Oh Boy, 30 Weeks!!

So, I have reached 30 weeks. I don't know where the time is going, but it is flying by. I can't believe that sometime in the next 8 to 12 weeks we will have a new person added to our family. It's so surreal for me sometimes. I am overjoyed and anxious and a little terrified...I imagine these are all normal feelings for first time parents. I have been raised around children and babies my whole life, so this should be no problem...but when it's YOUR OWN child, it's a little different. Sometimes I wonder if I know what I am going to do with this little person when she gets here. Obviously I will feed her, clothe her, love her, etc. But I've never been a mother before (other then to 3 spoiled cats) so as time is ticking closer and closer to that due date, I am trying to educate myself in the areas I lack confidence.
My husband and I start a couple prenatal classes at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto in October. I feel like they it might be full of obvious information, but hey, if anything, it will boost our confidence, and it will better prepare my husband who has never changed a diaper before.
I continue to read books on childbirth, preferably natural childbirth. I have been reading this blog too, which I find enjoyable.
I have found a midwife from Seven Generations and I have my first appointment coming up. We are going to go ahead with the plan to have a homebirth, but if our minds change and we decide that we're more comfortable in a birthing centre (oh how our society has put fear in us), Sunnybrook has just renovated and opened their new and improved birthing centre. So if you want a virtual tour of the place, click HERE. My midwife would be with me of course and a doctor can step in only if she feels it's necessary, but I am sure since everything has been running smoothly, everything will go just fine. I just have to trust myself, trust my body and of course have a great support system (which I have.)
I have such beautiful light in my new apartment in Toronto, so I had a fun photoshoot. It's important to me to document my pregnancy through photos. Maternity photos are some of my favourites to shoot. Before I was pregnant I thought pregnant ladies were SO cute and it was hard to understand how some people feel unattractive when their pregnant, but as I sit here with a large 3 pound eggplant sized baby in my belly, I completely understand. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable and unattractive, especially as I run out of clothes that fit properly, as all you other beautiful pregnant mama's have probably felt. My veins are more noticeable, I have what looks like cottage cheese growing on my butt and thighs and sometimes I get weird red bumps on my belly. But, when you look at maternity photos, man, pregnancy is a beautiful sexy thing. I have a collection of maternity photos here on my Facebook page, so become a fan and take a look!!
http://www.facebook.com/artist.heatherbays

Manitoba to Ontario to 3rd Trimester.

Yikes, it's been over a month since my last post. What can I say, we were busy. We have packed up and moved out of Winnipeg. We will be moving in to our new apartment in Toronto this Friday, Sept 10th. I am excited about settling in a new place. Change is good. It's refreshing and inspiring. When you stay in the same place too long you become blind, so I am excited to see again!
For now, we are visiting my family in Rosseau. We drove for 2 days to get here, through Ontario around Lake Superior. What a beautiful drive. I would like to do that drive again but with more time so I can photograph the landscape and the wildlife. Since we had 3 cats in the car with us, we wanted to get to out destination ASAP. And having just started my 3rd trimester, I didn't want to spend too many days in a car.
My cousin (who we are staying with) has a friend who does henna work, so in celebration of my 3rd trimester, she did some beautiful henna art work on my belly. I love it. It should stay for about 2-3 weeks.

As of today, I am 28 weeks pregnant. I am still feeling fabulous. Maybe a little tired and some days I need a nap, but I can still touch my toes!! I experience practice contractions multiple times throughout my days which they call Braxton Hicks, but ya know, I just hate that they are called Braxton Hicks so I can't bring myself to call them that, lol. The baby is very active and getting stronger all the time. She sometimes gets hiccups which makes my belly jump rhythmically. The backache can be pretty bad, but my husband massages my back every day...thank goodness!
I am reading a book called 'Birthing From Within' which is great and helps me get more comfortable with the idea of pushing a baby out of my hoo-ha! It brings you back to a primal way of thinking about child birth instead of the medical way we look at it today. As I get deeper in to the book I will write more about it.