If you were born today...

My lovely Leo,

I'm still getting notifications on my phone every week to remind me where I'm at, pregnancy-wise. So today, I got a notification that I'm at 27 weeks of gestation. The notification was the following:

"This week,  your baby weighs almost 2 pounds and is roughly 14 1/2 inches long. 

He or she is sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing those little eyes, and perhaps even sucking on his or her fingers. 

With more brain tissue developing,  your baby's brain is very active now. The lungs are still immature, but they would be capable of functioning - with a lot of medical help - if your baby were to be born now. 

Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother your baby, so just relax and enjoy the tickle." 

I like getting the notifications, because it reminds me of where I would have been, if you were still in me. But today, reading this made me a little sad. If you were born today, instead of on October 22,  you would have been 2 pounds instead of 1 lbs, 8 ounces! You would have been 2 inches longer! I would have seen your eyes, you would have seen your parents looking at you with love. But most importantly, if you were born today, instead of 3 weeks ago, you might have had a chance. Your lungs weren't ready when you came out...but they might have been able to retain oxygen if you were born today. And if you were in me still, I would have felt your hiccups...something I'll never be able to experience now. 

But, you were born when you were born.  I'm a mother, with no baby. My belly is still a little full, but there's no one in there.

Your little hands and feet