Full Term!

This is an exciting week for the Mayo family! My last day at work was Tuesday, and also as of Tuesday I am officially in my "safe dates", meaning I could have the baby any time and he would be considered full term! While there are some things I still want to do, and buy, we are ready and have everything we need. I picked up an extra package of Seventh Generation chlorine-free diapers yesterday- we'll be using those in the beginning along with the cloth diapers I have so far, while we decide which type of cloth we like best and build our collection. By the way, here's a picture of the ones we've gotten- it might seem crazy but I think cloth diapers are pretty cute :)
I am filling my days with books, crafts, baking, walking, relaxing and random pampering things like the amazing prenatal massage I got yesterday and the henna I applied today (in pic). I am trying to get my mind in a good place for birth- relaxed, focused, fearless. I often feel like I have little to say, but lots of thoughts; I'm very mellow and introspective. I've been journaling a lot, and writing/talking to the baby a lot too. I feel every movement now- I have no idea how he'll have any more room in there to grow! I wonder every day if it's the one in which he'll be born, but I am trying not to get impatient, and to really enjoy these last days or weeks before he comes.
Here's my hennaed belly- 37weeks,3days:

35 weeks, and counting...

I am going to be 36 weeks on Tuesday, and I literally feel it getting closer every day. I'm always wondering when it will happen- when will I meet my son? I think he's "dropped" as people call it- or engaged in my pelvis. I don't think it is obvious by looking at the shape of my belly, but I feel a lot of pressure from his head- more pain and backaches. He is getting stronger all the time, and is still very active. Sleep is harder to come by- I guess I am being prepared for new motherhood in that respect. I went to a breastfeeding class this week, which was good and really informative. In a few weeks I'm going to "Naturopathic Care of Your Newborn" by the same teacher, who is a really great naturopathic doctor and also assists my midwife frequently, so there's a chance she could attend my birth with Connie. We are getting ready- there is a list of supplies we need to have for a home birth, and Manny and I will go shopping for those in the next few days. Connie is coming to the house for my visit this week, so she can check everything out and make sure we're ready, etc. From then on I'll have an appointment each week until the baby is born. All of this makes me realize how truly close I am to becoming a mom- it's amazing.
Here's a picture- 35 weeks 5 days:

34 weeks belly picture

Yesterday Manny and I went to the Morikami for their "Oshogatsu" Japanese New Year festival. There was good food and taiko drummers performing, and it's such a beautiful place. Here I am hanging out by the koi fish and turtles:
On the Japanese calender, Seth will be born in the year of the cow, on the Chinese- the year of the ox. If he's born before the 18th of February he'll be an aquarius and after that a pisces, so he's right on the edge. I am not sure how much when you are born determines your personality, but it is interesting to read about.

Spirituality and Pregnancy

Pregnancy, birth, and motherhood are profoundly spiritual. It seems to me such a shame that society makes them primarily medical, material, mundane things. I am guilty of this thinking at times too- especially the material. I have great capacity, I have found, to obsess over things- after all, I do want to give my child the best, and lots of new things are needed when having a baby. But in the grand scheme all the stuff is not as important as acknowledging the spiritual nature of this time, and obsessing over it all can hinder a woman from the potential for growth. I have a few weeks left, and we are mostly prepared in the material sense. While so far I have not neglected the spiritual aspects of carrying this baby, I hope that for the rest of this time and into motherhood I will focus more on the deep connection to my baby and the potential I have to change and grow dramatically as a woman. This is a rite of passage, and can and should be a wonderfully transformative experience.

Six more weeks!

I haven't gotten photos from either of my baby showers yet, but I will post some eventually. I haven't taken a belly picture recently because I figured those from the showers would serve that purpose. I do believe I am still growing though- sometimes I feel pretty weighed down in front, haha. I'll try to take one for this week soon.
It's hard to believe that I'm 34 weeks, and that in three I will be considered full term. That is just amazing to me. I also have three more weeks left at the library- sad, but it will be good to be able to rest whenever I need to. I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping most nights, and of course it affects how I feel during the day.
Now that we have been 'showered' with all kinds of gifts from our amazingly generous friends and families, I feel like we're really almost ready for the baby to come. The crib is set up in our room, his clothes are folded and put away, there are pacifiers and tiny nail clippers and many amazingly soft blankets... I have cleaning to do, and still a lot of reading about birth and babies, and a little more shopping, but I feel like we're in the home stretch.
I'm surprised that I still feel so good. I remember looking ahead at the calender to January a while back and thinking I would be waddling around feeling really uncomfortable and huge by now. While I am sometimes pretty uncomfortable, it is really bearable. I still feel fairly normal and able to do things (as long as my belly doesn't get in the way!) I am thankful that Seth and I are both healthy- and so thankful that I had good information early on about nutrition and health during pregnancy (and that I listened to it). I know it has made a really big difference. My midwife says from her experience women who have a healthy pregnancy diet and exercise regularly even have easier, faster labors, as well as healthier babies. I am hoping this will apply to me (well who wouldn't) and I'm still doing what I can to ensure that it does. While it is more difficult to exercise now, I am trying to stay active all the way through the next several weeks and I feel a lot better when I at least do some yoga or go for a short walk. I am also trying to only put really nourishing whole foods into my body, at least as often as I can. Apparently his brain is developing more now than ever, so I want to give it good fuel. And a fresh, unprocessed diet with as much organic food as possible is best for everyone- you feel so much more alive. I plan to continue this pattern while breastfeeding- it is amazing how much your energy can be depleted by the typical American diet, and the last thing a new mom needs is depleted energy! I won't get on my soapbox about food right now though- I'll just sit here drinking my pregnancy tea and munching sprouted grain bread; yum! :-P

Some goals for 2009

So I'm going crazy and doing multiple posts today... I just wanted to put down a few things I'd like to do this year:

• Create a safe, non-toxic home environment for my new baby to be born into and start his life in. I've already banned so many "common" household poisons and hazards- from cleaning products to shampoos to Raid, but I want to continue in my efforts towards an organic lifestyle for our family.
• Travel. We're tentatively planning two family trips this year- one to Colorado and one to New England.
• Breastfeeding. This is important to me- I want to nurse Seth for about a year, and at least until the end of 2009 (he'll be 10 months old).
• School. Continue working on my master's degree while caring for the new little one.
  
• Finances. Find ways to save and make extra money as we transition to living on one income. Be thrifty and resourceful, and hopeful get some photography jobs to help us out.
• Cloth diapering. This is part of the first goal and the finances one, so sticking with it is a goal in itself.
• Enjoying motherhood and being balanced and competent in my new role- keep our marriage strong and maintian my own sense of self through it all.

I'm sure I have other things I'd like to do, but these are big ones that came to mind. May 2009 be the best year yet, full of happiness and peace.

Time, moving forward

It seems like every year goes by faster than the one before it. When you're little everything seems to take forever- a week is like an eternity. Now I can't believe how quickly it passes (and how easily I could let it slip by in my preoccupied state of mind).
2007 was such a full year for me and Manny. In January, I started talking family I had been in touch with since I was about 3, and then in February I went to visit them in Massachusetts, and saw snow for the first time since I was too young to remember. Also in February I started working for the library, which turned out to be the best job I have had to date and led me to officially decide to go to school for library science. In June we found out I was pregnant. In July, we took a trip to New Hampshire and Massachusetts to see friends and family. In August I started graduate school. September, we celebrated our first year of marriage and Manny started his job as a dispatcher for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. In October I turned 21, and in December, successfully finished my first semester of grad school. What a year!
And 2009 is already looking to be even more exciting, since this is the year our son will be born and we will navigate the path of new parenthood together. We also plan to move out of our one-bedroom townhouse in August. Lots of change is in our immediate future! We're so excited and can't wait to experience everything this year has to offer.

Now that it is January, I can officially say that my baby is due next month. Oh my goodness... :)