Peanut is the size of a Sweet Potato!

Week 18: Sweet Potato

Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.

Baby is approx 5.6 inches from head to bottom, but approx 10 inches from head to toe!!

I don't think I ever realized just how ugly a sweet potato is, until I compare my little baby boy to one... yikes!

Life with a Toddler Stuff:

1. We took the front of Landen's crib off, to convert it to a toddler bed. He thought it was the coolest thing EVER!! We wanted to get him accustom to sleeping in a big boy bed one step at a time (crib -> converted crib -> full-on, brand-new toddler bed for Christmas), so that once Peanut gets here there will be no feelings of baby taking Landen's bed away from him.       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~     The transition is going well, we decided to convert the bed first thing Saturday morning so he could have his naps during the day in his converted bed. This worked really well because when he woke up his room was lit enough from the daylight that he wasn't scared or confused by the change.
2. Landen is so funny trying to adjust to going to sleep at night in his convert bed. He knows he can get in and out, so he does. Even if he is so sleepy that he can't stand up, he will come in our doorway/his doorway/his room/the hall sqat down holding his bear with his head down and cry until we guide him back to his bed. Other times, he will come out of his room, crying with paci in mouth, bear in tow, and just walk around until he sees either Keith or myself; at which point he simply turns around (still crying, paci in mouth, bear in tow) and returns to his room. He's so cute.
3. For some time now, Landen will have "happy feet" - where he dances and stomps his little feet. Lately, rather than truely having "happy feet" he stomps just one foot, and not just to music. He stomps everything! Landen has been stomping leaves, sidewalk chalk drawings, shoes, string... everything! It's really funny to watch.
4. Landen is getting to be more advanced in his communication skills:
• when he's hungry - he goes to his highchair and says "up"
• anytime he wants to get up or down from something he says "up"
• if something falls/drops or gets thrown/kicked he says "uh oooo"
• he points to the snack cabinet if he wants a snack
• touches & stands next to the refridgerator when he wants his cup
• shakes/nods his head in response to questions
• says "ya ya ya" to answer yes to something exciting
• points to his head/foot/leg/nose/ear/mouth/eyes/arms/hand/belly button/diaper when asked - and will point to mommy & daddy's head/foot/leg/nose/ear/mouth/eyes/hands/belly button
• shakes his head to food when he's full
• recognizes and points to birds/ cats/ dogs/ trees/ cars/ trucks/ road/ paci/ bear/ zebra/ lion/ penguin/ giraffe/ hippo/ elephant/ rhino/etc when asked
• says "baw" for ball
• says "Oh" for Dumbo toy
• says "Buh" for book
• says momma and dadda
• says "ap-puh" for apple
• says "byebye" and waves
• gives kisses/blows kisses on command - to family members, stuffed animals, and the baby in the mirror
• says "deh" for deck
• says "ay" as he puts a phone to his ear
• says "brrrrmmmmmm" as he pushes his cars and trucks around
5. All of the sudden, Tuesday night, Landen decided that he is scared of the dark! If his little musical nightlight thing goes off (which it DOES after 15 min) before he is asleep, he will start screaming. To test this out, in hopes to verify it was a fear of the dark and nothing else, I conducted an experiment: I put him in the bed with me and used the dimmer remote to turn the lights down. As it started getting pretty dark, Landen squeaked a little. By the time the lights were completely out, he was crying. As soon as I turned the lights back on, all squeaking and crying subsided. He is infact afraid of the dark.
6. Landen is sick. We are going to the doctor today. He has had a cold for 2-3 weeks now, and starting running a fever yesterday. Last night he began coughing alot and with his door closed and his humidifier going, I could hear him breathing from the hallway... poor kid. UPDATE: We went to the doctor this morning... Landen has a double ear infection, sinus infection, AND a cold (I didn't know it was possible to have a sinus infect AND a cold!?!)! Ugh. I feel so bad for the little guy! :(

Pregnancy Stuff:

1. How far along: 18 weeks 0 days
2. Total weight gain: -5 lbs
3. Baby bump: Yep. 
4. Maternity clothes: Yep.
5. Movement: Occasionally I can feel a little flutter... :)
6. Cravings: Milk, cheese, juice, pasta, & cheese puffs (?)  
7. Aversions: Sweet stuff, smelly stuff, FISH, and random stuff  
8. Symptoms: Tired, headaches, sciatic pain, my blood pressure and heartrate were up a little this weekend, stomach/back cramps, and moody (I was stuck in traffic and almost started crying... seriously)
9. Sleep: can I PLEASE get some sleep!? 
10. Gender: It's a boy!!
11. Belly button: In
12. What I miss: laying on my tummy and letting Landen climb all over me. 
13. Best moment(s) of this week: playing with Landen, taking a bubble bath 
14. What I'm looking forward to: When Keith and Landen get to feel Peanut kick/move.
15. Concerns: Developing Pre-eclampsia again. Childcare for Landen (and eventually Peanut)! Non-existant Maternity Leave for me.