19 weeks

OK, I've tried posting twice now and I've got everything written and then it kicks me out. So let's see if the 3rd time is a charm! This top picture is one that Jeremy took earlier this week. While I'm not fond of it, it is a pretty accurate description of what my daily life has been the last few months. Me, on the couch, in my jammies, laptop on my lap, kleenex, water, medicines, raisins and craisins, remote control, and phone next to me. The newest addition to the daily life is a lit candle (you can kind of see it behind me), more on that later...
This is my belly at 19 weeks, sorry it's a little blurry. I'm just not coordinated enough to hold my shirt up with one hand and hold the camera steady with the other. Next time I'll have Jeremy take the picture! I'm at the point now where I have to sleep with a pillow on each side of me. If I don't then whichever leg I'm laying on falls asleep from the hip down. And I get sharp pains all throughout my abdomen. Jeremy's not fond of sleeping with a pillow between us, but too bad!

As for lil' Gherkin...he weighs 8.5 ounces and measures 6 inches from head to bottom. His arms and legs are in the right proportion to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine and hair is beginning to sprout from his scalp. This is a crucial time for sensory development: his brain is designating areas for smell, taste, vision, hearing, and touch. With that in mind, I've told Jeremy he has to start watching his mouth 'cause the baby can hear him. I doubt it'll work, but it's worth a try right?!?

The need for candles....I'm not one who likes to have candles lit all the time. I just don't like the scents, they give me a headache after awhile. But, it's a necessary part of life at the moment. I've been complaining since I got down here that there was a smell eminating from under our kitchen sink. It was something I'd just get a whiff of every now and then. In the last few weeks it's gotten worse, and this week it got really bad. Last night was almost unbearable. When Jeremy turned on the dishwasher the whole house filled with the horrible smell of sewer. I ended up going into our bedroom, closing the door, lighting a candle, and watching movies from 6 on. Jeremy called the homeowner this morning (for the 2nd time this week) and he just came over. Looks like our septic system needs to be pumped. He's hoping to get it fixed today or tomorrow, Monday at the latest. In the meantime, we won't be using the dishwasher or the kitchen sink!!!!