Gruene, Texas, and 20 weeks!

Well, I'm back from Gruene! Sister Tammy has a beautiful new house, poolhouse, and pool that was enjoyed by everyone but moi. It was my own fault, and the fault of all the books I've read about having a chemical free pregnancy...and now I can't even go for a dip in a swimming pool without worrying that the chlorine is going to cause bone cancer for our little girl! However, I did swish my legs around in it, and had a blast watching my nephews Ethan and Hudson swim around in their little baby life jackets. So incredibly cute! I'll post pics later.

Ethan slept in the same room as me, and it was hilarious! He's two, and a few months, and talking like a pro...even in his sleep! I woke up one morning to Darth Vador breathing right in my face, freaked me out until I realized it was just Ethan, standing beside the bed and waiting for me to wake up! So polite of him. He also had a bit of trouble going to sleep, and knew that with a little coersion he could get his Aunt Sauney to "stay with me?" and tell him stories for at least thirty minutes or so...until I would finally call in Mommy to be the enforcer!

Here is the latest on our little girl!!


How your baby's growing:
Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to her bottom — known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby's legs are curled up against her torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)

A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats her entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)

Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in her first messy diaper (although a few babies pass it in utero or during delivery). babycenter.com