Tickle, Tickle! May 26, 2011

As the baby grows and grows, I'm starting to be able to feel more and more what's going on in there. Of course, I've been able to feel him hiccup everyday now for weeks and weeks, but it's always been hard for me to tell what's what when he moves. Is this a cute little butt or is this his head? Is this a tiny little hand or an adorable little foot? Did he just punch  me or is he kicking me? Generally, I've been referring to it as he's been kicking me, and I think that's close to what everyone else does, too. It's just a general way to describe what you're feeling when the baby sticks his extremities out and gets you in the gut!

Lately, though, I've been more able to feel whether it's a foot or a hand, and where his little back seems to be.  I've learned that if I feel his hiccups on the left side, I'm feeling his back, especially when they're really strong. It's so funny to watch my belly jump like that. Other times, there will be a spot on my belly that starts bulging quite quickly, and I've learned that's his little heel/foot pushing on my abdomen. Funny enough, daddy has learned the same thing and has started to have fun with it. On the way home from Home Depot one night, Dominic was especially excited about something and was moving like crazy in my belly. Daddy was resting his hand on our son's temporary home and was enjoying feeling all the little movements this guy was making. Then, Daddy got a heel. He knew it was a heel, and he grabbed it! Dominic quickly pulled his foot away, and Daddy sat there waiting... the foot came back, and this time he tickled the little foot he felt. Dominic quickly pulled his foot away, and then put it right back! Tickle tickle, pull, tickle tickle, yank! It was so funny to see that we were already playing with our son, and he's not even been born yet!

Now, if he decides to rest his little feet up against my belly, I'll reach down and tickle the spot with my nails. Usually, he pulls his foot away and I feel him adjust, but in just a short few moments his little foot will be right back. I asked my husband, "Do you think when I tickle his feet that he cries?"  He told me, "No, but you should probably not do it anymore." Haha!  As I sit here writing this, Dominic is swiping my belly with his little foot, just below my rib cage. His movements make it so real for me that he's a person; that I am going to see a breathing, living face with a heart beat come out of my body, and that I took care of him for nine months to make this happen. It's the most overwhelming feeling I think I've ever had in my entire life...

33 Weeks, 5 Days.