Dear Baby, You're one tough cookie...

9 weeks

Well, last Saturday you gave me another scare! I got out of bed and had a huge gush of blood! I just knew “this was it”. Daddy was gone so I called the doctor, and she met me at the office. You are a resilient little thing! Your heartbeat was 157—going strong!

I was sick with worry most of the week, wondering what the specialist would say. But by yesterday, I was just ready to know-good or bad. Wouldn’t you know it? The specialist couldn’t find “the mass”! Nowhere to be found! She thinks it was either a blood clot that broke on Saturday, or a twin that my body absorbed. No tumor! Yipee!

She said you looked great, and there’s only a 10-15% chance I will miscarry now. We saw you in 3D—you were moving your little arms! (We thought you looked a little freaky at first, but you’re starting to look like a little baby now!) Your heartbeat was 164bpm. We were so happy when we left her office! We can finally be excited about you! We can’t wait to start sharing the news.

I made my first purchase for you today. I got a onesie with a “10” on it. I’m going to give it to Mimi and Pop next weekend to announce your arrival since you’re their 10th grandchild! I also ordered a “9” for your cousin. I think it will be so cute for the two of you to pose in a picture with them. I wonder which one of you will be “9” and which one of you will be “10”? The doctors say your birthday should be January 8, but since I have a bicornuate uterus, you may come early—at 36 or 37 weeks (December 11 or December 18). We’ll see!

For the first time, I actually feel like I’m going to be a momma! Glad you hung in there!

Here’s what you were up to this week:

While you are still extremely small, you are now ready for rapid weight gain. You are beginning to look more like a little person since the embryonic tail is completely gone by week 9. The eyelids are fully formed, have fused shut, and will open again during week 28.

All your joints such as the knees, elbows, shoulders, ankles, and wrists are working and allowing you to move about freely within the amniotic sac. Your heart began beating around day 24, but now your heart has divided into four chambers, and the valves are beginning to develop. You can also make a fist, and you may begin sucking your thumb.

You are about the size of a grape, measuring a little over 1 ½ inches (1.67) from head to rump, and you weigh a fraction of an ounce.

These were my prayers for you this week:

Just a great big “thank you” to the Man Upstairs that you are still here and that the mass is gone.

Love,

Momma