Last night, the baby was kicking really hard so I thought Alex might just be able to feel it. So Alex sat there with his hand pressed firmly against my belly and sure enough he felt the baby kick twice!  He was pretty excited! I am just glad that he is able to share in these moments with me!

How your baby’s growing: Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and he measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the length of a small zucchini. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine, and 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. If your baby is a girl, she has an astonishing six million eggs in her ovaries. They’ll dwindle to fewer than two million by the time she’s born.
How your life’s changing:

  You're just a week shy of the halfway mark. You may notice some achiness in your lower abdomen (perhaps extending to your groin) or even a quick, sharp, stabbing pain on one or both sides, especially when you change position or at the end of an active day. This is round ligament pain, and it's caused by the stretching of the muscles and ligaments that support your growing uterus.
You may also have noticed some skin changes lately. Are the palms of your hands red? Nothing to worry about — it's from increased estrogen. Patches of darkened skin are also common during pregnancy. When they show up around your upper lip, upper cheeks and forehead, they're called chloasma, or the "mask of pregnancy." You may see these splotches on your arms or other areas that have been exposed to the sun.  That darkened line running from your belly button to your pubic bone is called the linea nigra, or "dark line." All of this darkening is due to a temporary increase in melanin, the substance that colors your hair, skin, and eyes. For most women, these darkened spots will fade shortly after delivery. In the meantime, protect yourself from the sun, which intensifies the pigment changes. Cover up, wear a brimmed hat, and use sunscreen when you're outdoors. And if you're self-conscious about your "mask," a little concealing makeup can work wonders.

I am almost 19 weeks pregnant and the battle has begun. I have noticed that when I am sitting up straight at my desk at work that I get kicked in almost the same spot.  I need to sit in this position to type at my keyboard.  I am also trying to prove the point to the little one that perhaps its arm or leg may not be in the best spot for me.  I want to be hospitable but….I need to work…..so…..I continue to sit upright at my desk and I continue to get kicked. So….one of my coworkers so accurately pointed out to me that I am just learning the lesson that I am NOT in charge….and never really will be again!!!

We have booked our ultrasound for 20 weeks for Dec 19 and are hoping to find out the gender of the baby.  We are getting very mixed opinions of who wants to know and who doesn’t want to know….the two grandma’s are on either end. Grandma Tetreau wants to know…..(I am sure it is only so she can do even more shopping for her soon to be grandbaby) Grandma Harford wants a surprise….because it is one of the best surprises in life…..so……..I think Alex and I will still find out but try our best to keep it quiet from the people who don’t want to know! and besides….they are just making their best guess at what the gender is…..it still could be a surprise!