Week 26

Abby weighs a little under 2 pounds now and measures 14 inches, head to heel (we can't help thinking she must be awfully cramped in there). The nerve pathways in her ears are developing, and her response to sounds is growing more consistent. Her lungs are continuing their development as well, and she's begun taking small breaths of amniotic fluid to help prepare her for when she'll take her first breath of air. The pregnancy hormones are doing their job of loosening up Christina's joints and ligaments, making sitting or standing for long periods of time kind of a pain. Literally.

Greetings from the great state of Texas! Abby got to go on her first plane ride this morning to Dallas where we'll spend the weekend celebrating Justin's cousin's high school graduation. (Congrats Amy!) She stayed calm through the flight (Christina appreciated the couple of kick-free hours), so we're holding out hope that she'll be a good traveler once she gets out into the real world. With the exception of the time spent in the air, however, she's been on the move almost non-stop this week!

Abby's movements are getting stronger by the day and we're finding it more and more easy to discern little feet from little elbows. We haven't seen the footprints that other moms tell us we'll be able to make out on Christina's belly eventually, but her movements are definitely visible to others when Christina holds still. Abby seems to be turning into a daddy's girl already--it's entertaining to see and feel how she'll calm down when Justin rubs or lays his hand on Christina's belly. (A welcome break for mom, indeed!)

As we prepare to enter the homestretch (the third and final trimester is just around the corner!), we're excited and thankful for all the help, advice and resources that friends and family have so freely offered. What a blessing to be surrounded by so many people who care for us and our little one so practically and prayerfully! Please pray that we'll find time to do all the little things that need to get done before Abby's big debut in August. There's a room to be painted, furniture to be put together, and so much more that I'm sure we haven't even thought of. Pray that we would find the time to do it all, but that our focus would stay on the God who loves us unconditionally and who is the reason for this miracle!

And now back to helping Amy celebrate her big day...

Dreamin' of some Texas BBQ,
Justin, Christina & Abby :)