5 Weeks...

Today is July 26 and you're at 5weeks: You're exhausted, your breasts are sore, and even common smells may turn your stomach. Welcome to pregnancy!

That phrase couldn't describe me better! I feel & look like the walking dead. I went to bed before 9pm last night and all day I was ready to crawl back in. Not only do smells turn my stomach, but even discussing things I don't like (aka chicken) makes me feel ill. I could smell the fact that Dan ate chicken Monday night and that made me feel really, really ill. Today, while at work, was the first true day I experienced nauseau out of the blue. Man, did that suck!! As long as I have water around me at all times, I find that I'm okay. Let's just hope that it doesn't get any worse while at work, because that may be hard to hide.

Here's an update of where we stand at Week 5:

How your baby's growing: Deep in your uterus your embryo is growing at a furious pace. At this point he's about the size of a sesame seed, and he looks more like a tiny tadpole than a human. He's now made up of three layers — the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm — that will later form his organs and tissues. The cells are forming for his major organs, including his kidneys and liver, and his neural tube is beginning to develop. This neural tube — from which your baby's brain, spinal cord, nerves, and backbone will sprout — develops in the top layer, called the ectoderm. This layer will also give rise to his skin, hair, nails, mammary and sweat glands, and tooth enamel. His heart and circulatory system begin to form in the middle layer, or mesoderm. (This week, in fact, his tiny heart begins to divide into chambers and beat and pump blood.) The mesoderm will also form your baby's muscles, cartilage, bone, and subcutaneous (under skin) tissue. The third layer, or endoderm, will house his lungs, intestines, and rudimentary urinary system, as well as his thyroid, liver, and pancreas. In the meantime, the primitive placenta and umbilical cord, which deliver nourishment and oxygen to your baby, are already on the job.

How your life's changing: Pregnancy symptoms may surface this week if they haven't already. If you're like most women, you'll notice nausea (and not just in the morning), sore breasts, fatigue, and frequent urination. All are normal, all are annoying, but the upside is that they're all a part of being pregnant and won't last forever. The outside world won't see any sign of the dramatic developments taking place inside you.