Monday 12 October 2009

Bubbles & the superhero

It first happened just over a week ago.

She had already been feeling movements for a couple of weeks, squirmy, twisting feelings. They have become more and more frequent, and following a pattern.

Last weekend she called me downstairs to announce that she had felt the baby move again, but this time, from the outside. I stood there with my hand pressed to the spot for God only knows how long, only to be left kick-less.

The following night we tried again, ET lay in bed announcing every time she felt something and I’d swiftly grab my pound of flesh.

Still nothing.

I decided that if the mountain wouldn’t kick for Mohammed, then Mohammed would jiggle and poke the mountain, while shouting rude names at it.

It worked.

With my palm flat on ET’s lower belly there came what I can only describe as a bubble rising to the surface. It wasn’t a pointed kick or jab, just a soft rounded mass coming close to the area of skin on skin.

Our first high five.

‘Well, hello kid.’ It does me well to imagine you come when I swear at you.

Throughout last week the movements have continued, and increased. Quiet during the day at work, and lively in the evening when ET gets home. She is not overly impressed with the idea that the kid only seems to get jiggy when it is at home with me wobbling, poking, and roaring at it.

Twenty and a half weeks was quite early to feel a first movement from the outside, but the midwife has explained why.

It seems the placenta is not between baby and belly, but rather behind the baby, leaving the belly dweller‘s movements one less obstacle to be felt through.

How cool is it that my child is wearing its placenta like a cape, not an apron?

With a look that would get it community service and a suspended sentence if it were to try it 20 years from now, kidlet is living out its days as a wee naked uterine superhero.


34 comments:

Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo said...

only YOU could turn that around to your kid being a superhero.

Now we KNOW you ain't the father...

River said...

What a wonderful post. You're feeling your baby moving. Next amazing thing is seeing the ripples as the baby rolls from one side to the other.

Veronica said...

Placenta as cape? From someone who has seen her placenta, I think I feel ill.

Mick said...

That's fantastic! It's a great feeling :-)

Placenta as a cape - priceless

Irrational Dad said...

Tyler (my boy) always responded to my voice. He would kick, flip, punch, and headbutt Sarah's belly anytime I started talking to him. Although it's quite likely he was just pounding on the walls to tell me to keep it down, I still savored every moment of it.

Monty said...

:)

Sarah said...

You're lucky, my ex husband didnt get to feel Monkey move until I was probably 7 months. Every time he would put his hand near my stomach, the baby would totally stop moving. I think the only reason he was able to feel him at 7 months was because the kid had run out of places to hide at that point.

Jane G said...

Mark my words, when your child's first words are expletives, you'll only have yourself to blame!

WeaselMomma said...

You have learned you 1st lesson in parenting! Congrats!
Lesson #1 ~ you must holler and name call to get the kids to do what you want.
Just kidding of course or at least 1/2 kidding =)

Russ said...

That was a game I played with the kids while they were still in the oven. I would poke them; they would poke where I just poked. It was good for minutes of entertainment. The Wife usually called an end to the game.

AnnD said...

YAY! Just wait, it gets better and better and before you know it, it'll be something you can feel every night for an hour or two at at time if you wish! Much love to Lil' Fitz!!!

unmitigated me said...

SuperFitz? MagnaFitz? UltraFitz? They all sound like the name of spandex y-fronts.

Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] said...

I'm with Kelley. I think you need a DNA test.

Though the short legs may have been a giveaway.

Kori said...

Oooh, I like Little Superfitz; GREAT moniker!

Anonymous said...

A Fitz high five! very sweet!

Wait 'til you see knees and elbows sweeping across her flesh.. it's very Sigourney Weaver-Alien-esque! You could elbow-wrestle then.

Chelsea Lietz said...

So exciting! So... was that a he or a she responding to your curses?

We felt my baby from the outside around that time, too.
Now at 23/24 weeks I can SEE my belly move- watch for it!

Congrats.

darcie said...

It just keeps getting better doesn't it!

::HIGH FIVE::

Jo said...

Naked uterine superhero is cute.

Arjan said...

I can only imagine how awesome this must be!

Sadia said...

Lovely! I think the first time my husband felt a kick (to my chagrin, I don't remember which twin it was), I think I was more excited than he was. He finally felt what I felt.

Then there was the time Jessica kicked him in the jaw from inside the womb ...

frogpondsrock said...

Do they have phoneboxes in the Netherlands?

Lisamaree said...

I'm so delighted to hear you are both doing so well. Found out via Nick's blog. xx

Ms. Moon said...

Sing to the wee one. Read stories to him or her. It's never too early.

James (SeattleDad) said...

Super Fitz. Someone has to save the world. Now we have hope...

Martin said...

@Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo - Bite me.

@River - Running away you mean?

@Veronica - Yours, or your kids...;-)

@Mick - Pretty cool!

@Joe @ IrrationalDad - I do wonder if I'm being told to finish the bloody room....

@Monty - Your smileys worry me.

@Sarah - Yeah every one is different, just luck I suppose.

@Jane G - Worse still, they could be Dutch!

@WeaselMomma - I'm guessing there are a few steps before that one.

@Russ - spoilsport

@AnnD - Nice!

@Middle Aged Woman - and maybe they will be!

@Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] - Me? or the baby?

@Kori - poor kid.

@geeksinrome - it's all very alien esque already I think.

@Chelsea Lietz - It was a...heh, no.

@darcie - Yep!

@jothemama - saving the world takes cute.

@Arjan - absolutely, and more!

@Sadia - Cool that you could tell who was who

@frogpondsrock - Yes, but they call them houses.

@Hammie -Thanks a million!

@Ms. Moon - No one needs me singing to them, ever.

@James (SeattleDad) - you should see its plan for unioversal healthcare....

Tara R. said...

When I was 'great with child,' at night I would spoon up against Hubs, snuggling my huge belly in the small of his back so that our spawn could kick HIM in the kidneys all night long. Seemed fair since they had done to same to me during the day.

Enjoy the squirms, they only get bigger from here on out. Soon you'll be able to distinguish a foot from a hand.

Irish Mammy said...

That's cool you got to feel the kidtobe kick! I remember my husband also missed them it was like the baby suddenly went quiet!
Can't wait to hear more. And yes re your comment on my blog (thanks) I am beginning to wonder why I am back in Ireland, maybe will need to emigrate again :-0

Nick McGivney said...

Superhero cape comes first, then the hypnotizing eyes and the high-pitched squeak that can melt grown men. Little while in they break out the explosive devices and the projectile cannon. I'm just sayin. I've got a manual somewhere on pdf. Just holler. And get helmets.

hotmamamia said...

You are too funny and wasn't that just the grandest thing to feel?? More to come!

Deb said...

Feeling a baby move inside my womb is the one and only thing I will miss about not being pregnant again.

Hold on, man. It's about to get really creepy. Alien-like, in fact. It is SO COOL!

Martin said...

@Tara R. - heh, cool.

@Irish Mammy - thats funny, poor fella.

@Nick McGivney - Send it on!

@hotmamamia - Pure class!

@Deb - bring it on :-)

Danielle said...

I love your blog (along with everyone else). I've actually been reading your comments in Matt Logelin's blog for the past year and recently decided to check out your blog. Glad I did, your posts crack me up and your story is very inspiring - gives the rest of us hope!

Martin said...

@Danielle - Thanks! and welcome.
Matt's story is just incredible. I've followed every step for more than a year now.

Thanks ;-)

Dondi Tiples said...

so cool! keep talking/yelling/swearing to it. by the time kidlet comes out, it'll respond more to your voice than to it's mom's.