A Rich and Steady Time

Life is always a rich and steady time when you are waiting for something to happen or to hatch.

-E.B. White

Well, I promised I would be back later this week with my weekly pictures, and you better believe that I have pictures for you! I've been quite busy with picture-takin' lately... not only my own do-it-yourself photos with a tripod, timer, and flash remote... but I've also been taking pictures for my friends! I've done some maternity pictures, some wedding pictures, and some baby pictures. I love being able to capture these special moments in the lives of my friends. Time does not stand still, and these precious moments that bring us such joy become memories in an instant. That's why I love photography. I get the honor of capturing these memories and preserving them for my friends. ...AND I CAN'T WAIT TO DO THIS FOR MY CHILDREN!!! My camera will always be armed and ready for special moments that should be frozen in time. I'm even going to send my camera with my baby to daycare so that those special moments that happen when I'm not around can be captured and savored. I also have a hi-def digital video camera that I bought a couple of years ago when Jason was into tractor pulling... and I'll be using that to make DVD videos of the baby, as well. Here's a picture of me with our "Fur Baby". She doesn't know it yet, but her reign as the "only child" will be coming to an end in a little over 6 months. I hope she adjusts well... hehe :)

During my pregnancy, I've been trying my best to eat in a healthy way. Everything that I eat goes directly to the baby, so I'm trying to avoid the junk foods and eat foods with high nutritional value. For breakfast, I usually have a banana. However last week, I grabbed one off of my banana-hanger that wasn't quite ripe yet, and the hardness and somewhat bitter taste almost made me throw up. So, for the past couple of days I've been eating oatmeal instead. I think I need to try to add some protein into my breakfast, though, to keep my blood sugar levels from spiking. For lunch, I always have two pieces of fruit, a sandwich, and some kind of veggies & dip. I'm sad to announce that egg salad no longer holds a special place in my heart. For some reason, I can barely stomach it now. Now, dinner time is when I tend to have the most trouble. I usually do pretty well with eating healthy during the day... but by the time dinner rolls around, I'm h-u-n-g-r-y! Jason likes to come home to a meal before going out to the garage to work for the evening... so I usually try to make something that he likes. I have such a hard time finding foods that are low in sodium, but I'm trying. The last two days have been rainy and dreary, and I thought that soup and grilled cheese sandwiches sounded like a good idea. So, I made Tomato and Spinach Soup with Tortellini and some "fancy" grilled cheese sandwiches (fancy = Vermont cheddar cheese on Jalepeno Cheddar Bread). It was quite tasty, but my Hubby isn't a huge fan of tomatoes, spinach, or pasta... so the soup wasn't a big hit with him (oh well, more for me!). He did like the grilled cheese sandwiches, though.

Eating healthy is part of my plan for keeping my weight gain slow and steady. My doctor told me that if I can keep my weight gain at 20lbs or less, I will feel amazing and my delivery will be much easier. I have to admit, though, that I'm so excited about the prospect of wearing maternity clothes! I've bought several pairs of clothes from an online consignment store and I've gotten some great deals. My Momma has been watching the racks at a local consignment store and has bought me a bundle of goodies, too. I happened to be at the mall the other night and stopped in at Old Navy to see what they had in the store for preggo women. When I was having difficulty finding the maternity section, I approached one of the sales girls and she said that they are no longer carrying maternity clothes in the store - you can only buy them online. BUT, she said there was one rack left of some denim... and I could hardly believe my eyes:



$1.97?!?!?! Yes. Every single pair of jeans on the rack was marked down to $1.97. I ended up buying four pairs: One pair to wear as jeans, one pair to have made into capris, one pair to wear as cut off shorts, and one pair for Jason's cousin's daughter (Lindsy Brown) who is about 3 weeks further along than me. I am tickled pink with the bargain that I found. I walked out of the store with four brand new pairs of jeans for less than $10. How can you beat that?! Here's a picture of my proud purchase (ignore the behind of my kitty - she doesn't have the best manners!).

Well, in 8 more days I have another Baby Doctor Appointment. This time, we should be able to hear the heartbeat of our little love. I cannot wait! I still find myself tapping on my belly and asking, "Is anyone in there?! For real?! Because it sure doesn't seem like it..." Given that I'm feeling relatively good other than needing more sleep than usual and my pants are getting tighter, it's still hard for me to "believe" that I'm really pregnant. I think it'll hit me at my next appointment... I guess we'll have to wait and see! My cousin Beth is 29 weeks pregnant and she's my Go-To-Girl when I have questions/concerns about my pregnancy. She said that for her, it didn't really sink in until she felt her little boy (Lane) move. Gosh, I can't WAIT for those flutters!

So here's my weekly pictures, and my prayer for the week can be found down below:

11 Weeks Down, 29 to Go!

Lord, I just want to thank You for all the amazing developments that are happening this week inside and outside my baby's body. When I feel tired or overwhelmed, help me remember that You are with me and You strengthen me. Let me experience Your peace with all the changes that are going on in my body, and peace in knowing that You love my baby and are guiding the development according to Your plans. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Baby After 11 Weeks: