19 weeks

There we are at 19 weeks! We were fresh off I-95 from a trip to NC, feeling like you do when you've been in the car for 5 hours. But the bump is cute, eh?

So what's new this week?

• The little one's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he/she may be able to hear my voice, so maybe I should start imparting wisdom now :)
• The tomato-sized bebe weighs about 8.5 oz and measures 6 inches, head to bottom
• The arms and legs are proportional to each other and the rest of the body (always a good sign)
• Hair is growing on that sweet little head (which I can't wait to sniff, by the way)
• I think this is cool: there's a waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on the skin to keep the baby from pickling. No pruny kiddos for us!

As for the mama and the papa, we're settling in with a new routine this week. Andrew's been given a stash job until school starts in July, so he's gone during the day. We're mapping out a to-do list for evenings and weekends (which is growing by the minute) and trying to make the most of our time together this summer. There's a lot to be excited about!

Things I love: milk, the maternity shorts I just got in the mail, bacon, air conditioning, hush puppies and the fact that about 40 hours from now, we'll know whether we've got a boy or a girl cooking in there.

Things I don't love: eggs (although I think the gag-reflex is fading), the 95 degree weather, Rudy's bad breath and the fact that I can't have a glass of red wine. Or two.

Also, I can feel the baby moving all throughout the day and I love it. He/she apparently likes to party it up around 10pm. If this is a sign of things to come, we're in trouble.