16 week update

STATS: 16 weeks

How far along: 16 weeks exactly
How big is baby: He/She is about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long and 3 1/2 ounces.

Weight Gain:  Since I last weighed myself I had gained about 8 pounds. In the second trimester, I am supposed to be gaining 1-2 pounds a week.

Maternity clothes: Oh yeah! When I was home, I got some great maternity clothes...they're so much more comfortable. Funny story...I stayed at my grandma's one night and threw maternity jeans in the laundry. She took them out of the dryer and folded them. After we told her I was pregnant, I asked if she knew once she saw those pants. She had no idea! The pants don't have any buttons or zippers, just an elastic band that comes up over your stomach. It is quite comfortable..pregnant or not.

Sleep: Oh boy... sleep is very conflicted right now because of jet lag. It will be interesting to see how much more sleep I will be getting after I'm over the jet lag. I'm not really sure. I don't have to get up as much to go to the bathroom which is a huge plus. But I flip back and forth from my left to right side all night long.

Best moment of the week: this week has been pretty rough. I wouldn't say there have been any highlights. We got back to Korea on Sunday night and I had to be at work at 9 AM on Monday morning. I guess I would say the best parts of the week are when I get home after work and take a long nap that turns into me just falling asleep for the night (at least until 3 am....)

Food cravings: Nothing so far. Except that fruit- especially Asian pears- just sounds so gosh darn good. Too bad fruit is insanely expensive in Korea.

Food aversions: Unfortunately, the onion intolerance is here to stay I think. I can sometimes tolerate eating it myself, but definitely not when others do and I smell it on their breath. I did discover that garlic is okay- in small amounts. It's really just the onions that bother me a lot. Also, any kind of red sauce just doesn't sit well with me. This pretty much throws out a bunch of Mexican and pasta dishes. I stick to the creamy white sauce with pasta nowadays.

Symptoms: The nausea has pretty much disappeared. Every now and then I'll feel a little sick but nothing like before. It's usually just if I'm starting to get hungry. And speaking of hunger.....I can't seem to eat enough food right now! I seriously feel like I'm eating something at least once an hour and all day I never feel satisfied. Is that how those skinny people like my brother with really high metabolisms feel? It's a rough life! I'm wondering how in the world I can satisfy this hunger these days! What other symptoms....gas, some indigestion, sleep loss, dull hair...yes dull hair. I thought your hair was supposed to be luminous and beautiful when you're pregnant...well I guess I'm one of the unlucky few that gets the opposite effect. But...that's another thing I'd gladly trade for the nausea. I also occasionally have pain in my lower abdomen. This is called round ligament pain and it's basically the ligaments in that area growing and stretching to prepare for baby.

Baby Movement: technically at this point, I should be able to feel the baby move. First time moms usually have a harder time because we don't know the difference between the baby's movement and stomach gurgling. Rookie moms have an easier time and therefore feel the baby move earlier. I may have felt the baby move, but I don't know it if I did.

Gender: Some say you can tell this early. We go in for our next appointment a week from today and I'll be exactly 17 weeks along so we'll see. I think most people find out around 18-20 weeks so we may have to wait for the February appointment. My mom and Taylor's grandma are absolutely convinced it's a boy. We'll see. We do have some names picked out for either gender.

What I’m looking forward to: Seeing baby at the next appointment. I love seeing the growth and changes and him/her moving on the ultrasound screen.

What I miss: America already!

Next appt: Friday, January 13

What is baby doing this week?:Baby's heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day. He/she has probably discovered the umbilical cord and is playing with it. Baby is inhaling/exhaling amniotic fluid through the lungs and excreting urine. The neck is also stronger which allows him/her to hold the head up better. He/she has skin, but it's translucent. Bones are in place and are beginning to fuse together and get stronger. Also, the bones in the ears are fusing together and some sources say that at this point, the baby is able to hear!