17 Weeks Pregnant

Sorry I keep doing these late! I almost did it yesterday, but I was sort of grumpy, and I didn’t want that to be the tone of my blog. Now I’m listening to Christmas music, so I’m definitely happy. J

This week (as of this past Sunday) the baby should be just over 5 inches long, crown to rump, and nearly 5 ounces! Bone growth is going to start to slow down soon, but the baby is starting to accumulate some fat this week, so the weight will increase faster than the length. I mentioned a few weeks ago that the baby was starting to grow lanugo (fur), and now it is also forming a covering of vernix, which is a white substance made of skin cells. It protects the skin from the effects of being immersed in fluid for nine months. The eyes are fully functional now, though still fused shut. The facial muscles are developed too, so the baby is capable of all kinds of adorable facial expressions. J

Actual 4-D Ultrasound Photo of a 17 week fetus:

I think the baby can hear now, and I’ll explain why. As you know, I’ve been anxiously awaiting being able to feel it move. As of yesterday, I’m pretty sure I can feel it! I kept feeling things yesterday evening, first when I was sitting at the computer. I told Travis that I couldn’t tell if it was the baby or not, so he asked me if I had ever felt the same thing before, which I don’t think I have. He was so excited, and convinced that it must be the baby. I still wasn’t sure. A little while later I was sitting on the couch, and my stomach rumbled loudly, and then I felt a squirm in a completely different area (just about where the baby seems to be hiding out every time we try to listen to the heartbeat)! My interpretation is that the baby was startled by the sound of my rumbles, and it jumped, which made me jump! I think the mere fact that it was such a strange sensation to me that I was startled is enough to conclude that it was the baby. J I’m so excited! That was definitely the biggest movement I’ve felt so far. If I’m still and paying attention, I can feel little wiggles now and then.

Last week I bought a changing table from someone on Craigslist. It’s not pretty, but I think it will be cute enough after we paint it, put new hardware on it, etc. I’ll take a “before” picture of it before we fix it up. I like it because it has lots of storage. It has four drawers and a cabinet with three shelves. The lady I bought it from said she was able to fit all of the baby’s clothes in it.

I’ve sold four bibs so far! Three of them were custom orders from teachers at Travis’s school, so I still have to make those. Personalizing them with names is proving harder than I thought, without special equipment like a monogramming sewing machine or even die cut letters. I’ve posted two bibs in my Etsy store so far, but I might edit the listings, or totally redo them if I have to, because I don’t think I want to deal with personalizing them. I’ll tell you how to get to my store next week. It isn’t finished yet. I have tons more bibs partially done, so I’ll hopefully have them posted by then, too.

I have a couple more things I could talk about, but I have to go run some errands before my lessons today. Have a good week!