December Begins!

It started with a hot date night with my hot hubby! Couldn't ask for a better start!

Honestly, I was not looking forward to getting dressed up for the big fancy work Christmas Party.  I mean hello, I am 30 weeks pregnant.  I get winded vacuuming! 

But it really was fun.  It was nice to get out with out the kids.  The food was really good.  And sure, after a little over an hour I was done, but hey! We still went out :)

Photos courtesy of Cherish

Of course, with December first, comes the arrival of Christopher Pop-In-Kins!

He greeted the kids.

Waited on the wreath with goodies for when they came home from church,

and has even been chased by scary dinosaurs!

Stay tuned for what other things this crazy elf comes up with!

SNOW!

As those of you here in UT know, we had our first snow of the season this last week! Ok, I admit it. I hate cold weather. Except for when I am preggo.  Something about chunky sweaters and leggings and a round belly is very comforting to me.  Now if only I could get brave enough to use my fireplace with kids around... then it might even be almost perfect! So the older kids bundled up and went off to school.  Lillie and I made a snow man. I'm pretty sure my neighbor got a kick of the way I was squatting to push these gigantic snowballs with out my belly getting in the way. Then we were frozen and warmed up with some hot cocoa and mini marshmellows.  It was an awesome day!  Braddock was so stinking cute in his little beanie. I think it's the cheeks that make him irresistable :)

And,

 I have hit the 25 week mark! My cheeks are filling out (both sets!) and he is still hangin low. Low and Large! ha ha ha! 

SURPRISE!! It's A ...

Let it be known, that I wanted to leave the gender of this baby a surprise. Until delivery! But I was completely vetoed by James and the kids!

So fine, if I HAVE to find out, it will be done my way :)

So I went alone to the ultrasound, kept my eyes shut when needed and did not find out what the gender was.  The stinker was crazy hyper kicking and flipping over and putting it's hands between it's legs.  So it took quite the effort to get it.  I had them stick the picture in an envelope and I ignored it all day!

I took said envelope to the store with a box and gave it to the lady and said, fill it up with whatever gender this baby is! The lady was SO cute.  I came back a few hours later and she had completely wrapped and decorated the box with pink and blue question marks.

The kids were dying to know, and the torture lasted until after 7pm when Daddy finally got home from work!

We headed to a field near by and this is how it went...

 

SHOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me zoom in on James' face.  Because even when I would say, maybe it's a boy, he would say NOPE. NO WAY. IT'S A GIRL. Uh huh....

That's right! Our perfect pattern has been broken! Our instincts were completely wrong! We all thought for sure it was a girl because I have been so insanely sick! But the joke's on us!

It's a BOY!!!!!!!!

We are seriously THRILLED! Especially James if you can't tell ;)  He was more shocked than me! I am so excited to have 2 boys together so close in age and I can't wait to see how their relationship develops!

We have no clue what his name will be, but maybe now I can be inspired!

A special thanks to Christa for coming and snapping away to catch this special moment for us!

PLUS, I am due just 4 days before her and we are both having BOYS!

20 weeks.  And a beautiful, perfect, healthy baby BOY!

Little man, we are all so excited to meet you in a few more months!

Eternal Bonds

I've been debating how to write this post.  How to capture in words,  an extremely special moment in our lives.

Back in March my Grandpa died.  You may remember the post.  He passed exactly 3 years to the day that his wife, my dearest Grandma passed.  We made the trek to Nebraska for his funeral.   And it was one of the most comforting and amazing experiences.  Knowing they were at last together again.

The night of the viewing we had returned to our hotel late.  As I laid in the darkness, I thought about fond memories I had with them.  And I kid you not, it was like they were standing at the foot of the bed.  They stood there together with a baby in their arms between them.  I knew they were holding my baby.  Even now this brings tears to my eyes.  I thought maybe I was dreaming, or maybe I was thinking of this picture I have of them with me when I was tiny. 

But what I saw was so different.  They were standing there, and just beautiful glowing.  Grandma with her beautiful white hair, Grandpa with his huge grin.  And a baby between them, in their arms.

I knew at that moment that there was another little soul waiting to join our family.

I had been having IUD issues for almost a year. So when we returned I went and had  it removed.

With my history of miscarriages and how long it has taken to get the last 2 kiddos, we weren't really concerned about preventing.  James and I have always felt, if it is meant to be it is meant to be.  Losing 7 babies has taught us that life is SO precious.  How blessed we are for the 4 beautiful babies we have been given.

So we went about our lives.  After being careful the first month as my midwife suggested, we didn't pay much attention after that.

The next month came and before I could even test, I knew.  

A few days later confirmed

I was a little surprised, that it happened so fast! So then I prepared myself. For a loss.

Not even a week later I was getting nauseated.  That is a very reassuring sign for me! But I still couldn't get my hopes up.  Babies never come this easily for us.  

But time went on.  I got sicker, and sicker, and sicker than I have ever been with ANY of our pregnancies.

Finally this past week we had our first ultrasound.

And we saw, and we heard, this divine little babies beating heart.  The flood of emotions that came to me are indescribable. But it was beautiful.

So here we are.  8 weeks along.  I am super sick, and sure, it is no fun, but oh my goodness!  My Grandparents showed me that there was another life for us to bring here. And here I am with a healthy pregnancy, a vital baby growing inside, with no miscarraiges.  

Call it what you will.

But for me,  this is an eternal bond that I hold dear to my heart. And I will NEVER forget how this special little babe came about.

I miss you Grandma and Grandpa.  I can not thank you enough for the lifetime of fond memories.  And even now, thou you are gone, you have still created what will be the most blessed memory of you in my life.

Our little bean is Due Feb 9th, 2013.  (Lillie's 4th birthday) :)

We are going to let the gender be a surprise! We have 2 of each, so why not?

4 weeks:

8 weeks:

One Hot Momma

Check out this beautiful Mom over @ Cherry Tree

36 weeks and counting down the days

If anyone had been able to remind me how miserable I was at the end of my pregnancy with Lillie, and make me realize this time would be even worse, would I still have gotten pregnant?

You bet!

I wouldn't change this for anything.

Sure I have become a very bitter, tired, out of patience, completely uncomfortable, bitter, whining, crying, emotional, mom. 

(Did I mention bitter?)

But still, every time Little B kicks or moves, no matter how much it hurts and makes me want to scream, I find myself smiling and reaching my hand down to feel him. Then I realize I am smiling, and why. And all the frustrations, and anger, and pain, and misery disappear. Even if only for a short while.

But that is long enough to remind me of how much I love being a mom. And how every second of this miserable pregnancy is worth it. And how in 3 weeks at the most from now, I will be holding this tiny (although I think he will be huge!) little bundle in my arms. And I will savor and treasure every second of him. 

And that my friends, is what keeps me going.

Even the other kiddos are getting restless waiting for him. Any kind of Doctor appointment I have is sure to be followed with "Are you going to get him out now?!?!!" But how do you make kids 6 yrs and younger realize it's another 21 days away? hee hee :) So I just say, Not yet! But he's getting closer!

And then they tell how big my tummy is and that he must be ready. To which I sigh and say, Tell me about it.

I am so glad I took advantage of feeling decent for 2 days last week. I finally feel ready if he does come early. Although the car seat is still in it's box unopened :) His clothes and mine and all the blankets and burp rags are washed. His little cradle is next to my bed. The swing is up and ready. 

Sure there is still a whole list of house spring cleaning I want to get done, but I do still have some time. It all depends on if I can move enough without the pain to do them :)

To help celebrate the end, like I do with all my pregnancies, I did my last "photo shoot" of this pregnancy. I started off with my remote at home, then asked my little sis to help me out with some outdoors.  I set up the camera settings, gave a quick lesson on focusing and handed it over to her. I am seriously  impressed! And so happy with the outcome. It was dark where we were, and we shot until there was almost no light coming through the trees. Which gave us some absolutely fantastically dramatic lighting, Which I am a complete sucker for!

 OUT TAKES:

 You should know, that when Kes and I get together, it can get pretty crazy! Even when I'm a tired big preggo :) 

Our signature move, even at 9 months pregnant! Not gonna lie, I was pretty proud of myself :)

Coming from miss model (Kesia), "Neck forward. Chin out. Chin down. No Hollie. Out and down. Like a Whooping Crane!" ROFL. And that ended up with this: (refer to the right hand picture)

My dedication to good pictures even had me hoisting myself up onto a 3 ft tall rock wall.

I'm sure you're all sick of the every 5 weeks maternity shots :) And glad this is the last! hee hee Guess that's what you get. After all, I am a photographer.  Just think of all the new baby pics that will be coming your way soon! Excited? I am!

So HAPPY 36 WEEKS to me!!!!!

34.5 weeks

Just a picture from Fridays wedding I shot. And my humongo belly at 34.5 weeks :)

30 weeks!

Although now this is a week late, so really it's 31 weeks :) And at this point that means I am seriously counting down! Currently working on 4 crochet projects, trying to get the house completely cleaned and organized, while taking care of the other daily tasks I have as a mom of 3, a wife and a photographer :)

25 weeks! 14 more to go.....

This is me celebrating only 14 more weeks to go! Yay!
I can't wait to meet our little man!
I could do with out the last 14 weeks of getting huge though :) But I will gladly take it for this healthy baby boy!





Comparing the last 5 weeks: