!

• She can CRAWL! Not just commando crawl, but REALLY crawl. On her KNEES!
• Continues to pull up -- on everything!
• Wears shoes to daycare every day, but when I put them on her feet, she'd rather put them in her mouth!
• Given the nickname "Smiley Girl" at daycare because she smiles all the time!
• Lights up with the biggest smile in the world when we pick her up at daycare or get home from work!
• Says "dada" and "mom" and "hi" ... and we suspect that she knows what they mean!
• Gives big sloppy open-mouthed kisses to mommy, daddy, grandma -- and even herself in the mirror!
• Is able to copy me when I do things like slap my hand on the floor or blow on her face!
• Can give us FIVE if we hold out our hand! (She's been doing this for a couple months...)
• Kicks her feet together and smiles when she's in a swing!
• Enjoys her weekly swim class!
• Loves to watch other kids or babies
• Reaches her arms toward us to be picked up. Awwww!
• Wears a size 2-3 in Pampers diapers and 6-9 months in clothes although a few 3-6 month outfits still fit (Her Baby Naming dress and sweater are size 3-6 months) 
• Has a Hebrew name: Zameret Aviva!
• Now has enough hair to wear cute hair clips. Yay!
• Still has NO teeth but we swear one (or several) are about to pop any day!
• Does not like to lay still during a diaper or outfit change
• Has tried many new foods -- apricots, butternut squash, corn, tomato, plums. Plus a bagel and soft serve yogurt!
• Now eats breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner, along with 3 bottles and two nursings!
• Has picked up a Puff with her thumb and pointer finger and put it in her mouth! Usually she just plays with them though
• LOVES gnawing on the Earth's Best teething crackers
• Now eats dinner in her high chair (at restaurants, sits in high chair too!)
• Now takes her bath in an inflatable tub inside the big tub
• Understands cause and affect: Bangs her cups together in the bath and hits a soft block with a rattle inside to make a noise
• Has favorite toys and can recognize and reach for them, such as her yellow duckie
• Has ridden the Metro and rode in a shopping cart!
• Continues to consistently sleep from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. without so much as a peep!
• Has picked up excellent sleep habits. We put her down and walk out of the room and she might squawk for a second, but quickly curls up and puts herself to sleep. Also, on the monitor, we'll see her crawl around her crib, sit up, and then plop back down and go to sleep!
• Wakes up with a groggy smile. :-)

Happy 5-Month Birthday, Alexa!

To celebrate, and to get out of the house before the next snowstorm rolls in, we took Alexa downtown for lunch. And since she's a big girl now who can sit up, we decided to try out the restaurant's high chair. Check it out! She loved it!

After lunch, we got cupcakes at Georgetown Cupcake. I was all set to get red velvet again... But then I HAD to get Lava Fudge. Same amazing frosting on top. But creamy fudge in the middle of the chocolate cupcake. HOLY AMAZING! (Alexa is frowning in the picture because she wanted to her her own cupcake but mommy told her she had to wait and share mine...)

So anyway, after today's adventure with the high chair, we've decided to set up the high chair that Aunt Jen, Aunt Kelly & Uncle Ben got her. We don't plan to start solids until Alexa is 6 months old, as is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and World Health Organization, to name a few. But in the meantime, she can get used to sitting in her high chair!

Alexa's elusive laugh!

Alexa first laughed out loud on New Year's day. Since then, she does it but it's hard to catch. It cracks us up when she gets going. Below, finally, are a couple really short videos of her laugh!

Click HERE and HERE to hear Alexa laugh and laugh!

Alexa is trying to crawl!

Today was a wonderful day! I started off by taking Alexa to the mall for Stroller Striders. I ate so much over the weekend (caramel popcorn!) that I had to work out! Then Daddy and I took Alexa downtown for lunch and a walk along the Capitol Crescent trail.

Here is adorable Alexa in her stroller with Daddy!

She loves that giraffe!

Thanks Aunt Kelly & Uncle Ben for the cute "Tree Huger" onesie!

When we got home that night, we put Alexa on her mat and she started something new... Getting up on her knees!

First she rolled. Now she's trying to crawl! She's not going anywhere yet, but it's not for lack of trying. Once Alexa rolls onto her tummy, she pushes up to her knees. She even pushes back on her legs like a "down dog" yoga pose! Oh, and she's also rolling from her tummy to her back now. Oh, the progress!

Click HERE to watch a 40-second video of Alexa "swimming" on her tummy, pushing up on her arms and then pushing up on her knees!

Click HERE to watch a 40-second video of Alexa pushing up on her knees, then rolling onto her back and playing with her ball!

Click HERE to watch a 60-second video of Alexa rolling back onto her tummy and then using her knees to scoot forward!

Our little sitter (sort of)!

So I'm not sure if this counts as sitting? She can't get into this position on her own and she can't lift her arms up. But if I sit Alexa up, I can get her to balance on her arms and sit on her own! She's been doing this for a week or so? I call it her tripod sit. Check it out!

Of course, Alexa can also sit on her Nod chair!

And here is a picture of her in her laying in her stroller! Today was a holiday, so I met up with some other women in my mom's group, then joined Daddy for a walk along the Capitol Crescent trail. What a great day!

We used the JJ Cole Toddler Urban BundleMe that I got NEW at the Wiggle Room consignment shop for $15 (usually $59)! It matches the JJ Cole Infant Urban BundleMe that we use in the car seat. The liner zips up like a jacket around Alexa to keep her toasty warm!

The grey padding that you see cushioning her head is the JJ Cole Body Support, which I got on sale for $14 (usually $25)! Our pediatrician recommended it to protect her neck and keep her head from bumping around too much. Sure looks cozy to me!

Alexa rolled over! And she laughed!

Not at the same time, but she had two firsts today! First, this morning, she was cuddling with us in bed and when I gave her some room, she rolled over! Daddy and I were both there to see her first roll. It was amazing!

Then, later in the day, while we were at Starbucks, I was bouncing her on my lap. She likes to stand on my legs and jump up and down. She laughed: He-he-he! It was so cute!

Now... The video proof!

Last night, she TRIED and TRIED to roll over... But to no avail! With everyone watching later this morning, she tried again but ended up just flailing about in a new DANCE... It looks kind of like jumping jacks on the floor!

Finally, she rolled over! Click HERE to watch! Below are some photos extracted from the video to give you the play-by-play.

After he roll, she did another happy DANCE, which could also be mistaken for an exercise routine. What a great start to 2010!

Some big developments in Alexa's world!

Every morning, we have been coming downstairs after Alexa nurses so that she can play on the activity mat while I make and eat breakfast. She loves it!

Here are some key development milestones that she is working on this week...

1. Being able to play independently. This is important. She needs to be able to entertain herself. And by the looks of it, she is getting good at it! She kicks at the toys on the activity mat and squeels in delight as they move. It's pretty funny to watch!

2. Practicing her head control. Look at her go! She can hold her head up 45 degrees when on her tummy!

3. More head control work. She holds her head up when being burped on our shoulder and if you sit her up and hold her or prop her next to pillows, she can hold her head up on her own. Look at how adorable she is!

4. Practicing turning over. Look at her hips in this photo. This is the second time that she has rolled her hips over like this... It looks like she is practicing being able to roll over!

Brain food! And other yummy stuff

One big thing happening in my belly during the Third Trimester is Baby Lima Bean's big brain is undergoing massive development! According to my books, that means it's especially important that I eat certain foods that promote brain growth.

Have you been feeding your baby's brain? Getting enough of those fabulous fats, the omega-3's, is more important than ever in the third trimester when your baby's brain is being fast-tracked.

-- What to Expect When You're Expecting (p. 283)

Fat? I have to eat fat? Yes, says my book...

Omega-3 fatty acid most notably DHA, are the best addition you can make to your diet when you're eating for two. That's because DHA is essential for proper brain growth and eye development in fetuses and young babies. In fact, researchers found that toddlers whose moms consumed plenty of DHA during pregnancy had better hand-eye coordination than their peers. Getting enough of this vital baby brain fuel in your diet is especially important during the last three months (when your baby's brain grows at a phenomenal pace) and while you're nursing (the DHA content of a baby's brain triples during the first three months of life).

-- What to Expect (p. 101)

Another perk of getting enough DHA during pregnancy, according to my book, is that "you're more likely to have a baby with better sleep habits."

The "good" fatty foods that I am to eat more of include: walnuts, eggs, arugula, shrimp and crab. After reading this in my book, I promptly went to Whole Foods and bought a big bag of walnuts! I am happily eating a handful a day.

In addition, I would add that my daily prenatal vitamin set (pictured below) contains a pill that packs 200 mg of DHA. (In case you are wondering, I have been taking these prenatal vitamins every day since we found out I was pregnant. I tried the One-A-Day brand-name prenatal vitamins for a month, but the DHA pill gave me really awful fish breath! The CVS brand tastes better, costs less and my doctor said it's just as good.)

So, as you can see, Baby Lima Bean is going to be one VERY SMART BABY! In fact, I will go out on a limb here and say that I would not be surprised if she turns out to be the smartest baby in the whole wide world!

26 weeks down, only 14 to go!

In case you haven't noticed, take a look at my ticker at the top of this page. Yup, that's right, we are now in DOUBLE DIGITS. Only 98 days to go!

My due date suddenly doesn't seem so far away, which is both exciting and terrifying.

Meanwhile, development in my womb is happening fast. Lima Bean will be TWO POUNDS by the end of the week! In the sixth month (Weeks 25-28), the fruit closest to her size is an eggplant:

Another significant milestone that we are passing this week is VIABILITY. That means that if Lima Bean were to be born right now, it would be possible for her to survive. She still needs to "cook" for a few more months to be considered full term, but she is now considered viable.

Also this week: Lima Bean's eyes, which have been sealed shut, will open. Blame Vegas. But check this out, her eyes are BLUE! Her eyes won't acquire their final color until months after birth.

Finally, if Papa Bean puts his ear to my belly, he might be able to hear her heartbeat without a stethoscope!

24 weeks down, only 16 to go!

Wait. I still have FOUR MONTHS to go?

If you are doing the math, welcome to my world where pregnancy really equals 10 months. I guess that means that I am 60% of my way. At least I'm past halfway! Yay!

According to one pregnancy book, at a weight of one and a half pounds and length of eight and a half inches, Lima Bean has "outgrown the fruit refrences and is now the size of a standard letter." See below.

Some details about Lima Bean's development:

• Her face is now fully formed, complete with a full set of eyelashes and eyebrows and a good amount of hair on her head! She must be adorable. I mean, look at who her parents are!
  
• So take one guess as to what color her hair is? If you guessed brown, that would be a good guess, but it would also be wrong. Right now, her hair is snow white since there's no pigment in it yet! Once she goes to the little salon in my ute, she'll come out with her burnette ringlets.
  
• Also, by now Lima Bean may have facial expressions such as frowning, squinting and pursing of the lips. You know, practicing the looks she'll give mommy and daddy to get whatever she wants!
  
• Finally, she can make a fist now and may already have a preference for the right or left hand. Any bets for whether she'll be a righty or lefty?

22 weeks down, only 18 to go!

Week 22 means that I am now in my 6th month of pregnancy! And, yes, that means I have four more months to go. I am already showing quite a bit and wondering just how much bigger I will get! Eeeeeek!

In the meantime, baby is about the size of a papaya!


Some more things to keep in mind:

• Watch what you say -- Baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb! Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop! (Source: The Bump)


• She is becoming plumper as her fat is being laid down at a high rate, but her skin is still wrinkled and reddish. The wrinkled and loose appearance of her skin is due to the faster production of her skin than the fat that fills it out. The reddish appearance of her skin is due to the deposition of pigment as her skin loses its translucent appearance.


• Your baby can kick and punch vigorously by now, but she may also be gently feeling the umbilical cord and rubbing her hands and face against the inside membrane of the amniotic sac that holds her. (I feel her kicking!)


• She is still swallowing amniotic fluid, which provides an important nutritional supplement to the nutrition she gets via the placenta, and is passing some of it as urine. The swallowing of the amniotic fluid may cause your baby to get the hiccups and you may even be able to feel this as her body jumps inside yours. (Wow, that is so cool!)

21 weeks down, 19 to go!

So this week Little Lady Lima is about the size of a banana. That doesn't really make sense to me because the cantaloupe last week sure looked bigger! 

Regardless, she is growing in weight (not quite a pound yet!) and length and I am feeling her kicks all day long! 

Here is the fruit shot: 

So what else is happening with our baby? 

• Eyebrows have developed!

• Her senses are developing, especially her sense of touch. She can feel her face and stroke her arms and legs! Just wait until Papa Bean introduces her to back scratching and Momma Bean introduces her to massage at our mother/daughter spa day!

• And this is interesting: Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid! That means that you should think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own meals... I guess our little girl will love chocolate, ice cream and pizza. :-)

18 Weeks down ... Only 22 to go!

Our sweet Lima Bean is now the size of a Sweet Potato! We sure hope he or she is a lot cuter.

And according to one book, my uterus is now the size of a cantaloupe!

So, here, below, is a closer look at our Sweet Potato in my Cantaloupe... Wait, that doesn't sound right.

But one things' for sure: It's getting tight in there! (Actually, there should be enough room for Lima Bean to do summersaults...)

During the 18th Week, several things happened that are interesting:

Lima Bean developed sweat glands! Or, if she's a girl, she developed a way to "glisten."

As we've already shared, Lima Bean is now able to discern light and loud noises. But this is rather cool: "If you let the sun shine on your belly, your baby may be able to perceive a warm red glow." Wait until Lima Bean sees the glow from the beach in Ocean City!

In the coming 19th Week, here are a few cool things:

The buds for the permanent teeth are forming behind those that have already developed for the baby teeth.

And, Lima Bean's tiny baby foot is now an inch long! We'll have to remind him or her of that someday when they're out shopping for adult-size running shoes. (Because, Lima Bean will be a runner, whether it's marathons or running bases on a baseball diamond! We hope...)

Finally, this is awesome: "Your baby can hear your voice and recognize it."

17 Weeks down ... Only 23 to go!

Yesterday marked the passing of Week 17, which, as you all know, we at Growing Lima Bean traditionally mark with a fruit or vegetable of some sort.

This week, it's the onion:

I'm sure you all are glad now that Lima Bean didn't get stuck with a nickname like "Onion." Although that might have brought tears to your eyes...

This diagram (below) might be more helpful in showing you what the onion-sized Lima Bean looks like inside my belly right now:

So, what happened in Lima Bean's world over the last week? What's coming up?

This past week, Lima Bean began his or her lifelong relationship with our favorite friend and foe: FAT. Yup, this is the week that Bean starts to add some FAT to his or her bones. This will make Bean rounder and cuter, so we support this kind of FAT. And it's not like Bean will put on a LOT of fat. When Bean is born, fat will account for just 2-6 percent of his or her total body weight. This will help keep little Lima Bean warm both inside my belly and outside in the cold, harsh world.

Also in this week, we are reminded that Bean can by now FEEL and HEAR. So rubbing my belly is recommended (not by strangers, though!) and playing music is also suggested.

And, finally, in the upcoming 18th Week, some really amazing things are going on. From WebMD, here is a description of what we have to look forward to this week!

It can yawn, stretch and make facial expressions, even frown. Taste buds are beginning to develop and can distinguish sweet from bitter tastes. The baby will suck if its lips are stroked and it can swallow, and even get the hiccups. The retinas have become sensitive to light, so if a bright light is shined on your abdomen, baby will probably move to shield its eyes.

Awwww... Bean is yawning and maybe even smiling! And hiccuping! Wow...

Today is ... 15 Weeks!

Another week down, only 25 more to go! This means that we have two weeks to go until our next prenatal appointment, so that is something to look forward to.

Lima Bean is now 4 to 4 1/2 inches long, or about the size of a naval orange! Translation for guys: About the size of a softball. Bean now weighs 2-3 ounces.

A few fascinating facts:

By now, Lima Bean has the coordination, strength and smarts to wriggle his or her fingers and toes and even suck a thumb! However, we already saw Lima Bean already sucking his or her thumb at our last ultrasound, so it appears that our little bean is ahead of the curve.

Also, although I am still not feeling anything, the books tell me that Lima Bean is certainly getting a workout in there - kicking, flexing and moving those arms and legs. That's because Bean can now bend his or her arms at the elbows and wrists and make tiny fists with his or her hands. (A little fighter!)

And finally, if Lima Bean were to get an X-Ray right now, his or her skeleton would be visible!

Pretty cool stuff.

More about my development and status of my belly button tomorrow.

Today is ... 14 Weeks!

It feels like time is crawling and then all of a sudden, boom! We're at 14 weeks already! I know, I know, considering that a full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks long, I still have a looooong way to go. But this is an exciting milestone because I am now fully into the 2nd Trimester!

Lima Bean is now a 12-week-old fetus who is (as the photo below indicates) the size of a lemon. Or, about the size of a clenched fist. From crown to rump, he/she measures 3 1/2 to 4 inches.

Two very important developments are taking place that I want to point out:

First is the development of vocal cords! That actually started last week but is continuing this week. To aid in their development, we have been playing music (Bruce, duh) in hopes of influencing his or her future voice. Give us a few years and we'll show you the next American Idol!

However, starting this week, Baby Bean is moving away from loud noise or light near my tummy, so we have banned all Britney Spears songs.

The second exciting thing happening this week in Lima Bean's world is hair! And lots of it! On top of his or her adorable head, he or she may actually be sprouting a new do! Eyebrow hair is also starting to fill in.

And because fashion is reserved for the land of the born, Lima Bean is now covered in body hair called lanugo. This is a temporary coating, like a furry blanket, that will keep bean warm until he or she gets some baby fat.

Finally, according to one source, this is the week that if we had our own sonogram machine, we would be able to see if Lima Bean is a boy or a girl.

Unfortunately, we are not TomKat so we will have to wait. Our next appointment is scheduled for March 25, although we might not get another ultrasound until next month.

Is Lima Bean a boy or a girl?

Funny thing is, little Lima Bean is the only one who knows the answer to that question right now. And even funnier, Baby Bean most likely does not even know that the other sex even exists! (There was a day...)

As you all know, the sex of a baby is determined at the moment of conception by the father. So, whether we have a boy or a girl, you can blame - or congratulate - Papa Bean!

After conception, the ball of cells that turns into an embryo looks about the same whether it's a boy or a girl. It isn't until Week 8 that the magic starts happening. By Week 8, Lima Bean's genitals began development, although they are difficult to identify this early on.

At Week 10, Lima Bean officially graduated from the embryonic period and became a fetus. Bones and cartilage began to form, elbows on little Lima Bean's arms started working and tiny buds of baby teeth started forming under the gums.

Farther down, Lima Bean's stomach started producing digestive juices and the kidneys started producing - get this - urine! If Lima Bean is a boy, then by this time he had already started producing testosterone (boys will be boys, even this early on!)

If Lima Bean is a girl, then by Week 11, she already started developing ovaries!

And by Week 12, the pituitary gland at the base of the brain already started producing hormones - so that Lima Bean will one day be able to make babies of his or her own!

Unreal.

All this before we, the parents, even get to find out whether Lima Bean is a boy or a girl!

By the way, if you have not voted yet, what are you waiting for?! We should be able to find out the sex by Week 20, so considering that we are at Week 13/Day 4 right now, you have about a month and a half to register your guesses!

In the meantime, we can't help trying to figure out on our own whether Lima Bean is a boy or a girl...

According to the Chinese conception gender chart, we're having a boy! But according to this version of the Chinese conception chart, using lunar months, we are having a girl!

According to this quiz, we have a 76 percent chance of having a boy! According to this chart, however, my age means that we have a 58 percent chance of having a girl!

Let the guessing begin!

How we got to this point

Come on, do you really not know how babies are made? ;-) We think THAT happened back on Wednesday, Dec. 10, or Thursday, Dec. 11, although we can't really recall.

Suffice to say, I was completely oblivious when I ran the Jingle Bell All The Way 10K on Sunday, Dec. 14, clocking a 56:55 time at a 9:10/mi pace! At that point, Lima Bean was a mere "ball of cells," measuring just 0.006 inches (0.150mm) long, barely the size of the period at the end of this sentence.

Then, we had some very sad news on Dec. 15 that sent us up to West Orange, NJ, for the better part of the week to say goodbye to a dear uncle who never knew that Lima Bean was starting to grow. I'm sure he knows now! We can only imagine how excited he must be.

By Dec. 23, we were headed to Ocean City, NJ, to celebrate Christmas Eve. Not aware yet about Lima Bean, wine was drunk and I ran a hard seven miles on the Boardwalk at a fantastic pace. This will be a good year for me, running-wise, I thought. Little did I know.

On Dec. 25, we flew to Tucson, Arizona, to spend Christmas with Aunt Kelly and Uncle Benny. So, as you can see, little Lima Bean is already quite a seasoned traveler! By Arizona, I was starting Week 4 of my pregnancy, although we didn't know it at the time.

Little Lima Bean was still just 0.014 to 0.04 inches in size (0.36mm to 1mm), so tiny that he or she was barely visible. But as we explored Tucson, hiked Sedona and toured the Grand Canyon, Lima Bean was busy as well! This was the week in which Lima Bean transformed from a blastocyst (a ball of cells) into an "embryo."

A week later, on Dec. 31, we spent New Year's Eve camping out in Tucson, then enjoyed a wonderful New Year's Day hike. We explored the Sonora Desert Museum and watched an amazing sunset overlooking the Saguaro National Monument at Gate's Pass.

Meanwhile, I was progressing into Week 5, a very important week for Lima Bean! By this time, implantation was complete and Lima Bean had become deeply embedded in my uterus, measuring 0.05 inches (1.25mm) long. What's amazing is that by this time, it was possible to identify the fold of skin that was to become Lima Bean's head. A heart forming plate had developed and the central nervous system, muscles and bone were already in the early stages of development. The brain, spine and beginnings of the nervous system were also forming.

Even more amazing, by this time, Lima Bean's heart had started beating! We think Lima Bean must have been very excited about Arizona, and thus decided to hang on and stay around a bit. We'll have to take Lima Bean back there someday!

We returned to Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 2, and suspecting something was amiss, decided that I should POAS (pee on a stick).

I did, and wouldn't you know... It said I was PREGNANT!

Shocked, we rushed to CVS to buy three more tests. And one by one they each said the same thing: PREGNANT!

And that was how the journey began ... At Week 5/Day 2.