18 Weeks

 I can't believe how fast these weeks are flying by :).  It seems like I have to write a new entry as soon as I'm done with the previous one!  This (last) week was a pretty eventful one.  I'm pretty sure I've said in previous posts that morning sickness hasn't really been a big problem for me.  I was pretty nauseous for most of the 1st trimester, but other than that I was feeling pretty good.  Well, that changed on Monday.  I was about to leave for work and wasn't feeling very well.  I fed the dog and all I could smell after that was dog food.  Then Jason came down to leave for work and he pulled some barbecue chicken out of the fridge.  I took one look at it and it made my stomach turn... *gag*.  He left for work and I stood in the kitchen for a few minutes until I smelled dog food again, then I had to make a mad dash to the bathroom.  Ugh.  It was horrible.  Now that I've experienced real morning sickness, I appreciate even more that I haven't had to deal with it much.

Sleeping has been a little better this week.  My Snoogle pillow came on Tuesday (yay!) and I think it really has helped.  I have less hip and back pain at night and the main problem right now seems to be adjusting my position with the pillow when I want to turn over... which I really don't mind :).

Work has been going pretty good.  I'm learning a lot and it's becoming a lot less confusing.  Most of the work I'm doing is "busy work", but I really don't mind :).  I heard back about the Motherhood job and she said she needs someone who can work the week of Christmas, which I can't.  We'll be in Oregon and there's no way I'm canceling that trip ;).  If the position is still open after Christmas, she'll call me, but we'll see.  God is in control :).

I've felt the baby moving around a few times this week, but I haven't really felt anything the past few days.  I'm sure I'll start feeling it all the time soon enough, but I want it to happen now!  Jason says it's just a lazy baby... thanks, babe ;). 

Anyway, here are the development details for this week:

• Your baby is now roughly the size of a bell pepper (or sweet potato). He is about 5 1/2 inches long and weighs almost 7 ounces now!
• If you are having a boy, his genitals are now noticeable, if he isn’t curled up and hiding them during the ultrasound. If you are having a girl, her uterus is fully formed and in place, along with her fallopian tubes.
• Your baby’s skeleton, which up until this point has been made up of flexible cartilage, is now hardening into bone. Myelin, a protective covering around his nerves, has begun to form. Myelin plays an important role in the communication between neurons and it will continue to develop through his first year of life.
• At 18 weeks, your baby’s skin is still thin and transparent, so to help protect him, something called the vernix caseosa develops. This is a greasy, cheese-like substance that not only insulates his developing epidermis and dermis from the amniotic fluid; it also makes him nice and slippery for an easier delivery!

We've been talking more about names this week.  Jason has a girl name that he likes and it's starting to grow on me too :).  We're still pretty undecided on boy names, though.  I'm sure it will take us a lot longer to settle on a name, but at least we're coming up with ideas.

Oh, we also started registries at Target and Babies 'R Us this week.  We just chose basic/neutral items, but it was exciting to finally walk through all the aisles and look at the fun baby stuff :).  Once we find out if baby is a boy or girl, I'll have to go back and pick more stuff :D.  If you have any registry item recommendations, please let me know!  I hope everyone has a great week :).