::seven weeks::

Dear Nugget,

You are seven weeks old today.  You're still being pretty good, but your kicking up the dizziness.  I tend to have low blood pressure when prego.  I have been taking my blood pressure at work lately (I use a little tiny preemie cuff on my finger) and you have been keeping it all pretty low.  Which is how your brother used to try to make me faint.  But - I would rather feeling slightly drunk/dizzy then have pressures too high.  You did make me drive somewhere with my head in a bag the other day.  But that is a price worth paying. 

Right now your name is Gwyneth (or Gwenith) Isabelle or Samuel Thomas.  (But that Samuel might change - or we just will not tell Daddy's urologist that you have the same name as him). 

My good friend Emily gave me a Belly Book the other day.  It made me cry.  Of course.  But - that actual celebration of you seems like such an extra big deal to me.  Work has not been a very good environment for baby celebration right now.  (It's a long story, but it comes down to the fact that I just can't be as honestly joyful about you as I feel in my heart.)  Plus you're a third baby - it would be greedy to expect the same celebrations as the others.  But sometimes someone sneaks up on me with their joy about you and it just breaks me down to a big cry baby. 

Love,

Your Mommy

::halloween::

Halloween was crazy this year.  

We were broke as a joke.

So we let the kids dig through our box of costumes and just pick something out.

Max was "baby Jaguar" from Diego.  

Lily decided to kick it up to Sleeping Beauty attacked by monsters.

::not pretty::

It has not really hit me yet that there is an actual bun in my oven.  I have carefully picked flattering pregnancy pictures of myself to post previously but here is some truth -


1.  I never had maternity pictures done with the other two.  My belly is really very pretty when stretched.  It is round and even and no stretch marks - but it is gigantic.  I have a very short torso and I carry like a whale.  


2.  I feel SO pretty when I am super prego.  In my mind I really am stunning.  Then I see a picture of me with no neck and I wonder how I figured that out.  But I just want to skip and jump with joy at the prettiness of me when I am pregnant - not jump high, but still.  How do I get into that state of disillusionment?


3.  Because I am already starting to show.  Which is not funny for a six week prego.  20 weeks = cute.  6 weeks = kind of gross.  But I seriously have done nothing different so far.  I am staying away from Qdoba and trying to be good.  But my belly is already bumping into things.  


ps - I am really excited to feel nugget move.  That makes him real and then we can really get all bonded up.  

WITH OUT FURTHER ado HERE IS ME LOOKING LIKE CRAP!

But seriously happy as a clam

And about 33 weeks pregnant with Lily.

(I look so bad in the 41 week one that I chickened out about posting it)

::starting to learn photoshop::

I have come to an important conclusion.  I am not the only person that that finds the thought of starting to learn photoshop overwhelming and easy to avoid.  But beginning to learn some of the tricks is not as hard as I thought.  Most people don't get it either, so if you go on google and type "photoshop brightening eyes" you will get about 15 different tutorials.  I think my goal is to start small and work my way up.  So - so I have two things I want to learn how to do.  Lighten the bags under eyes (Lily has allergies that can make her eyes have bags) and to place a subtile vingette around the images.  I got the answer to vingettes via this link and I went to Kristen Duke (a photographer that I adore) to figure out how to lighten raccoon eyes.  


Here is my before -

Here is after - 

So the important question - does it look better?  Is it still natural?  I like it.  So I will do my images like this, but what do you think?

::my working dogs::

Feel sorry for the cow.  My dogs think he needs herded.  He doesn't really want herded.  But if a barking freaking out dog is trying to chase you what are you supposed to do?

 While Max and I were outside trying to get some decent pictures of him - the dogs felt it was showoff time. 

Now I get Bruno.  He is half Basset and half Border Collie.  Its in his blood.  

But seriously - does the shitzu/maltese have to get involved?  

  Bad Lizzie!

::family photo shoot - the Black's::

Man do I love my friend Amy.

She is the bravest person I know.

And a fabulous nurse.

I got the chance to do a mini session with her last week.  

Couldn't help shooting some candid's of Ty.  He is just so flipping cute!

::6 weeks::

Dear Nugget,

Everyone is excited to meet you.  Daddy doctor sent me a letter that he can't wait for a picture of you.  I can't wait either!  Are you a little boy or girl?  My early vote is boy.  

Your still being pretty peaceful, but I expect to start barfing my brains out soon.  Lily and Max loved making me barf.  I can't wait for you to meet them.  They such amazing people, I hope you are just like them, but if you could skip the barfing stuff I would appreciate it.  But if you can't I already forgive you.

Is it bad that I am already planning your newborn photoshoot?  I have big ideas!  I hope you are pretty willing.

Love you,

Mommy