Week 15 - This is Amazing!!

We're already at Week 15!! No real movements felt just yet, but I'm sure they're coming. I wanted to share a link to some AMAZING videos for the various stages of the baby's development. Here's the link to 15 to 20 weeks, you can click on other time frames if you want.

This week Baby Balcom measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). He's busy moving amniotic fluid through his nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in his lungs begin to develop. His legs are growing longer than his arms now, and he can move all of his joints and limbs. Although his eyelids are still fused shut, he can sense light. If we shine a flashlight at my tummy, for instance, he's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for the baby to taste at this point, but he is forming taste buds.
Finally, we will have an ultrasound the week of Christmas, so we still have a bit of a wait to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. We have a history of modest babies! Besides, nailing down the baby's gender depends on the clarity of the picture and on the baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.") But we'll be sure to share once we know!