My very good friend Sandy is 32 and a half weeks pregnant today. 

She hasn’t been feeling well, so before her visit today, she came back early and sat and chatted with me for a while.  (She was still on her lunch break.)

She was talking about her baby girl (on the inside!) Hanna, and how active she is during the day.  She told me to come over and feel the bump on her belly, and tell her what I thought it was.  A knee?  Maybe her bottom?

Now here’s the thing… I don’t touch pregnant momma’s bellies.  Really, I mean, I scan them all day.  But I never use my hand, especially not “ungloved”, and I don’t think it’s ok to put a hand on a belly just because there is a baby in there.  I don’t want strange or even NOT strange people touching me without permission, so I just don’t do it.

Since she asked me, however, I sat next to her and put my hands both on her belly where she indicated – sort of near the top, but on the left side.  I pressed a little bit, and couldn’t feel anything.  I pressed on the right side, still nothing, and told her, “I’m no good at this, Sandy.  I don’t feel anything.  Not even like there’s a baby in there… it’s just all belly to me.”

Then I pressed down the middle just a little bit with both hands… and woosh.  Kicked!  Hanna kicked me back!  I felt a thrill run down my spine, and all the hairs on my body stood up… it was incredible!  I couldn’t stop laughing.  Sandy was laughing at my reaction, I sat there with my eyes wide open.  The picture in my mind of that little girl giving me a good swift boot was just too perfect, too precious.  It almost brought tears to my eyes.

She’s a lucky lady.  I’m lucky she’s my friend.