12 weeks: Baby Lime

Our baby is the size of a lime this week! Baby Lime's biggest develop- ment @ 12 weeks is reflexes. Baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, toes will curl, eye muscles will clench, and it's mouth will make sucking movements (aww!). Supposedly if I poke my belly, the baby will squirm around but of course I still can't feel it. Baby Lime's intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity about now, and the kidneys will begin excreting urine into the bladder. Yep, that's right....Baby Lime is already peeing on....or in this case in it's momma! Yuck! I guess it's a little too early to think about potty training.

Baby Lime's brain has established it's form and structures and will now spend the rest of the time in the oven developing mass. Nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in our baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. Baby Lime's face is now supposed to look distinctly human. Baby is getting less 'wall-eyed' as it's eyes have moved from the sides to the front of the head, and the ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump (apparently the standard measurement for fetuses), our baby-to-be is just over two inches long and weighs half an ounce.

Meanwhile back at the uterus........low in my abdomen, just above my pubic bone, my doc should now be able to feel my womb. All the literature says I won't need maternity clothes for a few more weeks which is fine w/ me because I'm not looking forward to the giant stretchy belly pants. I have a feeling that even when I can't wear my normal clothes, those stretchy belly pants will still seem big and weird at first. The tops on the other hand look cute.....and that will be a perfect excuse to shop. But not yet.....

Also, supposedly fatigue and morning sickness are fading now.....hmmph. Overall, I am feeling loads better. While I had a week long hiatus from 'productive' morning sickness, last night I gave up ALL my dinner and then some. The fatigue has lessened but not left me. I still hit an afternoon/evening lull that is worse if I don't have a little snack. I am officially up 2 lbs. Not bad for 3 months. Average or ideal is 3-5 lbs.....but since I was already "ahead of the game" in that dept, I'm sure the doc will be fine w/ that. Papa Bear (Brad) is hanging in there too!