Aiden - 1 week

I follow this blog. One of the most unique things they posted about was taking weekly photos of their little bean. Basically they take a new photo every week on a different yard of fabric and superimpose the week on a plain white onsie.

I thought this was a fantastic idea and decided to do the same with Aiden. After his first year we'll take the 52 photos and create a photo book. Who knows what we'll do with the fabric... I'm thinking maybe a quilt (YHL actually made a runner and some pennants for bean's first birthday). No matter what we decide to do with it, I think it's a fabulous way to track Aiden's growth in his first year. :-)

Enjoy!

Life With Baby - Week 1

For those that aren't aware; we have had our baby boy! Aiden Christopher Gronde was born Friday, 19 August at 0609. He weighed in at 8lb 9 oz and 22 inches long! He's absolutely precious, and perfect, and wonderful, and stunning... and well... I could go on and on... haha!

Anyway, things around Casa de la Gronde have definitely changed... but I'm not sure I'd have it any other way. There's less sleep, more noise, more stuff and definitely more smiles going around these parts! I'm absolutely in LOVE! *swoon*

Aiden is still trying to figure out the whole sleep pattern thing. One night he'll sleep for 6 hours at night and the next he'll be up every 3. The good thing is that he usually goes back to sleep pretty easily. He's currently sleeping in our room in this. It's truly been a blessing! We tried letting him sleep in his crib the second night we were home but that didn't go over too well (he was literally up almost every HOUR!); this just wouldn't do... Rock and Play it is! :-)

Chris started back to school tonight (technically he started yesterday but he/we lost track of the day and he missed his class... oops!); it's the first time just baby and mommy... he decided to sleep through most of it... haha!

OK, time for bed since monkey is out... will post pics soon! :-)

Photography for a Photographer...

Being photographers, it was a no brainer for Chris and I to get maternity photos done prior to Aiden arriving. But the prices for maternity shoots in our area are RIDICULOUS! $500 and you DON'T give me a CD? Chris and I love the fact that we offer reasonable prices to our clients; and with some minor research we've realized that clients WANT their pictures... to post, to print, to share. How do we accommodate both of these aspects? We charge a little more than we did without offering a CD while still remaining in a good price range and giving our clients what they want. Problem solved! But alas, that is not what this post is about... it's about our hunt for a photographer.

So how does a photographer find a photographer they love without having to pay an arm and a leg? They pray... A LOT! lol... We asked around our studio and had a few people say that they would be happy to take some for us, but I really wanted someone who had done some before... and that shared our type of artistic eye; so the hunt was on!

A few weeks ago Chris found an ad on Craigslist for a photographer that was looking to do a photo swap. Talk about answered prayers! We exchanged a few emails and our websites to ensure we had what the other was looking for and decided to meet up. Andrea was absolutely wonderful! We met, we talked, we bonded. We decided to go through with the photo swap.

Last weekend we shot Andrea and her lovely daughter for a few hours. We got some great shots and hope she loved them as well. Tomorrow it's our turn! We're off to Leesylvania State Park in Woodbridge to shoot some maternity photos and I couldn't be more excited to work with Andrea on this! I'll put up some photos as soon as I can! Until then, here's some pics the hubby took of me last weekend!




Did ya'll have maternity photos done? Does anyone else find it difficult to find a decently priced photographer?

Happy 4th of July

*ok, so I had this written yesterday morning and then we got busy with the day :-( Better late then never!*

As I sit here this morning, I ponder many things. Mostly, the many men and women that have given their lives or are willing to do so for our Country. I come from a family of many service members (grandpa, mom, dad, aunt, sister, me) as does my hubby. It's amazing to me to think of all the people in our country that get angry with our military or that blame them for the wars that we fight. It is not our military, they are only following orders, they are doing their job; and by doing so are willing to lay down their lives in order to protect the liberties of this country (to INCLUDE freedom of speech). So on this day I would like to say Thank you to all the military; past, present and future and the sacrifices that they are willing to give.

Wide World of Diapers!

Over this past weekend I've come to the realization that our beautiful baby boy will be here in 9 WEEKS! Perhaps, less than that... EEEEK! Can you say freaking out over the stuff that still needs done? So here I am, sitting at work and trying to research diaper options, ideas and figure out what they're all about. I've pretty much convinced the hubby that I would really LIKE to cloth diaper. Mostly because it's better for the environment and it's apparently better for babies bums... so that's where I'm at. Now onto the decision of brand, type, etc. Is there truly a difference between bumgenius, fuzzibunz or any other cloth diaper out there? And what's the difference in pocket, prefolds, fitted and all in ones? Talk about confusing! So far I'm comparing cloth diapers to photography... it's all a matter of preference... Nikon vs. Cannon... does it REALLY matter?
So while I sit here and contemplate the complexity that is cloth diapering any advise is welcomed!

To See... or Not To See...

That seems to be the question lately...
Lots of people have been asking me to upload baby bump pictures on Facebook so they can see my progress. We'll I'm not going to do that... mostly because I think that although 10% of the people on FB want to see photos, the other 90% have no desire to see me gaining baby weight :-) So, the decision has been made to post them on my lovely blog instead! Aren't ya'll happy?

So I'm 21 weeks (yesterday). So far I've gained a whole 13 pounds. Now, this is based on MY scale, at MY house, that I weighed myself on prior to getting pregnant so I consider this pretty accurate (the Navy scale shows SEVEN pounds more than mine). I have yet to feel him kick (boo). I have felt him a time or two (he's not a fan of me laying on my stomach to watch TV lol) and I can feel him when he's laying on the front of my tummy but that's about it. I can not WAIT to feel my little boy moving about... :-)

Right now baby Aiden is about the size of a banana. Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch. Hmm... perhaps McDonald's wasn't a good idea for dinner ;-)

But enough stalling, here's some pics :-)

8 Weeks


21 Weeks



Don't really see much of a difference if you ask me!

The list that never seems to end...

Our to-do list... *sigh* As my pregnancy progresses, it appears that our list just continues to grow... or perhaps it's simply that we're so busy we have yet to get things accomplished when we want them done. Below are our lists (yup, there's more than one!)

MUST DO (Baby's room):
*Get rid of Queen Bed
*Clean out closet
*Insulate
*Repaint
*Install chair rail
*Install molding
*Shampoo carpet
*Buy furniture
*Decorate
I'm sure there's more but this is all I can think of. Sadly, with our work schedules, both of us in school, and normal everyday stuff none of this has been touched just yet. But rest assured it will be! (kinda has to be, right?)

NEED TO DO:
*Frame and finish doorway in laundry room
*Turn open space in laundry room into usable storage
*Make storage in basement bathroom
*Declutter... EVERYTHING

WANT TO DO:
*Redo our back porch
*Paint dining room
*Paint kitchen
*Put down hardwood floors

See what I mean? Seems kinda long, right? The good thing is that none of it is TOO daunting; and it's only March. But when I think about it all at once I get a little overwhelmed... that and the fact that we usually only have the weekends to work with. BUT, God will provide us with the time, energy and means to get done what NEEDS to be done; and THAT'S what matters ;-)