13 Weeks

Wow... the last week of the first trimester! Physically, I've been feeling very well -- no nausea for a few weeks, belly's growing, eating well, but tired (nothing surprising!). Over the past few weeks I've gained two and a half pounds (back from the seventeen I lost...) and 1.5 inches on my waist. It's amazing how much quicker you grow with subsequent pregnancies! Lauren was pooched out at 12 weeks, and this time it was around 10.5 weeks (or, that's when I measured anyway). Emotionally, I have my ups and downs. Sometimes the thought of having three kids, right now anyway, scares me to death. Other days, I long to hold a newborn baby and breastfeed again. It certainly helps to have so much support surrounding me!

Here's what's going on with baby: Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

And what's going on with Mommy: This is the last week of your first trimester, and your risk of miscarriage is now much lower than earlier in pregnancy. Next week marks the beginning of your second trimester, a time of relative comfort for many women who see early pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness and fatigue subside. More good news: Many couples also notice a distinct libido lift around this time. Birth is still months away, but your breasts may have already started making colostrum, the nutrient-rich fluid that feeds your baby for the first few days after birth, before your milk starts to flow.

So.... thoughts on the sex of the baby? I have my feelings, but I guess we'll see in another five or so weeks when I have that ultra-important ultrasound! I had been wanting to keep it a surprise -- it was a surprise pregnancy, so let's keep it all a surprise! But, curiosity has already gotten the best of me and I don't think I can hold out. Matt's wanted to know all along anyway. :)