Week 16!

Hello!!! We are sitting in the business centre at the Sheraton Fota Island, outside of Cork. This UK keyboard is driving me bonkers £££ so I'll keep this short. We are thoroughly enjoying our honeymoon - a night in Dublin and a couple days in Northern Ireland have been terrific so far. We took an amazing drive along the coast from Belfast to the top of N. Ireland to see some amazing sights, including the most amazing castle, Dunluce. Today we bummed around Cork and enjoyed the tastes and sights. We've been getting really awesome hotel upgrades everywhere, so after our long days of traveling and sightseeing we're assured of a good night's rest! So much more to tell - we'll have to wait to share all the details - and lordy, the photos.

Now, a belated update on PJs this week (who I can feel moving around!)...

Fruit is king again! I love pears, even though this fall my experience making pear jam (or attempting to) really put me off for a few weeks!

I had bought a bunch of yummy organic pears and began peeling and cutting them up to make reduced sugar jam (I usually make regular). Then I realized that the light Certo packet didn't have the proportions for pear jam and sent Jamie out to get some regular Certo (he's such a gem for going). Well, Urban Fare doesn't seem to cater to the jam-making crowd (they don't sell bifocals or cane tips either) and he came back with some gelatin instead. Well, by then I was in a state and also about a cup short of mashed pears. I was also nauseous and tired (about six weeks pregnant at that stage) and I promptly decided to give up and throw it all away. I didn't regain my interest before pears were out of season locally... I regret it now, cause I could sure go for some home-made pear jam!

Well, things going pear-shaped aside (har har), I am glad to hear that PJs is about to go in for a big growth spurt! How exciting!!

What PJs is up to this week:
Your baby is now about the size of an avocado or pear (about 11.6 centimetres long from crown to rump and weighing approximately 100 grams). In the next three weeks he'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, doubling his weight and adding inches to his length.

In or out of the womb, babies are playful creatures. Yours may already have discovered his first toy -- the umbilical cord -- which he'll enjoy pulling and grabbing. Sometimes he may even clutch it so tight that less oxygen gets through, but don't worry - he doesn't hold onto it long enough to harm himself. The circulatory system and urinary tract are in full working order, and he's inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid through his lungs.