Dear Baby,

Our first OB appointment is tomorrow, but we have confirmed the pregnancy with a medical professional, saw you on screen — including your beating heart — and heard the thu-thump thu-thump of your heartbeat last Saturday at the ER.

They confirmed that our EDD (estimated due date) is October 7. Fertility Friend was right on target!

So today, you officially turn 7 weeks old.

You are now about half an inch long which is comparable to a blueberry. Your hands and feet are starting to emerge, and eyelids are beginning to cover your eyes.

Your eyes already have color — how cool is that? We all know that they will be brown like your mom & dad’s, but it’s still exciting to know, nonetheless.

Both hemispheres of your brain are growing, and your liver is producing red blood cells until your bone marrow can take over the job. You already have an appendix, pancreas, and kidneys! And a loop in your intestines is forming into your umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from your tiny body.

Your house — aka my uterus — has already doubled in size and I’m starting to get a pouch in my belly (on top of my pre-existing beer gut). My nausea has increased some but it still isn’t too bad. It’s funny how my nausea is the worst when I smell or taste the traditional Chinese medicine your father has gotten for me (I know, it tastes horrible).

I was so deathly afraid that something will go wrong with all the added stress of the past two weeks. The trip to the ER was not very fun because I was so sure that I had lost you. But those 5 hours were worth it, because we knew that you were safe and sound. We can’t wait to see you again tomorrow morning!

Dear Baby,

We still have one more week until the doctor so I’m still not sure how old you are. But in my mind, you turn 6 weeks old today.

You are now the size of a snow pea. Your heart is beating — almost twice as fast as mine — and you are starting to sprout your arms and legs, which might wiggle by the week’s end.

This is a busy week for you. You are starting to grow your eyes, ears, nose, cheeks and chin. Your intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will eventually grow to your lungs has appeared. Your pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of your brain, muscles, and bones.

This has also been a busy week for your mom. I am in charge of my mother’s store while she is in Korea, and never have I felt more exhausted and overwhelmed. How does your grandmother do this 6 days a week? All I can say is that she is one tough cookie.

While I am glad to be helping out, I can’t help but be concerned that all this physical labor and added stress can’t be good for you.

Today, while taking a break at work, I started crying because I was so tired, overwhelmed, and worried. Mostly worried. Worried about you. Please be okay, baby. Please stay strong and keep growing.

Earlier today I happened upon this link which I’m finding to be tremendously helpful.

The calculator is aimed that women who are opting to go the IVF route, but it the data it provides can be handy for any pregnant woman who knows her ovulation date.