The Third Trimester

So, baby is getting close and I should be getting excited, right?
I am in the 2nd week of my third trimester and baby is 11 weeks away. In terms of normal every day stuff, 11 weeks seems like ages. In terms of the reality of having a baby here 24/7 it seems like an impossibly short amount of time.
I wake up from dreams of being an inadequate mother and still would rather lounge on the couch than set up a baby room. I get jealous when I run into people doing the things I wish I was doing - like riding a scooter along the water and then going for coffee, or having a glass of wine. I feel nothing but selfish when I allow someone to do something nice for me (like the other day when my MIL took me out shopping and I came home with a multitude of tops and even a pair of shoes).
Hormones are raging and I'm very moody and not toddler friendly. It seems to me that almost 3 year olds should be able to act in the ways they are asked and be lovely creatures at all times. I know, in reality, it's a big ask for an almost 3 year old to sit quietly or play only with their toys and not various household items they may prefer but honestly...
Week 29 is characterized by edema (swelling), moodiness, and the need to nest. I'm there, almost. At least baby is doing well - supposedly 15 inches and 3lbs - and would be 90% viable if she were to come early.

The Pregnant Pin-Up

Some time ago, I posted about my friend Shayna Kerrie of Shayna Kerrie Photography who has done some great pregnancy and newborn photography. As I get bigger, I have days where I hate my body but other days when I marvel at the amazing shape and proportions. I'm about 80% certain I'd like to get some professional photos done while I'm pregnant, but I don't think the style that Shayna favors (and it seems similar to most of the local photography websites I've found featuring a pregnancy gallery).
Instead, I'd like to have a bit of fun with the whole thing. I'm into retro and pin up art and think it would be great to do some photos styled in a 1940's Vargas girl theme. I've found a local photographer who specializes in pin-up photo shoots including hair, make up, and wardrobe called Miss T Pin-ups. Their gallery looks good, but I'm hesitant about the $470 price tag for the package I think would suite me.
I've been mulling this idea over for a while but haven't been able to decide if I thought it would "work" to have a pregnant pin-up girl. Today, I did a bit of searching and came across some great images...

I'm enjoying the lingerie and parasol in this one.

A cool illustrated Pregnant Pin-up.

A very cute classic pin-up pose.

Food, Glorious Food

Hello, my name is Angelle, I'm 6 months pregnant, and I'm addicted to food.

I suppose being obsessed by food is normal for a woman when she is six months pregnant but I am starting to wonder about myself. I've always loved food but am not sure I've ever been so food-centric. I get asked if I have cravings and I answer honestly, "no, no particular cravings." I just crave food, in all it's forms. I spend my time tweeting about what I'm eating, looking up photos of beautiful foods, and researching recipes.

Recently Raspberries featured quite heavily in a dream...


Savory and sweet ethnic foods including Mexican, Indian and Asian have been on the radar.


We went to a craft fair recently, and my favorite purchase was a cupcake...and a cross stitch pattern featuring a CUPCAKE.


Even foods like this cous cous salad get me salivating and thinking about the perfect accompaniments.

My favorite websites at the moment are:
Smitten Kitchen
AllRecipes.com
Jamie Oliver's Official Website
Martha Stewart's Food Section

Products for Preggies that bring on the LoLs

Ages ago (okay a few months ago), I was complaining about belly bands and my pants falling down. No one came to me and told me there were garter belts that would keep my pants up. When I saw them today, I burst out giggling. Would I actually attach suspenders to my bra to help keep my pants up? They seem really funny but at the same time, useful. Hmm... If you're interested, you can find Belly Ups here.


So I suppose I'm at the stage when people are going to start touching my bump. I'm not sure how I feel about that. When I teach classes now, to avoid being bombarded with questions about the bump during breaks, I've begun to add small details about the bump in my introduction (it's a girl, due Oct). The bump is certainly quite big now and there are times when you can't just feel the movement but see this little monster kicking me. These temporary tattoos are a good novelty item if you're into exposing your belly. These tell people where they can touch, what the sex is, or on a bad day tell them to get lost. If you want them, you can get them at Perpetual Kid.