10 Weeks

How our baby's growing:

Though it'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, our baby has now completed the most critical portion of its development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in its body rapidly grow and mature.

Baby Geary is swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including the 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 the pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside my 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: Our baby's limbs can bend now. Its hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and its feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of the spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from its spinal cord. Our baby's forehead temporarily bulges with its developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, it's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, our baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

source: babycenter.com

How my life's changing:

At my next prenatal visit, (which is tomorrow!!! Tues the 20th at 9:00 am) I should be able to hear our baby's rapid heartbeat with the help of a Doppler stethoscope, a hand-held ultrasound device that our practitioner places on my belly. (Many women say that the beating of their baby's tiny heart sounded like the thunder of galloping horses and hearing it for the first time was very moving). We're getting so anxious for this part!!

Before I got pregnant, my uterus was the size of a small pear. By this week, it's as big as a grapefruit. I'm not totally ready for maternity wear yet, but my regular clothes are feeling uncomfortably tight and my blossoming breasts are straining the seams of my bra. Also, the thickening in your midsection is most likely due to slight weight gain and bloating. I think it's time to go shopping for some elastic waistbands and spandex!! ;-)

I had one last blood draw this morning at my physicians to test my progesterone level. Hopefully I'll hear results soon. Then tomorrow is the big OB doc day!! Our first 'official' baby appointment. Greg will be joining me at the Black Hills OBGYN to see Dr. Beuhner (pronounced like "Beener") and his nurse Sandy Miller. I hope to have fantastic news and real pictures of what exactly is going on my belly! The anticipation has been like torture not knowing what's really going on inside!!

So stay tuned....!