16 weeks - Sixteen, people.

The sixteen week belly shot is posted in the gallery.

As the cold has FINALLY gotten better, I've had two-ish days of feeling reasonably okay, although inexplicably I'm WAY tired and semi-nauseous today. I think we just need to get out every day, no matter what.

I haven't put on any weight this week, I don't think, which doesn't really surprise me. I could hold steady for another few weeks and still be quite comfortable with where I am - I loaded it on so quickly in the first trimester and I sorta knew/remembered that there'd be a lull this trimester.

I'm still just wearing my regular old clothes. My jeans are starting to get slighly less loose in the seat and thighs, but they're still comfortable enough to wear all day long every day. At the end of each day, my belly blows up like a balloon, so I've been wearing maternity tank tops under my sweaters because the tank tops are longer so they cover me up better when I'm all bloated. I wear the tank tops at night, too because they provide support (shelf bra) for The Girls, which are not as sore this week but still big. And itchy on the underside, too. I didn't get stretchmarks on them last time but I'm wondering if all this itching might mean I'll get some this time. Eh, I'm 40. Stretchmarks wouldn't be a big deal, really. I think my skin may be fair enough that they wouldn't show up too badly anyway.

I've been able to eat some really different, varied things this week. Every day at lunchtime I eat a huge bowl filled with chunks of tomato, cucumber and avocado with plenty of salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil. Yes, Jemma and Alice, I do remember these distinct cravings (maybe without the avocado, though) from your boy pregnancies! I think about both of you as I'm wolfing down my vinegary, tomatoey treat. The thing is I also can't get enough fruit, which is a distinctly girl craving for many (including me.) So no answer there! I've also eaten one meal that had CHICKEN in it, which has been totally off limits to me for months, and we had these yummy meatballs last night that I couldn't get enough of. So things are really looking up in the food arena. I don't need snacks very often and haven't (knock on wood) had any blood sugar issues lately. Yay!

Since the cold's been tapering off, my sleep has been so much better, too. I'm trying hard to get the NINE hours a night this body seems to require, and when I do get those hours, I feel the difference. I need to keep that up, I think.

My emotions seem slightly out of balance. I'm having really up, happy days and really down, sad days, and rarely anything in between. I think I'm normally pretty even-kiltered, so this is unusual for me. I am hoping that the cold was contributing to that as well, and that its being gone will help get me back to just my old self. I honestly think that if spring would ever get here, that would help immensely too. IMMENSELY. I so miss fresh air. And NEIGHBORS. Sigh.

The Peanut is now almost 5 inches long and weighs 5 ounces. How cool is that? That is a BIG Peanut! Why doesn't it show on the outside, I wonder. I guess I'm barrel-abdomened? Like my abdomen is so big around and slack that the size of my uterus just doesn't make a dent in it? It was the same way last time, so it doesn't worry me, but it does seem rather strange to me. I read somewhere that tallish women don't really show until 7-8 months. I'm not tallish. I guess I'm not shortish, either, really. I don't know. It sounds like I'm obsessing, but I'm really not. I'm not really obsessed about anything other than just feeling better and getting through every day without ruining Bean with lack of stimulation (boredom).

Aw, the Peanut is REALLY rolling and squirming at the moment! ISN'T THAT THE MOST AMAZING THING? There's a five-inch-long baby in there moving around, and I can feel it and know what it is! Shew. It gets me every time. I just have to stop and feel it and be agog. Oh! There he/she goes again! Wheeeeeeeeee! HI PEANUT!

Whew! Must be the afternoon workout session in there!