At 26 weeks Dr. Perry told me that my baby was beginning breathing movements. She was also moving when I rubbed my stomach. She responded to touch, it was the closest I ever felt to anyone ever.
At 27 weeks I felt a cramp, thought it was a contraction and laid on the bed with my feet up on the headboard.
When Noah walked in I gave him a dirty look.
"I shouldn't have given you a key." I said jokingly.
"Why are you laying like that?" Noah asked, pulling out a chair at my tiny kitchen table and plopping down.
"I had a cramp, I am hoping gravity makes it be the only cramp today." I closed my eyes and rubbed my eyebrow.
"A contraction? When?" Puck said, clearly getting nervous.
"At 3:30."
"Rachel, it is quarter to 7. I think you are fine." He laughed.
"I know but I am nervous. It is too early to have baby." I rubbed my belly, she kicked my hand.
At 32 weeks I decided what I would name her. It was a name that I knew Finn had loved since we were in high school and I figured that it would be my way to honor him.
"How is baby?" A nurse at my obstetrician's office asked.
"She is doing fantastically." I said, rubbing my belly and smiling at her.
"She picked a name." Noah said from his seat right beside me. "Don't bother asking her though, she won't tell anyone, including me."
"I did the same thing." The nurse smiled. "May I?" she asked. I was not sure what she was asking to do, but I said sure anyway. She rubbed my belly gently, and baby kicked her hand.
"She is a kicker." I whispered.
When we got in to see Dr. Perry he told me that baby was lower than usual in my abdomen and to expect that I will deliver earlier. He pushed my due date up an entire month.
At 36 weeks, well, at 36 weeks I went into labor.