16 week update

I can't believe I am 4 months pregnant this week. That just seems insane to me to think about how quickly this time is going by! I read that beginning this week (each Thursday is a new week for me), I could begin to feel "flutters" of our baby moving in my belly. Fetal movement begin anytime between 16 and 20 weeks, and I am really looking forward to that. In other baby related news, this week little Baby H is the size of an avocado! That kind of throws off my plans to make homemade guacamole tonight. haha. Just kidding. But anyway, this week the baby can also HEAR sounds...that is so neat and I'm excited to start showing our little one some good music.



Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. And, if you're interested, an ultrasound might be able to determine gender.

At this time, your baby is holding her head erect. Because her muscles are developing, she can make some faces now. Your baby is able to squint, frown and open its mouth. There is enough calcium in the bones that they will show up on an x-ray. Your baby's fingernails are well formed now and the legs are longer than the arms. Because your baby is moving well now, you may begin to feel his movements! Some women say that the early movements feel like gas bubbles or a slight flutter. If you have not yet felt the baby move, don't worry. Fetal movements are usually felt between the 16th and 20th week of pregnancy.



It's just so, so neat to have this little human growing inside of me! My belly has gotten a bit bigger than last time I posted photos at 14 weeks, and from this point on I will take these every single week, as well as some "cute" maternity photos as my belly gets a bit bigger. Here are my 16 week photos:





It's funny to look at these photos because I feel huge but I know I don't look as big as I think. I am indeed bigger overall, and I've been struggling with feeling like my legs and arms aren't as toned, but overall I'm doing okay in the body image department. I know that if I continue to exercise and eat well, whatever changes that happen are happening naturally, just as they should, and I can get back to normal once the baby is born.

I've been getting a lot of questions on my formspring about our nursery colors and things of that nature. I've had the nursery ideas (both for girl and boy) picked out for some time now, and I will definitely share the theme when we start decorating. This past weekend Hank, my Mom and I went to Buy Buy Baby, a huge baby store in the valley. There were so many cute, cute things and I am getting more and more excited by the day to decorate, and actually buy baby clothes once we know what we're having come June 25th.

Hank revealed to me that he's thought we are having a girl for the past month, even though he continued to call the baby he, him and Henry IV! hahaha. He says he will be happy with either gender of course, but I know he'd love a boy to carry on his namesake. I don't have a preference either way, and I still don't have a feeling towards whether Baby Hampton is a girl or boy. My Mom thinks girl, Hank thinks girl, and most of my friends think girl. So for those reasons, I'm sure I'm having a boy! ;) We shall see soon enough though. And for names, we are set on both girl and boy names. You all know what our boy name will be, but I'm excited to reveal our super cute name if we do end up having a girl.

Oh, and I wanted to add that I swear Madeline can tell I'm pregnant. She's so sweet and gentle, and will often come up and lay her head right on my belly. I wonder if her super-sensitive ears can pick up on the heartbeat. Hank says no, but I like to think that's what she's doing with her ear to my stomach! I know she'll be a great friend to the baby!