12 Weeks

So yesterday we went to the doctor for both the 12 week check-up as well as an optional screening we chose to do.  They offer an optional screening to see if your baby is at a higher risk for being born with Downs.  While there are many pros and cons to finding this out and several motives for doing so, our was so that we could better prepare ourselves in the months before baby is born and to find support groups, etc.  They did a sonogram because they have to measure a certain part of the next as part of this test, as well as do a blood test.  I go back in 4 weeks for part 2 which is another blood test.  The best part of this appointment was getting to see our little peach again :)  We got to see it at 8 weeks, but it really just looked like a little gummy bear.  Now, it's head is more defined and it's got little arms and legs.  It (I REALLY hate calling it an it...naturally I'm more inclined to refer to it as a she :) ) was sleeping most of the time, though every couple seconds it would move a little almost like it had the hiccups.  I could watch our baby on that screen all day.

It amazes me how much I already love this little 2 inch baby in my belly.

  Since I can't feel it moving yet and I only just now have the slightest baby bump, it's a great reminder of what's growing inside when I see it on the screen.  Brent and I feel so encouraged that our nightly prayers for baby are working to help it grow every day.  I also feel so blessed that we've almost made it through the dreaded first trimester with baby still in belly (the risk of miscarrying is much higher the first 3 months, which I'm sure you all knew).  And I'm feeling so much better!

So, it is with great pleasure I introduce to you....baby wood, our pride and joy at only 12 weeks, 2 days :)

Above: baby is laying on it's back.  Its got it's little hand on the face and has about the cutest little belly I've ever seen :)

Below: this is my favorite picture.  You can see baby's hand and one leg(object on the right coming out of it's bottom) and the umbilical cord (object on left).  Don't you just love it already?  I do!