An important milestone

Raising children is all about milestones. When did they first roll over? When did they walk? Talk? We compare our children (whether knowlingly or not)to others around them.

Today, Olivia has reached an important milestone. She is VIABLE. She has reached a developmental age that she COULD live outside the womb if she had to. Of course, this would not be without much help and assistance, but she still COULD. WOW. I've been growing her for 23 weeks and in the last 2 weeks, she has become so much more real to me. I can feel her move and dance. I can see her kick my stomach. When I press my stomach in, she kicks back.

Just because she COULD live on the outside, doesn't mean I am ready for her to. I'd like her to stay happy and growing, for at least 15 more weeks or so. Unfortunately, it's not my decision, but I certainly put in a good word for that time frame!

Last night, Jason and I toured the hospital where Olivia will be born. I've been in TONS of Labor and Delivery rooms, but I literally had the breath taken out of me when we were there. It just made it so much more real! To know that in 3 months, I'll be in the shoes of the women that I saw last night. AAH! I'm not ready! I have no doubt I'll be MORE than ready to end the days and nights of hot torture, only to replace it with the days and nights of not sleeping. Seeing the room layouts are really good for me because it makes it easier for me to put together in my head. I can see Jason going to get Jacob and Andrew so they can be the first two people to hold their new sister. We saw the waiting room where our families will anxiously await the arrival of this new life. We saw the nursery and the doors of patient rooms who have recently opened their hearts to a new family member. Whew! Overwhelming!

Little baby things have started to make their way into the house. A giant box of clothes from my sister...baby gear from friends...some tiny onesies and ballerina socks that my husband bought. It's been fun! I end up finding all things little people in my house. An Andrew shirt stuffed under the laundry hamper, a Jacob sock under the chair, and now starting to find Olivia gear too. I LOVE finding these little treasures. Last summer, Andrew left a pair of socks and we sent them back to him in the mail (cause didn't you LOVE to get mail as a child?) with a note from Liberty. He called me the second he got it to tell me about it. Precious!

Thanks for tuning in again. These sometimes turn rambly, but then again, this is how my brain works...so it seems to fit. Have a wonderful week! Enjoy the weather! It's GORGEOUS!