Viability Day!

Today marks the start of my sixth month of pregnancy and the glorious viability day! This means that if our baby was born premature at this point, she would have a higher chance of surviving outside my uterus and doctors would do all that they could to save her. Of course, survival largely depends on fetal organ maturity which varies from baby to baby and at 24 weeks the chances of survival aren't great, but 24 weeks is still the current viability day milestone. Happy Viability Day to me!

I have had several nightmares where I'm given medicine to help with insignificant health issues only to read the bottle afterwards and discover that I'm taking Cytotec (which I was given to induce labor with Sarai), which puts my in labor, and the doctors aren't able to do anything because I'm not 24 weeks yet. I have also woken up a couple times convinced that she died during the night and I didn't get out of bed until I felt her move. I know this date doesn't guarantee everything will go smoothly and that nothing bad will happen from this point on, but it brings me a lot more peace. Today, I feel like this baby is really going to happen.

"And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at [her] birth." Luke 1:14

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

Me:
How far along: 24 weeks (6 months)!
Maternity clothes: I don't have any, but I need some (see belly shirt below).
Wedding ring on or off: On
Sleep: I'm sleeping a lot and it feels great.
Movement: She's not moving as much as she was (growth spurt?), but her movements are a lot stronger <3
Cravings: Not really.
Symptoms: Fatigue, hair is falling out, linea nigra, back pain, angry heartburn.
Belly button in or out: In.
Signs of labor: Nope.
Best moment of the week: going to the temple on Tuesday.

Baby:
Size: Joanna now weighs about 1.3 lbs and is almost a foot long! She is the size of a grapefruit or an ear of corn (length wise).

So, this big? 

and this long?

 Milestones: Viability Day! Her lungs are beginning to produce surfactant which is a substance that keeps the air sacs in the lungs from collapsing and is essential for proper breathing once baby is born. Joanna's face and body are filling out and she is looking more and more like how she will look after birth. Her muscles are growing, and her bones and organs are continuing to develop.

Sleep: She is sleeping a lot more throughout the day. I think she's going through a growth spurt, but that's just my guess.

Favorite foods: Nothing. She doesn't seem to like or dislike anything I eat.

I think it's safe to say I now have a proper bump and that I'm in the "clearly pregnant" zone. And now for the proof that I have popped:

24 weeks front view in black dress that won't fit for much longer.

24 weeks side view in black dress that won't fit for much longer.

Hair up to see the bump better. 

24 weeks and my pj shirt is now a belly shirt.

Me being terrified at how small my shirt/big my belly is.

It has taken a long time to get to this point and there has been a lot of heartache along the way, but now that I'm finally here the joy is overwhelming and the words of Alma, once again, come to mind:

"Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as... my joy." Alma 36:21

Life is good. Over and out.