Monster Update: 27

The Tummy Monster is really starting to get big, now, and Stef is pretty much always hungry. This week he weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14.4 inches long with his legs extended. He now sleeps and wakes at regular intervals, which intervals normally coincide with Stef's ice cream ingestion. He may also be sucking his fingers or having hiccups now, basically doing baby stuff. And although the Monster's lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if he were born prematurely. Which is good to know in theory, but we have no plans to put this little nugget of information into practice.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Kicky McGee

So for a while, Stef was telling me she could feel the Monster kick around in her belly. Every once in a while she'd grab my hand and excitedly put it on her belly, amazed that I could not feel him at all. He apparently moves more (or, at least) Stef can feel him move around more) when (i) Stef is being less active, and/or (ii) post Breyer's chocolate ice cream binge (a now daily occurrence for Stef), so quite often a fair part of the night would be her going "oh!" and grabbing my hand, me shaking my head, and her looking disappointed and bewildered.

And then, a few days ago, the Monster grew up enough so that I could feel him kick. And kick. And kick. And kick. And kick. Basically what I'm saying is: the Monster's an active little guy.

It's a surreal experience that is hard to put into words, feeling your first child move around inside your wife like some kind of parasitic alien creature. I can only imagine it freaks Stef out slightly more than me, if only because she feels it all the time. It also makes me proud for some reason, and very excited. I mean, feeling the Monster kick pretty much makes him that much more of a reality.

Sorry For The Delay

Huh. So, it is taking us much longer than expected to get back on track here at Tummy Monster's public relations firm, but in the meantime, you should know there's a new poll for middle names, and the Tummy Expansion animation has been updated to the most recent image (taken this Saturday). As you can tell, Stef is looking very big and healthy. We could not be more excited, but we're also in the process of nesting, so we're pretty distrac - hey! cute baby stuff. Neat!

Anyway, I'm not a big fan of making promises I am not sure I can keep, but you can probably expect some backlogged content to be popping up on this site by the end of the week. Yeah, I know, you can go ahead and breathe out again.

Monster Update: 26

The Tummy Monster now weighs a little less than 2 pounds and measures about 14 inches. His weight will more than triple between now and birth as he rapidly puts on baby fat, and makes Stef expand like a giant balloon. The Monster will need that fat to help adjust to colder temperatures outside the 98.6 degree plus womb-spa he's in now, and also as a source of energy and calories in the first days of life. Apparently, it's not uncommon for newborn monsters, especially those who are breastfed, to lose weight (sometimes as much as 10 percent of their birth weight) in the first week after birth.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Monster Update: 25

Head to heels, the Tummy Monster now measures about 13.5 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — doesn't sound like much, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for a more rounded one. As the Monster gains weight, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more like a mini newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now in color and texture, although both will likely change after he's born.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Another Monster Friend: Cousin Special Edition

Hunter James Sicard, a.k.a. "Ribs", born September 12, 2007, at 9:47 PM; weighing in at 7 lbs, 3 oz and measuring 20 inches. The Monster has a cousin, and our family is now plus one. Happy (Jewish) New Year, indeed.

To Tide You Over

So... it has been a little while since the last Tummy Monster post, I realize. The delay may have to do with the fact that in the span of two weeks we closed on a townhouse, we moved half of our stuff from Providence to Smithfield, we moved the other half of our stuff from Mystic to Smithfield, we probably bought another half of stuff and had to put it together/install it ourselves*, I finished one job on a Friday and started the new one the next Monday, we held a Fantasy Football draft party/BBQ and Stef helped prepare for a friend's baby shower. Or it may be because I'm lazy. Who knows?

Anyway, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to wait a bit more for updates and whatnot, because we're still kinda' busy and reeling from the move. Updates will be sporadic for a time. Until then, there's a new poll of middle names to vote on. Hooray!

*Everything but the gas dryer, of course. That we had to hire a plumber to install for us.

Monster Update: 24

The Tummy Monster is steadily growing, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week. Since he's almost a foot long, that makes for a pretty lean figure, but his body's filling out proportionally. The Monster's brain is growing rapidly, and his taste buds may be working now. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily. The Monster can hear more now, and Stef may even start to notice him startle at loud, sudden noises. But he's probably getting used to the regular noises she hears around the house, such as me barking at the TV during a football game, or the purr of Jackie resting on Stef's belly.

Text adapted from Baby Center.

Monster Update: 23

The Tummy Monster is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. He may be able to feel Stef's movements now. He looks red now due to blood vessels showing through his transparent skin, but his true skin tone will develop over the course of his first year. Blood vessels in the Monster's lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing, but complete lung development will take many more months. The lungs are the last organ to fully develop.

Text adapted from Baby Center.