HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Its been so long since i've blogged - but HAPPY HAPPY 1st birthday to my baby boy, Gabriel!!!! I can't believe how fast this year flew by. We had a week long celebration in beautiful Hiltonhead Island. We shared a HUGE home with our close family and friends and enjoyed a wonderful week together. Pictures to come soon. In the meantime, this is a picture of my beautiful baby boy enjoying his cupcakes. Photo courtesy of Blowup Babies Photography.

Lil Bear

I heart this!!!

This pic is handmade by SweetPeaPod on Etsy and retails for $43.50.

I've been infatuated with knit bear hats. They're just so adorable and so soft - and perfect for baby.

I haven't bought him anything yet, and i'm thinking that this is it -this is THE one thing i want to invest in for him as my very first present. At first i was just looking for hats as a cute prop for pics - but i love the cocoon blanket that this comes with and the satin ribbon is a nice touch.

I can't wait to see my lil bear!!!!!!

Papa-Paparazzi

I used to tease that baby would dance in my belly to Lady Gaga's song - Paparazzi - but after all the teasing, i realized, its true. I swear, the minute she would sing, "ra-ra-oo-la-la" he would move around. So, that's his lullaby - that's the song that he will remember when he's out of the womb - i'm sure of it. lol.

Speaking of Paparazzi, there are a lot of belly shots that i saved in my "pregnant pics" folder, that i was hoping to recreate for this pregnancy . Not that i would have a place for these pics - but i just didn't want to regret NOT taking pics. I regretted not taking any before my wedding and i didn't want to feel that again. But, in light of my numerous stretch marks (and weight gain that i haven't mentioned) i just don't know if i have to confidence to pull these off. But here are the samples i'd like to recreate. Enjoy! I'll keep you posted if i gather the courage to take these.

Uninvited guests

So, they finally came - the infamous, never welcome stretch marks!!!! They started showing up 2 weeks ago, i just saw them on my sides where my hips were. Then last week my underbelly was soooo itchy - i didn't think anything of it, until i tried to take a cute pic with my belly showing - and let me tell you - that camera did not do me justice at ALL. Stretch marks under my belly were screaming out at me - it was really bad. So here are samples of belly shots that i was hoping to copy that i found on photographer's websites- but forget it. either i needed like 5 bottles of concealer or my pics would be perfect for nightmare on elm street movies.

Then, to top it off, today, i found a stretch mark on my arm right above my underarm! Yikes. They're taking over!!

I've been using Palmer's Cocoa butter just because it has been tried and true, but i have to say, it hasn't done anything for me - maybe my marks would've been worse if i hadn't used it, but who knows - i still religiously rub it all over my belly and body. Lets hope these ugly red marks slow down their visits.

Say Cheese

As I write this blog, baby is contently kicking away :) He loooves playing around at night. I'm sure he got that from Wil and i since we're such night people. If i had my way, the work day would be from like 7pm-3 am. and i would sleep and wake up a little after noon. All i know is, i never want to forget these little moments. i love feeling him move. Its still so surreal that there is a live being in me. I absolutely LOVE being pregnant. As much as there are some aches and pains and sacrifices you have to make at this time, nothing beats knowing that there is a little one dependent on me already. I love him so much now, i can only imagine how i would feel when i get to finally meet him in person :)


Anyway, so i've kind of been doing some research on photographers to take professional pictures of baby after he's born. I'm still debating on when, b/c lets face it, all babies look the same in the first few weeks of their life. Anyway, in doing the research, i came across some poses/props that i absolutely fell in love with and hope that i can take something similar with baby if he cooperates. As i contemplate this more and more, i think, Baby has strong Cayetano blood in him - of course he's going to cooperate in taking pics. lol.

So here are some of the pics I came across. You can't help but say, "awww" as you look at them. Enjoy :)