7 weeks? scratch that....

So. It appears I am further along than I originally thought. We went to the first meeting with the nurse-midwife last Monday and, according to the nurse's estimates and measurements on the ultrasound, my uterus was measuring 11 weeks, 5 days and baby was measuring 9 weeks, 4 days. 10 weeks is the milestone to reach to be able to hear the heartbeat. And hear the heartbeat we certainly did, if only for a few seconds. We saw our baby's small figure on the ultrasound wriggling and dancing. Those pictures they give you just don't do baby any justice! We actually saw the hands and feet and head boppin' as if moving to music only he/she heard. Nevertheless, we are proud of our little lima bean, even if our child is only a blurry blob in the pictures.

Our nurse could not pin down a precise due date last Monday, so she determined that we needed a more official ultrasound. Yesterday, we went to have another one done and the image of our child on the screen was even better. Baby was in the fetal position and then stretching out and arching his/her back. We saw the blob of tissue that is baby's heart beating furiously at 165 bpm. It was determined that I am 10 weeks, 4 days along. Honestly, this is a relief because I don't feel quite as big "for only being 7 weeks" because I was actually closer to 10 weeks! Yes, I am growing and have a legitimate rounded little baby bump now. I have just noticed that my tummy is getting harder and more firm too. I will be 11 weeks on Monday and will post a new belly shot.

And, NO, we are not going to find out the sex of the baby! We are old-school like that. To us, there are few greater joys in life than hearing "It's a boy!" or "It's a girl!" on the day we deliver our child. Plus, I am not a big fan of overly pink or blue nurseries. We are also not going to share any names until the baby is here with us. We love surprises!

(Below is a random pic I had on my laptop. It is with my sister-in-law Heather and brother Kris from my going away party, right before I left for Washington, DC for Lutheran Volunteer Corps, August 2004.)