Belly Shot

Per my Dad's request, here's an updated belly shot...

18

This week, Baby Girl D is about the length of a dinner fork.

This week, Baby Girl D is the size of a sweet potato (but I know she's much cuter!).

How far along: 18 weeks
Net weight gain/loss: up about 7-8 lbs.
Maternity clothes: bought a couple more of pairs of pants last night
Stretch marks: No (and let’s pray for none!!)
Belly button: innie
Sleep: Still interrupted every couple of hours for a bathroom break, but sleeping with a regular pillow between my legs helps me not toss and turn as much.
Baby movement: Yes! Last week I could only feel Baby Girl move when I was sitting very still. For the past couple of days, I can feel her when I’m moving around, too.
Food cravings: Captain D’s rice/rice with Dale’s sauce
Food aversions: No…but when I smelled the ranch dip I was so craving a few weeks ago today, it made me gag! How can that be?!
What I miss: Diet Mountain Dew! I saw someone walking through the mall with one last night, and I so wished I could have a big gulp of a cold diet MD!
Looking forward to: Baby Girl’s Daddy feeling her move!
Best moment this week: Wearing maternity pants - Goodbye, BeBand!
Milestones: Baby Girl D is about the length of a dinner fork – now that’s a comparison I can understand! She weighs almost 7 ounces and she’s busy flexing her arms and legs. Her ears have moved to their final position and her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place (Her Daddy says “whoa!!”). If a loud sound is made, Baby Girl will raise her hands to cover her ears – how cute is that?!

17

This week, Baby Girl D is the size of an onion.

For a much cuter comparison, she is also the size of a Beanie Baby - remember those?

How far along: 17 weeks
Net weight gain/loss: up about 7-8 lbs.
Maternity clothes: bought maternity jeans today…I’ll still wear the band, but it’s really starting to drive me crazy. Those jeans felt like the most comfortable things in the world (other than my sweat pants!).
Stretch marks: No (and let’s pray for none!!)
Belly button: innie
Sleep: Still interrupted every couple of hours for a bathroom break
Baby movement: Yes! I can definitely feel Baby Girl D moving around in there, especially when I’m sitting still for a few minutes at a time.
Food cravings: Apple juice
Food aversions: No…
What I miss: Going to the tanning bed! I need a tan…
Looking forward to: Buying more maternity pants – they’re not the cutest, but they feel so much better!
Best moment this week: Feeling our baby girl move! I could cry every time!
Milestones: Baby’s skeleton is hardening from rubbery cartilage to bone and fat is starting to form around the bone. Her cute little fingers (of which we’ve counted 10!) have a complete set of fingerprints. Her fingernails and toenails are starting to grow. Over the next four weeks, Baby’s weight will increase approximately six times over!

16

This week, Baby Girl D is the size of an avocado.

How far along: 16 weeks

Net weight gain/loss: up about 7-8 lbs.

Maternity clothes: wearing the BeBand…things are getting really snug, but I’m just not really into the maternity clothes yet.

Stretch marks: No (and let’s pray for none!!)

Belly button: innie

Sleep: Still interrupted every couple of hours for a bathroom break (Although Friday night, I slept all night!!! Maybe it was b/c I didn’t go to sleep until about 1 am…we had a far away ballgame!)

Baby movement: Not yet

Food cravings: Still crackers & cheese

Food aversions: No…

What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach!

Looking forward to: Picking out bedding and furniture!

Best moment this week: Seeing our baby girl on the ultrasound!! She was flipping and turning and moving those arms…it was awesome!! We got to see her face in 4D, but she kept her hand in front of it most of the time.

Milestones: Baby Girl D can hear us talk to her now! Her legs are much more developed this week. Baby’s ears are close to their final position and the patterning of her scalp has begun, though her locks aren't recognizable yet. She’s starting to grow eyebrow and lashes, too. She's even started to grow toenails. Her taste buds are forming and she will stop swallowing if she tastes something bitter. There's a lot happening inside, too. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as baby continues to develop. In the next few weeks, she will double her weight and add inches to her length.