VIABILITY!

Today, my little girl is 24 weeks old. This is a huge day in a pregnancy. At 24 weeks, the baby is considered viable: they are much more likely to survive outside the womb (about 70%). Granted, giving birth right now would not be good (so don't go thinking we're ready to see you quite yet Ms. Liliana), but it's still nice. As a pregnant woman, I've been waiting for today for quite a few weeks. I wanted to breath a sigh of relief. Ideally, I want this little baby girl to go full term (at least 37 weeks), but for some reason, when someone tells you: your little girl is SO advanced that she would have a great chance of surviving, so much pressure is off. Even more so, suddenly, she seems even more like a person. Another positive aspect of this week 24 mark is that each week, her chance of survival only gets better and better! Therefore, Mami just gets happier and happier!

In honor of Liliana's viability day, I thought I should FINALLY post some updated pictures (below find a belly pic and quite a few of her ultrasound pictures). Please note, I really dislike bare belly pictures. I don't know why, but they kinda creep me out. But, I know that I spend SO much time looking up bare belly pictures to see what I'll look like at a certain stage. For instance, I'll be 28 weeks at my San Antonio shower, so I've been looking up those pictures wondering what my dress should look like and how big my belly will look. Therefore, for those other Mom's to be, I'll post a bare belly week 24 picture. I'm sorry if you're horrified by it...just keep scrollin baby.

Week 24 Belly Picture

Here are her ultrasound pictures.  We've gotten film back from week 8, week 12, and week 20.  By week 20 she was so active that it was much harder to get good shots.  

Liliana Week 8 Picture

At this stage, she was just a little bean, but it was SO reassuring to see the heartbeat because I had spotted the day before this ultrasound.  Hearing that heartbeat nearly brought tears to my eyes...

Liliana Week 12 Picture

I thought this picture was INCREDIBLE.  In just four weeks, look at all that progress.  All that morning sickness didn't matter as much after I saw how gorgeous she looked.

Liliana Week 19 Picture

Here's our gender shot: that bright white spot is an arrow pointing to the lack of ... umm... male parts.  It was for sure.  Grandma had told us she was a girl 4 weeks prior when she did the ultrasound on Christmas Eve, but this was the film we got at the Doctor's office in Lubbock.

Liliana Week 19 Picture

This is the best profile picture they were able to get us.  It's not the best shot in my opinion, but she is so active that the lady had a heck of a time getting us a nice shot.

We won't be going in for another picture until Week 34 (they want to see just how big Liliana is because her Daddy was born nearly 4 weeks early and at well over 8 lbs.).  Of course, I can't wait to see her again, but only in a picture...again Liliana...not sooner than 37 weeks! Listen to your Mommy!! : )