Week 19

Week 19...wow!

When we found out we were pregnant - already 15 weeks ago - I thought that this was going to be the LONGEST pregnancy ever. Each stage seemed forever away ... I wanted to start showing, I wanted to feel the kicks and nudges, I wanted to wear maternity clothes and I wanted people to notice that I was pregnant.

Now, I'm right in the heart of pregnancy...where did those 15 weeks go? Time has seriously flown. I'm already showing, I'm already feeling kicks and nudges, and I'm already wearing maternity clothes. I'm PREGNANT! How did all of these stages seem so far away...but yet happen so quickly?

In only 4 days (Thursday, Dec. 3!) we already get to know the gender of our bitty baby! Where has the time gone?

Week 19 info:

Baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she 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. Baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato.

Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

For my birthday my mom & dad got me a gift card from Macy's for the sole purpose of picking out and purchasing a maternity winter coat. Katie & I headed out on Wednesday ... check it out...

whoa! you might be asking yourself...is that Rachel's belly already?!

um...no...we had to make sure that this coat would last for all of winter so we used one of the "bumps" off of a mannequin. The saleswoman said that it adds 4 months...I'd agree with that! But it did help us to pick out the coat...this one was perfect!

With all of the excitement of Thanksgiving, my mom, sisters & I totally forgot to do my weekly measurement and picture...so it was just Brian & I again...

we didn't have a cloth tape measure

we had to pull out twine to measure around!

Trip wanted to be part of the action

39 inches!

belly bump by the Christmas tree!