19 Weeks

We are home again! After a fun-filled trip to MA (including a Pats win!) we are all settled in back home. Today I'm at 19 weeks... almost halfway there!

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you. Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

• How far along? 19 weeks
• Total weight gain/loss: +7 pounds (up one from last week)
• Sleep: Still sleeping like a champ!
• Best moment this week: Spending time with family in MA/Meeting my new class
• Food cravings: Nothing in particular I noticed this week
• Gender: We have our educated guess, but we'll wait until the anatomy scan on September 21 to be more certain.
• Maternity Clothes: I wore my first maternity dress on Saturday.
• Belly Button in or out? In
• What I miss: the margaritas at the game today looked mighty delicious
• What I am looking forward to: Meaghan and Grace are visiting this week! (My college roommate and her three-year-old)
• Weekly Wisdom: My aunt told me this weekend that JA and I are going to be great parents... sounds good to me!

I am exhausted, so I'm off to bed. I'll try to take a 19-week pic before yoga tomorrow.

Saturday
Breakfast - organic honey nut cereal with organic milk; hashbrown; OJ
Lunch - garden salad; two slices margarita pizza
Dinner - favas; potatoes; chocolate chip cheesecake square; two peanut butter balls (family party - the good is too good to resist!)

Sunday
Breakfast - egg white and cheese on an everything bagel; OJ
Snack - raisin toast
Lunch - cheese sandwich with lettuce, tomato, onions, and peppers; salt and vinegar chips
Snack - fries (JA bought them... grrrr!)
Dinner - same as lunch - the rest of my sandwich and a few chips; Vitamin Water