I guess I really am pregnant after all.......













These photos are hardly flattering, but at least it's starting to look as though I'm actually pregnant instead of just fat. You can click on the photos to see the larger, scarier versions! In a few weeks, I may post some more.

I still feel really good, with relatively lots of energy. I should be getting more sleep, however. I'm really enjoying feeling William kick; for a few weeks he was kicking mostly on my left side, but recently he's been kicking very low (thankfully not my bladder). I'm looking forward to seeing and meeting William, even though I know there is a very steep learning curve ahead and there will be times of lack of sleep, of grumpiness, of frustration and worry. Right now I'm reading a book called "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg, because it was recommended by a friend who has just had her second child. I like the idea of a flexible but predictable schedule for William, and I'm hoping to be able to follow many of the author's recommendations. I hope I will have patience enough to really listen to William's cries and to observe him, in order to discern what exactly he may need.

Week 22

"How your baby's growing: Your baby now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at 10.9 inches and almost 1 pound. Her skin will continue to appear wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her head and body is now visible. Her lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. Her eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and her pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily."

- from www.babycenter.com