Are you ready?!

So I will be 38 weeks tomorrow and the question on everyone's lips is, "Are you ready?"
My answer is, "As ready as I can possibly be without having a clue about what is going to hit me."

What does being ready consist of?

- The room is ready (pics below)
- We have blankets, pillows, slings, nappies, baby wipes etc etc etc - the list is long and we have stuff.
- We have names picked out for a boy and for a girl
- The midwife is on call
- The birthing pool is in our room
- My UIF forms are done
- My last day of work is Friday

So technically I guess I am ready.

But for me the real ready is something different entirely. For me it is about being emotionally connected to this little being inside of me.

- I spend time sending love and comfort to the little one, speaking softly in the bath, rubbing my tummy, telling him / her how excited mommy and daddy are to meet him / her

- My husband and I talk about all the things we want to teach the little one. Not things like throw a ball but that life is a wonder and should be treasured, always to dream big, to be afraid but to be courageous too, to enjoy nature, to have a love for words, books and art, to laugh, to be courteous to all. We could go on and on and we will

- I spend quiet time everyday imagining the birth, talking to baba and asking him/her to work with mommy to make this not so hard for each of us

- I visualise the three of us as a family and let my heart swell with joy and rest my hand on my belly to feel the little one give me a little nudge / kick of acknowledgement

- I write about my fears, my hopes, the wonder of it all so it gets out and doesn't sit in my head swirling around

For me preparing for us to be a family is far more important than the stuff. To us the love in our house is far more valuable than a fancy cot, pram or baby gadget.

So has a final salute to our lives as just two the most awesome of husbands and myself are going for our "last date". I know it won't be our last date but I am pretty sure it is going to be a while before we go on a date again. So tonight, I am putting on a pretty dress, doing my hair and I might risk high heels for a fabulous dinner at a place we have been wanting to go to for a while. Goodbye old life, we eagerly await for the new one to begin!

PICTURES OF NURSERY

A family friend's cot, Andre's old mobile, some books, an old chair, my mom's old table

Home made shelves, hand painted wall stencils

Andre's old cupboard transformed by a lick of paint

A chest homemade by grandpa & painted my myself filled with books & nappies

The overall ensemble :)