So, it’s been pretty quiet around this here blog. And rightfully so. We just had a baby! I’d love to introduce him to you…. but first, let’s get caught up on what life has been like the past several months.

Well… I was pregnant. (duh) Tony and I tried for over a year to get pregnant, even going to get tested for infertility issues the couple of months before we found out I was pregnant… the… er… “old-fashioned” way. 🙂

And I did not love being pregnant. I had a perfect pregnancy, with absolutely no complications. I was sick during the first trimester but never threw up (thank goodness!). But dude. Sleeping gets pretty uncomfortable that last trimester, as well as just simply moving.

Of course, I still had work to do. It was just a little harder to squat and get into precarious positions while shooting. But one thing about being pregnant and shooting a wedding is that people really look out for you. Everyone makes sure you’re drinking enough water and getting enough to eat and making sure you doont do dumb things like stand on chairs. Or at least they hold onto you when you do! That and they’re super impressed at your ability to do your job with a huge belly attached to you!

I always looked at those girls that were “all-belly” and was completely convinced that I would never be one of them. I was sure I would be huge and that my behind would be as wide as Texas! Well I was huge, but to my surprise and delight, I ended up being one of those “all-belly” girls. People kept telling me I was an adorable pregnant gal, which of course made me feel good, that is, until the next time I saw myself getting out of the shower. Woah! So I had no intentions of having maternity photos done. Can you believe that?!? I do them for other people, but I just didn’t feel great, I didn’t know what to wear, nor did I have time to plan it out. But my dear friend Jess at FLY Photography talked me into doing them. And I’m really glad she did. I absolutely love the images she captured and am so grateful she talked this reluctant preggo into showing off that bump…uh… basketball.

These were taken a month before my due date. And after I saw these, I was feeling pretty good.

But then I got to my due date.  And I was more than over it. Oh my gosh, those last two weeks… I. Was. MISERABLE. It was 100 degrees most days and we only have a couple of window AC’s in our house. We went to the movies one night and I may or may not have had a tearful altercation with the manager of the theater over a water cup. Yeah… not my finest moment. But, seriously… don’t mess with a pregnant lady!

But alas, Cooper James Arneson was finally born! I was induced one week past my due date and ended up having a C-section since this not so little guy just didn’t seem to want to come out. Turned out the cord was wrapped around his neck twice so no wonder he wouldn’t drop.

He was 8 lbs. 14 oz and 21.5 inches long, with a full head of hair. Some say he looks like me and others say he looks like daddy. I can’t tell so I’m just going to ay he’s a perfect mix of the two of us. My dad says he just looks like Cooper.

I love this photo our friend Ally took of us.

And here are some I snapped with my big camera.
I bought this shirt for Tony and insisted he wear it. He really is the best daddy.

I can’t believe I’m posting this photo, but here we are! Just about to leave the hospital.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s scary bringing a baby home! It’s like, here you go! You’re on your own! Good luck!

But if I didn’t know already that Tony would be a great dad, I was sure of it when I walked in the room to find him reading to Cooper. Love him!

This was our first breakfast date as a family. Cooper was clearly enthused.

And here are some of my Instagram pics from his first week home.

And of course I had to do some newborn photos that first week. So I waited for him to be really sleepy so I could bend him and put him in a bucket or a basket, like I do, to get those sleepy naked baby photos.

Clearly he did not understand that his mommy is a photographer and he was supposed to make me look good. This little guy would not cooperate and stay asleep. Oh well. At least I got to capture some of his personality.

And those baby blues!

Once I got him dressed again and promised I would leave him alone and stop torturing him, he fell asleep. I wasn’t about to try to undress him again, so here’s what we got in the way of sleepy Cooper photos.

That’s our cutie! We feel blessed, loved and encouraged by our family and community… and tired. Oh so tired. 🙂