Baby Stockton #2 Countdown - Week 24, 16 to Go!

Wow, just 16 weeks left. I tell ya. Get past that halfway point, and it just flies!

And as of week 24, here is the update:

For those who haven't tuned in for the past 2 weeks, we had our ultrasound last week, on December 2nd, and.... drum roll...

IT'S A BOY!

That's right. We've got an all-American male growing inside me, and he is an active little bugger. Richard Vaughn Stockton.

This is another big week for my magical growing baby! Just take a look at the checklist for this week: 1) ears: done; 2) fingernails: done; 3) testicles: taking their 3-4 day trip from the abdominal wall to the scrotum; and 4) lungs walls: secreting “surfactant”. What’s that? Well, surfactant is sort of what it sounds like: a surface-activated fat whose main purpose is to assist my son's little lungs during inflation (as in, filling with air, not getting more expensive).

Goodness, sure wish I could get that much accomplished in one week. :) To the left is my latest belly shot, week 24.

Just in case you’re curious, my submerged baby is still breathing in amniotic fluid, preparing and rehearsing the lungs an oxygen-filled life outside the womb. By the end of this week, my son will be weighing around 2 lbs and 14 inches long. My cutie-patootie may even be a little more plump, but isn't anywhere near their full baby-fatted cute-self. Most of the “filling out” is coming up in that long awaited (and slightly dreaded?) third trimester. Woo-hoo! I better get ready! It'll be here in just 3 more weeks. Yikes!

And now for some words from the wiggle-worm inside:

All right, so it's finally my turn to say something. My mama's been sharing updates with you for weeks, telling you all about what's happening inside here. But let me tell you, it sure feels far different than the way she describes it. Sure, she's getting kicks and feels the movement, but you have no idea what's it like when she eats something cold or sweet or spicy. Wow! It sure hits ya like a ton of bricks sometimes. And you wonder why I wiggle and squirm!

The other reason is I'm hearing about how much less room I'll have before long, so I'm enjoying moving in the space I have now. Seems like I should get used to it before things get tight and cramped. My legs are already feeling the pinch. But it's all right. I'm warm and cozy and feeling the love. Looking forward to making my debut in a few months. Then, I'm sure mama will share pictures so all of you can see me too. Now, it's back to sleep for me. Zzzzzzz.

Me again. The mama. :) That's it for now. Tune in each week for the latest. And if you want to receive an email each time I post an update, subscribe using the form over there at the top right.

Thanks for coming along this journey with me...some of you for the second time.