Week 16 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :)

Wow - 2010 flew by!  Welcome 2011!

I hope everyone's Christmas was great - this week went by super fast - we went to Benihana (our annual New Year's Eve tradition) and watched the ball drop in NYC, then lit/watched fireworks at midnight here.  Blake was able to get one of the last fountains at Smith's - it made it pretty fun! :)  

I like to write New Year's goals down and Blake HATES it.  We had a candid talk about this last night and decided to have one simple goal - which is, every day to try to be a little better in some aspect.  I like it, and so does Blake! :)  Woohoo - no arguing about goals for New Year's! :)

So... week 16 - besides the things already noted in other posts this week, I'm feeling better for the most part - I didn't get too sick Thurs when I ate (on accident - the description didn't SOUND spicy) a VERY spicy surf & turf chimichanga at the Red Iguana.  Also - the meal at Benihana was probably the largest I've had since feeling yucky in the first trimester and I did just fine with that - yum - Ocean's Delight (colossal shrimp, scallops, and lobster)!

... oh... and I continue to be spacey.  I walked off from dinner without my purse - luckily one of the gals in the other family at the table chased us down to return it!  What is that line... "I've always relied on the kindness of strangers..."? ;)

This week I've had weird round ligament pain in my groin - I looked it up online and found a suggested stretching exercise, though (kind of looks like "Child's Prayer" in yoga) and that seemed to help a TON.

Oh... and lest I forget - I *think* I may be feeling movement (at least when I'm not completely full) - I've been noticing little "pings" in my lower abdomen for several days.  Several facebook friends agreed when I posted a note about it that it is probably the baby - cool!!! :)

In terms of baby development, here is the info from http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-16-weeks_1105.bc?scid=mbtw_preg16:991&pe=2UvuHCR&st=MjAxMTAxMDE=:

"Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

See what your baby looks like this week."

In terms of my development :) - time for another set of pics - I meant to do a pic every 4 weeks, but every 6-7 is ok, right? ;)

I've gained about 14 lbs since becoming pregnant (and my doctor is fine with that - I know it's more than most places say is the right weight) - I think I'm starting to show! :)  (Granted, this was taken AFTER Benihana so the belly is probably a little more pronounced.)

Me....

... and my belly! :)

I decided it was time for maternity garments and I must say, they are pretty comfortable.  I think they're intended for a little later in pregnancy but hey, they're not pushing into my waistline and I'm ok with that! :)

I'm adding in another section from babyzone.com called "For Your Partner" - I need to do better with sharing things with Blake.  He kind of seems to not care, but I think that's not really true.  So - from http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy/trimesters/week/article/16th-week-pregnancy-pg3#bm7:

"For Your Partner

The Power of Involved Fathers
Because the focus of pregnancy is primarily on the woman and unborn baby, many men enter fatherhood not understanding the importance of their roles. However, fathers are incredibly vital in their families' lives, as current research clearly points out. Recent findings have shown that when fathers believe that they're essential to the lives and health of their children, they become more involved. 

But what difference does your presence as a dad really make? 

Children of fathers who are involved in their lives are more likely to perform better in school, display higher levels of social competence, and experience fewer behavioral problems, according to studies performed by the US Department of Health and Human Services. These lucky kids are more likely to have healthy self concepts and be equipped to deal with life's challenges, experience better about their lives as adults, and also tend to have healthier marriages. Even more incredibly, daughters of involved fathers have higher self-esteem and begin sexual activity later in life than girls of less involved fathers. 

One of the biggest reasons for this remarkable difference between children of delinquent fathers and children of dotting fathers is that being loved, adored, attended to, and stimulated by two people increases a child's sense of self, her intellect and social skills, and so much more. 

This certainly doesn't negate the power of mothers, but rather reminds you that father involvement makes a significant difference in the life of your baby. Don't ever forget how much of a positive effect your involvement has on your child … no matter how old he or she is."

Have a super day! :)