Week 19

Our 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. Our baby should weigh about 8 1/2 ounces and measure about 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato (However, we know our baby was bigger than this last week). Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. 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 (that's kind of gross).

This week I have wanted cherries! I crave everything cherry. At least once a day I make it to Sonic for a cherry limeade, cherry coke, or cherry slush. I have always liked cherries, but nothing to this extreme. I think I am getting bigger, not my baby bump, but me in general. Which might mean I am finally catching up on my weight gain. I have been trying to eat healthy and do a really good job most days, but this weekend we ate out 4 times (and I ate a hamburger, which I never do!). Maybe that's what I needed though. I have been having round ligament pain for the past 2 weeks. Which just means my body is preparing for the "rapid growth" in the next few weeks.

Charlotte has received some gifts this week. She has had the cutest clothes given to her. Some are so small, I can't believe she is going to be that small. Also, my parents bought the crib and mattress for baby Charlie. It is an antique white convertible crib (which means it converts to a toddler bed and a headboard and foot board for a full-size bed) which we hope she will have for several years. We have had so much fun picking out things for Charlotte's nursery. The theme is shabby chic: antique white, light pink, and celery/sage green. I am actually making the bedding and valence. It is modeled kind of after a set that I saw online (Glenna Jean Isabella) but instead of tassels it will have pink satin ruffles and the fabric choices are a different. We are using a chandelier and picture/shelf from the Glenna Jean collection. There will be a lot of pink, but the room is painted green so hopefully it won't be pink-overload.