Monday, May 7, 2007

18 Weeks





We are 18 weeks now and head to bottom, our baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and weighs almost 7 ounces. My baby calendar says that she's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. And on Saturday, I felt Baby Crain for the first time!! I had a glass of sweet tea and felt a unique movement that I have never felt before. And although it's too early for them to feel it too, Russ and Stephen were here with me for the experience. It was so amazing. . . just the realization that there is a little person growing inside me. Although my first image was of the alien in SpaceBalls. . . let's just hope that the baby doesn't pop out with a top hat singing "Hello my baby, hello my honey. . . ".

This was a week of dr's visits for the whole family. We had our 17 week appointment and everything is progressing smoothly. I've gained 9 pounds so far. We will have our Level 2 ultrasound at the next visit. It will be tough not to find out what we're having. Russ also had his third knee surgery on Friday. The plan was for arthroscopic surgery to shave off some of his bone around the knee. Once the surgery began, the dr thought his knee looked much better than expected and decided not to shave off any bone. He trimmed up some rough cartilage and tightened up his ACL. Russ is doing well since surgery. His knee is sore and swollen but it has been the easiest of his surgeries so far. I'm thrilled that he's off work until after our family vacation in June. I'm going to be so spoiled with him home every night!

I've been busy organizing and preparing the house for baby. My sister Katie passed down some baby gear and a friend and neighbor of my grandmother's gave us a gorgeous cherry cradle. We've started the nursery, painting it a cheery yellow. We plan to put up a chair rail and paint stripes underneath. We've picked out our nursery bedding and bought a dresser to use as a changing table. We still have a lot to do but it feels nice to have started. My appetite right now is outrageous. I will eat a full meal only to feel like I'm starving again as soon as I finish. I'm trying to eat healthy and it's been easier since my aversion to fish and vegetables seems to have disappeared. Lately I've been craving salads which is good. . . and ICE CREAM which is not so good. =)

We'll check back in with you in 4 weeks. Hopefully with some ultrasound pictures of little Peanut. Until then, I have attached some pictures of Russ pre-surgery painting the nursery and post-surgery recovering, and of my bump. I don't feel like there's been a major change since our last post but I keep gaining weight and growing out of clothes so it must be going somewhere!! Hope you all are well. Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers, grandmothers and soon to be mothers.

Love,
Heather, Russ and Baby Crain