Nature Trail

It feels so good to get out of the house and out of the same old walking paths every once in a while and maybe even more during this newborn phase we are slowly emerging from.   I have been doing my best to keep active while on maternity leave and to get out with the baby, which is good for both of us, but we are definitely at a slower pace this summer.  Recently we found a new nature trail and being amidst the trees with some fresh air was so good for the soul.

Chicago Pix Exhibit

One of my photographs is on display!  Woot!

Way back in April I submitted a few photos for a special exhibit at the Chicago Mayor's Office that is curated by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.  When I received the email saying one was accepted I was walking home from the train and was so excited that I busted out into a grin for the rest of my walk...  I am sure I looked like a nut.

The exhibit has been up since May but I just finally made it to City Hall to see it.  It is pretty fun to see your name in a display, regardless of how big or small.

Why yes, I did take a photo of myself standing by my photo and I am so not ashamed to admit that...

The photo selected is one I took last labor day weekend when we stopped at Navy Pier on a whim on the way back into the city after a day trip...

This photograph is available in my shop!

musings on 40ish weeks

It is an understatement and well worn statement all at once to say how amazing of an experience pregnancy is and how it is life altering.  I have been thinking about this post for a while and am still not sure what I can say that hasn't already been said much more eloquently than I can do.  So I am just going to jot down a few random things I loved, didn't like, wish I did and thoughts on those 40+ weeks.

• I love that I made myself take a weekly photo and write up a short little journal entry on the week.  It is so amazing to compare those early weeks to the later ones and it is awesome to have those informal notes on what was happening.  I didn't follow a pattern for the journal entries - just wrote what was happening. 
• I love that we did a babymoon.  That vacation will always be dear to me.  Everyone should do one.  Even if only a three day weekend getaway to a nearby spot.
• I wish that I had spent more money on maternity clothes.  Not necessarily on expensive items but just had a bit fuller of a wardrobe.  When I went shopping it seemed so silly to spend a lot on clothes I would wear only a few months but looking back I would have felt so much better about how I looked and had easier mornings getting dressed with more flattering outfits.  The last month was particularly hard as we transitioned seasons and I outgrew most of my clothes.
• I love that we did a photo session.  I still haven't printed anything but I love having them and will eventually have one up on a wall in our home.  The weekly snapshots are great but there is something about having a really nice photo of the two of us during that time.

 

• I wish that I had pushed back more at work so that I could have had a better transition for those covering my responsibilities instead of spending the last month being over capacity, trying to fit in new projects and subsequently leaving loose ends... this is still bothering me 7 weeks later.
• I am glad that I worked until the d-day.  It was actually really good for me to get out of the house and feel normal and productive for those final days.  Even if commuting in the heat sucked.  And if in the last week of my pregnancy I was still standing on the train while guys sat there and avoided looking at me.

 

• I am glad that I indulged my sweet tooth but overall kept my eating/diet as close to normal as possible. 
• I am glad that I ran and lifted weights during the pregnancy.  I am glad that I was able to run a race while pregnant.
• I wish I had done more prenatal yoga and had gone to a studio instead of using DVDs.
• I am glad that I was diligent about taking my prenatal vitamins and that I found one that didn't make my tummy hurt.

• I am glad that I put a nightlight in our bathroom so that I didn't have to turn on the lights when I woke up a bazillion times to go to the bathroom.  I think this helped me in going right back to sleep.
• I am glad that I put on lotion diligently after every shower... even if stretch marks are genetic (I didn't get any and my mom does have stretch marks so I guess there is always next time).  I am glad that I didn't bother with the specially packaged stuff (those marketers!) and just used the same basic body lotion I always use.
• I wish that I had gotten my hair cut around 37 weeks as that appointment I planned for week 39 never happened when my little guy came early.

 

• I am glad that I didn't buy a ton of extra baby stuff or clothes but kept things I would like to have on an amazon registry.
• I wish I bought a baby book and didn't wait until the last minute (still need to get that).
• I am glad that I moved up the due date on the amazon registry so that I could get the discount earlier to use for the things I did need.

 

• I am glad that I gave myself a few minutes in the morning when I woke up to lay still with my hand on my bump feeling little one kick and stretch... he was active every morning like clockwork.  We started to bond during those quiet mornings.
• I wish that I had been able to see and spend more time with my family during the pregnancy.  I wish that I had been able to do a baby shopping trip with my mom.
• I am glad that I took the time and accepted my friends offers to get together in the last weeks.  Even though I felt crabby and thought about ditching/flaking out to stay at home and watch Glee on netflix - those walks, coffee dates, picnics in the park, trips to farmers markets, etc where all good for my soul.
• I wish that Dan and I had gone on more date nights in the last month.
• I wish that I had done more to relish the completely indulgent alone time... got my nails done, went shopping, done a photo project... something.  But I am glad that I did take those moments that I did - whether it was reading a book with a bowl of strawberries or morning walks with my dogs before work.

{my last weekly preggo pic - taken the day my water broke}

• I wish I complained less during the last couple of weeks.
• I am glad that I waited until I was at a point in my life where I could truly embrace pregnancy and all of the not-so-glamorous side effects, upward movement on the scale, etc.  I do believe I would have been harder on myself at a younger age (not that everyone would be - just knowing myself and how I was/am).
• I am glad that I didn't find out the gender.  Even with all of the looks from people that said I was crazy not to - I enjoyed letting this little one come into the world without preconceived notions of who he would be.  I loved that we were able to send out the "It's a boy!" communications on his birth day.

I loved being pregnant.  It was an amazing time in my life and I am so glad that I was able to experience it.  There was a point in my life when the thought of pregnancy was unappealing and I wasn't sure if I would ever want to do it.  I am glad that my opinions changed and allowed me to open my mind and my heart to this adventure.

Maternity Photos

One of the things that I am very glad that I did was schedule a photography session during my pregnancy.  It is such a unique time in your life - preparing to become a mother, preparing to not just be you and your husband but a family, and seeing your body go through constant change.  I had the weekly belly pics but wanted to have a few photos of Dan and I taken at this point in our relationship. 

I contacted our wedding photographer, Brian Kinyon, and set up a session for a Sunday afternoon in May at our wedding venue. 

I love them and am so glad that we did a maternity session.  Definitely worth it.  Definitely would do it again.

In hindsight, I wish that I had gone to bed earlier the night before (was up late for a preggo that Saturday night and it showed as I was crashing hard by Sunday afternoon!) and scheduled these for some time between weeks 28-30 (I was 32 weeks along at our photography session).  A couple of weeks didn't seem like a big deal early on but by those 30+ weeks every week you start to feel even more enourmous and I was much more comfortable and happy with how I looked just a few weeks earlier. 

Photos by Brian Kinyon.

Belizean Vacation: Thatch Caye

After a night in Miami and three nights in the Cayo District it was time to head to an island.  When we planned this trip Dan wanted some totally relaxing beach time and I wanted a little adventure.  I tend to get antsy and bored with a 100% beach vacation.  But our time at Thatch Caye was perfection and just what we needed before heading home to start the third trimester prepare for baby time.

We wanted to visit one of the many islands, go snorkeling on the reef, and have some completely laid back time swinging in hammocks for the beach portion of our trip.  We considered a bunch of different spots before settling on Thatch Caye.  I wasn't interested in some of the typical destinations like Ambergis Caye and Caye Caulker was at the top of our list until we decided to save that spot for a time when I can go scuba diving.  A private island with a small number of reservations at once sounded just right.

We had a completely awesome time on the island.  It was beautiful and serene.  The snorkeling was some of the best we have ever done.  The hammocks were plentiful - both in the sun and in the shade.  We always had the beach to ourselves.

{snorkeling photos taken by Dan}

We left feeling completely rested and relaxed... and talking about our next vacation to Belize.  I think that it will be a great place to take kids someday.