Embracing the Bump

It recently came to my attention that I have almost no photos of my pregnancies. What is with THAT?!  Well, I can tell you, I know exactly what happened. I felt fat. Or big. Or swollen. Or insert self deprecation here. I have body image issues and when you add pregnancy weight gain and a big belly and swelling (and a big face...which is where I gain it the fastest...not cool dude, not cool.) you get self consciousness and camera avoidance. 


I started out this pregnancy with the declaration that I would take a photo of myself every week for the entire time. Then something happened.... I saw the photos. They were from the 9 week mark, I hadn't even gained any weight or really started showed much by this point....but I cried. I cried because I thought I looked gross. I was embarrassed. I was crushed. I decided that I didn't really need to document this pregnancy if it meant being bummed out about what I saw. Between the 10 week and 20 week mark I think I took 3 photos. Sad. Why am I letting my insecurity get in the way of capturing a part of my life that I can never replicate? Never get back? A part that is SO important to me?


Then something happened. At almost thirty I would like to think that I have grown out of the whole... "I wanna be like HER" thing. Not so much. In this case I think it's a really great thing because it snapped things back into perspective. I saw this blog called Katie's Pencil Box (please click the link and see what I am talking about) and I was immediately inspired. Inspired to be the cutest and most photogenic pregnant person I could be! Look at her! She is so stinking adorable! It's sick, really, how beautifully pregnant she is. Even though deep down I know I can never be quite that cute or stylish it inspires me to do what I can with what I have. Embrace the bump, no matter how I feel about myself. I refuse to end another pregnancy only to look back a year later and realize that there are no photos of it. REFUSE!  


So I am making a vow now on this here blog that I am going to embrace the bump. I am so happy to be pregnant. I am happy to be expecting a little guy. (& freaking out a little) But more than anything I really want to be able to look back and remember this time. And see myself pregnant.... even if I do get ridiculously huge. I really think I am the only one that cares anyway. 


So sorry in advance if I post waaaay too many photos of myself during the second half of this journey.... or if I use every post as an opportunity to update you on my thoughts/feelings of expecting our fourth. I gotta do what I gotta do. And with that said here I am.... embracing.... (don't judge.) :)

So You Had a Bad Day & Project Life

Yesterday was not a great day. It started out early and with kids whining and screaming and complaining. This is pretty unusual in our house...especially at the crack of dawn. So needless to say I was thrown. Then my prego hormones kicked into overdrive. I took them to the park in an effort to "do something" and get some energy out. But it was a total bust... once we got home I began to search online for summer activities..... I suck at interweb (haha, I am 90) searches, so that really didn't lift my spirits. Then I began to feel like a failure as a mother. How can I keep my kids off of the computer, tv, and xbox all summer if I don't even know where to take them or what to do? (and I have no energy cuz of the whole bun in the oven thing..and get hot easily.) In California I would just spend a couple of days a week at the beach or local lagoon. Here? I have to work on it.

What it all comes down to is it was just a bad day. It happens. There are plenty of things to "do" in our city. ..... I just have to learn where to go and when. ....and I have to give myself a break. Now that I am a stay at home Mom I think I put pressure on myself to be all things to all people. That is not realistic. I don't have to entertain my children 7 days a week. They have a big yard and more than enough toys. If I just find a balance of activity and non-activity I will be happy. Surely this will not be my last bad day of the summer (they can't all be popsicles and watermelon people)... but it is nice to know that I got through it, and now I can embrace being in a new city and being totally clueless about my surroundings. Bring it on.

And moving on...I did find that doing a little project helped lift my spirits. Something about capturing all those random moments life has to offer. It made me smile yesterday through the freak outs. I am catching up from before the move which means that I got to finish the weeks with birthdays and Disneyland and American Crafts guest designing...

I have more to show you soon. I am really on a roll with catching up. Having so much keeping this project simple and quick and easy. With so many different things going on I am really happy I decided to capture every week. I think we will look back and laugh at what a whirl-wind it was!

Quick Simple Scrapping

I've been finding the time to scrap lately. In fact I scrapped Mon-Fri this week during Ev's naptime...(or in between putting her back into her room over and over and reminding her that she should in fact be sleeping. Luckily Monday was the worst with that and by Friday I only had to lay her down once and then she did indeed sleep. Progress!)

I'm keeping it really simple as I get back into the swing of things and getting used to my new scrap space. (I still need to work on the organization and final touches/storage...also the movers lost a cabinet with A LOT of my stuff in it, so missing that right about now. :/ )

After catching up on a TON of project life I decided it was time to break into some layouts. My Studio Calico kits have been calling my name, and I finally cracked open City of Lights....

 The colors are so pretty and fun to work with. Just two quick layouts (maybe 30 min. each?) and I was satisfied...

BTW, I can't seem to stop scrapping Instagram photots. They dominate my PL and layouts. Maybe it's because they are all the same size and already edited by the time they hit the computer? I don't know, but I can't get enough. Do you feel the same way? If you have the Instagram app feel free to follow me at Elz10.

Does it Get Any Better?

I feel like it's been awhile since I posted anything scrap-related. So here is a layout I did before we left Cali...

"Does it get any better?"...

Just before this photo was snapped Ev handed me my Instax camera...like she knew there was going to be this beautiful, happy, smiling, best day ever, kind of moment between her and her Dad that just needed to be captured, instantly. I'm so glad I pointed and clicked (instead of yelling at her for touching my camera)hehe. Sometimes the everyday moments really are the best. Although we did have quite a good time together celebrating Nakiah's birthday last night too. Maybe I'm just into embracing every moment. :)

We are settling into life in Lexington and finding our footing in somewhat of a routine. The best thing about that is I have been finding a ton of time to scrap (seriously, is there anything better than that?) ...I will show you what I've been making very soon.

On a side note...it has been made perfectly clear that it is in fact going to be hotter than blue blazes this summer (ugh)....so I HAVE to find some more hot weather prego clothes (dread). My one pair of shorts and 2 pairs of capris are just not going to cut it. Boo to that. Online shopping is even more dreadful when you are knocked up. Maybe I'll just stay in my house all summer long? Hottie can deliver Slurpees and Blizzards, right? ............just thinking out loud here.

Double Digits

I can not believe that my little boy is turning 10 today. (No wonder he doesn't like it when I call him little....or a kid. hm.) I know it's cliche, but the years really have flown by. It's almost scary how fast things go....one more year of Elementary and he'll be in Middle School. (How does this happen? Make it stop!) Last night I made the offer to freeze time so he could just remain single digit for the rest of his life.....he declined. boo.

There are so many wonderful things about my little 10 year old (I promise, I'll refrain from using the "l" word henceforth.).

  So many things I love.

I love his zest for life and how he embracing whatever comes...

 I love that he is a shameless goofball...

 I love that he isn't afraid to be silly...and actually begged for fake mustaches...

 I love that he works hard, no matter what he is doing...

 I love that he has a desire to be close to his brother...

 and sneak in as many cuddles with her as she allows...

 I love that he let's these girls hang all over him, and adore him, and holds their hands any time they want. I love that he is their very favorite boy. (Can't blame them.)....

 I love that he is willing to carry his 'lil sisters bright pink backpack around to help out...and doesn't even complain about it....

 I love that he let their joint birthday theme be Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to make her happy, and offered his balloon to her without batting an eye when hers popped....

 I love his curly hair, his blue/green eyes, and his quick smile....

 I love how he embraces new things...

 and will bust a move in the middle of a furniture store, (with a cain), if his jam is on...(this kids got some serious moves, let me tell you!)

 I love that he finds joy in the littlest of things, like silly straws....

I love that there is just something about him that makes other kids want to be his friend, and adults rave about how good he is. I love his vivid imagination. I love that every teacher he's ever had has said how conscientious he is. I love that he is kind. I love that he always tries to do the right thing. I love his sense of humor. I love that he is very smart and a bit sensitive. I love that he has amazing intuition, and just knows what will make people happy. I love that he strives to be the best person he can be and thinks about the future. I love that he asks the best get-to-know-you questions I've ever heard. I love that he has this soft spot for his sister, and is counting the days to meet his new brother. I even love that every time we sit down to eat a meal he is the only one to strike up conversations about the most random things (he's gonna make great date one day...not too soon though...please slow down!)

So even though it's his Happy day, I am the happiest person...because I get to have him in my life. I get to love him and nurture him, and help him become the amazing man that he is well on his way to becoming. So happy to have this kid, double digits and all, in my life.

Baby on Board

We got some exciting news the other day at the doctor...and since we are far away from ALL of our family we were trying to figure out a fun way to share with everyone. Finally, after 20 weeks of waiting and wishing and hoping and wondering we were able to find out what our baby is.....

So Brian and I thought the best way to tell everyone would be by posting a video that we took of us telling our kids in a fun way. Hopefully (even though the quality is not the greatest) you can feel like you are in on the action and the excitement of the gender reveal.

First, here are the pictures I took....

 I think he might be happy to be having a baby brother...

Here is the video...

Aidan and Nakiah both said they thought it was a girl, and Evareaux was pretty sure we were having a birthday party. But we have confirmation...both the tech and the doctor said there was no doubt about him in fact being a BOY. So bring on the dirt, snails, and puppy dog tails...or whatever it is that baby boys come with...:) 

Right Now...

These are some things I am really loving...

Surprise flowers from my big sis with the happiest packaging...

Totally made my day...

  Stumbling upon an a-MAY-zing home decor store. With everything you could ever dream of...including silly little dudes like these...

 She takes naps like this right now...(Ok. I don't love that, but it IS cute.)...

on her fingers are tiny Minnie Mouse shoes...

My little family settling in to our Lexington life...

That she plays soccer w/a basketball and calls it volleyball...

 This kids new hair cut....

 The beginnings of a scrap space...

 A HUGE tub that my big ole 5'9" pregers behind actually fits into....

comfortably....ahhhhhh, so nice....

 Progress on the scrap space (crabapple paint has GOTs to go!)...

 She claims these are "her shoes."...

 I found this polaroid at an antique shop. (Should have bought it!!)...

 Adorable/unique new baby products like this bottle drying grass... 

(GrAsS?! Why do I love it so much?!)...

 Traipsing around stores with this rotten little thing...

who is ALWAYS attracted to red recliners for some reason.....

and ALWAYS takes her shoes off in furniture stores...

 Reunited and it feels so GOOD!... 

Project life needs some serious catch up & I am so ready....

 Chocolate....

Anyone who knows me right now is thinking, "WhAT?!!!?"

I have always hated chocolate. But for some wacky reason (nugget in the oven) I can't get enough.

I am even doing some chocolate on chocolate crime with brownies and fudge frosting....