He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Week 15
Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds.

Week 16
At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.

Week Five | Week Six | Week Seven | Week Eight |Week Nine | Week Ten | Week Eleven | Week Twelve | Week Thirteen | Week Fourteen | Week Fifteen | Week Sixteen | Week Seventeen | Week Eighteen | Week Nineteen | Week Twenty | Twenty One | Twenty Two | Twenty Three| Twenty Four | Twenty Five | Twenty Six | Twenty Seven | Twenty Eight | Twenty Nine | Thirty | Thirty One | Thirty Two | Thirty Three | Thirty Four | Thirty Five | Thirty Six | Thirty Seven | Thirty Eight | Thirty Nine | Forty | Arrival

We are in our Fourth Month.....pictures

Week Thirteen | Week Fourteen | Week Fifteen | Week Sixteen

Week Thirteen
April 19, 2008
We are blessed to have made it to another week. The sex of the baby is most likely determined by now, and I guess ultimately I've realized that a healthy baby is what I want whether boy or girl. Some people have speculated on what they think it is, just by the 'vibe' that they get. Andrew thinks it will be a boy and I kind of do too...but we won't know for another 189 days.

Meanwhile I am battling a cold with only tylenol and robitussin. Oh how I miss my ibuprofen!

I bought some maternity pants the other day...another pair. Sometimes they really seem necessary and other times I don't feel very big at all. Mostly I think how big I am is in direct proportion to how much dinner I've eaten.

I'm thankful that I haven't suffered from symptoms like heartburn or naseau, well anything really. I would like to spend a weekend without having a cold or some other malady so we can get out and explore our new area.

Week Fourteen
April 25, 2008
And another week goes by so quickly!

I just read an article about being secretly sad about the gender of your baby. It was interesting because it addressed reasons a woman may be disappointed finding out that she may be having a one sex instead of the other. Those reasons inlcude a sense of loss at not being able to experience certain things with one sex or another. Say, choosing a prom dress with your daughter, or attending football games with your son. I can totally relate to that. I have envisioned myself in the future, doing certain activities with our child that if it turns out to be the other sex I will certainly be disappointed.

We won't find out the baby's gender until it's born. Mainly because Andrew wants to have a 'visceral' experience when he hears the sex of the baby. But a friend mentioned that the excitement of the moment overtakes any disappointment one may feel when finding out the sex at the baby's birth. And since I am so attached to one sex, I think that will be good for us.

But to be clear, it's not that you are disappointed with your baby. It's that you are sad about the things you won't experience with them.

Week Fifteen
May 2, 2008
Holy Moly. Is this always how it will be? Always wondering where the time has gone, wishing maybe that we had appreciated the moment more?

At the last visit with our midwife, she said we would be able to possibly feel movement by week 16...like a fluttering in the belly. And she said if we press on the abdomen that they baby may press back. Although it's only week 15, I try occasionally to get this response from our little growing bean, but nothing so far.

Andrew continues to be supportive and understanding. He even ran a bath for me the other night...it's a blessing to have a husband who is so thoughtful. He is getting more and more excited and often remarks how fortunate we are to have conceived without any difficulty and to be expecting a healthy little one. He's right!

May 7, 2008
Every now and then it dawns on me that in less than six months I will be cradling and loving a little tiny person that we created in my arms....and will probably be desperately in need of sleep as well as desperately in love.

Christmas will be a time of wonderment for our little birdie and a time of thankfulness for us, then spring will come and we'll be where we are now only a year later and I will probably wonder what life was like before that special day in October.

We've invited a new being to come into our family, an extension of our love. It's truly bewildering and amazing and overwhelming and confusing all at the same time.

Week Sixteen
May 9, 2008
I have to get used to being able to feel my belly against my t-shirts and other what-would-otherwise-be baggy shirts. In a way it's a bit liberating to be able to feel that and not be overly worried about whether I am getting fat!

Along with that expanding belly comes the inability to see my jeans buttons and zippers though!

And I admitted to Andrew last night that I can't wait to go back on the pill. It kept my skin clear, I didn't have to worry about certain other feminine issues, everything was so very regulated...he was concerned that we would be in the baby-making mode for a while and was I planning on it right away? At this point, the thought of being pregnant again right away doesn't sound good. I kinda like the idea of the older child being old enough to help Mom out when the new member comes, ie. Handing me diapers, etc.-- not necessarily cooking dinner or vacuuming. Either way, going back on the pill probably won't happen for several years...

May 10, 2008
My good friend from college, mom of three under 7, shared her most valuable tips for a new Mom. So helpful!

May 11, 2008
My first Mother's Day! I'm a Mom? Cah-razeee. Andrew bought me some time at a spa for a pre-natal massage. Can't wait, my back needs it. Thank you, Andrew!

He also went maternity clothes shopping with me yesterday. I needed his opinion on things and to my surprise, it was the most successful shopping trip I've ever had! Usually I take 15 things into the fitting room, and I come out with one. This time, I liked about 90% of what I took in! I'm guessing it's because the bar is lowered a bit on how good things can look - meaning I am working with a pregnant body, so the shape of things isn't quite as important?

And I also had a pleasant surprise on Friday. My sister-in-law called and said that they would like to have a baby shower for me when the family is here* in a couple of weeks. I thought that was very thoughtful, especially since I am kinda friendless right now in my new area.

*Both sides of our family are coming to our place for Memorial weekend to celebrate Andrew's graduation from DU...total of about 22 people on the day of the BBQ. Should be fun!

MONTH FIVE

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