19 weeks today...

19 weeks...almost halfway there.  Say WHAAAT???

A lot of neat things have been happening with our little guy this week.  Here's what babycenter.com has to say about it:

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

And whattoexpect.com adds:

Your little action figure is able to choreograph Matrix-like moves at 19 weeks pregnant. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone. All these upgrades combine to give your baby more control over limb movements. Which explains all that kicking, stretching, and bodysurfing (or rather bellysurfing) you've possibly started feeling by now.

Something else going on this week: Your baby is getting a cheesy varnish. Say what? Yup — a protective substance called vernix caseosa (vernix is the Latin word for varnish; caseosa is cheese) now covers your baby's skin. It's greasy and white and is made up of lanugo (that downy hair), oil from your baby's glands, and dead skin cells. This waxy "cheese" may not sound too appetizing or attractive, but it's there for good reason: Vernix protects your baby's sensitive skin from the surrounding amniotic fluid. Without it, your baby would look very wrinkled at birth (sort of what you'd look like if you soaked in a bath for nine months). Some babies — especially those born early — will still be covered with vernix at the delivery, so you might get a look at your baby's first anti-wrinkle cream.

Quite a bit of development, huh?  I haven't started feeling anything yet -- no movements or anything.  I haven't even really had anything going on that I thought to myself, "Hey!  Was that...?"  Nothing like that.  But that's okay.  I'm sure I'll be feeling all kinds of stuff in due time.

I know I'm getting this posted late (though I'm post-dating it so it falls on the right date -- my OCD kicking in, sorry.).  We were in IL from last Wed to Mon so I wasn't where I could post this Sunday when I wanted.  I think I mentioned that they were going to throw us a couple of showers while we were there -- and they did -- so once I get my photos off my camera and have a chance to sort through them, I'll post about the showers.  We had a nice time with Jeff's family.  It's nice to be home, too, though.  :)