The Number Field

Jenny has taken to fighting back when Sunflower kicks. She presses on her tummy and says that she can feel limbs and other extremities that she can't quite distinguish between. She tried to demonstrate, but until Tuesday night, I didn't understand what she was talking about. After Lamaze class (which I'll have to discuss in a later post), she sent me to the nearby Central Market, a fancy grocery store, looking for a few things. While I was there, I picked up something for her itchy tummy skin: Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter (what a name!). I had thought about saving it for a Christmas present, but decided against that, since she's dry and itchy now.

When I got home, she let me apply the belly butter, and as I rubbed it in, I could feel what seemed to be different objects moving around under her skin. It was so cool, and I finally understood why Jenny sometimes seems to be preoccupied with moving her hand around her stomach, as if she's following something: she is following something! Now we get to talk about whether it's a foot, a knee, a head, or something else that's pushing towards the outside world.