20 weeks (a little late!)

Well this was a big week for Mango, he is halfway to his due date!! I can't believe how fast it's gone and we're starting to get pretty excited about meeting the little guy (but NOT yet Mango!!) Sorry for the delayed post, but if you aren't friends with my sister on facebook and don't follow her blog you probably have not heard of the excitement we've had this week. She is 33 weeks pregnant and her water broke on Wednesday, little Muffin as her baby is called is apparently trying to one up her siblings, who were born at 34 weeks. Katy and baby are both doing well and in the hospital, she has not actually gone into labor yet, so the doctors will let her wait up to one week before they need to induce (it's very risky for little Muffin to stay in too long without her amniotic fluid.) Right now it looks like she'll probably be born at 34 weeks like Paul and Amelia. Unfortunately this means she'll probably have to stay in the NICU for about 2 weeks, but the good news is we have living (and adorable) proof that babies who come out at 34 weeks grow up to be adorable and happy kids. So with all that going on I got distracted and forgot about my blog, so please keep Katy and her family in your thoughts this week and I will certainly update you when the little one is born.

As far as Mango, like I said we're just enjoying our time with the little man, he did a new trick yesterday (although Dad was unfortunately not home to see it.) He was doing some pretty big kicks so I looked down and I could actually see it a little from the outside! I can't wait for Mark to get to see it himself because it is pretty entertaining! Here's Mango's stats update for the week:

You're at the halfway mark — congratulations! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel. He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (although some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery). This week he is the size of a:

Week 19

Wow, hard to believe we are at 19 already! The last week has been a lot of fun, talking about names and plotting fun ideas for his nursery! I have so many ideas I have to try to contain myself, hehe. Not too much to report as far as new things for me, still enjoying life in the second trimester and showing off my baby bump! We did have a pretty big event for Mark though, he finally got to feel Mango over the weekend, I think Mango was trying to give me a birthday present so he did lots of big kicks (or body slams or something) into my belly in a row and Mark could feel them clear as day, that was pretty exciting! Here is the bump this week:

Here is Mango's 19 week update: Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and measures 6 inches, head to bottom. The hair on his scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he 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. This week's fruit is pretty exciting too, this week he is the size of a:

And the Anatomy Scan Reveals.... (and 18 weeks)

A healthy baby BOY! Everything looks good on our little he-mango, he is even actually measuring about a week ahead of our due date. The ultrasound tech said she doesn't know if the Dr. will change our due date or not, or if they will just think he's a big boy, so we'll find that out at the next appointment. It's pretty fun knowing what I'm carrying, I feel even more attached to my little son than I did before. We have also gotten a bit more serious about the name search now that we know, although boy names are quite tricky! My newest hobby for the last day in a half is stalking blogs for nursery ideas... I had contained myself up until now since we didn't know what we were having, but now I think it's a flat out addiction. :-)

So here is our 18 week update on our big baby boy! Head to rump, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long and 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. 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, although he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

This week our baby boy is (supposed to be but actually may be larger than):

Week 17!

Well we made it through our busy weekend and I think the shower was quite a success! Unfortunately, I was so busy I didn't really have time to take pictures, but Katy of course took some herself so hopefully those might pop up on facebook soon?

We had a regular check-in appointment today, and although we still don't know the sex of Mango, we do have our anatomy ultrasound scheduled! Mango had a good strong heartbeat, and somehow I still have only gained 4 pounds total, but the midwife was just happy I didn't lose weight again this month. So stay tuned next week for the big reveal, we cannot wait!!

Otherwise, I am continuing to enjoy the lack of morning sickness and over tiredness, although I have noticed a few other symptoms popping up: the more exciting one being the occasional big kick from baby being big enough for me to feel! Mark is anxiously awaiting the day when he can feel it too, he still tries just about every night. :-) The less exciting symptom being some difficulty sleeping, but you can't win 'em all I suppose.

Also, if you haven't seen the trip photos yet, check out facebook, we posted lots on there! So now, on to Mango's 17 week update: Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now, and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

This week, Mango is the size of a:

And in case you are curious, a baby the size of a turnip is able to produce a bump much larger than a turnip!