This is getting to be one big eggplant!

You are 28 weeks and your baby is the size of an eggplant.

Baby's lungs are mature enough that, if born right now, he has a pretty good chance of surviving (with help from medical technology). His skin is still pretty wrinkly (one byproduct of living in amniotic fluid) but will smoothen as fat continues to deposit.

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can open and close his eyes, which now sport lashes. This movement is more of a reflexive blink than a deliberate opening and closing.

A banana?!?!

I'm not sure I believe these anymore...how do you go from a canteloupe to a banana? nonetheless...

This week your baby is the size of a banana.
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. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

Our little man is movin' and shakin'

We officially felt our first real movement from our little guy the other night. I was lounging on the couch after a busy day and eating dinner, looking at baby stuff online. I felt something a little strange in my belly, and definitely different than anything before.
A few weeks ago I was concentrating so hard on trying to feel movement, but realized when he is ready in there, he will let me know and give me a little kick.
Well, sure enough, I look down and see a little thump from the insides. I couldn't believe it. But what makes it even better is Brian was sitting right next to me and put his hand on my belly and as soon as he did that, our little guy kicked three times. I think he's a daddy's boy already.
I can't wait for more movin' and shakin' in there!

Oh boy!

It's a boy!
Brian and I couldn't be more excited to be having a boy! This will be the first baby boy on my side of the family and the first grandchild for his parents so everyone is very excited.
And more importantly, our 18 week sonogram showed that our little man is developing right on track ... weighing in at 10 ounces and 8 inches from head to toe. His heartbeat was a strong 138 beats per minute.
I think Brian and I fell even more in love with him, seeing him wave his little hands, chew on his arm and just squirm around in there. It's crazy how much he really moves around but I can't feel it. I look forward to the days that I can feel his movements, and for Brian to be able to feel him move as well.
Now on to the good stuff! Our office makes a DVD of our ultrasound that I was able to upload for you all to enjoy! It's about 10 minutes long an takes a few moments to start. Enjoy!

Sonogram - 18 weeks from Jennifer Hall on Vimeo.

What a sweet potato! 18 weeks ...

Your baby is now the size of a sweet potato.
Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.

This explains why I have been crying lately ...

You are 17 weeks along and your baby is now the size of an onion.
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.

2010 is going to be 'bumpin'!

You are now reading the first of my weekly belly bump photos and pregnancy update posts. Here you will get to watch as my bump grows throughout the rest of my pregnancy and hear all about how I am feeling and new developments.

(Why do I feel so much bigger in person than I look in these pictures?)

How far along? 15 weeks
Maternity clothes? Not yet, but loving stretchy materials and long shirts
Stretch marks? Hoping to avoid these all together ... but need to invest in some cocoa body butter to keep the skin stretchy.
Sleep: Could be better. I'm going to need to break the habit of the dogs sleeping on the bed. They take up a lot of space.
Best moment this week: Finally feeling a true baby bump, not just the chub that has taken over my midsection. And the look on Brian's face when he felt it for the first time.
Movement: Nothing yet, but looking forward to it!
Food cravings: I love food, but nothing in particular ... just anything with a bold or spicy flavor.
Gender: Three more weeks until we find out!!!
Pregnancy symptoms: Last week I started having some severe headaches. I guess it's caused by the blood vessels expanding to accomodate all of this extra blood my body is making and water retention. Otherwise, I'm feeling good.
Labor Signs: Let's keep these away for oh, another 20 weeks or so.
Belly Button in or out? Ha ha! Was it ever either one? Still a cinnamon roll ... curious to see how it's going to change. (this might deserve a weekly post of its own.)
What I miss: This week I could have used a nice glass of red wine and a bubble bath (see pregnancy symptoms above). Both are not recommened ... but were really appealing when I had a killer headache.
What I am looking forward to: Actually looking pregnant. I feel like I have grown but everyone else says they can't even tell I am pregnant. I know I should appreciate this now, but I'm excited to have a belly I can show off.
Weekly Wisdom: hmm ...
Milestones: Made it through the first trimester without much trouble. Was able to avoid morning sickness or anything major. Embracing the second trimester and all the excitement that comes with it.

Baby Hall at 9 1/2 weeks

I finally was able to get a picture of the sonogram from our 9 1/2 week appointment. We are so excited to see how much our little babe has changed, since our next ultrasound is at 18 weeks ...

From poppy seed to watermelon

So I have always loved when people blog about the size of their baby each week with the little fruit and veggies posts, so I am going to start this each week. If you want to see the different stages our little babe has gone through up until this week, you can see the list here.

Your adorable little 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.