Here's what's going on this week with Whisler Baby Boy 2009: 

Baby Stats:

Size: 17½ inches
Weight: 4½ pounds

Baby Developments:

The big news this week is lung development—baby's respiratory system is almost completely mature. That means if he was born this week, odds are he'd be a healthy bouncing baby with a just a little help from his friends (aka, the NICU). Baby can now detect light and tell the difference between night and day (of course that ability will miraculously disappear once he's born and up all night screaming). His pupils will constrict and dilate in response to light.

The bones in his skull are soft and are not yet fused together. In other words, now is not the time for his father to teach him how to do a headspin while breakdancing. This pliability allows the bones to overlap; making that trip down the tight birth canal possible. Baby will continue to pack on the pounds gaining around ½ pound a week from here on "out".

He weighs about 4½ pounds, as much as a grownup duck, and is approximately 17.5 inches long, about the same as a collarbone-length pearl necklace. (Remember the one Laura said she was going to make?  Yeah, now Mark is supposed to just go out and buy her one.)

What We're Doing:

The last shower was held in Eureka, MO where Laura spent a majority of her formidable years. It was primarily attended by her side of the family, church friends and family friends. Mark was instructed to make himself scarce during that time at a movie theatre and he obliged. We spent the rest of the weekend with her parents and family at the house.

The biggest news is that he finally dropped which gave Laura immediate relief from the excruciating pain she's been having for the past few weeks. Trust me, we're all thankful for this.