23 Weeks... and we finally have movement.

Oops, sorry we didn't update on time this week... it was a crazy work week for us. I had a TV shoot for my client, The International Spy Museum and Mike's been working like a mad man and studying late every night in preparation for the CFA.

On Friday, February 20th we felt the baby move for the first time. It was so strange, I was sitting at work and typing on my computer and I felt the strangest feeling in my stomach. It wasn't "flutters" or "butterflies" it was like serious movement. It felt like it does when someone is giving you a back massage and your muscle rolls out really fast (you know it kinda hurts and just feels weird?) It kinda freaked me out and I told Mike, "I think I felt the baby move today." So that night, we were sitting on the couch and we both had our ands on my belly trying to see if she'd move again or if it was just me being crazy. And then... we got multiple movements, one was almost like a punch right into Mike's hand. It was so cool and it was so cool that we both got to experience her first movements together. We loved it!!! All week, we've been focusing on feeling her kicks at night, it's been pretty amazing.

Oh and this week I promise, you can tell the baby is getting bigger! Check the belly out...



And here's how baby is progressing this week...

Your pregnancy: 23 weeks

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How your baby's growing:

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.

Valentine's Day and 22 weeks...

We had a great Valentine's Day this year. Mike planned a whole day around French things... I woke up to French music, we went to the Cafe around the corner and had French Toast, he gave me a bottle of perfume and had ordered special French Macaroons from a bakery in NYC. They were delicious! We went to the Art Musuem in Philly, which by the way has 6 times the amount of pieces as the Louvre- isn't that amazing? We saw Monet, Renoir, Picasso, Van Gogh... etc. After that we went and had a lunch/dinner at our favorite French restaurant here, Rouge.

The evening was planned perfectly too- a night at home trying to cook French delicacies.

We made amazing deep fried brie and some homemade macaroons of our own, rose and chocolate. They were sooo good!

Our homemade macaroons are on the plate (the white are rose, we didn't have food coloring!) and the boxed macaroons are from the bakery in NYC.

Here's a baby update:

Your pregnancy: 22 weeks

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How your baby's growing:

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his 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 his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

See what your baby looks like this week.

And of course, the growing belly...

Moms - A few words of wisdom for the mom to be...?

Hi friends and family that also happen to be moms!

So, a few of you heard about our trip to babies r us yesterday and how we were so excited to go in and shoot the gun at all of the fun, cute baby stuff... only to come out with a diaper genie, a pacifier and a few bottles under our registry. It was so overwhelming, I thought I was going to pass out- it was a combination of product overload, pastel and primary colors aplenty, fluorescent lighting, crying babies...etc. I walked out feeling so clueless, so frustrated and so defeated. It was nothing like the wedding registry. Why doesn't anyone tell you this? I know there's a ton we need, but I also know there's a ton that we don't need. Remember, these two things: 1) We don't want to go overboard and spend a ton of $, especially in these economic times (but we also want the best of the best; I like to think quality over quantity) and 2) we have an 800 sq ft loft in the city (so not a lot of space for extra things we won't use.)

Anyways, I decided to reach out to the moms I know, trust and respect. I need your advice. I know you guys have all been through this and I'm sure there's stuff you absolutely loved that you feel you couldn't have lived without, or just "nice-to-have's" that you really feel made a difference in your life and there's probably a bunch of "Junk" you got that you never really used too. So, I'm asking you a favor... I know, it's a pretty huge favor. But, could you each take a few minutes and write a list of your 10 Must Haves/Favorite Things (include brand names...etc) and a list of the top 5 things you DO NOT need (a.k.a. you wasted your $ on them.) Of course, if you have more time and other advice, wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

The Dayby thanks you in advance!

21 weeks

Hey everyone, back from Vegas. Lost $, same old, same old. It was a lot of fun to travel there and be back west even if only for 2 days! It's been a crazy week back at work, I had a big pitch on Wednesday so spent most of my days and nights at the office and Mike is back to studying like crazy for his final CFA exam this June. We're definitely looking forward to the weekend (3 day weekend for Mike!)

Here's my belly at 21 weeks, it's getting bigger by the day!



And, here's what's happening with the Day-be girl this week:

Your pregnancy: 21 weeks

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. 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.

See what your baby looks like this week.

The "Day-by" is a GIRL!!! **

** For those of you who don't know, my brother Ryan is always coming up with nicknames for the nieces and nephews in the family. I was shocked to find out that ours already had one even without a name or a gender. Haha, it's the "Day-by."

So, I had my 4 week check-up with my doctor yesterday and told him about Monday's non-news. He's so awesome that he snuck me in to an ultrasound room and did it himself... Now, because Mike was out of town, I told him that I couldn't know first so that he had to write it down and put it in an envelope that Mike and I would later open together.

Of course, all I wanted to do was open the envelope, so I called Mike and I opened it over the phone, that's when we discovered we are having a baby girl. We're so excited, I can't believe we're going to have a daughter...

Below are pictures of the baby from the 20 week appointment and my 20 week belly shots...

FACE: The tech said she had a pointy noise... that's the BALTZ nose!!

HAND: She's waving at us, don't worry she has a thumb it's just tucked away...

FEET: Look how cute!

LEG: Perfect, strong, little leg...

20 Weeks!

Argh, so for those of you who haven't heard the news from the appointment is that we have a total stinker for a baby and it crossed it's legs and wouldn't show itself. We tried everything to get it to move; there were kicks, fists, waves and crazy gymnastics moves, but no movement that would expose the rump area. So, although we are 20 weeks, we still don't know if it's a boy or a girl. grrrrrrrrr. I was so looking forward to buying it's first outfit. Haha, oh well. I guess here starts the joy of parenting. The kids already giving me a hard time.I did get some great pics of the baby though, I'll try and post them soon- our scanner is broken or I would have posted them already.

Also, I always take belly pics on Wednesdays (for each new week) but Mike's in Vegas tonight, so I'll have to send them tomorrow when I get to Vegas...

Your pregnancy: 20 weeks

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (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, he's measured from head to toe.)

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