Friday nights in

This weekend I'll be nine months pregnant. Hard to believe right... and I never thought of this until Ingrid pointed it out... most people only find out they're pregnant (especially when they're not trying to) round three months. Me, I found out from the get go! My body just would not let me live in blissful ignorance - or should I say, this little girl was determined to make her presence felt from the start. Can you imagine I've been pregnant since December last year people!

I went to get my nails done for the shoot tomorrow - it was a dire situation - I even destroyed a new pair of tights I just bought with the jagged edges, courtesy of all the packing, moving and unpacking.

Danica - thanks for the spa voucher - it's about to be used... I might add on a back massage as it's been killing me lately, and the cold hasn't been helping either.

It's Friday, and my hubby always calls to find out what my plans are for international party night. I think I can count on one hand the number of Friday nights out he's missed - in his life! Seriously. Absolutely bloody nothing, I always reply. Nothing and nobody will make me stray from my route home past the video store, into a long bath for a soak and making some home cooking or ordering in... It's been like that for a month and I'm sticking to it. This weekend is going to be filled with 'nesting' activities, interviewing prospective domestics and nannies, unpacking boxes and of course taking photos!

Happy weekend all!

Image http://www.neversaydiet.com/files/woman_couch_250.jpg

Pigeon

It looks like I'm a Pigeon mom. Much like I'm a Johnson's mom. Pigeon wasn't even on my radar if you remember. I was still deciding between NUK and Avent and every time I'd pause by the bottles, I just wasn't excited about buying them. None of them spoke to me and so I kept putting it off.

It's all about branding you see - and how much you identify with a particular brand... it's tough to explain why but I guess it's about use of colour, design, graphics, shape, logos... as you silently digest all of these factors, subconsciously I'd say, you ask yourself, 'what does this brand say about me as a mother?' When I did some Internet research on the brand, I discovered it was Australian. Interesting.

No, I didn't buy the feeding set yet - although I will be doing so as soon as baby starts to eat solids... how sweet is that bowl and spoon set! Instead I had to buy the less glamorous must-haves: breast pump, teats, microwave steriliser, bottles, bottle brush, and thermometer. Took me abut an hour to make up my mind and prioritise what was important and what was not... like what I could buy later and what I needed now. Like one mom said to me on www.pampers.co.za - 'Sana, the shops don't close after you've given birth.'

I laughed at that one. It's not so much that, but rather that I'm sure the last place I'm going to want to be in is a mall in the first month!

Image http://www.pigeonbaby.com.au

Sexy flannels

Everyday it amazes me how the body just learns, painfully, to adapt to this 2.5kg baby it's carrying... I never thought my pelvis could accommodate such a load and when I'm turning over in bed or changing positions, I sometimes forget that I have to go easy and slowly as I hear my bones clicking in places they've never clicked before. I got such a fright the first time it happened (it was rather loud and sent chills down my spine) I thought I had perhaps accidentally dislocated something. But the body remains resilient!

I bought myself a pair of blue flannel pyjama drawstring bottoms and a button up cotton shirt for the hospital... it had to be done! Sexy or not! Comfort comes first

So, if all goes according to plan...

Image http://www.gap.com/Asset_Archive/GPWeb/Assets/Product/603/603646/big/gp603646-00vliv01.jpg

Maternity photographer

I'm starting to get a little apprehensive about my shoot on Saturday. And it's not only because I have to drive to Edenvale - and have no clue how to get there despite everyone saying, 'it's so eeeasy...' Nxa! Will you drive me there then. And then pick me up afterwards?

My apprehension comes from the nudity aspect. My friends and family know me. I don't reveal flesh unnecessarily - and especially not to strangers with cameras... let alone pee in front of my sisters in a shared cubicle. I never understood girls who did that? Peeing is so personal. And somethings should remain private. So stretchmarks, blemishes, lumps, bumps and all I have to be photographed with my protruding belly. It's funny, not even in my best body condition would I be photographed so revealingly...

But my photographer Ursula Tocik www.ursulatocikphotography.co.za whom it took me ages to unearth, thanks to an Andrea Carlyle www.andreacarlylephotography.co.za connection, has made me feel as much at ease as possible on the phone and via e-mail.

It took me a while because I'm not after those cutesy wutsey pics of booties on belly or colour treated efforts. I want something with a more reportage feel... something real (but photoshopped of course hehehehe)... less emphasis on me and more on belly. So I've attached a couple examples of work that captured me -- I hope Andrea and Jules Morgan www.julesmorgan.com don't mind.

The countdown

35 weeks today; 35 days to go...

Image http://www.paternityangel.com/PicsAndPhotos/FoetalDevelop/35week.jpg