19 weeks - Happy Birthday Mommy to Be!

Today is the start of week 19... Here is what Baby Girl Schaab is up to this week according to babycenter.com...

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. 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.

How far along? 19 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +4 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes and loving them.... especially since my pregnancy wardrobe just doubled after Christmas!

Sleep: Is back to waking up a few times a night... however Mike just got me a Boppy Total Body Pillow for Christmas which has provided me an amazing past three nights of sleep. I'm still waking up but this body pillow is amazing! A lot less tossing and turning.
Best moment this week: Being with all of my family and seeing how everyone is so excited for Baby Schaab's arrival! Also, I was able to feel her move a lot more this week! :)

Movement: Some flutters every so often.... It's very exciting and I'm hoping that I start to feel her more and more! Now waiting for the kicks to start... I know Mike is very excited for this as well as he listens to my belly trying to hear her.

Food cravings: Still Juicy Oranges... I LOVE THEM! :) Now if I could only snap my fingers and they would peel themselves... Really any sort of fresh cut fruit that I don't have to cut myself screams my name.

Gender: GIRL

Labor Signs: Not yet. :)

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: I actually really am enjoying being pregnant! :) I've been drinking a lot of sparkling juice while everyone else enjoys champagne, wine, etc.... and enjoying all of the yummy flavors!

What I am looking forward to: Seeing Baby Schaab TODAY!!!! What a fabulous golden birthday present!!! I hopefully be able to post some pictures today or tomorrow. I'm also looking forward to wearing my new maternity suit in Florida this week! :) I'm leaving tomorrow and Mike's meeting me there on New Year's Eve for a long weekend. It should be a fabulous and sunny New Year's!

Milestones:
Baby Schaab's arms and legs are now the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body. That is very exciting! Mike and I also have started registering for "baby things" as I read about them in Best Baby Products: Consumer Reports for Baby. This has been a bit nerve racking for me as I'm not a baby expert... yet!

Here is another fun website to check out specific to Baby Girl Schaab's development. I always click in the upper right hand corner to make the narrator the baby - very cool. Check it out!
http://www.ehd.org/pregnancy-calendar.php?person=1&id=12832