i'm 40 weeks and 2 days, so technically past my due date. but i'm still pregnant. 100% fine by me.

as 2011 started to wind down, the one thing that i had to complain about was that while we had all the material stuff we needed to be prepared for the arrival of our baby, i didn't feel like i had mentally had the opportunity to really grasp the fact that i am pregnant, and that everything about our lives is about to change.

i think all the huge changes at work in the past year are to blame for that. the promotion and the new responsibilities of being a manager, working for a new management team with new expectations...all that took a lot out of me, both physically and mentally. it was hard to really think about much else, other than trying to get through each day. fortunately, i knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

my maternity leave started 2 weeks before my technical due date, and it's been glorious. i've enjoyed every moment of it, and in spite of the warnings some people gave me, have not gotten bored of being at home, puttering around, cooking, cleaning, being domesticated and relaxing. i'm doing all the things that i would have liked to have given some attention to over the past 9 months, and i think i'm really, truly starting to make the mental transition to accepting all the changes that have taken place and what is coming next.

i'm still scared. i'm still feeling a little overwhelmed at times. but i'm excited.

and since i didn't do a very good job of documenting the growth of my belly over the past 9 months, i dug up photos from some of the various trips we went on every since finding out we were expecting...because it is crazy how much the belly (and my hair) have changed!

starting in may 2011 - we took a trip to hawaii, just days after finding out we were expecting. here i am, examining some petroglyphs near the hilton waikoloa (no sign of baby):

then in august 2011 - on our roadtrip with ben and april up to san simeon, where we visited hearst's castle (i was just starting to show)):

to september 2011 - babymoon #1 to florida, visiting the everglades (belly is getting rounder!):

to november 2011 - babymoon #2 to oahu, enjoying some sunshine and beautiful beach time:

to week 40, january 18, 2012 - holy cow! look at that thing!

until baby h decides to make his or her appearance, jeff and i are just trying to enjoy as much couple time as we can. he's been a huge support and i feel very fortunate to be able to say that after 11 years of being together, i more confident now than ever that i made the right decision in saying yes to that first date. :)

camilles (5:46pm, 1.20.11)