preparing for pregnancy photos

It is true what they say - a picture is worth a thousand words. Pregnancy is a special time in a woman's life, and I believe moments like these deserve to be captured. Our bodies do some pretty amazing things during the journey through pregnancy.

With my first pregnancy, I knew right away I wanted to have pregnancy photos taken and I knew I wanted to go with the simple white or black backdrop. With pregnancy number two, it was no question that I wanted to do it all over again but this time around I am not sure what route I would like to take. Do I want to go back into a studio or do I want to try something outdoors? So many options, I know my time will be running out shortly so a decision will have to be made soon. I will let you in on the final verdict once I know! Until then, here are a list of things I found very helpful when planning my pregnancy photo shoot:

Preparing for your photo shoot:

• It depends on your preference, but I believe the best time to capture your baby bump is between 7 and 9 months.
•  Deciding whether I wanted to do semi-nude or nude photos - this was a tough decision as I am not always comfortable with my own body. Did I really want someone else taking pictures of me like that? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I loved the way my body looked pregnant and I wanted to be able to look back and remember that moment. The photographer made me feel at ease the whole time, and now that I look back, I am so glad I did.
• Deciding on a location. Do you want your pictures to be taken in a studio? At your home? Outdoors? etc. This was a tough decision, and in the end, I was glad I went with the studio. But for the second time around, I might decide to change things up a bit.
• Deciding on clothes can be tough, but choosing a few simple outfits is suggested.  I went with a simple black pant or gym style pant with a low-rise waist (try to avoid patterns).  You can never go wrong with a black or white top that shows off your arms and neckline. Have one or two fancy shirts, something that shows your personality.  A dress or a tunic are always great options.
• Bring along a pair of black underwear (thong) if you are thinking about doing any semi-nude photos.
• Pick out a few necklesses, bracelets, or earrings that you would like to accessorize with.
• Bring along a small pair of baby shoes or a doll. Something the baby may use adds a nice touch to a photo.
• Try to wear loose clothing an hour prior to the shoot, so you do not have any lines from your tight clothes.

I hope the above list was helpful. I strongly encourage anyone who is not sure whether or not they would like pregnancy photos done to just go out there and do it - I know you won't be disappointed. Here are a few photos from my first pregnancy shoot. 

Photos courtesy of Spoil photography.

top 5 likes and dislikes of pregnancy

Likes of pregnancy

Little Bean's movement- There is nothing in the world like feeling your little one move inside you. The flutters turn into kicks and kicks that turn into squirms. The feeling you get when your little one kicks you out of nowhere to remind you they are there. I love when my hubby is able to feel the little one move, it feels like it brings everyone in this journey so much closer together.


Extra massages- I have always loved massages, and I am one lucky girl because even when I am not pregnant, the hubby still provides his fair share, but I have to say that when I am preggers, there seems to be a lot of extra massages going on. Plus, don't get me wrong, I definitely play the pregnancy card to get more in this area -I know I only have a limited time to play this card... so I take advantage.

Early months of pregnancy-  This is my favourite time of pregnancy. I love the feeling of finding out that I am going to bring another life into this world and sharing it with the hubby. For both pregnancies, we decided to wait (4 months with the first and 3 months with the second) to tell our friends and family. I love having a secret that only the hubby and I share. It gave us time to celebrate by ourselves, which I know might seem selfish, but I loved those moments.


Not having to suck in my stomach- How many are with me on this one?!?! I love love love going out to eat and not worrying if my flab is hanging over my jeans when I am done. I love not looking in the mirror and wondering if I look fat in that shirt. I love that I don't have to suck in my stomach to fit into a pair of jeans and then end up feeling horrible all day because I have to suck it in. I love that I can wear yoga pants whenever I want and not feel bad about it.


Bringing a new life into this world- There is nothing like the moment you realize that you will be bringing a new life into this world. The hubby and I have been so very blessed that we were able to conceive pretty easily with both of my pregnancies. We realize it is a privilege not shared by everyone. There is nothing like motherhood and there is nothing like knowing that this tiny individual depends solely on you.

Dislikes of pregnancy

Heartburn-  Oh, how it loves me. Both of my pregnancies have consisted of severe heartburn. I had never suffered from heartburn before being pregnant and at first I was not sure what it was. The awful burning sensation in my chest and throat day in and day out can drive a girl to drink - okay, I'm pregnant so let's say drive a girl insane. It was so bad with my first pregnancy that I had to sleep sitting up.

Bathrooms breaks-  Who likes to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes, especially having to crawl out of your nice warm bed in the middle of the night? I always had a thing for public restrooms. If I had to go and I was not at home, I would hold it for hours sometimes until I knew I was in a clean place. Well, let me tell you, that went out the window when I got pregnant. When you have to go, you have to go, and it really doesn't matter where it is and whether it is clean - I know, how gross - but it is so very true.

Leg cramps- During both of my pregnancies, I have suffered with leg cramps in my calf and thighs. At times it is not a shooting pain, but rather a jumpy feeling in my leg. It constantly feels like I should be stretching out my legs. This tends to cause me serious discomfort.

Morning sickness-  Hello toilet, you are my new best friend! I must say that I was rather lucky with my first pregnancy, I never experienced morning sickness. Once in a while, I would feel nauseous in the morning when I would first wake up, but if I ate something right away, I would immediately feel better. I was hoping luck would be on my side again for pregnancy number two, but that was not the case. I suffered from vomiting for 6 long months. It wasn't just in the morning, it was all day long! Let's just say that I never want to be sick again.

Swollen ankles and feet- No one said pregnancy was all sugar plums and lollipops but hey no one ever told me about the oh-so sexy pregnancy cankles I would be sporting. These babies are scary looking and it was not fun saying good bye to all my favourite pairs of shoes.

walking zombie today...watch out!

If you happen to see me out today, make sure you are out of my way. I am a total walking zombie -who knows what might happen! Little Miss L. was not feeling well this weekend. I can totally understand why you would not want to eat, sleep or be happy when a sharp object is ripping through your tender gums. I hate seeing my little girl in pain, nothing seemed to be able to calm her down. It also meant a few sleepless nights. The hubby and I tried to keep things as fun as possible, but outings this weekend were, let's just say, very short. The hubby and I also had a list as long as our arm of things to do around the house.

I can't thank my parents enough for all their help as they have been coming down on weekends to help us out because this preggo does not move too fast anymore. I can't believe our little one will be here in a few short months and we still have the nursery to finish, boxes to unpack...it never ends. I wish I was capable of doing more, but when you have an extra 20 pounds on you, your body doesn't tend to be able to do the things it use to - bending down means a bathroom break every two minutes, and let's not talk about how tired I seem to get! The hubby and my father got started on the outside flower beds, and let me say, they are looking fabulous now (pictures to follow soon). Here is a sneak peak at our weekend... I hope my little one starts to feel better soon because this momma could use some rest.

We were able to hit up the local book fair, Little Miss L. loved picking out some new books to add to her collection.

A quick stop at the park.

To be a kid again and loving every minute of it.

My not so happy baby girl.

Mom and dad, watch me...

I am a big girl now, look at me go through the tunnel!

All done! She was so proud of herself.

The back deck was looking a little sad...

...a little more appealing now that we were able to add some colour with these flowers.

30 weeks

Weekly e-mail update:A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)
How far along?: 30 weeks
How big is baby?:Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage).
Weight gain?: I have not weighed myself this week- let's just say I am still at 16 pounds.
Stretch marks?: Not yet. Lathering up the lotion.
Maternity clothes?: I finally started wearing my maternity jeans but with my normal tops.
Food cravings?: Nuts- almonds, walnuts, cashews!
Sleep?: Lots of tossing and turning happening.
Gender?: BOY
Exercise?: I am proud to say that I am completing my 30 minute walks each day. Let's not forget our kegels!
What's been going on?: This week has been pretty uneventful. The little one is moving about. Kicks have now turned into the feeling like my insides are tearing. I have been having major leg cramps for the past week. No matter what I do, nothing seems to help. I have tried stretching, drinking more water, and exercising. If any of you out there know of a cure, please let me know! Still on the name search - I am hoping in the next couple of weeks it will just come to us... our child can't remain nameless.

30 week belly.

30 week belly with pregnancy #1.

love love love popsicles!

I love love love popsicles and so does Little Miss L. There is nothing better on a hot summer's day then a nice cold treat. With all the different products out there pumped full of the bad stuff, it's hard to find ones I would give to my daughter. I thought, why not make my own? It is cheaper and I know what is going into them. Little Miss L. loves sour things, so I opted to make her lemonade and strawberry popsicles. It only takes five minutes to prepare and you can make whatever your little heart desires.

Ingredients

• A handful of fresh strawberries.
• A carton of lemonade (or freshly squeezed) I like to use the juicer when I have time.

Preparation

• Pulled out my trusty popsicle mold. You can find them at your local grocery store or I was able to find some at our local dollar store. They are reusable, so great for the environment!
• Chopped up the strawberries into small pieces. Add them to the bottom of the popsicle mold.
• Then I poured the lemonade into the mold until it reached the top.

There you have it folks, it can't be much simpler than that! It is a great way to get the little ones to eat their fruit and the sky is the limit when making your own flavour. I also love adding my smoothies into the mold - they are a great snack for the summer. I will post my favourite smoothie recipes next week.

Enjoy this sunny weather, we can't get enough of it!

Oh, this popsicle is so good! Just relaxin' and soaking up the sun.

I could stare at those eyes all day long.

Nothing like watching the clouds roll by and enjoying a  yummy treat.

only 11 weeks to go...

I came to the realization today that there are less than 12 weeks until we will be welcoming a new member into our family. The hubby and I have always talked about having our children close together in age. We both agreed that after watching several families who decided to have their wee ones close together, we just loved the dynamic between the two children. Yes, we know things will never be perfect and chances are they will probably hate each other at some point, but we also know that growing up they will be able to share and experience similar things without a huge age gap. Plus, the way we see it, we are already changing diapers day in and day out - what's adding a few more to mix?!?

With that being said, I have only a few short months left of having an only child. Little Miss L. and the little bean will only be 21 months apart. I often catch myself wondering how Little Miss L. is going to react to a new member to our family. I know our daughter has a very caring and loving personality, but will she feel abandoned? Will she wonder why her mommy and daddy are giving someone else so much attention? Will my baby girl still love her mommy the same way?

Over the past 20 months, I have been blessed to be able to stay at home and take care of my little girl. We are a team, we do everything together. She has taught me things I never even dreamed of. I depend on her just as much as she depends on me. Will that bond be broken? Will I have a broken heart? I know things will never be the same, but I hope she realizes that adding to our family is not discounting her and we do not love her any less but just adding another aspect to our already loving family... a new friend for life.

I cherish every moment I have with this precious girl, but I know in the next few months, moments like these I will keep close to my heart. I have watched my little baby turn into a toddler, develop a strong and independent personality, and now I will watch as she learns to accept a new individual into her life.

I have thought about it often - how I will be able to share my love? Will I have enough to go around? Will it be the same as with Little Miss L.? I don't know if I could love another as much as I love her. But I have heard over and over you will find enough love, there is always enough love to go around...

Little Miss L. always knows how to brighten my day. This, folks, is her happy face :)

pregnant lady on another rant...

This past weekend, I turned from a happy preggo into a grumpy preggo. I had been looking forward to this weekend for several months. It was a weekend to be filled with pampering and relaxation... any girls dream... a manicure, pedicure, and a hair cut. I was in definite need of all of them! It is sometimes hard to find the time to pamper yourself - especially when you are running around after a 20 month old - and at this point, trying to paint my toe nails is next to impossible because of my belly. Last Valentine's Day, the hubby had purchased this preggo a spa package. I was so excited when I knew my girlfriend also received the same package, we decided it would be the perfect girls day to spend together.

Saturday arrived and we jumped into the car to head to our appointment. We chatted on the way there about what we were going to do with our hair and couldn't wait to have our nails painted now that it is sandal weather. We stepped into the salon with big smiles on our faces as the day had finally arrived when we would walk out the salon door all beautified. We were greeted with "Hello. How are you? You got my message? Are you ready for your pedicure?" Oh, back that up, what message? I never received a message from the salon and neither had my friend. The lady proceeded to tell us that she called us to inform us that we would not be able to have our hair done because her employee was unable to come in and she did not have any open spaces available with her other stylists. My heart sunk as I realized after waiting months and months to have a new do', I would be walking out with my lifeless hair that was in dire need of some help. After the initial shock wore off, we still had a manicure and pedicure to enjoy.

The manicure/pedicure was not exactly what I expected, and I have to say that two days later, my nails are chipping already! Grrr, how frustrating?! This preggo is so not happy. Do these people now how much this preggo wanted to walk out of the salon with a new do' and beautiful nails that would last more than a week? After such a disappointing day, the only thing that made this preggo happy was spending time with her girlfriend. Maybe next time around Meg, things will work out!

Asked the manicurist to take our picture, she wasn't sure how to use the camera.  Came out blurry , just added to our experience. I loved spending time with my girl though.

Choices, choices- so many colours to choose from. What is your favourite colour this spring?

My girl showing off her pedicure.