14 weeks

Welcome to the second trimester! Doctor says our risk of losing the baby at this point is less than 1%, so we are so excited to think about welcoming this baby into our life in less than 6 months!

According to babycenter.com......

This weeks big developments are that Baby can squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly even suck its thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, facial muscles are getting a workout as these tiny features form one expression after another. Kidneys are producing urine, which releases into the amniotic fluid around the baby, a process that remains until birth. Baby is stretching out now (note: as you can see in my belly picture LOL!) and now measures 3.5 inches head to bottom, about the size of a lemon, and weighs about 1.5 ounces. The body is growing faster than the head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. But the end of this week, the arms will have grown to a length that is in proportion to the rest of the body (legs will still have some catching up to do). Baby is also starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over its body. The liver starts making bile this week- a sign that its doing its job right- and the spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel the tiny punches and kicks yet, baby's little hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Things have been going well for me this week- I was on vacation from work, so my back pain was minimal to none all week! Yey! I have still been hungry constantly, but we went to our 14 week appointment on Thursday and it seems I am still gaining weight at a healthy rate, so I just have to keep doing what I am doing to be healthy and comfortable. Mike and I just keep saying our baby is strong like a bull and "eats" like a horse, so it's all we can ask for : D

I am scheduled to go back to the doctor again in 4 weeks, and then our appointment after that he said is when we will schedule the ultrasound to see what we are having. Bets, anyone? Here are some clues, if you are superstitious: I have been craving milk, meat (especially hamburger), citrus fruits and things flavored like citrus (lime, lemon, orange, grapefruit), and chocolate. I seem to be carrying a little high, but you can be the judge of that from the pictures. Any ideas? I had some dreams around weeks 7-9 about a girl, and I was convinced at that time. But then my mom was having dreams about it being a boy, Mike is convinced it's a boy, and lately I can't get the song "Beautiful Boy" by John Lennon out of my head..... So now I am not so sure. We will know for sure by October 8th (that would be 8 weeks from my last appointment (being that we see the doctor regularly every 4 weeks) but I am wondering that since I will be 21 weeks, 5 days at that point, if the ultrasound will be scheduled then, or possibly closer to 20 weeks, which would be anytime after September 26th. Either way, we will keep you posted.