6 Weeks Pregnant

How my baby's growing:  This week's major developments:  The nose, mouth, and ears that I'll spend so much time kissing in eight months are beginning to take shape.  If you could see into my uterus, you'd find an oversize head and dark spots where my baby's eyes and nostrils are starting to form.  His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and his arms and legs by protruding buds.  His heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute - almost twice as fast as yours - and blood is beginning to course through his body.  His intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will rise to his lungs has appeared.  His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones.  Right now, my baby is a quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil bean.

How my life's changing:  I have found myself developing a bit of a split personality - feeling moody one day and joyful the next.  This is a bit unsettling (especially since I pride myself on being in control), but I've been told what I'm going through is normal.  Ricocheting emotions are caused partly by fluctuating hormones.  But hormones aside, my life is about to change in a big way - and who wouldn't feel emotional about that?

We are still in the process of trying to decide on a health care provider.  One option is an ob/gyn doctor in our church.  Pre-pregnancy I was anti-male doctors to an extreme.  However, as I have gotten to know this man of God and heard reports of others experience with him, I am warming up to the idea.  However, one drawback is that we do not have insurance.  So option two (and more affordable) would be to use a midwife.  I had a friend go this route and had a wonderful experience.  A couple cons to this option is the facilities are about 35 minutes away and they don't do sonograms.  I think that is one thing all expecting mothers look forward to during the process.  To hear the heart beat for the first time, find out the gender if you so desire...

Well I have about a week and a 1/2 before I should have my first prenatal visit so by then we should have made our decision.  Please keep us in your prayers as we trust in the Lord for His guidance and provision.