Kicks

At 17 weeks and 2 days, there's no hiding this belly and no ignoring its resident.  Though I've been feeling small kicks and squirms since around 15 weeks, just in the last 24 hours our baby grew some muscles and those kicks can now be felt by an outside hand.

This morning I woke Blair up to feel some of the strongest kicks yet (he's been waiting patiently), and then Ava had her magical moment after breakfast.  We were reading a book when she got a strong kick in her back and I said, "Ava! Do you know what that was?"  She jumped quickly off my lap and sat next to me on the couch with her eyes wide and smiling.  I told her to put her little hand right where I'd felt the kick and she did.  I was literally praying that God would have that baby kick in the same spot again since Ava's hand is so small and can only cover so much ground at one time.  Not only did he answer that prayer but Ava waited patiently for two or three minutes for that kick to come, whispering, "Come on little guy" as she gently touched my belly.  When the time came she looked at me and her mouth opened wide in excitement.  What a special moment!

I will long cherish that first sibling interaction and know that Ava is going to make an amazing big sister.