I know you

Nana Rutkowski suggested I write this down so that I don't forget it, and I think it's a good idea.

Before you were born, I was very worried about what would happen after you were here.  I really enjoyed being pregnant with you and I was worried that I would miss being pregnant.  I was in love with the baby in my belly, and I was worried that I would have a hard time realizing that the baby outside my tummy was the same baby that was once inside my tummy.  But I loved you right away in the hospital, and a couple specific experiences these first few days have helped me really remember that you are the same baby that I've loved for the past 9 months too.

The first night we brought you home you had a hard time sleeping in your bassinet, but you would sleep nicely in my arms.  So in the middle of the night I decided to bring you downstairs and sleep on the couch with you so that Daddy could get some sleep.  You and I were both snoozing soundly when I was awakened by a familiar sensation on my belly.  It felt just like when I was still pregnant and you would stretch and push your little feet against my tummy.  But as I woke up more I knew I wasn't pregnant anymore so I was confused.  So I looked down and saw that you had lost one of your socks and your long toes were raking against my tummy.  It felt exactly the same!  It was even in the same area as your feet were when you were inside.  I was so excited.  I thought to myself, "I know you! I would know those poky little toes anywhere.  You are the same baby as the one that was in my tummy! I know you!"

A couple days later I had a similar experience.  The last few months of being pregnant with you, you used to get the hiccups all the time.  At least a couple times a day.  It was always really funny when I could put my hand on my belly and feel the tiny little hiccups coming from inside.  So a few days after you were born I told your Daddy that I thought it was weird that you hadn't had the hiccups yet.  Later that day you got them for the first time outside the womb.  The funny part was. . .I recognized the pattern!  The hiccups were the same pattern as the one you used to have in my tummy.  I had that same "I know you!" feeling all over again.

So I guess it's true!  The baby outside my tummy = the baby inside my tummy.  I'm so very glad!  I have loved you all along!