19 weeks

This week's fruit comparison is dedicated to my best friend Robin. She had objections to the strangely shaped sweet potato of last week, but little did she know that this week the baby is the size of her new favorite fruit, the mango! (Robin inherited a mango tree in the backyard of her previous house, and has eaten more mangoes over the last two years than anyone thought humanly possible.) So is this better, Rob?

I'm writing this post a little early, because tomorrow morning we're headed to Atlanta to hang out with family and do a little baby shopping. Still in search of that perfect (but affordable) glider! I'll post my 19 week picture when we get back.

One quick funny story about a student "outing" me at school. I haven't really told many students that I'm having a baby; they'll figure it out eventually. But this one little kindergarten boy (who I adore) came in to use my bathroom, and then asked why he hadn't been to speech this week. He normally comes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, so I missed both his sessions this week due to the doctors appointments. I told him I was at the doctor both days, and he got very concerned. "Why are you going to the doctor??" I decided, what the heck, I'll just tell him, he probably won't even remember by they time he gets back to his class. So I simply told him I was going to have a baby. He was like "Oh, ok." Little did I know, he got back to his classroom, flung open the door, and announced, "Mrs. Courtney is having a baby!!" Well, his teacher somehow was the one person in the school that didn't know I was pregnant, so she didn't know what to say. I can only imagine how she responded! She came into my office later and whispered, "Are you pregnant??" She couldn't believe that I was almost 19 weeks along, and that she couldn't even tell I was pregnant. (Like I said, it still depends on the outfit.) Anyway, I guess I shouldn't underestimate my kiddos at school!

So the most exciting baby development to me this week is the hearing. According to the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy:
Your baby's hearing is now well-developed. He is probably hearing lots of different sounds, maybe even your conversations. Mom's voice is by far the most prominent in any conversation. If you sing or talk to your baby, it is reasonable to think he might notice.

I admit that I haven't started singing to the baby yet, but I guess I better get to it! To be honest, every time I think about it, I can't come up with a song to sing. The one that always pops into my head is "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles. Guess I better learn the words to that one...

Well, we're getting up bright and early to his the road tomorrow, so I better cut this short. Happy Labor Day weekend everyone!