Catching the Sunrise

At 35 weeks of pregnancy, I’ve gotten used to feeling the movements of the little guy growing inside me.

As early as 14 weeks, I felt little flutters and shifts, usually when I was laying on my side. Around 30 weeks, as he’s gotten bigger, his kicks and readjustments in the womb started to wake me from sleep. A few days in a row, around 32 weeks, his movements jerked me awake around 5 AM.

As many moms will say, or have said to me, in a condescending voice,

“Oh, get used to it! You’ll never sleep again!!”

I kind of enjoyed it, actually, after I got past the feeling startled bit. The early glow of the approaching sunrise was creeping in the window, and yes, it was my first introduction to being a mother being woken up by her child.

I am still mesmerized by all of the odd things happening to me and inside of me. I’m growing a human, and he’s going to be part of this world soon, but for now, all he knows is the warm darkness of my uterus. My husband and I can talk to him, touch him through my skin, sing to him, and he can only respond with what I call “touch-backs”. I hold him with one hand while I’m doing other things, and I can feel parts of him nestling into my palm. I don’t love being pregnant, but I love the feeling of a life other than mine sharing every moment with me.

I started a new sketchbook, not necessarily just about being pregnant, or being a mom, but hopefully about the whole experience of my life shifting in a new direction, and being inspired by this new little human. This drawing is the first in that sketchbook, and is drawn from a prenatal yoga pose. One hand is placed over the heart, and the other on the belly, while breathing deeply. Inevitably, my baby kicks and moves around every time I do this pose, and, as much as I try not to, it usually brings on some tears. It is surprisingly emotional.