Week 22

Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

22 Weeks Pregnant

Your Mini's hands have grown bigger and stronger and the nerve endings in her fingers have developed her sense of touch. She's in there testing out her newfound abilities by touching her face and grabbing the umbilical cord. Other cool developments:

You're already raising a little Einstein. Your baby's brain is developing at a clip this week and will continue to do so until she's five years old (so load up on the Omega 3)!

Baby's hair is now a short, bright white crop (Billy Idol, eat your heart out!). No matter what color it will end up—red, blonde, black—all babies' hair lacks pigment at this point.

Your baby has started growing taste buds and may be able to detect strong flavors in the amniotic fluid. If you could see inside, you might catch her sticking out her tongue for a taste and then grimacing, a sign that perhaps you should chill on the chili powder.

Your baby now weighs almost a pound and measures almost 11 inches, head to heel, which is how you'll be measuring the Stretch Armstrong in your uterus from here on out. That's about as long as a package of Oreos and as heavy as a large bag of tortilla chips. Who's hungry?

Owww my aching back!! (and more updates)

Even though Mama isn't showing much, little Squishy is definitely making her presence known! The doc says that Mama's uterus is pressing down on her pelvis, causing her severe back pain!! Amazingly enough, they (Mama does not know who 'they' are, but 'they' are her new best friends!) make these wonderful, though hideous looking, pregnancy belts that actually lift the uterus and relieve back pain! So Squishy is now mov- movin on uuup...to that deluxe apartment in the sky-yyyy....

On a happier note, Squishy is kicking away like a champ. Mama thinks she might grow up to be a ballerina or gymnast since she's already trying out some of her moves! Daddy felt his sweet girl move for the first time last week and Mama says she's never seen him smile quite so big...he's going to make such a wonderful daddy!

The Squishster has even gotten a few gifts already! Grandma Mathis (we've GOT to come up with a better name for all the grandparents...they're waaaay too young and cool to be called "grandma" and "grandpa")...anyway, Grandma Mathis went on a shopping spree while visiting in Gatlinburg. Sweet girl has lots of new onesies and layettes to wear when she finally gets here! Daddy's friends who recently had a little girl also sent us a few onesies...thanks Wren and family!

Now we just need to get Squishy a name. Everyone has been asking Mama and Daddy what they're going to call the Squishster. They've been looking at a lot of names, but none of them have been perfect yet. Let us hope Squishy doesn't keep her nickname....especially if she's a chunky monkey!! If you have any cute and creative names, feel free to share them under the "comments" section at the bottom of this post!!

That's all the updates for now. Hopefully Daddy will take a new belly shot of Mama this week so we can see how the baby bump is coming along!

21 Weeks!

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

21 Weeks Pregnant

Chances are good you're feeling someone performing a round-off back handspring in your uterus by now. Is there any other feeling this cool? Other highlights this week:

By now your baby looks like a mini-version of what she'll look like when she's born. All her facial features are formed and hair is growing on her head. She's even acting like a baby and will occasionally suck her thumb or yawn. Aww ...

Baby's heartbeat is getting stronger and can be heard using a good old-fashioned stethoscope. Ask for a listen at your next prenatal visit! By 21 weeks, fetal bone marrow starts making blood cells—previously done by the liver and spleen. This may not sound that exciting, but it's good news.

The amniotic fluid that has been cushioning your little bean now serves another purpose: Your baby uses it to "practice" chowing down. Yes, it sounds gross (as many aspects of pregnancy do), but it's an important step for your baby toward being able to chow down in the real world. Your baby has been swallowing amniotic fluid for a while now, but now the intestines are finally developed enough that she's absorbing small amounts of sugars from it. And let's face it, being able to effectively digest sugar is important at every stage of life.

Your baby now weighs between 10 and 11 ounces and is approximately 7 inches long—the size of a delicious, cold, frothy bottle of root beer. Float anyone?

Week 20...Halfway There!

Yay! Mama loves cantelope...with salt, please. Mmmmm... Daddy might have to make a trip to the store soon. I feel a craving coming on!

20 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now (but our sweet girl is already 12 ounces!!). She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

She's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery). Ewwwwww.....

It's a Girl!

We had our "big ultrasound" on Tuesday and found out that we're going to have a baby girl!! Daddy is getting his shotgun loaded and ready. Thankfully almost all of the other people we know are having or have had girls, so there isn't much cause for concern just yet. But it's never too early to be prepared. We're looking at you, Mikan!

Mama had thoughts of staying at home for a while with Baby Dobrinski, but finding out it is a girl has changed her mind! Mama and Daddy might actually have to go out and get second jobs...we're finding out that little girls are expensive!!

Here are more pictures of our sweet girl: