Merry Christmas!!

Wow, it's hard to believe that over Christmas, baby will be an 11 week old fetus! And since I won't have time to update over the next 4 days or so, I thought I'd share babies growth now.

• At 11 weeks pregnant, nearly all structures and organs are formed and beginning to function.
• Fingers and toes have separated - Take a glimpse at how incredibly precious babies tiny hands are at this point.
• Hair and nails begin to grow this week
• The genitals begin to take on the proper gender characteristics - It will be just a few more weeks before our ultrasound shows if we are having a boy or a girl!
• Amniotic fluid begins to accumulate as the kidneys begin to function - This fluid, consisting primarily of water, helps provide a cushion for baby while she's nestled in mommies womb.
• The muscles in the intestinal walls begin to practice contractions that digest food.
• After 11 weeks of pregnancy, our baby is about 1.61 inches (4.1 cm) long and weighs 0.25 ounce (7gm).
• We are getting closer to the end of the first trimester. Most of babies critical development will be behind us within the next couple of weeks and the odds of miscarriage will drop considerably.

So from our little growing family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas!
~Crystal