So, now that Steve has become such an expert over feeling the baby, we decided that it was time for the families to get their turns. Surprisingly enough, our Flake family got to be the first ones to feel "him" move--just the same week that we had started feeling him, we got to go up to Snowflake for Kari's wedding reception (which, by the way, was gorgeous--she and Alden look so happy!), and while we were there, baby was in a performing mood!
That night, after the reception, it was just Steve and I at home with the four youngest kids (my parents and the older teens were over helping clean up from the reception), and as the kids were all watching a movie, baby started kicking-- "Who wants to feel the baby move?" I asked.
Katie was first--she'd been waiting for this moment since the second we climbed out of the car. (I can't count how many times she asked, "Is he awake now? Can you wake him up?" Two minutes later, "Is the baby awake now?") So it was no surprise when she was the first to put her hand on my tummy.
"Okay, it's kind of hard to feel--but put your hand right here, and you should be able to feel him move." Suddenly, her face lit up. "Did you feel that?"
"That's the baby?" She asked, surprised. "It feels so weird!"
That was about how it went with all of my siblings, and surprisingly enough, the baby seemed to be in a hyper mood that night--apparently he liked the chocolate-dipped strawberries I ate at the reception (they were good), because everyone there (all 10 of them) got their chance to feel him--I did kind of get the impression that a couple of my siblings might have been faking it just to appease me ("Oh, yeah--I felt it! Now I'll get back to watching my movie..."), but everyone else was genuinely excited to feel it.
My mom's and dad's reactions were probably the most fun to watch, though--because Mom knew exactly what she was feeling for (after 9 pregnancies of her own, she should be kind of a pro by now), she felt it right off. "Oh!! That's my grandbaby!!" Her eyes immediately filled with tears. "There he is!" I smiled. "Can you believe it?"
Then it came time for Dad's turn. He put his hand gently on my stomach--he's also quite a pro, but by that time, baby must have been tired, because he wasn't kicking much. "Sorry, Dad, maybe in a couple of minutes..." Dad was okay with it, but I could tell maybe just a little bit disappointed.
A few minutes later, I interrupted the scintillating conversation we were all having, "Wait, Dad!! He's kicking again!! C'mere!!"
Once again, Dad's hand was placed gently on my abdomen, and baby delivered--one swift, strong kick directly in the middle of his palm. "There it is!! That's my grandbaby!" Dad smiled. Honestly, I had no idea that having my family members be able to feel my baby would have this effect on me, but it was pretty amazing for me to see their excitement.
Of course, by this time, I think Steve was feeling a little jealous that everyone else got to feel the baby, so that night, we had some good "tummy time" for Daddy, which I think helped. :)
We weren't able to see our Busch family for another week, which I think may have made Grandma and Grandpa Busch feel a little left out, but we finally got over to their house on Saturday, and I knew that I really wanted them to be able to feel baby--we hadn't even seen them for a couple of weeks (which, when we only live about a 15-minute drive away, is kind of inexcusable), and I wanted baby to meet his Busch grandparents. I was worried, though, because baby typically likes to move around the same time, at night, and we were going to be at their house, watching Conference, during the day, so I kind of tried to eat some high-sugar foods that morning to see if it could get baby a little bit squirmy.
We got there, and there was no action for the first half hour or so--they were all going about thier various activities (Conference hadn't started yet), and then suddenly--"Oh!! The baby's moving!!"
Mom Busch was the first one with her hand on my tummy--it was a little more difficult this time, because I was wearing jeans (instead of a skirt), and so to feel it through the thicker material was a little harder, but Mom Busch is quite the pro, as well, and baby was helpful--"Do you feel that?" I asked anxiously, but could already tell by the look on her face that she had. "That's it!! There it is!" She seemed almost in awe by the fact that she got to feel her grandbaby move.
The next one to feel was David, Steve's youngest brother--I was a little worried that he might feel weird--after all, he is a 17-year-old guy putting his hand on my lower abdomen, but he seemed genuinely excited. It only took him a minute before: "Woah!! Is that it?"
I smiled. "Yeah. Pretty crazy, huh?" He and Steve then enthusiastically began comparing how it felt to something they'd seen on Alien--never seen it, but I know what scene they're talking about. Ugh. Boys.
Then it was Dad Busch's turn. He waited patiently for a few minutes, and it seemed as though baby was done moving for the morning....Same as with Dad Flake, he seemed okay, but I could tell he was a little disappointed, but then a few minutes later--"Oh!! Try again!! They're not very strong, but he's definitely kicking!"
Dad placed his hand on my tummy, and then smiled. "Did you feel it?" I asked, concerned.
"Oh, yeah. Good job." He turned back to his work, not saying much, as before, but smiling much more.
I love being pregnant.
That night, after the reception, it was just Steve and I at home with the four youngest kids (my parents and the older teens were over helping clean up from the reception), and as the kids were all watching a movie, baby started kicking-- "Who wants to feel the baby move?" I asked.
Katie was first--she'd been waiting for this moment since the second we climbed out of the car. (I can't count how many times she asked, "Is he awake now? Can you wake him up?" Two minutes later, "Is the baby awake now?") So it was no surprise when she was the first to put her hand on my tummy.
"Okay, it's kind of hard to feel--but put your hand right here, and you should be able to feel him move." Suddenly, her face lit up. "Did you feel that?"
"That's the baby?" She asked, surprised. "It feels so weird!"
That was about how it went with all of my siblings, and surprisingly enough, the baby seemed to be in a hyper mood that night--apparently he liked the chocolate-dipped strawberries I ate at the reception (they were good), because everyone there (all 10 of them) got their chance to feel him--I did kind of get the impression that a couple of my siblings might have been faking it just to appease me ("Oh, yeah--I felt it! Now I'll get back to watching my movie..."), but everyone else was genuinely excited to feel it.
My mom's and dad's reactions were probably the most fun to watch, though--because Mom knew exactly what she was feeling for (after 9 pregnancies of her own, she should be kind of a pro by now), she felt it right off. "Oh!! That's my grandbaby!!" Her eyes immediately filled with tears. "There he is!" I smiled. "Can you believe it?"
Then it came time for Dad's turn. He put his hand gently on my stomach--he's also quite a pro, but by that time, baby must have been tired, because he wasn't kicking much. "Sorry, Dad, maybe in a couple of minutes..." Dad was okay with it, but I could tell maybe just a little bit disappointed.
A few minutes later, I interrupted the scintillating conversation we were all having, "Wait, Dad!! He's kicking again!! C'mere!!"
Once again, Dad's hand was placed gently on my abdomen, and baby delivered--one swift, strong kick directly in the middle of his palm. "There it is!! That's my grandbaby!" Dad smiled. Honestly, I had no idea that having my family members be able to feel my baby would have this effect on me, but it was pretty amazing for me to see their excitement.
Of course, by this time, I think Steve was feeling a little jealous that everyone else got to feel the baby, so that night, we had some good "tummy time" for Daddy, which I think helped. :)
We weren't able to see our Busch family for another week, which I think may have made Grandma and Grandpa Busch feel a little left out, but we finally got over to their house on Saturday, and I knew that I really wanted them to be able to feel baby--we hadn't even seen them for a couple of weeks (which, when we only live about a 15-minute drive away, is kind of inexcusable), and I wanted baby to meet his Busch grandparents. I was worried, though, because baby typically likes to move around the same time, at night, and we were going to be at their house, watching Conference, during the day, so I kind of tried to eat some high-sugar foods that morning to see if it could get baby a little bit squirmy.
We got there, and there was no action for the first half hour or so--they were all going about thier various activities (Conference hadn't started yet), and then suddenly--"Oh!! The baby's moving!!"
Mom Busch was the first one with her hand on my tummy--it was a little more difficult this time, because I was wearing jeans (instead of a skirt), and so to feel it through the thicker material was a little harder, but Mom Busch is quite the pro, as well, and baby was helpful--"Do you feel that?" I asked anxiously, but could already tell by the look on her face that she had. "That's it!! There it is!" She seemed almost in awe by the fact that she got to feel her grandbaby move.
The next one to feel was David, Steve's youngest brother--I was a little worried that he might feel weird--after all, he is a 17-year-old guy putting his hand on my lower abdomen, but he seemed genuinely excited. It only took him a minute before: "Woah!! Is that it?"
I smiled. "Yeah. Pretty crazy, huh?" He and Steve then enthusiastically began comparing how it felt to something they'd seen on Alien--never seen it, but I know what scene they're talking about. Ugh. Boys.
Then it was Dad Busch's turn. He waited patiently for a few minutes, and it seemed as though baby was done moving for the morning....Same as with Dad Flake, he seemed okay, but I could tell he was a little disappointed, but then a few minutes later--"Oh!! Try again!! They're not very strong, but he's definitely kicking!"
Dad placed his hand on my tummy, and then smiled. "Did you feel it?" I asked, concerned.
"Oh, yeah. Good job." He turned back to his work, not saying much, as before, but smiling much more.
I love being pregnant.
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