The TomKat/Suri Conspiracy Timeline

New rumors surface by the hour -- that Tom and Katie are holding out for a better magazine photo deal, that Scientology is involved in the mystery, that Suri doesn't even exist!

So what has fueled the rumors? TMZ has created a timeline that may explain why Suri is becoming a national obsession.

Take a look at these pictures. On March 25, Katie, who was eight months pregnant at the time, looked ginormous. But then, on April 5, 13 days before she gave birth, Katie seemed to shrink.

And there's more.

We have video of Katie shopping at Barney's in Beverly Hills just days before her delivery. Katie spent hours inside on a wild shopping spree, and there's buzz that one of the items she purchased was a pair of size 26 Chip and Pepper jeans (which translate to a size 2) -- a bit odd for someone who had a long way to go to regain her figure.

And, of course, there was the never-ending public appearances by TomKat. The paparazzi followed them continent by continent, as the couple was bursting with joy over their impending arrival. But everything changed on April 18, with the birth of Suri.

These are the only images we could find of Katie post-pregnancy. And, of course, zilch on Suri.

And, as TMZ first reported, there are items of curiosity on Suri's birth certificate.

So you ask, why the conspiracy theories? As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.