Pregnancy Tracker - 20 weeks/5 months

So today marks 20 weeks/5 months....which means I'm half-way there. I do have to say, the second half isn't as "fun" as the first half. This marks the beginning of restless nights where you can't get comfortable due to the increasing size of your belly, the baby gets heavier daily, which means added pressure on your bladder....and also smaller space for your stomach, which can increase heartburn. Big meals are out of the question as the space for your stomach decreases. Smaller, more frequent meals comes into play. Lots of snacking. Oh, and did I mention waddle, waddle, waddle? Oh fun! ;) It's all part of the process, however, and I do embrace it all.  Well, ALMOST all.  I do not embrace unwanted belly touching. My belly is not a science exhibit to be groped and cooed at.  ;)

Here's what babycenter.com says about the pregnancy at 20 weeks/5 months:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against her torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of her head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, she's measured from head to toe.)

She's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in her first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

Also, I know I promised the big news of the sex of the baby with this update, but we weren't able to have the ultrasound this week.  My OB hired a new ultrasound tech and she doesn't start until next Friday. So the 17th is now our big day. Carter will be coming with us so he can get his first live glimpse at his new sibling. So, next week will have the big news!!

All Lit Up

One thing I love about this time of year is the Christmas lights.  I LOVE driving around and checking out all of the lights people have up.  I look forward to it all year!  Eric had a rare day off today, so I put him in charge of the lights.  They are up on the house, one of the trees in the front yard, and around the front door and window.  I love it!  I was so excited to turn into my subdivision this evening after work!

 I also picked up a custom creation from my mother-in-law today. She makes the best stuff - all from scratch. I was also excited to get home to hang this beauty up!

Christmas is fast-approaching - are you ready?

Bowling!

Last time we played bowling on the Wii, we decided it was time to introduce Carter to the real thing.  I have taken him a few times to watch my dad and uncles for their bowling league, and Carter has really shown some interest.  So we ventured out today, for the real deal.  And let me tell you - it wasn't any too soon because the smallest size of shoes they have is the exact size he currently wears. Talk about luck!  So we all got our fancy bowling shoes on and started up the game!

I should also say, they had special balls for kids. Carter ended up with a 6-pound ball, which seemed to work just fine for him.  He placed his fingers in the correct holes - though he still had to cradle the ball with both hands when it came time to throw/push it down the lane.

And sometimes he wanted help - others, he wanted to go solo.  Either way, with the bumpers up for him, he did just fine.  In fact, he was beating me most of the game!

We had such a good time - we even spent a little bit of time in the arcade playing air hockey after we were down bowling.  This will definitely be something we do more often - especially in the winter since outside play is somewhat limited, at times.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!!

Earlier in the week, we got some serious snow.  I think we had about 8 inches at our house.  After dinner one evening, we venture out into the snow (yes, in the dark) to try out one of Carter's new sleds.  We are scouting around for a few different kinds, but bought this little flexible saucer type one first - which will probably be the main one used at our sledding weekend at the cabin simply because it can be pulled behind the 4-wheelers.  We decided to try it down the driveway first since it's fairly steep.  Worked like a charm!!

Although we did run into one snag......Carter pushing Daddy down the driveway didn't exactly work out! ;)

Movie Review: The Jonses

We watched this movie the other night and I have to say, I actually really enjoyed it!  I'm somewhat surprised given the fact that I'm not a huge David what's-his-face fan.  But it turned out to be a pretty good movie!  This family is definitely NOT your typical suburb family.

Pregnancy Tracker - 19 weeks

Today marks 19 weeks.  The baby is moving all the time now - all of which was only felt internally by me, until last night.  We were watching a movie last night and the baby was quite active, so I put Eric's hand over the spot where the baby was, and sure enough, he felt it move!  It's always quite a moment - feeling it move for the first time!  Almost half-way there.....and we all know what next week has in store for us!  :)

Here is what babycenter.com says about the baby at 19 weeks:

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Its brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that it may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to it, 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. Its arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of its body now. Its kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on its scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on its skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.  (that's kind of a gross thought)

I will keep you updated next week when we find out the sex of the baby.....but we are keeping the name a secret until the baby's big day!