Update at 16 weeks

It sure has been a long time since I updated! In this case, no news is good news.

I hit 16 weeks on Friday. I have been feeling pretty good lately. The nausea and "afternoon sickness" disappeared at about 14 1/2 weeks. Although getting much better, I still have a love/hate relationship with food. There are times that NOTHING sounds good to eat, but I am starving. The cravings are getting much better too. I don't NEED certain food items (cheese and crackers, apples, tacos, etc.) like I did before. I am still more tired that I was before I was pregnant. I slept for 12 hours on Friday night and last night. I never did that before I was pregnant. I could probably sleep 12 hours every night, if my alarm didn't wake me up for work during the week.

Around Thanksgiving, I started getting a pregnant belly. It seemed like it happened overnight. I went from looking a little pudgy to having a baby bump. Then the next few days, there was a noticeable difference everyday. It's has slowed down a lot over the last week, but I am thinking another growth spurt is coming. I was having a lot of cramping around Thanksgiving, just before my belly arrived. When the cramping lessened, so did my belly growth. But yesterday I was having a lot of cramping again. We'll see what happens over the next few days.

I don't think I have felt the baby move yet. There have been a few times that I have wondered if what I was feeling was the baby, but it was nothing that was obvious enough for me to say, "Yes, that was the baby!" I have a feeling it is getting close. I'm sure I will be feeling the real thing within the next few weeks.

I had my last OB appointment on Thursday. Everything is still looking very good. The heartbeat is nice and strong and 150-155 beats per minute (It was 156 at the appointment, but it usually ranges from 150-155 when we do it at home).

I have my BIG ultrasound scheduled for December 23rd. I will be 18 1/2 weeks. I was so glad my doctor agreed to doing it this week because my parents will be here for Christmas. I am so glad they will be able to join us! We will be finding out the gender (that is, if the baby is cooperative enough to give us a glimpse!). And I can't wait for that! It will make everything seem so real and let us start doing some planning. I have been feeling like it is a girl, but I'm just not that sure about it.

Well, that's it! Everyday, I feel so thankful that we have made it this far! Thank goodness for second chances!