first video

Just a quick video of Harper opening her mouth a little and tilting her head back.

Sweet baby girl!!!!!

25 weeks

24 weeks

Our baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts her at just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Harper's brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon. We go in for the second round of 3D pictures next wednesday the 20th. So hopefully Harper will be camera ready this time. Stay tuned!!

23 weeks

We've turned on the radio and have been swaying to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, Harper can feel me dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), we have been able to see her squirm underneath my clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that our baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as loud music or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb. I went to the Dr. today and they said that Harper was progressing normally and I got to hear her strong little heart beat again. She moved while the doppler was on her and the Dr. could even feel her move! She's a strong little thing and she loves to move around!