22 Weeks!

So, I was prepared to write another post about a movement-less week, until yesterday, when all of the sudden...

I felt it.

I felt Liam move-- not the small flip flops and flutters that I've felt randomly throughout the past few weeks-- a real kick. A thump, thump that made me stop what I was doing, gasp, and touch my belly. It was awesome. I felt it two other times last night and once this morning. I can see my belly growing & I know that there's a little boy in there, but it still doesn't seem quite real. But now... Every time I feel that little thump, it's like Liam is saying, "Hi, Mommy!" It's overwhelming and amazing.

This week, he's the size of a stack of Oreos:

And looks like this:

Baking Baby Blakely

"Your Mini's hands have grown bigger and stronger and the nerve endings in his fingers have developed his sense of touch. He's in there testing out his newfound abilities by touching his 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 he'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 him sticking out his 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 from his head to his heel, which is how the Stretch Armstrong in your uterus will be measured from here on out. Up 'til now your baby's legs were curled tight up against his torso, so he was measured from his head to his bottom (or crown to rump) and not head to toe. This week your mini is about as long as a package of Oreos and as heavy as a large bag of tortilla chips. Who's hungry?" (Me! Always!)

I had my 22 week checkup this morning and everything looked great-- up one pound from my appointment last month, which officially puts me three pounds heavier than my lowest weight (-6 lbs), and three pounds below my pre-pregnancy weight. I'm happy that the weight gain is still holding off for now, but I know that one day (soon), that scale will creep up past the number I started with... and that will be ok. (I'm struggling with this a bit & it has nothing to do with vanity. I'm just very conscious of where I am, and I'm hopeful that the weight I gain during this pregnancy will be nothing more than what the baby needs.)

22 Week Belly Pic

Feeling great and can't wait to go to swim class tonight!!