Mariah Carey is about to give birth, but before she brings her twins into the world, the pop diva is posing nude for Life & Style. A glowing Mimi bares her pregnant belly on the magazine’s cover.

“I was feeling very vulnerable about taking pictures at all right now, but then I didn’t want to miss this opportunity to document this once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Mariah tells Life & Style. “My ultimate goal was to share this incredibly personal moment with my true fans.”

The boy and girl are not due for another few weeks, but they are eager to meet their parents. “The babies were kicking almost the entire time; it was unbelievable,” she shares. “Especially the girl—clearly she’s a diva in training! We didn’t start shooting until 1:30 a.m. because I was in the hospital from the night before until the day of the shoot with contractions five minutes apart!”

Her doting husband Nick Cannon is singing his wife’s praises. “I thought I couldn’t love Mariah more,” he gushes. “But I have a whole new appreciation and admiration for her.”

The mom-to-be adds, “Now I have so much respect for mothers everywhere, especially those who’ve had difficult pregnancies or given birth to multiples. We need to have Mother’s Day once a week!”