36 WEEK PORTRAIT

I thought I'd pop in real quick for an update.  I did not get a chance to do my 35 week portrait, so this was my 36 week portrait.  My camera battery died on me after a few snaps, so this was the only good one that came out.  There is obviously a HUGE difference in my belly since two weeks ago!  Little babe is really growing.  Although camera angle and the fact that my bosom was completely smooshed by this adorable little top that no longer fits me, makes a big difference on appearance on camera.  I sure do love this ripe belly shot though! 

I will be 37 weeks along tomorrow!  Which means I get my green light to do a home birth.  We will have our first midwife appointment in our home on friday.  Our birthing classes are really picking up in intensity and information and it's been really awesome to experience that with James.  He has gone from being unsure about the whole class experience to actually really liking it.  Last night we ended up chatting with another couple after class for a while and found we had alot in common. 

Last week I did a huge closet sale on my instagram and let go of a ton of stuff.  It felt so nice to get those piles of things sent off to new homes to enjoy.  I also had my blessingway this weekend with a few of my girlfriends and the experience was so beautiful.  I will do a whole post on it soon with tons of photos.  We all forgot to bring a real camera, so thank goodness for smart phones!  It was one of the best days I've ever had though.  Truly beautiful.

James is home for a few days so we are taking advantage of it and getting a few things done around the house, wholesale orders finished up, and stuff like that so we can relax a bit more in the upcoming weeks.  Something I seriously need some more of.  Emotional stress has been a bit high in our house lately, so some good chill time is definitely in store for us before we make this huge transition. 

Time for some coffee and a chat with my Nanna.  xo

33 WEEK PORTRAIT

These might be might favorite maternity portraits so far.  This Boys + Arrows swimsuit & robe are just so feminine and make me feel so pretty with my big ol' belly.  These were last week's 33 week portraits. (I'm 34 weeks today). Gosh it is flying by!!!

We started birthing classes last week and so far it has been a very great and interesting experience.  It practically brought on a full therapy session the whole way home between James and I, and I think that is a really good thing. 

We also had our baby shower this weekend.  It turned out so perfect and beautiful.  Since we had it at our house, I had been preparing for it for weeks, but the two days before the shower I had cleaned so much, and done so much that I worked myself up into a complete frenzy.  Stressed out, crying, uptight, exhausted.  Then the day of I felt so much better.  It was like a huge sigh of relief to know the day had finally arrived.  So many people came despite the nasty rainy weather, and no one seemed to care that we were packed like sardines in the house instead of getting to enjoy the backyard.  It made it feel very intimate, which is what I wanted anyway.  It was basically a bunch of people I love, all in one space together, having conversations, loving on each other, showering us with love, etc.  I honestly hate baby showers, all the games, etc... so I decided to just not do any of that at mine.  Just have people mingle and enjoy each other and that is just what we did.  It was so nice to see some people I hadn't seen in years.  And it warms my heart to know that alot of my parents old friends are still my friends, even long after they are gone. 

After my shower it literally took me two full days to recover.  My body was so sore I could barely walk and I was completely exhausted, mentally, physically, every which way.  And now I am having so much fun washing all the little clothes I have, and going through our sweet shower gifts.  What a blessing!

OUTFIT DETAILS: swimsuit + robe - boys + arrows // bracelet - flourish leather // necklace - roots & feathers (from my personal collection)

SAYING HELLO TO THE THIRD TRIMESTER

It's hard to believe I'm already a couple of weeks into my 3rd trimester.  Time is going by so quickly.  I'm realizing just how soon my little babe will be here in the world with us, and I already want to put the breaks on just a bit.  I have enjoyed being pregnant so so much, with the exception of the irritations that have come along with it, like sciatica, de quervains tendinosis, raw tongue, migraines (although I've almost cured those), and a few (hundred) extra grey hairs.  My body decided to get all the weird ones... Now I'm starting to feel the fatigue (but were also in a retrograde phase that just started), and restless sleep.  But even with all of these things going on, I'm loving the process of pregnancy.  It's been such a surreal, magical experience for me.  After fearing it for years and years it's been such a wonderful thing to feel this way through it.  I think my body must of just known I was finally ready for this.  I hope I will be able to say the same thing about labor...

I have not taken portraits of myself throughout my pregnancy like I would have liked.  But now that I'm realizing how close the end is and that this part will be all over with soon, I really want to try to capture at least one a week.  I think Ava will look back fondly at these.  I think I need to make a physical scrapbook for her of this incubation period.  This was from last week, my 29th week. (I'm 30 weeks today). 

Beautiful handsewn top is from Run With The Tribe, kimono is from F21.