Week 21

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

Week 20 belly

Sharons belly at just under 21 weeks. Getting bigger and stronger now and the baby is kicking up a storm. Even Pappa Mark can feel some of those little kicks and couldn't be more excited. Check back soon, we have a doctor appointment this Monday to find out if the baby is nice and healthy and also what the gender is. Lets hope the little one is a bit of a flasher so there is no question whether it's a boy or girl.

Week 20: Parking

It's taken 20 weeks but we finally found parking for Sharon. First time we found out about Expectant Mothers parking we were in Maryland and Sharon was not pregnant. After we found out we were expecting we kept our eyes open but not to many places have this. Gotta enjoy the little things in life.

Week 20: Craving

This weeks craving is the PASTRAMI sandwich from Port of Subs. It has lots of meat, veggies to top it off, and deliciousness all around. Our baby kicks up a storm after a nice Pastrami sandwich. So go out, get yourself one and see what all the hub bub is all about.

Week 20

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He'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 his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

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

Week 19: Coming Soon...Gender

Sharon's almost 20 weeks pregnant and that means that we will be finding out the gender of our baby soon. Feels like we've been waiting forever. Have our appointment sent, so check back in the next week or so to find out. YIPPEE!

Week 19: Rock'a' My Baby

Got Momma Sharon an old School rocking chair for rocking the baby to sleep.
Has some cool designs on the head rest but Papa Mark might need to buff out the fish that look like they're throwing up :) and with some repair, a paint job, and a little love it will turn this nice and comfy chair into a great rocker.

Week 19

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How your baby's growing:

Your 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.

Your 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.

Week 18

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How your baby's growing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Week 17

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How your baby's growing:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.