From a little elf playing the drums to a massage chair at the mall

I know I haven't posted alot about how I've been feeling with this pregnancy ... mainly because it is too amazing, overwhelming, and sometimes uncomfortable that I couldn't put it all into words. However, I wanted to document at least a little bit of how things have changed so far.

I remember the first time I felt something that I thought could be Bebe moving around -- it felt like a tiny little elf playing the drums (a drum roll, actually, is what Graham says it's called) in one little spot on the left side of my stomach. This is the birthday card I gave Graham last year ... strangely appropriate now, don't you think?



Then, at a conference in Chicago in November, I was sitting in a panel and felt like someone kicked my jeans ... of course from the inside ... talk about not being able to pay attention to the speaker. The following week, I distinctly remember sitting at the gate at the airport and being sure that what I felt was a real movement. Before I knew it, in my mind I had said, "Yes, I'm paying attention to you." It was the first time I mentally experienced this new little one wanting my attention.

Over the past few weeks, I've been feeling lots of constant new movement. Bebe has moved on from feeling like a tiny little elf to something more akin to a massage chair at the mall. Have you ever put your hand (or back) on a massage chair and felt the ball inside the chair moving up and down? That is exactly how putting my hand on my stomach has felt for the past few weeks. Guess it makes sense since Bebe is now nearly 12 inches tall from head to "rump"! Can't think about it too deeply or it simply becomes too overwhelming.

Thank you to all of you who have already given me and Graham such encouragement over the past few months. It is amazing to see how much Bebe is already loved!

ashley