5 Weeks Today...

Your pregnancy: 5 weeks

Your little embryo, which at this point resembles a tadpole more than a baby (complete with teeny tail), is growing fast and furious and is now about the size of an orange seed-still small, but a lot bigger than it's been.  This week, the heart is starting to take shape.  In fact, the circulatory system, along with the heart, is the first system to be operational.  Your baby's heart (about the size of a poppy seed) is made up of two tiny channels called heart tubes-and though it's still far from fully functional, it's already beating-something you might be able to see on an early ultrasound.  Also in the works is the neural tube, which will eventually become your baby's brain and spinal cord.  Right now the neural tube is open, but it will close by next week.

Murkoff, Heidi and Sharon Mazel. What to Expect When Your Expecting Fourth Edition. New York: Workman Publishing Co., Inc., 2008



The Beginning of Our Journey...

Our pursuit of one of the greatest gifts in this world, parenthood, began in May of 2010. We threw all caution to the wind and hoped for a little bundle of joy to call our own. Little did we know, it wasn't quite as easy as our high school sex ed teachers told us it would be! We charted my temperatures each morning, bought ovulation predictor kits and closely monitored my cycle each month to be sure that we could pinpoint the optimal time for baby making. So, after what seemed like an eternity (only 5 months in actuality!) we finally got our wish!

The story of Baby Shafer begins on November 2, 2010. The tiny egg that will soon be our little sunshine was released this day (as confirmed by an ovulation predictor kit and a rise in body temperature!)

Positive Ovulation Test

Eleven days later, on November 13th, we received the confirmation we were hoping for! After getting up for the second time early that morning (6:30 AM to be exact) to use the restroom, I decided to give the pregnancy test a whirl! Luckily, I was smart enough to keep the camera close by so I could catch Kurt's first reaction to the news!

After lots of excitement and hugs and kisses, we decided to take a second pregnancy test just to be certain. The positive reading (although faint...) came up almost instantly...... there was no doubt about it..... we were having a baby!

Two days later, just for good measure, we decided to take one more..... Definately darker! :)