Week 4 May 11-17th

We found out last night that our 6th and last little child is coming to our family. I was so thrilled. With so much going on in our lives it was a breath of fresh air to have this sweet news. Last Sunday Joseph was playing with my nephew Brody and he was loving the baby. When we got home that night I was laying in bed with him and he asked me when he could have his baby girl. He wanted to know where we could go to pick her up. I tried my best to explain that babies live in Heaven and we have to wait for them to be born. He was so cute. He just asked again, when can we go get her? He let me know that we don't have a baby boy, just a girl. Then Jared said that he to would like to have a girl, "Just for a change." Usually it is the 3-4 year old that lets me know what we are going to have so I am excited to see if he is right. I would be equally pleased with a boy or girl. I have given most all my clothes to family and whatever I have I am sure their are hand me downs to pass our way.

I have already thought about where the baby will sleep. I love to think about baby stuff. I have been watching my SIL Sarah be so cute pregnant it has made me even more excited to go through this one last time. I love these first few weeks before you get to sick to just enjoy the thoughts of what this little person will be like. What will we have to teach them and what will they have to teach us. So many questions that only time will tell. I just love having the thoughts of this little baby on my mind.

Even though we have been thinking about being pregnant for a little while now, I some how knew that this baby would be due in Jan. My friend Shannon had an adorable baby girl this January and I remembered thinking what a wonderful time to have a baby. My MIL made a comment to me shortly after telling me that Jan would be a great time to have a baby since we only have 1 birthday that month. You are in the 2nd trimester for the most of summer, and really big in the winter when you want to have on layers. Then you have plenty of time to recoup for the next summer.

The thought that this will probably be my last baby makes me want to cherish every minute of this pregnancy. I am determined to do things right this time. Eat the very best, exercise weekly, and take all my vitamins every day.

My Due date, I think, is Jan 24th, 2009.

Symptoms
None. hat is why I love this part of pregnancy. No sickness yet.

Baby Chapman Week 4
How our baby's growing: This week marks the beginning of the embryonic period. From now until ten weeks, all of our baby's organs will begin to develop and some will even begin to function. As a result, this is the time when she'll/he'll be most vulnerable to anything that might interfere with her/his development.

Right now our baby is an embryo the size of a poppy seed consisting of two layers: the epiblast and the hypoblast, from which all of her organs and body parts will develop.

The primitive placenta is also made up of two layers at this point. Its cells are tunneling into the lining of your uterus, creating spaces for my blood to flow so that the developed placenta will be able to provide nutrients and oxygen to our growing baby when it starts to function at the end of this week.

Also present now are the amniotic sac, which will house our baby; the amniotic fluid, which will cushion her/him as she/he grows; and the yolk sac, which produces our baby's red blood cells and helps deliver nutrients to her/hi until the placenta has developed and is ready to take over this duty.