Tiny Dancer

An important update was conspicuously missing from my 20 week post earlier this week:  Movement (aka the dance party that is now going on in my belly)!  I purposely excluded it from that post because I felt like such a special moment deserved a post all its own.  

I’d been anxiously awaiting the feeling of those first kicks for several weeks, ever since I’d heard that you can feel the baby kick anywhere between 16-22 weeks – talk about a huge range of time.

For me, the first part of my pregnancy was a bit surreal – I logically knew there was a growing baby in my belly that was causing all of my morning sickness, food aversions, and such.  But it was hard to believe that it was really happening.  Mostly because queasiness, weight gain, and fatigue are all familiar feelings that I’ve felt before in my life (granted not in such high frequency), so I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that a baby was causing all of these things.  It wasn’t until my belly finally popped and I had a tiny baby bump that I really felt pregnant as opposed to just crummy. 

But what I was really waiting for was to actually feel the baby.  I’d heard that, at first, it feels like a flutter or butterfly wings – very subtle, like you hardly know it’s there.  For weeks, I’d sit quietly on the couch or in bed, trying to see if I noticed any feelings like this.  Nothing.  Until early Sunday morning when I woke up for my 3^rd trip to the bathroom that night, yet another sign that I am most definitely pregnant.

Waving hello!  Proof that s/he's moving around in there!

I had just gotten back in bed and happened to have my hand resting on my stomach when all of a sudden, whomp!  What I felt was most definitely not a flutter, it was a full blown kick that I could feel from the inside and outside.  It was not at all uncomfortable, but it was unexpected and quite strong.  And I was thrilled!  My instinct was to immediately roll over and wake Scott to tell him the news, but I’m not sure that would have been well received at 4:30am.  So I waited til he woke up to share the news. 

He was super excited, and immediately put his hands on my belly to try to feel the kicks.  Nothing.  I could tell he was a bit disappointed.  He’s been really eager to feel the baby kick too.  I think it’s because he feels so excited about this pregnancy but also a bit detached since I’m the one who’s going through all the changes and he’s just supportively watching from the sidelines.  So, feeling the baby kick would be something that he could actually be a part of.  Side note:  He has been really sweet about talking to the baby (ever since its ears were developed enough to hear), so that s/he can learn his voice.  This, I love.

The baby was pretty quiet for the rest of Sunday – maybe because I was on my feet all day.  But that night, I was lying in bed reading when all of a sudden, whomp!  There it was again!  And again.  And again.  I think the little one may have had the hiccups because it was a pretty consistent round of kicks.  So much so that I was able to call Scott and tell him “get in here now so you can feel the baby!”  I swear, I have never seen him move so fast.  He was there in an instant.  And the baby cooperated by continuing to move around, so he got to feel it too! 

So we both got to share that awesome experience on the same day.  It was made even more special by the fact that these first kicks came on my Gram’s birthday.  She passed away several years ago, but she’s still a super special, strong presence in my life and it seemed fitting to have such a special experience on such a special day.

How cute was she?!
I couldn't resist posting a shot of my Gram as a baby! Probably taken ~1916. 

Me and Gram (1999)

I think the baby may have gone through a growth spurt, because ever since Sunday, I’ve felt lots of action going on in there.  It definitely startles me when I feel it, but I really love it!  It’s so fun to have proof that s/he is really in there.

Posted by:  Bridget