Pregnancy

Photo: Sarah Yvonne

See her post for more photos from this shoot 

I have to admit that pregnancy, for me, is not fun and it does not feel pretty. I cannot reach my feet, they are huge, swollen, painful, and ugly; they resemble the humans feet in the movie Wall-e. My shoes do not fit, and I worry they wont ever fit again. I am queasy, and for the first time in my life I truly have a week stomach. My legs hurt, I cannot sleep through the night, I am always tired, I get depressed easily, and I cry a lot.   

I have to admit that I was kind of hesitant to take maternity photos, I don't always enjoy having my picture taken on the best of days, and theses past couple of months have really not been my best days. However, Sarah really wanted to take them, and she was very encouraging (she's been amazingly encouraging about the beauty of pregnancy they whole time which I also appreciate), and I'm really glad I did it. Taking these photos reminded me, and looking at them helps me remember, the beauty behind what I am doing. They remind me that I am beautiful, and strong, and that I am growing a daughter who will be beautiful and strong just like me. 

Windy Day

Windy days can be really beautiful, they can also be a pain when you are trying to take outfit photos.

In the end Sarah was able to snap some nice ones

Photo: Sarah 

Dress, flats :Target

Leggings, t-shirt, vest: Forever 21

Sweater (in top 2 photos): Khols 

Beautiful Rain

Photo

I love rain. I love rain all times of the year, but mostly I love spring rain. I know we aren't quite to spring yet but the rain we are getting here in D.C is very similar to spring rain, so I feel like spring is finally coming! We haven't had a bad winter at all, but when I pictured myself pregnant I always pictured myself in beautiful flowing dresses. However, I have been wearing a freakish amount of jeans/ yoga pants and sweatshirts- which does not make for interesting outfit posts.  

So back to talking about why I love rain- I love the fresh smell it always brings to the air, and the beautiful noise it makes as it hits the roof, and the way it can make everything very quiet. Rain is peaceful. 

The photo above is from Singing in the Rain- one of my all time favorite movies, and the only musical my Dad will watch. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend that you do, and soon, in fact I think I want to watch it now! Maybe after I get some more homework done :) 

Baby Room!

So we have been busy bees preparing for our baby. We finally got her room cleared, and ready to paint! This is my hubby pretending to paint :) 

I couldn't really help paint, so I left, and our good friend Sarah came over to help him! She did a lot of the painting in the room, and I'm so happy and grateful she could help. She also took all of these photos for our baby book, Doesn't she take beautiful photos! Check out her blog and ogle more of her photos. 

When I got back, Sarah took photos of the hubby and I (and my growing belly). 

Aren't we cute together? I know I look super tired, and he looks like he is going to bounce off the walls- it's pretty normal for us these days. 

This is Brendon going "Thats my baby!!!" he is so excited to be a dad. Life is great when you have a healthy growing baby, an excited expectant dad, and a great best friend.   

Being Happy

Photo by Sarah

Today has not been a good day. I spent all day staring at my computer trying, really trying, to get homework done, and failing miserably. I went back and forth feeling hopeless, and depressed, and blah, and mad at myself. Then I went to yoga (I'm taking prenatal yoga- which is wonderful) and everything the instructor reflected on made me weepy and emotional.

 Yes, I know, part of these emotions are due to my hormones being crazy and out of whack- but some of them are because of my depression. Depression is something I have coped with for the past ten years of my life. One of my close friends asked me how I "got better". I don't think I really got better- I learned my own ways to keep going and keep smiling. Depression may be a part of you, but you cannot let it define you.

Martha Stewart has a magazine called Whole Living (which I stumbled across while doing research for my homework assignment). I picked one up while I was at the grocery store- the March 2011 "Happiness Issue".   The whole issue discusses way to live happier, I haven't finished reading the issue yet, but it made me think about my "happy things". 

Every day there are some things I try to do, I take a shower with my husband in the morning, I make sure I play with my cats, and I focus on the pretty things in life. Some days I need a little extra help being happy and I use little things to help me cheer up- painting my nails, wearing happy colors, making the bed, actually putting on makeup. 

Today I am having my hubby paint my toe nails (they are getting hard to reach), I'm catching up on this week's episode of NCIS, watching my cats play fight, and focusing on the happy things by writing this blog. Its helping. 

Whether or not you deal with depression, everyone has down days; what do you do to cheer you up on your down days? 

New Years, a little late

I have been thinking about life a lot these days- being pregnant can do that to you! I never make New Years Resolutions, they often seem kinda silly, it's almost like people create goals that are meant to be broken and abandoned. However, I think that this year I need some resolutions- resolutions I will, and I need to keep.

1. Grocery shop- with a list! 

Ok I know this sounds silly, but my mother and my sister raised me to be very frugal when it comes to food- however I never followed their rules and guidelines once I moved out. I am terrible, I never use coupons, I go to the grocery store hungry, and I go without a list on a regular basis. My hubby and I are at the grocery store  almost four days a week- because of our horrible shopping habits we spend way too much money on food. We need to fix this, we have to get better at planning our meals, eating at home, grocery shopping, and bringing our lunches to work/school.

2. I will spend less time worrying about what I'm not getting done.

I over book my life, but really don't we all? I spend so much time beating myself up about the things I haven't gotten done, and the things I have left to do. It makes me miserable, and I am going to work on stopping, or at least cutting back!

3. Be more organized/ clean.

This is probably a super common resolution- but I have to add it to my list. I know I will spend less time cleaning, if I was better at having a place for everything and actually putting it there when I was done with it.

4. Start my Etsy.

I have been talking, and talking, and talking about starting an Etsy (or a website), and I'm going to stop putting it off, and stop giving myself reasons I can't do it.

5. Let myself be more creative.

Last, but not least- I will get out of my own way and let myself be more creative. I will stop giving myself reasons I can't accomplish/ make the things I want to. I will push myself more.  

Thank you for reading my resolutions, what are your resolutions for 2011?

Snow

These pictures are of the first snow of the year (back December 16th). I had to drive to school for a final, and I was a little miffed to have to do it in the snow, but I was really excited that it was snowing. I wish we had gotten a good snow during break, but alas, I start back to school tomorrow and we have gotten a few teaser snows- like the one from the pictures- but no real snows.