Baby Minton’s 19th Week

Can you believe it’s Week 19?

This week Baby Minton’s sensory development is exploding! His/her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he/she may be able to hear your voice now, so don’t be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Baby Minton weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. His/her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now and the kidneys continue to make urine and the hair  is sprouting.

Tummy Honey Butter

Sounds yummy, doesn’t it?  Well, I can truthfully say that while I haven’t tasted it, but I do apply it to my belly twice daily.

If you’re wondering if I’m nervous about stretch marks…I AM!  I have heard from friends that I may never wear a bikini again.  Hopefully that’s not the case, but even if it is, I still don’t want stretch marks.

So why did I buy Tummy Honey Butter?  Here’s an exert from the product description:

Tummy Honey Butter is ideal for preventing stretch marks during pregnancy. It has an oil-based formula that penetrates deep into the skin layers, maintaining skin moisture and elasticity for several hours without leaving the skin feeling greasy. And unlike many other prevention products, Tummy Honey Butter contains no water–which ultimately dries out, and is not ideal for maximizing skin elasticity for extended periods. Tummy Honey Butter is also free of petroleum, lanolin and artificial preservatives, including parabens.

I won’t be able to tell you if Tummy Honey Butter lives up to it’s name until after Baby Minton arrives, but my fingers are crossed!

Guinness is Famous!

Today when I was checking my email I quick read through the Camp Bow Wow LoDo newsletter.  Low and behold…I see my puppy’s picture featured in the 10 Foods to Share with Your Pup section . I knew it was him immediately.

How could a mother not recognize a face like that!

I just hope Dakota’s not jealous as I don’t believe she’s been featured in a CBW newsletter yet!

My Growing Belly

I don’t have any pictures to share, but I did want to let everyone know that my stomach has started to officially protrude from my body.  I’m excited, but very uncomfortable.  As of Sunday, I have started to feel a stretching pain in my abdominal area, specifically on the sides and across the my belly button.  It feels like someone is pull my skin very tight and not letting go.

Sleep has also been tough.  I feel bad for Mike as I have been tossing and turning constantly over the last few nights.  I’m wondering if the maternity pillows that I’ve seen advertised work.  I might have to invest in one and see how it goes.

Baby Minton’s 18th Week

Tomorrow starts Baby Minton’s 18th week and here’s what’s going on…

Baby Minton’s brain is growing rapidly. By this stage, all of the major areas have been differentiated. The cortical layers, which govern specific brain functions, are beginning to form. The fetus may exhibit signs of a primitive body language in utero. Within the next few weeks, he/she’ll be able to hear voices outside the womb and respond positively to music or loving words. I guess that means it’s time for Mike and I to start fine-tune our singing and storytelling skills!

In case you’re wondering, I haven’t felt any movement yet. Some start to feel movement as early as 16 or 17 weeks, but it’s not unusual for the movement to become noticeable in weeks 20-22. As soon as I notice something, I’ll be sure to let everyone know.

Baby Minton’s 17th Week

At 4 to 5 inches long and about 7 ounces, Baby Minton is roughly the size of a large pear. And he/she is ripening–the brain, muscles, nervous and circulatory systems, and urinary tract are all functioning.  Amniotic fluid is pumping through the lungs while the skeleton, composed of rubbery cartilage, will harden later.

Must Love Snow

It snowed in Denver again today.  It wasn’t more than an inch or two, but Guinness and Dakota made sure that they got to play outside today. For whatever reason, our dogs love the snow.

Here’s a picture of Guinness sitting like a good puppy on the deck.  He’s a firm believer that if he sits still long enough, he’ll get a cookie.  It’s hard to believe that he’s not even a year old yet!  We are thankful everyday that we adopted him as he makes us smile, even if he does have the worst dog farts I’ve ever smelled.

Dakota is looking as cute as ever.  She loves to eat snow and ICE!  Yes, she eats ice.  She doesn’t enjoy being outside as much as Guinness does, but we think that’s because she’s a slender dog who doesn’t have as much “padding” on her, so she gets cold easily.

Dakota is my baby and has been sitting on my lap at night while I watch the Olympics.  I wonder how she’s going to react once Baby Minton gets here???

Grandpa Watters turns 80!

While we weren’t able to attend the party, I wanted to post a picture from Grandpa Watters 80th birthday party which was celebrated the weekend of Feb 13th.

Glenn is Patti’s father and Mike’s Grandfather.  He currently lives in Wichita, KS with his wife Phyllis.

I’ve have yet to meet Glenn, but I told Mike that I think he looks like the actor Robert Duvall.

Baby Minton’s 16th Week

Baby Minton is getting ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, the baby will double his/her weight and add inches to his/her length. Right now, Baby Minton is about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces.

His/her legs are much more developed, his head is more erectthan it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his/her head. Baby Minton’s ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of the scalp has begun, though his/her locks aren’t recognizable yet. He/she’s even started growing toenails. And there’s a lot happening inside as well. For example, the heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as Baby Minton continues to develop.

I have my 16 week appointment tomorrow with the OB.  Excited to hear the heartbeat again as well as making sure that everything is on track.  At this point we’re only a month away from learning if we’re having a BOY or a GIRL.

My Baby Bump

This weekend I officially started shopping for maternity clothes as my pre-pregnancy pants are starting to feel a little snug.  And by feeling a little snug, I mean that I have to unbutton them in the afternoon otherwise I might pop!

This morning I asked Mike to take a picture of my baby bump so that those of you back in Michigan could see what I looked like as I start my 16th week.

If you didn’t know I was pregnant, you probably would just say that I’ve just packed on a few pounds.  With 25 weeks to go…I think I might be adding a few more pounds between now and then.