18 Weeks

We've reached 18 weeks! (that was Sunday) and these pictures were taken that day. 18 weeks is the start of my 5th month...which means I am now halfway. I can't even imagine how much more my belly will grow if this is halfway! I'm sure you notice that I'm wearing maternity clothes in the pictures. That was my first day of wearing them, and I have to say it's quite comfortable. I've recently purchased a few things, and I'm sure you'll see all of them many times throughout the remainder of the pregnancy!

How baby is developing this week: Head to bottom, baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he or she weighs almost 7 ounces. Baby's busy flexing his or her arms and legs — movements that I'll likely start noticing more and more. The blood vessels are visible through the thin skin and the ears are now in position and stand out from baby's head. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around baby's nerves, a process that will continue for a year after baby's born. If I'm having a girl, her uterus and Fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from us during an ultrasound -- an ultrasound that will happen soon! Stay tuned :-)