We welcomed Madeleine Jacoba Hope on September 2 at 9:15 AM.

9 lbs 11 oz. 72 hours of labour. Mom and baby are happy and healthy. Daddy says: “God help fathers of daughters.”

We are in love.

No baby yet. I feel like my life is just one big tease. Contractions. No contractions. On. Off. On. Off. This little boy/girl likes my belly too much. It’s warm in there, you know. Quite pleasant, really. 

Here are some recent belly shots to bide the time:

Photos by Avital Kline

So, when do you think our bundle of joy is coming? Will it be a boy or a girl? And how much will s/he weigh? Post your predictions!

Date:
Gender:
Weight: 

Whoever is closest will win a prize! I am going to think of something exciting to mail you in the meantime… (Hint: the due date is August 27, though it changed once to the 19th, after a 20-week ultrasound.)

Let the guessing begin!

It’s not every day that you arrive at a party and are promptly crowned with roses. It’s not every week that you get to see a dozen of your nearest and dearest collected in a single room, smiling back at you. But that’s what happened Sunday.

This was the scene of my ‘blessingway’ — a rite of passage into motherhood, organized by my dear friends Avital and Marisa.

They read from Psalm 139: “You know when I sit down and when I rise up… You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” They each brought beautiful glass beads to make me a necklace and shared blessings for me, many written on lovely paper, cards and postcards I can treasure forever. We shared a meal. And, at the end, they laid hands on my shoulders and prayed for me, Michael and our baby — praying for a peaceful labour, a wonderful transition into motherhood, and that through becoming parents Michael and I would fall in love with each other all over again.

I am truly blessed.

Image from Life in Motion Photography

My dear friend and doula, Avital, sent me a link to the most beautiful birth video I’ve ever seen. It’s a montage of black and white photos chronicling a home birth, and the most convincing ‘literature’ I’ve come across to encourage natural birth.

I encourage you to watch it.  

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Expect the next installment of Expecting: Poetry Monday morning.

I am a female version of Gumby.
My hands like Jello.
Standing, clearing the table
a new ceramic bowl, now,
a thousand pieces
strewn across the floor.

Here are a few recent shots: 

At the salon (looking a little tired)

At home (my tank tops naturally make their way up like that, there’s no keeping them over the bump anymore) 

The tummy dip is rounding out nicely. It just took a bit of patience (something I’m learning a lot about these days — patience tying/trying to reach my shoes, patience remembering things, etc, etc.) Only about 8 weeks to go!

At Jen’s request, I’m sharing another pregnancy poem. Much less funny but just as honest, I hope:

You, my child.

My darling child,
your hands, as webs,
reach out to touch my insides.
“Mommy, I am here.”
You knit my womb and heart
together with strings.
Your smile already my companion.

My angel,
you speak to me through your
rumblings,
coursing blood, water, tears
out from my fingertips.
I imagine your steps,
giant, small
and wonder at your nature.

I crawl, small, into my Father’s hands,
whispering thanks,
gasping for all the Love
in the world there is to give,
because you deserve it
my darling.

I imagine your face wrinkled, calm.
swimming through your
childhood, already begun.
I marvel at your daring heart,
already,
wishing nothing but hope and
promise and life -
lovely things, lovely things
for you.

You wake now, with passion
stirring like earth quakes,
as I pray.
your voice calling out
“amens”.
I can hear you saying your
yeses. saying yes to the world.

“Yes world, I am coming.”
 
i love you.  
- mama

Image: by By-Your

It won’t be long until I’ll no longer be able to hop in a car at 10 pm and speed up the Sea to Sky for a sunny day spent with my nephews. So tonight I will indulge.

It’s a bit of a theme in my life at the moment. I have two more months before I am officially a mama and I’m basking in every moment. It’s not that I’m not looking forward to motherhood - I am, so much! - rather, I’m trying to fully embrace the seasons of life and for now I’ve got a midnight trip in me. 

Have a happy Monday!

The innie remains an innie (so far) although I am encountering depths of my belly button I’ve never seen before, my feet are swollen beyond belief, and I officially stopped wearing my wedding band as of yesterday when my mother-in-law had to wrench the piece of metal over my knuckle with dish soap and a lever made of dental floss. 

On the pregnancy note, I bring you this poem (of sorts) written in month three:

I am eating convulsively, though I find it repulsive.
It’s all I can do to sleep.
My boobs keep growing
and my nipples are SO sensitive
I scream in the shower
cowering in the corner –
hiding my chest away from
the faucet.

Yes. I am pregnant.