20 Weeks: Half-Way There!

We are at 20 weeks (5 months), and it's hard to believe we are already half-way there! Here's what's going on with Baby Anglin this week:

This week, your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces and measures 10 inches from head to heel -- about the length of a banana. She's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for her digestive system.

This last week has been a little rough for me -- I seem to have caught whatever cold is going around our school, and my body is definitely taking longer to recover than normal. Understandable, I guess, considering all the other things happening right now! I've been sleeping a lot, and thankfully I have some wonderful friends at work that have been looking out for me. I am happy to report that I'm finally starting to feel better, so hopefully this goes away for good soon!

Around the house, we are starting to get serious about decorating and getting everything ready. We've also officially picked a name... Lindsay Paige Anglin will be here in February!

19 Weeks: Now we can pick a paint color!

This week, we got our most recent glimpse of Baby Anglin.... and it's a girl! She is measuring right on target, and weighs 12 ounces. Here's what else going on with her this week:

"Your baby measures 6 inches, head to bottom - about the size of an heirloom tomato. The hair on her scalp is sprouting (wonder if she'll be blonde like Todd and I both were when we were little?). This is a crucial time for sensory development: her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch."

Now that we know it's a girl, Todd and I started looking at nursery stuff this weekend, and it was so much fun to see all the cute, soft little things the stores had. For all his "boy" talk since we found out I was pregnant, Todd is excited about having a little girl and has started to realize the fun that will come with it (even though I had to explain what a "tea party" is... guess he and his brother didn't have those when they were little!). We've also started talking about paint colors and decorating ideas, and most importantly little girl names... we'll reveal soon.

We are constantly amazed when we look back at the sonogram pics just how much has happened in there in just a few short months. I can't believe so many more changes are still to come! Here our two favorites of Baby Anglin. Enjoy! :)

She's ready for Piggies and Paws, Tanya! :)

18 Weeks

Wow, 18 weeks! Here's what Baby Anglin is up to these days:

Your baby is busy flexing its arms and legs -- movements you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. Blood vessels are visible through your baby's thin skin, and the ears are now in their final position. Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and weighs almost 7 ounces.

We had a doctor's appointment last week, and got to hear the baby's heartbeat again -- nice and strong! I feel like I'm starting to finally really look pregnant, so we'll get some pictures up soon. We also got to make our ULTRASOUND appointment for next week -- Todd and I are so excited to finally get the chance to find out what Baby Anglin is! We'll definitely keep you posted....

School is IN

Well, school has officially started and I've been exhausted! My bedtime has shifted to around 9:00 each night, and I definitely don't feel like doing much once I get home from school. Other than being tired, though, I've felt really good! Enough about me, here's what Baby Anglin is up to at 17 weeks:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and its umbilical cord is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and measures around 5 inches from head to bottom.

The "flutters" I started feeling a few weeks ago have gotten stronger and more consistent, and Todd can't wait until he can feel them too! I also had my first "real" craving this week: bean dip and fritos, which was crazy because it was at like 10:45 in the morning. It also passed pretty quickly, which was good since I was at school and definitely did not pack any bean dip with my lunch! :)

4 Months!

We are now officially 4 months! It seems like time is going by faster now, and I know it will go even faster with school starting tomorrow. Before we know it, Baby Anglin will be here! Here's what's going on this week:

Get ready for a growth spurt! In the next few weeks, your baby will double in weight and add inches to its length. The legs are much more developed now, and the eyes and ears are moving closer to their final position on the head. The patterning of your baby's scalp has begun, though locks aren't recognizable yet. Your baby has started growing toenails, and its heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day. Right now, it's about the size of an avocado (4.5 inches long and 3.5 ounces).

In my last post, I talked about being able to feel the first flutters of movement... well, that movement has definitely become more consistent with each passing day! It seems like the baby is most active right after lunch and through the afternoon for now (at least that's when I can feel it the most), so we'll see if that changes as it gets bigger. Speaking of "it", I'm so ready to find out if Baby Anglin is a boy or a girl! I feel bad calling it "it" all the time! Hopefully we'll get a glimpse in a few weeks at our next ultrasound...

It's that time again....

I'm a little late with the Week 15 update, so I'll just share the most interesting part of Baby Anglin's development this week:

Although the eyelids are still fused shut, your baby can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, they are likely to move away from the beam. Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple).

For about the last week, I'm pretty sure I've been feeling Baby Anglin start to move around -- it's such a tiny flutter, though, that it took me awhile to recognize it! I've also started back to school, and I've felt pretty good so far, just pretty tired by the end of the day. I think it's really helped me to get on a schedule and to be busy again so I can't focus on whether or not I'm feeling sick. Either way, the kids come back on Monday, so we'll see how that goes! I think I'll definitely have a much earlier bedtime this year... I never thought I'd say this, but 9:30 is looking pretty good.... :)

14 Weeks: Making Progress!

14 weeks, and the I'm officially heading into the 2nd trimester... woo-hoo! Thankfully, just in time for school to start back, I'm having mostly good days (with the occasional not-feeling-so-great day), which is a blessing since my 7th graders will be here before I know it. Anyway, here's what Baby Anglin is up to this week:

Your baby can now squint, frown, pee, and possibly suck its thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, the facial muscles are getting a workout as the baby's tiny features form one expression after another. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week - a sign that it's doing its job right - and the spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Your baby is also stretching out: from head to bottom, he/she measures 3.5 inches (about the size of a lemon) and weighs 1.5 ounces.

I had a doctor's appointment this week, and so far, so good. They also said I might start to feel him/her moving around in the next few weeks... I can't wait!

On a different note, I've been "unofficially" polling friends and family, and so far most of them think Baby Anglin is a girl... pretty bold statement, considering there were about 12 baby boys born at our school in the last few years compared to just 3 girls! What do you guys think?