18 Weeks!

We are now 18 weeks along and so far, this has been one of the most exciting weeks!  

Baby at 18 weeks:  Baby is the size of a sweet potato, measuring about 5.5 inches and an estimated 5-6 ounces (although we have discovered this week that these are definitely just estimates!)  Baby is perfecting yawning and hiccuping this week and now has a unique set of toe and fingerprints! Baby's bones have started to ossify and among the first to do so were the tiny bones of the ear, allowing baby to start to hear sounds!  At this point baby can mostly hear sounds going on inside my body but may be startled by loud noises from the outside world!  Guess it's time for the classical music!  Baby is also moving around A LOT.  I started to feel baby move a little over a week ago and since then, baby's movements have only become stronger.  So strong that Tyler was actually able to feel the baby move the other night! It really is the most incredible feeling. 

Momma and Papa this week:  We have had an amazing week.  We enjoyed a wonderful "staycation" together which included a trip to the garden center, lots of time outside (for all family members, including furry and feathered) and a Bluegrass Festival!  For Mother's Day we hosted a cookout.  It was very low key but the weather was gorgeous and we had great company! Below are some pictures! 

 
18 week appointment: The most exciting part of our week was this Tuesday when we had our 18 week anatomy scan/ultrasound.  This ultrasound allowed us to see every little part of this precious baby, from the brain to the heart to the bones and more!  Everything looks healthy and baby was VERY active!  Our doctor actually used the word "perfect" when reporting the results.  Baby's heart rate was about 149bpm and was pumping strong!  At the appointment we were 18 weeks and 2 days, but baby was measuring bigger at 18 weeks and 5 days.  Baby was also estimated to be about 9 ounces already!  Below is our favorite picture from the ultrasound and our 18 weeks "bump" pic.  We are already so in love!

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend and enjoyed our update!  Stay tuned!  XOXO