16 1/2 weeks AND 10 more things to know about pregnancy

Can't really tell I'm getting bigger, but there's definitely a bump growing there! That's right folks...the bean is 16 1/2 weeks in these pictures. We will find out if the bean is a boy or a girl on Dec. 17th...thus BEGIN THE COUNTDOWN! Justin and I are super excited and can't wait to finally find out what's been shaking it in my belly for the last few months.

Now for the fun stuff:
10 MORE THINGS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT PREGNANCY (in no particular order):
10 - Our bean really wants cheeseburgers at every meal....yes even at 5:30 a.m. when I wake up. It's hard not to indulge this one, but I do my best. The bean sure does know how to tell me when he or she is hungry. Unfortunately, he or she is hungry every 2 hours. I guess I should get used to this one!
9 - Hello long hair and crazy strong nails....where have you been all my life!?!?! While pregnant and taking horrible tasting prenatal vitamins, your hair and nails will grow at an alarming rate. I have to say this, getting bigger boobs, and the little baby that will be coming my way are excellent perks to pregnancy!
8 - Goodbye PATIENCE. When I got pregnant and after I stopped felling nauseous ALL THE TIME, my patience disappeared as well. I'm having a lot of trouble being patient at work and that makes me sad. I just want things to be done quickly and efficiently...is that too much to ask? Poor kids who take a year and a half to move an inch to do ANYTHING...GRRRR! I hope that when the baby comes...my patience will return!
7 - Losing sleep while pregnant is just a precursor to actually having the bean here in our presence. While I can still fall asleep at the drop of my head on the pillow, I can't stay asleep all night anymore. If I lay on my belly, I feel like I'm crushing the baby and giving it a conehead. If I turn to my side, the baby will create nausea. If I lay on my back, my back starts to hurt. I just can't win. I've resorted to having to cuddle with a large bear I've had since I was 15 in order to be comfortable enough to actually get some zzzzzzz's. Another thing I better get used to :0)
6 - Speaking of uncomfortable, I waddle at every turn, which makes my knees and back hurt even worse. Sitting down isn't the greatest either....for example, sitting down for an extended period of time without being able to fidget or move, makes me want to scream (BOOOO!). Can we say my hour long drive home JUST GOT WORSE? Oh well...
5 - Hellooooo cute maternity clothes. Thank God I was not pregnant in any other decade b/c at least I can still be stylish. I've stopped fitting in most of my "normal" clothes, so I've had to cave in and start buying pants that go up to my armpits and shirts that hug my belly. By the way, the armpit pants are AWESOME...so comfy. If you haven't had a baby or gotten pregnant yet, just buy a pair b/c they are a fantastical invention!
4 - Registering for the bean was much harder than I expected! HOLY crap Babies 'R' Us needs a handbook to buying and differentiating the difference between the best kind of bottle for the baby. Could you have any more different kinds of nipples? How many different kinds of crib sheets could you possibly make? Ummm...TOO MANY! I do have to say that registering was fun and I did enjoy myself. I definitely feel a little more prepared for our little guy or gal!
3 - I have a super sniffer now! My sense of smell has never been my strongest sense, but as of getting pregnant, my nose has finally lived up to it's potential. I had a hard time tolerating coffee before, but now, don't even put that coffee within a 5 mile radius of my nose or ELSE! I can actually differentiate the different spices in certain foods now...it's kinda cool! Certain smells are pleasant...others are not. The smell in my living room makes me gag and makes it hard for me to watch tv with my husband...I wish I knew what it was, but I keep febreezing the crap out of it and it keeps coming back. Along with a more refined sense of smell, my taste buds have drastically changed. I used to like certain foods or drinks and now I don't. For example, I used to HATE root beer...not anymore...bring on the rootbeer!
2 - BEWARE of the fact that at the sound of a simple word that I can grow 3 heads, start breathing fire, and literally rip the skin off your body with my eyes. My mood swings are UNBELIEVABLE. I'm scared of the person I am becoming...I'm short with people, my patience is gone, and I'm more uptight. This is a newer development, but I'm a little afraid that it was delayed due to my extreme sickness. Of course as soon as I'm done being a monster, I immediately start feeling bad OR I start bawling b/c I feel like a horrible human being. Geez, I hate mood swings. Oh yeah and just so you know...the word that triggers the best, changes every other minute, so don't even try to log it in a bank of things not to say to me.
1 - Being pregnant is not easy by any means, but from the very moment you feel that little bean or peanut or kit kat bar in your belly, you feel an immediate connection to it. This connection makes every trip to the bathroom, every thing you can't eat anymore, the weight you gain, the weird body changes, and all-day-sickness ALL TOTALLY WORTH IT! I may not be sure of what kind of mother I will be and I'm terrified of being a bad one every minute of every day, but I'm also almost positive that I will figure it out and if I try to be a good mom, then I will be. Regardless of my fears and my trying, I have a wonderful husband who will make a wonderful father in 5 months. More and more I'm sure of that! No matter what Justin and I will make good parents together!

Ok, so if you haven't taken my guess if we're having a boy or girl thing yet, read my blog from Nov. 12 called "We've Got a Hearbeat People" and do it. We find out in 15 days and we're super excited! Hope you enoyed my latest blabberings :0)