Weekly Baby Update: Week 9

Today starts week 9. Today starts month 3. Today starts our baby being a fetus, not just an embryo. All of these things are incredibly exciting.

In this last week, baby doubled in size from 1/2 an inch to 1 inch or about the size of a green olive or grape. How awesome is that?

This week, muscles are forming which means, soon, baby will be able to kick and punch my belly. Although, I still won't be able to feel it for some time. Baby's essential organs are already in existence (wow that's fast!) but they need some fine-tuning before they're ready for the world. This week, baby's heart is finishing dividing into four chambers and valves are developing. Baby's teeth are developing and baby's tail is finally gone.

Nerves are starting to work, the placenta is doing most of the work of producing hormones and while we can't distinguish it yet, baby's external sex organs are developing. It will be some time before we get to tell what baby is. Baby's eyelids are fully formed now but they are still fused shut and will be until more than halfway through gestation. Also, baby has earlobes and more distinguished nostrils, nose, and mouth.

As for symptoms, some morning sickness...not necessarily occurring in the morning. Most commonly appearing in the afternoon or when I'm hungry. I still have exhaustion...but I'm attributing a lot of that to my illness. I've still got the flu and it's holding on for dear life.

217 days to go, 31ish weeks!

FFR

Happy Birthday Working Man

Today is Working Man's birthday. God bless the Working Man. This year, for his birthday, I'm growing a baby for him. Not really...well, yes really, I am growing a baby but it's not for his birthday. I have a gift for him which he already knows about because he hates surprises. And because he already knows about it, I know I'm going to need to send it back and get him a different one but that's okay. Too bad I didn't tell him about it sooner. Oh well, next year I'll tell him sooner.

Last night, we went out to a nice dinner and tonight...I don't have any plans tonight. That's why I took him out yesterday. Plus, I have to work today. The first time since Thursday. Feels so weird to have so many days off. Last night I had a dream (or nightmare) that everything had changed at work. Our program, our protocols, our procedures...Weird.

Anyway...happy birthday to Working Man. So happy to spend another year with you!

FFR

JK Wedding

This Memorial Day weekend, I got the awesome opportunity to be in my best friend Kortnie's wedding. It was an exhausting weekend for all involved but it was, by far, the best wedding I've ever been to. Ok...so it was really cold on the beach and I think every part of the wedding party was blue and so were the guests but, it was still really beautiful out there. I mean, just look at this location!

Working Man before I forked over the camera for the weekend. This was his big shot at showing me just how much he's learned over the few years he's been with me and I've babbled photography at him. You tell me how he did...

On Thursday, we got there just in time for the rehearsal. This was also cold but we were fully clothed. Kortnie totally toughed it out the next day. She refused her shawl for the ceremony. What a tough cookie!

Dad is so proud!


Even before make-up and dress and everything, she's radiant! Josh is a lucky, lucky man!

The ceremony was short and sweet, they had unity sand instead of a unity candle and I really like the way they worded it and put it together. Moms poured a rocky foundation and then they poured their sand in. It was just great, the meaning behind it and everything. Working Man got a few pictures before the ceremony:

And he waits for his bride.


She waits for her groom. A rare quiet moment in the morning.


I processed this a few ways. I couldn't resist.


It's just stunning.


And the dress...oh it was beautiful!

The pictures during the ceremony were few because of where Working Man was sitting but that's ok. There were some great ones anyway.

It looks like she's running for her groom.

And after the wedding, of course, pictures!

Family and wedding party.


Yours truly, the stunning bride, and the flower girls.


So I've learned photographers have tricks to making you smile naturally.


One of them was forcing you to say, "Ha ha ha" over and over.


Try it, you'll start laughing too.

Then, blessedly, it was down to the bride and groom. So Working Man got to freeze...I stole his coat. What a chivalrous soul.

I love that they used daisies.


So my tough cookie of a best friend, climbed on to a huge rock in her slick cowboy boots...but the pictures the photographers got are STUNNING. This was the best we could do from a distance.

Then, the reception. On a large paddle-wheel boat. It was the best reception. I don't think anyone will forget it.

Yummy cake!






Beautiful centerpieces and background.

All in all, a great weekend. We did finally warm up at some point. I can't wait to see the pictures of the photographers got. They were a great couple and had great ideas, especially ideas I was hoping they would have. Congratulation Josh and Kortnie! It was a fabulous wedding!

FFR

Weekly Baby Update: Week 8

Today begins the end of month two. We are 8 weeks along with only 32 more to go. Today baby is the size of a raspberry, about 1/2 and inch long, and still growing every day. As we know, baby's heart beat is 150 beats per minute but it's still impossible to hear it from an external source. Baby is also moving spontaneously this week. Though I won't be able to feel these movements for some time, it's the first time baby has moved on it's own. Fingers and toes are beginning to appear, although webbed, and breathing tubes have developed from baby's throat to baby's premature lungs. Baby's tail is disappearing, which is a relief, and baby's brain is developing pathways.

Symptom-wise, I'm not noticing many this last week. I've been sick with a cold all on my own. As a result, the only side-effect I've noticed is that I can't take anything to make myself feel better. This is terribly inconvenient. I know that a cold is a virus and thus can't be touched by anything other than my own immune system but normal people can take cold medicine and cough medicine to treat symptoms. Thus, I have been congested, coughing, and exhausted with no relief. The best I can do is acetaminophen. Which is good for headaches...but that's about it.

On the plus side, my overarching, constant nausea has subsided. Instead, I just have a nausea to certain smells and foods. But I'm not nauseated all the time, just some of the time. This is a nice change. It's making eating a little bit easier but not much. I can eat fruits more than once but for whatever reason, my stomach has shrunk. I don't eat an amount that's even normal for me. I'm not sure why, I just feel full sooner. However, I'm hungry more often. This is a healthier way to eat, if I could just remember not to put off eating until the "proper" meal time.

8 week belly!

FFR

Baby's First Pictures

As many of you know, and were probably anxiously waiting, yesterday was our first ultrasound. This was done to make sure baby set up camp in the lake, not on the beach. Aka: Baby is in utero, not in a fallopian tube. There's always that fear in the back of your head because it is possible to have an ectopic pregnancy and that's scary. Yesterday, we saw baby in the lake. Baby set up camp in the right place. Relief. Now there's only a million other things to be concerned with. For now, relief.

I must say, that seeing baby's heart beating away is a very moving thing. It's so tiny but it's working hard already. Right now, baby's skin is parchment thin. It's a wonder baby's heart doesn't just jump right out. Anyway...on to the pictures.

There's baby! We are 10.8mm.


A better view. This is baby and yolk sac. The yolk sac is nourishing baby until the umbilical cord is fully operational. Pretty amazing.


Our doctor confirmed that our due date is January 4th. Too cool.


And finally, baby's heart rate. Baby's heart rate is 150 beats per minute. Healthy and strong and normal.

It was a bit of an emotional day. Confirming our pregnancy and knowing, in just 33 short weeks, we'll have a baby is a dream come true for both of us. 7 Weeks and 3 days.

FFR