Dear Pooh Bear,

Wow what a day! I can’t believe the appointment I have been waiting for has finally arrived! I have wanted to know your gender from the moment I found out about you, and today we finally got our answer.

 My little Pooh Bear you are a BOY (yup you saw that right dear Little one. Your mommy already is showing people your pee pee!)!!! I must admit your mommy was shocked! Most signs pointed towards the fact that you were a girl, but nope, you are already are surprising me. I can’t believe that I am going to have a son!

It’s all just starting to sink in little one. It just seems so real now that we know that you are a boy. Why? Well because now I can begin to picture you, and think of names. We can register and start preparing your room for arrival. It will be great to begin referring to you as a HE, not an IT. You daddy is just so happy! I am not sure I’ve ever seen him so excited. He’s not much of a planner, but he is ready to start moving furniture. It’s sad when it’s me telling him that we have time!

At first you didn’t really cooperate for your scan, even though we talked about it in advance. I even drank orange juice to try to give you a bit of a sugar high! But the good news is that you eventually cooperated and we got to scan all your parts…even though most of the time your daddy and I had no idea what we were looking at. We do have to get one minor thing that we have to look at further. The tech saw 2 white spots in your heart. I guess this could mean a marker for some abnormality, but don’t worry…your mommy’s blood work showed only a 1 in 250,000 chance of an abnormality. But we still have to get you all checked out so we have to do a fetal echo in a few weeks. You already are making us worry! I guess we have a lot more of that in our future!

Another thing of good news is that you let your daddy feel you moving the other day! I felt your kicks nice and strong so I called him over to feel my belly and low and behold he felt your little flutters too! I was so happy because I wanted him to share in that joy. I think now that he felt you move, and saw his son today that you really are becoming real to him.

I have already told your daddy that I am ready to make you a true mamma’s boy! They say little boys always love their mothers, so I hope that is the case with you. I promise to be the best mommy I can be! What I can’t promise is that I will teach you to be athletic…unfortunately both your daddy and I don’t truly excel in that department. He’s better than I am, but I promise we will try to back you up in whatever sport you choose to play. I am hoping lacrosse! But no matter what I promise to be on that sideline cheering you on!

We can’t wait to see what comes next. People say that finding out the sex loses some of the surprise, but I will have to disagree. I am so excited to be surprised now, and I get even more surprises when we find out more about you when you are born! That’s double the surprise! Keep on growing dear Pooh Bear!

Pooh Bear: 19 weeks

Your baby’s sensory development is exploding! Her 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.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Think you’re big now? You’ll start growing even faster in the weeks to come. As a result, you may notice some achiness in your lower abdomen or even an occasional brief, stabbing pain on one or both sides — especially when you shift position or at the end of an active day. Most likely, this is round ligament pain. The ligaments that support your uterus are stretching to accommodate its increasing weight. This is nothing to be alarmed about, but call your practitioner if the pain continues even when you’re resting or becomes severe.

You may be noticing some skin changes, too. Are the palms of your hands red? Nothing to worry about — it’s from the extra estrogen. You may also have patches of darkened skin caused by a temporary increase in pigment. When these darker patches appear on your upper lip, cheeks, and forehead, they’re called chloasma, or the “mask of pregnancy.” You may also notice some darkening of your nipples, freckles, scars, underarms, inner thighs, and vulva. That darkened line running from your belly button to your pubic bone is called the linea nigra, or “dark line.”

These darkened spots will probably fade shortly after delivery. In the meantime, protect yourself from the sun, which intensifies the pigment changes. Cover up, wear a brimmed hat, and use sunscreen when you’re outdoors. And if you’re self-conscious about your “mask,” a little concealing makeup can work wonders.

Oh dear little one. I hope you aren’t twisted up in knots like the baby in that picture! They say you can start to hear us! I promise you will get to know your daddy and my voice very well. That way when you come out you won’t be so scared.