Week 27 - Baby's Got Rhythm!

Hey there Baby Stalkers! Its week 27 and you're in baby heaven! Its the end of the second trimester, and there's all sorts of things to tell you about this week. Most of them all have one thing in common:

Rhythm.

Yeah, feel the rhythm ladies and gentlemen, 'cause this is one baby that's got it! Everything seems to relate to my ability to get funky. Whether we're talking about my movements or my development, the results are the same. I've got James-Brown-like levels of rhythm. Just call me the Hardest Working Baby in Wombsville.

First, the obvious statement - I like music. I mean, I REALLY like music. I don't just kick when I like music, I move to the beat! Back and forth, up and down, and its all to the beat of whatever music I'm listening to. Pretty cool trick, huh? This beats the heck out of those "amazing" things I used to do. Remember a few weeks back when everybody was amazed when I moved on the ultrasound screen? Well this makes that looks pretty petty in comparison now, doesn't it? And if you think THIS is amazing, just wait and see what I have in store the next few weeks. It's gonna blow you away!

And guess what else is rocking to the beat? My sleep schedule! I pretty much sleep and wake up at the same times every day. My favorite time to wake up is around 9-9:30, because then I play my kicking game with daddy. I keep it real simple for his sake - he taps on me and I kick back. I think asking any more of him would be a stretch right now, so let me bring him along slowly and the games will get more adventurous over time. So really when you think about it, even our game is based on rhythm...the daddy & baby rhythm.

When I'm not dancing and wiggling around, sometimes I'll inadventently (big word for a baby huh?) make other tiny little rhythmic movements. Hiccups! They're not really fun - they take me by surprise and then they stick around forever. I tried everything to get rid of them. I told Placenta to try to scare me, hoping they would go away. Curse my instinctively brave nature, he doesn't scare me anymore! So then Placenta said that HE heard that breathing into a paper bag helps.

He's an idiot.

For one thing, where in the world does he expect me to get a paper bag? Its not like I can run to the Piggly Wiggly and steal one from them. Plus I'm pretty sure that he's thinking of hyperventilating anyways, so we gave up on that approach. Eventually they just work themselves out. Right now I'm blaming daddy for the hiccups. I laugh at him so much that hiccups usually follow shortly after my daddy encounters. I'll have your hide for this one day, old man!

Okay, I'm getting off track a bit here, lets get back to my weekly developments. I can open and close my eyes with rhythm too. I heard its called "blinking". It might be a minor detail, but its yet another way that my new blessing of funk is moving me closer and closer to the day of my Great Escape from these walls. And while my eyes are open, I am now able to gather light thanks to my rapidly maturing eyes. The different layers that form the retina receive light and transmit signals to the brain so that I now see images!

They're not the most hi-res things you've ever seen in your life, but they're good enough for me to see my surroundings. And remember, the more I can see, the better I can plan my escape! All of this visual information is helping my brain develop. Its growing as fast as ever. You'd think all of this info got me all edgy and hyper, but one thing calms me down. I'm sure you can guess what it is...its the good ol' thumb! Whenever things get rough or stressful in here, I just take a quick hit off the ol' opposing digit and it knocks me right out. It also doubles as a way to strengthen my cheek and jaw muscles for nursing. So don't discourage me from sucking my thumb. Dammit people, I'm working out!

As far as new developments physically, that's about it. As of this week I now officially have all of the pieces and parts that make me a little bitty person. From here on out, the only thing that happens is that I get bigger and bigger and bigger. I'm thinking about trying to hit the 10-pound mark, is that big enough? It sounds like a nice round number, and I'm sure mommy won't mind. So hang back for a few weeks baby stalkers, and let me "cook" in here.

Don't be too worried though. I'm a pretty mature guy already. My lungs are a little immature right now, but the good news is that with today's medical wonders I could be born right now and be okay. I'd just need some mechanical medical assistance. Actually the more I think about it, that sounds pretty cool! I'd be like a little RoboBaby. Half Baby, Half Machine, TOTAL BADASS!

Silly me. I was so eager to tell you about my rhythm that I forgot to mention my weekly Baby Tale of the Tape! I'm up to 2 pounds now, just like I promised. I doubled my weight in just a few weeks, how cool is that? I betcha a million dollars YOU can't do it! Ah yes, the joys of being a baby. I'm up to about 14.5" tall, which means I'm REALLY starting to take up a lot of space in here. I don't know how much bigger this room gets, but it better start getting bigger SOON. I've already stretched the room further up closer to mommy's rib cage, which is giving her hiccups and shortening her breath. All it takes is a few baby kicks into the diaphragm to get the hiccups going. That is yet another cool trick I've learned. The best part about her having hiccups is that it bounces me around in here, so its kind of like being on a little ride. Luckily there's no height restriction like the rides at DisneyWorld!

Mom is suffering from one other major change to HER body this week. Her body is kicking into overtime to produce more and more progesterone. What it is SUPPOSED to do is relax the muscular walls of the ol' Uterus Bachelor Pad that I'm living in right now. That will help make this room bigger! One side effect of this is that it can cause mood swings. What? I'm confused, I thought that football season caused mood swings! And if you don't think it does, then you haven't sat there between mommy and daddy during a football game. I've heard cheering and laughing, yelling and screaming, and maybe a few random punches thrown into the couch cushions. And that's just mommy! Daddy's even crazier!

And now last but certainly not least, its time for the weekly baby name poll. This week, my Godmother Teresa decided to step up to the plate and give the whole naming thing a try. I welcome her attempt with open baby arms after seeing all of the duds that my parents have thrown out there. Her first suggestion is "James Gage Joiner". It looks like she took daddy's idea of using "James", and then slapped "Gage" in there for a cool, semi-shotgun sounding name. Her other suggestion is "Cole Reese Joiner". I don't know what the reasoning for this one was, but its not too bad either. Heck, its better than anything mommy and daddy have tried to stick me with lately. So be sure to vote over on the right side of the screen and let me know how you think she did in taking over the naming duties this week. I mean hey, she's the Godmother.....she's gotta do something right? Thank you Godmamma!

One more thing to give you a head's up on regarding baby names. In the next few weeks there will be an all-new, exciting way for EVERYONE to get involved in the baby naming process. It takes the weekly polls and adds an exciting twist! I've gotta hand it to daddy on this one, he gave me the idea for it. We're expecting to release it to the world by week 33 or 34. So keep watching for that! (And don't ask me what it is, I'm not going to tell anyone)

Until next week BabyStalkers, keep on stalkin'!
-BabyBoy Joiner