The beginning...

I got my lens today! Here is a picture I took of Natalie. It was on auto mode and all I did was point and shoot (I will eventually learn how to take manual shots to create beautiful photography!). I thought it looked really good so here it is! I think I'll start a separate photography blog just to track my progress. We'll just see how it goes from here.

In other news, today my dr told me I'm at a 2 and 85% effaced. My mucus plug is "long gone" too, which makes me excited because supposedly one loses their plug as a sign of impending labor (although at almost 38wks one could argue that ANYTHING is a sign of impending labor). So I'm excited, but not TOO excited because I know I could still stay preggo for another 3 or 4 weeks. Plus I'm not sure I'm ready to be a mommy of two!

I've been wondering...

Will baby #2 have as much hair as Natalie did??

Baby update

Well, I went to the doctor today and had my first cervical check. I am 1.5cm dilated and 80% effaced. Yay! At 37wks with Natalie, I was dilated to a 4, so I was sorta hoping I would be at least a little today. Now to try and wait 3.5 more weeks....it's so hard right at the end!

photography

So I bought my camera!! I have been saving for some months and finally had enough, did some research, and bought the body and lens on eBay. They should both arrive this next week, hopefully. Now that I have a newborn coming, I want to be able to take some good quality pictures of her and of course of Natalie too.

I don't really know anything about photography. I'm trying to learn about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc, but it's hard to teach oneself. I'm looking for some books or websites that I can look into to learn about it until I can take a class eventually. So, my photographer friends, what can you send my way? Any good websites you have visited? Books you have read? Any photographer's websites you look at for ideas for poses? I would love to know!!

Happy Halloween, a little late

Happy Halloween, even though we are now in November. I was waiting until I had all the festivities over with so I could post all the pics at once. It was a fun season, and Natalie was so cute in her fairy costume. She got the trick-or-treating idea but wouldn't ever say it to people. Oh well, maybe next year!
At the ward Trunk or treat. She is holding Brooklyn's bag for some reason instead of her Elmo bucket (or her "momo buppet" in Natalie-ese).

She won a cupcake at the cake walk. It was full of greasy purple frosting which she enjoyed eating.

Natalie and Brooklyn attacking each other with their magic wands before the trunk or treat. we told them to give each other a hug and they did this instead.

Trick or treating. This is the only picture I got of her actually holding out her bucket. She was so shy!The girls enjoying their cupcakes.

Here she is at Mark's aunt Judy's annual Halloween bash. I did her hair a little more special for this one.

Our little family. I was a "sleeping beauty" (I'm wearing fancy clothes, make up, jewelry and a crown but I'm going to bed w/ my bathrobe and stuffed animal), Mark was reliving his past (Wachovia hat, suns jersey, HHS stole, missionary tag, and a foot brace).

A closeup of her hair.

Joy A and me with our preggo bellies. She is due TODAY and me in 4 wks. Hopefully her little guy will come soon!

This is at our playgroup Halloween activity at Kristina's house. It was so much fun! Natalie is painting a piece of egg carton brown which soon acquired pipe cleaner legs to become a big brown spider. What a cute craft. Thanks Bre!

She was SO proud of her spider. She put it next to her to eat for like, 2 straight days.

Anyway, it was fun, like I said. I am glad it's over but I'm sure I'll be excited again come next year when I get to dress up two little princesses!!

An interesting sleeping position

This is how I found Natalie the other night when I checked on her. You can't really tell but she's pressed up against the bars. Maybe she was playing peek-a-boo and fell asleep in the middle of it. I don't usually risk waking her up by taking pics of her sleeping, but in this case I knew she wouldn't see the flash!!

Family reunion

Last week we went to a family reunion on Mark's stepmom's side of the family. So basically, we didn't know anyone but Mark's step-siblings. I had a really good time catching up with all of them and seeing all their kids again. The last time we saw most of them was two years ago, when I was pregnant with Natalie. We all got a kick out of the fact that I look the same as they last saw me. "you haven't changed a bit!" haha. Anyway, it was at Tumbleweed park which I had never been to, and I was quite impressed with it. The weather was beautiful and Natalie had a great time. Here are a few pics.

I just thought this one was cute.

Someone was a smart parent and brought a bucket of toys for the little kids to play with. There were lots of fun outdoor games for the older kids to play, but nothing Natalie could have really done.

She's finally learned to smile on demand. Complete with a nose wrinkle.

Some of the cousins. I was surprised that Natalie was playing among them so comfortably. Usually she's so shy. Maybe it's because Uncle Travis was giving out suckers.
The little twin cousins who fell asleep in the stroller. Couldn't resist this one. So cute! These kids' mom delivered her first baby (twins' older bro) naturally and he was 10lbs!! The doc made her get an epidural for the twins' delivery and she said she hated it and much preferred going natural. Needless to say, she and I had plenty to talk about. :-)

Anyway, it was really fun. Stay tuned for Halloween pics! I've been waiting to put it all in one post.