Baby's First Year Collections at Campbell Salgado Studio

I've gushed about Campbell Salgado to anyone who will listen, but let me say again what a wonderful experience I had with them.  Now that I'm further away from the whole being preggo state, I look back at our sessions with them as actually part of my birthing experience.  The memories of those sessions are actually woven into my memories of having babies!   I was NOT an "I feel more beautiful than ever before" kind of preggo person, and really, the only time I slowed down enough to really celebrate being pregnant was during our photo shoot.  They made me proud of how I looked and the photos are treasures and our art in our home.

The photos at the left are of Mr. H. and I together when I was pregnant (and I actually went into labor that day!), and then when Mae was 7 weeks, and then again for her first birthday.  (YES, she now has hair finally!)  We have a computer and hard drive FULL of photos of our kids, but these are in a different league, obviously, and are framed and ON OUR WALLS.

Kim Campbell and Francisco Salgado have revamped their Baby's First Year package so you can choose which milestones you want to capture and how you want to present them!  Check out all the details here. 

AND now through May 30, 2010 you can save $50 on any Baby’s First Year Collection by mentioning promo code CSS053010A.  In addition, the first 10 soon-to-be or new moms who sign up for a Baby’s First Year Collection package will receive a Mamalates – mom+babe DVD and kit, for synthesized movement for pregnancy, postpartum and all mamas (reg. $35)!

How stinking cute is this collage from their blog?!!

The time flies SO fast, I know everyone will tell you that, but looking at those pics of my babies who are in ELEMENTARY school now, really, really, really, brings it home for me. 

GO SIGN UP. NOW.

Hunger Monster Cure

What a fantastic idea! I don't know how many times I'd run out the door thinking I couldn't eat another bite, and then as soon as I drove out of the driveway, I'd be STARVING. In nine months of being pregnant, I never did get the whole "eating small meals all day long" thing down. The idea of having these in my purse and just grabbing a container of milk whenever that hunger monter hits is SO GREAT!

Pilates post pregnancy

I'm looking for a good POST preggo pilates dvd. I did this one through my whole pregnancy this time: Pilates for Pregnancy. It was very NOT challenging, but I was proud of myself for doing it at all as I did not work out at ALL with my first two babies. Now I would like to find one that is specific to getting a post preggo body back into shape. I'm terribly worried the third one did the final damage that I won't be able to recover from!! I worked out around 2 weeks after baby O. was born, and it was pretty easy - I was happy that I had worked out throughout, but now we are at SIX weeks, and I've been so sleep deprived that I've totally slacked off. I'm starting again.
Here's a whole list on amazon.
I'll check them out AFTER I do my regular pilates dvd... ugh.

1 Day and Counting

I am due tomorrow. My son came 3 days before his due date - my daughter 1 day before her due date. WHERE IS MY BABY?! He seems to be happily hunkered down in there - no rush to head anywhere. I know I was telling him to hold on until we got everything done that we needed to, but NOW we are done. So where is he?

I am SO looking forward to the couple of days in the hospital! My hospital is like a little hotel, and I adore being there. My baby blues with both children were centered around wishing I could be back at the hospital with everyone taking care of me, and me being able to sleep when the babies slept.

For some reason my usual schedule of dishes, laundry, cooking, WORK, keeping the house clean, etc. are completely and totally exhausting today, and I want to go in to labor so I can take a break in the hospital!

Pretty sad when my idea of a vacation is labor and delivery in a hospital, NO??

The Countdown Begins

18 days and COUNTING!!! 18 days. That is NOTHING, right? I mean, 18 days FLIES past when I have a deadline, or a BABY IS COMING. So why does this seem like the longest pregnancy in history? I've been through THREE seasons with this child inside of me! I really shouldn't be so impatient - my TO DO list is miles long!

Here's what I had prepared when Mr. H (the first baby) was making his appearance:

• an entirely redecorated nursery with wall hangings, new shelves with all new toys arranged just so.
• a closet and dresser full of brand new sparkling clean clothes arranged by size and outfit
• a diaper changing table with every ointment, cream, cleaner, etc. known to man arranged in the top drawer next to the perfectly stacked diapers.
• The brand new crib and crib set made by hand by a dear friend all set up, including a white noise machine attached to the side and a "weed whacker" mobile hanging artfully above.
• All of his brand new blankets washed and pressed and hanging in various places around the house in case one was needed.
• Every outlet hole plugged with those damn little clear plastic covers that rip your fingernails to the quick every time you have to vacuum.
• you get the picture.

Here's what I have prepared for Baby O (baby number THREE):

• a half of a pack of diapers left over from Miss Mae in a box somewhere in the framed and visqueened laundry room downstairs,
• a dresser full of clean hand-me-downs from Mr. H. IN Mr. H's room.

Yeah - that is it. We are finishing the construction of our basement, and the only room that wasn't covered in 2 inches of sheet rock dust is the laundry room. It is filled to the ceiling with plastic bins and sealed boxes. Inside these boxes are EVERYTHING for Baby O who is threatening to make his appearance any day, including his bedding for the moses basket he'll be sleeping in next to our bed, his swing, his chair, etc. etc. We of course can't get ANY of this out until the rest of the basement is finished which is what we have been working on for the last 4 days straight. Okay, i started helping yesterday with painting - my husband has been downstairs every night and weekend for the last 6 months.

Here's what we have to do before this kiddo decides he is done with sleeping near us, most of which I'd like to have done before he COMES:

• Bunk bed purchased, painted, and set up in Mr. H's room so Miss Mae can move in with him, and Baby O can have his own room (waking up all hours of the night and everything)
• Crib retrieved from where ever it has found itself during the construction, washed and put together in the 'nursery' - new mattress purchased (have you heard the theory that old mattresses can cause SIDS because of mold spores from previous children's spit up?? Scared me enough to get a new one...)
• Bedding found and thrown at the crib.
• Basement finished!
• Entire office set up and moved from main floor to new office downstairs.
• Miss Mae's bed moved downstairs to basement...
• Prepare for natural child birth.

No stress, right?

Pregnancy, round THREE

Here's my theory. a woman's first pregnancy should be nine months long. She needs time to read up on everything, wrap her brain around the idea of becoming a mother and the changes her life is going to go through, daydream about the incredibly perfect mother she'll be, decorate the NURSERY including making sweet little shadow boxes and photo collages for the walls... She needs to spend hours scouring the internet and local shops finding the PERFECT things for each room that might be affected by new baby... Her body needs nine months to stretch slowly into pregnancy shape. She needs at LEAST 9 months to contemplate BIRTH.

Second pregnancy? Should be 6 months, tops. Scratch out the first "wrapping her brain around the idea" related items. The shopping the second time around is cut at LEAST in half, even if the second baby is a different gender. Second time mama is prepared and ready to handle birth and feedings and sleepless nights, etc. etc.

This is my third pregnancy.

My THIRD. All i'm saying is this pregnancy shouldn't be really more than FOUR months long. My mind needs no wrapping around anything except maybe that my husband and i are soon to be out numbered. I have all the clothes, accessories, gear, etc. anyone could ever need. I have no allusions about being the perfect mother. My arse popped right out into its gigantium state that took nine months the first time, by month 3. and birth?? I've had just about all the experiences a woman can have - BRING IT ON.

Four months is PLENTY of time to be ready for this new person to arrive. Too bad biology doesn't depend on a mother's SHOPPING needs....!