18 weeks

14 more days until the big gender ultrasound!  So far I've had EVERYONE guess that I'm having a boy except for 1 person.  Even my friend's 2-year-old daughter said "Manda, you have a baby boy in your belly!"  Guess we'll have to wait and see who is right!

So tomorrow I'll be 18 weeks.  It's crazy!  Not much has been going on here.  I just got done with Spring Break and I am back to work (ugh!) but the nursery is in progress, so that's exciting!  I know a few people have mentioned that I need to take another belly pic, and I was going to do it today, but Dan doesn't get home until 10 pm tonight.  He needs to be there to take the pic, so I'll probably have to wait until tomorrow to take it.  Oh!  We recently got an at home doppler and it's pretty cool.  We can listen to the baby's heartbeat at home!  It takes a while for me to find it since baby still isn't too big and is moving around so much in there, but when we hear it it's awesome!  I might try to get a video of it sometime soon so that I can share the sound with everyone. 

Here is what is going on with me and baby this week:
Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a sweet potato) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Hungry? An increase in appetite is pretty common about now. Make it count by choosing meals and snacks that are rich in nutrients instead of empty calories (chips, French fries, candy, and other sweets). Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now as your appetite and waistline grow.
Your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes, and during this trimester your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Don't spring up too fast from a lying or sitting position or you might feel a little dizzy.
From now on, when you do lie down, it's best to lie on your side — or at least partly tilted to one side. (When you lie flat on your back, your uterus can compress a major vein, leading to decreased blood return to your heart.) Try placing a pillow behind you or under your hip or upper leg for comfort.