Our little blessing at 37 weeks, 4 days

     Sorry this is late, but we are officially full term now! So now we have +/- three weeks to go. I had my weekly doctor’s appointment last Friday. Not much to report from that though. I weighed just a little bit less than the week before and my blood pressure was good. The results from my Group B strep test came back negative so I won’t have to have antibiotics given to me during labor to make sure the baby isn’t affected. They did not do a pelvic exam this week because I haven’t been having contractions and they doubt that I have progressed any. Otherwise, here is what’s been going on this week.

How far along? 37 weeks, 4 days

Baby’s size?  The baby weighs a little more than six pounds and is about the length of a stalk of Swiss chard at a little more than 19 inches long. The baby is now considered “full term,” even though his due date is three weeks away. If I went into labor now, his lungs would likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb.

Sleep? Sleep is not good anymore. I have trouble getting comfortable at night and falling asleep unless I am really tired. If I have a nap during the day, it makes it hard to sleep at night. And I get up to use the restroom about every hour or two.

Food cravings? This week I’ve been loving frozen green grapes, orange juice, and ice cream, particularly soft-serve type ice cream like that in Dairy Queen blizzards.

Food aversions? No aversions this week.

Symptoms? Still having some pain in my pelvis due to stretching ligaments as my body gets ready for the baby’s birth. I've been having some heartburn lately, which is no fun. 

Best moment this week? One of the best moments this week was when Tim read some of the baby’s books to my stomach. It was really cute to see him get into it. And the baby responded with a few kicks, so he must have enjoyed it too.

Movement? Movement has slowed down some because I think it's getting pretty cramped in there. Some days he’ll move a ton and then the next day he’ll be a little more subdued as if he wore himself out the day before.

What I miss about not being pregnant? I miss being able to get up and down off the floor/couch/bed like I used to. It’s easy for me to lose my balance sometimes when I try to get up as fast as I used to be able to. Also, putting on shoes and socks is really hard now.

What I’m looking forward to? Still waiting on the baby furniture. Unfortunately, the owner of the store called and said the company that makes the furniture will not send a truck out to deliver it until they have a full truck of merchandise, which she doesn’t expect will happen until mid-April. She is estimating we’ll get the furniture at the end of April. We’re both really disappointed. We had hoped to have the nursery completely finished before he was born. Otherwise, I’m really excited to finally meet the baby and see what he looks like and to be able to start that next step in being a parent to an outside baby.  I’m also looking forward to our families coming out to visit in the next two months! 

Our little blessing at 36 weeks

     Things are going well on the baby front. I had a doctor’s appointment on Friday, the first of what will now be weekly visits. The baby had a heart rate of 134 beats per minute, which is lower than it has been, but the doctor said that was normal as the baby gets bigger and can't move around as much. My stomach measured 37 cm, which is on track for where I am in the pregnancy. It should be anywhere between 36 and 38 cm according to the doctor. So the baby is not measuring too big or too small. The doctor also did a pelvic exam and I am not effaced or dilated at all. They will continue to check my progress each week. 

How far along? 36 weeks

Baby’s size?  The baby weighs about the same as a Crenshaw melon at almost six pounds and about 18.5 inches long. He is packing on the pounds at about an ounce a day. He should begin shedding his vernix caseosa and lanugo hair in preparation for his birth.

Sleep? Sleep is okay. I’m kind-of worn out from the time change and from how busy we were this week with hospital tours, birthing classes, small group, two church functions, and some other stuff I’ve been up to this week. I get up to use the bathroom a ton still and Tim told me that I woke him up with my snoring the other night! I’m not normally a snorer, so I hope this is just a pregnancy thing.

Food cravings? Orange juice has been particularly refreshing this week. I’ve been craving a milkshake for the majority of this week too and finally got a small one from Sonic today! Yay! 

Food aversions? No aversions. I pretty much like everything I liked before I was pregnant.

Symptoms? My pelvic muscles have become sore as my ligaments stretch to allow my pelvis to open up in preparation for the baby’s delivery. It hurts to get up from bed or the couch and sometimes when I’m walking around. My doctor said it is completely normal though. Other than that, I haven’t really had any pregnancy symptoms.

Best moment this week? Finishing our birthing classes this week and touring the hospital and pre-registering was great. It’s nice to cross more things off our baby preparation to-do list. And having a better idea of what to expect when I go into labor has helped ease some of the uncertainty about it.

Movement? The baby is still moving a lot, more so in the morning and evening. He still gets the hiccups about once a day, which is fun.

What I miss about not being pregnant? Nothing much.

What I’m looking forward to? I’m still waiting for the baby’s furniture to be delivered. I can’t wait to be able to do some more work in the nursery. We had some art framed for the room this week and I can’t wait to hang it once we get the furniture in. 

Here's a view from the side. It's amazing that I still have a month left. 

How much bigger can I get? 

Here's a shot of my bellybutton. As you can see, it is pretty much flat now. We'll have to see if it will become an outie. 

Still no stretch marks though!

Our little blessing at 35 weeks

Well, I have officially reached the infamous 35/35 (35 weeks pregnant, 35 days to go). So that means only 5 more weeks (approximately) until I am holding a baby in my arms! I can't believe it!

How far along? 35 weeks

Baby’s size?  The baby weighs about the same as honeydew melon (5.25 pounds) and about 18 inches long from head to heel. Because it’s so snug in my womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he’ll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Sleep? Sleep isn’t so great anymore. I’m having a lot more trouble getting comfortable enough to fall asleep, though I am pretty good at falling back asleep when I wake up during the middle of the night for bathroom breaks (which is pretty frequently).

Food cravings? This week I craved Funfetti cake. And Pink Lady apples. 

Food aversions? Nothing really.

Symptoms? Tim is convinced that my belly button is about to wave the white flag and surrender trying to be an innie. I’m also having some more pain in my hips/lower back area. Otherwise, I’m still doing good.

Best moment this week? The baby has had the hiccups a few times this week. It’s the first time I’ve really been able to tell that that was what they were. They feel kind-of like a small kick, but very rhythmic. It’s pretty cute.

Movement? He’s still moving a ton. I guess he’s not too big that he can’t still roll over in there from time to time.

What I miss about not being pregnant? Nothing.

What I’m looking forward to? I’m looking forward to the baby’s furniture coming in soon. It should be here within three weeks. Once that happens, we’ll soon be able to finish the nursery and put everything away and put art up on the walls. Yay! Then we'll post pictures.

Our little blessing at 34 weeks

How far along? 34 weeks

Baby’s size?  The baby weighs about the same as a cantaloupe, about 4.75 pounds and almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he’s born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well.

Sleep? I’m having a harder time falling asleep at night because it’s getting more difficult to find a comfortable position. But once I finally do fall asleep, I sleep pretty soundly (minus the frequent bathroom breaks). And boy, are they frequent. Tim says we should take out stock in toilet paper.

Food cravings?  Not a whole lot of cravings. Green grapes and this new sherbet we found that is orange with chocolate chips in it. Soooo good.

Food aversions? Broccoli and I are still not the best of friends, but I still eat it anyway.

Symptoms?  The upper half of my belly button seems to want to poke out, but the bottom half is holding it back. My back hurts pretty frequently, but I don’t really have a whole lot of the common symptoms particularly the digestion-related ones, thank goodness. I’ve had what I think are a few Braxton-Hicks contractions (practice contractions), but I’m not certain.

Best moment this week? Attempting to videotape my belly moving has been pretty fun this week. We’re still working on it and may post something on the blog. The baby seems to be a little camera-shy because he will be holding his own personal dance party in my belly and it will be moving all over the place, but once we bring out the camera, he stops moving.

Movement? The baby has been moving a ton. We’ll keep trying to document it. It’s really remarkable to watch my whole belly ripple as he rolls over. This morning I rolled over to try to get Tim to wake up and my tummy was pressed against his back and the baby kicked so hard that Tim felt it in the small of his back. That was pretty funny.

What I miss about not being pregnant? Not too much, though I think it’s pretty funny that I have this vision in my head of how big my body is and a lot of times I try to fit through spaces that I don’t fit through anymore or I bump into Tim or counters or other things because I forget that I have a belly. My hands have swelled a little bit in the last few weeks so my rings have gotten tighter. I actually took off my wedding ring, which fits a bit tighter, and have just been wearing my engagement ring. 

What I’m looking forward to? I’m really looking forward to finishing the baby’s nursery. I’m also interested in what we’ll continue learning at our childbirth classes. Our first one went well. I didn’t really learn too much that I hadn’t already read in my pregnancy books, but I think it helped Tim to hear some of it. It was kind-of nice though to hear about the process from someone who made it not sound like a terribly scary thing. Our instructor is really big about trying to take the fear and uncertainty out of labor. 

 Here we are...with six more weeks to go!

 And just for a laugh, here I am in the same shirt four months ago! Whoa baby!

Our little blessing at 33 weeks

How far along? 33 weeks

Baby’s size?  The baby weighs about the same as a pineapple, at more than 4 pounds and just over 17 inches long. He’s rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal.

Sleep? Sleep has been okay for the most part. I’m starting to have restless legs again. And I have to get up several times in the night to use the restroom.

Food cravings?  No real cravings this week. I’ve just been really thirsty so I drink a lot of water and Crystal Lite.

Food aversions? Some broccoli that I steamed this week. Mainly because I oversteamed it because we were talking to our parents on Skype and I was trying to time dinner with when I thought we’d be done and it was overcooked by the time we got off. It smelled like nasty school cafeteria broccoli. I couldn’t eat it.

Symptoms? Extra space in my belly is at a minimum so I get full at dinnertime really quickly. It can get really uncomfortable finding a good position to sit. And my sciatic nerve has been acting up again. My bellybutton is getting even more shallow on the top half which is kind-of strange looking.

Best moment this week? The baby has been moving a lot in the evenings, so watching him roll around and kick has been really fun for us this week. He seems to be especially active while we watch American Idol. 

Movement? Still plenty of movement. His feet are definitely kicking me in the ribs now. And sometimes he presses his little bottom up into my right side ribs. 

What I miss about not being pregnant? Nothing.

What I’m looking forward to?  Our first childbirth class is next week. Depending on how many graphic childbirth videos they make us watch, it could be pretty interesting and fun. We had our rocker/recliner for the nursery delivered this week. It was actually upholstered in the wrong fabric, but we kind-of like it and rather than deal with the hassle of ordering another chair and having to wait weeks and weeks for it, we may just keep it. But getting that in has me excited about the rest of our furniture coming in so we can finishing decorating the baby’s room. As long as it doesn't come in pink. 

From the front...

From the side...

And a close-up!

This is a mommy's-eye view. Notice something missing? That would be my feet. 

If I lean over, I can find them again. But let's just say that shaving my legs and putting on shoes has become an acrobatic feat.

Our little blessing at 32 weeks

How far along? 32 weeks

Baby’s size? The baby weighs about the same as a jicama root, about 3.75 pounds and about 16.75 inches long. He'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

Sleep? I’m still sleeping pretty well. I’m not having too much trouble getting comfortable enough to fall asleep. I do wake up numerous times during the night for bathroom runs.

Food cravings? Still milk and cereal. 

Food aversions? No aversions, though I don't really like coffee anymore. 

Symptoms? My tummy is itchy a lot and my belly button is getting increasingly more shallow (no stretch marks yet, though!) My ankles and hands swelled a ton when I was on the airplane and I’m starting to get full a lot sooner than I normally would. Also, people are starting to ask me when I'm due more which is sometimes annoying when they react like I'm gigantic considering I still have two more months to go. 

Best moment this week? Getting to see my parents and have them feel the baby move.

Movement? He moves pretty frequently, particularly after I’ve had something cold to drink and after eating and early in the morning and late at night. His movements are becoming less like punches and kicks, and more just like he's rolling over or trying to move. 

What I miss about not being pregnant? I don’t miss anything right now.

What I’m looking forward to? Working on the nursery some more. And we have our first childbirth class in less than two weeks. 

Here I am at 32 weeks in our backyard.

And a close-up. Can you believe how big my tummy is?!?

Our little blessing at 30 weeks

How far along? 30 weeks, 2 days

Baby’s size? The baby is the weight of a large cabbage, at about 3 pounds and 15 inches long. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day.

Sleep? Sleep is generally pretty good. Sometimes I wake up with my hips or back hurting, but I sleep pretty deeply. The hard part comes when I try to get out of bed. I’m also having some pretty crazy dreams though I have a hard time remembering them in the morning.

Food cravings? Still craving milk and cereal. 

Food aversions? No real aversions, though I haven’t had a problem with nausea or anything like that during this pregnancy so there hasn't been much that I didn't want to eat. 

Symptoms? Back pain sometimes and a general achiness in my knees and hips, especially if I’ve been sitting in the same position for a while and then try to get up. And I've started having to take naps again occasionally. 

Best moment this week? No specific moments that I can think of, but I am really enjoying feeling the baby moving so often.

Movement?  Plenty of movement. He continues to prefer my right side, which is funny sometimes because it makes my stomach lopsided. His kicks and punches are more defined, but sometimes I just feel what seems like little tickles.

What I miss about not being pregnant? Nothing.

What I’m looking forward to?  Preparing more for the baby. I’m also looking forward (in a weird way) to our childbirth classes, which will start in about three weeks.

Stay tuned for a post about our weekend trip to see the latest picture of my belly. 

Our little blessing at 29 weeks

     The pregnancy is progressing as it should according to my doctor's appointment last Wednesday. They weighed and measured me and listened to the baby's heartbeat. It was a strong 148 beats per minute. I met another doctor from the practice and we bonded over our southern roots and our craving for Chick-Fil-A. I also was tested for gestational diabetes. The doctor mailed the results to me and I found out today that I tested within the normal range. So yay, no gestational diabetes for me! Anyway, my next appointment is in mid-February, so I'll have another update then. 

How far along? 29 weeks, 3 days

Baby’s size? The baby is the size of a butternut squash (about 2.5 pounds and 15 inches long). His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, I'll need plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day. No problem. I have had about a gallon and a half of milk this week, not to mention some yogurt.

Sleep? Sleep is good.

Food cravings? Milk. (We’ve gone through more than two gallons in the week and a few days we’ve been in the new house). Fruit, especially citrus and apples. And perhaps a chili dog from Sonic. Guess which ones are probably what the baby wants and which one is me…

Food aversions? Nothing really.

Symptoms: Mainly just some back pain in the evenings. And I’m starting to get the first trimester fatigue feeling back.

Best moment this week? This was just a funny moment that happened this week. Tim and I had finished eating dinner and were watching TV in the living room. He had his hand resting on my belly in case the baby moved and I was hinting for the tenth time how much I was wanting some ice cream. So I look down at my stomach and ask, “Do you want Daddy to get us some ice cream?” And right after I asked, the baby kicked really hard right under Tim’s hand. Needless to say, somebody made a late night trip to the grocery store. 

Movement?  Lots of movement. Generally in the early morning and late evening. And after I’ve eaten.

What I miss about not being pregnant? Nothing.

What I’m looking forward to? Picking out decorations to complete the baby’s room. We painted the nursery this weekend. It turned out so cute. I peek in there several times a day. We painted the room using Olympic zero-VOC, low-odor paint. The color is called Quaking Grass and matches really well with our Pottery Barn Kids Eli Elephant bedding. 

     We spent last week taping off the doors, window, ceiling, and floorboards and painted the room on Saturday. Tim did a few touch-ups on Sunday and now the room is completely painted and ready for furniture, wall decor, curtains, etc. The furniture is still going to take at least another month to come in (boo!), but once it does come in, we can move it in right away and hopefully get the nursery all set before little mister comes. 

Here are our painting supplies that we picked up from Lowe's the night before. 

My master painter at work. Tim was really gung-ho about painting the nursery. It's really sweet to see him excited about preparing a place for the baby. 

Our little blessing at 28 weeks

     Hello third trimester! Can you believe it! I can’t. I feel like it was just a few weeks ago that we were announcing we were expecting.

     I can say for sure that the nesting instinct has kicked in and thankfully, we finally have a house for me to nest in! I’m hoping that I can get crafty and make some things for the nursery and organize the closet and get everything I can done before the furniture comes in. 

     So I had my first doctor’s appointment with our new doctor in Richland last week. It went well. I am measuring right on track and the baby's heartbeat was a strong 140 beats per minute. I go again this Wednesday for another appointment and will then begin seeing the doctor every two weeks until 36 weeks, at which point I'll have to go in every week. This Wednesday I will also undergo another screening for gestational diabetes since the first one I had done in Georgia was done a little earlier than they would like. Scoring at or below 140 is considered a passing rate and I scored a 91 on the first test, so I'm hoping I will pass this one too. 

How far along? 28 weeks, 2 days

Baby’s size? The baby is the size of a Chinese cabbage (whatever that is…) He weighs about 2.25 pounds and is about 15 inches long from head to heel. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through my womb. He’s also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Maternity clothes? Almost exclusively.

Sleep? Sleep is pretty good. The only problem I have sometimes is if I get worn out during the day and take a nap, it’s hard for me to get to sleep later that night.

Food cravings? Nothing in particular, though fruit and milk have tasted extra good. That may just be because we lived in a hotel and off restaurant food for three weeks.

Food aversions? Nothing really. Though if I see a French fry anytime within the next few months, it will be too soon.

Symptoms: I’m definitely beginning to feel the impact of having a larger belly. My feet hurt if we go run errands for too long and my back has started hurting more.

Best moment this week?  Moving into our house and beginning to organize the baby’s things. I’ve even started washing his clothes and putting them away.

Movement? The baby kicks a lot and sometimes I can even see it and it's amazing. He’s really kicked me hard in the ribs a few times. Tim talks to him a lot and baby really responds to him. It really warms my heart to see how much our little boy already loves his daddy.

What I miss about not being pregnant? Not much. It does get frustrating that I can’t lift and do certain other things. I’m not big on being dependent on Tim to have to come help me with things like that. It’s especially annoying to have to call him over every five minutes to lift yet another box.

What I’m looking forward to? Painting the nursery! Photos to come. 

Our little blessing at 27 weeks

How far along? 27 weeks

Baby’s size? The baby is about the size of a head of cauliflower, weighing in at almost two pounds and measuring about 14.5 inches long. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, the baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now.

Maternity clothes? That’s all that I’m able to wear now. And they’re pretty darn comfortable. I may never go back! Just kidding.

Sleep? I’m sleeping well. I stuff a pillow under my tummy when I’m laying on my side and that seems to help me stay comfortable.

Food cravings? Last night, I was totally wanting a big hamburger. And I'm starting to crave fruit again, probably because I haven't gotten to eat much in a few weeks. 

Food aversions? Nothing especially, but after eating out for two weeks now, I’m dying to eat a home-cooked meal.

Best moment this week? It has been really fun to have people ask me about the pregnancy now that I’m more noticeably pregnant. Random strangers stop by our table at restaurants to ask when we’re due and wish us luck. It’s fun getting attention, especially because I’m going to take a backseat once Mr. Cuteness arrives.

Movement?  Lots and lots. He’s a mover and a shaker.

What I miss about not being pregnant? Nothing.

What I’m looking forward to? Entering the third trimester next week! Time is flying by! I’m also looking forward to finding a place to live so I can start decorating the nursery. It will be fun to have a project to work on during the day. 

Our little blessing at 26 weeks

How far along? 26 weeks

Baby’s size? The baby is about the length of an English hothouse cucumber (about 14 inches long head to heel). He weighs about 1 2/3 pounds. People might be able to pick up baby's heartbeat by putting their head on my tummy (no stethoscope required). Tim has actually been able to do this. Inside the womb, the formation of tiny capillaries is giving baby a healthy pink glow. Baby’s also soaking up antibodies, getting the immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and baby will soon perfect the blink.

Maternity clothes? That’s pretty much all I wear now. Also, because we’re living out of suitcases for who knows how long, I decided to bring only maternity clothes because it didn’t make sense to pack clothes that I would grow out of in the coming weeks.

Sleep? Sleep has been really good since we’ve settled into the hotel. It might be because we’re three hours behind our normal time and I'm a bit jet-lagged. 

Food cravings? I haven’t really been craving anything this week, though breakfast food like pancakes have been extra.

Food aversions? Nothing really.

Best moment this week? One of the best moments this week was when I had the laptop propped on my belly and the baby kicked so hard that the laptop moved. We also ordered furniture for the nursery a couple days ago, which was another big check off the list.

Movement? He’s been kicking a whole lot more in the last week and it’s been really wonderful. It helps when I’m feeling lonely to have him give me a little bonk to let me know that I’m not alone. He also has this weird habit of curling up in my lower right side. It can actually be kind-of painful, but it’s also really neat to be able to feel him so easily.

What I miss about not being pregnant? Nothing!

What I’m looking forward to? Being able to see the baby moving from the outside of my belly more. It's really crazy when we're able to see his little "bonks."

Our little blessing at 24 weeks

Merry Christmas to everyone! We've had a wonderful time with family and friends this last week. And we're one week closer to meeting our little man!

How far along? 24 weeks

Baby’s size? The baby is about the length of an ear of corn (almost a foot long and about a pound and a half!).  Much of that weight comes from accumulating baby fat, as well as from growing organs, bones, and muscle. Those little ears of his are getting sharper and can hear very loud sounds, from a yapping dog to a jackhammer. Also by now, that fabulous face is almost fully formed, complete with eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair. Is your baby a brunette, a blonde, or a redhead? Actually, right now his locks are white since there's no pigment yet.

Maternity clothes? I'm pretty much wearing solely maternity clothes. And with us about to move, I'm only going to pack maternity clothes because the regular clothes won't fit long enough for me to bother packing them for however long we're going to be staying in a hotel. 

Sleep? Sleep is fine. I'm sleeping pretty deeply for the most part, though getting comfortable takes some effort, especially since during the holidays we're sleeping in bed different from our own in one way or another. 

Food cravings? I'm still craving big tall glasses of ice cold milk. Otherwise, I'm just enjoying Christmas goodies with little to no guilt over calories (without going overboard, of course).

Food aversions?  None.

Symptoms? Not much. I get out of breath a little easier than normal. I've also been a little more tired. 

Best moment this week? Celebrating Christmas with our families before the move. Baby Rumely got several presents despite still being a fetus. :) Also, Dad finally felt the baby move on Christmas Day so that was exciting. It's also amazing knowing that next Christmas we'll have a sweet 8-month-old baby!

Movement? I feel a good amount of movement throughout the day and night. Only Tim, my mom, and my dad have been able to feel him from the outside so far, but he seems to be getting stronger. 

What I miss about not being pregnant? Nothing really this week. I got a lot of cute maternity clothes for Christmas so I'm not missing not being able to fit into "regular people clothes."

What am I looking forward to? Feeling him moving a lot more. And I can't wait until we find a place to live in Washington so that we can set up the nursery. It will feel so real when we have the room ready for him to come home to!

Our little blessing at 22 weeks

How far along? 22 weeks

Baby’s size? The baby is about the length of a papaya (10.5-11.8 inches long and 12.7-20.8 ounces). According to TheBump.com, the baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby’s starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when—just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop. (This baby likes to be awake at night and sleep during the day. Just getting me ready for when he’s born, I guess.)

Maternity clothes? I wear mainly maternity clothes and some of my longer shirts. I love that my belly has started to fill out my maternity shirts.

Sleep? Sleep has been really good for the most part. I have to get up to use the restroom about every two or three hours, but I fall back asleep pretty quickly.

Food cravings? Still craving milk. And my cereal of choice at the moment to have with my milk is Apple Dapples (the Publix brand version of Apple Jacks). My fruit craving has pretty much gone away. I still like fruit, but not in the same “gotta have it” kind of way.

Food aversions? Nothing really.

Symptoms? No bad ones, but I am hungry a lot. I have to eat small snacks throughout the day to help me make it to meal times.

Best moment this week? Feeling the baby move a lot more often. My favorite time of the day is late at night when he’s most awake.

Movement?  I feel him moving every day, still mostly at night and early in the morning. He apparently sleeps most during the day when I’m moving around.

Any ideas about the gender? A precious little boy.

What I miss about not being pregnant? Still real clothes. Now that I don’t fit in most of my old clothes, it’s pretty annoying to have such a limited wardrobe. Also, I only fit into one pair of my pajama pants and that makes me sad. :(

What I’m looking forward to? My baby shower! 

Our little blessing at 21 weeks

How far along? 21 weeks

Baby’s size? The baby is about the length of a banana (10.5 inches long and 12.7 ounces). According to TheBump.com, the baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they’ve already experienced through amniotic fluid.

Maternity clothes? I have been wearing my maternity jeans and a mixture of maternity and non-maternity tops. I went shopping last weekend and my mom got me a bunch of maternity clothes, including some sweaters, a couple dresses, and a coat.

Sleep? Sleep is pretty good. Though late at night is when the baby loves to move the most.

Food cravings? This week I have been craving milk for sure. We’ve gone through an entire gallon in four days and the majority of that was me.

Food aversions? Nothing really.

Symptoms? No bad ones.

Best moment this week? When Tim finally felt the baby move. It was just a little bonk and I’m pretty sure it will still be a few more weeks before it will be easy to feel the baby from outside my tummy, but the look on his face was still priceless.

Movement? A lot more in this last week. I feel him several times a day. It’s still not the strongest punches and kicks, but it is comforting to feel him bopping around in there. He's getting stronger every day.

Any ideas about the gender? A handsome baby boy!

What I miss about not being pregnant? Being able to shop in regular clothing stores. There are just not many places to shop when you’re pregnant. Especially if you’re looking for a dress to wear to a wedding.

What I’m looking forward to?  My baby shower next weekend! I’m so happy that my family and friends surprised me with one so I could have one before the move.

Our little blessing at 19 weeks

How far along? 19 weeks

Baby’s size? The baby is the size of a mango (about 6 inches long and 8.5 ounces). Our baby, based on the ultrasound Tuesday, weighs closer to 12 ounces. Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby’s skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.)

Maternity clothes? Still not big enough for maternity shirts, but I definitely am wearing the maternity jeans a ton. Otherwise you can find me in a pair of Tim’s gray sweatpants.

Sleep? Good for the most part. Sometimes I have trouble finding a comfortable position, but I still fall asleep relatively quickly (especially if Tim is rubbing my back.)

Food cravings? Pancakes. Pizza. Texas Pete. Grapefruit.

Food aversions? Nope.

Symptoms? None.

Best moment this week? Finding out whether our baby was a boy or a girl! And seeing how cute the baby is on the ultrasound.

Movement? I feel some tiny flutters and the occasional more forceful (yet still tiny) kick pretty much daily now.

Any ideas about the gender? I know! But I’m not telling just yet.

What I miss about not being pregnant? I kind-of miss being able to wear normal clothing. Tim and I went to an outlet mall today and walking past the Ann Taylor store and knowing there was no point in buying new clothes from there was kind-of sad.

What I’m looking forward to? Telling our families the baby’s sex. I cannot wait! 

Our little blessing at 18 weeks

How far along? 18 weeks

Baby’s size?  The baby is about the size of a sweet potato (about 5.6 inches long and 6.7 ounces). The baby has become amazingly mobile, passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby’s finally big enough that I'll be able to feel those movements soon.

Maternity clothes? Just maternity jeans and regular tops.

Sleep? Sleep is good for the most part, though sometimes it’s hard to get into a comfortable position and I wake up every few hours to use the bathroom.

Food cravings? Still fruit and juices. Currently craving a chocolate peppermint milkshake from Chick-Fil-A. Tim says we can get one on Tuesday to celebrate finding out the baby's sex.

Food aversions? Nothing really.

Symptoms? Nothing this week. I’m feeling good.

Best moment this week? Hearing the baby’s heartbeat at my new doctor’s office where pretty much everyone was really nice. I think we chose the right place! Also, when my friend K.’s hairdresser told me I was, “Soooo tiny for 17 weeks.”

Movement? Nothing really. Sometimes a little flutter, but nothing substantial.

Any ideas about the gender? I have no idea, but I don’t have much longer to wait until we know. Our anatomy scan is Tuesday! That's less than 36 hours from now!

What I miss about not being pregnant? Not a thing!

What I’m looking forward to? Our appointment Tuesday to find out if this little sweet potato is a boy or a girl! Also, the last time we had an ultrasound (at 7 and a half weeks), the baby looked like a lima bean basically, so we’re excited to see a little person in there.

Our little blessing at 17 weeks

How far along? 17 weeks

Baby’s size? The baby is the size of an onion (about 5.1 inches long and 5.9 ounces). Another book compares it to a grapefruit, which sounds a lot cuter and also, coincidentally, is what I've been craving this week. The baby’s skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.

Maternity clothes? Still wearing maternity jeans and stretchy shorts and yoga pants. No maternity shirts, though, because they are still too big for the most part.

Sleep? Sleep has gotten better again. I haven’t felt the restless leg feeling for a while and I sleep really deeply. 

Food cravings? Juicy fruits like oranges and grapefruits (my new favorite). And grapefruit juice. And Longhorn's chicken strips (Thanks, Aunt T. for the gift card). 

Food aversions? Nothing really. I'm not a big fan of vegetables right now, but I eat them anyway because I know they're good for me.

Symptoms? I’ve been getting pretty frequent headaches. They are not cured easily, not even with sleep. But I did read somewhere that a little bit of caffeine can help so I have a bottle of Cherry Coke Zero ready for the next one. I have to go to the bathroom about a million times a day. Also, my belly button is actually getting shallow already.

Best moment this week? I feel like I’ve “popped,” meaning I actually am starting to get a pregnant tummy and not just a chubby tummy. Also, we found out this week that some friends of ours are also expecting, which is really exciting!

Movement? Sometimes I feel a little fluttering feeling in my lower abdomen, though it is fleeting. The other morning I felt what seemed like an actual (albeit tiny) kick, but who knows?

Any ideas about the gender? I have no idea at all. We should find out in a few weeks though! Last night I had a dream that it was a little boy with curly brown hair who was watching a kid's show on TV and signing the alphabet in sign language. 

What I miss about not being pregnant? Nothing compared to being pregnant. 

What I’m looking forward to? I’m looking forward to going to the doctor next week and hopefully hearing the baby’s heartbeat again. And I can’t wait to make our appointment for the anatomy screening so we can see if we’re having a son or a daughter!

Also, have you noticed our poll to the right? Boy has pulled into the lead, but we still have a few weeks for final votes to be cast!

Our little blessing at 15 weeks

How far along? 15 weeks

Baby’s size? The baby is the size of an orange (about four inches long and 2.5 ounces). Continuing the march towards normal proportions, the baby's legs now outmeasure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. The fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though I probably still won’t be able to feel the movements.

Maternity clothes? Pretty much only wearing maternity jeans and stretchy gym shorts or yoga pants. My regular shirts still fit fine, especially the longer ones.

Sleep? Sleep is okay most nights, but the last couple of nights I’ve had that whole restless leg syndrome feeling and it’s been almost impossible to get back to sleep.

Food cravings? Fruit and juice still. Salt and vinegar chips. (To which Tim says yuck!)

Food aversions? Nothing.

Symptoms? Restless legs. A weird sort-of sore, stretchy feeling inside my lower abdomen. Stuffy nose. Plus my hair seems to be falling out a lot more than usual. But nothing too bad. 

Best moment this week? Tim playing music against my belly for the baby.

Movement? Nope.

Any ideas about the gender? Tim had another dream about the baby this week and this time he dreamed it was a girl. Otherwise, still no idea, though we should find out in about five weeks or so.

What I miss about not being pregnant? I miss my real jeans. Especially right now when I don’t feel like I look pregnant, but I don’t fit into my regular pants.

What I’m looking forward to? Little kicks and punches.

Our little blessing at 14 weeks

I'm posting this a day early because we're going out of town on a camping trip this weekend. And I already missed last week's update because we were out of town for my great-grandmother's funeral. 

How far along? 14 weeks

Baby’s size? The baby is the size of a lemon. The fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth.

Maternity clothes? I’m occasionally wearing my maternity jeans. I have a few maternity shirts, but I won’t wear those until I get a bigger baby bump.

Sleep? Sleep is pretty great. I do wake up a few times in the night, but I fall asleep again pretty quickly.

Food cravings? Grape juice! I drank a whole bottle in two days. I also demolished a pineapple in about the same amount of time.

Food aversions? Nothing really.

Symptoms? Nothing really.

Best moment this week? According to the books, the baby should be able to hear by next week. Because Tim thinks our baby is an overachiever, he’s already started talking to my stomach. It’s really cute.

Movement? Nope.

Any ideas about the gender? Tim dreamed that it was a boy last weekend, but we still won’t know for sure for another month or so. According to one of the old wives tales I read online, if you dream that the baby is a boy, it’s really a girl and vice versa. Can’t wait to find out! Check out our guesses in the previous post and cast your vote in the poll on the side of the page!

What I miss about not being pregnant? Compared to the excitement of having a baby, I don’t miss anything.

What I’m looking forward to? Feeling the baby move around. And getting a more obvious baby bump.

No picture for now, but we'll try to take one this weekend while we're on our camping trip.