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!