I'll be 37 weeks pregnant on Wednesday and that means that my baby boy is considered fully developed and ready to come at any moment! I still don't think that he will come any earlier than his due date of June 30th though, in fact, I haven't experience one contraction yet! It is weird to count down the days now and only have 24 left before we all meet my little man, Solomon.
Maternity leave is one of the most wonderful things that I could have ever taken! Thank you to everyone who attended my mini group Brainwashes because you all made it possible for me to take 2 months off from work! I have totally been nesting and relaxing. Today I washed all of Sol's new clothes and sorted them, created a really neat photo book with all of our relatives photos and names and floated the lake with a friend. What a life! I think that I had forgotten how wonderful the summertime is really supposed to be before this month. I have always been so busy and hardly took time out to do things that I loved, but this year is so, so SO different. My life is so full of peace and simplicity now. We have downsized everything we own and now I only have to work a small portion of what I used to, life is so much sweeter without the hustle and bustle of trying to stay in the rat race. I think I am actually a completely different person since moving to Oklahoma than I was living in Lubbock, in a good way! Maybe it's just all part of growing up.
On another note... my garden is growing in quite nicely! I ordered a ton of seeds from the heriloom plantation, rareseeds.com and everything sprouted and then died. I guess I need a little more help with my green thumb, and so Josh nicely planted a ton of heirloom varieties from Lowe's in my freshly composted garden while I was in Lubbock last month. We have tomatoes, jalapenos, chilis, squash, blackberries, garlic and zucchini! It is so neat to see everything thriving and starting to produce. I wonder if the first crop will be ready when I give birth to my little seedling? I bet it will!
Here is London, she was a little camera shy tonight.
Oh beautiful Lauren! Im SO glad you were able to take this time before/after Sol is born. You will NOT regret it. When my son Riley was born in April of '09, I had a wedding 10 days before and 10 days after he was born. Then I got two weeks off and started a series of 9 weddings in a row. While my couples were all wonderful (and Laurie Crutchfield flew in to help me with the wedding before Riley came which helped a TON!), I was miserable. I hated feeling SUPER pregnant and still having to shoot...and I cried and cried everytime I left Riley right after he was born...especially leaving for work. This time with our daughter Reese, I only had like 5 days officially off before she came...a week early. :) BUT I got 6 full weeks off and it was wonderful! I just started back on 5/21 and I cant even begin to explain how much I loved that time to just be mommy and wife. Last year I was busy....busy busy. I even did a few weddings on holidays and this year I have told myself NEVER AGAIN! I wont miss even a teeny tiny part of my sweet babes growing and Im really happy to be at this place. Youre going to be even more grateful for where you are now once Sol gets here. Im so excited for you and that sweet baby boy...youre going to be a great mommy and if you think you know love now...just wait. Its going to blow your mind in the most fantastic way possible. :) Praying for you!
(06.06.11 @ 09:15 PM)Good for you for enjoying some time before baby comes. Life will get very crazy again very soon! :) I've got three boys....they are so wonderful and take such good care of their mamas!
(06.06.11 @ 09:16 PM)Congratulations!! How exciting to know that the baby you are carrying around in your belly will soon be in your arms :c) And I am quite thrilled to hear your comments on downsizing and slowing down. Very insightful and I think it would be beneficial for many to hear and understand.. thanks for sharing!
(06.06.11 @ 10:04 PM)Hey Lauren! I want you to know that you are going to be such a wonderful momma! I am just getting so excited for you! Soak in every single minute! After you hold that sweet little nugget in your arms your life will be forever changed for the absolute best! I wish we lived closer together and could have play dates! You, Josh, and Solomon are in my prayers and on mind the next few weeks. -Ami Martin
(06.06.11 @ 10:43 PM)Lauren, I love your heart. You totally inspire me! Thank you for your blog.
(06.08.11 @ 11:53 AM)