Saturday, October 30, 2010

Maternity Pictures- 30 Weeks

I have always loved pregnant bellies... I am one of those people who gawks at pregnant women in the store and everything (but I have NEVER just touched one FYI).  It is really strange now that I feel people staring at me, Jason calls me a piece of meat but I figure hey, I doubt people watched me walk across the room before so have at it!  Maybe I will stop in the middle of the restaurant, lift up my shirt and have Jason sing "Shake that thing" a la the Carl's Junior commercial (see here).  In case you are wondering why I have that idea it is because we regularly do this in our own home and even took a picture of it the other day which you will see in my next maternity pictures post(oh the suspense you must feel).  You aren't shocked I am sure, our poor daughter is going to be so embarrassed of us!
Anyway, back to the point:  I have loved taking maternity photos too, I just find pregnancy beautiful.  But for some reason, when it came to me, I didn't really know if I wanted to take any or not.  At the *gentle* urging of mostly my mother but some others too, I decided I would do it but I wasn't paying anyone too.  So we started with some outdoor shots.  We went up to Apple Hill and my wonderful dad shot these for us... he did a great job!  These were taken at 30 weeks 2 days.


These ones are when we were trying to get in new positions.  Let's just say Jason really isn't very flexible and I am not the most mobile right now.  I love how he makes me laugh!


You can see the rest on my photography website dmartling.zenfolio.com under the D maternity 30 gallery with password: applehill

Friday, October 29, 2010

34 Weeks and the alien video!

A sneak peek from my maternity photos at 33 weeks 2 days



How Far Along: 34 Weeks!  The doctor will no longer stop labor if I went into it on my own! But, she would automatically have to go to the NICU so we still aren't ready to see her precious face!
Size of baby: A Pineapple!  Ouch, good things it isn't time for her to come out now, haha!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I have given up and quit weighing myself
Maternity Clothes: Still the same stuff, I actually acquired quite the wardrobe over the course of the 8 months.  A lot of it is just regular clothes though so I will continue to wear them.   
Gender: So at one of our classes this week with about 15 couples, we were the ONLY ones who were having a girl!  I am really freaked out, this is bad karma!
Movement: She is still moving like crazy, it kind of hurts a lot when she pokes out.  See the videos!
What I miss: Diet Pepsi, still!
Cravings: still none, I mean I always want tasty treats but that is not unique to pregnancy for me!
Symptoms: My back pain has not been bad this week, lets keep our fingers crossed for that to continue!
Best Moment this week: We had 2 classes this week and every time it just makes if feel more real, we can't wait!  Also, having the baby showers these last 2 weeks has been so much fun and we have lots to do now to prepare!
Without further ado I would like to introduce you to, the alien!

Sorry this is split into 2 videos but they are actually in a row.  I FINALLY caught the little bugger with her rolls, pokes, and kicks!




I am so glad I finally caught it.  I enjoy watching and feeling her so much and she is quite the little mover still!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

An Easter Blessing brings a Christmas Miracle…

Sorry, I am a bad blogger already, it has been over a week.  I have been sick for a week now and it is tough to just suffer since I can't really take anything.  I have had to go to work but I really need to stay home so I am happy that tomorrow is finally Friday and look forward to a weekend of rest (although we know I won't actually rest since I get bored). On a happy note though, my back has been feeling a lot better lately so I don't know what I am doing but I hope it stays this way! We took maternity pictures on Sunday but I haven't edited them yet.  I do have the first set of maternity pictures from 30 weeks so hopefully I can post those soon.  We had our second baby shower on Saturday and it was amazing, I can't wait to show you all how CUTE the decorations were and it was so fun to have all our friends there. 

34 weeks tomorrow!  At this point, they would not stop labor if it started (but we don't want her quite yet)

Without further ado... the story of the beginning of all of this...

Dear baby girl,

I had been taking a few pregnancy tests throughout the week with negative results but I knew it could just be too early but on Friday April 2nd, I got it in my head that I was just using the too cheap tests and if I got a more expensive test then it would work.  I convinced your dad and that evening I saw the very faintest of lines but your dad would not believe it so we agreed to wait until morning to try again.  He didn’t want to get his hopes up but I was already in love with you.  On Saturday morning I tried again with the cheap ones and they still didn’t work so we said we would wait until the next morning but that night I just had to use one of the expensive ones again (there were 3 in the pack) to make sure the line was still there and it was.  On Sunday morning, I tried again and still nothing!  I used a good one again and this time the line was definitely darker, I knew it was true!  Dad was not going to believe it so I finally went to the store to get ANOTHER test, this time without the lines so it would either say “pregnant” or not.  I took that test after lunch and sure enough, the most beautiful word in the world showed up.  I called dad upstairs and he said “really!”  I think we counted 9 total tests before Dad belived and I took a few more in the next few days as well.  It was hard though because this was Easter and everyone was coming over but we weren’t ready to tell yet.  I even pretended to drink wine but grammy knew anyway that something was up.
On Friday April 9th, I was 5 weeks pregnant and we couldn’t wait any longer to tell.  We got Penny and Winston big brother and big sister shirts and we called grammy and papa to tell them that we wanted to come over to drink some port and chocolate.  Grammy was sad that I was going to drink because she really thought she was going to get her grandbaby!  When we got there, the dogs were going crazy and they couldn’t read the shirts.  Finally I said “did you read their shirts?” and they both looked down at Winston and grammy froze and said, “are you pregnant?” when I said yes, all she could say was, “really?”  Papa hugged me immediately and grammy just froze there for a while before going to hug your dad.  After the shock wore off, she started talking all about it and they were both so excited.

We waited a little while for Auntie Janae to come home.  Papa was holding Penny at that point and said, “did you read Penny’s shirt?” and when she did she did a whiplash look to me with the most shocked look on her face.  She then stumbled around a little bit until grammy reminded her that she should probably give me a hug, haha.
We sat outside around the firepit talking about you for a long time until finally Aunties Nicole and Jen showed up.  Jen went to the bathroom and Nicole came to the door to come outside.  As soon as she looked down through the door at Winston she started screaming and freaking out, it was SO funny.  She came outside crying to give us a hug and then she said she had to hide because she couldn’t pull herself together to not let Jen know. 
Jen came outside and sat down to play with Tanner and we were all just giggling waiting for her to see the shirt.  Finally Janae said, “did you see Penny’s shirt” and it took her awhile to read it.  She looked at us in shock and said, “no way, No way, NO WAY” and then she stood up and freaked out and gave us a hug.  Her and Nicole were so funny in their reactions. 
You were all we could talk about that night as we planned different things and talked about names.  We love you so much already and you are going to have such wonderful people around in your life.
On Sunday, April 11th, we brought a present over to Grandpa Cliffy’s house to tell him.  He was working outside and we said to come inside because we had something for him.  He picked it up and said, oh, is this a picture of an Audi because we had just gotten a new car.  He opened it up and it was a Grandpa picture frame that said “picture to arrive December 2010.”  He said, “oh, well this is better” and gave us a high five and then hugs.  He was very happy and also in shock because he wasn’t expecting that at all. 
We had to wait a little longer to tell Nana because we ordered her a “I’m going to be a grandma t-shirt” that we could mail her.  We were so anxious to send it to her and even overnighted it to her so she could get it on Saturday and call us.  You will learn your Nana loves to shop and sure enough she missed the mailman and didn’t get the package.  It was unbearable to wait until Monday and she was very suspicious because we told her she had to wait to open it until we called.  She was so excited for us and wore her shirt to work to let everyone know!
It was hard to keep you a secret and we didn't last very long.  We were just so happy to tell everyone how we were going to be a family!  Hopefully in around 6 weeks we will be holding you in our arms and shouting great news to the world again!

Love,

Mom

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Baby Shower #1

I had my first baby shower on Saturday.  This shower was a women's only shower for family and this weekend I am having a couples shower with friends.  I think I will be having a very small shower with my coworkers too, I feel so spoiled!

It was so much fun.  First, the decorations were so adorable!  Everything was pink and brown polka dot themed.



The cake was SO cute.  My friend Candice made it and she made brownies also that were to die for (chocolate and PB are my love language!)


So many wonderful people came, here are just a few pictures:







We played some fun shower games.  I am one of those looney people that just loves the games at baby shower and bridal showers.  We played a "who knows mommy and daddy best" quiz and found out that people don't know us very well!  Then we played baby outburst with teams.  During the gifts, everyone was able to fill out their own BINGO card with the gifts they thought I would get.  



Everyone was so generous and Jason and I feel so grateful for all the wonderful gifts we received.  My favorite part was that it was requested that instead of a card, everyone buy a special children's book and write their message in the book.  Reading and education are really important to me and it is so special that our baby girl has a set up books now that were given with such love and she can read the inscriptions later.  I was weepy on Sunday reading what wonderful things everyone wrote.

By the way, everyone at the shower who said I hadn't gained any weight in my face is a total liar!  I mean, don't get me wrong, you are wonderful and I appreciate you lying but seriously, notice in this next set up pictures all of the books and gifts that my CHINS and I received!



I spent Sunday playing around in the nursery and putting things away.  It is overwhelming all the stuff we have now and I don't even know how to organize everything.  I guess I won't really know until we start using it and I will want to change where I put everything. I cleaned some things I got used and I washed some clothes, it was so fun folding the little outfits (I am sure it will get old!).

I had so much fun seeing everyone and thank you again to everyone that made it possible or who attended!  I am so excited to see more people who support us this Saturday!

Thank you Mom who did such a great job with this shower, you are the best mom and are going to be the best Grammy ever!


Saturday, October 16, 2010

32 Weeks!

I am a day late but yesterday (Friday the 15th) I hit 32 weeks.  Here is a little pregnancy poll I found on another blog to give some information.

How Far Along: 32 Weeks!  The doctor said at my appointment this week, “this is when us doctors breathe a sigh of relief, you can have the baby now.”  Jason and I both thought that was a really strange comment!  She needs to bake a little longer!
Size of baby: A honeydew melon!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: since you would never ask a non pregnant woman how much she gained, I am not sure why this question seems so appropriate for people to think they can ask.
Maternity Clothes: Starting to grow out of some shirts! 
Gender: Please let those 2 ultrasounds be right… I have a backup plan in case it is a boy though!  Everyone has a job to do so that we can come home to a boy nursery and boy clothes, I am a bit paranoid.
Movement: oh yes, she is a mover and a shaker.  I don’t even do kick counts because she always moves enough I don’t have to lie down and wait for them.
What I miss: Diet Pepsi… This is the one thing I still can’t get over not drinking.  I take a sip every time Jason gets a fountain soda and it is like crack!
Cravings: I still don’t have any particular cravings.  Fruit has been at the top of my list the whole pregnancy though, it always sounds good.
Symptoms: My back pain has increased significantly this week.  I am now wearing a belly support band and am hoping that helps soon.
Best Moment this week: Hitting 32 weeks made it seem like I am so close.  Although the doctor’s comment was kind of strange for her to make, Jason and I were both thinking the same thing about being at a point where we don’t have to worry as much.

Now I want to post a picture but I am not dressed yet so I am cheating and posting last week’s picture, 31 weeks.  Today is my first baby shower and I am so excited!  I will post next week about that!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

What's in a name

Well I have done it before.  I blogged when I traveled to Spain... I blogged across Europe... and I blogged about our Costa Rica trip (see here for Europe and CR)

About a year ago I tried to start a blog but I never shared it with anyone (I think I wrote one post) because I decided I really didn't have much to write about.  Well I would say things have changed and a baby should keep me with plenty of material.  If nothing else it can give updates and pictures for family who wants to know what our little family is up to.  I make no promises about post frequency, I am sure I will go through phases of lots of posts (I have many planned) and phases of nothing to say.  I will start of with some pregnancy and baby planning stuff and in hopefully 8 weeks or less you can see our new little bundle of joy! 

So about the name... I am SURE you all know what it is from.  I used this saying on all of our wedding stationary!  What?  You don't remember my wedding invitation and program, I am shocked and offended!  Jason and I love to laugh and have a great time.  We are like two immature kids (makes you wonder how we will raise a child) but we are responsible too.  We figure it is the best way to go about life!  We are lucky folks and we are excited and nervous about the changes in our lives. 

Here are some things I have planned for some blog posts (I like to keep you waiting on the edge of your seat):

  • How we found out we were expecting
  • How we told our family
  • When we found out it was a girl and how we shared
  • Updates on the last weeks of pregnancy
  • Maternity Pictures
  • The Nursery
  • Birthing class and other classes we have planned
  • Baby Showers (coming up the next two weeks!)

That's all for now!