Nervous

More like nervous system!  This week, baby's nervous system is developing rapidly so that his/her senses will be ready to go come his/her birthday in October.  S/he is also apparently perfecting the art of the yawn, according to WhattoExpect.com.  At 18 weeks, baby is the size of a mango, inside of my uterus which is the size of a cantaloupe.  A mango stuffed inside a cantaloupe.  What a strange picture!  It's almost as weird as the "tur-duck-in" (the chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey - yet is exists!).  There are no internet pictures of a mango inside of a cantaloupe, so I had to settle for two separate pictures (yes, I really searched, but all I could find was mango-cantaloupe smoothies & salsa!).

Baby is the size of a mango this week.

And mango-sized baby is stuffed inside my cantaloupe-sized uterus.

I'm feeling good this week and starting to show the slightest resemblance of a full belly.  I wouldn't call it a baby bump just yet.  It more looks like I overate at dinner... the last few weeks!  That's ok, I'm sure it will pop out anytime now.  It would be nice to sleep better, though.  Between uncomfortable positions, waking up to pee, and strange terrifying dreams, I can't get any significant shut-eye lately.

18 weeks pregnant

I think I've been feeling the baby move a few times in the last two weeks.  It feels like someone in my uterus is whispering up against my belly wall.  Though, last night, I felt a significant flick like someone kicked me!  Craig was so cute, when I said I felt that, he put his hand on my belly for a while, hoping to feel it, too.  I think the baby's a little too small yet to feel on the outside (since I've tried and tried, and I can't correspond the inside movements to anything felt by my hand).  Then Craig put his head on my belly and said he heard sounds like sloshing around in liquid.  (At least he didn't hear my belly grumbling!)  I also make him talk to the baby sometimes because I heard that now that baby has a decent sense of hearing, s/he is supposed to recognize both my voice (though s/he hears it all the time and is probably tired of it already) and Craig's.  So far, no big movements when he talks to him/her.  It's still really cute to watch him get attached to the little being inside me!

Friday we go for our next ultrasound, the one where they do the anatomy checking.  Nope, we're still not going to find out if it's a boy or girl.  Sorry, everyone who wants to know - you'll just have to wait till s/he makes his/her debut in October!  I hope everything will look good.  I am curious whether it's one of those 3D ultrasounds.  They are kind of creepy!  I'm not sure I want to see exactly what baby's face will look like when s/he comes out.  What if s/he's ugly?  Just kidding, whatever s/he looks like will be fine; we just want him/her to be healthy!

After the ultrasound is our next doctor's appointment.  I will admit that I'm excited for both appointments, since it's been a month from our last one, and I'm not sure if I'm pregnant or just getting fat!  It will be nice to have a new picture and hear the heartbeat and get the ok from the doctor that all is well.  (It would be different if I could feel the baby kicking or see a significant baby bump, then I might be reassured without those things.)

Baby shower planning is still underway.  The dates and locations are set.  Craig's cousin & niece are meeting up with me to put the invitations together in mid-June.  (Because you know I had to have a hand in planning & producing them!  Just can't... let... go!  Haha!)

I've been praying a lot for our little family.  It seems like things are moving in a positive direction, at least most of the time!  It's truly amazing the feelings that Craig and I are having for this baby that doesn't quite exist as a full-fledged person yet.  Now if only we could decide on some name options!