melted smoosh

bump watch:  it's not going anywhere, that's for sure! i don't think there's been a dramatic change since last week, but i did finally get out my beloved Motherhood Maternity dress pants and they're even more comfortable than i remember.   little peanut:  is avocado-sized: five inches long and weighing between three to five ounces. baby can now hear my voice and probably some outside noises as well, which makes it even more adorable when Greta puts her head on my belly and says "hi baby!".  image credit from  Baby Center best moment:  one of the physicians i work with generously gave me some old gift cards she had for some of my favourite children's clothing retailers, including Janie & Jack. time to do a little shopping!  symptoms:  feeling good overall! i'm still feeling movement, sometimes a few times a day, sometimes only every other day, but each little flutter is so delightful.  cravings: i finall

bump watch:  whoomp! there it is! i had to break out my demi-panel maternity jeans this week, and they feel glorious. at work, i've still been getting by with some looser fitting pants, but there's an undeniable bump there now that just can't be squished into the more form-fitting pants.  little peanut:  is four and a half inches long, weighing two to three ounces -- apparently, the size of a navel orange! baby can now sense light from the outside and react to it (usually swimming away).  the ovaries or testes are fully formed and external sex organs are beginning to take shape (which explains why elective "gender ultrasounds" prior to this date are notoriously inaccurate!). cutest of all? baby's growing eyebrows! image credit from Baby Center best moment: feeling the first kicks! i didn't feel movement with Greta until 17 weeks, and while it's typical to feel movement sooner in subsequent pregnancies, i was prepared to not

bump watch:  trucking right along with a little more firmness in the belly (plus a whole lot of squishiness -- but i can't "suck it in" anymore, so some of it at least is baby! the belly band is in heavy rotation, and though the past few weeks have been somewhat chilly, it's finally starting to get into the 70s -- dress weather!  little peanut:  is three inches long and weighs in at 1.5 ounces. the roof of baby's mouth is forming, and the rest of the digestive tract is starting to gear up with meconium production in the intestines. as neural connections expand, baby's movements become more controlled and graceful instead of abrupt and jerky. the facial muscles are also developing, so baby can practice making facial expressions!  image credit from   Baby Center best moment:  at my prenatal appointment this week (with one of my favourite midwives -- the one who delivered Greta!), it took a loooooong time to find the heartbeat, an

      bump watch:  there's definitely a little oochi-poochio business going on! i still fit in regular clothes, but i usually opt for the more forgiving fabrics and styles, and putting on PJs at night is pure bliss.   little peanut:  is three inches long, about as big as a peach! (more on peaches in a minute.) as baby's bones and muscles continue to form, he or she can start to move around and may even be able to suck that tiny thumb! craziness. baby's head is half the size of his or her body at this point. grow, baby, grow! image credit from  What to Expect When You're Expecting best moment:  we had the honor of joining the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network walk with Team Tomlinson this week, in memory of our dear friend Joe, who passed away in February. the weather was cool and occasionally drizzly, but we enjoyed the easy 5K route through North Park with the beautiful views of the water, and even spotted a red cardinal (a symbol of loved o

please excuse the picture quality ... i need to up my mirror selfie game!         bump watch:  yesterday evening i had to bust out the old hairband-through-the-buttonhole trick to keep my jeans zipped up comfortably. i was fine with them buttoned normally in the morning, but as the day progressed, so did my belly! i definitely think i'm popping out faster than i did with Greta, as is expected with a second pregnancy.  little peanut: is two and a half inches long, and weighs in at half an ounce -- the size of a kiwi or a large plum! by this week, all the major body systems are in place. in particular, the pituitary gland is producing hormones and the bone marrow is producing white blood cells. even the vocal cords are forming!  image credit from  What to Expect When You're Expecting best moment:  curling up on the recliner with a bag of popcorn to watch Call the Midwife on Netflix during one of Greta's naps this week. so simple, and so wonder