Sunday, January 31, 2010

2nd place

This is what 2nd place really looks like...


Thanks to everyone who helped me come in 2nd place... it's not a breast pump, but it's still a great prize!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Week 23

Can you believe that there are only 119 days until Baby Girl Schaab's estimated arrival.... CRAZY!!!

Here is what Baby Girl Schaab is up to according to www.babycenter.com

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Your baby is continuing to gain weight, but the next several weeks will be when he/she really begins to fill out. Lanugo, or the fine hair that covers your baby’s body, may darken at this point allowing it to be seen on an ultrasound. Your baby is also beginning to look more like it will at birth.

If you're interested in what the dad's guide to pregnancy says about size this week, click here. Just in time for the playoffs! Too bad the Bears aren't in!

How far along? 23 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: + 11.5 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes and loving them!

Sleep: Waking up a couple times a night with a lot of tossing and turning.

Best moment this week: Seeing Baby Girl Schaab at the Ultrasound last Monday. It's truly an amazing sight and I'm sad that this was our last one... unless we have a complication (I prefer not).

Movement: She is quite the active little girl. She seems to be most active at night time however I've been feeling her a lot more during the day... especially when I'm talking for long periods of time or reading at school. She also always moves when Mike talks to her at night time.

Food cravings:
Oatmeal with Dark Chocolate Chips and bananas. I also still will eat any fresh fruit... especially if it's cut up for me.

Gender: GIRL

Labor Signs: Not yet. :)

Belly Button in or out? In - however it's starting to become shallow...

What I miss: My back not hurting.

What I am looking forward to: Seeing the baby kick and my belly move. She kicks pretty strong sometimes, however I haven't been able to "see" it outside of my belly yet.

I'm also looking forward to the new Yes to Carrots Baby line. They must really like me to be rolling this out just in time for Baby Girl Schaab. I hoping to see it in stores soon!
Milestones: Mike and I finalized a contract on a house this weekend (finally!). Baby Girl Schaab will be not be coming home to our house in Morton Grove. Mike and I are closing on our new house on Walnut in Park Ridge on March 3rd. We are very excited about moving into a bigger house and having more room for our growing family. It will be great to get in and start "nesting" in the new house as well as get the baby's nursery going. Check out the picture below!


We are hoping to move in mid- March, after we have some painting and small things done around the house. We also need to get our house on the market - which we have been working really hard on "staging" our home (Mike's been doing all of the hard stuff while I just pack). After some painting next weekend, we'll be ready to put Church Street on the market - just in time for the Super Bowl Spring Real Estate rush (I didn't know this existed, but I guess it does). Keep your fingers crossed that everything works out!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Baby Carrots!

Baby Girl Schaab has a new friend! Yes to Carrots is announcing a baby line! I had no idea this was happening! I'm so excited! :)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Bitter... Party of 1

This is what second place looks like, however, it's far from the description of the prize I was supposed to get...

The top four finalists will each receive a prize pack from Bellybar and Philips AVENT, including:
  • One Bellybar of each select flavor
  • One Bellybar Shake of each select flavor
  • One Bellybar Chews pouch of each select flavor
  • A Philips AVENT Newborn Starter Set

Sore loser? Maybe. But I can tell you what kind of pump I won't be buying or bars I'll be eating... BOO AVENT AND BELLY BAR!!!!


Monday, January 18, 2010

Week 22 Baby Pics

We had a successful trip to the Ultrasound tech today and got some fabulous photos. She's still a girl and her heartbeat was 158bpm. All of her measurements looked great and her heart looked healthy and strong with no defects. :) Since Julie and Kari came with us, Theresa, the ultrasound tech was throwing out lots of medical words describing different parts of the heart and how healthy it was. She zoomed in really close so we could see the four chambers of the heart. It was another amazing experience and we really enjoyed seeing our little girl!

Profile Shot


Check out these legs!

Her heart

Another great profile shot


We saw a lot of great head shots among others!!!

Week 22

Today is the start of week 22. We have an ultrasound this afternoon to measure the baby and see how she's growing. Hopefully she'll be cooperating this time and I'll be able to post some great pictures tonight!

Here is what the baby is up to this week according to www.babycenter.com:
At 11 inches and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but her irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside her belly, her pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

If you're interested in what the dad's guide to pregnancy says about size this week, click here. Just in time for the playoffs! Too bad the Bears aren't in!

How far along? 22 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: + 9.5 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes and loving them!

Sleep: Waking up a couple times a night and always thirsty...

Best moment this week: Mike felt the baby move on Saturday morning!

Movement: Her movement has increased a lot this week. She is moving around a lot more and very distinctly. Some of her kicks are getting strong enough to feel from the outside. :) When Mike and I play music on my iPhone for her, she really starts to dance around! It is the coolest thing!

Food cravings:
Fountain Root Beer... and Cara Cara oranges.... not together though.

Gender: GIRL

Labor Signs: Not yet. :)

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I actually really enjoy being pregnant! :)

What I am looking forward to: Seeing the baby today during the ultrasound. I also am looking forward to the baby's movement to increase still. I love feeling her kick!

Milestones: Mike being able to feel the baby move! :) She's always moved towards his hand when he puts it on my belly at night, but now he's starting to feel her too!

Nursery Update: Here is what we are modeling our nursery around (Daisy Garden from Pottery Barn Kids):

For more pictures of the bedding, click on the quilt above.


Here is the crib we picked out (Consumer Reports Best Baby Products suggested):

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Mike felt the baby kick today!

This morning, laying in bed, we tried playing some music for the baby, placing my iPhone on my stomach. Baby Schaab immediately started kicking and Mike was able to feel her! A milestone for us indeed!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Please help us win!

Mike and I are trying to win a breast pump! I know that sounds super exciting, but please help us by voting once a day at:


Give us the thumbs up! :)

Thanks in advance!

Week 21

Week 21! We can hardly believe that we'll meet our little girl in less than 19 weeks! Here's what the baby is up to according to babycenter.com:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

thebump.com says that baby girl schaab gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

If you're interested in what the dad's guide to pregnancy says about size this week, click here. Mike can really relate to this one. Cheers!

How far along? 21 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: + 9 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes and loving them!

Sleep: Waking up 2-3 times a night and having some crazy dreams.

Best moment this week: When I felt the baby kick when I was deciding between wearing heels and comfy shoes to work... she kicked when I tried on the heels... I took that as go with the comfy ones. She is becoming quite active... especially at night!

Movement: Like I said above, she is becoming quite active! I feel her moving more and more. Night time is my favorite because she likes when I relax. I can also almost always feel her in the last few minutes of pre natal yoga, where we are relaxing and connecting with our babies.... Sounds silly but I think she likes it!

Food cravings: Fountain Root Beer... this all started at Superdawg on Friday and now I can't get enough.

Gender: GIRL

Labor Signs: Not yet. :)

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I actually really enjoy being pregnant! :)

What I am looking forward to: Mike being able to feel the baby move.

Milestones: Picking out what bedding we want for our baby girl! Check out the pottery barn kids registry link on the left side of the page to check it out! I'm planning on making a batik at school to match! :) Thanks Michaela for helping me with this!

Monday, January 4, 2010

20 weeks - 1/2 way there!

Cue the Bon Jovi... we're half way there! Today is the start of week 20... Here is what Baby Girl Schaab is up to this week according to babycenter.com....

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, she's measured from head to toe.)

She's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in her first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

If you're interested in what the dad's guide to pregnancy says about size this week, click here.

What's going on with Mommy Caroline:

Congratulations! You've hit the halfway mark in your pregnancy. The top of your uterus is about level with your belly button, and you've likely gained around 10 pounds. Expect to gain another pound or so each week from now on. Make sure you're getting enough iron, a mineral that's used primarily to make hemoglobin (the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen). During pregnancy, your body needs more iron to keep up with your expanding blood volume, as well as for your growing baby and the placenta. Red meat is one of the best sources of iron for pregnant women. Poultry (especially the dark meat) and shellfish also contain iron. Some common non-meat sources of iron include legumes, soy-based products, spinach, prune juice, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals.

How far along? 20 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: + 8 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes and loving them!

Sleep: Is back to waking up a few times a night... however Mike just got me a Boppy Total Body Pillow for Christmas which has changed my sleeping. I missed it while I was in Florida this week.

Best moment this week: Starting to feel the baby move more and more... Also seeing baby girl Schaab on my birthday!

Movement: She continues to move around more and more. Now waiting for the kicks to start... Especially the ones that you can feel from the outside! I know Mike is very excited for this as well as he listens to my belly trying to hear her.

Food cravings: Fresh cut Florida cantaloupe - it just tastes so good and juicy in Florida! I'm still really all about any sort of fresh cut fruit.

Gender: GIRL

Labor Signs: Not yet. :)

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I actually really enjoy being pregnant! :)

What I am looking forward to: More movement! Especially for Mike to be able to feel her moving! I'm also hoping to be a finalist with my Christmas baby bump photo in Belly Bar's Holly Jolly Belly Contest. To see the other entries, click here.

Milestones:
We're half way through! Only about 20 more weeks until we meet our baby girl!


Here is another fun website to check out specific to Baby Girl Schaab's development. I always click in the upper right hand corner to make the narrator the baby - very cool. Check it out!
http://www.ehd.org/pregnancy-calendar.php?person=1&id=12832


Hopefully I'll be able to add a 20 week belly picture tonight! :)