May 18, 2012

Baby Bump – 25 weeks! {Cecilia}

So I’m actually 26 weeks starting yesterday but you’ll be getting a 25 week pregnancy baby bump pic because that’s the picture I got. 😉 I was meaning to put a blog post yesterday but after driving 2 hours to a newborn session, being there for 2 hours, then driving back 2 hours to pick up the kids, then having another session 30 minutes after picking up the kids….this mama had to put her feet up and relax when I had the chance!

So what do I have to update you guys on? Well, can you tell from the picture that baby (or I should say me) has grown quite a bit! I never really took pregnancy baby bump pics with Dylan or Hendrix. Then of course, once Pinterest came along it’s like the cool thing to do to take progression pics like this! So if you don’t do progression pics, you’re totally not cool (JK JK!!! Totally just kidding!) It’s been a pleasure to document it this time around.

I’ve been noticing that I’ve been hungry ALL THE TIME so of course I eat all the time. The day I had my 24 week doctor’s appointment, I felt pretty darn ‘sexy’ leaving the house (as LMFAO would say…”I’m sexy and I know it!”). I had my hair wavy. I was wearing my non maternity jeans (jeggings from Target…LOVE THEM! So I guess technically I’m cheating since the waste is super stretchy). Plus I had makeup on! Typically, I’m in sweats with my hair up and no makeup on. I know…scary right? My husband is always impressed if I am out of my pajamas when he gets home from work. He typically knows if I have a photoshoot that day if I actually have jeans and makeup on. Now do you get why I’ve asked for lounge pants for both my birthday and Mother’s Day? It’s my attire when working on the computer and hanging out with the kids. So anyways, I was feeling mighty sexy (sexy probably isn’t the word I really appeared but I feel like using it) that morning like I mentioned. When I was at my appointment, I got on the scale, and I swear the nurse’s eyes popped out of her face! I had gained 9 lbs from my last appointment. You’re supposed to gain 1 lb a week, I guess. She actually asked me if I felt swollen (hmmm…ok?)…I responded with “No, I just feel bigger.” 🙂 I left the appointment feeling not so sexy. I got home and my husband made delicious chocolate chip cookies the night before. They were totally staring at me asking me to eat it. 😉 Then thought….you know what screw it, I’m feeling ‘sexy’ today so I’m having a cookie! That I did and I didn’t just have 1, I had 3. I’m such a rebel!

My emotions have been a bit crazy lately. We photographed a wedding last Saturday in Peoria. During the mother/son dance, I literally couldn’t help getting a lil choked up watching them. The song didn’t help either. The song they danced to was “A Song for Mama” by Boyz II Men.

You were there for me to love and care for me

When skies were gray

Whenever I was down

You were always there to comfort me

And no one else can be

What you have been to me you will always be

You will always be the girl

In my life for all times

Having 2 boys and another on the way, I’ll get to have that moment with each of them on the dance floor. I can totally just picture myself having tears rolling down my face and squeezing them tight the whole dance. Yes, I’ll be happy for them but my goodness, it’s going to be tough ‘letting go.’ Dylan and Hendrix are such mama’s lil boys, and I’m sure this baby will be too. I remember, when Dylan was little he would say “I want to marry someone just like you, Mama.” Awww! 🙂 Of all the things in life, the most important thing to me is being a great mother and female figure for my boys.

Then there was one night when everyone was in bed except me. I was looking at my framed images on my wall:

I couldn’t help but stare at the image of just Dylan and me. It was just him and I in the very beginning! So of course I’m bawling my eyes out and thank the Lord of the journey that Dylan and I have been through. We added Blaine to the mix when Dylan was just 8 months old. I’ve asked Blaine what he liked about me the most when we first started seing each other. What drew him to me? He saw how great of a mom I was, he said. That’s amazing! Then Hendrix was added and soon we’ll be adding another one! Thinking back 7 years ago, I was pregnant and definitely scared how my life would drastically change. There were struggles financially, struggles balancing my last semester in college, working to support us, and being a young single mother. The only person I relied on was myself but it was what kept me determined that we were going to have a great life not a feel sorry for me/help me type of attitude. I got myself in this situation…I can do this! I had to grow up FAST. There were times I wondered how I was going to do all this. With school and work, there wasn’t as much time with him as what any mother would want so I would cuddle and sleep with him at night. I appreciated every chance I had with him. Even now, there’s times when Dylan will ask if I could lay down with him and wait until he falls asleep. I don’t ever hesitate. I am so fortunate how things have worked out in life. I’m so fortunate I had support from family and friends. I’m so fortunate how Dylan’s dad (Dan) and I have done a fabulous job working together as parents. He is an amazing father and Dylan’s a lucky boy to have a dad like him. 7 years has passed and am lucky to have all these additions to the family, but I would have to say Dylan is always going to be my first love. 🙂

So I’ll end this post with a comparison. Leg cramp vs. contractions during labor. The night after we photographed a wedding, I was sleeping and stretched….BAD IDEA. I got a leg cramp…my calf tightened…and I literally froze my body and started moaning from so much pain. Niña even woke up and was wondering what was going on. All I could think about was how this is like labor. You’re going through so much pain but all you can do is wait. Wait until the pain goes away…..but in this situation…wait until your calf isn’t spazzing out on you!!