23 weeks!

How far along? 23 weeks

Weight gain/loss: I've gained 3 lbs. in 1 week. Whoa baby! It's been a rough week (with visitation and funeral to attend) & not having home-cooked meals doesn't help. Total weight gain is a little over 8 lbs.

Maternity clothes? None other than the maternity jeans.

Stretch marks?

None.

Sleep?

Sleep is okay. I wake up and adjust positions a few times a night.

Best moment this week?

Celebrating my 32nd birthday as a mommy! She is definitely the best birthday gift this year. :)

Food cravings:

None.

Gender:

Girl!

Belly button in or out?

I still have an "innie", but barely and by golly it hurts when the shower water hits it dead on. Ouch.

Pic taken w/iPhone

Movement?

Her daily kicks never get old. She kicks the most at around 9-10 a.m., before lunch, after dinner and when I'm lying on my side getting ready to fall asleep. :)

What I miss?

Not a single thing.

What I'm looking forward to:

Buying a stroller, car seat & crib!

Milestones: Our baby girl is 12 1/2 inches and about the size of a mango. Her eyes can now open. Ears, fingernails and finger prints are all done. Our baby's brain is now starting to grow rapidly, with billions and billions of brain cells developing in the next couple of weeks. These brain cells will control every aspect of our baby — from breathing to circulation, recognizing sensory stimulation to movement, and everything in between. With her sense of movement well developed by now, my baby can feel me dance. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that our baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now (such as our pups barking) probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb. :)