In our 37th week together, I finished full-time work and spent the first couple of days adjusting to a new routine. The nesting urge was the strongest during this week. Together with B, we painted the deck, balcony and outdoor furniture with oil (I'm now stained with blotches and streaks of said oil on my arms and legs), mowed the lawns, trimmed the edges, repotted our seedlings and scrubbed, cleaned, soaked, washed, dusted, vacuumed and prepared for your arrival.
Week 37 is the busiest week of this pregnancy thus far and in addition to the manic nesting, we continued to exercise daily on the beach with Coco and B (when he wasn't working). All of this effort made for aching bodies and so to relax we ventured to the local pool to unwind.
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The morning of our swim the sun shone bright in a cloudless blue sky. I managed to squeeze into an old bikini before wrapping myself in a cocoon of thick knitwear, soft scarf, jeans, cushioned socks, and boots.
As we pulled into the carpark at the pool, the wind whipped up in a powerful gust, sending dried leaves and a discarded paper coffee cup dancing across the bitumen. The chilly air stung our faces as we hurried to the front desk to pay our entry fees.
On entering the pool area, screams of laughter and the sound of splashing water echoed from the indoor heated pool. Children could be seen running around the wet corners of the pool as the more serious lap swimmers dodged water bombs and lost noodles from the hydrotherapy class. The indoor pool area was packed to the brim with loud noise, colours and whistle blowing.
The outdoor pool offered a more serene experience. Not a single soul, granted it wasn't heated and at a chilly 16 degrees Celsius, presented a rather different challenge- Overcoming the cold water.
The on duty lifeguard thought we were joking or confused and stated that the water was too cold to swim in without a wetsuit. He offered one of those puzzled gazes with one eyebrow arched high when I calmly told him that I would be taking a dip in the outdoor pool. He smiled before walking away, shaking his head.
I'm not going to lie to you, the initial shock of the water took my breath away as I gently lowered myself using the silver ladder. Byron offered to swim with me however, his eyes betrayed his faux-enthusiasm and so I asked if he would mind taking photographs under water by submerging his hands and forearms only. He reluctantly agreed as I spent the next half an hour or so floating about in the cool water, my skin somewhat numb from the low temperature.
After the initial few minutes I no longer felt the cool sting and was able to glide and float in peace, feeling calm and blissfully happy to feel weightless with my now full term baby inside my large, round bump. The downward pressure from gravity on dry land was no longer an issue and it felt wonderful (to any expectant mamas, I strongly recommend swimming as often as you can, particularly during your third trimester).
I even managed to jump into the deep water several times, the hiss of the thousands of tiny bubbles racing to the surface tickled my skin as I pushed off the bottom of the blue pool, eyes slightly open to watch the moving disfigured image of Byron above the surface.
It wasn't long before he suggested I take a warm shower. After some weak protests on my behalf, I agreed and hauled my energised body out of the pool, dripping all the way to the showers, past the smiling lifeguard.
'Bit cool in the wind?' he quizzed me as I tip-toed passed him.
'Just a little bit.'
Dear Pecan,
You're now full term and although you could come at any time, I want you to know that you are welcome to stay warm tucked inside until you're ready. I will miss your gentle nudges but am looking forward to the day you join us in the sunshine.
Love always,
Your Mama
xxx
