24 weeks / 6 months

Oh Mona, if you only knew what was coming...

We've hit the six month mark, and our boy is getting nice and plump. He should have some hair on his head by now, and all of his major organs are mostly developed. He is about a foot long and weighs about as much as a mango (the fruit references continue to be helpful). The most surprising thing I read about this time is: "If the baby were born in this month and given the proper care, he would survive". Of course, for multiple reasons we're glad he's staying in there for awhile (God willing).

He is rolling and kicking regularly, and the other morning while lying in bed I could feel his whole body move across my hand. Not just a foot or elbow, but a body. Sometimes I feel a little "off-kilter" and I look down at my tummy and realize that he is obviously hanging out on my right side with his bum pressed against the uterine wall. It sticks right out and makes my stomach look lopsided, which is pretty funny.

I can usually see his movements on the outside now. The other day Jono was listening for him and got kicked in the ear three times :)

This six-month mark is also turning out to be the time when I'm having to leave behind my "prego-on-a-budget" wardrobe. By this I mean the little pink rubberband I was using to keep my regular pants on with. On the way to Chicago with Grant on Thursday I looked down and saw my rubberband, which had come to seem like an old friend, snapped and lying in my lap. I spent the rest of the evening with my pants wide open and a tank top pulled most of the way down over it. I guess it's a sign that I'll need to wear prego pants exclusively now, or just make sure I'm wearing clothing with a quality piece of elastic. I'm really learning to appreciate the merits of elastic. Someone needs to give the guy who invented it a big shiny medal.