Pregnancy - 19 Weeks

Baby's now the size of a mango!
Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil, and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.

How far along? 19 weeks!
Total weight gain: 6 1/2 lbs.
Sleep: a little better now with the new pillow!
Favorite moment this week:  FEELING LITTLE ESTILL MOVE!
Movement: yes, but only a few more times since the first time.  this is normal since the baby is so small.
Symptoms: achy hips and itchy abdomen (i guess from the stretching).  I'm lathering with lotion every day.  I know we can't prevent stretch marks (even though there are many lotion and ointment ads which tell us otherwise), but it can't hurt. 
Symptoms I DON'T have: a lot, thankfully
Food cravings:  nothing in particular, but my appetite is bigger than ever.
Food aversions:  none
Gender: 11 more days!
Labor Signs: too early
Belly Button in or out? in, but flattening
What I miss:  not much right now
What I am looking forward to: finding out the sex
Weekly Wisdom:  Don't mess with a pregnant lady's food!
Milestones:  felt the baby move!

A few more highlights from this week:
- I finished cleaning out the baby's closet.  It was full from floor to ceiling, no joke, so this was no small feat.
- I treated myself to a coke!  I swear my satisfied face and the necessary sigh of delight after the first sip, if on a coke commercial, could have sold 'em a trillion!
(next caffeine fix will be on the way to the big ultrasound on the 19th.  No more Mr. or Mrs. "I'm too shy to show my bottom" stuff!  Gotta get this little booger moving!)

It's amazing how fast Le Boomp is growing!  I am absolutely loving being pregnant and I love the way I feel right now.  It's definitely true what they say about the second trimester.

I love talking and singing to the baby and imagining just what he/she is doing in there at any given moment; sucking a thumb, doing flips, napping, grasping the umbilical cord with tiny little fingers?  One thing I do know is that our baby is practicing being the sweetest sweet sweetums on Earth!