I've never even had a kumquat

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body.

A bunch of grapes

Well... I'm pretty sure there's just one grape in there. I read a couple of pages in one of the pregnancy books we have lying around and my hormone level should peak this month. Which could account for the way I've been feeling (worse), but the good news is, this should be as bad as it gets.

Pretty much everyone knows that we're pregnant... I'm sure we've missed a few people, but we're not NOT telling people at this point.

None of my pants fit me anymore. It's not so much that I can't do them up... it's just that any amount of pressure on my stomach hurts -so I've resorted to wrapping a hair band around the button and giving myself an extra inch or two. Luckily I wear long shirts to cover it up. I went into a store yesterday to buy a new pair... but I left because I just didn't have the energy to try anything on. Pretty lazy, huh?

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. 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.

8 weeks

Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. Your baby's arms and legs are longer and her hands are flexed at the wrist. The head is growing more erect and the neck is more developed. The organs are forming. Your baby's back has started to straighten slightly and the tail is now shrinking. The head still seems large and is curved forwards on her chest. Your baby is starting to look like a tiny person!

And now the ward knows

Today I was getting ready to teach our Sunday School lesson for the Young Single Adults. One of the guys made a comment just as I was going to start teaching, and said "I heard a rumor over in the Relief Society corner that you were expecting."

((sound of crickets and the blood leaving my face))

Uh... ahem.... what?

((more silence while I look back and forth at Justin))

Ummm... did you just say that as a stab in the dark? Because, uh, ummm...

Turns out Justin told him to say that in front of the class... and that's why the ward knows now.

Blueberry

The big news this week: Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point. Your baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long. Your baby's face has a recognizable shape with eyelids and the tip of a nose with formed nostrils, though his head is still very large compared to the rest of his body.
All major organs are now formed and in place, though they still need to mature. A tongue has already formed. The ears are forming both internally and externally. Your baby is moving around a lot, moving his legs and flexing his spine, but you are unable to feel it at this point.

Drum roll please...

Well... the secrets out -for the most part.

Justin and I opted to tell the parents sooner rather than later.

'Sooner' was on April 6, 2008. No offense to the parents (or, to-be grandparents) but you weren't the first to know. A few close friends found out and a couple of co-workers... but you're pretty much the only ones to get a face-to-face PLANNED trip to tell you all. That still makes it special, right?

Set #1 Mimi and Papa (Justin's mom, Lisa, and step-dad, Dave)

We showed up to their house Sunday morning. They were expecting us. It's not uncommon for Justin to call and ask his mom or Dave if he can 'talk' to them -but it almost always involves a business venture or at the very least finances. This time he didn't give an explanation... so I think they were suspicious. Dave was working on the deck and Lisa was watching TV.
I got on the computer trying to find our new table set to show Lisa and Justin started to tell her. He said that we were going to be with my parents on Thanksgiving (we had a previous conversation the week earlier about being with them on thanksgiving and possibly going to St. George.) She asked why... and Justin tried to chicken out and let me tell her. I just shook my head and said, Nope, this is your deal. So... he said that we couldn't go with them out of town, because we were needed to stay closer to home that weekend... because we're expecting a baby around that time. Lisa jumped up and got excited and brought Dave into the room, and then I told him. They have one grand-daughter, Laila, and they're looking forward to another one.

Set #2 Scott and Denise (Uh... Scott and Denise, Justin's dad and step-mom)
We showed up here unannounced about 10:30 or so. We've NEVER showed up unannounced, and unfortunately really don't go out very often any other way. So, I'm guessing that they were even more suspicious of the visit. Justin had tried to replay an April Fools joke last week and told his dad that I was pregnant. He just laughed it off and didn't believe him. So, when we got to the house, all he said was "Remember last week when I told you that Mel was pregnant? Well, it wasn't an April Fool's." He and Denise were pretty excited. I could hardly tell if Bryan and April had any opinion at all.

Set #3 Nana and... Grandpa ( I think) -my mom and dad
We were celebrating my mom's birthday so I bought a card that was written to a Nana and we signed it from Baby Lafeen. Justin and I had picked my grandma Petersen up to go to dinner with us and after dinner my mom opened a few presents. She opened the card and just kind of looked at it for a minute. Justin and I kept watching for the lightbulb to go on -but my dad's did first. He said, Is this an announcement? My mom finally figured it out and got really excited. Gordon looked at me like I was crazy... but Jodi and Matt were pretty excited too.

So that's it. We made a few phone calls to grandparents on the way home, but the news is out. We're all expecting a Thanksgiving (or sometime close to that) baby!

A bit of light reading

I started reading my baby book last night. Turns out I'm a little behind, the first 2 months take up the more than a quarter of the book, and I'm already at 6 weeks.

Justin and I found some pretty funny (and painfully honest) points during our reading...

Morning Sickness: Those who say morning sickness is all in the head have never had a baby in their uterus or don't even have a uterus. -All I've felt so far is a slight feeling of uneasiness and a little queasy, especially if I haven't eaten or had a drink for a while.

Fatigue: You no longer have the stamina for usual activities, such as walking up a hill or staying awake past supper. Uh... this one has started. Yesterday I was bone-deep tired and got really emotional because all I wanted to do was sleep. It reminds me of when I had mono.

That's all for now... I'm only on page 33. I fell asleep.