I am growing!

Today is day number 44 and I am 6 weeks!

My nose, my mouth, and my ears are beginning to take shape and my facial features are starting to form, the nostrils are becoming distinct, and the retinas of the eyes are forming. My heart is dividing into chambers and will start beating in a more regular rhythm, about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as my mom’s heartbeat — and blood is beginning to course through my body.

This week my intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to my lungs has appeared. My pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of my brain, muscles, and bones.

My major organs - including the kidneys and liver - begin to grow; the neural tube, which connects the brain and spinal cord, will close this week; and my embryo's upper and lower limb buds begin to sprout, which will form the arms and legs. The intestines are also developing and the appendix is in place.

Right now, I am quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil bean. I have 236 days or 34 weeks left, and I am 15.7% of the way there.