baby's 18! (weeks....)

baby weber is growing strong and fiesty--moving around a bit more each day--it's one of the best feelings in the world (and the most reassuring!)! my in-depth ultrasound is coming up in two weeks and i can't wait to find out what brand of weber we're having! i'll try to keep my excitement at bay until then....

in other news, amelie and i are going bike shopping today--we have a LOT of hours to kill this week and next week since daddy is on super duper never ending play practice schedule so ya'll should totally invite us out for a play date =-)


Week 18
Your Baby's Development

By now, the bones of Baby's inner ear and the nerve endings from the brain have developed enough so that your baby can probably detect sounds clearly. Experts believe that one of the most comforting sounds she hears is Mom’s heartbeat. She may also hear your voice, your stomach rumbling, and the sound of blood moving through the umbilical cord to and from the placenta, which is now almost as big as she is.

And that's not all! Here's what else is happening to baby this week:

She will begin to swallow, and may even feel thirsty sometimes. Some experts think thirst may trigger your baby to swallow. Since amniotic fluid is constantly being produced, Baby’s swallowing of excess fluid helps keeps it at a constant level.
Baby's chest will continue to move up and down to mimic breathing, but she's not breathing air — just swallowing and inhaling amniotic fluid. This is a normal part of your baby’s development—this intake of amniotic fluid will not harm her.
If baby is a girl, the vagina, uterus, and Fallopian tubes will be in place by the end of the week.