16 Weeks!

How Far Along: 16 weeks

Size of Baby: Apparently, the length of an avocado! Mmm, two avocadoes...

Picture of Baby: I suck at doing any pics... but we have a few really cute ones, and of course the money gender shots :)

Maternity Clothes: Heading back to work this week for the first time meant no more beaters and undies...so I had to break out the real clothes.  And for me, that meant maternity clothes.  I can do the bella band with pants but by later in the day my zipper is down so far that I'm way too worried all the time that someone will notice.  I'll use that when I'm just going out for a bit, but not at work. So I've moved to maternity pants. Not cute...but comfy! I'm finally a little ok with something touching my belly, so that's good.  Although, I'm always excited to jump back into a T and undies after work :) I'm thinking this weekend is going to be calling for some more shopping since I really only have two maternity shirts.  I'm now just wearing larger shirts that I had (that are long) but the ladies are WAY too big for those at work I found out today...yikes! :)

Weight Gain: This is the big deal of the moment! Listen up...I gained some weight!!! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!?!?  I'm so excited.  I'm about 5 pounds higher than I was at my lowest (in the depths of hyperemesis), and about 2 pounds up from the standard weight loss I had. So I'm still about 9 pounds or so below my pre-pregnancy weight. But it's progress!

Belly:  Definitely a bump.  It's not huge or anything, but I like it. :)

Stretch Marks: Not yet.  I still think the stretch mark oil I have smells too strong, so I'm just using regular lotion for now.  That's gonna have to change soon.  Apparently by 28 weeks I'll be the size of a full-term singleton pregnancy. That's some rapid growth over the next 12 weeks.

Sleep:  B and I are still in separate rooms :(  Still have trouble smelling him too close.  Sad sad sad.  I'm also the lightest sleeper EVER now.  If B were to turn over it would wake me up. I usually wake up 1-2 times per night to pee, but that's after I pee 2-3 times while I'm trying to fall asleep.  Very strange. Oh, and I'm definitely wishing I had a pregnancy pillow right now. I want one.  My hips are starting to hurt when I sleep.

Best Moment of the Week:  Gaining some weight and not puking!!!  What an amazing, amazing thing.  Still super nauseous at night, but have been able to keep all my food down. SCORE!  Still on the highest dose of Zof.ran.

Movement: I think so :) I feel little pops here and there (not very often) that kind of feel like little muscle twitches but only one at a time.  And I think I've felt some flutter type things recently, too! Can't wait for it to be a little more obvious.

Symptoms: Nausea is (and I think will always be) still there from time to time, especially in the evenings (doesn't go away after a certain point in the night...I always fall asleep trying not to throw up).  The mornings and early afternoons are SO much better though. I get headaches from time to time that throb really badly- I can see spots that move as my heart beats, it's irritating. I'm also wicked tired most afternoons, I usually need about a 2 hour nap after I get home around 3pm.  I'm also starting to get pain in my hips and "lightning crotch" as I've heard it called. Ha.  And I'm feeling like my ab muscles are stretching some now, they feel kind of sore.  Um...I also still have some digestive problems, but that's more from the Zo.fran. I have adhesions all throughout my abdomen and I'll get these sharp stabbing pains sometimes, I think that might be those stretching or ripping.

Food Cravings: I have an aversion to most food.  But from time to time something will sound like I could get it down without dry heaving.  I try to eat those things. ;)  I have been liking sweet candies lately, like starburst. I actually enjoyed a starburst today.  I haven't enjoyed food for about 10 weeks. I mostly just tolerate it...or force it down.

Gender: GIRL and BOY!!! Little Lady and Big Bubba!  We joke that anytime I eat any protein (I've started getting down some almonds sometimes! Yay!) that Bubba's taking it all.  Watch, he's gonna end up being lighter than she is. 

What I Miss:  Food.

What I'm Looking Forward to: Our next ultrasound is in about a week, so I'm anxious to make sure they're doing ok.  I'm really looking forward to feeling some serious movement, although I'm sure later I'll be regretting saying that as they kick me in the ribs.  I actually have heard of women breaking ribs because of a kick.  Um, scary?

Weekly Wisdom: Don't overdo it.  I'm taking it really slow coming back to work. I'm only doing half days and sometimes that even feels like too much.  My first day up and about last weekend (we started doing a bit of shopping and registering at BRU) I got some serious cramps as I was walking around.  I called the nurse just to ask if that's what's to be expected because I've been horizontal for so long and she said absolutely not.  She explained that because I've been down so much I have to be really careful and take it slow because my body won't respond well to too much too fast...which could be bad for the pregnancy.  So I'm takin' it slow! :)

Milestones: Actually gaining a few pounds, for sure!!!! And not yacking for over a week!

Emotions: Still nervous and anxious but SO excited to be living again and be able to share the pregnancy with my co-workers and friends. I definitely get teary super easily...I cry whenever B tells me I'm doing a good job. haha  I almost cried in front of my boss today talking about the hyperemesis and how every night I'm afraid it's going to come back as bad as it was.  I'm living in fear over here.