Week 15: Your little hairy baby

Well I did a knock up job at tracking Week 14, eh? Here's a belly pic from last Saturday taken while waiting between restaurant festivities and bar shenanigans...and for the record, I didn't drink. ;) In fact I doubled up the Krispy Kreme & ice cream that I had earlier that afternoon by having a second serving at around midnight. Nice.

New symptoms that have come up like clockwork during 2nd trimester are gas and bloat. I've gained 2.2 lbs so far. I actually gained 2 lbs last week within 4 days. Not a fun revelation. You can kinda see it in my face:

I'm getting anxious to know whether the bini will be with or without penis. :) At the same time, I know hubby would really like to be surprised. Is it possible to compromise somehow?

Getting back into working out has been a struggle. The cold followed by the flu really killed me. I packed my spinning shoes this morning in hopes of getting some good cardio in.

And now for Week 15 update:

Fetal development in pregnancy week 15: Your nearly four-inch long (crown to rump), gymnast is happily mobile inside your womb and if you're really lucky, you’ll notice a point when your sneezing, coughing or laughing results in a little kick here or a poke there. Still, many women don't feel anything until the 17th week or later. He weighs about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). Although the poking and kicking isn't very charming during sleeping hours, it’s a good sign as it means your baby is actually reacting to outside events. Yay! You’ve got yourself one active healthy baby! Their little elbows and knees are bending more freely this week and their little legs are finally growing longer than their arms and getting pumped up for prenatal Richard Simmons. Many of their major organ systems are increasing in capacity—particularly that amazing tiny heart and complex circulation system, which is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood per day, and will increase to a very impressive 200 quarts per day by the end of the pregnancy. As far as hair goes, we’ve got some new scalp patterns beginning to develop on the head, although actual head hair is not yet present. . Sweat glands are appearing, and although his eyelids are fused shut, he can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, he's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but his taste buds are beginning to form. And if you have an ultrasound, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or girl! (Don't be disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down the sex depends somewhat on how clear the picture is and the position of your baby during the ultrasound; he may be curled or turned in such a way as to keep you in suspense.)

And how's mom doing? You've probably gained about 5 pounds by now. Have your cheeks been rosier lately? (No, no, no-- we’re asking about your face.) Are you feeling especially radiant? This famed “glow” is brought to you courtesy of the pregnancy fairy who has waved her magical “rosy tinge wand” over you. Seriously though, your body is experiencing an increase in be aware that increased blood flow might cause your blood vessels to expand, resulting in a series of not-so-magical nosebleeds blood flow and you probably do have flushed skin and cheeks. Just be aware that increased blood flow might cause your blood vessels to expand, resulting in a series of not-so-magical nosebleeds for some women, which although perfectly normal, are a bit gory if you’ve got a day job. If you find the nosebleeds especially irritable, consider purchasing a humidifier to ward off future nose bleeds. Also, do your best to avoid irritants, such as aerosols, smoke, and dust.. Even though the placenta is regulating your babe’s hormones, you are still producing additional estrogen, which often causes swelling of the mucosa membranes, leaving you with a stuffy nose—potentially throughout the duration of the pregnancy. These are just a few of the charming physical experiences you can chalk up to the pregnancy fairy!