Baby Update: Week 17

Yesterday was week 17 for me. I'm glad the weeks are flying because I cant wait for next week when we find out the baby's gender. This means Murat and I can finally narrow down our 200 page list of baby names to half :) My belly is definitely getting bigger, I don't know if it's because I overindulged this weekend. Slow and steady means a healthy baby.

Here is what my baby will be busy doing this week:

Going forward, growth and refinement of your baby's existing systems and organs occurs. Your baby's ears stand out from his or her head. (More or less depending on heredity.)

At 5 inches crown to rump, your baby is large enough to give you a good kick in the belly. Within the next month, you should be able to feel this five-ounce wonder throwing his or her weight around.

Unique fingerprints and toe prints are developing.

Meconium, your baby's first bowel movement is beginning to collect in the colon. Your baby is actually digesting swallowed amniotic fluid. At this time, fat deposits will appear under your baby's skin. This fat will help your baby to regulate his or her temperature after birth.

Circulation of blood is now established and the umbilical cord lengthens and thickens in response to the rapidly growing needs of your baby. The placenta and fetus are now almost equal in size.

A few things to look forward to this August...

*Drum rolls please*

Cirque du Soleil is returning to Boston with Alegria and I am gushing with excitement over this news. I’m a big fan of Cirque, the first show I saw was “O” in Vegas and since then I make a point to go at every opportunity. I once went down to NYC for a day, just to catch a show.

Anyhow, I just watched the Alegria trailer and the acts look phenomenal. The reviews I read were also outstanding so I have high hopes. This time it will be at BU’s Agganis Arena. Yay for the convenient location, no more hauling myself to Dorchester.

If you’re interested in seeing this show let me know. In the meantime, here's a taste of what to expect...

Handy Household Tip: Make your own flower preservative!

Have you ever ran out of those packets of flower food that florists send home with your bouquet?

This is a handy homemade substitute, tried and tested for the last couple of years now. You may have to guesstimate the measurements bc it obviously depends on the size of your vase.

The recipe below is based on 1 litre of room temperature water:

- 2 tsp sugar (provides nutrition)
- 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice (I've never added this but a recent recipe I came accross advises using this to lower the PH level of the water)
- 1/2 tsp bleach (prevents bacteria growth)


Other tips to help your flowers last longer are:

- Cut the stems in warm water to prevent the flower from taking up oxygen
- Remove any of the leaves that are below water level to prevent bacteria growth
- The obvious - cut the stem from a slant angle

I've probably bored you with this info but I'm pretty sure this will come in handy... one of these days.

Baby Update: Week 16

Changes In My Growing Baby:

"Development has reached a unique milestone, as the baby and the placenta are now roughly the same size.

Every day, the baby is looking more like an adorable newborn, with fat deposits building up under the skin, and the neck and head straightening more, also the eyes and ears have moved into their final position. The eyes can perceive light although the eyelids remain sealed shut.

The heart pumps 25 quarts of blood per day, which may sound like a lot until you consider that by week 40, that number will rise to 1900 quarts a day! Baby’s heart rate is twice yours.

The activity level continues to increase as baby may be contending with hiccups, and is breathing underwater. The baby is now around 3 ounces, perhaps up to 3 ½ ounces, and is 4 ½ to 5 inches in length."

Bargain Alert: Finale Summer Special!

Last night Murat and I were looking for grub in the Theater District when we happily stumbled across a Summer Special at Finale in Park Plaza Hotel.

SUMMER SPECIAL: 2 Dinner + 2 Desserts = $29.99

Although dinner portions were small, by the time we were through with their amazing dessert we were stuffed.

Good excuse for date night ladies!

Rescued Hydrangeas

Late last night I snuck out of the house and ran across the street where hydrangeas are just wilting away thanks to the last few days of relentless rain.

I discretely clipped two off, threw them in my bag and found them a loving home in my apartment where there can be better appreciated and safe from the rain.

Put them in a vase and they light up any room!

The Big Announcement!

Hello & Welcome!

With a little encouragement from my sister and a lot of free time this summer, I finally decided to join the world of blogging. Another compelling reason for me to start a blog is this very exciting news...

Yes folks, by the end of the year we'll have a new addition to our family!!!

Because Murat and I travel around so much and with family and friends scattered across the globe, we wanted to be able to share with you the exciting changes going on with our lives via this blog.

In the future you can expect to read about a lot of baby news, as well as our whereabouts, my thoughts and ideas (or me asking me for your ideas/opinions), interior design, travel, food, fashion and everything else under the sun.

Happy reading!