16 Weeks, 3 Days

Baby at 16 weeks.

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

We may go in to K's office tomorrow to check on the gender again, just to be sure.

15 Weeks, 1 Day

Baby at 15 weeks.

We had the sonogram done, along with another blood test, but the pictures weren't really posting quality. Everything came back normal, which is good news. The surprising news was that the baby, although a little young to be able to clearly determine the gender, looks very much like a boy. We all saw it, and it looked very ... boy-like. So much for my girl feelings. Khurram is still holding out hope that we'll discover it's really a girl at the next scan. I was too, at first, but now I'm just trying to adjust to the idea of another boy. The main reason I wanted a girl was so that Layla would have a namesake like Mina does in Maya (Maya Yasmin.) We may or may not try one more time, but let's get through one pregnancy at a time, shall we? I already know that people will think I'm crazy if I do try, but they already think that anyway, so they can just think what they like. I do know that I will love this child every bit as much as I love my other children, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl.

At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, the 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 someone shines a flashlight at my tummy, he's likely to move away from the beam. (Granted, people really don't shine flashlights at my tummy all that often.) There's not much for the baby to taste at this point, but his taste buds are beginning to form. I'm officially in my second trimester now.