3 December 2006 (7 Weeks)

According to the weekly newsletter I subscribe to that charts the embryo's development, Sprout still has a small tail and is the size of a raspberry. I am one of few lucky women who does not have to endure morning sickness, which makes me wonder if I will pay by experiencing excessive flatulence, developing hemorrhoids, or sprouting veritable family trees of varicose veins on my soon-to-be-ample thighs and legs.

For now I enjoy NOT having to get to know the inside of the toilet bowl and focus on eating. I'm consuming the Hobbit's diet: breakfast I, breakfast II, lunch, snack I, snack II and a little bit of dinner. I'm also lamenting the loss of some of favorite food groups. It's goodbye Brie, fresh mozzerella and feta cheese. So long sushi and a surprising au revoir to deli meat, all of which may be contaminated a type of bacteria that can lead to listeriosis, a serious illness that can threaten a pregnancy. According to CDC, pregnant women are 20 times more likely to become infected than non-pregnant, healthy adults. My love of spicy tuna rolls must be suppressed until July 2007.