Family Time » The Best Nest

As I near full term status (36 weeks today!!) I have been thinking a lot about how I have felt during this pregnancy, eight years on from my first.
I have come to the conclusion that pregnancy the first time around is monumentally focused on surviving the birth; the great unknown. Every aspect of being pregnant with Ethan was exciting, new and amazing. I remember saying to Dave that I almost felt like I was the only woman ever to have been pregnant because I felt such wonder in every new stage, kick, hiccup, midwife appointment! In direct contrast, this time around I feel like its all about surviving the pregnancy itself. The birth is out of my control. It will happen in its own time and follow its own path whenever hippo decides he is finally done getting fat(ter).
I don’t have a birth plan {I honestly haven’t given it more than 5 minutes thought!}, I’m working for 3 more weeks – hippo allowing, and I feel like I am literally counting down every second and minute until the end of this pregnancy. That makes me feel bad. I have had an amazingly easy pregnancy, just like with Ethan, I have had to suffer through only minor instances of all of the usual preggo complaints compounded a little by the sheer size of baby #2 and the accompaning bump! But I know what’s ahead in terms of labour, recovery and getting back in shape, I know that no matter how many people say “you’re all bump!” that I will leave the hospital all rolly, round and squishy and I will hate it. That too will pass.

I’m not being totally flippant though! I have successfully;

Prepared and decorated the nursery
Been on a hospital tour (this is our first NZ born baby)
Gathered essentials for my hospital bag which I will pack today
Washed all of Ethan’s old baby clothes – SO glad I saved these for 8 YEARS he had a beautiful bubba wardrobe!
Washed all of the new clothes today
Gathered a couple of things for a Big Brother gift for E when baby comes
Stockpiled nappies {and chocolate}

So, I think you could say we are ready {????} and waiting for baby!

36 weeks

Breakfast in Bed

Mother’s Day was perfection this year. Textbook even {until 1am when I finally conceded that sleeping in our bed was a battle I had lost and it was time to try semi-upright snoozing in the Lazy-Boy. Belly-too-big!). Ugh.
Back to perfect Mother’s Day.
There was brekkie in bed with little man, thoughtful, kind gifts of a pregnancy massage and manicure/pedicure vouchers (!!!) and then three blissful hours of adult time, crafting with one of my oldest friends at a gorgeous product launch for ALAS Sleepwear @ The Department Store in Takapuna – more on that later.
The sun was shining, and though real life returned later in the day and slapped us on the ass a bit it was a glorious Sunday x

PS. I hate that first picture with a passion unlike any other, but there I am people, huge and morning-ified in jumbo sized striped purple flannel PJ’s. You better be feeling good about yourself right now!

Breakfast

I’m writing this on Saturday evening, the night before Mother’s Day, thinking about what it means to me this year, 7 weeks (hopefully less) away from becoming a Mama of two.
I just read Ethan a chapter from his book, snuggled in my bed, Dave is now reading him a second chapter, snuggled in Ethan’s bed. They are giggling at Dave’s brave attempts at rural NZ place names and 1950′s colloquialisms, they are planning Mother’s Day breakfast and sneaking gifts in and out of rooms…..
Mother’s Day is Ethan and Dave. Without Dave, there is no Ethan or baby hippo on the way, and for him I am so grateful.

Mother’s Day is also about listening to Dave and my Mum conduct their morning ritual – weather analysis; double checking of iPhone apps and arguing about who’s is right when cross-referenced with the weather outside…….. They love it, and I love them both for living together so easily. Happy Mother’s Day Mum, thank you for everything xx

Mother's Day

Three dogs. On ~~their~~ the couch. Sometimes I have to remind myself that he who pays the mortgage controls the couch, though I don’t think these three care too much about the household division of power.

At 5pm on a Saturday arvo it’s now totally acceptable to whip up a batch of Date Scones even when no-one else in the house really even enjoys them {aside from E who’s great love of warm baked goods does not discriminate against dates}.

I feel like we are so close now, but still a good half marathon away from meeting our new baby. Physically I know these last 7-10 weeks are going to be rough; baby turned on Sunday so he is now no longer breach {that was an unusual sensation!} but it has given me a wee bit more space under my ribs. Thank god.
I saw my midwife today and the test for gestational diabetes came back negative. We had been concerned about this because of the little hippos size at the 27 week growth scan, I was frightened! My weight gain seems to have slowed a lot, basically it’s just the baby’s weight now though that doesn’t help me fit into clothes any easier! My bump is so huge that it’s almost busting out of the size 18 pajama top I purchased from K-Mart!!!!!! I try not to think about that too much.

General complaints:
- Naked toenails, hate
- Post 3pm exhaustion. I could sleep at this time every day
- Inability to sleep through the night. This has only begun this week, one position is just no longer comfy for a sustained period of time so I toss and turn {slowly and awkwardly lol} all night long
- Sitting at my desk during work hours is getting progressively more uncomfortable, simply because there is SO much gravitational pull on my belly it feels like muscle and skin is literally being ripped off the bone {that pic below is very flattering btw, my arms hide the scale of the baby hippo}
- A wee bit of heartburn each night when I initially lay down, nowhere near as bad as I had it with E

Very much getting excited about:

- Setting up the nursery!!!! It’s hard to get a handle on what else we need as it’s all stockpiled in a corner on and around the changing table
- Maternity leave, can’t wait to focus on my family and {if I’m being honest} this blog!
- Exercise, I can’t wait to walk fast again, and RUN even – that could be a pregnancy delusion but I want to run…. or just move in general without pain
- Wine
- Dressing bubs in Mum’s lovely knitting

The difference between my 1st & 2nd pregnancies

Sunday. Mother’s Day 2013

Happy Mother’s Day to us!

Daily Look | Afternoon Sloth

Daily Look | I crave…..Date Scones

Preggo | 30 Weeks!