Before I went all out and told you all about the birth story of our son and share photos of him and all the juicy details, I thought I give a little punch of color and pizzaz to this part of the blog, since the last few weeks of my pregnancy were more about emotion and wanting to meet my baby than anything else. Now that he's here, we can really have some fun!

• Based off of a inspiration room I saw online about a year ago.
  
  
• I'm very drawn to vintage and my husband is drawn to anything that he can build himself. We compromise a lot on colors, coordination, and structure. Clean lines with a bit of whimsy.
  
  

BrittanyG Photography of Highlands, Utah first grabbed my attention when it came to photos of giving birth.

If you'd have asked me a few years ago if I would even attempt to give birth I would've said no, let alone the idea of someone photographing me doing it. And even now that I'm pregnant, sometimes when I think about it makes me a little jumpy; I might end up punching the poor photographer in the face. Plus, being a photographer myself, I know just how much the pressure would be on. 

When I first started thinking about having a baby, I was always looking at maternity, newborn, and quirky post-natal items I thought where cool. (Click here to see my 'bump starter' pinterest board) In the process, I came across these amazing pictures of baby Wil's birth story. None of the photos were invasive, graphic, or offensive and it made me look at the delivery process in an entirely new light.

Now that the birth of our little booger is getting nearer I keep thinking more and more about how much I would like documentation of that day. Nothing distasteful or gross... 

I think the entire idea is becoming a bit more trendy and accepted, as I've seen a number of photographers in my area and all over the country offering sessions like this. I would love to offer a session like this!! Especially after I give birth to my own child and know the ins and outs of the progression.

Hubby is a bit weirded out by the entire thought of having someone in the room and would rather just set up a camcorder in the corner. I don't like that idea because at least when you review your photos it's SILENT and you don't have to hear all of the pain you went through to get your little miracle. There are so many tender moments that a family shares in welcoming their new addition into the world; how sentimental it would be to look back on those prized possessions years later! 

A friend of mine told me to remember it on the little camcorder in my head, haha. But, I'm such a sucker and driven by emotion... I can't imagine how tear-jerking and nostalgic those pictures would be... Still-frames will always be my favorite way to capture a moment. No black & white memory could ever do the moment you meet your new son/daughter justice. Or the small instant when your first child realizes they are a brother/sister and hold their new sibling for the first time.

Ahhh! I don't really think you guys understand the crazy adrenaline running through me as I write this! Regardless, of whether I can talk Jon into doing it or not, or how much it costs... I will ALWAYS think this is a good idea. 
I've watched quite a number of birth videos, and read experiences, and heard true life stories from family/friends; I feel like this is a personal choice like everything is. Just like having a midwife or a doula, or having your baby at home vs a birthing center vs a hospital. But, it's definitely a once in a lifetime adventure. <3

Week 21. Over halfway to the birth of our son. We couldn't be more thrilled with how healthy he is and the exciting little things like feeling him kick more (even if it is my bladder most of the time). Unfortunately, hubby hasn't been able to feel yet; hopefully soon!

Cravings this week have been limited... I went through a definite Zebra Cake phase for a couple days. Fortunately, my wonderful husband, helped me to see that buying a couple at a gas station would be better than buying an entire box at the store. Or was it?
I've also been feeling desparate for a taste of my FAVORITE burrito place, Flaming Amy's. I can sit and just imagine the avocado ranch dressing, the bacon & cheese, and the chips w/ salsa. But, I don't want to give in since the calories are... more than I'd like for one meal.

Since week 14 I have had such a disinterest in the food already in my pantry or fridge. I ate plain bagels w/ cream cheese almost every single day for 5 weeks. I can't even smell chicken (unless its Chick-fil-a or Chinese food). However, I will be 22 weeks pregnant tomorrow and my disgust for food hasn't gone away. I literally broke down into tears before posting this because I am so sick of wasting HOURS of my life trying to decide on what would be the best thing to feed myself & the little alien inside. By far the biggest challenge of my pregnancy so far, especially when it's not accompanied the nausea. I'm starving!

Also, this week, I made the hard decision to take off my wedding rings before my fingers start to swell consistently, we spent two hours picking out paint colors for the baby's room and the rest of the house, AND I successfully managed to reach my own toenails in order to paint them (which I considered a big accomplishment!).

It seems like these 21 weeks have past by so quickly! Every doctor appointment brings something new and now that we know the gender of the baby we can begin projects surrounding that. I'm so glad Jon is home for a while and not traveling so he can really be involved and excited; he has been working so hard in order to support all of us and make this transition as smooth as possible for everyone, especially Noah, who is so excited that he wishes babies grew outside of the belly so he could see it. Haha.

Now, having survived the tropical storm conditions this weekend, we wait to see what week 22 has in store.