Maternity photographs

So, below are some awesome maternity photos my best friend Abby Liga of Liga Photography/Liga District Photography in Orlando, Florida took around September 5th, 2009. I forget exactly how pregnant I was at that point, but today I am much bigger than in these pics! I admire Abby so much as a business woman and as a artist. She has now shot my wedding and also these photos. She began photographing for her high school newspaper at 14 years old. I remember on the weekends she would have to attend the football games, even though she wasn't really into sports, but she had to go "on assignment". I have watched her develop her craft over the many years we've been friends. She never ceases to inspire and amaze me. She is a woman of such stlye; I have never seen the girl in a slouchy outfit. The girl knows how to shop, how to dress, and how to style her subjects in such a way that exudes chicness and sexiness. Somehow, even though the day we shot these pics in my parents backyard, it was a million degrees and I was sweaty, hot, and uncomfortably huge, Abby still made me feel like a beautiful and radiant expecting mother. Abby is always on the move and I admit, I live vicariously through her sometimes. She is always flying out to NYC, Chicago, or some exotic Caribbean island to shoot on location at destination weddings. And I am so excited for her, because this December she is doing a wedding in Scotland!

She has always been there for me, through thick and thin, and this gift she has given me of these photos is really one of my most cherished gifts that I've received for this baby. The cute little pink outfits are adorable, but after she outgrows them, I will still have these special images to remember how I felt and looked while pregnant. So, to Abby: thank you a million times over and I hope to make this up to you someday by making something special for you!! I love you!

And seeing as how my due date was 2 days ago, it looks like I probably won't be pregnant too much longer. In fact, last night I began having subtle contractions and they have been continuing throughout the morning today. I have an accupuncture appointment today with a woman who specializes in gettin' labor going! So, hopefully, we'll have some news for you in the next day or two. We shall see.. I feel so ready to do this labor and to meet our baby girl and hold her in our arms. The excitement and anticipation is a lot of fun, but it's almost show time! Anyways, enjoy the pics!














































And my absolute favorite...

Go Break a Leg

Oh boy, guys. Do I have a great excuse for not blogging in a long, long time! Just wait till you hear this one: This past Sunday after church and a big Belgium waffle breakfast, my husband went Kitesurfing up in St. Petersburg and I got a phone call from him about 2 hours later. He sounded pretty panicked and I heard a bunch of people around him making noise and then the dreaded ambulance siren in the background. Ugg..I was about to walk into Williams Sonoma to return a broken blender! So, long story short...

He did a really crazy trick on his kite board which he does a lot and always lands it, but this time the wind kicked up just as he was in the air. This carried him about 30 feet up and slammed him down onto the water with the board strapped to his feet. Well, upon impact from that height, his bone basically just shot out of his leg and broke and he had to deal with pulling the board off his dangling/floating leg and calling for help. So, they dragged his butt up on the beach and called 911. Thank God he wansn't too far out in the water when it happened.


So, they took him to the trauma unit in St. Pete hospital and by the time we got there he was already in the middle of his 2 hour surgery. He got a surgery which inserted a titanium rod into his leg from the ankle up to the knee. We were there for him when he got out of surgery and he looked pretty banged up. He had to stay in the hospital for 2 days and recover and finally they let him come home. So, I have been playing nurse to Yann; changing his dressings everyday. He doesn't have to wear a cast, but he does have to be on crutches for the next 6 weeks.

So, Daddy will be doing lots of father/daughter sitting on the couch gazing into each others eyes bonding stuff! Because that's about all he can do for now. We borrowed my grandfather's wheelchair and so he has been able to get around the house pretty good and do dishes. For the first week he basically needs to keep the leg elevated 90% of the day, so he has to be laying or sitting. And yes, he feels really bad about all this. I've been pretty sweet about it all, if I do say so myself, because I feel like the injury and pain is punishment enough. Was I a little pissed he did this to himself 6 days before my due date? Yes! But number 1: I'm just thankful it wasn't something worse or more permanent and number 2: with a newborn baby you basically just stay home and lay in bed anyways. So, we are making the best of all this.

One day we'll look back on this time and laugh.

Sorry for no cute pictures of ourselves, but I am too overwhelmed to be snapping pictures. Between our move, my in laws coming into town, and Yann's broken leg I have had no time for anything like that. But I bet once that baby is here, there will be no putting the camera down!

And did you know my due date in in 4 days? Oh my gosh, I am so excited!!!! And when are my contractions going to begin??

The Nursery is complete!

So, finally the nesting can begin! Or should I say...is completed? We knocked out the nursery and not a moment too soon. :) The colors are lime greens and chocolate brown. Cute for a girl, right? Anyways, I hope you enjoy and check out the mini video of me at the end of the post. I really think it turned out pretty cute, if I don't say so myself! And next time I'll be posting pics of my Mommy Glam photo sesh with the lovely and talented Abby of Liga District.











And here is a detail of the bedding...



And on either side of the crib are hanging some vintage embroidery patterns of kitties that I did while in France...






and Rascal in the nursery after his haircut; he feels very naked now...

The pets and their adorable behavior

I just had to post a few pics of Mopsy and Rascal, who are now joined at the hip. She (the cat) really has built trust in him over the last few weeks and now I have a cat-loving dog! I never thought Rascal would not only resist killing the cat, but actually come to love her. He follows her around and they are so cute in the mornings. They both wait patiently to be let out into the backyard every a.m. to do their business. We love our pets; they are part of our little but growing family.

You remember this child's doll bunk beds I fixed up a few months ago for the baby?




Well, look who decided it was an irresistible place to nap in the sun...








And here they are snuggling together on the bed.



Anyways, I need to put a video up of me and this huge 37 week belly I'm rocking. I'll try to do it in the next few days. When I get motivated enough to dress up, put some makeup on, and be in front of a camera. Ha, ha, let's get real.