Feeling fine-teen at week 19

I can't believe that I'm almost at the halfway point of my pregnancy! One more week and we're going to find out if Junior is an appropriate moniker or if Juniorette is more accurate. You'd think I'd be consumed with thoughts of our baby's gender, but I haven't had any inklings either way, and at this point I'm trying to stay away from them because I want to be completely happy when I find out if we're having a girl or a boy. Our names have been picked out, our nursery colors are sufficiently gender-neutral, I'm just waiting to decide what colors the birdies in our nursery applique should be.

Here are the highlights of this week's babycenter.com update:

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. The hair on her scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Done and doner.

This past weekend we went to Chicago to celebrate the fabulous 5th birthday of my niece, Ruari.

I can't believe how big she is, and I can't believe that she's heading off to kindergarten next year. By watching my nieces and nephews grow, I understand what people mean when they exercise that old cliche of "they grow up so fast," because they really do! And as they get older, I more consistently start to see myself as that aunt that assaults them with hands extended, waiting to get a good cheek pinch in before they're allowed to get a word in edgewise. I'm like the grandparents on Sixteen Candles without the perversion. Thank god they're still too young to realize it.

This weekend was gorgeous, and luckily that nice weather extended itself to today. On Tuesday, April 12 we took the plastic off of the windows, opened, the screen door, and Blue christened the front porch for the year.

Besides the dead bugs and dust coating the porch floor, I wanted to lay myself down right next to that white dog and watch the sun go down. There was a nice breeze slowly floating through the house, and I swear I felt everything take a deep breath in and sigh contentedly. There's something about being able to hear people drag their trash cans down to the end of their driveways that seems so "spring" to me. Spring it on! (hyuck, hyuck)