2nd ultrasound

We had our second ultrasound today!  We got to really see the heart beat; it was so cool!  S/he is just over 2 inches long, and measuring at 10 weeks, 6 days - right on target!  The little heart was beating at 157 beats per minute - nice and strong!  We could even see the umbilical cord pulsating with the heart beat!  S/he was very active - kicking and waving and moving all around!  I think we woke her/him up though, because s/he wasn't moving much at first.  But, once the tech started poking around, the movement was full force!  I scanned the ultrasound pictures and cropped out the important part!

10 weeks!

From http://www.parents.com/:  "[Our] baby is still so tiny that he has plenty of room to move and groove in [Julie's] warm, protective amniotic fluid. He's now approaching 2 inches in length. If you could see him, you'd be pleased to note that his body is more in proportion; his head doesn't seem as large in comparison to the rest of him. You'd see that his ankles and wrists have formed, and his fingers and toes are now visible too.  An ultrasound taken now would probably show that the yolk sac is separate, and the umbilical cord from the placenta to [our] baby would be visible. [Our] baby's intestines are still part of the umbilical cord, but they're starting to move into his abdomen and will soon be covered by skin.  As for his organs, several more are starting to function. His thyroid gland -- the master switch for controlling his body's own unique chemistry -- is now operating. His pancreas is making digestive enzymes, and his gallbladder is secreting bile; these functions will be essential for eating and digesting his own food after birth.  [Our] baby's lung tissue is continuing to develop, and his bones are forming, even in his fingers and toes. Cells in the tiny hollows of his bones will soon start making blood cells, a function that until now has been the job of his liver and spleen. His face is starting to look more human; he may even have his first permanent tooth buds, and he will soon be able to open his mouth and move his tongue. It won't be long before he's sticking that adorable pink tongue out at [us]!" 

They Grow Up So Fast

We now have a fetus!  From whattoexpect.com: "Sunrise, sunset: Would you believe [our] baby is having his or her first graduation already? Yes, it's true: At 9 weeks pregnant, [our] scholar-to-be has ended his or her embryonic stage and is entering the fetal period now (good-bye embryo, hello fetus). [Our] fetus is now about one inch long, the size of a medium green olive (but no martinis, please). The head has straightened out and is more fully developed, the ears are much more prominent, and some new organs (the liver, spleen, and gallbladder) are forming. [Our] fetus is also making spontaneous movements of his or her arms and legs now that minuscule muscles are beginning to develop, though [Julie] won't feel [our] tiny dancer for at least another two months.

While it's way too early to feel anything, it's not too early to hear something (possibly). [Our] baby's heart is developed enough — and grown large enough — so that its beats can be heard with a Doppler, a handheld ultrasound device that amplifies the lub-dub sound the heart makes. But don't worry if [our] practitioner can't pick up the sound of [our] baby's heartbeat yet. It just means [our] shy guy or gal is hiding in the corner of [Julie's] uterus, or has his or her back facing out, making it hard for the Doppler to find its target. In a few weeks (or at [our] next visit) the miraculous sound of [our] baby's heartbeat is certain to be audible for [our] listening pleasure."

Our next ultrasound is scheduled for December 16th.  The baby will be 10wk4days at that point, so we should be able to hear the heart beat for the first time.  Julie is having more fatigue lately, and is a bit more emotional, but otherwise is having a very easy pregnancy so far.  We are hoping that it stays this way!