19 weeks!! 1 week shy of half way!!

At 19 weeks... our baby is about the size of a mango (or so the websites tell me).

Now for a ridiculously uncomfortable picture... according to the other website I check regularly... our baby looks someone like this at 19 weeks. click here (poor baby! I hope he or she is in a little bit more comfortable position than that.)

And now I will give you the regular weekly update according to babycenter.com. (Please note, I have made it gender neutral, because some people have pointed out that this website usually refers to one gender... and they --ehem.... Katie H.... ehem--- do not like that hahaha)

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! His/Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he/she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. His/ Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his/her body now. His/Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

So, there you have it folks... please ask before you decide to speak directly to my belly... otherwise, it may be a little awkward. :-D

We find out on Monday (if Jellee cooperates) the mystery of his/her gender!! So, if you haven't voted on the poll on the right, feel free to get their vote in. Right now, between the poll I have put on facebook, and the poll on here (which I'm sure there is some over lap...but I don't care hehehe) the poll is leaning towards team pink!! So... guess we'll wait and see now won't we!! Stay glued to your facebook and this blog for more exciting updates!!

K

The sounds Jellee makes....

Today we had a great doctors appointment. Everything came back great. The urine test came out fine, my blood pressure was fine (and for those of you who know me well, know that at a doctors office, that is rare), and my weight was fine.

Baby Jellee did well too! He/she had a mighty fine heartbeat at 156 beats per minute!! (Of course, it was so quiet at first I actually thought it was just my heartbeat echoing from afar. That did send a little bit of a panic... but the midwife laughed it off and said "nope, that's your baby!")

Now... if I do this right... hopefully this video will upload and you too can hear the amazing sounds of baby Jellee. (Yes, the video isn't amazing quality, but it's from my phone... what do you expect? ) Thanks for the prayers! Today was such an answer to prayer. With great reports all around.

18 weeks!!

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper-- or a sweet potato as the site above suggests) and s/he weighs almost 7 ounces. S/He's busy flexing his/her arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His/her blood vessels are visible through his/her thin skin, and his/her ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his/her head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after s/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.

Of course, Jeremy and I are hoping there will be no shyness in a week!!

This week, we have been fairly uneventful. Although, the exciting news on the homefront, is I'm pretty confident that last night while we were watching TV that I definitely got a swift uterine kick from our little "Jellee." So that was kind of fun!

We go on Monday to the midwife for another check. The one week from Monday we go to get our ultrasound... 'the' ultrasound. So I'm praying for a very bold little one whether it's a he or a she... I don't care. But it sure would be great to know a little bit more about him/her. :-D

So, we'll keep you posted. And maybe we'll start posting some weekly pictures.

How far along? 18weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I will not be sharing that.... sorry folks.. I stick with yes.
Maternity clothes? Mostly still pants/shorts... but I'm not opposed to maternity shirts. I just have other shirts that still fit, so I'm enjoying.
Stretch marks? nothing new to report so that's good.
Sleep: This week I've had a bit of sleep disturbances due to some unsettling dreams. They usually start off fine, but then I end up being caught in some FBI raid, (I'm always on the good side) but I really don't like seeing guns point at me, people I love, or my dog! Soo.. I wake up. This week, I also didn't take a nap 3 days in a row.
Best moment this week: Feeling a good kick last night.
Movement: I'm pretty sure
Food craving: Anything....
Gender: We hope to find out in a week.
Name: Haven't even started the list.. but maybe we'll start after next week
Labor Signs: Definitely not. (Which is good!)
Belly Button in or out? In... the way it's always been
What I miss: a good night's sleep... and diet coke & diet dr. pepper
What I am looking forward to: Gender ultrasound

Have a great week everyone! Remember... you still have a week to vote... so let the votes flood in!! haha

17 weeks

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. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, her sweat glands are starting to develop and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.

Well... that's what the books/internet resources say. As far as things go... we're still fairly normal, and uneventful. I have suspicions that a few nights ago, while sitting on the couch, I felt the baby "flutter"/kick. So that's very exciting. All the books say between now and the next 6 weeks there should be some kicking action. So if this wasn't the real deal, then we'll feel something soon.

We have our next doctors appointment next Monday morning. I'm hoping to hear a nice, delightful, strong, healthy heartbeat.

Now for a little survey to remember this time by:
How far along? 17 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: definitely not sharing.
Maternity clothes? mostly pants... things are just way to uncomfy otherwise.
Sleep: depends on the night. This week we're baby sitting my parents dog... and so we've been getting up super early to go outside and take a potty break... to which she wonders around for 15-20 minutes without any "action"... so that makes me crabby... especially if it's raining.
Best moment this week: People still finding out, and getting the excited congratulations!
Movement: I suspect we have had some baby flutters!!!
Food cravings: Nothing in particular, just food in general. Definitely no weird combos
Gender: We still don't know, but we hope to find out in about a week and a half!!
Name: We haven't even started
Belly Button in or out? Same as always... it's an innie
What I miss: diet coke with wreckless abandon
What I am looking forward to: hearing his/her heartbeat next week, and hopefully finding out the gender
Weekly Wisdom: I don' t know, anyone have any they want to share??
Milestones: feeling potential kicks!!

Anyway, don't forget that the poll is still up. Apparently the world definitely believes that we're headed down the road of amazing pink frills and cute dresses!! Both the poll on Facebook, and on here are suggesting team pink! Guess we'll see. Won't we?

And lastly, I have an appointment next Monday (as mentioned earlier). Please say a prayer for me. The last time they detected glucose in my urine, which could be a sign of gestational diabetes. But after talking with me, it was determined that I had just eaten too soon to my appointment. So, we've been praying that that is the case. Please say a prayer with me that all checks out great at the next appointment. This time, I will not be eating right before I go in... so as to get a better screening. But, those who know me well, know that both my parents are diabetic, so this is of particular concern to me. (Also, the stat for women with gestational diabetes is that they have a 25-50% likelihood of developing diabetes as an adult later on. Fooey!!) So please, say a prayer.

ok, that's it for now!!

Poll at the right!

There is a poll at the right that I will leave up until [I believe] the day before our appointment to find out what we're having. I just thought it would be fun for people to vote. So, please feel free. Might be fun to see who's right... of course, ultimately, they could be "wrong" come January. Hehehe....

Just thought I'd draw a little bit of attention to it...

Thanks!

16 weeks

Well today marks 16 weeks. So... we're up to an avocado.

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. 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.

I've decided that in addition to posting pictures (and pictures of me will come when there is something to show... ), I will post this little questionnaire.

How far along? 16 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Yes (?)
Maternity clothes? Just a few pants/shorts... they were just getting too uncomfortable to wear for a long time... I probably could with the help of a rubber band or hair tie... but why?
Stretch marks? none to note
Sleep: If I'm really tired, I fall asleep fast, if not I'm slightly restless... but I love to get an afternoon nap in.
Best moment this week: Telling everyone.... last Thursday and Friday we presented our parents with pictures of our ultrasound that said "Coming soon... in January 2012"... then we made subsequent phone calls after this.
Movement: Still trying to determine if I have or not... books say soon though
Food cravings: Anything... but I have an aversion the smell of lunch meat. Blech! Jeremy has had to pack his own sandwhich for the last 2 weeks.
Gender: We don't know... yet!
Name: We haven't even discussed it yet. I think we're waiting for a gender determination before we start really thinking hard about them. I have a few in mind... but... ya know.
Labor Signs: Better not!
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: having a diet coke regularly....
What I am looking forward to: Mommyhood (?) sounds good
Milestones: Blogging twice this week? hehehe

15 Weeks

15 weeks:

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). 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.")

This week we spent the last half of it telling all our family and friends that we were expecting. Life has certainly become quite the buzz. Last night I had to turn the sound off on my phone because I was getting so many text updates from Facebook. But ya know what? That has started to brew a little bit more excitement within me as well.

So... stay tuned life is going to get exciting from here on out!