we are pregnant... baby Jacksonville!

So, for those of you who haven't heard... we are PREGNANT!! We found out at 5:30am May 9 (the day before mother's day). I will be completely honest with you all, this was a little unexpected. I know, I know, we are both doctors and know how this process works and all, but I really shouldn't have been able to get pregnant, but SURPRISE!!! We are super thrilled! All of that being said, I am due January 12, 2010 (according to my OB pregnancy wheel!!) This puts me at 7 weeks tomorrow. My first appointment is June 4 with the nurse and a week or so later with my doctor. My doc, by the way, is the same person who took (with her husband doctor as well) Christopher and I out to dinner the night of our interview with Sioux Falls for residency!!

I thought it would be fun if I updated you on baby's growth weekly, so you all can imagine what is going on inside of me (super weird!) I will also post pics of my beautiful self (probably not weekly, but as changes show up).

At 3 weeks what was going on: baby was a tiny ball of a hundred cells- rapidly dividing (called a blastocyst). It, at some point, implants itself in the uterus and part of it starts to become the placenta and some the baby. Hormones, especially hCG (what makes the pregnancy test positive) increase. Amniotic fluid also starts forming.

At 4 weeks: from this point until week 10 the organs are forming. The embryo (baby) is the size of a poppy seed. The placenta also is starting to function.

At 5 weeks: Baby is the size of a sesame seed and looks like a tadpole. The primitive brain, spinal cord and nerves are beginning to develop. Interestingly, the same thing that makes these important things is also responsible for the skin, hair, nails, mammary ans sweat glands and tooth enamel. Awesomely, at this point, the tiny heart starts dividing into 4 chambers and actually starts to beat! At this point, breast tenderness, fatigue and frequent urination begin ( yes yes yes).. nausea can start any time (not for me yet though!)

At 6 weeks (what I am just ending): The nose, mouth and ears take shape. The eyes and nostrils also start to form. The ears are more like small holes in the side of the head however. The baby's arms and legs look like little buds on the sides of the body. The heart is beating 100-160 times a minute, intestines and lungs are also forming. The pituitary gland, the rest of the brain, the muscles and bones are growing strong too! Baby is 1/4 of an inch long- size of a lentil bean!

Me at 6 weeks and 6 days!

Week 7 (what is happening inside of me this upcoming week): Hands and feet are forming off of the arms- picture paddles however! My baby also still has a tail (which, hopefully, goes away and forms into the tailbone in the next couple of weeks!) Baby has doubled in size from last week: 1/2 an inch long- blueberry baby! The eyes even have eyelids, the liver is making red blood cells right now (until the bone marrow kicks in), there's an appendix and a pancreas. The intestines are also going into the umbilical cord for awhile (totally normal!) Also, apparently my uterus has doubled in size since 5 weeks ago, but luckily, still no morning sickness. Lets talk about going potty, however. ALL DAY AND NIGHT! I now have 10 percent more blood than I did before I was pregnant (by January, I will have 40-45 percent more)- this is why I need to pee more!

We have named the baby Baby Jacksonville... it would be super fun for everyone who is following this if you all became members to the the blog and wrote comments after baby Jacksonville posts- guesses on gender/weight/length etc!!! For some reference, I was 1 week late exactly, born by c-section (I got stuck), I weight 7#1oz and was 22"long, I had a full head of black hair. Christopher was born on his due date by normal delivery, he weighed 9#3oz and was ??? long (if anyone knows this or is the weight is wrong, please comment- he didn't know), he had an average amount of dk brown hair.

Till the next house update!