Dear Baby,

Your movements from inside my belly can now very easily be seen from the outside.  This is pretty exciting because most of the time when your dad tries to feel you moving and kicking, you dart quickly away and are ever elusive with your positioning.  Now, I catch him just staring at my belly- and he giggles and gasps every time he is able to see one of your kicks.  You have no idea how much you already amaze us, and just your little movements are providing us with endless hours of entertainment.  Sometimes, I feel high kicks that are close to my ribs.  On those days, I can also feel what might be your 10 little fingers tickling down low in my belly.  I can be pretty sure on these days that you are already in the position that will be most conducive to our comfort when I go into labor in 2 months.  BUT, there are other days when you stretch to other positions.  Laying across my belly, stretching your body as far as it will stretch, kicking and fist pumping with all four limbs, all at the same time.

I keep wondering who you will be.  What passions will you have?  What will your personality be like?  I am trying hard not to project our personalities on you; I can feel every day that you are your own person… but it’s hard for me to not think of you as sharing at least a few similar interests with your parents.  I hope you won’t get too annoyed with me later in life when you strike out on your own and I tell you that you’re a part of us.  I’ll try to keep an open mind, ok?

For now, since I am able to communicate with these words, I would like to state for the record how I feel your kicking, rolling, and finger tickling will translate to your personality.  Bear with me a bit and we can laugh when you are older about how very wrong or very right I may be.

For now, you seem to like it when I pat you through my belly.  Maybe it calms you down.  Maybe it reminds you that the two of us are in this together.  When I stop before you are ready for me to be done, you kick and roll to let me know that we haven’t yet finished bonding.  I feel like this is an indication of what’s to come when you’re here, on the outside of me.  I’m appreciating the early training we have now while certainly looking forward to all the fun we’ll get to have later.  I think you might be a little like me, needing to know that someone is always there to love you and pet you.

The quality, consistency, and timing of your motion tells me that you’ve got a persistent character, but that you’re not too forceful.  You don’t move suddenly.  You build up and roll down.  You tickle rather than jerk.  You are a fluid little fish inside me.  Sometimes I poke you and you poke me back, playfully.  Sweetly.  I never feel as if you’re uncomfortable or unhappy.

This is all I know about who you are, for now.  And I realize that it’s all speculation.  I reserve the right to change my opinion of you at any time.  You can reserve the right to tell me that I’m wrong anytime, too.  Just please, be as gentle as you are now.  I already love you too much to fight.

Love always,

Your Mommy