16th Week Updates

Well, we will find out if it's a little boy or a little girl on January 3rd at 9am...5 weeks, I can hardly wait!!

How your baby's growing: At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.

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15th Week Update!!

According to BabyCenter.com:

How your baby's growing: At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 ounces. He's busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help develop the air sacs in his lungs. His legs are growing longer than his arms now, and he can move all his joints and limbs. That means his hands are more functional, too. Sweat glands are appearing, and although his eyelids are fused shut, he can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, he's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but his taste buds are beginning to form. And if you have an ultrasound, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or girl!

Doctor Appointment

Well, I asked and he said I should have a perfectly normal pregnancy from now on. He said everything looks (and sounds) wonderful and as far as he can tell we're, well, perfect.

We heard the heartbeat and even listened to my blood rush to the baby...crazy how many sounds go on in there. Also, I got the "go ahead" to exercise and get a massage (as many as I want!!). We are signing up for childbirth classes here in the next 2 weeks and can't wait. Hopefully our friends Maggie and Mark will be able to attend at the same time so we can make fun our ourselves!!! They are due 3 days before us at the same hospital with the same doctors office...thank God for friends!!

We go back in 3 weeks for something called an AFP (I'll figure out what it is and let you know) and we bring the doc (Dr. Oliver) a list of pediatricians that we would like to try and are on our insurance.

1 month from our next appointment, January 7th (my dad's birthday and our Aunt Carol's birthday) we will get to do the sonogram that will, hopefully, tell us the gender. Many of you have asked and although Joe isn't real sure he wants to find out, we are finding out!!

Well, that's it for now. Can't see me writing much else till the next appointment, but you never know.

Congrats to our good friends Russ and Becky on their recent engagement...all kinds of fun stuff going on!!!

Love and God bless you all,
The Mitchells

Correction to First Baby Gift

Well, I have a slight correction. The t-shirt was our first gift via the mail, however, Joe's mother left us a surprise on our bathroom counter when they came in last weekend so that was technically our first gift regarding the baby...here's a picture of the soap with little babies in it.

First Baby Item

Well, we officially received our first baby gift. I made Joe model it, even though he keeps trying it on!! This was a great gift from his Aunt Carol...and we just love it.

Thought you all might enjoy "Peanut's" first gift.

The Mitchells

Week 13, and starting 2nd Trimester

Well, we are officially in our 2nd Trimester...yep, 1/3 of the way done. Here is what's going on with the little one according to one of our websites:

How your baby's growing: Your belly may soon be big enough to announce to the world that you're expecting, but your baby is still tiny. In fact, he's only about 3 inches long crown to rump — roughly the size of a jumbo shrimp — and weighs just about an ounce. Despite the small proportions, there's a fully formed baby inside your womb now. Much more proportional than it was a few weeks ago, his head is now only about a third the size of his body. His tiny, unique fingerprints are already in place. His kidneys and urinary tract are functional, and he's starting to urinate out the amniotic fluid he's been swallowing. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed, and your odds of miscarriage will drop considerably.

I figure I'll spare you guys on what's going on with my body...since it gets kind of graphic!! I just thought I'd send out the update for those keeping up!! No belly on me yet, but there it a little bump where you can tell it's starting to poke out. Maternity pants have been a life-saver so I'm not having to unbutton my pants whenever I sit down.

Also, morning sickness has subsided so I'm back to doing Arbonne full-time and loving it. We are on track to have the free Mercedes by the time the little one gets here...not having a car payment will help so much!!

Andrea (and Joe)