You're about to be amazed.
Thanks to the latest imaging technology
we'll be peeking inside the womb to see how babies grow during the last
seven months before birth, and how they keep themselves busy in the meantime.
Now let's see how far our new little person has come in just eight weeks.
The face already has features
distinguishable from other babies the same age.
And everyday
new features appear that will make this baby's face unique from any other face
ever in the history of faces.
Another feature unique to each person,
fingerprints, are being engraved at the same time.
At nine weeks our baby learns four of the most important things we do our entire lives-
sleep, wake-up, stretch,
and suck our thumbs.
Well maybe three things we do our entire lives.
In the tenth week some babies get a kick from using the womb like a trampoline.
While others the same age just shrug their shoulders.
Our eyes and nose
are two of the itchiest parts of our bodies.
Fortunately they take shape about the same time
baby learns how to scratch; and has fingers
to do it with.
And baby's mouth can even open to practice saying, "Ahhhhh."
once the itch is gone.
At twelve weeks mom's coughing wakes the baby.
Also without being too specific, a close look will reveal that this baby's parents
can stop thinking about girls' names.
Also at twelve weeks baby starts to smile.
It's probably just coincidence that this is
the same time that
baby learns to kick, bend, twist, turn the head,
make a fist,
and punch.
At thirteen weeks sex organs are more apparent.
So is bone structure.
And vocal chords are
close to fully formed, ready to shut out
with the first breath of fresh air.
Around four months
baby can grasp with hands, swim, turn somersaults, and frown.
That'll come in handy.
The fifth month is when mom and her baby start communicating.
For example,
a big noise from outside the womb
might be answered by a big kick on the inside, baby's way of telling Mom, "That scared me!"
There's a growing sense that the mouth is going to
be a big deal.
Thumb sucking and finger licking become serious business and baby seems to know that being
able to open the mouth will be
a useful skill one day.
Around week twenty-five
fine hair grows on the head and eyebrows.
The average weight is one-and-a-half pounds,
closer to a total of three pounds if you happen to be twins,
which makes it all a bit cozier.
This probably won't be the first time this boy and girl butt heads.
Or lend each other a helping hand in a tight spot.
By the way, even though it looks like the twins
are sharing the same room each is in a separate sac.
They won't actually touch each other until they're born.
In the last twelve weeks basic training for birth
goes into high gear.
Two baby skills are being perfected.
Grabbing.
And pouting.
Eye-teeth are present.
And so are eyes.
Eyelids do a lot of blinking even though there's nothing to see.
At first all this new stuff raises a lot of smiles.
But after a while anything can get boring.
Or even downright distasteful.
With just four more weeks to go
baby weighs well over two pounds.
And the once spacious room is getting a little cramped.
Except for packing on a few more pounds in the last few weeks
baby's appearance and behavior are pretty much identical to what they'll be at
birth.
The only major stage of development left
is for baby to make the first big decision in his life.
"When should I get out of here?
And see if there's anything new and amazing
on the other side?"
Never suspecting that this first big decision will
produce the one thing
that never stops being new and amazing -
the miracle of seeing a new life
created by God.