16 weeks

Weekly Update:

How far along: 16 weeks, 3 days

How big is baby: about the size of an avocado; about 4.5 inches long and around 3 ounces

Total weight gain: 1 pound! I'm in the positives now!

Maternity clothes: er, sort of. I wore maternity pants for the first time today, but totally needed a Bella band to keep them up. I suppose I could wear a few of my maternity shirts (the more tight fitting ones) but I'm afraid I still just look like I have a gut... But a growing gut! :)

Cravings: I've turned into one of those annoying customers at restaurants who orders a meal but then asks for everything on the side or substitutes a number of things. Can truly say I really never did that before. On a whim, I ordered Zaxby's fried pickles cause they sounded delicious-- they're not.

Sleep: No prob, Bob. And no crazy pregnancy dreams yet, either.

Movement: I'm really starting to feel this baby's movements regularly now. Pretty much everyday this past week, I've felt the baby move at least once a day. One day, I felt the baby move like 3 or 4 different times throughout the day. The movements are getting stronger, like a fish swimming around, not a butterfly anymore.

Best moment this week: I've started nesting! Hahaha... Sort of. I cleaned out my closet last night and it felt so good. I seriously can't wait to clean out the next room/closet.

What I am looking forward to: I'm excited for Randy to feel the baby move. It's kind of sad to me that I get to feel all these awesome things, and he just has to believe me and wait until the movements are stronger. And, of course, that ultrasound is just 2 weeks away! So get your votes in on the poll to the right!! Last time, girl led up until the the day before, then it was tied...and a last minute vote gave boy the edge. What's it gonna be this time??

What's different this time: Leading up to this ultrasound, I have different thoughts and feelings about it than I did the first time. With Jonah, I think I had an immense fear of becoming a parent-- that I wouldn't know what to do or how to take care of a baby, my own baby. It's easy to babysit; the parents have it all already figured out and they just tell you what to do. When it's your own baby, there is no manual, there isn't someone to tell you the best way to put them to sleep. I say all this because I was scared, and the lesser scary situation in my mind was to have a boy. I wanted a boy. Somehow I thought all the difficulties and drama of a teenage girl would make those first days/weeks home with a newborn that much more impossible. With all that being said, this time, I can truthfully tell you that I don't care what gender this baby is. The moment I start dreaming and hoping for a ______, I think of all the things I'd be missing out on with the other gender. Yeah, it'd be nice to have one of each gender, especially if we decided that 2 kids was all we wanted. I'd get to do all the pink and frilly and cutesy little girl stuff like hair bows, Mary Janes, headbands, dresses and tutus. I'm not a girly girl, but I'd totally be into all that stuff. And then I think about how much I love Jonah and all the boy stuff. I was about 80% tomboy growing up so I don't mind the thought of raising 2 boys and taking them camping, playing ball with them, watching sports all the time and getting dirty. Plus, brothers only 18 months apart?! Sounds like a challenge to me! They'll be very close, and at times, probably too close. So, I truly can't decide. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what God has blessed us with! Or maybe just not find out... ;)

Now, go vote on the gender poll!