Guess what day it is!!! Time for a 34 week Bump Date!!

The nervous excitement is in full swing for me!  I am just six weeks away (give or take) from meeting my sweet girl, Olivia Reagan.  We have really started working on her room.  Putting up trim, painting will be next, installing a chandelier.  Believe it or not the list is coming to an end.  :)  Oh and I have most all of her newborn backdrops and props in!!!  Yay!

before trim

after - next will be paint! :)

I've been nesting like a little bird.  I feel like I'm on this insane mission to complete as many tasks as I can before she gets here.  It's my prenatal marathon. . .only in slow motion.  An old back injury has been flaring up and has had me down a bit so it takes me allllll day to accomplish these tasks.  But I'm so thankful they are getting done!  My mother-in-law helped me take down all of the Christmas decor and clean up the living room.  Almost every drawer (even my sock drawer) and closet has been reorganized.  Refrigerator is super squeaky clean.  I'm sure I will find something else to empty and reorganize before the end of this blog post.  lol

I went to my 34 week check up on Monday.  Olivia is head down and measuring perfect.  I mentioned to my mid-wife that I was starting to freak out a little bit about my decision for a natural child birth.  I know I have not ever experienced anything like this so I'm getting nervous.  She was like, "If you weren't I would be nervous!"  lol  She keeps encouraging me telling me I will do just fine.

RyAnne's birth was simple.  At my 40 week checkup I was told I was being induced that night.  My water broke the next day at the hospital.  They started my epidural and pitocin.  I pushed 15 minutes and voila!!!  Baby RyAnne was here.  I felt no pain until the epidural was gone.  And then it was super bad pain because of how my epidural was placed.  :(  I have to keep reminding myself that back in the day women didn't have the option of pain free.  They just did it.  I can do this!!!

I have been researching exercises I can do to strengthen up and prepare - Ballerina squats, pelvic tilts and pregnancy yoga. . .but all I really want to do is sleep.  But that's pretty much impossible with a 3.5 year old.  She keeps me busy!  I don't have much work happening this month.  I had a styled wedding shoot on schedule for a new venue and had to cancel due to my back pain.  This about killed me.  I very rarely ever cancel shoots.  :(  I just know at this point in my pregnancy a six to eight hour shoot would have done me in.

Cravings!
Anything sweet and still ice.  My teeth are getting hit really hard.  lol  Chomping on ice and wanting nothing but Oreos.  My dentist would flip out if he knew what I was doing to them!

I found this on Facebook.  I have no idea where it came from so I'm not able to share the credits.  How beautiful this image is!

Happy Saturday Bump Date!!
Love.
H.

What day is it??? Time for a Hump Day Bump Date! :)

If you read my last Bump Date, you know all about my family photo shoot.  Well, at least you know about all the sickness and my worries.  I was pretty nervous about this session because my expectations may have been through the roof.

 

I photograph families, maternity sessions, babies, weddings, engagements and while I am a bit nervous going into photographing I know in my heart that their session will be everything they hoped it would be.  Not that I am really that cocky but I know that because I pray for it. . .for every single client!

But being on the other side of the camera isn't my specialty.  There I am standing in front of someone's camera feeling like I don't have any control, quite exposed and not knowing what I should do with my hands.  lol  So, I needed someone that could handle that!  I found Katey Penton and fell in love with her gorgeous, airy photography.  My family and I met with her in downtown Rutledge for our family/maternity session two Wednesdays ago.

 

Trey had just been diagnosed with an eye infection, RyAnne was recovering from one and I was sick with a cold and cough (again!).  Thankfully my nephew, Taylor, was healthy and all smiles.  :)  How we managed to pull off such a great looking family photo. . .I don't know!  lol But I think we look awesome.

33 weeks pregnant and counting!

Newest craving:  Still ice.  But guess what?  I found ice that trumps Chick-Fil-A ice!!!  Sonic is even better!!!  :)

Decisions!
A few weeks ago we went to our check up.  I met with my Dr. and wanted to talk with her about natural childbirth.  While RyAnne's actual birth went just fine, getting the epidural was pure hell.  I was in pain when receiving it (like I'm pretty sure they hit a nerve and my arm curled up all exorcist style) and was in pain for about a year after it.  Not something I want to do all over again.

After doing a little reading about natural childbirth and the recovery process being quicker, I felt like that was the way I wanted to go this time around.  But I needed more info.  I began asking my Dr. her opinions and advise.  She seemed less than excited that I was wanting to go this direction.  Almost as if, why in the world would you want to have a baby without an epidural?!  This confused me to no end!  I left my appointment feeling like I wasn't being supported, like I was crazy for wanting to birth my baby the way God intended me to.  I cried.  A lot.

My next visit was about a week and a half ago.  This time I met with one of the mid-wives.  She looked at my chart and said excitedly, "Oh! You are having a natural childbirth!"  I was like, "Oh the Dr. wrote that down? And you support that?"  She said, "Of coarse I do!  Why wouldn't I?"  I explained to her that the Dr. she works for didn't seem supportive of my decision at all.  And then I began to cry. . .again!  At that moment I felt so confused.  I knew what I wanted but didn't feel like I had anyone's support.  And how could I go to a hospital with a childbirth plan in place that no one would support?!

My mid-wife, JJ, explained why she loved natural childbirth and told me to watch the movie The Business of Being Born by Ricki Lake.  Trey and I watched it together.  Ladies if you are unsure of how you want your childbirth to go PLEASE watch this movie!!!  It opened our eyes and has allowed me the confidence in my own body's ability to have Olivia naturally.

 

Watching these awesome women birth their babies was very empowering and exciting!  I can't wait for this experience and I really, really can't wait to hold my sweet girl!  Oh jeeze, and now I'm crying. . .again!

Happy tears!
Love.
H.

Guess what day it is? Time for a Bump Date!

ONLY TEN MORE WEEKS!  I am finally at the 30 week mark!

I thought it would be a cute idea to do Bump Dates every other (maybe every) Wednesday until the big day arrives.  Here is 1 of 5-ish.  :)

Recently I revealed our baby girl's name. . .I love it so much!  :)  It took us longer to decide this little girl's name than it did with RyAnne.  And I really hated the feeling of not having a name ready for her. We had several contenders but Olivia Reagan kept standing out to me.  While Trey and I were on vacation I asked him if we could just try it out for a week and see if it was a fit.  It stuck!  :)

Everyone keeps asking me if we have her nursery finished.  Nope!  We haven't even started.  I'm slightly ashamed.  I have so many cute ideas and goodies for her room but not a single photo on the wall, no paint, no trim, no curtains, no props ready for her newborn session. . .If I keep going I might have a panic attack!

Trey overheard my girlfriend and I talking about her 3 week early delivery.  He freaked out!  RyAnne was right on her due date and I think we are both assuming Olivia Reagan will be the same.  However, it's amazing how different this pregnancy is compared to RyAnne.  With that said, I am so done being pregnant!  I can barely roll over in bed.  I grunt when I put my shoes on.  When I get out of bed I feel like my feet are going to explode as they fit the ground.  My pubic bone can't handle much more.  It feels like it's got the weight of the world resting on it.  Walking up stairs, sitting, standing. . .anything it just too much.  And the truth is I just feel huge and I can't breath.  Blah.

AND if I hear another one of the following comments I might get all pregnant girl postal on someone!

rude person, "Wow, you look like you're gonna pop!"
me, "I still have over two months!"

rude person, "You look about the same size as when you delivered RyAnne."
me, "I am and I still have over two months."

rude person, "Are you pregnant?"
me, "YES!"

Makes me a little depressed that folks make these comments.  At a time in my life when I'm not feeling the most confident, why in the world would one think these comments would help or encourage me?

On to cravings!!!  lol  I want ice!  To be more specific I want Chick-Fil-A ice.  Those airy little ice cubes are ah-mazing!  No other strange cravings at this point.

Today we have our maternity/family session with Katey Penton!!!  I'm so excited!  We haven't had family photos in forever!  Which is pretty horrible!  lol  You're photographer doesn't have updated photographs of her OWN family.  Yeah, working on that!  Last time I set up an appointment for our family photographs it rained.  Then I set up another one and it rained.  And then I set up another appointment. . .Yep you guessed it!  It rained again!!!  Photographs never happened last year.

And wouldn't you know, RyAnne is just getting over pink eye and Trey came home yesterday with pink eye and on Monday I got sick with some crazy 24 hour yucky.  But you better believe we will still get dressed up and get in front of Katey's camera today!  I'm so not canceling this year.  So, just pray we can hold it together long enough for some great shots, Trey's eye doesn't look too gross, it doesn't rain, RyAnne is in the best mood, my clothes fit and we get a gorge sunset!  That's all!

Happy Bump Date!
Love.
H.

Happy Halloweenie Birthday Carter!

Check out my little witch!  Isn't she AH-dorable?!?!?!

Today we went to my best friend's son's 6th birthday costume party.

For months RyAnne has been telling me, "Mommy, I wanna be the witch."  She wouldn't let me get a close up of her makeup but she was very excited about having it on.  :)

The cutest and best tasting cheese ball eva!

The bestest host and hostess!

AH!  I just love, love, love this girl to death!

I just love how my eye ball is half rolled back.  Looking legit!

My handsome nephew rocking his airsoft gear.

RyAnne wasn't really feeling pictures today.  But I made her pose with her daddy.  :)

AND the birthday boy, Carter "Batman" Fincher!!!  Bobbing for Krispy Kremes!

I can't stop laughing at this!!!!

Happy 6th Birthday Carter!!!

 

I haven't been to a Halloween Party in years.  This was the very best one!  Miriam and Bobby thank y'all so much for inviting us.  We will never forget it!

My little show stopper.

Last month, we all headed to the doctor's office for my twenty week ultrasound.  Our technician was awesome and gave us several printouts in 3D/4D.  Our little girl (Which, yes, I had her confirm she was still a GIRL! lol) was moving SO much. . .The coffee may have helped!

It was so incredible to see this little angel moving around and just being.  She yawned!  She stuck out her tongue!  And she loves keeping her hands up by her sweet little face.

This pregnancy is very different than with RyAnne.  Being a mommy and a business owner I sometimes forget I'm pregnant.  lol  At the end of the day when I lay down in bed and begin to relax she will start to kick me.  Like, "Hey mommy! Guess what?  I'm here!!!"  :)

After Trey and I decided on her name, I think that's when it really started to hit me that in just a short time (17 weeks!) I will be a mommy to two girls!!!  I can't wait!