19 weeks!

It's really difficult to take a picture of yourself so sorry about the quality of this one!

How far along? 19 weeks 6 days…141 days to go!

Baby's Development:  Little man weighs about 8 oz and measures about 6 inches in length…the size of a large heirloom tomato!  Arms and legs are in proportion with the rest of his body and he is starting to become more limber (this would explain that party he’s having in my belly!).  Eli is now covered by a protective substance called vernix to protect his skin from the amniotic fluid surrounding him.  This way, he doesn’t turn into a giant raisin from being in there for so long! It’s so crazy to think of how the body adapts to everything.  Eli is also making facial movements like smiles and frowns as well!

Maternity clothes? Still loving these! I bought a couple of full panel maternity pants at the beginning of my pregnancy and they were too big then, but they are starting to fit a lot better around the tummy now. Shirts are still mostly regular shirts, unless they are basic tank tops or t-shirts from Target.

Weight Gain? It only took half of my pregnancy, but I am now +1lb.

Am I Showing? It’s starting to become more apparent.  I had my first stranger comment on my belly.  It was someone that I work with, so she sees me on an everyday basis (her desk is on the way to the bathroom, so she sees me MULTIPLE times a day!), but not someone that I interact with on a daily basis. I am also having more people at work comment on how the bump is starting to pop out.  Matt told me yesterday that I was finally showing, but I think that was more due to the tacos I had just scarfed down.

Sleep? Sleep is still so-so.  I’m still not a fan of the pregnancy pillow.  Too bad…that thing was expensive!  We have a pillow top mattress that you sink in to when you go to sleep (we refer to it as the “cloud”) so I think if it were more firm the pregnancy pillow would be more comfortable, but it just doesn’t work well for me. 

Exciting Moment? I got to hang out with one of my BFF’s that I haven’t seen in a while, Jamie on Saturday! Working on the nursery! Matt and his dad put together the crib yesterday and the dresser is also in there now.  Kicks getting stronger and Matt finally feeling Eli move!

Gender:  Sweet baby BOY! Elliott Alexander Whitman

Stretch marks? None yet..I am lathering up in Burt’s Bees belly oil and thick lotion every morning!

What do I miss? Getting a good night’s sleep!

How have I been feeling? Still pretty good!  My lower back/sciatic nerve sometimes bothers me if I am sitting too long, or when I am sleeping, but it’s nothing crazy.  I have also become THAT pregnant lady that has a giant bottle of Tums in her purse for heartburn.

Movement: Last Tuesday, on the day that I turned 19 weeks, Matt felt Eli move for the first time. We were laying in bed watching TV and I could feel his little kicks.  They felt pretty strong so I put my hand on my belly to see if I could feel them from the outside.  After I felt a couple, I told Matt to put his hand on my belly to see if he could feel it too. There were a couple that he couldn’t feel and then I asked him about the next one and he’s like..”I felt that one, that’s crazy! Eli just kicked me!”  I think it freaked him out because he moved his hand after that one. Haha.

Food cravings:  Fruit (blueberries and applies) and Haggan Daas Coffee ice cream with whipped cream on top.  I try to limit myself to once a day or every other day, but dang..it’s hard!

Food aversions: Still chicken and marinara sauce.

Rings on or off? On! Hopefully staying that way for a while!

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy, but still easily irritated!  

Looking forward to:  Seeing Val and Nat this Saturday! Hitting the halfway point tomorrow and our 20 week anatomy scan on December 14^th! This is really starting to fly by now! I remember in the very beginning thinking that 20 weeks was so far away! Now I feel like 40 weeks is so far away! But he’ll be here before we know it!