bump: 30 weeks

This week marks 30 weeks of baby growing, 10(ish) weeks to go. Yesterday I had a wonderful midwife appointment. My husband was able to come with me for the first time, and we spent a bit more time asking questions and checking out the bump and the baby. Both seem to be right on track with baby appearing to be head down. I also got good news from my chiropractor later that day - my pelvis is looking better and my legs are the same length, hurrah!

This week I'm hoping to sleep lots, take it easy on my body amidst all the yoga teaching and order myself some maternity jeans. And then I should probably turn my attention back to my to-do list, which I titled 'things I don't want to do but need to anyway.' Oh yes, there's a lot to be done these next 2 months!

bump: 28 weeks

photos by Belinda 

 Being pregnant is so distracting. I'll be having a conversation with someone, or trying to read a book when I start to feel some little wriggles coming from within. Sometimes that's it, as if the baby just needs to readjust and then falls straight back to sleep. Other times the wriggles mean that a full on gymnastics routine is about to start and I can't help but be captivated. I watch my belly as it waves up and down and give the baby little pokes where I feel his/her limbs. I get the husband to feel as well and we try to guess - is it a head, a foot, a bum?

To me, the guessing and the not knowing is the magical part. It's why we haven't found out the baby's gender and why I've declined 2 out of 3 ultrasounds. In my favourite prenatal yoga book, Bountiful Beautiful Blissful, Gurmukh writes:

"The marvel of this experience is that this being who is so close to us cannot be seen. We don't have a window in, or a pouch like a kangaroo. When you can't see and touch, you have the opportunity to connect deeply on another level."

Last weekend I got together with the beautiful Belinda, who blogs at Billy and August, so she could photograph my 28 week bump (which means I'm playing catch up and am now 29 weeks). I love these photos that she captured and we already have plans to do it again. So this it, the last trimester, here we go....

weekending

 

A typically Newtown building.

Photo shoot with Belinda, stay tuned...

The view in Manly. 

Organic blueberries - a major indulgence, given the price tag. 

And here begins the 3rd trimester. Holy crap.

bump: 26 weeks

 

The first 3 months of my pregnancy felt like they just dragged by, but now I can hardly believe I'm already 26 weeks in. Only a couple more weeks and I'll be in my last trimester, and then a few more months and I'll be holding my baby. Crazy.

My husband and I are both starting to get pretty excited. We talk about baby names every day, and speculate on whether the bub's a boy or a girl. The baby's movements are strong and consistent, and I delight in feeling like the 2 of us are playing a game of hide and seek. Less delightful was my slip down some stairs on Friday after I got caught out in a storm. My body's feeling worse for wear, but baby's fine so that's all that matters. And husband took extra special care of me today - drawing me a bath, cleaning the house and making me dinner. It was a good Sunday.

today in Bondi

These 2 shots are for those of you who couldn't see the belly in my last bikini shots. C'mon people, it's huge!

 Today I visited Bondi (an area I hardly ever get to) with my friend and her 2 kids. I brought along my camera so I could get some shots of her with her kids; I love how perfectly they capture Christos' and Ziggy's personalities. Three-year old Ziggy unsure of the big, blue sea and 6 year old Christos diving right in (after I convinced him to join me).

The water felt so good that I could've stayed in all day if given the chance. I don't think there's a better feeling in the world than an ocean swim on a hot summer's day.

After the beach we headed to Gertrude & Alice, the most wonderful cafe/bookshop. We ate and I picked up two books I had been looking for, both used. Speaking of which, what's your favourite used bookshop? Even if you're not in Sydney, I'd love to hear.

bump: 23 weeks

 People, check it out... It's a bump! A real, undeniable baby bump. I think it's safe to say that I have finally "popped." And every day it starts to feel more and more real. Yesterday I received the most beautiful parcel in the mail from one of my best friends. A bag filled with organic newborn baby goodness in the cutest sailboat print. I keep taking out piece by piece, and marvelling at the smallness.

For the most part, I'm still doing well. Though, as I mentioned in yesterday's post, my body is getting sore. Despite everything I've been doing to take care of myself, I've had persistent lower back pain for the last 3 months. I think it's time to accept that this may just be how it goes for the next few months. Nevertheless, I can't complain. Apart from that, I'm healthy and happy and I think baby is too.

And speaking of babies... have you heard about Pia Jane Bijkerk's new project? A new book in the 'Made by Hand' series, all about the beautiful baby gifts she received from around the world when she gave birth to her daughter. She's launched a crowd-funding campaign to get the book self-published, which you can check out here. I can't wait to receive my copy!

bump: halfway

I was hoping to document this pregnancy week by week, but I've come to accept that it's just not going to happen. I think once a fortnight to once every 3 weeks is about as often as I can rope the husband into taking my photo. In any case, we snapped these today and I'm about 20.5 weeks along, closer to 21 weeks now. Very specific, I know!

I'm still in a funny stage of pregnancy where I feel big and people who know me want to pat my tummy, but people who don't know me seemed shocked that there's a baby in there. But oh... there is. Yesterday husband and I sat and watched my belly as the baby jumped around. It looked like s/he was doing aerobics in there and cracked us both up to no end.

I'll be posting about our Christmas and my birthday in the next couple of days, but in the meantime, I hope you're all enjoying these post holiday days x

bump: 18 weeks

Dear baby,

You're 18 weeks old now, and I'm 99% sure that I can feel you move. That, or there's something very strange happening in my stomach... But no, it must be you. Even your dad has felt you. It took a few attempts, and more patience than he has, but yesterday morning while he rested his hand on my tummy and tried to coax you out, you gave him a bump. I can only describe it as simultaneously being the strangest and coolest feeling ever.

Last week we went to the south coast to visit friends. Alicia, who has a pretty good feeling for these kinds of things, thinks you're a boy too. Yesterday my mom sent a list of hilarious boys names including: Pascual, Wolgang (that's right, without the f), Adolfo, and Benito. Don't worry though - I promise we will not name you Adolfo.

I have my second midwife appointment tomorrow, which means I get to hear your little heart beating away. I hope you're doing well in there. Stay cozy and keep on cooking!

love,

your mom, mum, mommy, mummy, mumma (I wonder what you're going to call me, you canadian aussie baby you)

p.s. your dad thinks it's totally weird that I just wrote you a letter, oh well

bump: 16 weeks

 The bump turned 16 weeks old on the weekend, and although you can see it in these photos, most peoples' response when I tell them how far along I am is: "Wow, you can't tell at all!" I'm actually looking forward to the stage where I look pregnant, and not just like I ate too much.

In other pregnancy news, this weekend we booked our doula as well as Calmbirth, a weekend birth preparation workshop. I feel really good about both decisions. There are so many choices to make surrounding pregnancy and birth (choices that many women don't seem to realize they have - though that's a topic for another post!) and it feels great to be ticking things off my list.

Yesterday was hot, and I felt it keenly. Even still, I pried husband away from the cricket to come to a friend's class at a new yoga studio, then cooled off with a dip at Clovelly. We took these shots after, until we, I, was too grumpy and hungry to continue. Ah hormones!

this weekend

This weekend I:

• made scones and enjoyed them with lashings of jam and hot tea
• started reading Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering
• snapped some photos of my 14 week potbelly
• played around some more with my camera. note to self: noon in sydney is not a good time to take photos

what did you get up to?