Halfway There! (maybe)

This week was the 20 week mark. YEA! We're very happy to have gone through this first half of the standard pregnancy length so well. Though I know that nothing is guaranteed, we're praying that this baby boy hangs in there for approximately the same amount of time from this point forward. He is still super wiggly, and at times, I'm pretty uncomfortable, because of his position. At this point with Abigail, I felt her some, but nothing like with our boy. He's noticeable, literally, every hour of the day. I'm assuming that has something to do with the placenta being where it is, and at times feel concerned about the pressure and movement, but so far, think things are going all right. Ow! There was a swift kick to my bladder....

At this point, our little fellow is about 9-10 inches long, about half the length he'll probably be at birth. We also learned these fascinating facts we've been sharing with Isaac and Abigail:

• The baby can hear and recognize his mama's voice. We encourage the big kids to talk to him often so maybe he'll learn their voices too. He may even may startle in reaction to loud sounds. Familiar voices, music, and sounds that baby becomes accustomed to during his development stages often are calming after birth.
• The toenails and fingernails are growing.
• The growth of hair (lanugo) on the rest of the body has started.
• The skin is getting thicker.
• His heart can now be heard with a stethoscope. Actually, James can hear it sometimes by just leaning on my belly and listening carefully, depending on the baby's position!
• Immunities are being transferred from me to our baby now. These immune cells will protect him from viruses I've already had for up to six months after birth!
• The nerve cells for taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch are now developing in specialized areas of the brain. Production slows down as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections.

What a miracle life is, and we're constantly amazed at how we've been blessed with another little life growing inside me. Thank you Lord!