Thanks Azizah for suggesting that I start this baby blog. This will serve as a forum for me to let all my friends and family see how Strawberry is growing. (For those of you who don't know I call the baby Strawberry Shortcake Serenade after my favorite Coldstone ice cream flavor so that I don't have to refer to the baby as "it" or "the baby". I also refer to Berry as a girl so that I can avoid saying "he or she" so much. Hopefully if Berry is in fact a boy he won't have a complex!) I will update this blog at least weekly and will tell you how Berry and I are doing. Everyone can feel free to comment and say whatever they wish. It should be fun! Feel free to suggest names and offer any other suggestions! I'm open to hearing them. :)

Strawberry's due date is March 19, 2006. I will begin week 16 on Monday Oct 3. Berry's stats are:

Size (head to rump) this week: About 4.3 to 4.7 inches
Weight: Approximately 2.75 ounces
Right now, Berry would fill the size of an open palm and fingers

In the next three weeks, Berry will go through a tremendous growth spurt, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Berry's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times.

Strawberry is doing great so far. We just went to the doctor last week and everything is progressing well. I will go back for a second ultrasound in about a month so hopefully we can determine what Berry's sex really is! :)

This is Strawberry's first photo shoot on September 2, 2005. She was at that time 11 weeks and 4 days. (If you can't tell what's what, her head is on the right of the picture and she is on her

back.) The doctor had to wake her up to get these shots and she was quite small because it was taken at such an early age. I am sure she is a lot bigger now. I can't wait for her next ultrasound!

I guess that's it for today's entry. Thanks for visiting the site. I hope you will come back and keep up with what is going on "As Berry Grows!"