17 Weeks

Today I am 17 weeks along in pregnancy #2

I had a check up this morning. Baby's heart rate was a loud and beautiful 150. I have been feeling some movement for about two weeks now but it doesn't quite make me smile when I feel him move. Hopefully soon these strange, tickling feelings will turn into more fluid movements that I can enjoy and smile at. I have gained 8 lbs and am barely fitting into my largest pair of jeans. I am sure at this point I could wear maternity jeans, but they just aren't the same. Plus, they seem shorter and wider then when I wore them with Noah. =(

So maybe a shopping trip is in my near future?

In two weeks we have a BIG ultrasound. We will have some pictures and video too!

At this point, I look like this:

Baby #2 looks like this

McCoy Baby #2: Week 17

Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints. My how our baby has grown! He's about the size of your fist, weighs about five or so ounces, and is developing some body fat (join the club, baby!). His heart is now regulated by his brain (no more random beats) to beat 140 to 150 times per minute — about twice as fast as mine! He’s practicing the survival skills he’ll need at birth — like sucking and swallowing.