THREADS // CACTUS + PAISLIES

This was shot about two weeks ago when I was 29 weeks pregnant.  Right around the time I started feeling very, very... ripe.  It was wild to see how much I blossomed between my 23rd & 27th midwife appointments.  Little Ava just decided to start growing like crazy, also making me grow like crazy.  Within those weeks I could also feel her movements and kicks go from very specific areas of my belly to all over the place!  Rapid changes are happening.  I just keep reminding myself that all this extra weight will turn into beautiful breast milk for my little babe soon.  In just a short 6 weeks I will be in the clear to have a home birth!  6 weeks... that is so so soon!  The way the weeks have just been flying by.  It will be a release once we hit that mark though, just to know we will have that option that we so desire. 

I love this dress from Others Follow!!!  Another piece that will be great throughout my pregnancy and long long after.  I've been a paisley lover for as long as I can remember.  I really love the handkerchief style bottom of this dress.  It makes it flow so pretty when you walk. 

*see bottom of post for all artist tags*

OUTFIT DETAILS: dress - others follow // hat - gypsy warrior // necklace - free to wander // turquoise bar cuff - star native //  cactus cuff - little hobo bird // rings - jennakoo + night gypsy 83

30 WEEK PORTRAIT

I'm still metaphorically crying that I didn't start these weekly portraits from the beginning... but last week I started documenting a weekly belly portrait.  This is my 30 weeks preggo belly!  I love my linea nigra... at this point I love everything about a pregnant belly.  Well see if I still feel that way in a month!  But up to this point, I LOVE my belly.  I'm going to miss it so much when it's gone.  The only part I don't love is the weight of it at night.  Sleeping in all positions is becoming a bit uncomfortable, even with a body pillow.  But it's not terrible yet, just uncomfortable.

Her movement is becoming increasingly strong with each day.  A few days ago I got to see her foot stretch across my belly for the first time.  It was so fascinating.  I wish James had seen it too.  I can feel her all the way from my ribs to my pelvis area, and she tends to hang out on the right side of my belly.  I rarely feel the movement over on the left side. 

These little mini roses are my favorite, and the peachy orange color are my absolute favorite.  I'm hoping they will have them available for my baby shower.  Something about just having a little vase of fresh flowers in my home makes my heart so happy.  I don't get them all that often, but when I do I just delight in them everyday.  And then I always dry them and keep them afterwards to continue loving them. I think I might treat myself to them a bit more often...

A PUP + LANTANAS

A couple of weeks ago on our way home from the post office we decided to keep driving instead of turning on our road to go home.  The day was beautiful, Violet was with us, so we just cruised.  One of our favorite things to do.  Although these days I can only go so far before my bladder explodes, so our drives are cut pretty short.  We rediscovered a little place you can pull over and look out over the country and it was full of lantanas, so we had to take pup pictures in them!!!  Just a beautiful little moment of our day I wanted to document...

SAYING HELLO TO THE THIRD TRIMESTER

It's hard to believe I'm already a couple of weeks into my 3rd trimester.  Time is going by so quickly.  I'm realizing just how soon my little babe will be here in the world with us, and I already want to put the breaks on just a bit.  I have enjoyed being pregnant so so much, with the exception of the irritations that have come along with it, like sciatica, de quervains tendinosis, raw tongue, migraines (although I've almost cured those), and a few (hundred) extra grey hairs.  My body decided to get all the weird ones... Now I'm starting to feel the fatigue (but were also in a retrograde phase that just started), and restless sleep.  But even with all of these things going on, I'm loving the process of pregnancy.  It's been such a surreal, magical experience for me.  After fearing it for years and years it's been such a wonderful thing to feel this way through it.  I think my body must of just known I was finally ready for this.  I hope I will be able to say the same thing about labor...

I have not taken portraits of myself throughout my pregnancy like I would have liked.  But now that I'm realizing how close the end is and that this part will be all over with soon, I really want to try to capture at least one a week.  I think Ava will look back fondly at these.  I think I need to make a physical scrapbook for her of this incubation period.  This was from last week, my 29th week. (I'm 30 weeks today). 

Beautiful handsewn top is from Run With The Tribe, kimono is from F21.