baby update #3 : 16 weeks

Prego Highlights

How far along : 16 weeks and 6 days

Size of baby : an avocado

What's developing this week : Bambino is finally able to hear my voice!  So exciting and scary at the same time that it can hear everything I'm saying. Haha.  But bambino is growing fingernails, it's heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood a day, and it's growing hair, eye lashes, and eyebrows!

Cravings / Aversions :  Same as before - no burgers, teriyaki stuff, etc.

Saltiness = goodness for me (still true), but now I'm learning too much is a bad thing...

I'm still having a hard time with chicken...blah

Finally craving pickles!!  I bought a jar the other night, but I didn't open it until today.  Man they are GOOD!  I have also been loving my snack favorite of cottage cheese and pears - that might sound weird to some, but don't knock it til you try it!  I also love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with Sun Chips.  Yum!

Symptoms : My nausea has still been present...just a tiny bit, but it's still there from time to time.  Back aches, headaches like crazy, and lately I've felt as if I'm on the verge of getting charlie horse cramps in my legs and feet.  I take stretching very slowly these days!  Hair and nails are also growing like crazy.  One thing I've noticed is I've been bloating occasionally, but only in my stomach region.  So that picture from last week...not an accurate picture of my stomach.  It's a bit smaller this week, which makes me sad.  I was excited for it, but I know one day I will pop, and out of nowhere I'll have this belly.

Prego Funnies :  I've been having some crazy dreams as of late!  Some I remember, and some I don't.  One night I had like 3 different dreams which involved Chris and I being wizards in Harry Potter and fighting Voldemort from our house, and the second dream I remember being some kind of super hero and having Batman like shields thrown at me.  The third one I don't remember...Some mornings I just wake up and laugh at myself wondering where that dream came from!

Special Moments : I had my 16 week appointment this past Monday (so over a week ago) where we were able to hear the heartbeat again.  This time around my OB was able to pick it up right away, and it was loud and strong!!  She said everything sounded great, and that we could tell the baby was moving around because the heartbeat would get loud and then it would go a little softer.  It was cool to hear even though I couldn't feel the baby move.  Just an overall reassuring moment that I am still pregnant!  It's a hard stage to be in wondering if I'm still pregnant even though I'm not that sick, I can't feel the baby, and I don't really have a "belly".

Exciting thing is next appointment we will be able to find out if it's a 

BOY or a GIRL 

Less than a month...I am dying to find out, so that I can start planning the nursery and registering for baby stuff!