Baby Shower - 31 Weeks

On the 21st Nickie was showered with gifts from friends and family.  The chatter of Baby E got everyone excited for his arrival.  It's hard to believe that he will be here in just a couple of months.

Here is Nickie's adorable belly at 31 weeks

And here is here adorable nephew Gabe

Julia (18 weeks) and Nickie

To see all pictures: Click Here

32 weeks - did you know?

• Baby Boy Nilsen is about 17 inches long and weighs about 4.5 pounds.
• His toenails and fingernails are completely formed.
• His lungs are continuing to mature but will not reach full maturity for several more weeks.
• Baby Boy's skeleton has completely formed, but his bones are very soft and pliable.
• Baby Boy has now developed sensitivity to temperature.
• He will gain one third to one half of his birth weight during the next weeks.

31 weeks - did you know?

• Baby Boy is about 16.5 inches long and weighs anywhere from 3.5 to 4 pounds. 
• He is continuing to develop a layer of fat under his skin.  This is in preparation for his arrival into the world and gives him more of a newborn appearance.  During the next several weeks he will really begin to put on the weight, about a ½ lb per week from now until about two weeks before birth.  Average size newborn is about 7.5 lbs and 19 to 21 inches long.
• This week marks an incredible milestone in his lung development.  Before now, the air sacs and branches in his lungs were present but not functionable. The lungs were not able to inflate properly. However, now there is surfactant being produced in his lungs. Surfactant prevents the his lungs from collapsing outside of the uterus and he is able to take in air and breathe properly.
• His ear is almost completely developed both inside and out. He can hear your voice and other familiar sounds that he will recognize after birth.
• Baby boy's fingernails have grown to the end of his fingers and he may scratch himself while in the womb.
• Baby boy's iris color begins to appear around the thirty-first week. Most babies are born with dark blueish-brown or bluish-gray eyes, but this shade almost always changes after birth. True eye color won't be apparent for six to nine months -- final formation of eye pigmentation happens in response to exposure to the strong light of the outside world.  In the meantime, his eyes are being readied for life after birth. Pupils begin to dilate in response to the soft, pinkish-red light that filters into the uterus. Eyes are usually open during alert times and closed during sleep.

30 weeks - did you know?

• ONLY 10 weeks, left! Let the countdown begin!
• Baby Boy is about 16 inches long and weighs about 3 pounds.
• His eyes are becoming more mature, and now he can tell the difference between light and dark.  Babies at 30 weeks can even follow a light source with their eyes.  Once he is born, he will spend a great deal of time with his eyes closed.  Newborns only have the ability to focus on objects a few inches from their face.  While “normal” adult vision is 20/20, a newborn’s vision is 20/400.
• His skin begins to smoothen as fat deposits accumulate underneath.  The fat insulated and is a energy source.  If the baby was born right now he/she would be able to keep itself warm.
• Baby boy is developing reflexes and the skin is very sensitive.
• His brain is fully formed, and the baby can feel pain. 
• Baby boy is “practicing breathing” to get ready for life outside.

29 Weeks

I absolutely LOVE the Landscape Arboretum!!! For out latest photo sesion Erik and Nickie agreed to meet me here for the 29 week photos! They looked so cute together and are so in love! Baby E is so lucky to be born into such a wonderful family.  His Mommy and Daddy love him so much already!!!

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Amongst Friends

I had to post this, because it's so fun!!  Here is Nickie with one our other friends Julia.  Julia is about 16 weeks pregnant with her second baby.  At our girls night the other night, I couldn't resist making them pose together for a picture or two :)

29 weeks - did you know?

• Baby boy is about 15.5 inches long, weighs about 2.7 pounds and continues to grow every day.  He will continue to grow rapidly from now until week 36, and then at a slower rate thereafter.  The average baby’s birth weight at full term is 7 to 7.5 lbs. 
• He will continue to open and close his eyes in the womb and may be able to see silhouettes of objects or even people in the right amount of light. 
• Baby boy can not only hear, but can also recognize Mommy's voice.  This shows that he can already learn, remember and recognize.  What a smart baby already J
• His brain is growing so quickly now that his soft, flexible skull bones are being pushed outward.  The tiny, complex computer that is the baby’s brain is gaining power and speed.  Once relatively smooth, the brain is now looking more wrinkled.  The increasing number of nooks and crannies provide more room for interconnection between individual nerve cells.  Around this point, brain wave patterns start to resemble those of a full term baby at birth.
• The baby’s muscles and organs are growing steadily, and he is at the peak of its movement about now.  Later in the third trimester, space starts to get cramped and, in turn, fetal acrobatics decrease. 
• The baby’s bones are fully developed, but they’re still soft and pliable. 
• He is starting to store iron, calcium and phosphorus this week.