16 Weeks & 4 Days - We have an avocado folks!

So in the womb news today, Baby M is about the size of an avocado - 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. Baby M's 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. The baby's ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, although his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails, eyebrows, lashes and the taste buds are forming too. And it looks like we'll have to start watching what we say... tiny bones forming in Baby M's ears mean the little one can now pick up our voice.

In Mom's world the latest update is maternity jeans - thank you Old Navy for bringing my poor achy, tender stomach relief. All this growing Baby M is doing is wreaking havoc on my poor stomach muscles. Round ligament pain is what the books call it and it brings with it the mild occasion discomfort. Mild? Who writes these baby books? Apparently the author of mine are all men who have no clue what all of these pregnancy symptoms actually feel like. Say it with me P-A-I-N and it's constant mind you - not occasional. It feels like Baby M is trying to formally evict my bladder from my body to make room for his newly decorated in-utero dorm room complete with a WIDESCREEN TV. It hurts! And normal pants with their zippers and buttons and extra folds of fabric when you sit down, they feel more like a torture chamber than a pair of pants. So I caved and bought the full panel maternity jeans from Old Navy.

Now here is a product that a woman clearly designed - God bless them. These jeans have a full panel of elasticized cotton that cradle my poor belly. Beautiful - they are not. Comfy - let's just say I may never take them off. I just hope that I don't get submitted to the ER anytime soon because I don't look like a pregnant woman just yet, (more like someone who's just overindulged on a few too many glasses of wine and takeout meals). They might just make some notes under the mental portion of my evaluation when they see the pants I'm sporting with that full panel and all.

Anyways - here is a picture of the belly this week (and no, I'm not taking a photo in my new pants - I do have some dignity left):