Sean Patrick Tallon ~ We will NEVER forget!!

Note: This was originally posted 9/11/2006....we wanted to repost it. We'll never forget!



When aircraft crashed into the World Trade Center's twin towers, it was New York City's Bravest that did what they did best - head directly in to danger, in order to save lives. Firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs - side by side - as was the case so many times before.

Together with members of that city's Finest, they made their way to the heart of the tragedy. Grabbing their gear, the firefighters began rushing into the gigantic structures to assist with their safe evacuation, while the paramedics and EMTs began tending to the injured below.

It was while doing those jobs - in the kind of rescue that they had performed so well, so many times - that their lives were taken from us. (Taken from here)

Sean Patrick "Charger" Tallon was one of those such men. At 26, he had only a month or so left of being a "probie" (a probationary firefighter). Sean was one of the first responders, along with the other members of Ten House. Their station was right across the street from the World Trade Center. On the way up the stairs of Tower One, Sean helped a fellow firefighter that was having a heart attack, then he continued up with two more of his fellow firemen. They were trapped when Tower One collapsed.
Sean led an active and varied life. He was a Marine Corps Reservist. He also loved Irish music and playing the button accordion. He would practice for an hour or more on many evenings. The steady, easy flow of sweet hornpipes, tasty reels, and lively jigs would fill the house.
This is part of a song that was written for Sean, and was played at his funeral:

"Up the stairs boys, running to the top

Without a thought to slow or stop

Upstairs boys on 9/11 and they kept on going

to the gates of Heaven.

With the men of Ten House was Sean Tallon...

Although he wasn't the first, he wasn't the last...

With love of God and Country he never thought he could

see such acts of hate...

As we remember our Charger and the others

and shed a mournful tear for all his fallen brothers,

Although we didn't know them all,

we knew them well enough to know what they were made of...

And that was hero stuff.

written by Dereen and Marian Griffin

Sean left behind his parents, grandparents, sister and brother-in-law, and extended family in the United States, England, and Ireland, along with many friends. He is greatly missed by all.

May you rest in peace Sean Patrick Tallon. I would like to offer up this blessing:

Traditional Irish Blessing

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind always be at your back,

The sun shine warm upon your face,

The rain fall soft upon your fields,

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Thank you for all that you and your brothers do and have sacrificed for all of us! You and yours will be in my prayers. ~Rebecca Buchenot Sain

Check out these cool links (not sure if they're still avail):

2,996 Memorial List ~List of ALL the blog memorials!

Ten House Homepage~ They have an AWSOME site!!

Fire Store ~ Cool Stuff!

10 years later ~ We will NEVER forget

Note: This was originally posted 9/11/2006....we wanted to repost it. We'll never forget!



When aircraft crashed into the World Trade Center's twin towers, it was New York City's Bravest that did what they did best - head directly in to danger, in order to save lives. Firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs - side by side - as was the case so many times before.

Together with members of that city's Finest, they made their way to the heart of the tragedy. Grabbing their gear, the firefighters began rushing into the gigantic structures to assist with their safe evacuation, while the paramedics and EMTs began tending to the injured below.

It was while doing those jobs - in the kind of rescue that they had performed so well, so many times - that their lives were taken from us. (Taken from here)

Sean Patrick "Charger" Tallon was one of those such men. At 26, he had only a month or so left of being a "probie" (a probationary firefighter). Sean was one of the first responders, along with the other members of Ten House. Their station was right across the street from the World Trade Center. On the way up the stairs of Tower One, Sean helped a fellow firefighter that was having a heart attack, then he continued up with two more of his fellow firemen. They were trapped when Tower One collapsed.
Sean led an active and varied life. He was a Marine Corps Reservist. He also loved Irish music and playing the button accordion. He would practice for an hour or more on many evenings. The steady, easy flow of sweet hornpipes, tasty reels, and lively jigs would fill the house.
This is part of a song that was written for Sean, and was played at his funeral:

"Up the stairs boys, running to the top

Without a thought to slow or stop

Upstairs boys on 9/11 and they kept on going

to the gates of Heaven.

With the men of Ten House was Sean Tallon...

Although he wasn't the first, he wasn't the last...

With love of God and Country he never thought he could

see such acts of hate...

As we remember our Charger and the others

and shed a mournful tear for all his fallen brothers,

Although we didn't know them all,

we knew them well enough to know what they were made of...

And that was hero stuff.

written by Dereen and Marian Griffin

Sean left behind his parents, grandparents, sister and brother-in-law, and extended family in the United States, England, and Ireland, along with many friends. He is greatly missed by all.

May you rest in peace Sean Patrick Tallon. I would like to offer up this blessing:

Traditional Irish Blessing

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind always be at your back,

The sun shine warm upon your face,

The rain fall soft upon your fields,

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Thank you for all that you and your brothers do and have sacrificed for all of us! You and yours will be in my prayers. ~Rebecca Buchenot Sain

Check out these cool links (not sure if they're still avail):

2,996 Memorial List ~List of ALL the blog memorials!

Ten House Homepage~ They have an AWSOME site!!

Fire Store ~ Cool Stuff!

6 months!!!!

Wow, how time flies!!!! 6 months ago, I was in labor, excited to meet our little Rachael Elizabeth. A big name for such a little peanut. Her first month saw us moving to Albuquerque. On the way, we stopped in DFW for the weekend. We were able to get Rachael baptized and introduce her to all of her family!! For her second month, we went to the ABQ Balloon Fiesta. Her third month brought Thanksgiving and our family Christmas pictures. Getting ready for Christmas!! Fourth month. Month 5 saw the start of solids! Rachael LOVES her green beans! Today, she has 2 teeth, is sitting unsupported, giggles and laughs, babbles up a storm (can't imagine WHERE she gets that from), rolls, and is still the light of our lives. It amazes me every day just how far she's come in such a short time! As for us, we're STILL in Albuquerque. But....there is light at the end of the tunnel. Allan only has 7 flights left to go. So, we MIGHT be out of here, and on our way to Montana, by mid-March. I can't wait!!! Although, I will be sad to leave Alicia. It's been great living 5 minutes apart!!

Here's a video of Rachael and Daddy laughing!

Rachael "talking"

This is our first attempt at videoing Rachael. Hope you enjoy it!

Long time no post

Well...as most of you know it's been a crazy couple of months for us. Rachael was born Aug 24th. When she was 3 weeks old, we moved to Albuquerque, NM for Allan to finish up flight training. We have a nice furnished apartment here, and some beautiful views. We'll be here until Jan or Feb, then it's up to Montana for us...in the dead of winter!! They've already had snow up there!!?!

Rachael is getting bigger every day. She'll be 7 weeks old tomorrow. Hard to believe. She's starting to smile "real" smiles now and has found her fist/thumb. Whoops...I hear her callilng me now!

37 weeks

Well.....not much new to report here. We got a new-to-us car last week. A 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4. It's very nice, except for the fact that it wouldn't start yesterday when we were leaving the movies!! Fortunatly, it's still under the original warranty. So, it's now in the shop and our rental car is a red Eclipse Spyder Convertible!!

Nothing really to report on the baby front. At my appt yesterday, we were told that "there's nothing going on yet". Oh, well. Maybe next week!


Official Update:
Congratulations! You've got what is officially considered a full-term baby, even with three weeks to go. That doesn't mean he's finished growing — in fact, he's still packing on about a half pound a week (at this age, the average fetus weighs about 6.5 pounds). Right now, your little superstar is busy rehearsing for his big debut, inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid (to get the lungs ready for that first breath), sucking his thumb (to prepare for that first suckle of milk), blinking, and turning from side to side. Meanwhile, your body is going through its own preparations as your practitioner starts looking for signs of labor. On the checklist: the baby's position in relation to your pelvis (engagement) and whether effacement (thinning of the cervix) and dilation (opening of the cervix) have begun. Your practitioner may also determine whether your cervix has begun to soften and move to the front of the vagina, another indication that labor is getting closer. Keep in mind that these processes can occur gradually, over a period of weeks or even a month or more in some women — and overnight in others. So while they're clues that you're indeed progressing, they're far from sure bets when it comes to pinpointing the actual start of labor.


With just three more weeks to go, your baby is doing just fine. You can expect weight gain to be about half an ounce per day. (Boys, though, are likely to be heavier at birth than girls. And here's a bit of boy baby trivia to back that one up: Moms carrying boys tend to eat more than moms carrying girls — a foreshadowing of teenage refrigerator raids to come.) Since your little one is considered full-term at 37 weeks pregnant, if your baby was to leave the wet nest this week, he or she would likely thrive. That's because Mother Nature and you have done such a fine job.

So what's keeping your little one busy while waiting it out until D-day? Practice, practice, practice. Your baby is simulating breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking on his or her thumb, blinking, and pivoting from side to side (one day you feel the tushy on the left side, another day it has swung around to the right side). All these are skills needed for his or her next gig — starring as newborn.

Here's an interesting fact: Your baby's head (which, by the way, is still growing) will, at birth, be the same size circumference as his or her hips, abdomen, and shoulders. And guess what's making an impression (literally) these days on those shoulders and hips: fat — causing little dimples in those cute elbows and knees, shoulders and hip, and creases and folds in the neck and wrists.

Big Sky Country, here we come!!

We're going to be moving to Malmstrom AFB, near Great Falls, MT!!!! I'm happy that we will be living near skiing AND have cooler weather! It will be great flying for Allan.

But...before we move there, we are moving to Albequerque, NM the beginning of Sept. We'll be there until sometime in January. (Great...moving to Montana in the coldest month, based on avg. temps!)

But....before THAT, we have a baby to be born!!! We are officially counting down days (DAYS!!) now! 28 to go as of 8/4. Eeekkk!!

So, onto our formal update:

Your baby's bones may be ready to rock and roll, but yours may be aching something awful right now.
It's a good thing your baby's almost done cooking, since your body may feel pretty "done" by now as well. For one thing, you're doing the full-term pregnancy waddle, the result of hormone-triggered loosening and softening of your connective tissue. This is your body's way of getting ready to squeeze a big baby out of a small space. Unfortunately, those loose joints can lead to some pretty serious hip and pelvic pain — but hang in there! Try to focus on your baby, who is now about six pounds and 20 inches long, with soft bones and cartilage to allow a safer journey through the exit door. Most of her systems (from circulatory to musculoskeletal) are ready for prime time, though her digestion system — which has done only practice runs so far — will kick into gear as she takes her first suckle at the breast or bottle.

Your baby's skull isn't the only soft structure in his or her little body. Most of your baby's bones and cartilage are quite soft as well (they'll harden over the first few years of life) — allowing for an easier journey as your baby squeezes through the birth canal at delivery (and less prodding and poking for Mom along the way). At 36 weeks pregnant, the skull bones are also not fused together yet so that the head can easily (well, relatively easily) maneuver through the birth canal.

So your little bruiser (who you've now learned won't be bruising you all that much with those soft bones) is now about six pounds in weight and measures slightly more than 20 inches in length. Growth will experience a slowdown now, both so your baby will be able to fit the narrow passageway to the outside and also so he or she can store up all the energy needed for delivery.

By now, many of your baby's systems are pretty mature, at least in baby terms — and just about ready for life on the outside. Blood circulation, for instance, has been perfected and your baby's immune system has matured enough to protect him or her from infections outside the womb. Other systems, however, still need a few finishing touches. Once such notable example: digestion — which actually won't be fully mature until sometime after birth. Why's that? Inside his or her little gestational cocoon, your baby has relied on the umbilical cord for nutrition, meaning that the digestive system — though developed — hasn't been operational. So your baby will take the first year or two to bring that system up to speed.

Bottom's Up!!

At our 35 week appointment on Monday, they did an ultrasound for postion, and we found out that little Rachael is bottom's up! I was more than a little surprised that she had flipped, as all the lumps and bumps felt the same to me. I think I'm the only person that wasn't 100% excited by the news. I was fine with a c-section. I know what goes on in the OR and what to expect. Oh, well. As long as she's healthy, that's all that matters.

Allan is UPT complete!!! He gets his assignment tonight, and will be getting his wings on Friday! It has been a LONG 7 years to get here, and I'm so very proud of him!!


35 week update:

A rapidly growing brain makes your baby's head weigh more and that means more pressure on Mommy's bladder.
Your baby is standing tall (so to speak) this week at about 20 inches and continues her steady weight gain to 5.5 pounds. While she won't get much longer, she will continue to pack on the pounds — including large amounts of baby fat — right up 'til delivery day. Something else that's moving at a mind-boggling pace these day: fetal brain development! There's a lot going on inside that tiny head, which is, by the way, still soft to allow an easier exit through the birth canal. And now that she's head-down in preparation for delivery, chances are your bladder is feeling the squeeze, causing you to leak a little every time you sneeze (or cough or laugh). One way to improve your body's holding power: Do lots and lots of those pelvic-floor exercises called Kegels. They can help strengthen your pelvic muscles (important now and postpartum).

At about 20 inches and five and a half pounds (but with about five more weeks to grow), most of your baby's growth over the next month or so before you meet will be in weight (with a gain of anywhere from one pound to several), not height (baby's pretty much reached the in utero limit in that department). Accordingly, fat continues to accumulate at a rapid pace these days (on baby, not just on your hips). Back in the middle of your pregnancy, your baby's weight was made up of only two percent fat; now at 35 weeks pregnant, that percentage has soared to closer to 15 percent (and will increase to 30 percent at term). Which means your baby's once skinny arms and legs are now quite plump…and irresistibly, squeezably soft.

Also continuing to grow at an amazing pace is your baby's brain power. Luckily, the part that surrounds that amazing brain — the skull — remains soft. And for good reason: A soft skull will allow your baby to squeeze more easily through the birth canal. (Mother Nature was really thinking this one through — imagine trying to push out a rock-hard head…ouch!)

34 weeks

Update: As of now (7/23) Allan will be dropping on Wed. 7/29. This is due to broken helos and bad weather. Graduation is still on for Fri. 7/31.

Woohoo!!!! Allan drops on Friday!!! We can't wait! Only 6 more weeks to wait for our little princess to make her appearance (give or take).

Official info....

Your baby could be as tall as 20 inches right now and about five pounds. Need a visual? Hold a five-pound bag of flour in your arms and imagine it's your soon-to-be-born baby (cradle it, and you'll only get strange looks in the baking aisle). Then stack three such bags one on top of the other (and get ready for some more strange looks, maybe from the same clerks who saw you grinning and holding that one-pound box of sugar a few weeks ago). That's how tall your baby is at 34 weeks pregnant. (Now go bake some oatmeal raisin cookies with all that flour!)

You're not seeing things — at least not as well as usual. That's because your eyes are yet another part of your body that falls prey to those pesky pregnancy hormones. Not only can your vision seem less sharp these days, but a decrease in tear production can leave your eyes dry and irritated, especially if you wear contact lenses. Plus, an increase in fluid behind your eyes' lenses can temporarily change their shape, making some women more nearsighted or farsighted than usual. Happily, these vision changes during pregnancy are all temporary. Things should clear up as your eyes return to normal after delivery (so there's no need to change your prescription just yet).

Your baby's fingernails now reach the end of the fingertips and may even curl over the tip, making a manicure one of the first things you'll need to do for your little bundle.

33 weeks

Well....we're 1 1/2 weeks from finding out when we need to be in ABQ, and where we will be heading after that! Then, only 2 1/2 weeks until Allan gets his wings!! Crazy times ahead!

33 week update:

Rachael still feels like she's in the same position as before (at least to me it does). She'll shift somewhat, but always settles back in the same place.
-----------------------------------
This week your baby may be anywhere between 17 to 19 inches in length and weigh more than four and a half pounds. At this stage in fetal development, your baby could grow a full inch more this week alone — especially if he or she has been on the shorter side. Weight gain can range from a third more growth to a full doubling before the big debut.

The level of amniotic fluid in your uterus has reached its maximum at 33 weeks pregnant, making it likely that you have more baby than fluid now. That's one reason why you're probably feeling lots of nudges and pushes — there's less liquid to cushion the blows. (Of course that means you're even closer to your baby now!)

If your uterine walls had eyes, here's what you'd see: your fetus acting more and more like a baby, with his or her eyes closing during sleep and opening while awake. And because those uterine walls are becoming thinner, more light penetrates the womb, helping your baby differentiate between day and night (now if only baby can remember that difference on the outside!).

And good news! Your baby has reached an important milestone about now: The development of his or her own immune system that (along with antibodies from you) will be able to provide protection from mild infections.

With midnight bathroom runs, leg cramps, heartburn, and your basketball-sized belly, it's no wonder sleep is elusive. Third-trimester insomnia strikes about three-quarters of pregnant women (who may also be coping with a mind that races all night long). But your body needs rest, so do your best to get comfy. Grab a pile of pillows, wedge them where you need to, and look on the bright side: Pregnancy insomnia is great training for those sleepless nights to come! Your baby is still gaining weight (about half a pound a week), and she could grow up to another full inch this week. With that much baby inside your uterus, your amniotic fluid level has maxed out, which explains why some of her pokes and kicks feel pretty sharp these days. (There's less fluid to cushion the blows.) Antibodies are being passed from you to your little one as she continues to develop her own fetal immune system, which will come in handy once she's outside the womb and fending off all sorts of germs.

Hopefullty this came out shorte than last weeks post!

32 weeks and Anniversary Trip

We went down to Sandestin for our anniversary. It's just about 2 hours away. We stayed at a beautiful resort, went to the beach, played in the surf (carefully), and had a romantic dinner. The next morning, we headed up to Eglin AFB where Allan played a round of golf. I just went along for the ride! It's a beautiful course, and our friend Jon grew up playing there. Then we came home for the rest of the long weekend. Allan was off from noon on Thursday, all the way through until 10am Tuesday! So it was a nice little break for us. And we ACTUALLY got to see each other for more than just an hour or so like we have been with the night flights.

We put our 'dream sheet' in and will find out where we are going, after Albequerque, on the 24th!!! I can't wait! We will also be finding out when we will be moving to ABQ too.

This is the hotel where we stayed (one of the buildings).

View from our balconette.
The Gulf...as seen from our beach chairs.
Us at sunset.

Baby update: As of my Dr. appt on the 6th, little miss Rachael is still breech, and now is also oblique. That means she has her head pointing towards my right shoulder and her bottom going towards my left hip. We'll know more about how we will procede after my next visit on the 27th.

This week your baby weighs almost four pounds and could be up to 19 inches long. And though that's a head-to-toe length, your baby is actually back to a curled-up position (you try standing up in those cramped quarters!). At 32 weeks pregnant, you're likely feeling tapping and squirming instead of your baby's signature rocking and rolling. That's because, while comfy, your baby is a bit tight for exercise space right now. Your baby has also probably settled into the head-down, bottoms-up position in your pelvis in prepartion for birth. That's because the fetus's head fits better at the bottom of your inverted, pear-shaped uterus. It also makes it easier during childbirth if your baby comes out head first. Fewer than five percent of babies prefer the bottom-down (or breech) position by full-term. Don't worry if your baby hasn't assumed the head-down position yet. There's still a good chance he or she will flip head-side-down before birth — even in the tight confines of your uterus.

While your baby is still getting nourishment through the umbilical cord, it won't be long before you'll be bringing on the breast milk or formula (and soon after, the mashed carrots and peas). In anticipation of that momentous transition to mouth feeding, your baby's digestive system is all set and ready to go.

And speaking of that big day, hope you're resting up for it — because your bambino certainly is. In preparation for that big first date with you, your baby is sleeping like a baby — with sleep cycles of 20 to 40 minutes long (which would also account for the decrease in movement you're likely feeling these days).

Your baby is practicing survival skills like sucking and breathing, while your uterus is practicing some Braxton Hicks contractions.

This week, your body may start prepping for delivery day by flexing its muscles — literally. If you feel your uterus bunching or hardening periodically, those are practice contractions, otherwise known as Braxton Hicks. These rehearsals (typically experienced earlier and with more intensity in women who've been pregnant before) feel like a tightening sensation that begins at the top of your uterus then spreads downward, lasting from 15 to 30 seconds (though they can sometimes last two minutes or more). What's up with your baby? She's starting to get ready for her big debut, tipping the scales at almost four pounds and topping out at just about 19 inches. In these last few weeks, it's all about practice, practice, practice as she hones the skills she'll need to survive and thrive outside the womb, from swallowing and breathing to kicking and sucking. And speaking of sucking, your little one has been able to suck her thumb for a while now. Another change this week: As more and more fat accumulates under your baby's skin, she's becoming less transparent and more opaque.

31 weeks

Chances are your diaphragm is feeling a little cramped these days. Okay, a lot cramped. That's because your uterus is pushing up against it, crowding your lungs and making it more difficult for them to expand fully. The result: Your body is spare on air, and will be until your baby drops near the end of pregnancy in preparation for birth. Your baby, however, is happy as a clam since he gets all the oxygen he needs through the placenta. Weighing in at three-plus pounds and measuring 18 inches long, he's quickly approaching his birth length though he's got to pack on another three to five pounds before D-day. Also developing at an impressive clip: your baby's brain connections (he's got to make trillions of them!). He's now processing information, tracking light, and perceiving signals from all five senses. He's also putting in longer stretches of sleep, which is why you're probably noticing more defined patterns of awake (and moving) periods and sleeping (pretty still) periods.

As far as growth goes, your baby's still on a roll, measuring an impressive 18 inches and weighing in at more than three pounds. At 31 weeks pregnant, you can still expect your baby to gain at least three to five pounds, possibly more, before you two meet.

Your baby's brain is working overtime these days, developing faster than ever. Connections between individual nerve cells are growing at a frenetic clip, and your baby can now perceive information from all five senses. Sure, your baby can't smell anything right now, but that's only because he or she is still submerged in amniotic fluid and needs to be breathing air to get a whiff of anything. Lucky for you — and your baby — yours will be one of the very first scents your baby breathes in, a scent that will quickly become his or her very favorite.

So what's your little dove doing all day while you're busy feathering your nest for his or her arrival? Making faces, hiccupping, swallowing, breathing, pedaling with little hands and feet along your uterine wall, and even sucking his or her thumb. In fact, some babies suck their thumbs so vigorously while in the womb that they're born with a callus on their thumb (what a little sucker!).

Happy Anniversary!!

Wow!! It's been 2 wonderful, crazy years since we tied the knot! Hard to believe. Alot has happened since then: 4 moves in 3 states, Allan started (and is almost finished with) flight school, he got promoted, and our first child is due in 9 weeks. He is a wonderful husband and I have truly been blessed. (I hope he feels the same about me!!) We went to lunch today, and since he is night flying (leaves for work at 4 pm and returns ~3 am) we are going to celebrate this weekend. We have reservations down in Destin, FL. Should be fun!

Allan got his "dream sheet" yesterday. That means that we are in the process of figuring out where we would like to spend the next 4 years of our life, ranked by preference. Fortunately, Allan is fairly high up in his class, meaning we should get our 1st or 2nd choice (provided they are even available). He has to turn it in next Tues, and we will find out the results on July 24th!!

I'll do our baby update tomorrow.

Then....

....and now.

30 weeks

We just got back from Disney World on Tuesday. A GREAT time was had by all!! Allan was able to make it down for the weekend, which made it more special. It was hot and humid, but we all made the best of it and sought out shows with A/C!! I even got to meet Tinkerbell!! Heehee! As much fun as the trip was, I'm glad to be back home, off my feet, and sleeping in my own bed.

Rachaels' "first" pair of ears!

Always the princess!

This was in our hotel lobby.

Now for the baby update:

Your baby's brain is getting smarter by the minute, but for Mom, the only thing that smarts right now may be heartburn pain.

These days you may feel as if you've got a flamethrower in your chest. Heartburn is one of the most common (and annoying) pregnancy ailments and here's why: The same pregnancy hormones that cause your body's pelvic muscles to relax so you can deliver your baby also relax the ring of muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach. The upshot? Food and digestive juices can head upstream from your tummy into your chest and throat — hence, the infernal inferno. Your expanding uterus, now exerting pressure on your stomach, only fuels the fire. And speaking of your belly, its increasing size is a definite clue that your baby is getting bigger every day, weighing in at over three pounds now. Also growing daily is his brain, which is actually starting to look like the real thing with those characteristic grooves and wrinkles. And now that your little genius can regulate his own body temperature and turn up the heat, he'll start shedding lanugo, the downy body hair that's been keeping him warm up until now.

29 weeks & 4D Ultrasound

We had our 4D ultrasound yesterday. It was AMAZING!!! We got some great pictures from it. Rachael was sleeping for most of it. (Go figure, that's what she did for the last US!) She's currently breech, sorta in a "V" position with her head and feet in my ribs on either side. That explains why my ribs have been KILLING me! There's still plenty of room and time for her to flip (many times) before she makes her grand entrance though. We're off to Disney World tomorrow!!!

Now for some pictures, then our regularly scheduled update....






Your baby's packing on the pounds, which look so cute on her. If only you could say the same for your varicose veins....

Your baby is almost 17 inches tall now, nearly as tall as he or she will be at birth. But that three-pound weight will likely more than double — and may even come close to tripling — by delivery time.

At 29 weeks pregnant, your baby is almost 17 inches tall now (nearly as tall as he or she will be at birth), and close to three pounds (a weight that will likely more than double — and may even come close to tripling — by delivery time). His or her wrinkled skin is smoothing out as more fat is deposited under the skin surface. This fat, called white fat, is different from the earlier brown fat that your developing fetus accumulated. Brown fat is necessary for body temperature regulation while white fat (the fat you have, Mom) actually serves as an energy source.

Which explains why your energizer baby feels so…well…energized! Space in your baby's living quarters is now at a premium, so you'll be feeling jabs and pokes from elbows and knees mostly. But those kicks will be more vigorous than before (and also less erratic) because your baby is stronger and excitedly responding to all sorts of stimuli — movement, sounds, light, and that candy bar you ate half an hour ago.

Luckily, your baby doesn't have teeth yet that would need a brushing after that sugary treat, but it won't be long before you'll need to buy that first baby toothbrush! You'll recall that your baby's baby-teeth buds formed weeks ago, but now the buds for permanent teeth are forming in his or her gums as well.

And back to those kicks, who's counting? Actually, you should be. Now's a good time to start doing a kick count twice a day to make sure baby's doing just fine (plus, it's a good excuse for a rest). Lie down (preferably after a snack) and keep track of your baby's movements. You're looking for at least ten movements in an hour's time (don't forget to count movements of any kind — kicks, flutters, swishes, rolls, and so on).

28 weeks

Not much new here. Allan is flying formation this week and will be starting nights next week (YUCK). He'll be finishing up in 6 1/2 weeks!!! Hard to belive that it's already that close!

Baby Update:

Your baby is settling into the proper position for birth, with his head facing downward (toward your body's nearest exit!). Your little work in progress is now about 2.5 pounds and almost 16 inches long. He's busy adding new skills such as blinking to an already impressive repertoire of tricks like coughing, sucking, hiccuping, and taking practice breaths. Your baby's sleep now includes the REM (rapid eye movement) phase — and that means he could be dreaming already (what do you suppose he's dreaming about?). Though his lungs are nearly fully mature (so both of you might breathe a little easier if he were born now), your baby still has plenty of growing to do.

While it's good news that your baby is settling into the right position for childbirth (since you're now entering the third trimester), the potentially painful news is his head — plus the weight of your uterus — may now be sitting on your sciatic nerve, which runs through the lower part of your back, buttocks, and legs. This common condition (called sciatica) can cause sharp, shooting pain and/or tingling or numbness, starting in your rear end and radiating down the backs of your legs. The best thing to do for sciatica (and the rest of your week 28 aches and woes)? Take it easy — and hope your baby changes position sooner rather than later.

27 weeks

I had a GREAT (if very busy) time at home!! With 3 baby showers, 2 graduations, and 1 family grad party it was pretty crazy. Most of that was in 1 weekend!! I enjoyed visiting everyone and even got to go to a Rangers game (double-header with fireworks after!). I teased Allan about it being Rachael's "first" baseball game, which he VERY forcefully claimed it wasn't! Haha!! now, I have to unpack so that I can repack to go to Disneyworld with the family in two weeks. I can't wait!!! But...before I get to have more fun, I have a TON of thank you notes to write. Guess I better get to it.....

Here's our 27 week update:

Your baby moves on to a whole new growth chart this week, while your swollen feet and ankles may need a growth chart of their own!
Puffy? That's to be expected — about 75 percent of soon-to-be moms experience edema (mild swelling of the hands, feet, and ankles) around this point in pregnancy. That's because fluids build up in your body tissues thanks (or no thanks) to increased blood flow and uterine pressure on the vena cava (the large vein that cycles blood from your lower limbs to your heart). So while you may have a hard time squeezing into shoes or getting your rings on (or off), keep in mind that the puff factor is completely normal and temporary. As for baby, it's time to trade in the old crown-to-rump measurement for a new head-to-toe standard (that's 15 inches this week — more than a foot long!). His weight is creeping up the charts as well, coming in at just over two pounds. More big news: Your baby may recognize your voice by now, so feel free to serenade your belly.

Most babies this age, yours included, still like to snuggle in a slightly curled position inside the uterus (thus the term "fetal position"). Even so, beginning at this stage, your baby's length will be measured from top of head to toe — which makes your baby nearly a full 15 inches now. And at just over two pounds, he or she has doubled in weight from four weeks ago.

Your baby's auditory development (hearing) is progressing as the network of nerves to the ears matures. And even though the sounds your baby hears are muffled (thanks to the creamy coating of vernix covering those ears), he or she may recognize both yours and your partner's voices. So this might be a good time to read and even sing to your baby (or rather, your belly) — and a good chance to start boning up on those nursery rhymes and lullabies you'll need to be repeating (and repeating) pretty soon. And while you're at it, here's another way to have some family fun at 27 weeks pregnant: If your partner presses his ear to your belly, he might be able to hear the baby's heartbeat.

Your baby's taste buds are very developed now too (with more taste buds than he or she will ever have outside the womb, actually). Need a taste test? If you eat some spicy food (you hot mama, you), your baby will be able to taste the difference in the amniotic fluid (but keep in mind that you'll have different mealtimes, with your baby's coming about two hours after yours). Some babies will even respond to that spicy kick by hiccupping. And although hiccups (which feel like belly spasms to you) may seem like they're disturbing to your baby, he or she isn't stressed at all. It's just one more sensation that babies need to get used to.

25 weeks

I *finally* got to see Allan fly on Monday!!! It was pretty exciting (for me at least!). In the pictures, he's on the left looking at the helo. He's at the controls for the takeoff too!!

My Dr. appt went well. Blood sugar and other blood work all came back perfect. So, no worries there.

Can't wait to come home tomorrow!!!

The Baby Update:

At nine inches and more than a pound and a half in weight, your baby is taller than two juice boxes stacked one on top of the other, and almost as heavy as four of those little boxes (an analogy you'll find particularly apropos in a few years, when those juice boxes start taking over your refrigerator, your pantry, your car.…).

Don't look now (as if you could), but your baby's skin is turning pinker. No, not because he or she's getting overheated (in fact, the amniotic fluid is perfectly climate controlled, keeping your baby at an always comfortable temperature), but because small blood vessels, called capillaries, are forming under the skin and filling with blood. Later this week, blood vessels will also develop in your baby's lungs, bringing them one step closer to full maturity — and one step closer to taking that first breath of fresh air. But at 25 weeks pregnant, those lungs are still very much works in progress. Though they are already beginning to develop surfactant, a substance that will help the lungs expand after the baby is born, the lungs are still too undeveloped to sufficiently send oxygen to the bloodstream and release carbon dioxide when he or she exhales.

The lungs aren't the only system that's gearing up for air intake. Your baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open this week. This actually allows your little one to begin taking practice breaths. (Of course since there's no air in there, your baby is really only "breathing" amniotic fluid, but it's the practice that counts, right?)

24 weeks

Still not much going on around here. Allan is sim complete for instruments, and has his instrument check ride on Thurs.

Baby Update:

If your former innie is now an outie, welcome to the club. Almost every expectant mom's pregnant belly button pops at some point as her swelling uterus pushes on everything in its path. Things should return to normal after delivery, though your navel (and some other parts of your body) might look a bit, well, stretched. Just think of it as one more badge of honor that only moms get to wear. As for your baby, she's about eight and a half inches long and one and a half pounds, gaining steadily at a rate of six ounces per week. Much of that weight comes from accumulating baby fat, as well as from growing organs, bones, and muscle. By now, that fabulous face is almost fully formed, complete with eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair. Is your baby a brunette, a blond, or a redhead? Actually, right now her locks are white since there's no pigment yet.

Wondering what (and who) your baby will look like? If you had a baby cam at 24 weeks pregnant, you'd almost be able to tell by now. That beautiful face (though still tiny) is almost fully formed. What's still missing from the picture is the fat that will be piled on under baby's skin. Until those fat deposits are made, that very tender skin is still very transparent, which means a close look would let you see clear through to all the organs, bones, and blood vessels. Fortunately, that see-through look won't last much longer. Babies at this stage of fetal development are gaining about six ounces each week — with much of that gain coming from fat, in addition to growing organs, bones, and muscle.

What's been playing on your little rocker's stereo system these days? All kinds of sounds can be heard by your baby in your womb: from air exhaling from your lungs (deep breath now), those gastric gurgles produced by your stomach and intestines, your voice and your partner's (which your baby will be able to recognize at birth), and even very loud sounds such as honking horns, barking dogs, or a wailing fire truck.

23 weeks

Happy 35th Anninversary to my parents!!

Not much going on around here this week, so on to the weekly update:

At eight inches and slightly over a pound, your baby is the size and shape of a small doll when you are 23 weeks pregnant. (But then, you already knew that you were carrying a living doll, didn't you?) This week marks the beginning of some serious weight gain. Your baby's weight in the next four weeks alone should double (and you may feel as though yours is too).

You have probably heard your developing baby's heartbeat through a Doppler a number of times already (though you never get tired of hearing it), but by now you can also hear it through a standard stethoscope. What a heart throb!

You're now in your sixth month and your baby is about to chub up a bit. His saggy skin will start to fit his frame as fat deposits fill things out. Beginning this week, he'll start to pack on the pounds (which means you will, too!) and by month's end he'll be double the weight he is now (though you won't be — whew!). Right now, your baby's organs and bones are visible through his skin, which has a red hue due to developing veins and arteries beneath. But once those fat deposits settle in, he'll become less transparent, too.

Yes, the baby you're expecting is cozily ensconced in your abdomen — yet, by now you've probably noticed that pregnancy affects you head to toe, and pretty much everywhere in between. At 23 weeks pregnant, your head is fuzzy (this is your brain…this is your brain on progesterone), and your toes (well, your feet, at least) are growing. Stretch marks are blooming in vibrant shades of pink and purple on pretty much every available surface of skin and…wait! What's that funky dark line running down the center of your belly?

That line has actually always been there, but you probably never noticed it until pregnancy hormones caused hyperpigmentation. Other (less than delightful) skin changes on your body may include red palms and soles, bluish blotchy legs, heat rash, and skin tags.

Believe it or not, it's called the "dark line" — or as your practitioner likes to call it, linea nigra. A common emblem of pregnancy (more noticeable in darker skinned women), the linea nigra, which runs between your belly button and your pubic area, is caused by the same pregnancy hormones that cause all the skin discolorations you might be noticing. Like the deeper tone of the freckles on your arms and legs.

Some women (again, more often darker-skinned ones) notice discoloration on the face too, especially in the area around the nose, forehead, cheeks, and eyes. It's called the mask of pregnancy (or chloasma) because it appears as a mask-like configuration on the face. Rest assured, you won't be playing masquerade for much longer. All these skin discolorations will fade within a few months after delivery. In the meantime, bring on the concealer (though not the bleaching creams, which won't work anyway).