And Now, a Word from Our Biggest Sponsor...

The Womb.

You haven't heard very much about developments here, doubtless because there's so much excitement going on outside. But inside, Baby Cecchin is growing at an alarming rate, and will be arriving in four short months (let's pause briefly to let Mommy panic).

At 24 weeks along, he or she is now the size of a large banana, a concept that big sister Clara can really sink her teeth into. For now, though, the baby in Mommy's tummy is way too abstract for her to fully grasp. She's still fascinated by her baby dolls and especially by real babies, including cousins Annie, Tessa, and Lucy and itty-bitty friends Mela and Eloise.

Big brother Joey, on the other hand, is so involved in the care and feeding of this little one already that he checks in constantly... at least 10 times each day. Mommy made the mistake of telling him that the baby loves to peek at the outside world through Mommy's bellybutton. As you can imagine, she does not approve of the baby viewing the world when we're at the grocery store, the post office, or school, despite Joey's urgent requests. But at home, he's free to interact with the baby as much as he wants, which includes draping his hands over her belly (keeping the baby warm with his "blanket," of course), showering the baby with kisses, entertaining the baby with song and dance, prodding the baby to "wake up!" (we may have to nip this one in the bud, especially if they end up sharing a room!), and trying to elicit baby laughs with bellybutton tickles.

Mommy and Daddy got to check in with baby at 20 weeks along, just after Christmas. They decided not to find out the gender, but Mommy still thought she might be able to deduce things on her own (she has been through this four times now!). Unfortunately, her credibility was shot when she asked the ultrasound tech how the brain looked when it turns out that she was looking at the four chambers of the heart. Undeterred, she still maintains that she thinks she saw the makings of a little girl.

If things continue to go well, these may be the last pictures you'll see of the baby in utero. Unfortunately, they're not the best, but Mommy and Daddy never tire of seeing a gorgeous heartbeat...



We can't resist including a gratuitously spooky 3D shot, which freaks out even Joey ("Is that baby a girl or even a boy, Mommy???").



The baby presented the ultrasound tech with a much sweeter, more human profile.



And finally, courtesy of Joey (aka Baby Stalker), we present two of the only known photos of Pregnant Mommy, taken today at 24 weeks. Baby Stalker was clearly miffed that these pictures did not include the bellybutton, and almost didn't comply with this request, but we decided to spare you that shot, although said belly is (miraculously) still largely stretch mark-free.





We'll continue to provide updates as we get closer to the end of May! You'll hear from us next with a baby name poll (any and all baby boy suggestions are welcomed before polling begins in February or March!).