17 Weeks

So Little Turkey is the size of an onion this week. Lind of creeps me out since I just made potato soup last weekend that I had to cut up a whole onion for it! Pretty astonishing when I think about it though.... holding an onion in my hand and imagining that's how big the baby is now. CRAZINESS. How is time seriously going this quickly??

This week has brought along a LOT of growing pains and just general discomfort. My lower back has been hurting quite a bit which has been no fun at all. I can only imagine how bad it's going to be when I'm 38 weeks and praying for the baby to make its appearance! But every single pain and frustration is worth it because it's all happening so this miracle has a place to grow big and strong. I would do it all a million times over in a heartbeat.

Speaking of heartbeat, the baby's heart rate is still averaging around 160 beats per minute. I've rarely heard it any slower than that, and if it was, it was at 158! Even though I know all the old wives' tales about faster heart rate meaning girl, slower heart rate meaning boy.... it still is fun to guess! Although I'm starting to feel 100% positive that this is another little boy! Everyone that I know (women on my message boards) that are due in November are having boys! Seriously.... I think we're at 15 boys and only 5 girls so far. It's pretty strange! And it certainly makes you wonder if there truly are "girl seasons" and "boy seasons". Guess we'll find out in another three weeks or so!

The anxiousness has started creeping in about the ultrasound. Don't get me wrong, I am SO excited to finally see our baby on that screen again and to find out if we're having pink or blue! But it's hard to think about those things because I'm just so focused on the baby's health. That's ALL that is important to me. I remember starting to get nervous around this time with Jackson too.... in the end, you just want to hear that your baby is healthy and doing well in there. But I have faith that all is well and I just can't wait!!!

The Seventeenth Week:

• By week 17, your baby weighs about 4.97 ounces (140gm) and is 5.12 inches (13cm) long.
• He or she has a much more normal "human" appearance now. She holds her head more erect and her body and limbs are longer in proportion to her head.
• Pads are forming on his tiny fingertips and toes. Soon those individual swirls and whorls will be apparent.
• Her eyes are looking forward now, but they are still firmly closed.
• Meconium (composed of products of cell loss, digestive secretion and swallowed amniotic fluid), is accumulating in the bowel. This black gooey substance will become your baby's first poop!
• The umbilical cord is growing thicker and stronger and continues to rush blood and nutrients to your growing baby.
• If your child is male the prostate begins to develop.
• Her skeleton is transforming from cartilage to bone. The bones remain flexible to make the journey through the birth canal easier.