Family Pictures Prep

So long story short, I was not super pleased with Dan and mine's wedding photos.  We used a photographer friend who really is a great photographer, but does mostly commercial photos and high-impact editing.  Unfortuately, I don't think we (really, I) thought through what I envisioned for our wedding photos enough and didn't do a good job of communicating what I wanted to our photographer. Alas, Dan and I only have like, 2 photos of us that I could put in a frame and call "our wedding photo", you know? That's sad to me.  I wish we would have spent the money to hire a wedding-specific photographer who knows what poses to get, who understands the emotion of a wedding and could capture that for us. It was also really cold and rainy the day we got married so I was kinda over standing outside in the freezing rain taking pcitures faster than I normally would.

Anyways.

Since then, I've really wanted to get some photos of Dan and I taken as sort of a supplement to our wedding pics.  With being pregnant, it also seemed appropriate to document this time in our lives with some beautiful, high quality photos.  I'm not super into the whole "maternity photoshoot" that seems really popular with most expecting women these days - I'm just not that person, ok? But I definitely liked the idea of including Dan and calling these our first photos as a little family :)

We'll be taking them outside, at this beautiful farm. No, we are not farm people, but the setting really is quite beautiful and simple, with a pretty green field, lots of surrounding tall trees and the mountains in the background. Here's another family's session at the same location.

Anyway, I've been searching long and hard for outfit ideas for both me and Dan.  NOT EASY.  I've seriously purchased, like, 5 dresses with hopes that one of them works.

I was really excited when I found this dress in particular from ASOS:

 Super pretty, right?!!??

Well, I ordered it.... I ordered it without really taking a closer look at the subsequent pictures.
After I ordered it, I went back to see it again because I was pretty excited about it.  Upon closer review, I realized this dress was in fact missing a sleeve:

The hell?!?! I didn't even realize that when I first looked.  Um, lame.  The one-sided twisted sleeve is lame. Ugh. Could have been perfect. I'm still pretty sad about it.

I found and ordered a couple other options from Pink Blush Maternity:

 These are actually the same dress, but I couldn't pick a color so I got both. I'll return one or both if they don't work, I promise!

I'm also trying this one on at J. Crew this weekend (not in red. I like the teal below). I'll probably have to order it online in a TALL though because I am huge.

I also need to find Dan something to wear! Hopefully, that effort is a lot easier.

28 Weeks

How far along:  28 weeks + 3 days

How big is baby: The size of a a head of cauliflower (don't get that one.  Cauliflowers are, like, round). About 2 and a half pounds.

Weight Gain: I don't weight myself at home so I'm not sure what I'm up to.  I'll know next week at my doctors appointment.

Sleep: Sleeping is slowly and surely getting more uncomfortable. I feel so big trying to turn over and get comfortable at night. AND WTF, my husband has begun this behavior of bed-hogging that I've never experienced before. He about pushes me out of bed every night. He takes up a lot of real estate - it's like he forgets I'm in there too!  Time for a king-size cal-king size, I think.

Craving: I'm still not craving much.  My stomach feels like it doesn't have a lot of room, so I get really full fast and after I eat, it feels like it's all like sitting super high in my chest. That is not a fun feeling. But I have thus far avoided getting heartburn. So far.

Feeling: Still feeling him quite a bit.  Starting to feel more rolling and turning, which is cool.  He definitely goes through times where he is ADD and just all over the place. I'm also feeling my lung space disappear and quickly.  Sometimes it feels like I can't catch my breath, which then makes me feel all panicky.  I don't like that so much.

Random: I'm feeling more nervous about the actual fact that the only way I will not be pregnant again is if this baby comes out.  I don't know but that hit me really hard the other day and SCARED ME.  I'm still hoping to try and go a more natural route with my birth, but honestly, I have no idea what is coming so it's hard to have confidence in my ability to do that.  Our childbirth classes are helpful, but it's almost like the more I learn, the more "oh sh!$" feeling I get.  Hopefully I can feel a little more confident as I progress and gain more knowledge in our class.  It also helps to read or hear about other first time mom's experiences feeling the same way.  I'm not the only one who feels nervous/anxious about becoming a mother and giving birth.  That's helpful in and of itself to know.

I'm also trying to figure out what my work situation will be once he's here. I plan on going back to work, at reduced hours, but I'm not sure how or what that is going to look like yet.  Day cares (good ones, at least) are expensive and have LONG waiting lists (as I am learning, probably a little late). We are visiting our first one this week and will most likely get on their waiting list (currently 6 months to a year long!). I like the idea of still working some after I have the baby, but I also know from witnessing other friends and coworkers experiences, that it is definitely not easy - logistically, physically or emotionally. I guess it's just another one of those things that we will figure out eventually, but right now it's a little stressful to think about!

27 Weeks

Wow, this whole pregnancy thing is starting to fly by.  I felt like the first 3 months went by so slow....probably because we hadn't told anyone so it was just a little secret between Dan and me.  Now that I'm looking unquestionably pregnant, it feels like the weeks are flying by.  I have one more monthly doctors appointment in 2 weeks and then I start going every every week until 36 weeks, then once a week until delivery. WHAT?!?!

27 weeks.  Excuse the tacky bathroom selfie.

Dan and I attended our first birth class the other night. We are taking a Bradley Method class, which focuses on natural, husband-coached childbirth.  I really enjoyed it! We have about 7 other couples in the class with us and our teacher is pretty legit.  We just scratched the surface on class 1, so I'm excited to continue to learn about what to expect. The unknown of labor and birth are what scares me the most - I have NO IDEA what to expect.  But I do know I am interested in trying to avoid a lot of unnecessary interventions, drugs, etc. I mean, I am going to do what's best for my baby and myself, but I don't want to just show up at the hospital and let them put me through some system that really doesn't have a lot of science or evidence-based reasoning.  I am keeping an open mind though and realize things don't always go the way you plan, especially something like labor/birth.  But I'm excited to feel more prepared and knowledgeable. If anything, it helps ease my anxiety and fear!

Welp, here's the update:

How far along:  27 weeks

How big is baby: The size of a cucumber. Little over 2 pounds.

Weight Gain: My last doctors appointment I had gained a total of 14.  Jeez.

Sleep: Sleeping mostly good. I still have to use the bathroom a couple times a night and have started sleeping with pillows in a side position I learned in my birth class. It helps.

Craving: Cravings are still minimal. If anything, I feel my appetite has waned. I think it's because I get so full after eating just a small amount - there's not a lot of room for my stomach to expand I guess. 

Feeling: Feeling this little dude a lot now! He's super active at night, right when I'm trying to rest.  But it's fine. I love being able to feel him and know he's ok in there.  It's fun to get Dan to feel him too. His eyes get real big when he feels him moving around. It's funny.

Random: We decided to stay in our apartment until the baby is born and start looking for a house again after he's here.  It's just too stressful to try and find, buy and move into a new house right now.  I'm ok with it.  We feel it's the best decision, even if I get anxiety about home prices continuing to rise!

I've actually been feeling quite a bit of anxiety lately. A lot of things I think exasperate it - my Dad, my job, buying a house, finding a day care, labor/birth, RAISING A CHILD.  It's all kind of festering in my mind and presenting itself as anxiety. I'm trying my best to breathe deeply in those moments and let go of what I can't control, but sometimes it's hard. 

23 Weeks

I'm a terrible blogger! I feel bad I haven't kept up this pregnancy journal like I wanted.  I'm 27 weeks now, but here's my post from 23 weeks, which I never posted because I still can't figure out an easy and fast way to transfer my iPhone pics to my computer.  Ugh. Technology.

How far along:  23 weeks

How big is baby: The size of a spaghetti squash, about a pound.

Weight Gain: around 10 pounds. I'll know more next doctors' appt!

Sleep: Still sleeping pretty good!

Craving: Haven't been craving anything really lately.  I've made a commitment to myself to limit my sugar intake and try and eat more whole foods.I have some days I am more successful at that than others.

Feeling: Still feeling the baby some days more than others. Hopefully it gets more consistent soon because I can't help but worry when I notice I haven't felt it for a while.

Random:My mom was in town this weekend and it was the first time I'd gone shopping for the baby. It was really fun and seeing all the cute baby boy stuff made me more excited to have a little boy.  We also picked up a bunch of different cute flannel fabric at the fabric store and my mom helped me make some burp cloths.  She did the sewing since I lack her far superior sewing skills. I need to take some pics and post them. they turned out cute!