food journal day 1

I have been on too much of a weight gain streak the last couple weeks. I am up to 13 lbs weight gain! (insert heart palpatations here) Which I would like to only be at 10 lbs up at this stage in my pregnancy. I need to gain control of my food again, I have subconsciously developed the "I'm pregnant, I can do what I want" mentality. And that is just not ok to have right now. I am overweight and I need to eat healthy for myself and my baby girl. So I am airing my dirty laundry! (I am overweight for a reason people, I eat too much, and don't exercise enough, I do have PCOS, which doesn't help, but I know I could be skinny if I ate and exercised like I should)  I am keeping track of my food for the day on here. Let me know if these are way lame, and you dont like reading about my food, or if you enjoy reading these either way let me know!!  I also want to start posting recipes again. But I will start with baby steps...

I can't guarantee I will be perfect at this, nor can I guarantee I will keep this up.. .because I am known for doing all or nothing. :) But I want to take control of my life, and live the life I want to live. Which takes effort, failures, and trials.

Day 1

breakfast-
coffee- half decaf, half caffeinated
3 eggs, mushroom bits, green pepper bits and red pepper bits
grapes
bite size caramel
snack
granola bar (quakers smores)
fruit loops with skim milk 

lunch
sierra turkey from panera bread
diet pepsi (it was really tempting me)

Dinner
perkins - eggs benedict and muffin

Daily water intake
60 ounces

(these are posted the next day- so this is what I ate yesterday)

21 weeks!

How far along: 21 weeks!


Total weight gain: 12 lbs
Maternity clothes: haven't bought any. But I have some I am using from a friend at church, and still making use of that belly band at work!
Best moment of the week: Continuing feeling her kicks and movements!
Food cravings: starbursts
Food aversions: nothing really.



Symptoms:

boobs sore- still there, way less prevelant though

cramps- no

tiredness- better since I am not sick anymore!!

irritability- back to normal. :)

acne- better this week!

bloat- I am going to say its all baby now. :)

burning muscle pain in upper abdomen- all gone!

Movement: yep! And I swear I feel the baby get stronger by the day!

Gender: Girl!
What I’m looking forward to: stronger kicks! I love feeling this baby move!! I can't get enough of it!

What I miss: Not going to the doctor so much! I have learned I don't like doctors! I love my midwife, but I hate all the tests they run and precautionary things they do. Just let me be pregnant, make sure baby is ok, and let me deliver. :)
Next appt: September 25th. well I have the 3 hour glucose test next wednesday.. .boo. More on that later
How big is baby: Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well. (taken from www.babycenter.com)

her kicks make me laugh

sometimes I feel this little girl kick, it makes me giggle!! It feels so funny sometimes! The really hard ones (that are still pretty soft in my opinion) I can feel my skin moving out, it makes me laugh! It is just so neat! :)

Gender reveal! & my high risk doctor appointment

my husband thinks I look sad in this picture, when in fact I was making a kissy face, that its a girl! LOL

We are having a baby GIRL!!! We are so excited!!!

We got to see her on the ultrasound for an hour while they checked her all out. They checked,measured and pictured everything! It was awesome! They spent SO MUCH TIME on the heart, my husband and I both started to get a little worried, because the ultrasound tech wasn't saying a word.  Hubby and I were anxious to hear about our little girl, especially since we had just found out a friend of ours got some possibly upsetting news, it made it so much more real that these things are possible to not go as planned. But after the ultrasound the doctor walked in and said "she is perfect!" that was just amazing to hear, and I don't think I will ever forget seeing the doctor open the door, walk 2 steps and say "she is perfect" in that hardly lit ultrasound room.
The high risk appointment with the doctor-
which was the reason for the hour long ultrasound, generally they do 20 minute ultrasounds for the 20 week (so I am told) but with this one, they check EVERYTHING OUT, and then the pernatoligst comes in and talks to you, about the baby, and about yourself. So I told you the part about our baby being perfect and then we talked a little bit about this so called "hypertension" (which only happens when I am excited, I have been tracking it every day at work, and its always perfect) She said she doesn't think I actually have hypertension, but to be on the safe side she recommends a 3rd trimester ultrasound, which my midwife can perform.
Then onto my MTHFR mutation. (blood clotting disorder) I am heterozygous for this mutation. That means I am low risk for blood clotting.  She also told me, although they say this is a rare blood clotting disorder she has found it isn't all that rare,  in fact 15% of my fellow Minnesotans have it. I don't need to take baby aspirin and she doesn't need to see me anymore! I am not high risk! I may have to be monitored at the end a little more closely, because my excitement causes high blood pressure(and it really isn't all that high), but I am hoping yoga will help me stay more focused and less anxious when the time comes. Speaking of yoga, I need to make sure I do that every day... I have done it once so far... :)

20 weeks!

How far along: 20 weeks!
Total weight gain: 12 lbs!!! eeks!!! 3 lbs in one week, not good! I did just have a big food day at work yesterday, so it wouldn't surprise me if I dropped a pound later this week.
Maternity clothes: still making due with the belly band and a couple shirts. A friend from church let me borrow some of her maternity clothes so that is awesome!! A couple things will definitely work! But a couple won't. but i am so thankful for anything, because my pickings are so slim!!
Best moment of the week: the 20 week ultrasound!! :) I will reveal in the next post what Baby B is!! :) Feeling her kick on a daily bases, multiple times a day!
Food cravings: chocolate
Food aversions: nothing really.

Symptoms:
boobs sore- still there, way less prevelant though
cramps- no
tiredness- better since I am not sick anymore!!
irritability- back to normal. :)
acne- better this week!
bloat- I am going to say its all baby now. :)
burning muscle pain in upper abdomen- all gone!
Movement: yep! And I swear I feel the baby get stronger by the day!
Gender: reveal coming next!
What I’m looking forward to: stronger kicks! I love feeling this baby move!! I can't get enough of it!
What I miss: I get tired pretty easily, but this is so minor!!
Next appt: August 24th, I had my high risk appointment on the 17th, (more on that in the next post) now to see my regular midwife on Friday! :)
How big is baby: Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.) He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).
-taken from babycenter

A lesson personal lesson in pricing photography

As my business grows, as my experience has gone up, as my ability has improved, as my confidence has improved I have raised my prices.


 I am not 100% at where I want my prices to be, but I am well on my way to eventually making it there! I am also so much closer to where I want to be than I was a short year ago!

Every so often I will offer discounted prices to people, in different forms.

I never saw anything wrong with that, until lately. I have realized that the less I charge, the less people trust me. The less I charge the less people trust my ability as a photographer and the less they appreciate what I give them.

 I didn't really think that was true until I have experienced it for myself several times. I know it isn't the case for everyone, but a few experiences especially lately has really driven that home for me.( I do have a good friend, that really appreciates the pictures I do for her and her family, and I can see and feel that.  I am so thankful for that! And love taking photos for her because her and her family really do appreciate me and my work)

 I had a session where I felt it was spiralling out of control. I couldn't figure out why.I got to realize they didn't trust me as a photographer. Replaying everything in my head, the whole scenario, hashing it out with someone close to me, I came to realize they didn't respect me. but it was my fault, I didn't charge them what I was worth. I was cheapening myself. Cheapening there experience.


It was a huge eye opener for me. I need to know my worth, and embrace it. When I do that people will have a better experience, they will get better photographs, they will have better memories, they will treasure the portraits more.

I heard another photographer say something like this ( I may have put in Target and Macy's but same concept)  if you buy a shirt from Target for $10 and you buy a shirt from Macy's for $80, which shirt will you treasure more? Which one will you take better care of? Which shirt will stay engrained in your memory?

I feel this was a great lesson for me! After spending a lot of time thinking about these scenarios I have never felt more confident about my pricing,  I am proud of my pricing, and the photographs and products I produce!

I will not be offering such big discounts anymore. It is cheating myself and my clients.

wordless wednesay

Isn't she just the cutest! I have been lucky enough to follow this little girl! I have taken her moms maternity pictures, her birth pictures, newborn pictures and 6 month pictures!! She is just too precious!

wearing a badge of honor...

also known as stretchmarks.

I got my first little stretchmarks at 10 weeks. I was a little worried, but I kept them at bay for a decent amount of time... and I was feeling hopeful that my belly got the hang of this whole "stretching thing", and would stop.

WELL THEY ARE BACK!  and reproducing like crazy! I lifted up my shirt in the bathroom, to check out my growing belly, like I do all the time. ( hehe) and there they were... small ones, peppered all over my belly!! eeks!! It freaks me out a little bit. I get a little worried, "what in the world is my belly going to look like at the end?!"

However, I have to take a step back and realize that this is just another sign that my baby is growing nice and healthy inside of me.

 I have dreamt of this day for as long as I could remember. I have always looked forward to pregnancy, and all that came with it. ( I have learned some things, aren't as cool as  I thought.. AKA morning/all day sickness and fatigue..just to name a few)

I am hitting the most exciting times in my pregnancy (in my opinion)

We are embarking on a journey I have waited my life for!  I will wear my stretchmarks with pride, and as a badge of honor. God has blessed me with being able to be a mother, carry and bear a child. He has blessed my husband and I with something that seals us together forever! Honestly. How amazing?! And how worth every second of anything we go through to get this precious life!

so bring on the stretchmarks! (in the meantime I will still be lotioning my belly at every available moment)

back when we were dating :)

I love this man so much, and I am so grateful to have him as my husband and also the father of my child and future children! We make a great team! :)

19 weeks!

How far along: 19 weeks!
Total weight gain:  9 lbs
Maternity clothes:  just the belly band and dresses, my shirts are getting too short! LOL
Best moment of the week:   feeling the baby move a little more frequently! I can only feel it on the inside, and I feel like it will be forever until Jordan can feel! 
Food cravings: chips and cheeeeessse
Food aversions: nothing really. 
Symptoms:  

boobs sore- still there, way less prevelant though

cramps- not too mcuh

tiredness- better since I am not sick anymore!! 

irritability- back to normal. :)

acne- getting one or two big zits

bloat- I am going to say its all baby now. :) 

 burning muscle pain in upper abdomen- all gone!

Movement: totally! It is super sporadic and only a couple times, but I can't wait until Jordan can feel baby!!!  

Gender: We find Aug 17th

What I’m looking forward to: feeling more kicks! Seeing my baby on the ultrasound! Finding out if its a boy or girl!

 What I miss:  I get tired pretty easily, but this is so minor!! I love being pregnant!  I can't wait until I am big, people can feel the baby kick and when we know if its a boy or girl!! 

Next appt: August 17th! Baby ultrasound and also a doctor appointment immediately after that! :) 
How big is baby:

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid. (www.babycenter.com) 

18 week bumpdate August 4th



I really dislike this picture, I feel like I look fat, but its the only picture i took this week! I think its the short shirt... that shirt has been retired! LOL



How far along: 18 weeks- wow!
Total weight gain:  8.8 (umm... I am sick and I went a little crazy I THINK!!!) EEKS!
Maternity clothes:  just the belly band and dresses, my shirts are getting too short! LOL
Best moment of the week:   feeling the baby move! 
Food cravings: pizza and chips and cheese
Food aversions: nothing really. 
Symptoms:  

boobs sore- still there, way less prevelant though

cramps- not too mcuh

tiredness- I am sick, so I have hardly moved

irritability- back to normal. :)

acne- getting one or two big zits

bloat- I am going to say its all baby now. :) 

 burning muscle pain in upper abdomen- all gone!

Movement: totally! It is super sporadic and only a couple times, but I can't wait until Jordan can feel baby!!!  

Gender: We find Aug 17th

What I’m looking forward to: feeling more kicks! Seeing my baby on the ultrasound! Finding out if its a boy or girl!

 What I miss:  My energy. Being sick and pregnant, I have none!

Next appt: August 17th! Baby ultrasound and also a doctor appointment immediately after that! :)
How big is baby:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound. (from baby center .com)

17 WEEK BUMPDATE

How far along: 17 weeks!
Total weight gain:  7.2
Maternity clothes:  just the belly band and dresses, but the belly band is beginning to suck!
Best moment of the week:   getting a call from the perinatologist (high risk doc) saying they need to move my ultrasound 5 days sooner!! We get to find the sex out in 2 weeks!
Food cravings: fruit loops
Food aversions: nothing really. 
Symptoms:  

boobs sore- still there, less prevelant though

cramps- not much this week, week 16 was a lot of cramps for 2 days

tiredness- getting tired a lot more.. I don't like that

irritability- back to normal. :)

acne- pre pregnancy I think

bloat- I am going to say its all baby now. :) 

 burning muscle pain in upper abdomen- all gone!

Movement: Still not sure if that is what I felt. Hopefully sometime soon!

Gender: We find out in 2 weeks!  

What I’m looking forward to: feeling kicks! Seeing my baby on the ultrasound! Finding out if its a boy or girl!

 What I miss:  I guess I am missing my energy, but I think its more allergies than pregnancy. But I love my growing belly!
Next appt: August 17th! Baby ultrasound and also a doctor appointment immediately after that! :)
How big is baby: Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop (taken from www.babycenter.com)