22 Weeks

At 22 weeks I'm feeling really good. Baby boy moves a lot, and Steve and I really enjoy the time right after dinner when he's the most active. My belly has grown a lot recently, and I'm just now starting to get random lovey smiles from strangers and requests to rub my belly.

Here's what is new with growing Baby Tootle this week:

Week 22 At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

19 Weeks

Look, I climbed a mountain when I was almost five months pregnant! Okay, it's technically a hill, but it's really steep. It felt great to be exercising in the fresh, spring air.

Here's an update on what's going on with little Tootle baby right now:

19 Weeks
Your baby's sensory development is exploding! His 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 him, 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. 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. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on his skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

19 Weeks: Ultrasound Shots

Today we had our ultrasound, and as Steve posted below, we're having a boy! It was fun to watch our little one squirming around in there. We could see him opening and closing his mouth, which was especially cute. Here are the goods:

Boy

Just got back from the Doctor's office. We are going to have a boy. Everything else was good and healthy, too.

Baby Moves

I felt the baby move today for the first time!