Weeks 38 & 39

So, here it is.... my last post before becoming a mommy. I cannot believe it is here already! The past two weeks have been so miserable for me. I cannot sleep at night due to rls (restless leg syndrome) and my skin is being stretched beyond it's capability. And yes, I have aquired stretch marks. :( At first I was really ssad about it but then I had to tell myself that it's just a body and I will rock what my baby gave me! I call them my battle scars! lol.
At my 38 week appt, I had my membranes stripped and it wassn't bad at all. However, it didn't bring baby. Obviously. I did lose my mucous plug (sorry if that was tmi) but thought I would share anyways. I had dilated to 2 1/2 cms and was still 70% effaced and he was measuring around 7 lbs. At my 39 week appt. I was dilated 2 1/2 still but I had progressed to 80% effaced and he was measuring 7 1/2 lbs.
So, we decided that Tuesday is the day! We are going to the hospital at 4 am and we will start the induction process! So crazy! I hope we will be able to keep everyone updated through the day via fb. I hate it when I know someone is having a baby and you have no idea how it's going. So, hopefully we (meaning Josh) will keep everyone updated on the progress.
We have been trying to prepare the house for guests and Kai as best as we could. Tonight we did ALL of our laundry and cleaned out our cars. Feeling very accomplished. lol. Tomorrow will be spent cleaning the house again and trying to keep myself busy. I know I am suppose to get some rest but their is no way I will be sleeping tomorrow night.
Josh and I have been spending as much time together as possible since we will never be a twosome ever again. It's such a crazy thought. We have gone out to dinner, gone to the movies, and slept in as much as we possibly could have since we won't ever get to again! lol. But it has been nice just talking about what things will be like and just anticipating the big day.
I am so excited and nervous all at the same time. I pray that everything goes well and we have a healthy baby and mommy. So, please everyone keep us in your thoughts Tuesday and pray that everything goes well! ANd the next time I post I will be posting on my little dude!!!!!
Here are the last belly pics. :(

Week 38

Week 39

Weeks 36 & 37

Well, as I predicted the past week and a half has been insane! From cleaning the house to packing our overnight bags, it has been a whirlwind of craziness. Everyday there is somehting we are doing or trying to get done. It's so funny that you have 9 months to prepare but you really prepare in the last month. Or we have! lol. I guess we just work better under pressure. :) We have cleaned out our box room and it is now a functioning second guest room! Woohoo! We have our overnight bags packed which is really weird. It was weird washing a packing little baby clothes. And when I say bags I mean like 4 bags. I am one of those that likes to be prepared and so I did a little research to see what all was needed in the bags. We have a clothes bag that has our bathroom stuff, we have two bags for him, and we have a snack bag! I heard this was very important so I took it upon myself to make sure we wouldn't go hungry! hehe.
We are putting the finishing touches on his room. Finally got shelves up and the side table painted. It looks more and more like a nursery! ABout time huh?
We have had a few shoots over the past week and man has it been hot! We even managed to have our maternity pics taken (by my awesome partner)! So glad we got that done.
Well, I can definately say that if he were to come right now I would totally be ok with it. Actually, I would be more than ok with it! I have reached that state where miserable doesn't even cover it. My body has pretty much given up on me!
I went to the doctor last Friday and was told I was measuring 41 weeks, 2 cm dilated, 70% effaced (still) and he is still under 7lbs! Now, my next appt is this Thursday and my dr said she would strip/sweep my membranes if I wanted. What is this? This is where she seperates the bag of water from the side of the uterus. She said it would basically feel like an exam so I shouldn;t notice that much what she was doing. This can sometimes start labor. So, one of two things will happen. One- I start having contractions and nothing happens and my hopes are shot down or two- I can go into labor in like 12-24 hours after having this done! I;m going with option number 2 pls! So, when you lay down tonight say a little prayer that this works! And maybe we will have a little one by this weekend! Can't believe it's almost here!


36 weeks


My pretty pusher made it! These are delivery gowns that are a little more stylish than the lovely ones provided by the hospital!

37 weeks!

35 weeks

Week 35 has been quite a week! Saturday, we had our shower and it was perfect! When I was first asked about a shower I knew I didn't want the typical shower where it's all women and you feel like you have to be a lady (lol) and you play those shower games and eat mints. That just isn't me. And something I don't understand is why the father isn't more involved. I have always thought about showers (wedding and baby) that husband and wife should be there. You are both receiving the gifts so why shouldn't it be a celebration? Well, that's exactly what we did! We had a couples shower with yummy food, beer, and good company! We got just about everything we needed and what we still needed we went and picked up the next day! So, we are so fortunate to have friends and family who love us and Kai! It was such a good day and couldn't have asked for anything more!
I had a doctor's appointmet yesterday and recieved some shocking news! THings are moving along quite well and fast! lol. I am currently 35 1/2 weeks and this was my 36 week appt but we had to go in early cause my doctor is out of the office at the end of the week. Well, this appt is the first appt you get "checked". I was really nervous about this because I know it is uncomfortable and some people say it just plain out hurts! Well, they called my name and I went back and the first thing they do is check your weight. Here we go I thought, but then I was told I lost a pound!!!!! I was very proud! So was my doctor. lol. We then go into the room and check my blood pressure which was good, listened to his heartbeat which was good and then measured by belly. Well, it's measuring 40 weeks! Ahhh! 40 weeks? Are you serious? I knew we were going to have a big baby but I wasn't expecting that number. Well, that was just the start of all the numbers we were about to hear. It was then time to be "checked". Laying on the table, holding Josh's hand I am preparing for the worst. I close my eyes and hold my breath and then it was over! It wasn't bad at all! Yea, it didn't feel good but it was nowhere near what I thought it was going to be! She then told me that I was a centimeter and 1/2 dilated and 70% effaced already. When she said this she said it with almost disbelief. Even the nurse in the room was like "whoa"! She told us he was head down (which is REALLY good news) and then she went to estimate his weight. She did this by feeling around my belly and they say she usually only off by an ounce or two. Now this is not the estimated birth weight this his current weight. She's feels around and then tells us he's about 6 1/2 lbs already! Holy crap I am goibg to have a garantuous baby! I sit up and we start talking about all the info that was just given. She said that she thinks he will come by 38 weeks! I hope so! I am so ready and I don't want to have a 10 pounder. lol. This was very exciting news because this means he might come on his own! I have always thought I wanted to be induced but now thinking about it, the thought of not knowing when he's coming and it could happen anytime is the most exciting thing I have ever experienced!
So, now we are on a mission to get everything done! We are getting closer on his room! His bedding DID come in and I LOVE it but I am going to wait til the room is complete to put pictures up! We have to get our bags ready which is so crazy! We have to put the carseat in the car and clean the house! I am going to be SO freaking busy in the next week plus I have sessions to edit as well! Whew! We are sooo excited though! I honestly cannot think of anything that has been this thrilling! I just pray that everything goes well! And hopefully I will have time to squeeze in some maternity pics before he gets here! You'd think being a photographer, these would be done by now but no we have just been that busy! lol! Ok, I have "talked" long enough. Here are a few pics from the shower!

34 weeks

So, it has been a few weeks since I last posted but I hope to get back on track now that June is over. June was my busiest month not only for photography but for travel as well. I literally had something going on everyday for 3 weeks straight. But I survived thank goodness! This past month I had 5 weddings (in 4 weeks) went to a workshop in Nashville, had one of my baby showers and also went to New Olreans. And inbetween all of that I have had doctor's appointments, single sessions, and family gatherings! Whew! Let's just say this past month has flown by. I was posting the pics below and it amazes me just how big I have gotten in a few weeks. I feel like I can't stretch anymore and then I do! I have reached the miserable stage of pregnancy. It is no longer fun nor is it cute! lol. I never could understand why pregnant women would always say they were so done being pregnant but now I get it! Cause I am SO done! Even though we aren't quite prepared yet, I am reaady to have this little guy in my arms to snuggle with!
THis weekend, we are having our main baby shower and I cannot wait! I have amazing friends who have put so much work into this and I am so excited to see everything vome together. I am most excited to get together with some of our favorite people to celebrate our little dude. I cannpt believe he will be here in just a short time. These next two weeks are going to busy ones as well, for we have several shoots coming up. I'm not quite sure how I am going to do but I am going to try my best! I can't quite move the same and I am constantly tired! I can't tell you just how tired I am ALL the time from just doing nothing. But then Josh reminds me that I am doing quite a bit by incubating our son. lol.
Kaiser's bedding should be here anyday and I can't wait to see it! Once we have the bedding I feel I can finish his room. Not much has been done since I can't really get anything until his bedding is here. SO I will def be posting on his bedding!
I hope to really take in these last few weeks and cherish them. This will be the last of just me and Josh. I hope to get everything in order for his arrival and really try to mentally prepare for his arrival!
Well, I hope to posst quite often now that we are nearing the end. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend!!! Until next time.....
29 weeks31 weeks

34 weeks

His Sweet, Sweet Face!

Our last appointment was such an exciting one! I think I was more nervous about seeing him than I was about finding out the sex. I'm not sure why, but I was a nervous wreck in the waiting room. As we were sitting there waiting, in walks one of my sisters. She is having her 3rd baby this month and we have the same doctor (not on purpose). But it eases my mind that she has delivered my neice and nephew. So, it was a nice distraction talking to her while we were waiting. It didn't last long. Before we knew it we heard "Lauren Keeton". I exhaled my nervous energy and got up out of my sseat (with Josh's help lol). We walked back and the tech introduced herself. We got to our room and I sat down on the table. Our tech was chatting away as she laid the table back, turned off the lights, and put the oh so cold gel on my tummy. She first wanted to confirm it was a boy and there are no doubts there! lol. SHe then checked his heartbeat which was good. Then she switched over to 4d. It took a few minutes to get positioned just right to see his face. But then there he was. My cute, chubby cheeked son. Right off the bat Josh and I noticed his lips. We have been discussing what he might look like and what he might get from who. Since I have no lips and Josh and Angelina lips we were wondering if maybe they would be normal sized lips. haha. So, when we saw them we both laughed because they look pretty big. We also noticed his cute little button nose. The tech then said "Well, he looks like you Dad!" And he did. We got to see him yawn a couple of times which was really cool. For most of the appointment he kept his hand in front of his face but we went in knowing something like that would probably happen since there isn't a whole lot of room in there now. Our ultrasound came to an end and she printed out some pictures for us. We went back out into the waiting room (I still had my regular appointment) and the both us studied each picture closely. We smiled and giggled like little school girls as we talked about each feature. Proud parents we are! When we got called back for our monthly check up the nurses were very excited to see what our little peanut looked like. And of course the nurses and My Doctor immedialtely said "oh, he looks just like you Dad!" It was such a fun appointment! Even though we got some good shots of his face, I still feel that I don't know what he;s going to look like when he comes out. So, the excitement is still there! Hope you enjoy the pics of our Little Kaiser roll!

Fist and puckered lips
nose shot

Look at those lips!

Button nose

These last two are my favorites!

Can't believe he's gone from an itty bitty peanut to a baby!

28 weeks

Another week has come and gone. Each week seems to go by faster than the one before. I spent most of the week on shoots and editing. Busy bee, that's me! But, it feels sooo good to be productive!
In my last post I had thought I deleted the photos of the crib but then I found them! Yay! So, below are a couple of pics of Josh putting together the crib. Next on the agenda is to order his bedding. I feel like I need to be doing more to prepare but I just don't know what to do! lol.
THis past Tuesday was our anniversary and it was a good one! I woke up to my hubby giving me a card. Then, later on I found a card in the fridge and then in the car. When I came home from a shoot, there sat a beautiful bouquet of flowers! The card was my favorite part. It read.... "Happy Anniversary to my best friend, partner in crime, co-parent and love of my life! Your not so secret admirer" This just about made me cry when I read it! But then again, just about anything makes me cry these days!haha. We then went to dinner and he gave me another card. We enjoyed yummy steaks at Connors and then we drove around til we found something sweet to top off the night. It was a very nice night.
Yesterday, we had a fabulous wedding! It was one of those weddings where everything just came together. However, my body is not holding up like I had hoped it would. About an hour before the ceremony my back and feet were on fire! But all I could do was to keep moving so I would feel the pain as much. When I woke up in the middle of the night to use the restroom I thought Iwas going to have to wake Josh up to help me get there. I honestly could not walk. I spent all morning lying in bed trying to rest. I guess I am just going to take it a bit easier and not push myself beyond my breaking point.
Well. I get to see my son in 2 days!!!!!! I thought it would take forever for 3 weeks to get here but they have flown by. I was telling Josh earlier today that sometimes I forget that Kai is in my tummy. I know that I am pregnant but it's so hard to connect that there is an actual baby in there. I never thought my own child would be such a mystery. But in a good way! I am so anxious to see if he cooperates and let's us take a peek at his tiny little face. As I'm sitting here with the laptop in mu lap, I can see my tummy moving up and down from him moving and for me to get to see who is actually doing that is uh-mazing! So, the next time I post, I will be posting my sweet baby boy's face! (hopefully lol)

28 week belly!

27 weeks!

This past week has been a bit of a blur to me. We basically had a shoot everyday this week. I know these next two months are going to fly by. We had a wedding this past Saturday up at the Ledges. I was super excited about this wedding because we love this bride but I wwas a little nervous to see how my body would hold up. By the end of our 13 hour day I was pooped to say the least. lol. Our third shooter was with us which was so helpful! When I would have been running back and forth to get stuff she was there offering. So, THANK YOU MORGAN! I know that I am going to have slow my roll a bit at weddings and understand that I can't be crawling on the floor like I usually am. Sigh.... but I will do what my body allows me to do!
Earlier this week, our crib came in!!!!!! I took pics of it while Josh was putting it together but then I deleted them getting realy for the wedding. lol. So, I will post a pic of the crib next week. I'm also hoping to order the bedding soon as well. Which will be very exciting!
Tomorrow is our 3 year wedding anniversary!!!! So, Happy Anniversary to my bestest friend in the whole world!!!! I love you Joshua!!!!

26 weeks!!!!

26 weeks is here and going by fast! I sat down with my partner Karina today to go over our calender and Oh my holy are we going to be busy little bees! It's so awesome that we have all this work but it scares me that my pregnancy is going to be over in the blink of an eye.
Well, we finally went and registered! Yes, we are finally getting some of our baby ducks in a row! lol. It was a long and grueling process this registering was. No lie. It took us 4 hours (2 stores) and by the end of the night my hips hurt so bad I was in tears. But it's done! For the most part. We have a few more things that we will be adding online. A lot of people register online but I had to be in the store toughing the stuff and trying it out for myself. It's worth it!
This weekend was the last free weekend I had for a long time. SO, we decided to go to B-ham to do a little shopping. I was sooo excited to go to the Summit and the Galleria. But man was I dissapointed! It was complete and utter chaos! THe traffic was horrible and it was sooo busy. I was so upset that the day wasn't going as planned. We did however eat at the Cheesecake Factory which lifted my spirits quite a bit! haha. It was so yummy!!!! Well, I had gone to all the stores I had wanted to go to and was ready to be done when Josh wanted to go to the Bass Pro SHop and that was the least I could do for all the shops he went itno with me. And on the way there we discovered an OUTLET MALL!!!!! It was Uh-Mazing! Clean, new, and not that crowded! \THey had a few baby stores and we bought Kai's some clothes! It was sooo nice to buy him some stuff that wasn't outrageously priced. We bought 4 little onsies, 2 jumpers, a pair of overalls with a onsie, 2 sweaters, and a little sleeper for around $50. We were both impressed!
I suggest to all mothers around the area to take the time to go there and buy your kids clothing!

Here are some pics of the things we bought!

Mr Owl. It was love at first sight and I said he was coming home with me and he did!(he's a cookie jar but he's so stinkin cute) He's the perfect addition for his nursery! I now have a secret obsession with owls!

The little outfits we bought at Carter's and Osh Kosh B'Gosh.

The camel Josh bought for Kaiser when he was in India. Forgot to post this last time.

Newborn diaper that came in our registry bag. It's sooo tiny! Josh kept saying "I can't believe how tiny his butt is going to be!"

Me and my belly at 26 weeks. I cannot believe how big my belly is and how much bigger it's going to get!! Oy! But I'm loving every second of it!

25 weeks!

So, it's been a while since I have blogged but life has been sooo crazy. The past four weeks has been full of photography sessions/meetings and little family functions and recently trying to get things back to normal since the tornadoes.
We actually haven't really done much baby stuff since we found out the sex. I always thought I would go crazy buying things after finding out wha tthe baby was but we have just been so busy that things are starting to creep up on us. Tonight, we plan on registering and I know that will be an adventure. lol. It's one thing to go and look and be like "Aww, that's so cute!" and another to be like "Okay, this will wind up in our house for our child." Everyday, it gets more real.
I have started gaining that lovely baby weight and Josh reassures me everyday just how beautiful I am. ANd then I usually laugh at him and thank him for lying. haha. But it's part of the process and I'm just going with it. I plan on starting a work out routine soon. Nothing big but I heard it's supoose to help with delivery. And I def want all the help I can get!!
I had my appt yesterday which was delayed due to the storms and I was not looking forward to this one. I had to take my glucose test and I did not want to fail. If I failed that meant I had to go take a 3 hr test. Not fun. However, I PASSED!!!! I was soooo happy. My next appt will be in 3 weeks and it will be the 4d ultrasound!!!!!!! I CANOOT wait for this appt. I feel this little baby move everyday and it just makes me wonder whats going on in there. Well, we will get to see! Hopefully, if he decides to cooperate. lol.
I start my wedding marathon not this weekend but next and I won't have a wedding free weekend until July and then it will be filled with other sessions! I will be huge no doubt and miserable I'm sure but it will be the last leg in my pregnancy. I get sad thinking about how fast it's going. I will my belly and those little kicks and rolls provided by Kai. lol. So, I must enjoy every second I can with him in my tummy til he comes. I hope to keep you all updated and I will try my best to post more frequently!
25 weeks

21 week pic!

Me and my sweet baby boy!

And the cake was........?

Today was the day I have waited on for a long time. Not only for the 5 months I have been pregnant but since I was a little girl. I was about to know the identity to my very first child. I woke up and got ready and the nerves started in. Driving there I thought I was going to die from the nervousness. We got to the doctor's office at 915 since that was when we thought our appt was but the receptionist had informed us our appt was at 9. Whoops! So, instead of waiting for maybe 15 minutes, we had to wait for an hour. Yes, this was our fault but imagine having to sit there for an hour with your butterflies (and a full bladder) making it's presence known. Finally, the door opened up and I heard my name called. This was it! I was about to meet my child. Now, I have been asked my preference and honestly I could not tell you either way. My biggest fear (besides something being wrong with the baby) was that I would be disappointed in the gender of the baby. Well, I laid down on the table and the tech dimmed the lights (here we go I thought, my heart pounding away) she put the ultrasound gel on my tummy and proceeded to take a look at the baby. She asked us if we wanted to know what it was and of course we did! She went straight for the legs to see if the baby was cooperating. And........... he was! There on the screen was the proof that I am going to have a son. I was in shock for the entire ultrasound. Not because it was a boy bbut because we finally had an identity to this little person inside me. Everytime she looked at something she would his arm or he's moving and hearing those two little words was the craziest thing I have experienced to date! 5 months of not knowing and now here he was on this little screen. The ultrasound went great and the baby looked just as good. I admit I did not cry during the ultrasound but I think I was still in shock. But when we went back out into the waiting room and it started to sink in my heart swelled with joy and I couldn't stop smiling! (neither could Josh lol) Just thinking about "him" makes me want to cry now. I am already so proud of him! So, tonight we had some friends and family over to dinner and to reveal our cake. I have to say it was one of the most magical nights I have had in a while. Knowing that we had people there that cared about our Peanut! I know he is loved so much already by so many people. I have recieved texts and messages today that just made me smile and I appreciate them so much! We took a poll to see what everyone thought we were having right before revealing our cake and the results were girl-12 and boy-3. So, I had much satisfaction lifting the lid to the cake and revealing it was a boy! I am SO excited to have a little dude! We even bought him a few outfits that are adorbale! I look forward to working on his room and bonding even more with him. Now I know a lot of people want to know if we have a name picked out and if we are telling and the answer is yes and yes! Our son's name is Kaiser Paul Keeton! We will call him Kai for short. I am so happy to be able to share the news with everyone! We have truly been blessed and feel we hit the jackpot!

20 weeks - Halfway there!!!!!

Oh my, where do I begin. 20 weeks is such a huge milestone! I cannot believe we are halfway through with the pregnancy. So crazy! We have waited sooo long to get to this point cause this is when we get to find out the gender of the baby. I thought I would be jumping out of my skin with excitement but I have to say I am more nervous than anything. Up until now we have just referred to the baby as the baby or peanut but after this Friday we will know whether we are having a son or a daughter. We will have a name for this little amazing human inside me. I think what scares me is knowing. Knowing that I will start planning a future for this baby. We can start to shop for the baby (which is exciting!) and start filling up the nursery. I honestly can't wait to see the baby. THe last time we saw the baby was at 8 weeks and really all you can tell from that little pic is that it's a little nugget but our cute little nugget. This Friday we get to see our baby's entire body. It's legs and arms and profile!!! Ahhhh!!!! I can't wait! The baby has been really active today. I love to feel it's little moves and kicks. One morning I woke up and had a lump in my stomach that was visible. I could feel it from head to butt (not sure which end was which though lol) But that was pretty cool. I've started having the round ligament pains and heart burn has started some. It's harder for me to get up from a sitting position and even harder to get out of bed. I can't even imagine what it's going to be like when I get big. Sigh. Well, the next post will be the gender post!!! We are having a gender reveal party for our family and we are using a cake to cut into to. I will post a pic to let everyone know what it is! Hope everyone had a good weekend despite the rain! 20 weeks!

19 weeks!

So, this week has been a much better week! I'm feeling much better. Plus, the weather has been fantastical! I think I grow to appreciate spring more and more every year. We even started planting some stuff in the back yard. Well, Josh has been planting and I have been supervising! lol.

This morning I woke up and could feel the baby kicking away. I never knew how low babies sit in the belly. I usually feel the baby kicking low right above my pelvic bone but this morning the baby was kicking about an inch below my belly button. Absolute craziness! But I LOVE feeling it and watching my tummy move as this little creature inside me moves and squirms around. You hear all the clichet things about being pregnant and I never understood it. But I have to say I am so in love with this little person already! They say right now the baby is 6 inches from crown to rump (head to butt) That seems so big to me. lol.

Clothes have been an issue. They just don't make cute maternity stuff. I have found 1 pair of jeans and a pair of cargo pants, a few shirts and 1 dress. But I recieved something from my in-laws that made me very happy! They went to an outlet and they had a maternity gap and bought me stuff! They literally doubled what I had! lol. Very thankful!!!!

Well, we find out what we are having the 1st of april and I am having mixed emotions. On one hand I am so stoked to see this little person and on the other hand after this next next appt our lives will change forever. It's very strange. I guess it's becoming more real and that's why I am nervous! lol. Everyone keeps asking what I want and I keep changing my mind. But one thing for sure is a healthy baby. If we get that we have hit the jackpot!

I think I have rambled on enough for one post! Here is the belly at 19 weeks.

18 weeks

This whole week was really rough for me. We had gone to the circus earlier and it was rainy and cold and I learned a vaulable lesson. Where better shoes. I had worn little flats that got soaked leaving me with the worst cold EVER. And when you are pregnant you can't take crap for it. Sure you can take a benadryl or a sudafed but it doesn't help. It just makes something else worse. I have never been so thankful to get over a cold. Well, the weather is warming up and that means busy weekends for me. So, Josh and I decided to take a trip to Atlanta to pick up a few things from Ikea. We had planned to stay the entire weekend but when you don't feel good, you just want to lay in your own bed. So the next day we went to Ikea and came home.

However, going to Ikea always makes me feel better. I heart that store sooo much! We picked up a few things for the baby's room which was really weird. lol. It made it more real. Crazy. When we got home my amazing Hubby Dubby put it together and I took a few pics to share.

We got a bookcase and a dresser for a changing table. The stuff from Ikea is so aforadable and pretty sturdy. I went and bought some different knobs to put on the dresser drawers just to add some color.

.

Belly at 18 weeks!