Week 18: The Baby Bump

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week:

How Far Along: 18 Weeks

Fruit/Veggie: Cucumber

Size: Approximately 5.5 inches long and 7 ounces in weight

Baby changes: He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Best Moment this week: This week in Birthing Class we had to "role play" a situation where the Coach says something encouraging and also gives an area that needs improvement in public. Apparently, most guys don't like to be put on the spot with people listening and that is going to happen in the delivery room so they want us to get used to it! All these guys in the class had to face their wives and some of them totally outed them in front of the whole class. They said things like you need to eat more healthy or you need to WORKOUT MORE.....I was shocked. Sweet (and quite smart I might add) Dylan told me I did a good job on exercising and eating healthy but I needed to eat more protein. Sometimes honesty is not the better choice :)

Movement: I have been feeling these distinct thumps! I think Baby D is going to be a soccer player and make his/her Momma happy (as opposed to Dylan's preferred sport....football) :) We can now see when the baby decides to "hang out" on one side of my body or the other. That is usually when I feel the big thump by my hip. I can't wait to start SEEING the thumps!

Food Craving: Just Food...in general...I have been eating second helpings this week at many meals. I am just hungry! Dylan says now I know what it truly feels like to be a Dahmann!!!

What I miss: My collection of clothes...but I have some cute things I can wear that are either maternity or are my version of maternity!

Sleep: I am still trying to catch up from the Bachelorette Party this weekend! I never knew it would wipe me out for the week!

What I am looking forward to: Baby D's Big Gender Reveal in one week!

Symptoms: Hunger and Thirst...I am an eating machine. I am also feeling my little belly muscles stretching and straining!

Baby Bump Week 18: (I should not take photos at 10 PM because I look as tired as I feel!)

Donya and Chris' Wedding Shower

This post is a couple of weeks late, but I wanted to share my pictures of Donya's wedding shower. It was a great shower and we had lots of fun getting to know friends and family and celebrate Chris and Donya's upcoming wedding!

Week 17: The Baby Bump

We have had a great week. I think Baby D has been having a growth spurt because I have been SO HUNGRY! I will let you be the judge of that (see latest bump pictures below)!

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week:

How Far Along: 17 Weeks

Fruit/Veggie: Onion

Size: Approximately 5 inches long and 5 ounces in weight

Baby changes: Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop

Best Moment this week: I started worrying because I hadn't felt the baby move in a while (or at least I hadn't noticed it) and then I woke up on Tuesday morning to the most distinctive kick! I never knew I would think being kicked was such a wonderful blessing...but it is! Another great moment was in birthing class when we learned the first of many relaxation techniques, the art of massage! Basically Dylan had to massage me how ever much I wanted throughout our lecture! I am anxiously awaiting week 5 when our "coaches" learn special pregnancy/birth massage techniques!!

Movement: Only the kick from Tuesday but hopefully more soon!

Food Craving: Orange Juice and Custard....Like to the point I wake up eat breakfast and plan to leave the house at 7:30 am to buy milk to make my Atoo's custard :)

What I miss: My waist....this week I have become "short-waisted". I also miss all my bathing suits because NONE OF THEM FIT. Seriously this might deserve its own post because there is a serious lack of bathing suits that have enough support for pregnant girls! I strongly dislike the maternity ones I tried on!

Sleep: Great!

What I am looking forward to: Still excited for the Gender Reveal Day aka Cinco de Mayo!

Symptoms: Still puking...but only once this week. It seriously made me depressed all day because I really am so over hte puking thing! On a more cheerful note, I am still having extreme hunger and thirst! I guess babycenter was right, we are having a growth spurt for sure ( I just hope Baby D is having the growth spurt and not my thighs)!

Baby Bump Week 17:

Week 16: The Baby Bump!

I am late posting this week as I will officially be 17 weeks tomorrow but oh well!

We had an eventful weekend including Jackson's 4th Birthday party, our nephew, and Donya's Bridal shower, Dylan's cousin's fiance and our old high school friend! Then on monday I got sick and had to get IV fluids and medicine to stop the throwing up. It was quite a scare for me, but the midwives took great care of me and my mom and Dylan nursed me back to health. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband and a saint for a mom to fill-in when the husband is unable to leave work!

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week:

How Far Along: 16 Weeks

Fruit/Veggie: Avocado

Size: Approximately 4.5 inches long and 3.5 ounces in weight

Baby changes: Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Best Moment this week: Attending our first birthing class together! Dylan was really encouraging and asked questions. He is going to keep me in check! He also has not failed to already make the whole birthing coach thing funny. I am thankful for this because I know I will need to laugh during labor. I am pretty sure I picked the BEST COACH ever and I am excited to go to class each week.

Movement: Baby D moved like crazy at Pappasitos on Sunday, I guess we are raising a good Houstonian who loves Pappasitos fajitas!

Food Craving: Custard, eclairs, and cream puffs ( I have controlled myself...mostly)

What I miss: Having a choice of pants to wear, but instead I wear skirts and dresses!

Sleep: Great!

What I am looking forward to: Finding out the gender. Apparently Rachel has been predicting a girl, what a wonderful sister she is!

Symptoms: I have been REALLY hungry and thirsty, I think we are playing catch up from Monday.

Baby Bump Week 16: Because I haven't taken a solo picture this week, Baby D and I are going to have Donya join us for the picture :)



Enjoy your weekend!

Boy or Girl??

So we are officially 3 weeks away from finding out if Baby D is a boy or girl and I want to start taking bets!

I am trying to figure out how to upload a poll to the blog, but as a I am a novice at blogger I haven't gotten it to work. So maybe we can just do it the "low-tech" way and you can leave a comment!

This momma has NO CLUE whether we are having a boy or girl! I thought I would have a feeling and just be so connected with my little resident that I would "just know". This is just not the case. Dylan is CERTAIN it is a BOY because apparently Dahmann's only produce boys :) I think it will be really funny if we end up having all GIRLS! Everyone else seems to think we are having a boy as well. I think it is just because everyone looks at my husband and thinks This Man Will Produce Male-children.

Exhibit A



Exhibit B



Exhibit C



My dear sweet best friends, Connie and Sarina, are the only ones who think I am having a girl. Bless their hearts, aren't they just the best friends a girl could have? They are also wonderful for many other reasons notwithstanding there copious offers to babysit/hang out with me when I have a newborn/ take walks with me when I am pregnant this summer/ let us take our little one on our Pre-Baby-Bucket-List (PBBL) vacations (ya, I know, the day we made the PBBL was the day I should have known we would be pregnant before our first trip!)

My mom has predicted we are having a boy because he/she had a "strong heartbeat" at our last ultrasound (US) and was wiggling and doing flips the entire time! She tells a much better story because she "acts out" the baby's motions in the US as "throwing a football" and " throwing a baseball" and other sports movements :) Dylan's mom has not predicted a gender but I think she might want a girl more than I do, she is the mother of 3 boys after all and I think it is high time we evened out the numbers in the Dahmann household!

So it is your turn, do you think we are having a boy or girl???
Please leave a comment with your prediction and name below!

Week 15: The Baby Bump

This week has been such an exciting one! I thought I totally kicked the morning sickness habit, but got sick this morning :( That is why I am at home blogging instead of getting things done! I do feel even MORE like myself this week and think I am out of the morning sickness mode. I even ate strawberry belts the last 2 nights---YUMMM!

Dylan got to come with me to my appointment on Monday which was a great treat. He is so supportive of me and I am thankful for that. He was immediately on board for the whole midwife deal and really likes Nativiti, our birth center! They told me I need to eat 75 grams of protein a day- WHOA that is a lot! Dylan is very excited about this and keeps trying to make me eat eggs ( as if that is the only and BEST source of protein)! He is just excited that HE will get to eat more protein with me.
(I just realized he doesn't think cheese is a protein--- no wonder he keeps pushing me to eat meat--- I live on cheese and peanut butter!)

In more interesting news, the midwives have scheduled my BIG ULTRASOUND for May 5!!!! We are anxiously awaiting Baby D's Gender Reveal. What do you think is Baby D's Gender?

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week:

How Far Along: 15 Weeks

Fruit/Veggie: Apple

Size: Approximately 4 inches long and 2 ounces in weight

Baby changes: She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")


Best Moment this week: At the climactic song of Easter Sunday Service with loud drums banging and a chorus of instruments and voices singing, Baby D started moving like crazy! It felt like little bubbles rumbling on my lower right side! I would have thought it was my tummy growling except it wasn't in the location of my tummy but my uterus! I grabbed Dylan's hand and he even felt the little bubbles popping. What a gift from God! I got the best Easter present in the whole world this year! I don't think I have grinned that big in a long time!

Movement: Yes! I started noticing something after I ate string cheese or my delicious homemade yogurt! It felt like little bubbles in my stomach. It was so amazing!!

Food Craving: Candy, although I don't think this is a pregnancy craving as much as it is a Katherine craving. I love sweets! Grandma Vinas brought me an eclair on Good Friday and I savored every bite of it all by myself!

What I miss: I still miss some fruits but I think my stomach is mostly back to normal!

Sleep: I was born to sleep, lets just hope Baby D takes after his/her Mom and Dad!

What I am looking forward to: Finding out if we are going to follow the Butler trend or the Dahmann. For those of you that don't know us that well (or blog stalkers) I am the youngest of 5, 1 boy and 4 girls, and I have 5 nieces and 3 nephews! Dylan, on the other hand, is 1 of 3 boys and the Dahmann Cousins consist of 7 boys and 4 girls! He also assures me its a boy--- we will have to see!

Symptoms: I am feeling great these days. I definitely have more energy and am happier than I was in the first trimester as the morning sickness is gone! I definitely feel stretching pain but that is no big deal!

Here is the Baby Bump for Week 15:





Dylan insisted on getting candid shots of me being annoyed he was taking candid shots :) I have to admit he got a really sweet one of me looking down at Baby D! Thanks Babe! Baby D had a growth spurt over night Saturday night and looks a lot bigger all of a sudden! I wish I took a picture on Easter Sunday because we looked super cute in my Maroon Dress---I don't think it will fit too much longer. On Easter morning I put it on only to discover it wouldn't zip! After yelling for help Dylan came to my rescue and informed me it was because the zipper was stuck NOT because I was too big although it did fit VERY snug! Another one bites the dust....for now!

Have a great week!

The Baby Bump

Now that I am out of the morning-sickness-with-a-vengeance period of my pregnancy,I finally feel like taking pictures again.

Even the week before I knew I was pregnant I lost my appetite for taking or being in pictures. I should have known something was up! So today I post my first official "Baby Bump" picture(s)!




( I think I look pregnant, and sure feel like it since none of my pants fit and haven't for a little while now, but others don't seem to think so!) Oh well, I know I should be thankful for that--at least they don't think I look MORE pregnant than I am. I am sure I would get offended by that. I know that will probably happen later on too!

Pregnancy Highlights for the Week:

How Far Along: 14 Weeks

Fruit/Veggie: Lemon

Size: Approximately 3.5 inches long and 1.5 ounces in weight

Baby changes: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.


Best Moment this week: Getting to enjoy time with friends and family without throwing up ( except for a few mornings)! I feel like myself again finally!I know Dylan is even happier about this than I am. He is so sweet and patient with me.

Movement: not quite yet but I am DYING to feel something!

Food Craving: Fruit; I haven't been able to eat acidic things because of the morning sickness so I am trying to add back in fruits. The days I get sick again are usually due to the fact that I tried a fruit my tummy wasn't ready for.

What I miss: Eating whatever food I want without having to think about my sensitive tummy!

Sleep: I sleep great morning, day, or night! Baby D does like to wake me up between 5:30-6:00 AM for breakfast. If I don't then I get sick so we have a good routine going!

What I am looking forward to: Feeling the baby move, Fruit, Gender Reveal Day, being able to eat Chicks Ducks & Bunnies sweetarts without making myself sick(only the best candy ever made--and way better than regular sweetarts)

Symptoms: Morning sickness about every 4 days and some round ligament pains but overall feeling much more like myself now!


I can't wait to track my progress over the next 5.5 months. I was talking to one of my LPM friends, Evangeline, and told her I wish the bump would stay cute the whole pregnancy. She assured me it would not stay cute and little (Oh well) :) I will update with more baby bump pictures every week from here on out (hopefully)!

Have a great week!