22 Weeks! And much much more!

Your Pregnancy: Week 22
If your list of baby things to do seems to be getting longer the bigger you get, don't stress out. Make a pact with your partner that one day or evening a week, you'll do something that has nothing to do with the baby. How about the latest Anne Hathaway flick and dinner?Wondering what's up with your body, your baby and your life this week? Read on ...

What You're Thinking

"Wait, so when I have a baby, it's not a temporary thing? It's forever?

Your Body

Sadly enough, eating for two doesn't mean loading up on milkshakes and hamburgers and doubling your caloric intake. Instead, an average pregnant woman needs about 300 extra calories each day, which can be as little as a handful of trail mix or a small smoothie. If you're craving a little ice cream, go ahead and indulge, but if you need it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, try to find a healthy substitute like sugar-free soft serve or fro yo. Sometimes it's easier on pregnant stomachs to eat five or six small meals each day than three large meals. Make sure to keep a stockpile of pregnancy-friendly snacks like crackers and cheese, pudding or a breakfast bar, so that you'll have something to gnaw on throughout the day. Don't let your hungry coworkers (or your partner) know where you keep your stash.

Your Baby

Your Mini's hands have grown bigger and stronger and the nerve endings in her fingers have developed her sense of touch. She's in there testing out her newfound abilities by touching her face and grabbing the umbilical cord.
Other cool developments:
You're already raising a little Einstein. Your baby's brain is developing at a clip this week and will continue to do so until she's five years old (so load up on the Omega 3)!
Baby's hair is now a short, bright white crop (Billy Idol, eat your heart out!). No matter what color it will end up—red, blonde, black—all babies' hair lacks pigment at this point.
Your baby has started growing taste buds and may be able to detect strong flavors in the amniotic fluid. If you could see inside, you might catch her sticking out her tongue for a taste and then grimacing, a sign that perhaps you should chill on the chili powder.

Your baby now weighs almost a pound and measures almost 11 inches, head to heel, which is how you'll be measuring the Stretch Armstrong in your uterus from here on out. That's about as long as a package of Oreos and as heavy as a large bag of tortilla chips. Who's hungry?

Your Life

For the first year of your baby's life, your pediatrician will be a serious VIP, so do some research before you make your decision. Try talking to your OB and your family practitioner. They have great professional contacts and know the right ped for you. Pump your friends, birthing classmates and relatives for information as well. Once you have a list of potential candidates, carefully and completely interview each one. Even if you've been putting everything else off, make this one a priority. You may have missed the boat on ordering nursery furniture, but this is one thing you need to be on the ball about. While you're not putting things off, now might be a good time to start thinking about comfort items for your hospital bag. Better yet, use it as an excuse to buy a new bag.

From the Mind of Baby Lofstuen's mommy...We are having trouble picking baby names! In a way we would really like to stick with a family name like Michael or David. In another way we want to try something new. I don't want to offend anyone if we don't pick their name or if we use it as the middle and not the first...including my husband!
We had a good weekend in Minnesota! First we went up north to Hinkley and stayed at the Casino over night. We had a good time eating, swimming, and gambling! Friday we hung around and ate lunch at the casino and played a little more then headed to St Louis Park to go to the "beer store" or Midwest Brewing Co. Mike has really gotten into brewing his own beer! The first batch was successful and I tasted it...yum! He loaded up on all the cool tools and another kit. We spent a lot of time there. While we were there I experienced some Braxton Hicks contractions. I called my mom to make sure that's what I was feeling. Lucky for me they didn't hurt at all just a lot of pressure and skin stretching! After we were done there we went to Dave and Elaine's for dinner and to stay the night! We had a nice dinner with Dave, Elaine, Hayley, and Hannah! We had pizza and Hannah LOVES pizza. :) It was awesome! After dinner the girls, Elaine, and I all painted and colored. Then it was bed time!
Saturday I got up just in time for smiley face pancakes! Again, AWESOME! Then we played and played until the girls just had to have me wake up Mikey! Kids love him. So Mikey got up and the girls jumped all over him until he went back and hid in the basement. Well the girls knew right where to find him! That afternoon Sara, Tim, The Girls, Mike, and I all went to the Mall of America! Big Mistake but I was on a mission to find some maternity jeans! It was the busiest any of us had ever seen the mall. We were finally able to park even if we lost each other! We ended up having a lot of fun and yay, I found some jeans! After the mall we headed to Sara & Tim's so the boys could play video games! We all ate pizza and I had fun going through Sara's baby name book! What do you think of Ebenezer? :)
Sunday came too too soon. Mike and I got up just a little to late and missed saying THANK YOU to Dave and Elaine :(. We got up and got movin'! We got to Ikea just before 11 and hit the jack pot! FREE BREAKFAST! It was the best way to start our day! It just topped off the awesome donuts we got from Dave and Elaine! THANK YOU! We had a very productive and not to expensive trip through Ikea. We found both Crib and Changing table. We scoped out a lot of other furniture for us as well. It was exciting! So Minnesota family, expect us back at least one more time before June! We got outta town by 12:30. We would have been home early but stopped at Cabelas for 1 1/2 hours! So we finally got to Jeni's to pick up the dogs about 5:45. They were so happy to see us! I think Molly almost had a heart attack! Nut tried to lick my face off! It was a very happy welcome home. After Mike and I finally got back to our house and unpacked, Mike decided to brew another batch of beer and I for some reason deep cleaned my bathroom. I did sit down and watch Alvin and the Chipmunks! GOOD MOVIE!
Last night Mike and I went out for a group Valentines day dinner with Cassy, Adam, and their girls! We went to Los Flores...yum! We came home and Adam and Corina came to our house for a while. I went to bed early because I was just so tired. Mike got sick in the night and we are still trying to determine if it was from the food or just a bug. The rest of us are ok so I think it's a bug. I don't know if we will ever get to go back to Los Flores again :(. He's at work and functioning today so I think he must be ok.
Wow that was long and probably boring! I love you all!
Oh! I almost forgot! Mikey felt his little Dude move yesterday for the first time! It was very exciting! :) Our kid is just growing so fast! June's coming way to fast for me! Way to much to do! AHHHHHH! HELP!