Hair

Judd: "She really needs a hair cut"
Me: "No she doesnt', it's perfect"

I just can't bear to do it. I love her crazy yellow curls - especially when she wakes up in the morning and they are at their craziest and everywhere. I just can't picture her without her hair bouncing around when she moves. It is just about the only baby thing left - so I'm hanging onto it for dear life.

36 Weeks

We made it through our busy weekend. I ended up working at the Oak Grove Young Children's School Consignment Sale most of the night Thursday night, Friday morning, and Saturday morning into Saturday afternoon. This sale was VERY successful for the school - a huge amount of clothing, toys, etc were sold. I was able to shop a little bit and was able to get most of Charlotte's fall wardrobe plus an Ergo baby carrier for the new baby. I was pretty pumped with my finds.

Working the sale was a lot of fun. I got to talk to a lot of other moms from the school and visit with moms from the community that I have met over the past couple of years. For a girl that is used to always being the "new" one in town, it is nice to finally feel settled in a community.

Today, Judd's co-workers through a shower for us. It was so nice to see everyone that Judd talks about on a daily basis. It was very thoughtful of them. I always feel just a little guilty when people want to have showers for us with the 2nd baby. After the shower, we headed over to the Delta Museum to pick up some pictures for that baby's room. It is an airplane theme, and we were able to pick up some vintage airplane pictures and postcards for the walls. Charlotte liked getting a closer look at the big airplane.



This afternoon, Charlotte decided to make her bed on the fireplace. It looked really uncomfortable to me, but she insisted. She ended up watching most of the Wonder Pets in this position.



Tonight at dinner, she decided to say the blessing. This is how it went:

"Nice and slooooooow"
"Nice and slooooooow"
"Nice and fast"
"Nice and smelly"
"AMEN"

No idea where she got that - but it cracked us up.

Busy

The slow days of summer have definitely ended - we have become very busy all of the sudden.

It started a month or so ago when the photography business really picked up. I was contacted by two different etsy sellers to do product photography for their products. I shot the Halloween line and Christmas line for Inkspot Workshop. Please click over and look at the Halloween line - it is SUPER cute and will make you want to throw a Halloween party. I also had 5 family sessions since labor day, 3 of them this past weekend. It is a lot of fun to be busy with photography, but it has meant pictures of Charlotte have been scarce. And, I won't get a 35 week maternity picture up this week. I have loved every minute of the sessions, though - it just makes me realize that I love photography - and especially capturing the personalities of children. To capture that one magical moment is an awesome feeling.

We went to the playground yesterday afternoon and there were 2 little boys playing with their daddy. Charlotte asked where their mommy was. I replied that I didn't know. She said, "She's probably taking pictures of people".

Here's Charlotte taking a picture of me (looks like a natural, huh?)


This week things aren't slowing down. Charlotte's school, Oak Grove Young Children's School, is having their consignment sale this weekend. It is HUGE. It brings in tons of money for the school. I was asked to be on the consignment sale committee - which means I will be there a lot this weekend. I am excited to see how the operation runs.

Judd has been great through all of this. He has been super supportive of the photography, and hasn't complained once about watching Charlotte a little more than usual on the weekends.

After Sunday, life should slow back down. For that I am grateful. I will need a couple of weeks to relax before our lives are hectic again with a newborn in the house, then the holidays. I can't believe we are 4.5 weeks away from the due date. I can't believe our house will have a 4th person in it.

Naps (or lack thereof) - Part 2

She is napping again, most of the time, but on her own terms.

I don't call it nap anymore, I call it "quiet time" exclusively. She gets to pick out a few toys from downstairs, a little snack, and a drink and go up to her room. I read a couple of books to her, then set the alarm clock for 1 hour and 20 minutes. She plays for a little while, but then it gets very quiet.

The first day, I looked in to find her sound asleep in her bed. The second day, I cracked open the door and almost hit her in the head - she had pulled a pillow off of her bed and covered herself up on the floor. This is how she has been sleeping during quiet time ever since.

I'm not sure if this change has something to do with her new big girl bed (pictures of her transformed room later this week) or what - but I'm not going to mess with it. I don't care where she sleeps as long as I don't have a "grouchy ladybug" all afternoon!

Twirly Girl

There was a conversation between Judd and I while I was pregnant with Charlotte. I remember it distinctly - we were riding in the car going down Lawrenceville Hwy and Judd was doing something goofy. He was making up words to a song, and I was cracking up. It was something that he would only do in front of me, never his friends for fear of being uncool - just something goofy you do with people that know you better than anyone else.

Then, he turned to me and said, "What if she isn't funny? What if she doesn't understand our humor? or us?" I hadn't really thought about that. What if she just wasn't funny. There are those people - no sense of humor - they just don't get it. I always have thought of that in the back of my mind. Just a little worried about it.

But, that little baby that we worried about IS funny. VERY funny. She does get it - she gets us. She understands her Daddy's goofy songs - and even lately sings goofy songs back to him. She knows what it is to make people laugh - and loves to be funny. She has funny dances and knows they make me laugh. Last weekend she had me laughing so hard I was crying - twice.

I know one day Judd and I will be completely uncool and embarrass her to death. But, I hope that when she isn't in public, in the house with us or the car, she will always be able to let loose and be goofy with us. It is so important to me that she knows she can just be herself around us. We are so in love with our little goofball.

34 Weeks

Naps (or lack thereof)

I'm afraid Charlotte is in the process of dropping her nap. We have been struggling with it for a couple of months. I think I have been in denial. Of course this happens just before a newborn comes into the house. Just when I will depend on her nap time the most.

She is napping (always with a fight) about every other day. The days she doesn't nap, she has "quiet time", which is never quiet. I think I need to get a timer for her room, so that she is quiet until it dings. There are multiple calls to "MOOOOOMMMMMMYYYYYY" for a snack, drink, to help her with a toy, etc. Any suggestions for a quiet "quiet time" are appreciated.

On the days she does nap, I usually have to lay down with her - sometimes in our bed. It is to the point that it is such a struggle and fight that I'm about to just drop them all together and put her to bed a half hour earlier or so - especially now that it is getting darker earlier.

If she doesn't nap, she is usually OK until about 5:30 - then she's pretty cranky. Or, she falls asleep in the car in the afternoon if we run errands. On Saturday she didn't nap, but fell asleep on the couch watching Dora while I helped Judd put together her new dresser. She's never fallen asleep while watching TV. Which makes me wonder if she really does still need the nap?

It's always the same - just when you are in the groove, they change and you have to guess all over again.

The Granola Bar Incident

For me, there is that time in a pregnancy when it really hits me that I am HUGE. That I am big and getting bigger and there is nothing I can do about it. That your body really has been taken over, and it is not your own anymore. It is a moment, something that happens when it really sinks in.

When I was pregnant with Charlotte it was a moment when Judd made me laugh so hard while we were putting up the Christmas tree and my poor muscles were stretched so hard that they just couldn't hold and I peed my pants. It was embarrassing and awful. It was then that I started to cry and wanted it all to be over.

Last night was my moment with this baby. No, I didn't pee my pants. Our beautiful, wonderful friend, Erin, volunteered to come over after Charlotte went to bed so Judd and I could go out to dinner. Since we had a Scoutmob, we decided to go to ONE. Midtown Kitchen. It is a pretty trendy restaurant. I usually feel like a total dork going there - I just don't feel like I'm trendy enough. It didn't help that we pull up to valet the car with the SIRIUS bluegrass channel blasting.

So, we go in and have a very nice dinner - really good food. We talked about the baby, what his name will be or not be, what has been happening with Judd's job, and Charlotte's imaginary friends. A lovely evening. I tell Judd that I'm going to the bathroom before dessert comes, and get up from the table.

Then I hear, "Carrie." I turn around and Judd waves me back to the table. "You have a granola bar wrapper stuck to your butt". Nice. The big fat pregnant chick, in a nice, trendy restaraunt, has a granola bar wrapper stuck to her ever expanding rear end. It's not just any granola bar wrapper, it is a bright, shiny purple one - one that reflects light from all directions. I know where it became a part of my hiney, too - the front seat of Judd's car - meaning that I had it had been stuck there the whole walk through the restaurant to be seated. So, as any wife would do, I immediately blamed him for this humiliation. Why couldn't he just throw his granola bar wrappers away? and not just put them in his front seat?

It was then that I had my moment of pregnancy self pity. I immediately felt huge - and I know the end is near, but not near enough. My clothes barely fit, my feet get swollen, and my daughter can't even fit on my lap.

This morning, I am recovered. I actually got a decent night's sleep and feel much better about myself. Sure, I'm huge, but I know what will be the result of this - and it will all be worth it.

33 Weeks

A little late this week, but here it is:

Goodbye Summer

We spent part of our Labor Day at the pool for the Labor Day BBQ. It was fitting to spend the last day of the summer at the pool - we have spent A LOT of time there this summer. We watched Charlotte become a little fishy through the summer, I have found much needed relief from the heat there, and we have met some new friends.




I am sad to see the summer come to a close. It will always be a special summer to me - the summer that I was lucky enough to soak up sun and Charlotte. The last summer that it would be just us. Next summer we will have baby brother in tow wherever we go - undoubtedly making things just a little bit trickier. But, this summer we were pretty carefree - story times at the library, playdates, pool time, popsicles, and picnic lunches at the playground. I will forever be grateful for this time with my girl.

While I am sad to see the summer come to a close, I am very much looking forward to the Fall. This Fall will be a very special one as well - one I will never forget - the Fall that we made this party of 3 a party of 4.

What Charlotte did at the Bluff

I picked up my family at the airport this afternoon. I couldn't wait to get my arms around Char. (Oh, and Judd too :)) I had a really nice weekend by myself, visiting with friends, shopping, and relaxing (I watched a movie at 3 in the afternoon - what luxury!). I did miss my girl, and her daddy, though. The house just isn't the same without them.

My father-in-law texted me pictures of Charlotte's activities throughout the weekend. I hear that she had the time of her life. She helped catch shrimp and then "gave them a bath", she swam, she played on the playground, and she loved on her cousins.

A Few Things

I'm having a hard time posting here lately - I just can't get my thoughts together. Plus, other than Char starting school, there really isn't that much going on. So here is just a random list of some things I've been wanting to share.

1. I'm alone this weekend. Judd took Charlotte to his family's house near St. Simmons on Thursday night. It was his first flight with her by himself. She was BEYOND excited when I told her she was going. I decided to sit this trip out. It is just too far away from home this far along in a pregnancy for my comfort. Charlotte's cousins got there last night and I just got off of the phone with Judd - all I could hear in the background was her screaming and running through the house. To say she was excited would be a gross understatement.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do with myself this weekend. I was pretty sad on Thursday night. But, after sleeping in both Friday morning and this morning, I'm learning how to be by myself again. I think it has been about 3 years since I have been by myself for this long. It is a strange feeling - but VERY relaxing.

2. C. Davis Photography is almost completely booked for September. I have some new clients booked and some return clients booked. I'm beyond excited to photograph these families and children. I decided not to take on any clients after Oct 1st - just because I'm just not sure how that last few weeks will go. So, if you are looking to book a Fall session and want one in September, just contact me!

3. Have you seen Mila's Daydreams? It is amazingly creative.

4. With my extra time this weekend I'm hoping to finish up our 2009 blog book and get started on the 2010 book. It is my goal to get these done before our little man arrives.

5. Speaking of our little man, his nursery is really coming together. I can't wait to get the last few items for it, then I will post pictures of the transformation of our office to nursery. Charlotte's room has also changed quite a bit in the process.

6. Speaking of our little man, again, I have had an opportunity to really think about him this weekend with all of the quiet moments I've had. I can't believe I'm going to be a mother of 2. People often talk about how they are scared they will never be able to love 2 babies as much as they love their first. I can honestly say I don't have that fear - I know I'll be able to. I think the thing I'm most scared of is how Charlotte will feel. I just hope Judd and I can continue to provide her the feelings of security and love that she is so used to.

7. I have a couple new projects I've been working on that I will share this week :)

8. Because I hate to post without a picture, here is one from a couple of weeks ago after Judd got home from Copenhagen. Charlotte couldn't get enough of her Daddy that night.