Our Baby's Development: 8 Weeks

Your baby's head is quite big, due to the rapid growth of the brain. The upper limbs resemble paddles. Your baby-to-be's heart begins to separate into four chambers, and blood is circulating throughout the body. Intestines form within the umbilical cord, but will later migrate back into the abdominal cavity. In the next few days, foot plates, with the beginnings of toe rays, will appear. The external ears are now present. Your baby is now 10 to 13 millimeters long -- about the size of a cherry. The cells that will become either testes or ovaries arrive, but there is no obvious sign of gender yet. Muscle contractions are beginning, but these early "movements" are not yet perceptible.

November 7th

We had our first OB appointment this morning. Everything went great and Ben got to see the heartbeat for the first time. They gave us a due date of November 7th and I measured exactly that! November 7th was also George's birthday (Ben's dad). Do you even know how proud he would have been to know that his grandbaby was born on his birthday? I wish he knew before he died that in 3 years we would be having a baby!!!

Still feeling good. Dr Maxwell felt pretty certain that if I hadn't gotten true morning sickness yet that I may not at all! The baby is getting so big also! No longer just a little dot on the screen.

We go back on April 20th for another appointment and hopefully to hear the heartbeat. I can't wait!!!!! It feels a little more real every day.

Our Baby's Development: 7 Weeks

Your baby is now approximately ½ an inch long, about the size of a raspberry. As he grows, the small tail that extends from his tailbone is shrinking. This week, his elbows are forming and he is bending, flexing, and moving around, making tiny jerky motions. You won’t be able to feel these movements for quite a few weeks though, because he is too small.

His fingers are starting to develop out of their buds and feet are beginning to appear. Toes will start to grow soon. Although he still looks alien, his eyes, ears, and nose are beginning to form.

In his oversized head, his brain is developing into two hemispheres. Teeth begin to develop already under the gums, and baby’s skin is paper-thin. If you were to peer inside your womb, you would be able to see his blood vessels and organs beginning to form through his skin. Speaking of organs, he has started to develop an appendix and pancreas. His liver is producing red blood cells, and his intestine is looping into the umbilical cord. Although the intestines start in the umbilical cord, they eventually all move into the baby’s body.

7:00pm Sickness

So, baby Sasser has decided to hold off on me getting sick until 7:00 at night. He/She has been very consistent the past 4 days! I can't complain....I would rather be sick at night instead of the morning, but it sure makes for a long night.

Everything else is going good. Still don't "feel" pregnant yet - although after I eat, I sure do have a round belly! Going to San Angelo this weekend to see my grandma! She's going to be so excited. She has only gotten the news of me being pregnant over the phone, I haven't been able to see her yet. I feel very blessed that my grandma will get to see and enjoy a great-grandbaby! I feel just as blessed that our baby gets to see and enjoy her.

Still reading "What to Expect When Your Expecting" and "100,000 baby names". I am up to the 9-12 week section of "What to Expect..." so I have to hold off until the first week in April. If I read too far ahead, I'll forget everything I learned! Still searching for that perfect baby name. We picked out a boy name when we thought we would adopt...so I'm not sure if we're sticking with it or not.

Baby Development from ivillage.com:At this time your baby is developing all of his vital organs. It's important for you to keep your body working well, too. That means eating even if you don't feel up to it. Grazing on small snacks or meals throughout the day may keep you from feeling nauseous.

It's 8:00 - time for bed!

Our baby's development: 6 weeks

This week sees the start of what is called the embryonic period. The embryonic period is extremely important in the development of your baby. This is also the period in which your baby may develop any malfunctions.

Around this week the neural groove will close and the chambers of the brain will begin to form.
The eyes will begin to form
Limb Buds may appear
The heart tubes fuse and heart contractions begin

By this week the crown to rump length of your baby is now between 0.08 to 0.16 inches in length, or about 2-4mm. The crown to rump length is the distance from the top of your baby's head to it's rump or buttocks. This measurement is used as the baby's legs are usually bent.

We have a heartbeat!

Had my doctor's appointment this morning and everything looks great! I can't tell you how worried I was about this appointment. I got a little scared this morning that caused me to call my doctor's office at 1am so they brought me into the office today instead of tomorrow for the ultrasound. Talk about praying like crazy all night....

We got new pictures of the baby today, too! I'm sure they are so tired of me asking for extras. I have my OB appointment on Monday the 26th at 9am.

Will post ultrasound picture soon!

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep...you read it right - we are pregnant! Sorry it's taken so long to post, we had a lot of family to tell and really didn't want them finding out via the Internet.

We found out on our last day of vacation in Colorado! I was completely shocked but of course, very excited. We had our first ultrasound on Friday and everything looks great! The nurses have been very pleased with everything and say this is a strong pregnancy.

We go this Thursday for the heartbeat ultrasound and we are very excited about that. The way it looks, I should be due around November 9th. Sounds forever away but some days it sounds very close!! No morning sickness (yet!) to report. I have felt kind of blah in the mornings but that's about it.

Can't wait to keep everyone updated on our progress. Thank you all for your prayers and concerns during the past few months and some of you - the past 2 years.