18 weeks

Here's what is going on with our baby this week according to babycenter.com;

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.  Hungry? An increase in appetite is pretty common about now. Make it count by choosing meals and snacks that are rich in nutrients instead of empty calories (chips, French fries, candy, and other sweets). Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now as your appetite and waistline grow.  Your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes, and during this trimester your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Don't spring up too fast from a lying or sitting position or you might feel a little dizzy.  From now on, when you do lie down, it's best to lie on your side — or at least partly tilted to one side. (When you lie flat on your back, your uterus can compress a major vein, leading to decreased blood return to your heart.) Try placing a pillow behind you or under your hip or upper leg for comfort.  If you haven't already had a second-trimester ultrasound, you'll probably have one soon. This painless procedure helps your practitioner check how your baby's growing, screen for certain birth defects, check the placenta and umbilical cord, determine whether the due date you're working with is accurate, and see how many babies you're carrying. During the exam, you might see your baby moving around or sucking his thumb. Bring your partner along, and be sure to ask for a printout for your baby's first photo album!

As for me, no real changes this week.  Still feeling good, still getting bigger, still hungry all the time.  I'm wearing almost only maternity clothes, with the exception of a few stretchy shirts, skirts, and dresses.  I'm still feeling a few little flutters in my belly that I think are the baby from time to time, but I'm still not very confident in what I think are movements of the baby.  We have just over 2 weeks until we find out if it's a boy or girl, so this is your last chance to throw in guesses.  We've narrowed down some of our names and have 2 boy names that we like, and 3 girl names that we like.  We still won't tell what names we're thinking about, but we will take suggestions and consider them with the rest... so this is your chance to throw in name requests... but we can't promise we'll use the suggestions.

Shannon