Why I'm So Tired

Your baby is no longer an embryo! Though she's barely the size of a kumquat — just an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, she now has completed the most critical portion of her development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in her body rapidly grow and mature. Her vital organs — the liver, kidney, intestines, brain, and lungs — are now in place and starting to function (although they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy). Her liver continues to make blood cells, and the yolk sac, which previously supplied these cells, is no longer needed and begins to disappear.

During the next three weeks, your baby's length will more than double to nearly 3 inches. Her head is proportionately smaller now than it was a few weeks ago, but it's still almost half the length of her entire body. Her forehead temporarily bulges with her developing brain and sits high on her head; it will later recede to give her a more human appearance. Each day, more minute details — including tiny fingernails, toenails, and peach-fuzz hair — start to appear on her body. Her fingers are now completely separated; her arms bend at the elbow and curve slightly; her hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over her heart; her legs are lengthening; and her feet may be long enough to meet in front of her body. She is busily swallowing amniotic fluid and kicking her legs.

From babycenter.com

I feel so odd about these milestones. My reaction tends to be: yes and then they die! But I still read them and have that little "wow, fingernails" moment. I mean really: fingernails!

I never did have to cut Emily's fingernails, but they were a wonder.

I booked that week off.

Um - let's see, health updates. Saturday sucked, sucked, sucked. I was nauseous and tired all afternoon, slept on and off, and then woke up at 3 am Sunday and couldn't get back to sleep. For all that Sunday was okay - I was tired but I met my few obligations (lunch with family, train to Toronto) and it was ok.

I ate on the train and wasn't sick, but I stuck to the plainest food (beef). It was way too salty. I have my food notes somewhere, but not here (at work in Toronto).

My clothes are an issue. I still have issues with some of my old maternity stuff, plus everyone here saw it, so I probably should get some new. But I still feel strange about any of it. Maybe I'll wait 'til after Wed's ultrasound. A big part of me is somewhat convinced all the tiredness is because of some infection due to some lifeless floating dead embryo and not a real baby. Morbid, yeah. I do suffer moments of morbid thought now and then.

Shandra