In about six weeks, the baby who makes this belly magically expand, will come out. I am getting ready, but am also glad to have these weeks to prepare myself, both for the birth and for the time after.

Many questions occupy my mind. Who is this little person? What birth will I be given this time? How will the girls adapt to having a new sibling? How will Mr. Payne and I adapt? I'm not scared, or worried, I'm curious, and enraptured in the mystery of it all. The baby is here, so close to me, yet I don't know who it is. Crazy!

Anyway: It's good to be a third-timer in the sense that you feel pretty confident you'll cope with the transition. At least I do, for now.

But most of all, a feeling of pride, privilege and love fill me more every day.

How lucky I am, to be given the role of someone's mother again!

It is nothing short of amazing.

(Photos: Week 16, 21, 24 and 31 of the pregnancy.)