Oh, Baby!

Now that we've told all our families, it's time to put updates on the blog as well. If you haven't heard: We're having a baby!! Andrea is now in her ninth week. We logged on to a website that sends updates on your baby's progress every week. Here's what it says for week nine:

How your baby's growing:
Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

It's been fascinating to read about the different stages of development. Andrea has been sick off and on (she doesn't get morning sickness, but afternoon sickness). Otherwise, everything is going along fine. Our first visit with an actual doctor is on the 23rd. I don't know if we'll be having an ultrasound or not. I do know, that since Andrea hates surprises, we will be finding out if it's a boy or girl as soon as we are able. We've picked out two names: Lucille Rose if it's a girl, and Gavin Knight (tentatively) if it's a boy. Our sister-in-law, Carol, was going to use Gavin for her third child, but didn't (they settled on Dylan). I liked the name so much, that I decided to use it if she didn't.

On another note, Andrea and I finally got tired of my inability to read the sermon notes on the projector screens at church and the street signs while I was driving, so I went in for an eye appointment a couple of weeks ago. I knew I could use glasses (though I am clear to drive without them, I just can't read signs at a certain distance), I just didn't have any insurance until Andrea got me on hers. So I got them last week, and it was a joy to look up on the screens and actually not strain to read the words!

As for my self esteem, don't worry. I expected to have glasses before I was in high school, so I am blessed to have made it this long without them. I just like being able to see at all.

Other news: we're headed to sunny south Minnesota for a wedding (you may want to ask, "In January!?" I would advise not to). We'll be there a day early, so we plan on going to the Mall of America. I'll post pictures. That's all I can think of right now. See you later!