Week 18

At about 5.5 inches long and about 7 ounces, Peanut's finally big enough for us to feel his little movements as he stretches and moves around in the womb. I'd been feeling the popcorn like little movements for a day or two before Justin was finally able to feel them...and they are undeniable little kicks! I guess things are all stretched out in there, because Peanut sure feels like he's got plenty of room to move around!

This may be our last week of little Peanut talk...on Tuesday we go for our big anatomy ultrasound that marks the halfway point of this pregnancy (or thereabouts) and should reveal whether or not we need to be stocking up on little boy clothes.

Aside from the excitement of finally being able to feel little Peanut moving around in there, other week 18 milestones include the absolute and necessary shift to maternity clothing and a pretty noticeable increase in girth. Things are definitely progressing more quickly with this second pregnancy!

Please pray for a clear and informative ultrasound on Tuesday and that we would hear good reports as they check out our little baby.

Week 17

Our little Peanut is getting bigger by the day! She's about the size of a turnip this week, weighing about 5 ounces and stretching to more than 5 inches long, head to rump. The soft cartilage that makes up her little baby skeleton is beginning to turn to bone and she can move all of her joints now. Which, by the way, I'm fairly certain she is doing a lot of, because this week I finally got what I've been waiting for and felt those first few tiny twinges of a baby moving around inside my belly. It feels a little like having a tiny fish flopping around inside me, which, coincidentally, I have felt before...but that's another story for another blog...

Pregnancy brain is rearing its ugly head for the second time in my life, this time bringing along with it all the same frustrations as last time, and about as much humor. Justin's getting used to me asking the same question three or four times because I forget he's just answered me, and written lists (to-dos, grocery lists, names of close friends) are a must for getting through my day. I'm still not sure what it is about pregnancy that makes you suddenly forget who you are and what you're doing, but I find solace in the fact that this phenomenon is both common and temporary.

The nesting instinct is also kicking into high gear this week, and since we don't know the sex of the baby and there's no nursery decisions to be made yet, my nesting is manifesting itself in the form of what can only be called a spray painting bonanza taking place almost daily in my backyard. Picture frames, mirrors, lamps, even our fireplace...nothing is safe from my urge to redecorate with a can of spray paint. (Interestingly enough, I've managed to pull my pregnant neighbor into the abyss with me. It's fun to look down the street and see her in her backyard, spray can in hand, updating pieces of her home decor, and know I had something to do with helping her find a cheap way to satisfy her nesting urges as well.)

I'm continuing to enjoy the second trimester and all the perks that come with it. My energy level is up, my belly is growing, and things are overall going very well. Abby has discovered belly buttons and seems particularly intrigued by the squeeze-ability of mine. I'm trying to help her understand she has her own belly button to prod, but she's far more entertained by the one on my middle. I guess she's getting a head start pushing her little brother or sister around.

Please continue to pray with us for a safe pregnancy, a healthy baby and a smooth transition for our growing family!

Week 16

Coming in at about the size of an avocado this week, Peanut is poised for a major growth spurt. His almost 5 inches and 4 ounces will soon be a thing of the past as he prepares to double his weight fairly rapidly. His legs are more developed this week and his eyes have moved closer to their final position at the front of his head. Toenails are beginning to form and hair will be sprouting from his tiny scalp soon. His tiny heart is working hard to keep up with his rapid growth, pumping nearly 25 quarts of blood each day!

Things are definitely happening more rapidly with this pregnancy than they did with our first. The round ligaments and abdominal muscles that were so sore as Abby grew inside of me are stretching much more quickly this time around, and all that rapid stretching out is making for a lot more muscle pain this week. My belly, which up until now has been noticeable only to Justin and I, is trying hard to make its debut, and fast! It feels as if I went from not showing at all to very pregnant almost overnight!

We continue to praise God for the miracle of the continued growth of this little one inside of me. This pregnancy started out with a lot of unknowns and a lot of fears, and I was awed again this week as I thought back over the healing miracle God did in my uterus. It's just another evidence of His grace in our lives that He's continuing to keep this little one safe and secure, for there's certainly nothing we could have done (and the doctors confirmed that fact!) to bring healing to the blood clots that were worrying us before. Thank you for joining with us in thanking this great God of ours for caring for this tiny life that He's knitting together in my womb!

Week 15

Crown to rump, our little Peanut is coming in at about 4 inches long this week and probably weighs about two and a half ounces, roughly the size of an apple. Air sacs in her lungs are beginning to develop and she can move all of her joints and limbs now. Her eyelids are fused shut, but she's able to detect light at this point, and will move away from a beam of light shined at my belly. She's still too little for me to be able to feel that tiny motion though.

The first trimester blues are a thing of the past now...finally! I'm able to eat whatever I want again, and am not feeling nearly as tired as I was a few weeks ago. Now that my uterus is healed, the restrictions on my activity are lifted and I'm looking forward to being able to take some daily walks with Abby and start a prenatal water aerobics class with an expectant neighbor soon. We return to the doctor on Monday for our monthly visit and will find out when they'll be sending us for the big anatomy ultrasound, which should be sometime in the next few weeks. That means there's just a short time left to wonder whether or not Justin will be severely outnumbered by another little girl or if we'll find some balance with a little baby boy!

Please continue to pray for healthy development for little Peanut and for a healthy pregnancy for me. Pray in confidence knowing that God has been faithful to us so far, and He will continue to do so...we continue to praise Him for the disappearance of the blood clots in my uterus and for lifting the concerns that went along with that so that we can enjoy this pregnancy. Your prayers were a huge part of that!