Baby Waits Finally Visible on Ultrasound

Today was a good day! Chris got home from Africa this morning at 8:30 a.m. We rushed home so he could get cleaned up before my doctor's appointment at 11:45 a.m. Then at the appointment, we finally got to see our baby on an ultrasound! The loop at the top is the yolk sac, and the little white bean-shaped figure beneath it is the baby! And Chris got to see the heartbeat, which was 126 bpm this week.

The baby is about the size of a blueberry this week. A lot of growth is concentrated on the head - new brain cells are being generated at the rate of 100 cells per minute! The kidneys are in place and ready to begin working. His/her mouth and tongue are forming, along with arm and leg buds.

And yes, growing a baby is totally wearing me out! But that's okay . . . Chris indulges me and lets me sleep until 9 or 10 and take my naps!

A Very Happy Birthday

My birthday was Wednesday, but it was pretty uneventful. Thursday, however, was a great day! I met my childhood friend, Stephanie, for lunch, and we had a wonderful time catching up!

Then, Thursday evening, Tim, Melanie, Tom, Karen, Cameron, Michelle, and Brynna took me to dinner at Salt Grass Steakhouse. It was a fantastic evening with good friends and good food. I'm so grateful to have such thoughtful friends. I really enjoyed the evening! Thanks guys!

Second Ultrasound

The ultrasound today at 6 weeks was very cool. As you can see, the gestational sac (the black circle) is larger this week, and contains some white spots. The white dot in the middle is the yolk sac, which is what we were hoping to see today. The little white spot at the very top was the baby's heartbeat. It faded in and out on the ultrasound monitor so I could actually see it beating! The baby's heart rate is 122 bpm, and anything over 90 is good. The baby is the size of a sweet pea this week.

Magnolia Tree

We bought a pink Magnolia tree (also known as a "Tulip tree") last time Chris was home. The first picture is what it looked like a few days after we planted it, and the second picture is what it looks like today.

Neat Countdown from WhatToExpect.com

Check out the countdown widget from WhatToExpect.com at the bottom of this page. It's a permanent fixture on the page, so it will always be here. To try it out, hit the play button and watch the baby develop! So cool!

First Ultrasound

Baby Waits' first photo at 5 weeks! The baby (or gestational sac, at this point) is the black "dot" on the left side of the ultrasound field. The baby is the size of an orange seed this week.

I'm Pregnant!

The doctor told me to take a home pregnancy test on March 6, but today I figured March 4 was a long enough wait . . . and I got good news!