Pregnancy Week 24 – Movement and Progress

Baby,

I have been dying to write to you about this, but I’ve been waiting until Daddy could share in the experience too – and last night it happened!

I first felt you move on Thursday, 21 May at 21 weeks and 2 days. People always talk about how it feels like a butterfly, or little bubbles in your stomach.  It wasn’t any of that for me. It just felt like a strong, solid kick. So much so that at first I wasn’t sure I’d felt it at all, until a few seconds later when I felt it again.  It was so wonderful, I just sat waiting for more, but they didn’t come again until later that night.  For the first few days, all I could feel was what felt like you were doing somersaults in there, generally in the evenings, but eventually I started to feel it more during the day too.  I now know when you’re awake, and if Daddy and I are together, I’ll tell him you’re up and he just comes to my tummy and says hello to you and kisses my tummy. It’s very sweet. You never kicked hard enough for him to feel though.

You’ve been so active recently, I’m not sure if I’m just feeling you more because you’re getting bigger, or if you’re awake more, but I feel you moving almost all the time now.

Last night I was lying in bed and Daddy was sitting with me and I told him to put his hand on my tummy cause you were moving so vehemently, I was sure he’d be able to feel it.  He kept his hand on for a few moments, but you had settled down again. He was just about to remove his hand when I felt you kick, and his eyes suddenly went wide and he excitedly said “was that the baby!”.  I just started laughing, I was so happy! He kept his hand on my tummy all the way through our prayers, and every time you kicked his voice went all funny and his eyes shot open.  It made me smile, and I was so grateful that he finally got to feel you too.

We are making slow but steady progress on your room, and slowly but surely starting to gather everything we need.  A neighbour lady gave us a big bag full of nappies, so at least you’ll have a clean bum for the first few weeks, and I managed to get some extendable rails for a makeshift cupboard. We still haven’t been able to find the kind of cupboard we’d like for your room, and until we do, we’ll just use the hanging rails. We have some clothes from Ouma (my Daddy’s Mommy) that she knitted, and I thought there was a lot because it took up a whole drawer of mine, but seeing it hanging on the rail, I realise we’re going to need a whole lot more for you! But I’m not worried, we still have time.

Well, I am going to stop writing now, and try to find a paintbrush for some pictures I’m going to paint for your room.  I hope you’ll like them.

Love you so much Button – keep moving, it makes me smile every time.

Mommy

P.S. If you’re a girl, you’ll have some blue things to wear, but I’ll put a ribbon in your hair! If you’re a boy, don’t worry, you don’t have to wear the pink things!