10 Weeks

Not much to report this week. In fact the 1st trimester is rather boring but I am thankful for it since it means no sickness. I'm looking forward to cleaning out and start getting the nursery ready in a few weeks. 8 more weeks and we will know how to decorate!

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

9 Weeks

I finally feel like I'm progressing (after originally thinking I was 8 weeks and finding out I was only 5). I'm still feeling pretty good for the most part other then having no energy - but thankful that seems to be the worst of it.

Here is what baby is up to this week - Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape (or olive) — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

9 more weeks until we find out if its a boy or a girl!

Helpful Hints in Dealing with a Pregnant Woman

Rule #1 - Don't touch a pregnant woman's stuff (particulary if it involves food or drinks).

Apparently over the past week anything that is in the office refrigerator has become community property. Last week I poured a bowl of cereal, opened the refrigerator to get my milk out, and it was gone. Our receptionist who NEVER throws anything away had thrown it out thinking it was expired - it was not. While I was throwing my hissyfit - she goes "Ooohhh - it expired Aug 16th. I don't know what I was thinking." Literally - she will eat take out for 2 weeks after we have ordered it. Why expired milk (that wasn't really expired) was a sudden concern to her, I have no idea.

Flash forward to 10 minutes ago - I go to get a bottle of water out of the fridge.... it's gone. I stalked the office and found the culprit. He's visiting from our Charlotte office so I decided not to act psycho and say anything.

If this happens again, I'm liable to go postal and put a sign on the refrigerator to the effect of "if you didn't bring it in, don't touch it". Apparently in the meantime I am going to have to start writing my name on stuff in large letters.

There, I think I feel better now...

Baby's First Photo

Today was my second ultrasound and this time I got to see baby! My due date was moved to March 28 so I'm not quite as far along as we originally thought. Everything looks good though. I even got to hear the heartbeat - a strong 112 bpm. It's so surreal to be looking at ultrasound pics knowing that is our baby and that we will meet him or her in a little less than 8 months!

1st Dr. Appt.

Today was my 1st doctors appointment. I saw the prenatal nurse who asked me a bunch of questions, gave me a lot of paperwork, and took some blood for bloodwork. It was a bit overwhelming when she started talking about childbirth classes, picking a pediatrician by 30 weeks, preregistering for the hospital by a certain week (can't remember), etc.

We were able to schedule our first ultrasound for this Thursday at 9AM. This was an answered prayer - I was afraid I was going to have to wait a few weeks. I am so excited to be able to see the baby - I think that will make it a lot more real for both of us as well as ease our nerves. The tough part will be waiting the next 8-12 weeks to find out the gender.

Luckily, I am still feeling great. I don't have any of the stereotypical pregnancy symptoms that you hear about - just ones that you don't know about until you get pregnant.

I'll be sure to post ultrasound pictures after Thursday. Even though no one knows about the blog for now - I'm sure everyone will want to catch up after the big announcement!

My 1st post as a Mama!

Yesterday after 6... yes 6... pregnancy tests, I finally got a positive and took 1 more just for good measure. They were the fancy digital tests so there was no mistaking... PREGNANT. I didn't really think I was because I've felt great but I was 18 days late so nonetheless I kept taking them every few days. It still hasn't quite sunk in yet and I don't know that it will until we go to the doctor and see the ultrasound or hear the heartbeat. I hope to get an appt. scheduled for sometime this week. According to the online due date calculators, I am 6 weeks along which makes the baby's due date somewhere around March 9.

Kyle is in Vegas this weekend so he hasn't heard the official news yet. Needless to say I didn't want to send him a text, "BTW, you're going to be a dad" so I figured I would hold off. There was an "iffy" test before he left so it won't be a complete shock. He gets back tonight around midnight so I plan on snoozing on the couch so I wake up when he gets home. I have wrapped up an NCSU paci that my mom bought years ago to break the news to him.

As for now, no one else knows. The blog is hidden for the time being until the big announcement but I thought I would chronicle some of our early thoughts and adventures!