Let's review: How to grow fingernails and toes

At twelve weeks Baby Kestler is growing fingernails, developing hormones, a more sophisticated digestive and nervous system. Major events have occurred over the past few months in order to get to this stage in fetal development. Visually, we've gone from growing what could be one of several types of creatures: pig, chimp, dog, chicken or whale, to a fetus that looks distinctly human. Above is a representation of an embryo and a pregnant lady at 7 weeks and below is a photograph of a twelve week old fetus straight from the Abyss.

For the farmer, the first twelve weeks are purely survival. It can be like growing grapes in the Sahara or lemon trees in an alpine rain forest. The most nourishing food may be nowhere around. Or perhaps it is right there in the bottom of the fridge but you can't tolerate, fathom or stomach broccoli or spinach, a carrot or an orange. In that case, you ingest what you can. For me, ice cream and popsicles, thai food and nachos were like the small ravine tapped by a thirsty root. Thankfully, babies are more resilient than most plants. They can simply take the nourishment they need, and leave the fat and sugar for the farmer's winter plump. A fetus has first dibs on the calcium of her mother's bones and the iron in her blood. So for these past weeks I've been consuming what I can, not losing too much weight, knowing that my sweet little parasite is feasting just fine. Now however, it's time for major growth. The kind of growth that would require a seedling to turn into a forest giant over night. And that requires real food. Quinoa, lentils and beans are like compost to the soul and fetus, and while I've been salivating over the smokey scent of bacon and crispy prosciutto my vegetarian/pescetarian diet seems to provide the proper nutrients. I will just have to keep reminding myself of that.