Pregnancy #3: Week 21

Week Twenty-One

• White blood cells are under production. Leukocytes (or white blood cells) form our body's defense sytems. They help fight infections and diseases.
• Your little one's skin has changed from translucent to become more opaque.
• Your infant's tongue is fully formed. If you were able to peek you might catch your son or daughter practicing giving you a raspberry!
• If your baby is a girl, her womb and vagina are formed. Unlike males, females have a limited supply of eggs in their lifetime. At this point your daughter will have 6 million eggs. This amount decreases to approximately one million by birth.
• Baby swallows more this week. After your baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. This is good practice for his digestive system!
• Wake and sleep periods become more consistent. Some research suggests that baby sets her internal clock to match the outside world's even before birth! Your eating and sleeping habits as well levels of light and noise serve as her signals.
• Length is now measured crown to heel.
• Baby measures about 10.51 inches (26.7cm) and weighs nearly 12.7 ounces (360g).

Choices, choices, choices

All of these homes are priced very closely together. Let's compare:














Here's a cute house in the local area, although it would be a good 20 minute drive to the city. 4 bedroom, 2.25 bath, total square footage: 2057 Decent school district. Although one kid would sleep in the basement. (If I won't live in a basement, there's no way I'm putting one of my kids in there.)














A home in the DFW metroplex, located in an excellent school district. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, total square footage: 2,046. From the listing:

Family home with great drive-up appeal features a beautiful eat-in kitchen with bay window, black appliances, gorgeous tile flooring and lots of cabinet and counter space. The spacious family room has a wall of windows for natural light and a wood burning fireplace with mantle perfect for those cold winter nights! The master suite is located downstairs and includes an oversized arched window, ceiling fan and walk-in closet. All secondary bedrooms are generous in size and are located upstairs. You will love relaxing on the covered back patio with ceiling fan! The adorable playhouse in the backyard stays. Additional features include great storage space, fresh interior and exterior paint (Jan. ‘06), tile in utility (Dec. ‘05), tile in kitchen (Jan. ‘06) and a pretty wooded creek adjacent to the property.

Another home in the DFW area, also in a very good school district.

4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths
Size:	2,318 Square Feet

4BR/ 2-1/2 bath 1 owner home in a great location on large corner lot. Separate living and dining areas. Gas Fire place in Den. Kitchen with eating area. Large MB with 3 additional bedrooms up. Oversized hot tub on covered patio. Water softener, sprinkler system, security system. Walking to 2 athletic parks. Cat 5 cable in bedrooms.

Pregnancy #3: Week 20

• You're half way there!
• The rapid growth stage is about over. While things have slowed down, this next stage is vital to survival.
• The baby's heart grows stronger. Find a quiet place, lay flat on your back. Locate your own heartbeat by finding your pulse. Next lay your hand on your belly. You may be able to distinguish the two heartbeats!
• His legs are reaching their relative size. With the increase muscle develop occurring as well, you will start feeling much more than tiny flutter kicks soon!
• Immunities are being transferred from you to your baby now. These immune cells will protect her from viruses you've already had for up to six months after birth!
• The nerve cells for taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch are now developing in specialized areas of the brain. Production slows down as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections.
• Your baby may startle in reaction to loud sounds. Amazingly, she can actually hear noises outside of the womb. Familiar voices, music, and sounds that baby becomes accustomed to during her development stages often are calming after birth.
• If your baby is a girl, her uterus is starting to develop. She has approximately six million eggs in her ovaries. About one million will remain at birth.
• Baby is about 6.46 inches (16.4cm) and weighs around 10.58 ounces (300g).