7 week update

Fetus at 7 weeks gestation

Now about one half of an inch / 1.25 centimetres long, the size of a lentil. Our embryo has distinct, slightly webbed fingers and toes. It's a jumping bean, moving in fits and starts. The liver is churning out large amounts of red blood cells until the bone marrow forms and takes over this role. The eighth week marks the beginning of a very busy developmental stage. Between now and 20 weeks, our baby will be growing rapidly, and body parts that formed in the first few weeks of life (such as the heart and brain) will become more specialised and complicated. Right now, the teeth and palate are forming, while the ears continue to develop. The fetus' skin is paper thin, and veins are clearly visible.

Also:

• Has created his own placenta, amniotic sac, produced his own amniotic fluid
• Skeletal system developed - Cartilage at this point
• Weighs only 1/30th of an ounce - has all internal organs of an adult
• Has a mouth with lips, an early tongue and buds for milk teeth
• Nerves and muscles work together for the first time
• Eyes still open, but gluey ridges beginning to form at the edges which will soon seal shut to protect them in final delicate formation
• Dark area is pigment of the retina of the eye as it forms
• At this stage baby’s nose and all the facial features are quite flat
• At end of embryonic stage (7th week), fingers and toes become separate entities

Charles & I are doing well. We are still in the slow process of getting the apartment set-up. My Auntie Liping helped us tremendously this week by getting us organized. I purged a lot of stuff and feel I am starting to live more "simply". I'm about to start round 3 of going through my clothes...

Charles told me today that his Mom will be visiting this week. I am very excited to have her here & spend some time with us in our new place. I know Charles loves to translate; he's used to repeating everything anyways, might as well use two languages! Later in the week, Mom & Gus will arrive. I hope there's hockey on T.V. for the men!

I have decided to take a 4 week medical leave from work; the nausea and fatigue are too much for me and I just could not put in the 100% I expect from myself at work (I don't think clients appreciate watching me dry heave in exam rooms either). So, my days are spent coping with varying degrees of nausea and napping (Josey loves nap time!). I walk as much as I can and still try to be productive, within reason, of course.

Charles is working until Sunday evening, so it's just me & the cat for the next 3 days.

6 week update

Our baby's heart is dividing into chambers and will soon find a more regular rhythm. Our little embryo is about 0.08 to 0.16 inches from crown to rump (about the size of a BB pellet) and looks more like a tadpole than a human. But it undergoes a tremendous growth spurt this week: Its major organs - including the kidneys and liver - begin to grow; the neural tube, which connects the brain and spinal cord, will close this week; and our embryo's upper and lower limb buds begin to sprout, which will form the arms and legs. The intestines are also developing and the appendix is in place; and its facial features are starting to form, the nostrils are becoming distinct, and the earliest versions of the retinas of the eyes are forming.

Amazing isn't it? It's hard to believe that is going on inside of me! My thoughts have moved from the pregnancy, though, to the state of our apartment. All my belongings from P.G. arrived Saturday morning (thankfully I was at work!) and now we are living amongst boxes and furniture. I will be spending my days off unpacking and purging. I look forward to having a livable space again. I have so much junk it's embarrassing!

Our first new addition

We picked up our new car this evening... a 2006 Pontiac Vibe. Charles is ecstatic! After my car was written off we looked for a used one to replace it. But, with baby on the way Charles thought it best to buy a new one. That's Kramer, our salesman. He is quite the character & has plenty of stories tell. We've had lots of laughs with him.

A long wait

According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar we're having a girl!

http://www.pregnancyweekly.com/pregnancy_information/chinese_calendar.htm

We'll have to wait another 8 months to find out because I don't want to know. Though, Charles' Mom may know already!

35 weeks to go!

It's been just 9 days since we found out I was pregnant. Though I have finally accepted the fact that we are having a baby I am still very cautiously excited; it is too early to be picking names & nursery themes. My first prenatal exam is April 11 & I look forward to meeting with the doctor. I think that will make all this seem less surreal.

I have been experiencing symptoms that I always thought a fit person could overcome! I'm tired most of the time, needing afternoon naps, and have intermittent nausea. Yesterday was the worst day so far for nausea. I was up at 3:30am with a bad stomach & it got worse on my morning walk. Thankfully there has not been any vomiting. I find eating every 1 to 2 hours helps prevent some of the nausea.

My first run the other day told me that I will more than likely be power walking throughout my pregnancy. I made it 20 minutes but it wore me out & my breasts were so sore I was almost in tears. I hope to start prenatal yoga and get into the pool soon.

Charles is excited about all that is going on... more so about my new D cup bras! Hee, hee. He naps with me in the afternoons sometimes & listens to all my complaints. We have been enjoying telling our family & friends our good news. I love peoples reactions!