POP Goes the Belly

I am constantly amazed (and easily entertained) by this rapidly changing body of mine. I just looked at myself in the mirror, from the side - then from the other side - then posed sort of half-sideways - and I swear to you, from every angle, it looks like my belly has grown an inch in the last few days!! I couldn't help but to exclaim a loud "WOW!" when I saw my reflection. Three of my friends who just had babies or are about to give birth told me that they started to grow exponentially around 25 weeks, which is where we are at the end of this week. It's unreal!

Jeremy and I got a really good laugh last week when, after a rather large meal, I barely pressed on the skin around my belly button and it popped out. I haven't heard Jeremy laugh uncontrollably like that in a while, and I was really cracking up too! It looked so funny. I feel sure that within a couple of weeks it'll pop out on its own and stay that way until after the baby is here.

Here's what BabyCenter has to say about the baby's development at 24 weeks:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

I also like this blurb from What To Expect When You're Expecting:

Those little ears of hers are getting sharper and can hear very loud sounds, from a yapping dog to a jackhammer. Also by now, that fabulous face is almost fully formed, complete with eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair. Is your baby a brunette, a blonde, or a redhead? Actually, right now her locks are white since there's no pigment yet.

Our next doctor appointment is August 5th, where I'll have the test for gestational diabetes. I've heard horror stories about this test (or more accurately, the follow-up tests if this test doesn't go well). Wish me luck!

Here's my picture at 24-going-on-25 weeks pregnant: