EIGHTEEN WEEKS

So here we are... 18 weeks along and only

ONE WEEK away from finding out the baby's gender.

These next seven days are going to just ... .drag.... on .....

It's a complete mystery as to what we are going to have.

We can't go off of wives' tales, because those have done us no good.

In fact, because I am carrying high, we are going to have a GIRL. But I'm craving salty over sweet, so we are going to have a BOY. The heartbeat was fast, so it's a GIRL. But... my skin is still clear so it's a BOY. I don't have to shave as often, so we're having a GIRL. But the Chinese prediction calendar said we're having a BOY.

OH BROTHER.

Then we tried the Needle/Wedding Ring test over the belly... and it didn't move in lines or circles! Maybe we just aren't supposed to guess.

It's still fun though.

Here is what is going on this week with Baby Bluhm:

Head to rump, our baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he/she weighs almost 7 ounces. They are busy flexing their arms and legs — movements that we'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His/her blood vessels are visible through the thin skin, and the ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from their head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around the nerves, a process that will continue for a year after the baby is born. If we're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If we're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from us during an ultrasound.{babycenter.com}
WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING Our garage sale went well. Despite the fact that we had a few items stolen, we were still able to make $600 to put towards Baby Bluhm. Finalizing names! I am happy to say that we are down to only two or three for boys and girls and might actually have a name on the day we know what we are having. Will we announce it to the world then? .. Hhmmm... Not sure. Planning the surprises of how we are going to tell our families the big news! Luckily, I've had a few distractions in my spare time to help keep my mind off of the countdown to next Thursday. I've been working on getting together my 10 Year Class Reunion that we are having this September, keeping up with the Casey Anthony trial (and that keeps me plenty busy!), and also thinking about themes and decorations for the nursery. I won't give away any other secrets yet, but I do know that we are going to have this scripture on the wall somewhere close to the crib... Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart." - Jeremiah 1:5 CRAVINGS Pizza Pickles (not with ice cream!) Watermelon
Oh and thanks to another friend posting these helpful pictures on Facebook, I won't even need to read one of those boring books on how to be a good mother. These pictures say it all...

Whew! Glad I saw these ... I might have done something wrong. ;)

PHYSICAL CHANGES

Other than the fact that our baby is now growing at a rapid speed, there haven't been a lot of changes. I'm still feeling great, and eating everything in sight.

Although... I am a little concerned about how my back is going to hold out for the next 20 weeks or so. I already have a pretty arched in back, so as you can see in the picture above when I start to get bigger and my belly gets heavier, I am going to feel like I could snap in half! Any women out there have any good tips on how to keep your back from hurting during the 3rd trimester?

Oh and does exercising make labor easier??! Maybe I should get on that.

SWEET BABY MOMENT OF THE WEEK

A couple of our friends have a precious 2 year old and when we go out to eat with them sometimes after Church services, she prays for us and the baby. There isn't a more innocent and pure prayer going up to Heaven for our child so it really melts my heart!