"Dear Chickpea" - A Letter From Mama

Dear Chickpea,

As of today, you've been growing in my belly for 23 weeks.  Aside from your strong heartbeat heard with help from the doppler I bought to alleviate the early worries, for about 18 weeks I had to give into the unknown, only assuming you were growing and thriving just as you should.  For the past several weeks, however, I've felt you move more regularly in my ever-growing stomach.  Your first movements felt like little goldfish flipping or like butterfly wings tickling me from the inside.  As time passed, it felt a bit more powerful - enough that I nicknamed the feeling/movements and could be heard excitedly yelling out to your daddy, "I just felt another bomp!!"  Since then, you've been bomping your way straight to my heart, stronger with each passing day. 

In the past week or two, I've noticed that you will move more when I talk a lot (which happens quite a bit, as you'll eventually learn!).  I can't quite describe the pride I experience every time I talk and feel you immediately wiggle about in response.  This first form of two-sided communication has me daydreaming about how much fun we'll have someday, giggling well past your bedtime and telling each other tall tales. 

Last week, your daddy came home from a busy day and announced that he thought it was time he start talking to you so you'd recognize his voice when you finally arrive. He sat on the couch, head tilted down toward you, and began to tell us both about his day.  It didn't take long before you were bomping like crazy - the most active I'd ever felt you be, as a matter of fact!  I read the next day in my pregnancy book that your ear bones are hardening now, and that the first bones to harden allow you to hear low-frequency sounds even better than higher-pitched sounds at this stage.  This was just another amazing thing I was happy to learn about you.  Because your daddy has a strong, deep voice, you're able to hear him from the outside - this makes me so, so happy, because I have a feeling your daddy has felt a bit left out of the process up until now! 

Tonight as I ate dinner, you bomped up a storm, so much that I felt compelled to lift my shirt to see what was going on.  To my delight and surprise, I could see my stomach move with each kick you made!  This is, by far, the coolest thing I've experienced with you.  Now I can hear, feel, and "see" you, and all of these little messages make you seem even more real to me.  They've allowed me to go from worrying about your well-being (which will never stop, of course) to feeling much more relaxed and confident that in just a short while, you'll be wriggling, grinning and stealing my heart with each and every move and sound you make - only you will be outside of my belly, able to be kissed and cuddled a million times a day.  Thank you for giving me so much to look forward to, Chickpea.

I can't wait to meet you, little one.  We are going to have so much fun bomping around together once you arrive...

I love you,

Mama