15 Weeks - 176 Days To Go!

One week in to the second trimester and things are going really well! It seems everything I've read about the second trimester being the "honeymoon of pregnancy" - where you get your energy back and start feeling like your old self - is true. I've definitely had more energy and am not feeling as tired as I was in the first trimester. I feel very lucky to be feeling this good!

Jan & I hiked up Aspen Mountain this past weekend to meet some friends for Bluegrass Sundays. This hike takes you up more than 3,000 vertical feet in about 2 1/2 miles and there is not one flat step along the way - it's a real grunt! I felt pretty good about myself for doing it while pregnant (pats self on back), and Jan kept himself motivated knowing there would be lunch & cold beers at the top.

Those of you who know me well may know that I'm typically pretty doctor-phobic, and of course, pregnancy is no time for being doctor-phobic! So far I've had a handful of various appointments, have been poked, prodded, had blood drawn, and seen the baby via three ultrasounds. It's all worth it when we get to see the baby moving around! We got good news today that everything was normal with the first trimester screen blood work, one of many tests along the way. I've got more blood work to look forward to next week, and another ultrasound in week 19. We'll have more pictures of the growing baby after that ultrasound.

Wonder what Primo is up to this week?

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds.

We can't wait to feel all of that movement - something to look forward to anywhere between weeks 16-20!