31

Finn will be happy to know that I was writing about his testicles in a public forum when he was only three pounds and three ounces , but we are supposed to embarrass our children, aren't we? He's 31 weeks gestational age today, and it's reproductive system time!

"His testicles are moving from their location near the kidneys through the groin on their way into the scrotum."

Ah, what a magical journey. Something I never did, myself, but it sounds wonderful. Finn is fully formed, but I don't really know how you can tell if everything in there has arrived at its final destination.

"Your baby's lungs are more developed, but they're not fully mature. If your baby is born this week, he or she will probably need a ventilator to assist breathing."

OK, Smarty Mayo Clinic Book, I get it. Luckily, even at a little over 25 weeks, Finn was only on the ventilator for a few days. He's been doing really well back on the high flow, and that's just fine with me. He can move back down to the low flow whenever he's ready: no one needs another 11-spell night. We've had good cuddles this week, since then, and now that we have a few days off, we can hopefully get him out a couple of times a day, if he's been getting enough rest. It's all about him, and how much he can tolerate. Lately, he's been doing great.
The doctor had no new orders for Finn, and as he said to us today "I don't have anything to say about him. He looks great." No news is good news with preemies, as is boredom.

He's definitely getting more expressive and gaining more personality. It does seem that he recognizes our voices, based on his physical reactions when we first start to talk. He settles down pretty quickly during cuddle time, and he can really suck away on my finger when I give him the chance. He also has a pretty strong bite, which makes me fear for my nipples.

How often does someone get to say something like that?