Sweet 16

16 weeks along today!  Baby and I are doing just fine, although the little sassafrass has been extra ravenous this week!!  I haven't felt any obvious movement yet; I've felt things but with all this gas (sorry, TMI) who can tell what's what?!  So I'm just chalking it all up to gas and waiting until it's more obvious to say, "Hey!  I felt the baby move!"  One thing I have noticed over the past week or two is that, when I stretch my body like at night before bed, the muscles in my upper abdomen (who am I kidding; what muscles??) have been feeling really tight, like I've been doing thousands of situps every day.  They're not sore, just really tight like they're already stretched out to the max and by me stretching my body, I'm almost to the breaking point. 

Nugget is going to get super busy in the coming weeks, according to babycenter.com.  The weight will double and baby will grow inches in the next 3 weeks alone!  Beached whale body, here I come!  But for now, Nugget is the size of an avocado, at 4 1/2", and weighs a whopping 9 pounds already!!  Okay, so maybe that's just what I've gained in the past couple months...the baby is all of 3 1/2 oz. of that.  I have been told by some very nice people, both in person and online, that I make a very cute pregnant person and that I look darn good for being 4 months along.  Aren't they sweet?  lol  And here I was thinking my joey pouch protruded quite rapidly for what stage I'm in!  But what do I know?  It's my first time.  And since I had no muscle tone to begin with...that may account for the "popping".

I was surprised to learn that approximately 25 quarts of blood gets pumped by baby's heart EVERY DAY, and the further along we get, the blood volume increases!  His/her head is now more upright and the eyes are just about in their final place at the front of the face.

It's so crazy to think that I have something that big inside...and it's about to get a whole lot crazier!!  I'm loving every minute of this feeling of amazement and wonder and I usually have to just sit and process it daily.  I'm praying hard for my friends who have yet to experience this joy; I want it so badly for them because there's really nothing like it, even at this stage.  My grin stretches from ear to ear when I think of how much my feelings will increase once baby is here with us; it's going to be phenomenal and I can't wait!  I'm anxiously awaiting our next appointment...but since we just had an appointment, it's going to feel like forever!

On a sad note, though, some other web-friends I made through the fertility struggle have recently had their joy taken away.  Please pray for Nikki and her husband, who suffered their 3rd loss earlier this month at 15 weeks; and for Gabee, who lost her twin boys at well over 20 weeks.  It is a mysterious thing to begin with, pregnancy; but even more so when the tests come back okay but in the end, something just isn't right and it ends so abruptly.  Plans have been made, registries formed, clothes purchased, wall colors picked out....  I remember my relief when I hit 12 weeks and everything was still okay; but the danger never really goes away completely and I pray fervently that everything stays okay with my baby and that we get the chance to raise him/her.  All one can do is assume it's okay unless told otherwise; we can't worry or stress over the "possible" because it only brings harm to our well-being.  Just take one day at a time and be thankful for the opportunity to carry a child, no matter for how long, and for the knowledge that it IS possible for your body to do so.

Just for good measure, I always tell baby to stay put and keep growing.  But last night, I made "Daddy" do it, too.  He put his hand on Nugget and in true Darth Vader fashion said, "Shlomo...this is your faaather.  You stay there!"  It was very comical and endearing and I hope any apprehensions he has melt away the first time he holds his beautiful baby.   I love my baby daddy!