The baby's development

This week, perhaps even today, we should get the results from the blood lab from Elizabeth's first appointment at the OB. I am not really sure what we will find out from these tests, as we already know her HIV and hepatitis tests were negative, her blood pressure and cholesterol were low, she had a clean drug test, etc. The test we are most anxious for is the Three Screen Test that checks for abnormalities, such as Down syndrome. It will also give us a definite answer on the baby's gender. Elizabeth can have that test when she is 16 weeks along. Today she is 10 weeks and 5 days. For some reason I anxious even to receive the lab results from this week though, even though I'm not expecting them to tell us anything more than we already know.
I subscribed to an email notification that is designed for pregnant women. Based on how far a woman is along in her pregnancy, it sends updates each week of the size of the baby and what is currently developing. I had to pretend I was the one that was pregnant in order to receive the updates. In some ways I feel as though I am pregnant myself, just another woman is carrying our baby for us.
Last Friday, when Elizabeth was 10 weeks along, the baby was the size of a kumquat, apparently. I don't even know what a kumquat actually looks like, but according to babycenter.com, it's a little more than an inch long, and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce. (I am honestly not sure if I have ever even seen a kumquat. Why in the world would they use that as an example? I can hardly wait what they compare the 11 week update to. At 9 weeks it said it was the size of a grape. At least I knew what a grape looked like. lol)
The baby has also now completed the most critical portion of his/her development and now the tissues and organs are rapidly growing and maturing. The baby has kidneys, intestines, a brain and liver. He/She also now has tiny nails forming on fingers and toes. He or she can bend their limbs.
Reading these updates helps me to stay connected to this baby that for some reason I cannot conceive and carry myself. Knowing what's going on with him or her each day is important to me, and this is the only way I have found to do that. Perhaps I will go to Barnes & Noble this week and see what kind of books are available for me to be able to read more about our baby's development.