Who wants some guacamole?

This week, Baby Neal is the size of an avocado, approximately the size of an open hand.

Now, I definitely hold issue with the last description, because whose hand are we measuring? If it's Rick's, we've got a giant baby! If it's mine, it is going to come out looking like one of the Seven Dwarfs.

The baby is now 16 weeks and is still in there practicing the basics of life. The baby can hear loud noises, so I bet it can hear the loud train down the street. The baby's eyes have moved completely to the front of its head and they can move side to side. The little one is still practicing breathing by taking in amniotic fluid, then spitting it back out to me.

We had a little scare this week with some genetic testing I opted to do. Usually they don't require these screenings until after the mother is 35, but I wanted to know if something was going to be really wrong.

All of my tests came back normal, except for the neural tube defect one. Basically, there was a possibility that the baby had a whole in its spine. The doctor said there was a 1 in 150 of this happening, and that the test has a high rate of "false positives."

Rick and I were concerned, but the doctor reassured us there was nothing to worry about yet. We got the results back today, and everything is fine :)

I told the doctor since he told me bad news, he had to let me listen to the baby. I heard its quick little heartbeat, and then he told me it was kicking! Kicking? How do you know? He told me to listen to the little thumps, and that's the baby kicking. It's showing that fiery redhead personality already!

Some nice, cooler weather has finally moved through and just in time! We've had no air-conditioning at work and I've had bronchitis. Bummer on both accounts. But it's nice and cool in here and the doctor gave me some cough medicine with codine in it. Yup, sweet dreams!

I'm starting to see Baby Neal!