Fourteen Weeks

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) 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.See what your baby looks like this week.

Welcome to the second trimester!

Wow – I can hardly believe the first trimester is behind me and I’m one third of the way to the finish line.

The girls at work have mentioned I’m starting to show, but I’m not so sure. We have many other pregnant women here at work. It’s fun, it’s like our own little club. We share war stories of getting sick in public, or feebly trying to fit into our favorite jeans. I’ll start posting pictures of my growing belly, once it starts growing! It’s tough for full figured girls like me seeing those perfect round pregnant bellies, knowing that I will never look like that. But in the grand scheme of things – the shape of my belly really doesn’t matter. It’s what’s inside that belly that’s important. And my baby looks beautiful!

I feel a little bit more energetic and my queasiness has seemed to lesson. Lesson meaning I don’t feel like I have to hurl every minute of every day. Now, I get breaks, maybe an hour here, or a few hours there. So I’m making the most of the time I’m feeling well enough to get a little work done around the house.

I have to tell the world what a wonderful husband I have! He has been SO supportive by going grocery shopping the past few months and cleaning all of the messes our little critters leave behind. Both things I still don’t think I could stomach – believe me I’ve tried and it usually ends up with me running for the bathroom/sink/or plastic bag already in hand.

Thank you – thank you – thank you to the world’s most patient husband. Don’t worry honey – I feel that boost of energy coming and you’ll get a much needed break from the house hold duties.

I received a gift from my secret sister this week. I signed up for a pen-pal sort of gift giving exchange on BabyCenter.com. Mom’s all due in March got together to help pass the time and support each other through out our pregnancies by sending gifts once a month. My secret sister send the most wonderful things – a sleeping mask (which I honestly had wanted for I don’t know how long but never would think to buy for myself!), yummy chocolate covered fruit (one way to get that fruit serving… he he..) a wonderful note, some massage oil and organic soap. Very thoughtful gifts. Makes me feel horrible for not sending mine out yet. I have to admit that I’m been delinquent in sending out my first gift, but I have been too sick to set foot in a store. I WILL go today after work.

I treated myself to a mani/pedi yesterday after work to mark the end of my first trimester. I have always said what a wonderful gift it would be to give a pregnant woman gift certificates for a mani/pedi once a month during her pregnancy. When a woman can hardly reach her toes – what a perfect gift to make sure her little tootsies are looking their best. And of course, there’s all that time in stirrups! Come on ladies – the docs and nurses have to look at “unpleasant” things all day, let’s make sure our feet aren’t one of them! I’m going to make it my monthly ritual… it’s the least I can do!

I will be making my first materiality clothing purchase this weekend. There’s a new store that has “everything for expecting moms” that I’m going to check out. It’s time – I have five outfits that are still comfortable that I have been cycling through and it’s getting really old. And I’m sure my coworkers are sick of seeing me in the same five outfits.

Next doc appointment is October 14 and we’ll have an ultrasound the following week to determine this little one’s gender.

Ok – on with the second trimester!