12 weeks

Here is what is going on with our baby this week according to babycenter.com;

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.  Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.  Your uterus has grown to the point where your healthcare provider can now feel the top of it (the fundus) low in your abdomen, just above your pubic bone. You may already be into maternity clothes, especially if this isn't your first pregnancy. If you're still fairly small and not yet ready for maternity clothes, you've no doubt noticed that your waist is thickening and that you're more comfortable in loose, less restrictive clothing.  You may begin to feel heartburn (also called acid indigestion), a burning sensation that often extends from the bottom of your breastbone to your lower throat. Many women get heartburn for the first time during pregnancy, and those who've previously had bouts of heartburn may find that it gets worse. During pregnancy, the placenta produces a lot of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach. Particularly when you're lying down, gastric acid can seep back up the pipe, which causes the uncomfortable burning sensation. For many women the problem doesn't begin (or get worse) until later in pregnancy, when your growing uterus starts to push up on your stomach. The discomfort may range from mildly annoying to intense and distracting.

As for me, the past week has been the best  yet.  I felt pretty good overall, maybe with an hour of nausea here and there.  I have been the most active yet and managed to go to the gym 3 days, and still walk around the park 2 additional days.  I've eaten whatever I wanted and not had any trouble with it.  I have definitely started craving fruits and vegetables way more than greasy stuff, and have been eating two salads a day most days, and lots of extra raw and cooked fruits and veggies for snacks.  It's nice to know that I'm finally getting good nutrition.  My belly is continuing to stick out more and more, although since it doesn't really look like a baby belly yet I'm still trying to cover it up with baggy shirts.  I've had my first few official belly pokes, prods, and rubs, all from friends (and my husband).  I don't think it's obvious enough yet for strangers to start walking up and touching me, and the longer that takes the better!  I'm sure before long people will want to poke at me like I'm the Pillsbury dough boy.  I have a doctor's appointment this Wednesday. 

Shannon