still dancin'

Lots of people ask me how long I think I'll be bellydancing for while I'm pregnant. Well, I've seen women bellydance til the end and even into 'overdue' time! My friend Arwyn was doing full beautiful belly rolls when she was a week overdue with her son Tristan!! So I'm going to keep it up as long as I feel I can.
Many people don't know that the origins of bellydancing is a birthing dance. Women in ancient times would gather around a birthing woman and dance the motions of bellydance to promote the baby's movement down the birth canal. Every movement of this dance was created for birth. Amazing! I'm delighted that I've been in birth training for over 7 years already!
Our birthing center has no restrictions on who can be there with you during labor, so I have asked my Luminessah to be there with us when we bring our child into the world. We already feel the deep old connection to all those women who used this dance before us. What a blessing!!
Not only does bellydancing tone up all those birthing muscles, it also relieves back pain that commonly occurs with pregnant women. Our midwife said it was probably the best exercise I would be doing for myself and the baby.

You can keep up with our troupe's happening by going to our new website:
www.luminessah.com

our baby adventure, 14 weeks

The Universe has blessed us, as we begin the greatest journey of our lives.

We are already at 14 weeks! The second trimester came so quickly.
Some highlights:

VISITING WITH GRAMMY LINDA: we had such a special visit...she brought out both mine and her baby books! lots of old pictures and cute new maternity shirts! we visited the birthing center together, and got to watch old family movies from when I was a baby!
BABY DREAMS...I've already had a few great ones: an easy blissful labor where baby came out smiling & laughing, one where I had a marcupial pouch and could peek in and say hello!, and KC had one where he was holding our little one.
KC PUTTING THE CRIB TOGETHER...I got all teary-eyed when I walked in after a long work day and saw the big beautiful crib at the end of our bed. The crib was gifted to us by a regular customer at Sundance whose little girl Lila opted for mom and dad's bed instead.
HEARING THE HEARTBEAT! It was so strong and the midwife found it right away! We could have listened to it forever.
feeling the first flutter of movement! this just happened last monday. I was working and daydreaming (happens often) and suddenly had this clear image of KC and I holding the baby. Just as the image appeared, a fluttering began in my belly.
BIGGER BOOBS...no explanation needed
THROWING UP: because it only happened once and that's it...I feel lucky. funny story...KC no longer cuts up garlic around me.

most-commonly-asked questions:
"how are you feeling?"
"are you going to find out the sex?"
"when are you due?"