Baby Update

How far along:
10 weeks - after two delays of how old the baby is it is great to be in the double digits! Only 29 weeks to go.

How big is the baby:Though she/he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his/her development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.She/He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.
If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.
In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His/her hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his/her heart, and his/her feet may be long enough to meet in front of the body. The outline of the spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from the spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his/her developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. (via Baby Center)

Total weight gain:

I'm down 8 pounds. No major concern from the doctor yet and it comes as no surprise because I've been so ill. However, I don't look like I'm down 8 pounds. My body definitely remembers the pregnancy look even after 5+ years.

Sleep:

It depends on the day. Some nights I'm tossing and turning all night and other nights I'm sleeping almost 12 hours straight. Thankfully the feeling of exhaustion is letting up... Praise the LORD!! The kids and I are taking afternoon walks and that seems to boost my energy level as well.

Best moment of the week:

Watching the baby's heart beating on the monitor. It is such a miracle and worth every moment of sickness.
Announcing to my Bible Study ladies that I'm expecting. It immediately became a room of mothers but I know that they will be praying for a healthy baby and for that I am grateful!

Food cravings:

Fruit: I cannot get enough fruit. Peanut butter and apples is a favorite "meal" lately.

Food aversions:

 Most food and I definitely can't cook...my poor, poor family! 

Symptoms:

• Morning Sickness: I have never felt this queasy. It is the strangest feeling. I am pretty sick until about 6p and then it lets up for the "rest of the day". I was not sick one day while pregnant with Emmaline so this is definitely something I wasn't expecting.

Gender:

No idea. the girls want a sister so badly, and frankly so does Reed but Jeremy and I are just praying for a healthy baby. Jeremy's guess is that this baby is a girl but this pregnancy is so different that I would have to say boy.

What I’m looking forward to:

• Growing a healthy baby! I am feeling so blessed by this pregnancy. I'm looking forward to looking pregnant, which I know sounds crazy. But we truly do feel like this baby, much like the other 3 we have, is a miracle.
• Sharing this experience with the kids. It has been SO fun to have the girls experience this with us. Every time I put something in my mouth I will be asked, "Momma, is that good for the baby?" Reed will lift up my shirt looking for "Ziggy" and then say, "Ziggy is stuck!" I love the look on Kate's face when I tell her she can tell people about the baby. This pregnancy has already been full of sweet moments and I'm looking forward to many more!

What I miss:

Nothing really, well, maybe eating a meal

Next Appointment:

September 17…We will have a pretty good guess at gender and then will confirm that in October.