Baby Girl Update (31 weeks)

OK so since asked, I figured I'd better give some sort of pregnancy update. :) We are 31 weeks along - officially 9 weeks left, although I fully expect her to be here sooner. They usually schedule the c-section for a few days earlier than your due date - just to avoid having you go into labor first. PLUS, in true "Elisabeth" form, my blood pressure is starting to creep up and I have yet to make it to ANY of my due dates because of preeclampsia. :)

Um - yeah - so what is preeclampsia? Well, rather than just make something up, here's a link - - which is way more information than you needed, I'm sure. :)

So anyway - my blood pressure is always great when not pregnant, and then around 1/2 through it starts to creep up. Currently I've got days where it's around 133/81 and then other days when it's as low as 115/65 . . . and it's slowly getting higher. So I moniter it at home, and the doctors moniter it as well.

This baby girl is measuring about 1.5 weeks big - which is completely normal for my babies. :) I think Micah measured about 3 weeks big (and worried everybody - but he's just a big boy!!) and Ella measured about 1 week big - so this little one is pretty much right on target for a Nixon baby. :) My amniotic fluid has been a little on the low side - just borderline for normal/low - so they're watching that. That makes ME measure about 1-2 weeks small (size of belly/uterus) so between me being small and the baby being big, I have NO idea how to judge how far along I am by just looking. :) With the other two I was HUGE - this little girl is definately all in the front, but she's not taking up as much space . . . yet.

Her vitals are fantastic - she does appear to have the same nose that Micah had . . . poor girl. Don't be surprised by a little round head with a big noggin - it's entirely possible. Fortunately Micah has grown into his nose (5 years later) and I'm sure she will too! If I can get my scanner to work, I'll show ya what I mean about the big sniffer . . . it pretty much takes up the whole picture. :) HA!

UM - so yeah, that's about it - we're doing really well, just watching everything closely in an effort to avoid, or at least be prepared, for possible complications. They (the doctors) have always taken the baby before I get really sick from the preeclampsia, so I don't worry about that - it's just a matter of making the recovery from the c-section harder because you were so sick to start with. So it'd be GREAT to avoid it completely and have a "normal" surgery/delivery, you know?

Here are some recent pictures of "us" - 31 weeks along. :) Still no name - and I promise, I am not lying to "keep it a secret" - we honestly have no name. Any suggestions? Must go well with "Micah & Ella" :)

2 Years Gone By

Two years have gone by since I gave any thought to photographing for more than just my own memories. Two years ago I didn't really have a CLUE. :) I could see in my head what I wanted - but couldn't really make it happen in the camera. SO frustrating. I bought a bunch of books, spent countless hours online reading and researching, even MORE hours behind the camera practicing and practicing . . . and I am pleased to say that I have learned SOMETHING! :)

If nothign else, I've learned to have fun. To not be so very structured and only work withing the proverbial "box". To take chances - to try things that are new - to go ahead and step out, maybe even fail. :) SO many pictures fail . . . but with each one that doesn't work out the way it was in my head, I am able to learn something at least!

Here's Micah and Ella - almost exactly 2 years ago. They're stinking cute and I didn't really have a clue what I was doing. :) I was still shooting in the auto/program mode, trying to figure out what on EARTH the corrolation was between shutter speed, aperature, ISO - it was all so foreign to me. And yet I knew what I WANTED this picture to look like. Of course, it doesn't look ANYTHING like what was in my head - but it's a good example of at least giving it a try. :)

About 8 months after that was taken I felt like my pictures were becoming far more consistant, and I'd learned enough to do a few people's pictures here and there - but looking back even those are a little embarassing. :) I guess I thought I knew a LITTLE what I was doing - but I look at them now and can see so many failures - but without each of those, I wouldn't have learned how to do it differently. How to do it better, right?

Here's "today" - as in February 2009. This pictures isn't perfect by ANY means. But it speaks my language. :) It's so much closer to what is in my head - and it happened so fast, without much conscious thought on my behalf. My fingers know what to do, what dials to turn - I don't have to think long and hard about where settings should be - it's just "in there" - in my head, I mean. :)

To be honest, these pictures make me a little excited. :) Excited to see where I've come from. And REALLY excited to see where I might be in the next 2 years - or even 5. I have so many ideas and "dreams" - things I want to do with this. A lot of them might never happen, and that's totally OK with me - it's my dream, I can dream whatever I want, right? :) But several of them I fully intend to do my best to see them through to completion. I am not the best photographer - by ANY means. I'm not even all that fantastic. But I've gotten better - and I know that with a lot more practice and hard work, I'll learn even more.

There is ONE very important part of the equation I've left out though - kinda purposefully. Mostly because it's THE part of the equation that, without its inclusion, I would have failed miserably. I believe that to be God. I don't think it's by chance that I have a love for photography - nor by chance that I have some talent in this area. Not for a minute do I think that I got "here" all on my own either. I can't tell you HOW many of those "countless hours" I spent reading and practicing that I would sit frustrated, crying out to God saying "Does it have to be so hard? I want to do this, WANT to understand - I need help!" Sometimes I was so bummed about any lack of progress at ALL that I wouldn't even pick up the camera for several days, weeks - whatever. Eventually I'd realize that I can't possibly learn or grow if I don't even try - and that my trying (and subsequent failing) would have NO impact whatsoever on what God thought of me. :)

Kinda crazy - how taking out the "what do others think of me??" and replacing it with "What does GOD think about me" - how that simple switch can change your perspective. :) Who cares what others think about me and my photography. (OK so I DO care - but this is just some serious ramblings ok?) But really - I do not have to please every person. Shoot - I don't REALLY have to please anybody. :) I really only fail if I do NOT try, and if I don't do my best. The attitude in my heart, the words I say, my actions, the talents that I have which HE has given to me (and to each of us!) - THOSE I can use to either bring Glory to His Name, and please Him - or not.

It's embarassing to fail - almost nobody will "see" it though, because WHY would I show THOSE pictures? :) But then I can look at those pictures and say - "Thank you Lord" - He's brought me a long way, I've learned a lot - would NEVER have had ANY success what-so-ever with actually running a business - and each of those small failures will add up to the opportunity to learn and understand more. And then to try again - maybe that time I'll get it right. :)

It's About Time!

It's taken me almost FOUR years to do this . . . well, we're looking at three years and seven months - so more like three and a half, right? Still - REDICULOUS. Lydia came over today and helped me paint my bathroom. Next we're going to tackle the bedroom which will be a MUCH larger job. (I have THE BIGGEST bedroom in history - which is a blessing and a curse.)

The colors make me a LITTLE afraid but now that we've started and have the blue in the bathroom I am SO pleased! (And SO kicking myself for not doing this sooner!!) Here's what we were up to today - the kids were not much help and THANK YOU MOM for taking them out for a lot of the day! Ella would have rolled around in it if we'd let her - Micah is still a little leary - he thinks it might STILL be wet. (Matthew agrees.)

I have so many ideas and little things I want to do to finish the bathroom up - when it's ALL done, I'll share some more. :) And of COURSE, I'll share the crazy green that's going in my bedroom. ;)

Here's Ella - because she MUST be the center of attention these days. Not an award winning photo by ANY standards - but she insisted, and so I obliged!

Adore

a⋅dore
   /əˈdɔr, əˈdoʊr/ [uh-dawr, uh-dohr]

–verb (used with object)
1. to regard with the utmost esteem, love, and respect; honor.
2. to pay divine honor to; worship: to adore God.
3. to like or admire very much: I simply adore the way your hair is done!

–verb (used without object)
4. to worship.

What a WIERDO.

I think, though, that "wierdo" is not the correct term. I think it's highly possible that "lunatic" or even "obsessive compulsive lunatic" is far more accurate. Matthew is out of town - has been for a couple of days and will be until Tuesday - and my SUPER fabulous sister Lydia is staying with me and the kids. :) When she's not working we hang out and catch up - sadly she is the ONLY sister who lives near me and we still rarely get together! Yesterday we took the kids to Sea World for some fun (gotta love those "go one day, come back the rest of the year!" passes, right?!) - and today I think we're going to stay home and recover from all the fun. :) Poor Lydia had to work last night until 11 so she is REALLY tired today.

Anyway - here's WHY I realize I'm such a crazy person. As Lydia and I are sitting around talking, we notice some REALLY strange things about us that are similar. She is 6 years younger than me and for the most part, it's only been recently that we've really connected. We were always friends as sisters, but she was so much younger that we didn't REALLY talk or spend time together. I was busy with school, sports, work, etc - and she was in elementary or middle school. Then I moved away and it wasn't until I came back home and she'd graduated that we REALLY got to know each other. I say all of that because I need to point out that we did not LEARN our wierd obsessive "things" from each other - apparently they are hard-wired into us! (Which means they could come from either my mom OR my dad - makes ya wonder, eh?)

So here are a few of them - the obsessive things that we are bound by in our every day life.

1 - Kit Kats. We both eat them the same way. First piece: nibble all of the chocolate around the sides. Then pull the three (yes there are three) wafers apart. Eat the top, eat the bottom, lastly eat the middle. Second piece: Again nibble all of the chocolate around the sides. Then eat the wafers, all together, in two bites. Third piece: Nibble all of the chocolate around the sides. Eat the wafers, all together, in ONE bite. Last piece: eat it "normally" like you're supposed to. We don't do this because it's FUN. I have to eat them this way. If I don't, then I feel the burning need to get ANOTHER kit kat (which I feel ANYWAY because they're SO GOOD) and do it "right".

2 - cracks & lines in the sidewalk. Don't step on them. Try to step on "every other" space instead of every space. We noticed yesterday at Sea World that Micah has already started this. He was unable to keep up with us because he "had to miss the lines" and the path had taken him in the other direction. He wasn't sure how he'd get back to us because there were too many lines in between us. I've birthed a monster.

3 - Poles or anything sticking out of the ground (lightposts, fence posts, etc.) When walking along, if there is a post to the RIGHT of me, step "over" it. If I'm in a car, lift up my heels to go "over" it. If there are no posts on the "right" of me, then I look to the left. But I don't concern myself with the left side unless necessary.

I think maybe I've shared enough crazy for today. But these were things that made us laugh over the last few days. I'm certain we'll find more insanity that we have in common with each other - and I wonder what quirks my other sisters, Sarah and Joanna, share with us. :) I know they're not nearly as "normal" as they pretend to be!! :) HA! Have a great Saturday - and because I have no pictures to "share" from Sea World, here's one of the GORGEOUS Lydia - so you know "which one" I mean - we all look alike. (or so you people say....) :)

Chris & Sara: Day After

These pictures weren't "actually" taken the day after their wedding - but they were taken AFTER their wedding. :) This is what I call a "Day After Session" - basically the bride and groom get as dressed up as they want and we head out - just the three of us - and we take our time together, which usually doesn't happen much ON the wedding day. :) I FULLY would recommend considering a Day After Session - as a couple you're relaxed, rested . . . and every BIT as beautiful as you were on your wedding day. I, the photographer, just get to hang out with the awesome couple one more time - which is a huge perk for me!

We went to Orlando for some more urban photos and I am LOVING the way they all turned out. Here are a bunch that I just can't help but share!! Sara - you are SOOOOOO gorgeous and Chris - smokin' with the stare. :)

1:54 AM, Sleepless Night #642

Alright. What on EARTH is up with the sleeplessness? It's like this almost every night - I go to bed exhausted, sleep a couple of hours (or a few at most!) and then I'm up from like 1-4 . . . just staring at the ceiling, waiting to go back to sleep. Thoughts and ideas crashing through my head (which is how I ended up in front of the computer tonight - needed to write some of this stuff down because I will NOT remember it in the morning when I'm pooped again!).

"Sweet" Baby Girl used to sleep at night - until we went to Vegas and got her times all mixed up. Since then she rests the most from 4am - 10am . . . and the rest of the day she beats on me like a little lunatic. I'm just a LITTLE worried about how much energy (and strength!) this little chica has. So she makes it rather difficult to go BACK to sleep when it was hard enough to do it the first time with her flopping and framming around in there! Currently she either has the hiccups (and is annoyed by them - based on the steady hiccup movement followed by a swift WHACK to my side) or she is trying to officially drive me insane.

Tomorrow my in-laws leave for India which is VERY exciting for them - they are part of an organization called Hands of Compassion which sponsors a couple of children's homes (and also a women's home) in India. They are headed over for their yearly visit (father-in-law, mother-in-law, and grandma-in-law) :) . . . and I'm pretty sure they all even got some sleep tonight before the big trip. (Well, HOPEFULLY they are sleeping!) Peggy and Myrtle will be blogging about the trip when they can - and you can follow their travels if you'd like through www.handsofcompassion.org - go to the "blog" link. :) We will miss them and look forward to their arrival in 2-3 weeks (not all travelling together the whole time!) and please keep them in your prayers for safe travel and for the time they are there visiting. :)

Alright. I will go attempt to sleep again. Baby Girl - you betta CALM YO-SELF down in there! Mama needs her sleep! ;)

Can't Buy Me LOOOOVE!!

When Matthew and I first started dating I was introduced to the Beatles - for real. Before that I might have been able to tell you which song was theirs out of two songs . . . but then again, maybe not. Mostly because I might have been able to pick out that Beatles "sound" that comes from their harmonies and feel. Anyway, Matthew helped me quickly develop a love for their music - and we ended up with lots of "our" songs - mostly because they are FUN to sing along with and are a lot about love. :)

Micah and Ella, I'm happy to say, are also fans of the Beatles. Ella's favorite song is the Yellow Submarine song - which she calls the Lellow Ub-marnine . . . and she has a favorite dress with the submarine on it and everything. :) Micah's favorite is the "yeah yeah" song (She loves you, Yeah, yeah, yeah!) - Can you tell I don't even know the real titles myself?? :) Matthew and I usually revert to Can't Buy me Love or Close Your Eyes (And I'll Kiss you...) . . . all of this to say, in my head tonight as I edited these pictures of Micah and Ella (they are SO silly!) was the song Can't buy me Love . . . not because the words have ANYTHING to do with the pictures - but because Micah and Ella just LOOOOVE each other - and you just can't buy that for them - or pay them to act like this . . . or even bribe them with tasty lollipops. :) It's a huge blessing - and hopefully someday very special for them as well to have grown up as friends AND siblings. :)

(You might notice that lately I'm on a bit of a texture kick - and my processing of the pictures are all over the place.) :) While on Semi-Maternity leave (as I'm calling it for the moment until it's 'official') I am playing around to try to hone in a bit more on what I like best. :) Just trying to be more "me" with my photography and also with my editing - it takes some experimenting and playing around - none of which I mind doing!!

Sleeping Beauty

Ella has to be one of the funniest little people I know. She's not funny like Micah is funny - he embraces the rediculous and thrives on silly and crazy. He just sits and laughs at it - and he gets it too, and then tries to make his own silly and crazy - and rediculous - which is funny. :)

Ella though, is funny for different reasons. From the moment she came along she was crammed FULL of personality. Even as a tiny newborn it was eeking out of her. Nothing has changed - now over three years later and even when she sleeps she makes me smile. :) She doesn't do ANYTHING halfway. Whether it's eating her food, running to give you a hug (and almost knocking you over), riding her bike, brushing her teeth, laughing like a lunatic - she puts every tiny bit of her into it. Which is so funny!

A couple of days ago she and I had the afternoon together - she was so sad that Micah was gone and I tried to make up for it by letting her skip her nap. :) We were going to just lay down and watch Sleeping Beauty together, one of her FAVORITE movies. She calls herself Sleeping Beauty a lot - and daddy is always Prince Phillip. :) In the mornings she'll come in our bed and close her eyes (faking sleep of course) while snoring LOUDLY. Then she'll announce that she's once again Sleeping Beauty waiting for her kiss to wake her up. :) Matthew always obliges.

So the other day I left the room for a few minutes while she was getting the DVD turned on (it's something she's just GOT to do herself) and I came back about 5 minutes later to find her sound asleep on the bench at the foot of my bed. :) My little princess had just collapsed and was officially the sleeping beauty she'd always wanted to be. :) So of COURSE I took pictures! When she woke up I was showing them to her and she said to me, "Oh look Mama! I'm just like Sleeping Beauty!" I told her that she was. :) And that I'd kissed her over and over to see if she'd wake up, but it didn't work - so she must have been waiting for Prince Phillip/Daddy to come for her. :)

Merry Valentines Day!

Haha - Ok, so not "merry" but rather, HAPPY Valentines Day! Unfortunately all of my grand ideas for this particular blog have fallen through. I won't share them because, well, there's hope yet - but I'm currently having trouble with a particular piece of technology that is necessary to the post itself.

However - that doesn't mean I can't share a little bit about why I love me some Matthew. :) In no particular order (because I can't be bothered to write this stuff out ahead of time - I'm a "fly by the seat of my pants" kinda girl!)

1. I love that you hit me with a volleyball the first time we met (hard enough to knock the wind out of me) and then didn't talk to me for a year because you were so embarassed.

2. I love that you love your family dearly and now that WE are a family, you love us desperately - as we do you. :)

3. I love how much taller you are than me.

4. I LOVE YOUR BEARD. It is so hot! (sorry girls - he's taken!!) :)

5. I love your voice.

6. I love your ears and how they scrunch up a little bit when you smile. I'm sad that neither of our kids have this trait - and hope that #3 here might have this little bit of you in her - it's so sweet. :)

7. I love how you put your all into everything that you do.

8. I love everything you've ever made me in your WOODWORKING WORKSHOP. :) (not garage...)

9. I love how Micah wants to be just like you when he grows up - and I hope that he is.

10. I love it when you laugh - REALLY laugh. It makes my heart happy.

11. I love how much I need you. And I'm sorry I don't always realize or remember how much I need you - but I really do.

12. I love how strong you are.

13. I love how tender your heart is.

14. I LOVE YOUR BEARD. (oops - I think I already said that.) ;)

15. I love that it's because of you that I figured out how to do what I love. (photography.)

16. I love that you think I'm good at it, even when I doubt myself.

17. I love that you support me and are excited for me when I succeed.

18. I love that you hold me and listen to me pour my heart out when I fail.

19. I love your hands.

20. I love your beautiful eyes.

21. I love the kind of daddy that you are.

22. I especially love the kind of husband you are.

23. I love that you are excited about another baby - even though we were so sure we were done. :)

24. I love it when you sing.

25. I love it when you hold me. We just fit together perfectly. (ok not right NOW with the baby involved - but it'll fit again soon!)

There are so many more reasons why I love you. Perhaps I'll jot some more down later - but for now, the natives are restless (you know this I'm sure) and we're headed out the door.

Happy Valentines Day, my love. I am so thankful that God has given you to me - and me to you. I am grateful every day for the friendship that we share and I look forward to so many MANY more years to spend with you. :)

Love,

Me.

V-Day Countdown - #1

"I love about daddy that he lets me play computer games on his computer . . . well, when it wasn't broken. I also love about daddy that he plays with my walkie-talkies with me. You know, the one that's Bumble Bee and Optimus Prime." -Micah

V-Day Countdown - #2

"I just love him. (daddy) I no know why." -Ella

V-Day Countdown - #3

Sorry I'm late . . . busy day. :)

One of the things I love most about you is that you are a wonderful listener. Yes, like most guys, you are wanting to fix whatever it is immediately - but you rarely think I'm crazy as you're listening to me worry, my ideas, my thoughts, and my mindless babble." -Me :)

V-Day Countdown - #4

"I wuv (love) to nuggle (snuggle) wiv you (mommy) and daddy in your bed . . . and then daddy tries to take me back to my bed . . . but I weally (really) wike (like) to nuggle wiv daddy." -Ella

"I love about daddy that he helps me feel better." -Micah

V-Day Countdown - #5

"I like about daddy, um . . . he gives me UH . . . a Barbie Dapunzel Diamond Castle girl." -Ella

"I love about daddy that he brushes my teeth when I'm too tired to do it myself." - Micah

V-Day Countdown - #6

"I love how no matter what you're doing - work, playing with the kids, helping out a friend, XBox or Wii, cooking/baking, woodworking, reading, driving, laughing, kissing (me, that is) - you do your very best every single time." -Me ;)

V-Day Countdown - #7

"I love about daddy . . . the sky." -Ella
Translation: He is SOO tall!

"I still love about daddy that he plays with my HOTWHEELS cars with me. I KNOW I said that already, but I really love that." -Micah

V-Day Countdown - #8

I love that you are almost as spazzy as me. :) Most people know you as "serious" but I love that at a moment's notice you're liable to break out in song (or some sort of rediculous dance) - and I LOVE that our kids get this great quality from you! You're FUN to be with, for them and for me, and we love that!

V-Day Countdown - #9

"Daddy is tickley and he tickles me and I laugh so hard." - Ella

V-Day Countdown . . . #10

It's getting close! Have you figured out what you're doing for your loved ones?? It occured to me yesterday that my romantical ideas weren't going to happen this year and I needed to come up with something solid . . . and so, I thought about some sort of V-Day Countdown thing. :) It's for Matthew, but everybody else will get to see it as well. (Duh - it's "public" eh??) :)

If I counted right (and I think I did!) there are 10 days until Valentines Day. So the kids and I are going to give you 10 days of WHY we love Daddy (Matthew)! And the countdown BEGINS . . .

"I love about daddy that he plays Wii games with me and he likes to play with my cars with me." - Micah