Week 17

Thought I would give everyone an update on what's going on inside my belly this week. The baby is about the size of an open hand, with a crown-to-rump length of 5 1/2 inches and an approximate weight of 5 ounces. The baby is filling out nicely and getting large enough that I might even be able to feel those little twists, rolls, kicks, and punches that he or she is perfecting. I cannot wait to be able to feel this amazing experience and I'll be sure to keep you all updated on when this actually happens. Another set of skills our little baby is mastering now is yawning and hiccuping (which I've been told I might be able to feel too!). Our baby also has fingerprints on his or her fingertips and toes.

Kris and I had our doctor's appointment on Monday June 1st and we were told that everything is going great! We were able to hear the baby's heartbeat again (which was much slower than usual). We were told that the baby's heart rate is now regulated by the brain (no more spontaneous beats) and an normal rate at this time is between 140-150 beats per minute. I was also instructed to get ready for a growth spurt! Over the next few weeks the baby will double his/her weight and add inches to his/her length. For the exciting news now, Kris and I scheduled our 20 week ultrasound for June 25th and most likely will be able to find out the sex of the little baby I have been carrying inside me for the last 17 weeks.