Week 18: Feeling Something

Little one, It's week 18 and you're the size of a sweet potato. It's no surprise...you're already so sweet.

The books say the following: "Your fetus (that's you!) has become amazingly mobile, passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon."

Just last night, your Mom told me that she decided: she's definitely feeling you flutter around. I got really excited, but then a bit jealous. I- of course- can't feel anything!

But I realized, I may not be feeling kicks, but I'm definitely feeling something!

I'm nervous. I'm excited. I'm happy. I'm a bit scared. But mostly, I'm feeling...ready.

Your Mom makes a great pregnant lady, but I must admit, I 'm ready to meet you, to hold you, to kiss you!

Alas, we still have about 5 months until that triumphant day. Until then, I still continue to be by your side whenever I can. And I'll continue to dream about what life will be like for me, your Mom, your brother, your grandparents and you when you finally arrive.

I've been thinking of this awesome Paul Simon song. It makes me smile, because it makes me think of you.

Just close your eyes and listen.

There could never be a  father loved his daughter more than I love you.

I'm gonna watch you shine, gonna watch you grow....

28, part I : Sand Dollar

Today is your Mother's 28th birthday! What does that mean to you? Well, it's pretty cool because

a) that's the age she'll be when you're born!

b) she will be eating lots of cake!

It turns out that both you and I got your Mother birthday presents!

I gave your Mother a silver Sand Dollar on a necklace for her birthday. Back in the summer (early June, actually), we went on a trip to the beach down in Padre Island, Texas (don't worry, you'll get to go there too). On our very last day, your mother found a WHOLE Sand Dollar! She'd never found a sand dollar before in her life!

Here's the sand dollar in question:On the drive home, we put the sand dollar in a very safe place in the car. Or, at least, we thought it was a very safe place. Turns out NOWHERE is safe from me! It seems that the weight of a simple I-pod is more than enough to split a sand dollar in half.

When we found out the sand dollar was broken, we were both upset. Your Mother was more upset than I was. In fact, she looked like she was going to cry and didn't talk to me for a long while after that, no matter how many times I apologized. I promised her that I would get her another sand dollar.

Later on the drive, she started talking to me again, and when we got home, she successfully glued the sand dollar back together.

But I kept my word: I got her another sand dollar. And I gave it to her today! She loved the necklace, but loves it even more than I could have guessed.

Your mom told me this story today:

You see, back in the summer, we had been trying to make you for such a long time. Your mom was trying everything: temperature taking, special medicine, special diets, etc. And just before that trip, your Mom thought she was pregnant, but the EPT said that we weren't. So, we were both dejected. Your Mother more so than me (which is odd, because in this duo, I'm normally the pessimist, and she's normally the optimist).

So, at the end of that vacation, when your Mom found that sand dollar washed up on the shore- her first WHOLE sand dollar- she subconsciously took it as a sign, took it to mean that you would arrive one day! And I think she even made a wish on that sand dollar that you would come sooner than later.

So no wonder she was pissed at me when I broke it!

But, as it turns out, the EPT test was wrong, and the sand dollar was right: we were pregnant with you already (very very very early). (That explains the extra "emotions"!) So, the power of the sand dollar works; and the present that you have given your mother for her birthday is you, yourself! She wished on a sand dollar back in June that you would be here, and here- on her birthday- you are! And your mother's now wearing a silver sand dollar around her neck!

How cool is that? I wish "sand dollar" was acceptable as a baby name...but it's not. Totally not. Don't worry!

She felt you kicking today during her Birthday Burrito Lunch (weird cravings, man) and just couldn't stop smiling. How many ladies get exactly what they want for their birthdays: a growing baby kicking her tummy like mad AND a burrito!

Oh, and you're giving her another cool birthday present too: a rapidly growing belly! Check it out!

Week 18

Subject seems to have developed a growth on her back.

Nom nom nom...

So, here we are in Week 18, and your Mom is still pretty tiny! Considering you're the size of a sweet potato, one would think that she would be a bit bigger; but she has a naturally small frame, so we're not expecting her to get too huge.

But, it seems like ever since our appointment yesterday, your Mom has been on an eating tear. Check out her menu from yesterday:

Breakfast: Count Chocula
Lunch #1 (around 10:30): Lean Cuisine Pepperoni Pizza
apple sauce
orange

Lunch #2 (around 1:00): Wendy's Chicken nuggets and fries

Lunch #3 (around 4): Peanut Butter and Jelly

Dinner (at 7): Lasagna Bake
Dessert (at 8): Moolenium Crunch Ice Cream

Latenight Snack (at 10): Frosted Mini Wheats


She had more lunches than a Hobbit! Now, I pride myself on eating A LOT, but I couldn't keep up with her yesterday! So, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw some major belly growth in the next coming weeks!

But, from what I can tell, it doesn't seem that you two are starving for nutrients. According to the Bump, the average weight for an 18 week old fetus is 6.7 ounces...and as of Monday, they calculated that you weigh 9 ounces!

So both Mommy and Baby Boy have been chowing down! Nom nom nom!

Here Comes...the Son!

Your Mom, Aunt Shamsy and I just got back from your 18 week sonogram and it's 100% positive now: you are a boy!

They even took a nice picture of your "boy parts." Don't worry, I won't embarrass you by displaying this picture at your graduation or anything. But, I am gonna post it right here, right now:

See that arrow? See what it's pointing at? Now stopping looking at it, before you go blind!

Your appointment went perfectly: 8 fingers, 2 thumbs, 10 toes, 4 ventricles in your heart, 4 brain lobes, 1 tail. Everything was just as it should be!

You are a consistent little guy too: your heartbeat was, again, 150 bpm! Way to go!

But, you were sleeping with your hand draped across your face, so we couldn't get a good look at your profile! The nurse even tried to wake you up again by jostling you, but you wouldn't budge!

So, instead of a cute-as-a-button profile pic, we got a series of more "Skeleton Baby" pictures!

The good news is that you've really graduated from looking like an alien child and/or Predator. But, your skeleton REALLY makes you look like Jack the Pumpking King now (which is quite fitting for the upcoming Halloween!).

But, since you do now have a lot more subcutaneous fat, giving your face a little more shape and a little less skeletal appearance, you kind of also look like the ragdolls from "9."

So, you're clearly moving up on the cuteness scale! That's definitely a plus, but it's not like we had any doubts! Take a look for yourself...at yourself!

There you are, in all your glory! I think you're cute! It also looks like you have your mother's eye sockets! But, as we officially learned today, there's one trait for which you're definitely following in your father's biological footsteps!