Another Week on the Calendar

Another week has come and gone and tomorrow I will officially be 12 weeks into the ole pregnancy. A lot of neat stuff happens in the 12th week but before we get to that, I'll tell you a little bit about the 11th week. We had a check up on the 16th and heard the heartbeat from outside my belly using the dopplar, which was really awesome. It's a little fast, in the 160s, which would indicate a girl but it could level out and slow down in the weeks to come. Not to mention, my Doctor said her little boys heart rate was high her entire pregnancy so she doesn't predict based on the heart rates anymore. I guess well have to wait until February! I lost a pound, which is generally a good idea to do before getting knocked up, not after, but because of the nausea and vomiting my appetite is long gone and keeping what I do eat down is a bigger challenge than I imagined it would be. My doctor wasn't concerned and said things should turn around in 2 weeks when I enter the 2nd trimester.

Before I ever got pregnant, Ashlea requested that I not refer to the baby as "peanut" and she doesn't like for me to call it "it" either because she thinks it hurts it's feelings so thanks to a co-worker "it" is now being referred to as "Darrellanne". I voted for Baby Smith, but apparently Darrellanne has more appeal...to some anyway. A few people in the office really thing we are naming the poor child that and I have to quickly correct them. And when I do correct them they literally sigh in relief and say "thank you!"

Darrell has been amazing around the house and I couldn't appreciate it more! He lectured me today on how I needed to start picking up after myself and I laughed becuase I'm pretty sure I gave him the same lecture several months ago. He's been great and I know he's going to be a great daddy!

Darrellanne is expecting his/her first BFF in August! Ashlea and Dan are also expecting!!!! She is about 5 weeks behind us and we are so excited for the both of them! My Mom and Dan's Mom were both pregnant with us at the same time and we grew up together in playpens in the dugouts of random ball fields, so for me and Ashlea to be pregnant at the same time and have our kids grow up together is really weird and random, but extremely cool at the same time! DDM3 is set to arrive in early August, and Darrellanne will be waiting and ready to show him/her the ropes!!!

Moving on to week 12...

Darrellanne has now doubled in size within the last 3 weeks, weighing in between 0.5 and 0.7 ounces. He/she should be measuring in about about 2.5 inches, which if my memory is correct, my book at home says is the size of a peach! It's little feet are almost half an inch long and little soft finger and toe nails have been formed. It's face is starting to look more like that of a sweet little baby with a chin, nose, and facial profile. The vocal cords are complete and it sometimes cries, although right now it's only silently, which kinda breaks my heart! It's brain is fully formed and we're hoping it's book smart like its daddy and a smart ass like me! It can and will even suck its thumb on occasions and can get the hiccups. The kidneys are developed and beginning to secrete urine, while the pancreas is functioning and producing insulin.

So that's what Darrellanne is up to this week! We head back to the doctor on January 13th and then we'll find out the gender sometime during the first week of February!

Until then, we hope ya'll have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!