The Silly Things We Do

So I have a few kind of weird quirky things.  I can't have any doors open in our home without getting anxiety (I'm for real).  Even when Brynlee is playing with her toy kitchen I find myself constantly shutting her little door because it drives nuts. I also can't stand when puzzles aren't finished!  Brynlee has these 3 little wooden puzzles that she loves, but she will decide to take each puzzle and dump out all of the pieces and then put half of them away and then leave the rest.  I think she actually likes scattering the pieces more than anything haha.  One of Brynlee's funny little things is instead of saying "Thank You" she simply says "To".  It started when she was like 10 months old and we thought it was just the cutest thing so we kind of just accepted it as Thank You.  But, now that she can actually say thank you, she still does it and it kind of drives me nuts.  Brynlee also does this funny little head but with me at the end of the night.  When we are reading books in bed she will cuddle up and then randomly start laughing, smiling, and then gently head but me!  It doesn't hurt and we are both laughing through the whole things.  It's really the funniest thing.

Another odd thing I do is I plan out clothing a little obsessively.  I hope this doesn't sound vain, but I love picking out cute outfits for Brynlee, it's one of my favorite things in the world haha.  At least when she's throwing a fit over something she looks cute (obviously afterwards when she's said sorry!).  It kind of relieves some stress. We love our comfy clothes too though!

So we have a limited budget for clothes and I try to save as much as I can.  I usually don't buy clothes in-store, rather online during really good sales (and ebay!).  We have a pretty good system down so I only end up buying Brynlee clothes like every few months inside of going out on a regular basis just to browse.  I plan out Brynlee's clothes using a little site called Polyvore.  When I'm browsing online I will clip a product to polyvore and create a set of items.  This just helps me to keep track of what Brynlee has in regards to pants, skirts/dresses, and tops.  It's a good way for me to organize and think about what we really need to buy her and it helps me to see how I get the most out of each piece of clothing by just swapping different parts out for a new outfits.  I love that I can plan outfits on it!  It's just a little fun thing for me to do :) So I subscribe to newsletters from my favorite stores to get updates on sales and I also get special coupons.  And slowly check off the items on my list depending on which store is having a sale.  I typically spend enough to get free shipping on my orders as well which saves us extra money.  Another thing is opening up the store credit card (but paying it off in full each month you use it) and using that I will get an even better discount.  Also you get like loyalty money from alot of stores when you use their credit card.  For every certain amount they will give you a credit that you can use for an order.

Here's my most recent little outfit planner for Brynlee as she's getting bigger and more and more clothes aren't fitting her.  Can you tell I like little jean jackets!

My Kid Has Style- Sprint 2014 by brittanystanly featuring a denim jacket

15 Weeks!

I had my second Dr's appointment last week- Ben took some time off that day so he could watch Brynlee during it.  Next time we go in February we are going to bring Brynlee with us and find out if we are having a boy or girl?! I still can't believe that by next month I will be half way done.  Holy cow, this has flown by.

This pregnancy has been pretty different then with Brynlee, but for the better!  I really had to change the way I was eating and I've lost 10 lbs :) And I'm constantly running after and playing with a very active two year old.  It's only going to get better as soon as we are out of winter and can spend the day outside. My blood pressure was a little high at the appointment, but absolutely nothing to worry about.  I also have a dislocated rib, which hurts very very bad.

Brynlee is doing great! I absolutely love playing with her all day, but don't get me wrong I love nap time to.  She is in the princess phase right now, but still loves her trains, puzzles, and her trampoline.  We also probably spend a good hour or two a day coloring and then reading books.  I'm always impressed with how much she likes to read.  She can just read on my lap for an hour and not move an inch except to get a new book.  She calls all of her books by what they are about to.  Thankfully tantrums have greatly subsided!  Obviously not entirely, but we have seen a lot of improvement.

I've also realized in the last couple of months that I needed to chill out a bit.  I don't like being that high-strung mom who worries about every single thing.  So I let Brynlee make a lot of decisions for herself and it seems to work out better for us.  I have a pretty independent and strong-willed little one, and I don't want her to lose what makes her special.  Giving her choices and using a positive attitude works most of the time.  Unless she's hungry or tired- then she's a Bear.  Which is where her name Brynlee Bear comes from!  Overall though I am so grateful for my happy little girl.  She really is the most special thing in my life and I just love that I can spend every day with her.  She is FULL of energy, joy, and sass.  She loves snuggling with me again, loves princess movies.  The baby stage is really cute, but right now is so much fun!  I have pulled back a TON in my photography biz so I can be with her more and she can have my full attention.  I still take a few sessions a month, but I limit them to basically only on Saturdays when Ben is home and it's during Brynlee's nap time.

Life is nice :) Me and Ben got called to teach the 5 year olds in Primary.  They are so stinking cute and smart.  I just love asking them questions and listening to their answers.  Their answer to everything is "and I followed Jesus" and "do the gospel".

So one of my favorite things in the whole wide world is doing Brynlee's hair.  Every day after bath time I pop in a movie or a show that both of us actually enjoy (usually something Disney) and I dry and comb through her hair.  She has pretty thick hair so it get tangles easily.  Ever since I started using these two products:  leave in conditioner and aragon oil it has given her such healthy, silky, and bouncy locks.  And it has tamed some pretty annoying fly-aways.  I use it myself!  I've been told by a couple people that I shouldn't put product in her hair at such a young age, but I think they are full of crap :) It's not like I'm curling and burning her hair.  I don't even blow dry it.  And the product is meant to replenish her hair.  We live in a very dry climate, so why shouldn't her hair get a little TLC.  I am however looking for some more gentle products because I've learned that it is a lot of chemicals to put in her hair.  I haven't found any that I like that aren't like $20 for 8oz. which seems like a lot to me. I could comb her hair for an hour if she let me :) We tried our first bun today and loved it!  I can't wait till her hair gets longer and thicker so I can have more fun with it.  She's a trooper too and has no problem sitting on mom's lap and letting me pull at her hair as long as there is something entertaining her.  However, if Ben's home Brynlee won't let me do her hair.  She'll let dad do her hair, but lets be honest...sorry dads you don't do it as good as us :) haha he still can't put pig tails in! So if Ben's home I ask him to hide out in our bedroom while I do it.  It's therapeutic for me and so relaxing! Plus I love the snuggles.

Brynlee has also become so affectionate.  She loves to give us hugs and kisses.  And whenever Ben gets home she freaks out in squeals, jumping, hugging, kissing, and screaming Daddy.  She loves to run down our hallway to jump into our arms laughing and screaming our name.  If me and Ben are sitting on the couch together she'll come up and pull our heads together to kiss each other and then to kiss her.  She's also getting to be pretty bossy! Since she knows alot more words know and is better at putting sentences together she has no problem telling us exactly what she does and doesn't want to do.  She loves her trampoline, little people princess castle, and babies.  That trampoline could not have been bought at a better time!  With the nasty weather and being stuck inside almost every day (we only have one car) it's so nice to have an outlet for her physical energy!  And girl can jump high to.

I think that at times it easy (at least for me) to think of the terrible two's, but it's gotten so much better than it was for a while so I wanted to be sure to write it down so I don't forget!  I feel like our day is filled much more with happiness, dancing, and giggles rather than time-outs and tears.

Our Big News

We are so excited to share that we are expecting baby #2!! Ah I can't really believe it still :) I'm just too happy.  We had been trying for a few months then decided to take a break and try to loose some weight.  Then we find out "taking a break" is apparently just what we need :) Because we got pregnant right away.

Due date is July 2nd, 2014.  I'm measuring small (thankfully) and everything looks very very good.  I've lost about 10lbs this first trimester because I have the worst morning sickness.  For real, it's debilitating.  I basically live off of granola bars and water.  My midwife down here at Rosemark in Idaho Falls is so nice and I'm really happy that we chose her!  I got the best impression of her at my first appointment because I had to bring Brynlee with me.  So even with my cute (but very naught that day) toddler running around and throwing tantrums she was so friendly, patient, and just a gem.  She wanted to here all about my pregnancy and labor and delivery with Brynlee (which I love to talk about!) So it was really fun and she totally on board with my approach on how I want to labor and deliver on my own terms again.  I seriously love labor, like really love it!  I'll be the first to admit I wasn't the best pregnant woman the first time around; I gained way too much weight, didn't exercise enough, and was just a grumpy person.  But labor and delivery- man I got that and seriously enjoyed it!

We have guesses that it will be a boy because it feels so different then with Brynlee.  It's still really early in the pregnancy (I'm just shy of 12 weeks), but this time around I don't want to eat anything.  And when I do actually want to eat it's really simple food (nothing spicy, greasy, ew I'm getting sick just thinking about it) and I can only eat a tiny little bit.  I'm also so bloated, I feel like I can't breath well most of the time (okay exaggerating a little), but it is very uncomfortable, and I am beyond tired.  I could sleep like 9 hours a night and still feel like I'm going to snooze off during the day.

Brynlee is so cute.  I love how much she loves on her baby dolls and when I ask her where the baby is she'll come over and touch my stomach and say baby and blow it a case.  I have no doubt that it will definitely be a transition, but I'm really lucky at how much she loves babies and is just fascinated by them.  The only draw back is now when I throw up Brynlee imitates me.  Yea, you read that right.  She runs after me and says "potty yuck" and then proceeds to copy the yucky sounds coming out of my mouth.

I'm retiring!! Maybe retiring isn't the right word, but I'm not taking any more photography sessions (other than the ones I have booked) until I feel much better.  It's too difficult to find the time to edit and honestly the sessions are really taking a toll on me.  Newborn sessions take usually 3 hours and it's so hot.  I usually have to run out of the room at least once to throw up and I am just way to tired by the end and feel terrible the rest of the day and the next day.  It's not fair to clients and it's not fair to me.  So I don't know when I will start back up again.  But to be totally honest, I wont ever be working again as much as I have this year.  I did over 100 sessions and I'm totally burnt out from it.  I didn't pace myself at all and it took me longer to get people their pictures.  While I learned so much in such a short period of time I've also learned about what is most import to me.  My family. Taking a session once a week isn't bad, but you tack on the amount of time you have to prepare for it (emails, phone calls, etc), set up, clean up, actually do it, and then edit and follow up.  One a week right now is too much for me.  Somw people are amazing multi taskers- I am not one of them.  The last couple weeks I have slowed down has showed me that I need to do this for a while.  I feel so much less stress, I'm happy, Brynlee's happy, even Ben is happier.  The extra income is nice, but I barely make anything after you look into how much I have actually invested into it.  In hind sight I jumped in head first and went too big too fast.  Lesson learned!

Also Brynlee is turning 2 this week! Wait, what?  That can't be right.  Yep, my girl will be two years old this Saturday.  I'm going to weep all day probably.  She is just the best little thing in the world and makes us so happy and keeps us on our toes.  I can't wait to see Brynlee with him/her, hold another newborn, and try that breastfeeding thing again ;)

Ideas for Brynlee's Birthday

Okay, so how bad is it that we aren't doing a party?  We did a nice one last year for her first birthday but I feel like the worst mom ever, since we don't have any family coming up and not many friends around here.   Since Brynlee's birthday is December 21st we decided that we are going to do a half birthday party for her in the June when family can come out.  Every adult that I have talked to that has had a birthday really close to Christmas has expressed to me that they feel like there birthday always got combined with Christmas instead of being it's own celebration.  They also told me that growing up it was hard for parents to throw parties for them because people are so busy with the holiday and out of town.  I REALY don't want Brynlee to ever feel like her birthday is lumped in with the holiday because both are so important!  Birthdays are special and only happen once a year and Christmas is special because it celebrates the birth of Christ and is only once a year.  haha it seems like there may not be enough room for both of them!!

So since her second birthday is going to be a family celebration for the three of us this year I've been trying to come up with some ideas :)

• Birthday breakfast- have balloons and a birthday banner and do a fun breakfast like clown pancakes just fun little designs with food and maybe sprinkle bananas (seriously they are delicious haha)
• Play and have fun in the morning with the balloons and let her open a couple of presents 
• Nap time in our birthday pajamas 
• I-jump for wee-jump time 
• Probably McDonalds (her favorite play place haha) or Denny's for birthday dinner 
• Home for birthday cake, a couple more presents, and a birthday movie.  

I think like that sounds like a pretty fun day! Last year I kind of went all out with her birthday but it's been much more difficult this time around because of how sick we have all been.  I think she'll have a nice birthday though with lots of fun and love :) 

Life!

We are so excited right now!  Before this time next year we will be completely out of credit card debt (and will NEVER get back into it).  So we have been really productive with our finances right now and cut back our spending quite a bit.  Which is kind of hard to do around the holidays, but it's okay :) We are finally starting to start to save for a down payment on a home, haha in like three years.  We are still good with living in an apartment (or renting a townhome hopefully soon) for another couple of years to save up quite a bit.  We also don't really want to purchase a house in Idaho because we know that we won't be here for more then like 2 years tops. Brynlee will be just two years old still, so she will only see the magic of Christmas and not sitting there counting how many birthday and Christmas presents she got.  However, we did get her one big present for her birthday and one big present for Christmas.  I actually feel really bad for her that her birthday is just a couple days before Christmas.  We make every effort to not lump the two together, but unfortunately some of our family has forgotten that her birthday is not the same as Christmas.  Now I'm not saying that she needs double the gifts or anything. But simply taking one gift from Christmas and wrapping it up in birthday paper with a little birthday card is good enough for us.  We never want her to feel like her birthday isn't as special as others because it's right before a huge holiday.  We think that when she is a little older we are going to celebrate her half birthday in June with the whole party shebang, and then just do cake on her actual birthday....it's still in the works!

Anyways I've know become like addicted to looking at houses haha.  A little bit to far in advance, but if we stay on track with what we are saving (and that will just about double as soon as cards are paid off) we have a good budget to start with when looking for what type of home we would like.  It's funny to see how different two people are!  Ben would rather have an older home with a little bit more space and I'm the opposite.  I'd rather have a newer home that's nice and may not have as much square footage.  We have decided though that a basement is a must (finished or unfinished is still the debate), we need 4+ bedrooms, and we need a yard.  We'd both rather our kids have smaller individual rooms than sharing a room.

So enough with that.  I'm just happy that we are on track and life is good!! :)

When I Grow Up....

I have some big plans up my sleeves for the next five years!! We plan on moving when Ben gets done with school in about a 1.5-2 years.  Till then I will be doing newborn sessions in the spare room of our apartment.  However, when we move I am going to totally and completely revamp my business.

We're trying to have another baby, but chances our it's going to take us a while just like the last time!  We are taking a break for 6 months and I'm on trying to loose weight.  I don't want to get pregnant at the size I am because 1) it not healthy, 2) I'll only get bigger!, and 3) I don't know if I would ever loose the weight.  SO we have been eating at home more, using the elliptical, and I've been sure to get outside with Brynlee for a few hours every day.  So far I've lost 10 lbs, but it's all water weight probably.  My appetite has gone down a ton though :)

So ideally we'll get pregnant with baby #2 before we move (and hopefully have her here shortly before we move).  I'll take some time off when we move to a new state and then start up again in a few months.  This is just a dream plan, let's see how life actually plays out!!

I have been talking with Ben how ideally I would really like to expand my business more and because more reputable and established.  I don't want to be known as the "cheap photographer".  I would like to change the name to something more specific to newborns (eventually I want to only take them and babies) and a little bit cute and whimsical because that's my style.

I also plan on 5 years having completely changed the structure of my business.  In 5 years I'd like to be able to earn enough to get an actual studio space outside of the home to take sessions, consultations, and do to preview and ordering sessions.  No more shoot and burn!  Eventually, I won't be offering a print release (unless they want to pay $300+) and I'd like to make a good living selling prints and canvases to a higher clientele.  So this means that in the next few years I will need to invest in more education (I'd really like to attend a workshop), a new camera body, a new lens, better studio lighting, and an external flash.  Also, there is a lot of money and work that goes into making a studio space.  Which means I need to start saving now!! :)

Here's some studio inspiration:

18 Months

Oh man this mommy job definitely gets harder when you have a toddler on your hands!  Totally worth it though when she gives me great big hugs, holds my hands, and blows me kisses.

We also have raised a monkey.  Seriously, the similarities are hilarious!  We have a very active little child.  She LOVES climbing everything and is pretty adventurous. She knows how to climb up the chairs on top of the table and then into her chair.  She also loves to walk on the counters.  We've had to rearrange some furniture to help curb her enthusiasm for climbing and avoid any broken bones in the future.  She still manages to find ways to climb though.

She also loves her slide!  We got her a little toddler slide and we keep it out in the living room.  Whenever we want to distract her there are 3 things we say, 1) can you show me how to go down the slide, 2) where's your sippy cup and 3) can you find your baby doll.  It's amazing how she can follow directions.  She doesn't say many words, just momma, dada, hi, what's that, who's that, hat, cheese, and occasionally shoes.  She still signs for more and all done though.  However yesterday we told her to go find her shoes and she said, "where shoes?"  while looking in the closet.  I was pretty proud :)

Brynlee is also a total ham.  We went out for dinner at McDonalds the other night (don't judge us!) and the minute we got there she was so happy to see everyone there and was running up to them waving and saying Hi.  Although she definitely has her moments of tantrum she generally is so happy and kind to people.  She has been in nursery twice now and is loving it! She actually gets a little sad when we come to pick her up because she knows she's going to be leaving all her little buddies.

I also got called to teach primary!  I'm teaching the 7-8 year olds, so the kids who are preparing to be baptized for have already been baptized this year.  It's a pretty sweet gig for the most part.  Granted I never get to talk to anyone in our ward, but my kids are fun.  We have one really special little guy who is severely autistic, completely out of nowhere he will randomly jump out of his seat and start hitting someone.  Ben explained it to me that they aren't necessarily doing it out of anger, but rather the sensation that hitting gives them.  I had my first experience with this today which was completely nuts!  He calmed down though and was completely fine in just a matter of minutes.  I have to say to that he has the absolutely sweetest smile and it seriously melts my heart.  I sit next to him and call him my little buddy, and he told me that I was his favorite teacher.  Ah shucks, this kid really is special!

Work has been good for both me and Ben.  He just finished teaching his training class and had a really good time.  He starts another one at the end of August and after putting in two of those classes he's hoping that a higher position will open up for him within the company.  Work has been really busy with me and I'm still trying to find a balance.  I try really hard not to work when Brynlee is awake, but to use that time to spend it with her or clean the house.  This means though that I typically don't even go to bed until 1 or 2 am.  I definitely can't complain though.  I'm so grateful that I have been able to pursue this dream of mine and help contribute to our income.  Definitely comes with some challenges, but for the most part it's great.

I've had to change my business structure a tad (I'm sure no one reading this even gives a hoot though!)  Before I wasn't requiring deposits but I have been getting a TON of bookings over the last couple of weeks. I now have at least three scheduled sessions a week clear out till September!  Then from September through October I have all my weekends booked but one.  SO if you are wanting a session, be sure to email me right away! I wasn't requiring deposits but then I had one family simply not show up to their Saturday evening session (which are very valuable!) and I had two newborn no-shows.  Stupid people.  So those three bad apples ruined it for the whole bunch.  I now require a 50% nonrefundable deposit to reserve your date, which is then subtracted from the total.  Most people have been really understanding of why I'm doing this, but you always get one person who doesn't want to pay it.  And to them I say...well find someone else then! Just kidding, I don't say that.  Deposits however are NEVER negotiable.  It's also a wonderful way to help me budget actually running a business and estimate our additional income for the month.  Anyways, enough of that business talk.  I have no problem saying though that I am really proud of myself! :)

On a more personal note, we can't wait to have another baby! No baby yet, but we are working on that.  Brynlee is going to be one awesome big sister.  Just the other day at Church this little boy was crying in the hallway and Brynlee went up to him to pat his back and give him a hug, it was so dang sweet.  She loves babies, probably a little too much so we are working on her being a little bit more gentle.