Seventeen Weeks

Today Baby Lundberg is 17 weeks old. Only 161 days to go! Still feeling great, still don't think I've really "popped."

According to The Cradle, this was a week of rapid, whole-body growth for Baby L. Existing structures became larger and more well-developed, but no new structures were formed. The chances were good that this week's growth spurt for Baby L. also resulted in a growth spurt for me (but I don't think that happened!).

According to Pregnancy Weekly, Baby L. is approximately 5 inches long (crown to rump) and weighs just less than 5 ounces. He or she should weigh more than the placenta from this point on. Since Baby L.'s hearing has become more finely tuned, he or she may respond to loud noises and mom may feel movement at the sound of large trucks passing or a slamming door. Epidermal (skin) and fatty tissue are developing all over Baby L.'s body to protect it after it is born and a substance called vernix is beginning to form on the skin tissue to protect it from the long exposure to amniotic fluid.

According to BabyCenter, Baby L.'s skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — his/her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Baby L. weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and he/she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. He/she can move his/her joints, and his/her sweat glands are starting to develop.

I still haven't felt the baby move and I am anxiously awaiting that. Now that some sources say my baby can hear, I have to watch my language in the car on the way home from work! Only 2 1/2 more weeks until we can call the baby Nick or Kate. This pregnancy is flying by so far - so hopefully the next few weeks do too!