31 Weeks

Our little girl seems to have had another growth spurt in the last few days! ...it felt by last Thursday's midwife appointment like nothing much at all had changed in four weeks, and suddenly between now and then I look in the mirror to be HUGE! :)

We got some good news at the appointment with our midwife (Sandy): It seems that our little monkey has turned head-down! I am so happy - the closer we can get to all the elements being in place for a natural birth, the better. Her movements are different - Sandy said that it is most likely due to the change of her position as well as the fact that I have loads of amniotic fluid (a good thing) - she's not filling up all the space yet -- we have a LOT of growing to do in the next 9 weeks. The movement thing is a little worrying because although I feel her quite regularly, the feeling is quite different & seems to be less than before. It could be my imagination.

We went on a hospital tour on Wednesday last week & were pretty impressed with the natural birthing rooms. There are four, of which 2 have baths in them... Lets hope its not too much of a busy time in the hospital & we get one of the bath rooms (x-fingers!!).  I'm so tempted by a home water birth, but with the move, it will be so hard to predict how I will feel about the new house... I am concerned about temperature control etc and I also just can't think of having to move venue mid-labour. I keep reminding myself that it will be best to just be in the hospital & really trust that so long as Geoff and Sandy are there - it doesn't really matter where things end up happening.

I've been pretty preoccupied with what its going to be like in the new house... I found some beautiful wall stickers, but now I can't remember if the walls are smoothed or whether they are roughly bagged & painted...... I will have to wait to see. I think we will ask for the cot offered to us by mom & dad - the one I slept in as a baby... Dad has just restored it: its really beautiful - a metal one with brass tops.

Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed that I am so blessed & happy that I need to pinch myself to believe that its all real. All my dreams (most of which I never even knew I had) are coming true & its hard not to get overwhelmed. I really have to guard against worrying that it could all be taken away from me, because that sends my mind into spirals that are hard to get out of. I really have to trust that all will be well & that our little family will just grow in happiness & togetherness.

I am so thankful for all we have been given - I am especially thankful for Geoff: my love. I always hoped, but never imagined that it was possible to share such a deep and meaningful love. He constantly surprises me with his kind heart - it is more pure than can be measured - there are billions of little ways he constantly considers me & shows me the depth of his love. I cannot quantify the love I have for him - he moves me. After almost 7 years, I still adore every little thing about him.

I am so looking forward to meeting our love-child. The culmination of all the wonderful things that have already happened & new chapter of our relationship, our love, our understanding of one another & of this life as a human being.



Baby Center Says:

How your baby's growing:
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds / 1.4kg and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

How your life's changing:
Have you noticed the muscles in your uterus tightening now and then? Many women feel these random contractions — called Braxton Hicks contractions — in the second half of pregnancy. Often lasting about 30 seconds, they're irregular, and at this point, they should be infrequent and painless.

30 Weeks

...and 10 weeks to go!

It's Monday today & we had an amazing weekend! - We spent the night in Stellenbosch on Friday & went out for a lovely dinner... I don't know Stellenbosch very well & the vibe felt as though we'd traveled somewhere really far away for the night - even though its only an hour away!

On Saturday we drove back to Kalk Bay, had  some breakfast & I left Geoff to work while I visited Pete & Elaine... popped into Baby City to buy my breast pump starter pack... spent some time at the shop & then went to visit Colleen for the rest of the afternoon.

We popped in to visit some friends who said they have some clothes to give us -- there are some beautiful things for when our little one is 6+ months old! (I think we're hardly going to need to buy her anything to wear if things go on like this!!) .... I might have mentioned before, bit it really feels so good to know that we're moving & that we're going to have space to put all her little things so soon! ...We did a big studio tidy up in preparation for the move (and in preparation for people coming to view this house for renting it!)... next area to tackle will be the bedroom - I think I will probably need a whole day for that so I'll do it on whatever day Geoff is working this weekend...

Aline sent me a link to Maryanne Littlejohn's site with the birth story of an acquaintance's sister. What a wonderful story! ...and to give birth naturally to twins in such a calm and beautiful way!

I finally felt in the mood to do a bit of meditation time in the sun today. I set up the deck with a cloth on the ottoman & grabbed a big pillow for head support. I loaded my Guided Relaxation For Birth on my computer with the speakers pointing to outside...positioned myself with my back to the lovely warm Winter sun & disappeared into tree imaginings for a while. I've had lots of action in my tummy today - she's been prodding me and wriggling around a lot in the last 2 days: I'm quite relieved as we had a few days of relative quietness.

I spoke with a friend tonight who has a toddler & a baby. She illustrated the difficulties of having a noisy one and one who really needs to not be disturbed when trying to get to sleep! ...she also said that elderly ladies are the irritation of her current existence as they want to touch & make sounds at -- even pick up(!!) -- her baby boy when she's trying to get him to sleep whilst running errands! Why strangers feel they need to take a baby's dummy out is beyond me too....

I've not had pelvic pain in 3 weeks (YAY!!) & I am feeling really happy about that - and enthusiastic about walking & being a bit more active generally... I am getting really tired though & having to turn over in the night wakes me up frequently.


Baby Center says:

Your baby's about 40cm long now, and she weighs almost 1.3 kg (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)


You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you're having trouble sleeping. You might also feel clumsier than normal, which is perfectly understandable. Not only are you heavier, but the concentration of weight in your pregnant belly causes a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, your ligaments are more lax, so your joints are looser, which may also contribute to your balance being a bit off. Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size. Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes can result in a return of those emotional ups and downs. It's normal to worry about what your labor will be like or whether you'll be a good parent. But if you can't shake the blues or feel increasingly irritable or agitated, talk to your doctor or midwife. You may be among the 1 in 10 expectant women who battle depression during pregnancy. Also let your caregiver know if you're frequently nervous or anxious.

29 Weeks

Although I am getting through most of it, I just don't feel like doing my work. I'm in full procrastinatory mode and can find so many things that I'd much rather be doing than what I'm supposed to be doing. A part of it is that I actually only have about 3 projects on the go work-wise...and the projects of growing a baby & getting ready to pack up a house to move in 6 weeks time (yes! we got the house!!) seem much more important...so I've been in limbo between doing what I should be doing & what I also should be doing, and instead I'm blogging to feel as though I've achieved something for the day.

So: 29 weeks! 11 weeks to go & little one is getting stronger & stronger & more active all the time. I LOVE feeling her move! ...and I love feeling Geoff feeling her move!

I'm feeling a lot better at the moment -- My SPD has almost disappeared, although I have been having quite a lot of back pain in the last week or so. Its such a relief not to be in constant pain.

This afternoon we'll be attending Robyn Sheldon's course at Mama Bamba called 'unborn child awareness' which teaches parents to connect with unborn children. I am really looking forward to us doing the course & to gaining new knowledge on connecting which we can implement for the next 11 or so weeks.

Geoff is convinced that she will be arriving on the 28th August! :)
I just hope she doesn't decide to come before the 14th so we can have a few weeks to settle into our new home. (Mom said she knows of people that have picked up / moved moving boxes with their foot & its broken their waters so NOT to do that!!)

I had a chat with one of our new artist book club ladies last night & she told me that she used to be a midwife... she was a midwife for a year and delivered around 30 babies & just loved that chapter of her life... She said that I seem to be carrying perfectly for my body shape etc & that I am really looking great. (It's always good to hear nice things!).


Baby Center Says:


Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. Because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk or another good source of calcium. This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

A Touch of Camembert

The title of this post refers to 'good cheese'.
There are so many little things that crop up that are soppy and sentimental but I can't help feeling drawn to them because of what is happening inside me...
I read the other day: Mother to child: "You know that I love you because you're the only one who's heard my heartbeat from the inside". As much as my better judgment tells me that its silly and cheesy, my tear-ducts think its beautiful & worthy of release of emotion...

Here's one I found on Pinterest today:

28 Week Update

We're finally at 28 weeks & have just entered the 3rd trimester... our squid feels like she's growing really rapidly at this point & she's definitely feeling more active... She's supposed to be over 1kg now. Its really amazing to us that she could be born at this stage & have a really good chance of survival.

In some ways it doesn't really feel real yet... I closed the fridge door the other day & my tummy got in the way.... and then yesterday, whilst looking through a 'junk shop' for a new sugar bowl (lids keep breaking in interesting ways) I realised that I had to now squish through & try not to bump anything over with my handbag (as usual) and now also avoid knocking things over with my tummy. No visits to the Kalk Bay china shop for me for a while!!! (new sugar bowl will have to wait!)


Geoff & I went to Riebeek Kasteel for Sunday night for my birthday. It was so good to get away... although when we got back it was to the stink of dead mouse. We've been hunting for it all day to no avail & have now blocked the area with some plastic to try and seal off the smell. Its disgusting. I'm burning 'sweet orange' essential oil. I think I'm going to go through a lot of that.

I've been sleeping very badly. I've been terribly restless. I hardly got anything done today because of the mouse hunts & tomorrow is going to be another busy busy one. *sigh* ....Hopefully we'll find out about the house & I can get to packing sooner than later...

Baby Centre Says:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

At this point, you'll likely visit your doctor or midwife every two weeks. Then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits.

Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it's relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS.

New Home?

We got the security update for our area the other day & at the bottom was an ad for a house up the road that is coming up for rent at the beginning of August.... I told Geoff about it & we decided to go and have a little look..... and it is a really really great house! It has 3 bedrooms, an en-suite + separate bathroom..... a huge double length garage... PLUS an office space & a lovely double volume living space WITH A FIREPLACE.. and a lovely indigenous garden with the most exquisite Bougainvillea growing on the edge of the stoop railing... and a better view & more privacy than we have right now.

This compared with our 3 level, 1 bedroom house with 1 bathroom (on not the same level as the bedroom) & a trapdoor for garden access....

We will look at it again tomorrow & hopefully the landlady will pick us.... looks like some box packing may be on the agenda in a couple of weeks time.

Crossed fingers!!!!

Baby Shower

I've been fretting a little bit lot about the concept of having a baby shower. It doesn't suit me. Actually, that's not right: it doesn't suit me to organise something like that for myself and so I have been fighting and working through various feelings surrounding how to marry the ideas of
a) celebrating our pending arrival with family and friends in a meaningful way
b) inviting people to an event where they feel obliged to bring gifts
c) having to get over my disaster of a 'bridal shower' that never got organised for me because the person who said she would organise one, just didn't bother...

I have only ever been to a handful of baby showers. The first one I went to was all about how pink and silly absolutely everything kitch could possibly be. Another was my sister in law's which was really well organised (her mom is unstoppable when it comes to event organising)... My sister's, I organised (and proceeded to get really irritated with the handful of girls that were yabbering at the other side of the room while very considered & amazing gifts were being opened)... my friend, Eloise's a few weeks back which was a very nice breakfast (surprisingly because I didn't know anybody except for my friend)... and then, on Saturday, to my complete surprise, I experienced my own baby shower!

It was my birthday on Sunday & my mom has been saying for ages that she wants to take my sister and I out for tea when she comes to Cape Town... The date was set for Saturday.
I got to my sister's house...we got into her car with little Grace (who's first birthday party we were going to be holding at T'Neal's house at 2pm) & drove to Constantia Village where my sister was evidently going to drop off a photo book for a client... We met Dad & Dave who had had breakfast at Melissa's....The plan was that they were going to take Grace home so 'us girls' could have a tea and chat...but as I walked in the door, I saw Diana (my mom's friend who lives in Durbanville) and Marina (my dad's cousin who lives in Somerset West) sitting at a table at the door - I was so confused as to why the 2 of them were having tea in Constantia on my birthday of all days... I looked up and saw my Dad... and then another friend & I finally realised that I was having my first ever surprise party!!! and I was completely surprised!!!

It was perfect. T'Neal and Mom had organised everything... I didn't have to worry about the guest list... what to tell people I still need... where to have the shower... I didn't suspect a thing!

Everybody made me feel so loved and so special... The biggest blessing is that it happened & that I could just sit back and enjoy it with family and friends! Thanks to all who came x x x

..PS: just had to post this picture of my niece, Grace, in mid-discovery of lipstick: