Starting Week 19...with a Bump!

Week 18 is now in the books, so we're headed into Week 19. I said it last time, but the 2nd trimester is really flying by.

The highlight of Week 18 was definitely watching as my bump seemed to appear out of nowhere. I was talking about not looking pregnant one day, and the next, I suddenly did. In fact, when Matt got home from work last Thursday, he said "you look like you're growing by the minute!" Now ladies, before you get upset that a man would have said this, you should know that Matt is well-aware of my desire to have a bump. So, I was actually encouraged by his comments. : )

So that you can see what I mean, here's my latest photo. I guess I know what people mean when they say that one day, you just "pop."



As for our little one, here's what's going on with him or her this week:

• Hair is sprouting on the head.
• The brain is in the process of designating specialized areas for the five senses (smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch).
  
• Weight has increased to 8.5 ounces, and he or she is now around 6 inches long from head to bottom (not feet). This is about the size of a large mango.
  

We have our 20-week ultrasound this Wednesday, so that should be lots of fun...even though we won't be finding out our baby's gender. It will be amazing to see how much he or she has grown in the 12 weeks between our last ultrasound and this one. Can't wait!

Being Bump-Conscious

In case you're wondering what the term "bump-conscious" means, it describes this woman's worry over not looking definitively pregnant. If you've never heard this term before, it's because I made it up to describe myself. Many women worry about weight gain during pregnancy; I want to have a bump and look pregnant.

I haven't been able to fit into my regular clothes for quite a few weeks now. So, I've definitely noticed that I'm bigger than I used to be. The problem is that no one else has been able to tell that I'm much bigger, so I don't yet strike people as someone who is definitely pregnant. I'm in a funny in-between stage that has made me very "bump-conscious."

I put together a photo collage to prove to myself that I've grown in visible ways and to help me become less bump-conscious. For those of you who've been asking for pregnancy photos, here you go (click on the photo to see a larger version):


I feel like I've really started to "pop" here in the last couple of weeks, which is a good thing, so maybe this feeling will finally go away soon.

Before any moms reading this say anything, I know that I'll be bemoaning the size of my bump (and the back pain and discomfort it causes) in just a few weeks. I will look back on this post and laugh at myself for ever being bump-conscious in the first place. So it goes for a first-time mom.

A Milestone in the Countdown

I log into a Web site each day that keeps a "baby countdown." Today, I was surprised to see the following:

"Hi Erica, you are 18 weeks pregnant. 150 days left!"

Wow. On one hand, 150 days seems like a lot. On the other hand, it seems like so little (especially when we have a baby's room to get ready)!

Either way, only 150 days until we get to meet Baby T!

17 Weeks in the Books

Yesterday marked the beginning of Week 18 in my pregnancy. The 2nd trimester seems to be flying by much more quickly than the 1st one did.

There were few new developments in Week 17. I did feel the baby kick a couple more times, so that's always an amazing experience. I'm eager for the kicks to become strong enough for Matt to feel them, as I know he's looking forward to feeling our sweet little one move.

Here are some highlights of what's going on with the baby this week:

• Mobility is increasing, so he or she is now able to pass the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, punching, and swallowing.
• He or she weighs around 7 ounces and is around 5.5 inches long from the head to the bottom. That's about the size of a sweet potato.

More to come!

Unexpected Food Developments

So far, pregnancy has had a major effect on my food preferences and eating habits.

During the 1st trimester, I could not stand the thought, sight, or smell of Mexican food. Chips and salsa are listed among my top two foods (along with cereal), so my early dislike of Mexican really bothered me. Thankfully, I've moved out of that stage in the 2nd trimester, so I'm back to eating food from Moe's, Torero's, and other such Mexican faves.

The 2nd trimester has come with unexpected food developments of its own, however, as I now like a food that I haven't liked in YEARS. What is it, you ask?


Yes, that's right...I like watermelon again. I used to love it as a kid, but as I recall, my tastes changed around middle school and I haven't liked it since. I never thought I'd eat watermelon again, but thanks to pregnancy and the crazy effects it has on a woman, I was wrong. I am enjoying those juicy red slices...at least while they're still in season.

I discovered my renewed interest in watermelon through the community-supported agriculture plan (better known as a CSA) in which Matt and I participate. As part of our CSA, Matt and I have gotten a box of fresh fruits and vegetables from a local farmer every week since April. It will continue through September. The past couple of weeks, we've gotten watermelon in our box. As I've been cutting it up to store in the refrigerator for Matt, I noticed that it smelled REALLY good to me. One night I got up the courage to taste it, and to my surprise, I thought it was fantastic.

So, pregnancy continues to surprise me. I'm just waiting to see what will be next.

16 Weeks Down, 24 To Go!

Yesterday (Saturday), I hit the 17-week mark in my pregnancy. Week 16 was fairly memorable for a couple of different reasons. First, I felt the baby kick for the first time! That's right, on Wednesday morning (August 4th), I felt a tiny kick in my lower abdomen. It was different than the other feelings I've had, so I put my hand over the area where I felt it...hoping that I would feel it again. Sure enough, I felt that sweet little tiny kick again. It was amazing.

The other memorable part of this week was our doctor's appointment on Friday. Matt and I got to hear our baby's heartbeat again! At my last appointment, the nurse told me that we'd be listening to the heartbeat at every appointment until my delivery. So, Matt came prepared to this one by bringing the recording device that he uses for work interviews. The doctor quickly found the heartbeat and said that it sounded great. I have to admit, it did sound GREAT. I'd even go so far to say incredible. Thanks to the recording device, we can listen to that precious sound whenever we want. : )

So, now we've begun Week 17 and have around 24 more to go (including this one). Here are some highlights of what's going on with the baby this week:

• The skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone.
• He or she weighs around 5 ounces and is around 5 inches long from the head to the bottom. That's about the size of a large onion.

Although I've been able to tell for weeks that my belly has grown, people continue to tell me that I'm not showing that much. This week, however, I do feel that my belly has popped out and become more visible. I'll be posting photos soon so that you can judge for yourselves.

Our Exciting News

As most of you have now heard, Matt and I are expecting our first child in January 2011. We waited to share our news until I was safely out of the 1st trimester. I'm now in the midst of the 2nd trimester, so we're thankful for that.

I know that many of you have had questions for us. To take care of the most common initial questions at once, here goes:

Due Date: January 15, 2011
Gender: Unknown (and will remain unknown until the big day!)
Names: Undecided
Preference for Boy or Girl: No preference. Although it's thought of as cliche, Matt and I truly just want a happy, health baby.

How have you felt? I've felt lucky so far, as I've avoided full throttle morning sickness. I have, however, dealt with nausea and nasty food aversions. I've also experienced fatigue, a heightened sensitivity to smell, and some other strange symptoms.
What food aversions have you had? You name it, I've had it. During the first trimester, a particular food sounded fine one day, and I couldn't stand the thought or sight of it the next. In fact, because of my food inconsistencies, Matt and I changed restaurant plans at the last minute on several occasions and even switched plates once our food came a few times. Although I'd rather have food aversions than full-on morning sickness, they were more difficult to deal with than I thought. I normally love eating, but I didn't enjoy eating or meals for the first 14 to 15 weeks of my pregnancy.
Have you had any cravings? Yes. My main cravings have been pickles, beef, and fresh fruit (although not together or at the same time). I've gone through quite a few pickles thus far, and as someone who hasn't traditionally eaten much beef, I can't believe I've had things such as a mushroom swiss burger, carne asada tacos, and a French Dip sandwich.

Because this experience will be such a unique one for us, we'll start blogging on a more regular basis now. So, be on the lookout for new posts!