24 Weeks and Counting

Because so many have requested that I post a bare Eve-belly pic. . . Here's one from today at 24 weeks. :) I absolutely LOVE watching the evolution of my body during pregnancy! It's fascinating!

And for those of you more modest than me, ignore the first photo, this one's for you! ;)
Jonah's belly at 24 weeks. . . He looks great, don't you think?! ;)

I'm pretty much obsessed with my children (if you couldn't tell)! :) Every phase of their development is absolutely miraculous to me. I hope I never grow numb to the sensation of new life evolving in my body, nor to the uniqueness of each stage of development beyond birth. I believe pregnancy and parenting is an invitation into the mystery, beauty, and heart of the Divine . . . Our kids provide an avenue of understanding in the realm of the spirit (if we're open to it) that we could never reach alone. Jonah and Eve are the greatest gifts I've ever received from God (I'm confident Allen would agree)!

I've mentioned before that I enjoy googling the gestational age of my kids to see what images surface. I love glimpsing life inside the womb . . . It helps me intimately connect with my kids before they're in my arms and amplifies the miracle of their development!

That being said, Eve has reached 24 weeks gestation and when I google her age I see images like the ones I've pasted below. . .

This is baby Elora, born in Australia at 24 weeks, and she survived!! :) The following two pictures are Elora fresh from the womb . . .

This is what Eve looks like now! Unbelievable!! :)

And this is Elora at 8 months! :)
This week, Allen and I have begun to feel Eve's body parts poking from my belly (we've felt her move for quite awhile now, but it's exciting to finally feel pronounced arms and knees, her bottom, back and hands). . . A couple nights ago, Eve repeatedly pressed her hand against Allen's hand (at least 8 times, maybe more). It was such a sweet moment . . . as if she were saying, "I feel you, Daddy! I sense your love for me . . . I'd rather be in your arms than in here!" ;)

This morning, after breakfast Eve consistently pressed her hand against MINE! :) And Jonah was able to see her twisting and turning in my belly. He kissed her over and over, saying "baby" and "Eve" . . . I think I smiled for at least 15 minutes straight after that. Such a sacred moment shared with my son and with God . . . delighting in his creation and the sweet souls he's entrusted to us!

Eve's newfound fascination with our touch is right on track with standard gestational development. 24 week reports state that she is "13 1/2 inches, 1 1/2 pounds" and she's "using her hands to explore a new world of tactile sensation." :)

I leave you with a photo of our precious girl. . . One (among many) I can't get enough of! I'm relatively sure I'm the only person on earth who looks at her ultrasound pictures every single day without fail)! ;)