Ordinary People, Ordinary Life...Extraordinary Love: 27 Weeks on 5-8-13 3RD TRIMESTER!!!

How Far Along: 27 weeks, 0 days

How Big is Baby: What to Expect When Expecting: "For a baby, it's time to trade in the old crown-to-rump measurement for a new head-to-toe standard. So what are your baby’s stats this week (which, coincidentally, is the end of the second trimester)? Fifteen inches — more than a foot long — and triple (or even quadruple) what it was in week 12. His weight is creeping up the charts as well, coming in at just over two pounds. More big news: Your baby may recognize your voice by now, so feel free to serenade your belly (start learning those lullabies!). Learn more about your baby in week 27 and a baby’s sense of taste and sound. Most babies this age, yours included, still like to snuggle in a slightly curled position inside the uterus (thus the term "fetal position"). Even so, beginning at this stage, your baby's length will be measured from top of head to toe — which makes your baby nearly a full 15 inches now. And at just over two pounds, he or she has doubled in weight from four weeks ago. Your baby's auditory development (hearing) is progressing as the network of nerves to the ears matures. And even though the sounds your baby hears are muffled (thanks to the creamy coating of vernix covering those ears), he or she may recognize both yours and your partner's voices. So this might be a good time to read and even sing to your baby (or rather, your belly) — and a good chance to start boning up on those nursery rhymes and lullabies you'll need to be repeating (and repeating) pretty soon. And while you're at it, here's another way to have some family fun at 27 weeks pregnant: If your partner presses his ear to your belly, he might be able to hear the baby's heartbeat. Your baby's taste buds are very developed now too (with more taste buds than he or she will ever have outside the womb, actually). Need a taste test? If you eat some spicy food (you hot mama, you), your baby will be able to taste the difference in the amniotic fluid (but keep in mind that you'll have different mealtimes, with your baby's coming about two hours after yours). Some babies will even respond to that spicy kick by hiccupping. And although hiccups (which feel like belly spasms to you) may seem like they're disturbing to your baby, he or she isn't stressed at all. It's just one more sensation that babies need to get used to.

Weight Gain/Loss: +24lbs

Maternity Clothes: I'm wearing maternity pants all the time now. Most days I am wearing maternity tops.

Stretch Marks: I can no longer keep track. I am getting them all over ha!

Sleep: I've been sleeping really well this week. I do get up 1-3 times to pee but once I can get in a comfy position, I can sleep pretty well.

Best Moment of the Week: Gavin picked up his movements again. Thank goodness. It stresses me out when I don't feel him. I also had my glucose test yesterday. I met with the nurse practitioner to go over gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, labor and delivery chat, etc. They sent us home with breastfeeding and formula sample kits, info on caring for baby after birth, etc. It's VERY VERY real.