My tummy progress

6 Months along - 26 weeks

7 Months along - 31 weeks

33 weeks

8 Months along - 36 weeks

Random Art

My art is a medium to release my emotions and experiences. Each piece tells a story and has a memory. I have had a very tough 2 years and these drawings are what helped me stay sain.

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Misery - illustrations

I have this journal that I have had for 2 years, and Im always doodling and drawing in it. A year ago I created this one piece, and from that a whole series of drawings emerged. I want to make it into a book without words... leaving it up to the readers imagination I guess. The end drawings arent done yet, might even take some out and add some others. The photos of the drawings arent very high quality and they havnt been edited or anything... just felt like sharing them.

Late Introduction

I wasn't quite sure how to start this blog, and once I had started I realised I hadn't introduced myself or even really set the stage at all. Hmmm... where to begin? I am a 23 year old South African who moved to America this year March. Usually I would be defined by something else... most probably art... as I have my diploma in Graphic design and would consider myself kinda creative:P But these days I am defined by something totally different... I am a soon to be Mother... being 35.5 weeks pregnant with my first baby.

Its been a HUGE challenge... one I didn't expect to go through in these circumstances at least. I am currently living with my father and step Mom in Texas... we moved 3 months ago from beautiful Baltimore, Maryland! The weather has been incredibly hot... hitting the mid 40s most days and being pregnant in that heat... man oh man, it was bad! We have been in the process of getting a mobile home since we arrived, and were staying in a tent for the past 3 months... how I managed to not break down and sink into a spiralling hole of depression Im not quite sure! All I can say is that I relieved we finally got the house... and let me tell you that its the little things in life you really miss. For example: a flushing toilet, a basin to wash your hands in, hot water to have a bath, air-conditioning... and a proper bed!

So besides all the dramas that came with living in a tent... frogs jumping on me at night, finding a snake under the bed, the unforgiving heat and Tropical Storm Hermine, I also found out that I couldn't stay in the country longer than a year and I couldn't work. With the help of some wonderful ladies I met at the Pregnancy Crisis Center and the Gabriel Project, I have been able to get prenatal care, materials for the baby, and been able to register for the labour and delivery at a wonderful hospital in town. Also my family and friends around the world have sent me parcels and basically supplied me with clothes for the first 3 months of this babies life... I feel so overwhelmed and blessed to have this much support.

I have been waiting my whole life to become a mother, and even though this isn't the ideal situation, every baby is a blessing and a gift from God... and I cannot wait to start my adventures with my little leah. I know I have the experience... and I defiantly have the love and determination to raise her well!

These days I am getting really big and wobbling around the house, feeling rather emobile due to leg cramps and back ache:( But not much longer now and I can take this pregnant suit off and say hello to my old body... who I miss more and more everyday! I am moving back to SA in Feb and really looking forward to seeing everyone again. So, I think that set the stage well... you now know a little more about me and where Ive been... now just to wait and see where we end up:)

This is the tent I lived in for 3 months...

And this is our beautiful house now:)

Decorating the Nursery

While living in a tent for 3 months I didn't have much to do... so planning what her room was going to look like was something i did often. Ive decided to keep her in my room as it'll be easier and wont have to get up as much at night etc.

The theme Ive gone for is butterflies... inspired by my Late Granny Marianna. She passed away last year September and I miss her terribly. For my 21st she gave me a beautiful butterfly necklace and stuck butterflies all over the wrapping paper. And for christmas she gave me a butterfly calender and a card kit. On my card it said " Butterflies? Yes, because they are as gentle and beautiful as you are." So in remembering my Granny and in wanting to raise a beautiful and gentle little girl... what better way to do so then cover her walls with butterflies of all colours!

Having very little money... well, none at all I came up with a free way of doing this. I went to the hardware store and collected about 60 paint swatches. Then designed my butterfly, traced it onto each swatch, cut it out... and there you have it! I had so many swatches left that i decided to add some birds and a huge tree with a rainbow of leaves. I think when you enter the room you get a wonderful light and happy feeling and this is just the kind of atmosphere I wanted to create. I am very happy with the final product:) Yay for some cheap creativity!!!

Finally... my ultrasound

Today I had my very first medical ultrasound! I have been waiting almost 5 months for this day... and finally it arrived thanks to my medical aid finally sorting itself out! I had worked out that I was about 34 weeks pregnant... but according to the size of babies head, I am 35 weeks... which thrills me (one less week to go).

The nurse was very sweet and worked away at trying to find all the body parts of the baby... since this scan is usually done at around 20 weeks, so baby is usually much smaller! I asked her just to double check if the baby was a girl, and it was! At 19 weeks, I had gone to a 3d studio for a gender testing and photo shoot of the baby... its all I could afford, and it was so worth it - just to hear her little heartbeat and have some reassurance that my little baby was in fact alive and well:)

This new ultrasound was AMAZING!!! The nurse showed me her head, and said that all the fluffy white stuff was hair... and a lot of it! Showed me her face, and she was sucking her fingers and opening and closing her mouth. The nurse also commented on what chubby cheeks she has... takes after me I guess! Got to see her hands and feet... she was moving around... kicking me as usual!

So my due date has gone back a week, to Nov 16th, and I am so excited to meet my princess who will be named Leah Ashleigh.