Welcome to Week #11!

Here is yet another update on what the little Frampton is up to this week:

I'm a Fetus! Starting with this week, the baby is now called a fetus. The most critical part of the baby's development is over. This is a period of rapid growth, and the baby is about an inch or so in length at the beginning of the week and will be about 2 inches by the end of the week. The baby's head is about half its length. The eyelids will fuse shut, and the irises will begin to develop. Sometime during this week or the next week, blood will begin to circulate between the baby and uterus and the placenta starts to function. The liver, intestines, brain and lungs are beginning to function on their own. The primitive "tail" is now gone. The intestines are beginning to migrate into the abdominal cavity and the external genitalia are present but difficult to distinguish. Now that most of the major organ work is done, your baby adds such details as hair, fingernails and toenails.

So, now we're getting down to the minor details. I just can't believe that there is so much detail on something that is only an inch long. A little reminder for everyone: Next week (Sept 9th) we're supposed to be able to hear the baby's heartbeat. Keep praying for us that development is going okay and that we will hear that heart loud and strong next Thursday.