20 weeks

This is technically the halfway point in pregnancy, yay!  But, we all know that first time moms generally carry a little longer, so I'm not counting down and don't think I will at all; it would be just too hard.  This last week marked the big 20 week appointment, but as you know we did not find out the gender.  Jon didn't even push me to find out because he has truly surrendered to my wishes and was just so happy to see the baby that nothing else mattered.  In fact, as we were talking about it with the tech, we saw the baby quickly cross their legs on the screen!  The baby must have been listening to it's mama and papa to keep it a secret!  We were also very happy to see that everything with the baby is growing at just the right rate.  Even though I am still a little small, they say, the baby is at 12 ounces, right where it should be.  And can you believe it, already about 7 inches from crown to rump!  At the ultrasound, the tech told me my placenta is in the front and so that's why I haven't been feeling kicks because there's that extra padding between my outside and the baby.  But just at the perfect moment, the day of the ultrasound, I felt a nice *pop* on my right front!  It was definitely a kick and the baby was letting me know it was not the calm baby Jon and I thought.  To comfort me the last few weeks, Jon has been saying, "Oh, we are both so calm and laid back, so the baby must be too.  It's just chilling and floating around in there."  The ultrasound tech said differently and said that the baby was very active and I should be feeling him or her a lot more often.  In fact, Jon should as well in a few weeks!  That brought a big smile to Jon's face. These pictures below also brought big smiles to our faces!  For a little fun, I also added below some old wives tales (which are always true, right...) to help guess the gender.  Enjoy!

 This is my favorite picture.  It shows the baby's cute little nose and big lips.  I'm sure all babies have little noses, but we figured so far it looks like my little Svenska nose.  Look at the ribs, too! 

This is Jon's favorite picture.  I think he loves hand up to the face, probably trying some thumbsucking.  Also, you can see the feet pushing up against me as well.  *kick, kick*!  

I love this picture too!  Look at that strong leg, wow!  You can also see the femur.  

Hand on the forehead, "Oh mother, why am I being stared at, so much!"   

Do you see some teeth hiding in there too?

One bottom of a baby foot and above it, is a side of a foot.  The baby already has a big big toe!

These next two pictures are a little creepy because it's a front view and the ultrasound is looking into its skull.   But, they are really cool too.  In this one, you can clearly see the eye sockets as well as the four chambers of the heart (the four dark spots in the upper chest). 

Arms above the head, "So big!"

20 weeks

Jon and I made up our own guessing routine at Thanksgiving and that was breaking the wishbone.  Both of us think a boy first would be nice, but we're good with either way.  So, in breaking the wishbone, he was pulling for boy and I was pulling for girl.  Guess who got the bigger piece?  Jon. 

Well, Jon saved the wishbone on a chicken carcass we had and we did the same thing and same result, Jon's side was biggest, so boy.  Must be true...feel free to save your wishbones for us.  

Old Wives Tales

1. According to how I'm carrying, I might be carrying a boy.  Low is boy, high is girl.  I feel mostly like I'm in the middle, but maybe more low than high. 
2. I have been craving a lot more sour things, which also means it's a boy.  Since drinking straight lemon and lime juice always sounds delicious, I'd say my love of sour has increased.  Sweet is girl and although I want fruit and things like that, I'm just not sure.
3. If I have more breakouts, it's a girl, if not, it's a boy.  I feel like I've stayed pretty consistent, so boy?  
4. No morning sickness?  Boy.  I had none.  (Try telling this to my cousin who has three boys and sick throughout almost the whole thing!) 
5. Apparently dreams about your baby means you're having the opposite of what was in your dream.  Well, my most recent one was about boy, so it's a girl.  
6. I am normally a little clumsy, but since being pregnant, I have been less clumsy.  Maybe I'm just more careful, or maybe I just haven't grown enough to be clumsier.  But, that means that it's a girl. 

Now, I know these are all fake, but it's fun to see what they say.  In my heart, I have been feeling boy more, but who knows, it probably changes from time to time.  Now it's time to take your guess, go up to the top of the page to find the gender poll!