Sweet 16!

I rolled over the 16-week mark last Thursday (June 3rd) while I was in Ft Worth for a work conference. The baby is now the size of an avocado (approx. 4.6 in., 3.5 oz)! Evidently babies are long and skinny for the beginning months (so preemies are typically average length, but weigh much less). Toward the end of pregnancy babies pack on the pounds in the final weeks before delivery.

I have continued to feel good, although I had a lot of night famine issues last week (waking up starving at 3am multiple nights in a row), so the baby must have been in a growth spurt! I was also surprised to realize how exhausting traveling alone while pregnant can be. Either I overestimated my own ability OR I greatly underestimated how much Phil does for us while traveling. I also found myself praying not only for a safe flight during my travels, but for my baby’s hearing/ear development to not be affected by the pressure in the airplane. My ears were plugged and popping, but my baby’s ears were just developing…so hopefully there are no long-term development issues we notice once he/she arrives! Phil has made lots of threats telling me I better use nice words and nice tones now that the baby can pick up our voices. Wish me luck!

During my Ft Worth trip I unexpectedly got to stay with some great friends of ours for the week after my hotel proved more than disappointing. Megan and Matt Mahlman were able to fill me in on the joys and learnings of pregnancy that they experienced…it was the highlight of my trip (besides getting to tag along for their daughter Kayla’s bedtime routine…that was even more fun!). Some advice they had: implement Baby Wise/Growing Kids God’s Way, buy a toddler car seat with a cup holder (later), attend MOPS consignment sales, ask someone to help you register who has similar taste and a similar budget as you, stock up on diapers, find ways for your husband to help even during the midnight feedings, and don’t stress…babies are resilient and will be fine no matter what! I loved the advice!!!