5 Weeks!

Today's date: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 

How far along: 5 weeks

Total weight gain: Unsure!  I still haven't gotten a scale yet, but I did stop by the YMCA today.  Brad and I will be joining tonight or tomorrow!

Sex: Don't know yet.  But I found a Chinese Gender Calender yesterday that, based on my age and date of conception, told me what sex our baby will be.  We'll have to wait 35 more weeks to see how accurate it is : )

Maternity clothes: Not yet : )

Sleep: Have been sleeping fine.  When I wake up in the morning and stretch I can feel this weird 'pulling' in my abdomen.

Best moment(s) of the week: We bought all new kitchen appliances on Sunday.  They're to arrive on Monday.

Movement: Not yet!

Food cravings/aversions: Cravings: none.  Aversions: garlic hummus

Morning sickness: Still praying it never comes!

Symptoms: Have been feeling very normal the past week, aside from some light cramping off and on.

Labor signs: Way too soon.

Belly button in or out:  Definitely still in.

What I miss: Nothing.

What I'm looking forward to: Sharing the news with our parents and families (and the arrival of new appliances on Monday)!

Size and growth of our baby: At this point, baby is about the size of an apple seed, and looks more like a tiny tadpole than a human. Baby is now made up of three layers — the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm — which will later form all of his organs and tissues.

How our baby's growing:  The neural tube — from which your baby's brain, spinal cord, nerves, and backbone will sprout — is starting to develop in the top layer, called the ectoderm. This layer will also give rise to his skin, hair, nails, mammary and sweat glands, and tooth enamel.

His heart and circulatory system begin to form in the middle layer, or mesoderm. (This week, in fact, his tiny heart begins to divide into chambers and beat and pump blood.) The mesoderm will also form your baby's muscles, cartilage, bone, and subcutaneous (under skin) tissue.

The third layer, or endoderm, will house his lungs, intestines, and rudimentary urinary system, as well as his thyroid, liver, and pancreas. In the meantime, the primitive placenta and umbilical cord, which deliver nourishment and oxygen to your baby, are already on the job.