Today we booked Lucie in for a private dating scan. As I mentioned the other day, in Hampshire they don't do scans at 12 weeks, even though the government recommends them as they can pick up certain problems as well as ensure that the lady is still pregnant.

We're actually quite lucky. There was meant to be a clinic that offers this opening up in Basingstoke this month. I called them today but unfortunately the building work is running behind schedule and they won't open until March. That scan from them cost £95.

On the plus side, it meant that I had to get back on the internet and find another clinic nearby, most offer the service for around £100 but I found one just outside Portsmouth that offer it for £50.

My original plan was to book Lu in myself and not tell her until a bit closer to the day. My great idea was to book it for Tuesday 12th February, the same day that we go and see the midwife. However, when I rang up to ask a few questions they needed to know a load of stuff about her that I didn't know (such as date of last period) and I knew that she would get suspicious about if I started reeling them off with a notepad in my hand.

So at lunch today I told her that I had decided what I wanted for my birthday and told her. She got really excited and tearful as we originally planned not to bother with paying for a scan. She called them up today and whilst they don't do private scans on Tuesdays (ironically, they only do NHS referrals on Tuesdays) we have booked in for the day after in the evening after work. I can't wait. We get some old fashioned thermal prints but also a CD with pictures. They'll be the ones I'll be showing you lot when we go public with the news!

And to finish, Pip is the size of a lentil!

The embryo is the size of a lentil this week. If you could see inside yourself, you'd find the fetus has an oversized head in proportion to its body. The embryo's facial features are forming with dark spots where the eyes are, openings where the nostrils will be, and pits to mark the ears.

Protruding buds that will become the arms and legs are even more noticeable now. The embryo's hands and feet look like paddles. Other developments include the growth of the pituitary gland and muscle fibres. You can't hear it yet, but the heart (which has divided into the right and left chambers) is beating at about 150 beats a minute -- twice the rate of yours.

Halfway through this week, the embryo makes its first movements. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until sometime in the second trimester before you get to enjoy feeling your baby's exercise sessions.