My Pregnancy: Week 10

Baby's now the size of a prune!

With bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress.  Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working.  (soon, legs will too.)

Best week of the pregnancy so far!  I have been floating on air for much of the week.   Last weekend, during a family dinner for the extended family, Jason and I made our official announcement.  The next two days were spent calling, texting, and facebooking the good news.  It felt so good to finally be able to share this news with people.

But as if that wasn't enough, I also had my second doctor's appointment on Tuesday (3/15).  I have been anxiously awaiting this appointment because I was told that this is when I would first get to hear the heartbeat.  Your dad and I took off from work early and went to the clinic.  The nurse who took my blood pressure was kind and chatty enough and I liked her well enough--right up until the moment she told me that I might not get to hear your heartbeat today because I was 9 weeks and 4 days and they don't usually try to listen for the heartbeat until 10-12 weeks.  I was devastated.

After she left to get the doctor (and we waited FOREVER), your dad tried to keep me in good spirits with little success.  Thankfully, when Dr. Allen came in, he gave me an overview of what he was going to do today and said, "You're thin enough that I think we'll be able to get an excellent heartbeat for you."  Way to score some major brownie points doctor!  The exam went really well after that.  My blood pressure was normal.  I was informed that you seem to be growing at just the right pace.  AND we did indeed get to hear your heartbeat.

I can't even describe the incredible amount of joy (and relief) that tiny, fast, steady heartbeat gave me.  It was beating at 184 beats per minute, which the doctor told me was right where it should be.  This was the first time that this whole pregnancy felt real to me.  Yes, I have been exhausted for weeks and displaying all sorts of other symptoms, but this was my first real connection to you.  Even now, two days later, thinking about it makes me so happy.  It truly was remarkable!