18 Weeks (August 24 - 30)

I thought the sick days of my pregnancy are over but this week, it seemed like I'm just beginning to be pregnant. There were days I woke up nauseated and even in the afternoon or at night. it seemed like I have been picky with my foods again but lately anything sweet with peanuts sounds good to me. No matter how much I love the food, if I eat too much, I end up getting sick. So, I'm watching the amount of food I'm putting in my mouth lately. I'm having runny nose and sneezing mostly after I just got up from bed. I don't know why but it's really bothering me.

Another thing also is the gum bleeding. It scares me because even if I don't really brush my teeth that hard, my gum bleeds heavily like it has a big cut. It's actually in the list the doctor gave me last time, so I shouldn't panic but it's really freaking me out to be spitting very red blood almost every night during and after brushing my teeth. At least that's when it happens. With Aiden before, I have the nose bleeding and it was just as freaky. I'd wake up in the middle of the night thinking I got runny nose but it was actually blood. It got more frequent as I went into the 3rd trimester so I can only imagine that this gum bleeding is going to get worse pretty soon. Definitely not something I look forward to. I don't know if there's a cure either but 2years ago, the doctor wasn't concerned at all. She just told me it was part of the pregnancy.

My next appointment will be on Wednesday so I should ask the doctor about my concerns then. I'll have my ultrasound the same day as well and if all goes well (if the baby will cooperate that is) then, I should be back to let you know if we're having a girl or another boy this time.

How my baby's growing:

Head to bottom, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin and her ears are now in position and stand out from her head. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and Fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

17 Weeks (August 17 - 23)

17 weeks had passed and now I'm definitely feeling pregnant and looking pregnant as well. I took these photos 2 days ago for a blogging ad assignment regarding the blouse I'm wearing. Ok, so after three pregnancies (not counting the 2 miscarriages), I finally became a model, lol!

Anyway, my belly is still itching like crazy. Sometimes, I'd use hubby's hair brush to scratch it. It usually goes away after that. I have noticed I don't have any cravings anymore. I mean now, I can eat almost anything again like I used to before I got pregnant. I did notice that I love to eat more sweets than ever. I'm scared to get gestational diabetes so I'm trying to eat fruits or cereal to replace candies (love the peanut M&M's lately), ice cream and cakes. I swear I don't wanna get big as much as I did with Aiden. I'm not hungry all the time with this pregnancy and I'm really happy about that. I try to eat as balanced as possible and I hope I can stick with it till the end so I don't gain too much weight.

Three days ago, I started to feel the baby move already. It's not that strong but I definitely feel something in there. Feels like a tickle and I normally feel it in the afternoon. The doctor said it's normally between 16-22 weeks when you'd feel the baby move so I guess it's about time I should feel it. It's such an amazing feeling. As a matter of fact, while I'm typing this, I can feel the baby moving, hehe! This week, I noticed that I've been cheerful most of the time. I'm actually surprised that I was calm while talking to my family about a certain problem they're having right now. I feel different 'coz normally, I don't handle things like that pretty well. Also, I haven't been taking naps as much as I used to anymore, which makes it easier to sleep at night.

How my baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 5 ounces now, and he's around 5 inches long — about the size of a large onion. He can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. His sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker.

16 Weeks (August 10 - 16)

I think nausea is officially gone this week but if I eat something that does not agree with my stomach, I still get sick. My craving for that oatmeal drink I invented a week ago has gone down. I had it probably 3 times this week and that's about it. It might have something to do with the new oatmeal brand that hubby bought me. I ran out of the old one and this new one takes more than 60 seconds to cook which makes it hotter for me to drink. Anyway, my belly is still itching like crazy. I think I'm finally beginning to show now. Yesterday, I had to change like 10 times just to go out grocery shopping because my regular blouses are getting short but I'm still too little to wear my maternity clothes. Fortunately, I got a few blouses that are loose on the belly. I guess I'll be wearing those for a while. When I read these pregnancy magazines, they always advice you not to spend much money on maternity clothes 'coz you'll only be wearing them for a few months but I don't care, lol! Yeah, I always waste money on maternity clothes each time I get pregnant, haha! On my previous pregnancy, I bought 2 maternity bathing suits and wear them for like 2-3x and that's it. Geez, I can't even wear them this time. Total waste but no regrets.

I love being pregnant. People (at least here in America) treat you special when you're pregnant, lol! Let me give you an example. Every time I go to a public bathroom and I'm in a line, everybody lets me in first or when I go in line to buy food at the mall or at a fast food, they let me get in front too. Also, I get spoiled a lot. When I say "I'd like to eat this/that" or "this/that sounds good right now"; I get it! Wouldn't you just love to be pregnant? LOL!

I'm still thinking about names. I don't have a lot of favorite A names for boys so it's going to be tough if it's another boy. Hmmm, not a thing for a girl's name either. You see, I already got the perfect A name for a girl but then, I already know of 2 Filipinas (1 in the Philippines, 1 in the US) who used that same name for their baby girls. So, now I'm lost. It's hard when your choices are limited but hubby wants to follow his family tradition. Maybe if it's a girl I can make a bargain and ask him if we can use M instead of A.

How's my baby growing:

At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.

15 weeks (August 3 - 9)

I've finally spilled the beans to my online friends! Anyway, this week has been better than last week. I'm more cheerful and just kind of enjoying this whole new baby thing. If God permits this is going to be my last one and for that I wanna remember all the details. I found something new to eat this time. Nothing fancy actually. Can you guess what it is? I'm not really sure what to call it so I'll go ahead and give you the recipe (sort of). I take about 4-5 teaspoons of regular oatmeal and mix it with 1/2 cup water and boil it in the microwave for a minute. Then, I add 2 teaspoons of sugar and about 1/4 cup milk to it. Stir and serve. I drink this whole thing 2x a day. One in the morning for breakfast and one in the afternoon around 3pm as a snack. I'm not sure if you can call that a craving but I seem to enjoy it for a whole week now. I've been thinking about the Nesvita Cereal drink that I used to have back in the Philippines before but since I couldn't get it here, I invented this oatmeal drink, lol! Other than the food, I've noticed that my belly has been itching like crazy lately. I am not sure what causes it because I take baths regularly and everything. Besides, my belly isn't that big yet so I don't think it's the stretching issue.

How my baby's growing:

At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 ounces. He's busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help develop the air sacs in his lungs. His legs are growing longer than his arms now, and he can move all his joints and limbs. That means his hands are more functional, too. 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.)

14 Weeks (July 27 - August 2)

Wohooo! I'm done with the first trimester. So, I'm hoping that the nausea would go away completely pretty soon! I noticed that I don't have it as bad as it used to be. I only get sick when my stomach is empty. I don't like my chips anymore and other salty stuffs. I am not a chocoholic either but since I like sweets this time, I tried some chocos but the regular/dark ones are too bitter for me so I got me some white Toblerone, yipee! LOL. The white chocolates are all I need, wahaha!

I had my 2nd OB-GYN routine appointment this week (yesterday) and so far everything's fine. Baby's heartbeat is 158 this time. I'm scheduled for an ultrasound on my next appointment but I'm still thinking if I wanna know the baby's gender or not. Hubby wants to know but they said they can tell him and not me. I really don't know yet. I'm going to think about it for a month, lol! The doctor gave me some new prenatal vitamin samples to see which ones I like. Out of the 3, the first one I've tried last night was pretty good and didn't make me sick or anything. I wanna try the other 2 first before I'll decide.

This week, has been like a roller coaster ride for me. There are times that I am extremely happy and there are times that I'd cry myself to sleep as well. Nobody's hurting me but me I guess. I get just about any crazy ideas in my head. I try to check every part of my body for any discoloration or something weird that might give me a clue if it's going to be another boy or a girl. Sometimes, I get some clues that seemed so positive to me but when I tell someone about it, they tell me it's the opposite. Those times make me wanna cry. I envy other women, who seemed to be so sure what they're having even before the ultrasound. I have no assurance if this time, I'd get what I'm longing for or not but I do pray that I'd be strong enough to accept what it is that Heavenly Father has prepared for me. No matter what, I'd still love this baby like the other 2 more than anything else in this world.

How's my baby growing:

Head to bottom, your baby's 3 1/2 inches long — about the length of a lemon — and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. Her body's growing faster than her head, which now sits upon a more well-defined neck. By the end of this week, her arms will have lengthened and will be in proportion to the rest of her body. (Her legs still have some growing to do, though.) She's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair all over her body (called lanugo). Her liver starts secreting bile this week, a sign that it's already functioning properly, and her spleen starts contributing to the production of red blood cells. She's also producing and discharging urine into the amniotic fluid, a normal process that she'll keep up until birth. You still can't feel your baby's movements, but her hands and feet (which are now half an inch long) are more flexible and active. Thanks to brain impulses, her little facial muscles are getting a workout as she squints, frowns, and grimaces. She can grasp now, too, and she may be able to suck her thumb.