Does this Belly Make Me Look Pregnant?

Here we are at 34 weeks. Wow, how weird. It has really flown by. And yet when I think about last June 11th, when I found out I was pregnant, it seems like a lifetime ago. Now that I'm in the home stretch I can already tell I will miss being pregnant. It's a most magical time, you feel vulnerable yet stronger than ever before. People treat you so differently and you feel like you're doing something amazing...which you are! But I'm also incredibly anxious to meet this wonderful new person we have created, who got the hiccups 5 times yesterday.

I've started putting everything together for my hospital bag. Man, there's a lot you need! Or perhaps I'm over packing.

Everyone in England gets these little Christmas trees and puts them in the front window

Paulie cooking up some grub

I can tour the birth center in a few more weeks, they make you wait until you're 37 weeks along. I'm really hoping to give birth there as they have all the cool stuff like the birthing balls, slings, birthing pool and private en suite rooms. Paul and I have finished our antenatal classes, they were great. And the teacher was American so I caught every word. The nursery is coming together with just a few more things to do.


I've read about pregnant women going into "nesting mode" as they near the due date. And it's started happening to me. Basically you get this over whelming urge to clean everything from the gutters to the dogs butt. I found myself outside on my hands and knees scrubbing the bricks on the front walkway. A futile effort as they're covered in leaves and mud. I may as well have been trying to clean the dirt itself. After I had shampooed the carpet, washed the dog and cleaned the bathroom and kitchen from top to bottom (no, seriously) I felt a bit better but I still kept a basin with soapy water and a sponge in the bathtub just in case I found something else that needed my special attention. I'm very excited for tomorrow cause I'm gonna make Paul take the carpet shampooer upstairs so I can do the carpets up there! Oh happy day!


I have a question for all my yummy mummy gurus: are electric breast pumps worth the extra money? In the beginning I plan on expressing a bit so Paul can help me with feeding and then possibly more in six months time if I have to go back to work. Any tips? Seriously I need some advice *cough, cough...Gretchen*