16 weeks and feeling good!

This week, baby is about the size of an avocado...

Here's what is happening with baby...

• The fetus measures nearly 5 inches (12cm) from head to buttocks.


• The fetus weighs about 3.5 ounces (100 grams).


• The fetus is covered with a protective soft down to regulate its temperature.


• Fat begins to form underneath skin.


• Baby hears external voices, sleeps and dreams.

Your baby has learned to breathe. This is apparent from the regular movements of his chest, inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid. These actions help the lungs to develop and grow. Your baby nows weighs more than their afterbirth. The baby can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault.

Your baby is already mugging for the camera as she practices all sorts of facial expressions, such as squinting, yawning and grimacing, which will come in handy when you introduce her to pureed spinach. This is because the facial muscles have become more developed. Check out what else is happening in utero:

You're just getting comfortable with being a new mom, but you're actually on the road to being a grandma. If your baby is a girl, her uterus is fully developed and the ovaries already hold primitive egg cells. Did that just make you feel a thousand years old, or what?

Your baby's skin is still translucent and wrinkly, not unlike an old man's, but more fat will soon accumulate under the dermis to plump her out. If you could peer inside right now, you'd be able to see all of her veins under her skin. And speaking of veins, your baby's heart now pumps about 25 quarts of blood per day, and she hasn't even seen Orlando Bloom yet! Also, her eyes are now locked and loaded at their final destination, facing forward rather than to the sides. (Whew!)

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more errect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Here's me at 16 weeks...

There's not too much different this week than last week. My appetite has definitely kicked into full gear. There are some days where every hour or two hours, I feel like I've gone all day without food and I'm STARVING...even if I just ate a good meal. I eat pretty healthy, lots of protein and fruits and veggies. Every now and then I sneak in a cookie, cause it just sounds good! :-) Nathan just laughs at me when an hour or two after we just ate, I lean over and tell him I'm "SERIOUSLY hungry"!!

For example, on Saturday night, we went out to dinner and a movie with Nathan's brother and sister-in-law. We went to El Paso Bar-B-Que and ate a very substantial meal. Then about halfway through the movie that we went to, I felt like I hadn't eaten anything and could eat an entire meal! Guess this baby's growin!

Still not sure if I've felt the baby move yet or not. It's frustrating to not be able to tell the difference between everything I feel going on. A couple of nights ago, Nathan had his hand on my stomach and could swear he felt the baby move. I put my hand there, and I think he was just feeling my pulse. I know soon enough I'll be wishing I had a break from all the movement, but for now I anticipate the feeling of my son or daughter moving around inside of me.

It's still all a little surreal to me, that I'm not just getting fat, but I actually have a tiny person growing inside me. What a truly amazing miracle! I don't even think we realize how much our lives are about to change, though we welcome it with open arms. God is so good, and we ask for His guidance and protection every day, even now.