15 weeks!

Tomorrow marks 15 weeks officially :) We have our next appointment in one week, and then we will schedule "the big ultrasound" for sometime between 18-20 weeks. It's exciting to think in approximately a month, give or take, we could find out if there is a tiny son or daughter in there!

This week in Baby Smith's development:

"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. Baby is busy moving amniotic fluid through the nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in its lungs begin to develop. Its legs are growing longer than its arms now, and he/she can move all of his/her joints and limbs. Although the eyelids are still fused shut, baby can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, baby's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but it is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl!" - thank you BabyCenter.com for the weekly updates :)

I feel like I am starting to turn the corner with regard to the morning sickness - in general it's better, although dinner tonight ended up not working out...oh well, bygones :) I'm still doing my Zumba classes twice a week, and overall I feel like I'm pretty much right where I should be. I can't say for sure, but it's possible that I felt a tiny little "tap tap tap" that might or might not have been baby's movements yesterday...I've been vigilant for more signs, but nothing strong enough to be certain yet. Hopefully soon! Any mamas out there - when did you first feel movement?

And for those dying to see my mamaness in the flesh (haha ALL of you, right?) here are some belly shots :) Enjoy. If one can be so inclined to enjoy my pale, currently expanding midsection, that is :)

yikes...that looks surprisingly larger than I imagine it does...

It's always a little better covered up :)

Second Trimester Baby!

Woohoo! Today marks the beginning of the second trimester :) I'm looking forward to several months of "feeling my best" (I keep hearing this so I'm going to go ahead and believe you people who keep giving me this positive light!) and all the fun things that will occur in the next 3 months. I will begin to feel the baby move this tri, and we will get to find out the baby's sex in about 5 weeks. Matt teased me last night at the grocery store because I was actually looking at food as we walked through the aisles again, so he said I must be ending the first trimester! I really am looking forward to eating again and hoping a wider variety of things begin to sound appealing soon (you know, instead of Sprite, pretzels, yogurt, fruit, and cereal).



This week, in Wee Smith land: "Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, veins and organs are clearly visible through still-thin skin, and the body is starting to catch up with the head — which makes up just a third of the baby's body size now. If the baby is a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Baby is almost 3 inches long and weighs nearly an ounce." Pretty amazing what's going on in there already!



I don't have a 13 week pic yet, but I'll post a shot from last weekend that shows some of the 12 week bump, if you look closely :) It's shadowed, but you can see it!

12w4d

Short post tonight, as I'm post-zumba and still pre-shower, but I wanted to get these scanned in for your viewing pleasure! We had our "First Trimester Screening" today, and got some wonderful ultrasound photos of baby! The tech said baby was cooperative and we hope it's going to stay that way :) So cool - it was flipping around and bicycle kicking its* little legs like ca-ray-zay!

Baby's profile - look at the little button nose (and my mom says those cheekbones)!

Profile - baby flipped sides and has a hand up by its* forehead

Foot - labeled as such. Toes pointing left, heel on the right

Baby showing its* leg moves - kicking! Also looks like the hand is in its* little mouth!

So there you have it :) Next pictures of Wee Smith will not be until 18-20 weeks (right around Thanksgiving) when we can hopefully find out the sex...but guesses welcome as always! I still have no feeling, and am even more confused after looking at these - thought I'd totally know after seeing it's profile, but no. Oh, and the heartbeat was 159 bpm today, right where it should be she said. Not only could we hear it, but we could see it beating away in there too!

Belly pics of me to come...not tonight, I'm just too sweaty and gross for ya'll to see :)

All the love,

T, M and baby S

*edited from the incorrect it's meaning "it is" or "it has" to the correct its, a possesive pronoun meaning "belonging to it". Blame the unforgiveable grammatical lapse on the baby...it doesn't know proper English yet. :)

Thank goodness for Friday, and 12 weeks

This week has been a long one, I'm afraid. Not because of any overwhelming badness, and not because I've really felt that terrible, but I'm just really glad it's Friday again. It's true, I'm not feeling great every day. In fact, some portion of most days I feel pretty darn pukey and gross...but it's all a reminder that my body is doing something amazing. Sometimes it's hard to remember when I'm sitting at my desk having yet another meal of Sprite and pretzels that the reason I feel this way is because I am busy, like, growing a human being! I think I might need to get one of these to remind myself from time to time :)

Yesterday marked 12 weeks...one week left of the first trimester. Baby is now just about 2 inches from head to rump (my favorite!) or about the size of a lime. He/she developed reflexes this week, like sucking and opening/closing fists and curling toes, and will squirm around if I poke on my belly (not that I can feel anything, but so I'm told...). We didn't get it together and get a photo last night, but I'll do it tonight! I think I've pretty much rounded the bend and will be leaving non-maternity pants behind for a while. Which means I have shopping to do!

We have our first trimester screening appointment on Monday - we will have an ultrasound and get to see baby Smith again, so rest assured that photos will follow! The screening combines a blood test and ultrasound to measure a risk profile for Down Syndrome and Trisomy 13 and 18. I have a good feeling that all is well, but it will be nice to have peace of mind and reassurance.

In other news, it's baby's first Michigan - MSU game this weekend! Go Blue!

Autumn Farmer's Market

Matt and I spent the morning in Ann Arbor, which is always one of our favorite things to do on a Saturday morning. We had brunch at Cafe Zola, which I unfortunately lost before we even left :( and then headed over to the Farmer's Market. Fall is so bountiful at the market - see for yourselves!

Heirloom tomatoes and peppers

Pumpkins!!

Fall harvest flowers

Sweet bell peppers

There's something about the buzz of October at the market...farmers and vendors squeezing the last lucrative weeks out of their harvest time, and people crowding elbow-to-stroller-to-push cart to get a look at what goods await them. Aside from chilly fingers and noses, we ended up coming home with:

-Michigan Maple Syrup

-Fresh raspberries to freeze for smoothies!

-1 Butternut squash

-Honey Crisp apples

-Michigan strawberry and raspberry jam

-Sweet red and green peppers

I'd say that's a good way to start an October weekend! Not sure what baby Smith thinks about it all yet...at least it let me know about breakfast!

Fall also makes me feel cozy and crafty, and that means crochet and sewing! I have many a baby project up my sleeve, and am about to snuggle up with a ball of yarn and get busy! Updates to come :)