damica

Lupus Now!

2011-05-19T16:38:00.000-04:00

If you've been keeping up with my posts then you know that I have been campaigning for the Lupus Now Walk in support of my sister. Well, last weekend was the walk and it was a SUCCESS! Our group name was the Luprechauns and together we totaled 30 people. This included family, friends, children, and even 1 dog! My sister's sister in law even came and she is 32 weeks pregnant with twins (her husband pushed her in a wheelchair)! The grand total that we raised was $2,843!!! So, thank you everyone for all the support. Here are some images from the big day. I hope you enjoy!

Splash Pad!

2011-04-23T00:44:00.001-04:00

Today I got together with 2 of my closest friends Sarah Bray and Jessica Friend and their kiddos and went to the splash pad in Winter Park. It was a beautiful day and the company was awesome! It was just what I needed. We chatted, arranged our kids marriages to one another, discussed photography, and the kids played for hours before we finally called it quits. I originally wasn't going to bring my camera because I was worried about the water, but I figured with my new zoom I could stay far enough away and still get some shots - I am so glad I made the decision to take it. Just looking at the pics reminds me of how great of a day we have. I just love these kids! Here is a litte snapshot of our day....

Meet the Gang!

More updates!

2011-04-21T09:44:00.003-04:00

04.21.2011

Okay, so finding time for this whole blogging thing is a whole lot harder than it used to be. Right now my time is spend taking care of the kiddos, cleaning up the house, tackling the never ending piles of dishes and laundry, and working on building my photography business. The way our schedules are right now, I often don't get on the computer until the kids get to bed, which can be as late as 10:30 pm with Ellie - that means a lot of late nights.

That said, I am still not giving up on it because I know it's a great place for family and friends to check in on us and I also think it offers a nice history for us to reflect on.

We have been busy as always! I recently expanded my business to include weddings which has taken up a few weekends as of late and I also went on a 4 day photography retreat (pictures to come soon!). Damon did some traveling as well with work and went all the way to Greece last week. While I was away my parents came up to help him out and when he was away his mom came up. It's great that we all get along so well. Well here are a few snapshots of the kids and some quick updates to them both:

Brodie

Brodie is currently 19 months although he acts and looks more like he is 2. He is in the 97% for height right now at 35.25 inches! He currently is 27 lbs which I believe is pure steel because this kid is SOLID! He is also very smart and figures things out all the time. Some of his new accomplishments are buckling and unbuckling (oh joy), putting together words to make small phrases and figuring out how to use the wii to pick out his own shows (seriously!). Brodie can do the entire playground by our house without any help - climbing up the ladders, crossing the bridge, and going down the slide. He understands pretty much everything we say and will do lots of things we ask -for example getting specific toys for Ellie or putting dirty dishes in the sink. He also loves to clean (as well as make a mess). When we do laundry he loves to put the dirty laundry in the machine and the wet ones in the dryer. He also enjoys wiping down the tables, swiffering the floors, and vacuuming with his toy vacuum. Brodie loves to run and is learning to jump. He also loves water and the pool. I can't wait to get him into swim lessons so he can really enjoy it!

Ellie

Ellie is growing so fast! I can't even believe how big she is getting. She is certainly not an infant anymore. She is 25 inches long and coming in at the 50% for height and is 13 pounds (about 1/2 the size of her brother). She still doesn't sleep through the night (boo) but we hope to change that within the next week or so to prep for going back to work (double boo). She has amazing head control and is rolling over now. She has found (and loves) her toes. And she chews on everything and anything she can get her hands on. She is big into toys and loves to shake her rattles and grab different items. Ellie is quite the talker too! She coos almost all day long. She is a complete doll baby and is general happy and calm. Ellie just started eating solid foods last week and she is currently eating oatmeal and bananas. I am sure she will be sprouting up even more now that we have moved onto solids.

The Pair

Brodie and Ellie just adore each other. Brodie constantly asks to hold Ellie and is always concerned where she is. In the mornings he wakes up saying "Ellie? Ellie?" if I don't come in with her. He also is the first to her rescue if she starts crying, bringing her a toy, pacifier, or bottle. He is a great big brother - but a brother indeed - he also likes to wrestle with her, which means I have to keep a constant eye on the two of them and remind him that she is just a baby and to play gentle. On the other hand, Ellie generally likes the rough housing. She is ALL about her big brother. She lights up when he comes around and she sees his face. He can make her laugh like no one else can. They certainly are a great pair. I feel very blessed to have both of my amazing children and am very lucky that they get along so well - I just hope it sticks : )

So that's the main points right now. I hope to go back and post some pictures from the last month or so, but be patient with me. I am still figuring out how to make 24 hours feel more like 48! : )

My sister, my hero

2011-04-14T23:09:00.002-04:00

(My Sister Sally)

When my sister was 12 she was diagnosed with Lupus, a systemic autoimmune disease. To explain what Lupus is in simpler terms, it is when the immune system mistakes healthy cells and tissues for unhealthy ones and attacks, causing inflammation and damage. Lupus unfortunately can be fatal (although with modern medicine the number of fatalities is decreasing) and it currently has no cure.

I was 14 at the time of my sister's diagnosis and was very unfamiliar with the condition. I knew it meant a lot of doctor's appointments and overly worried parents. The disease has been tough on her in more than one way. She has had to deal with overprotective parents, life threatening flare ups, and more what ifs than I have ever known, but I am glad to say that today she is doing well and that the disease is almost unnoticeable in her blood stream.

Last month my sister had the opportunity to go the Washington DC with her husband and our mom to attend the Lupus Advocacy Day. My sister has always been an advocate for the disease, but this experience really moved and motivated her. Since her return from DC she has come out publicly about her disease and even began a blog called Lupus Groupus where she discusses the in and outs of lupus and her own personal journey (please check this out and follow her on her journey). She also signed up for a walk to benefit the Lupus Foundation of America called Walk for Lupus Now. Our team is called the Luprechauns.

. Although 15 years ago, at the time my sister was diagnosed, I had never heard of Lupus I am sad to say that now I know several people who suffer from the disease (including close friends and family). As I said previously there is currently no cure for Lupus, but we hope to change that by raising interest in the cause as well as raising money.

Although I typically do not feel comfortable asking for things from other people, I am adamant about this cause. So my call to action would be for you to at least consider a small donation towards our Walk for Lupus Now group. I know we are in hard economic times right now, but even one single dollar will make a difference and show your support. If I was able to raise $1 from every single one of my Facebook friends, I would exceed my current goal for the race. So if you read this and think I can't afford to donate right now, but a dollar is too cheap, think again. It really can make all the difference.

And...if you want to make a larger donation and get something in return. For anyone who is interested in booking a portrait session with me, I am going to be donating all session fees for anyone who purchases a session in the month of April to the Lupus Foundation of America. To further clarify, the session does not have to take place in the month of April, it just has to be booked and paid for at that time. If you would like to participate in this, but can't commit to a booking, I will be donating 50% of all gift certificates purchased in April as well. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Thanks in advance!

shout out!

2011-04-14T23:09:00.001-04:00

To Kat - enough said : )

I just love these kids...

2011-02-13T08:00:00.003-05:00

02.13.2011

I mean seriously...how cute are they!!!

Swinging!

2011-02-12T08:00:00.002-05:00

02.12.2011

About 8 or 9 years ago on vacation I bought a hammock swing for my house. I was so excited to get it, but when I got home I realized I had no real place to put it up. I didn't have any sturdy trees and I certainly didn't trust my construction skills well enough to hang it up from my ceiling. I held onto the hammock because I really did want to use it one day....and that day has finally come. The weather lately has been perfect and I was outside hanging out with Brodie when I had the thought "I wish I had somewhere to sit outside...like a hammock" and remembered the gem that I had been holding onto for all these years. I got out my handy step stool out and pretty soon I was sitting in the hammock enjoying the swing. Unfortunately Brodie thinks it is really funny to spin mommy around and around - and that doesn't work well with my tendency for motion sickness. Here is a picture of Ellie in the swing : )

And not to be out done by his sister, Brodie has now started climbing into her swing!!!! I left the room to use the restroom and this is what I came back to! I had to laugh - but I sure hope he doesn't break it!

Guess who found the doggy door....

2011-02-11T08:00:00.003-05:00

02.11.2011

This guy!

I was wondering how long it would take for him to experiment with this. He got out okay, but had some trouble getting back in. He wasn't too happy with my hesitance to help him out, but I had to get a quick picture of this before he successfully got back inside : )

Shopping

2011-02-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

02.10.2011

We don't go out too much - other than to the park or the gym, but when we do it's usually to go shopping. Typically the stores we hit are either Publix or Target. The kids are almost always on their best behaviors as long as the shopping trips aren't too long (unlike when I was going Xmas shopping and hitting like 3-5 stores per day...ugh).

(Here is us at Publix...Brodie's hair was NOT spiked by mommy...it was actually how he woke up that day after wiping his maple syrup infested hands through his hair shortly before his nap...lol)

Recently we went to Ikea because I had an item I needed to return. Unfortunately my dogs had gotten into my purse and chewed up a pile of receipts so I couldn't return it and had to get store credit. I guess this is good and bad. Bad - returning for cash is always preferred. Good - my consolation prize was SHOPPING AT IKEA! YAY! I was worried about how the trip would go. We went in the morning before nap time and when I got there Brodie had fallen asleep in the car. It was still a couple hours before his typical nap time so I worried that he was going to be cranky the whole time. I had a bunch of blankets in the car, so I threw them in the bottom of the cart so he could lay down (and perhaps finish his nap). He began by laying down, but before long he was up and excited about being at Ikea. We had an awesome time at Ikea and the kids were so good! We even stopped at the kid zone in the cafeteria to eat lunch! Shopping was successful too. We got a few baby props, a new table and chairs for Brodie (and Ellie), and some items for the kitchen. And when we got home Brodie still took a full nap! Yay SUCCESS : )

(Our trip to Ikea)

Interesting...

2011-02-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

02.09.2011

So I have been lusting after the iPad lately and wondering what type of competitor products we may see for it when I got a Dell ad in the mail for the Dell Inspiron Duo. At first I was excited because I am a pc user and thought it may be more compatible with my gear than an iPad and it had a QWERTY keypad too. But utlimately I am not sure how it is going to stack up to the iPad.

v.s.

The Dell Inspiron Duo is kind of a neat concept. It is a touch pad that turns into a notebook. Although I enjoy a touch pad for many applications, it is also nice to have the keyboard to type. And like I said it is in the pc family so it would be more compatible with pc users, right? But I'm not sure if this is the better pick. Since it does have the flip face and keyboard, I worry that it will be bulkier, heavier, and more prone to damage. So my guess is that it won't trump the seemingly unstoppable Apple iPad, but I would love to check one out in person.

the kids want to say hello!

2011-02-08T08:00:00.005-05:00

02.08.2011

Just a quick little hello from both of the kiddos! All is well! Nothing too exciting has been happening - the usual wake up eat, play, eat, nap, play, eat, bed routine : ) Hope to win the lottery soon to change things up....lol.

piano

2011-02-07T08:00:00.003-05:00

02.07.2011

Sorry I read how to convert these, but it includes downloading software and is just too many steps for a tired mom of two little ones (or at least this mom)...I am going to have to start recording horizontally....but this was too cute not to post!

Brodie and Ellie

2011-02-06T21:02:00.003-05:00

02.06.2011

Let me say that Brodie just ADORES his baby sister. He is still all about kissing her and hugging her and now he has begun asking to hold her. It is funny too because he knows he has to sit down to hold her so even if we are in the middle of the room if he asks to hold her he will stop what he is doing and sit down with his arms out. It is super adorable! Here is one of the recent shots of the two of them hanging out.

Also a recent movie of the two of them together. Unfortunately, I don't know how to turn my videos on blogger....and honestly I'm too tired to find out...lol. Enjoy this sideways video of Brodie taking care of his little sister.

Despicable...2 months of no posts!

2011-01-31T10:39:00.004-05:00

01.31.2011

I can't believe almost two months have gone by without a single blog post! It feels similar to when I was in grade school and I would forget to write in my diary - it caused me anxiety and then I would keep putting it off and putting it off until I would just give up and then eventually start a new diary. Well, I am not going to do that...I am just going to apologize and then try to be more diligent. I finally feel like I am getting some order to the house and that we are on some sort of schedule. So...I am hoping to make time several times a week to update the blog.

Well now Ellie is about 2 1/2 months. She is a little over 10 lbs and falls in the 25-50% for weight and height. She has started smiling and cooing which is certainly adorable! She gets up about 2 times now in the middle of the night and the longest stretch she has had so far without waking is 7 hours!!! Yay Ellie!

Brodie is 16 1/2 months and getting into everything! What a personality on this kid. He likes adventure and exploring. He spends a lot of time hanging out in his playroom and also outdoors. He is building his vocabulary by the day. Some of the words he has picked up in the past two months include grandpa, ice, football, Ellie, baby, and outside. He is still a pretty good eater, but now he has learned about sauces and LOVES to dip all his food in something - which becomes pretty messy. I guess he takes after his mom.

I'll do some updating this week and post some pictures from the past two months, but for now I have 2 kiddos to attend to. I will leave you with this picture of me and all my kids that Damon took on his phone last week! Excuse my appearance, I had just returned home from the gym...lol.

...

2010-12-08T21:11:00.000-05:00

12.08.2010

Well, we are still adjusting to all of the changes in our lives, but things are getting better. We are starting to get back into the swing of things in regards to our schedule, but has taken a lot of work. Brodie seems to have mixed feelings about the whole big brother thing. Although he seems to love his little sister and gives her lots of kisses and gentle love pats, he also seems to be mourning his loss of only child status. Today we spent some time on the patio playing, which allowed me time to test out my new 85mm lens (yay!). I am hoping that soon both kiddos will be on the same nap schedule which will give me a little more time to work on my projects (i.e. editing!!!)....I know I still have a lot to complete right now, including Ellie's newborn pics. Right now Damon is holding Ms. Ellie, so the way I see it I have about 10 more minutes before she starts crying and wants to feed...lol.

Other updates - Ellie now weighs 6.15 oz and is just completely adorable. Brodie is continuing to build his vocabulary. He know says - mama, dada, dog, book, bubbles, ball, grandpa, up, down, all done, socks, and shoes. He may have some more words, but I either can't remember then right now or can't decipher them just yet. Like I said before he really is all about his new little sister. He loves to give her kisses, to pat her head, and to have her hold his finger. He also runs to make sure she is okay when she cries and finds me a pacifier to give her as well. It is too cute!

For more pictures from today check out my photography blog - jreganphotography.com

Adjusting

2010-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

11.28.2010

So far adjusting to life with 2 kids has proven to be a challenge. Brodie is having a difficult time adjusting to the changes and doesn't quite know what to make of his little sister. He has become very clingy and throws temper tantrums quite often (which is very atypical of him). He has been refusing naps and challenging us left and right. It is hard to see him struggling so much - it truly breaks my heart. I hope that he soon realizes that having a little sister is a good thing and that there is more than enough love to go around. Here are a few pictures from this past week.

(ignore the wonderfully styled hair - this was the first morning home from the birth center when Brodie and Ellie met for the first time)

(juggling two kids sure does take a lot of work)

(Here is Damon watching the kids...this is a self portrait he took...lol)

(Nap time has become particularly hard. On this day Brodie finally fell asleep on the family room floor after fighting me for almost 3 hours not to take a nap....guess this is what happens when you pull your kid out of daycare and bring home a baby simultaneously)

First Haircut

2010-11-27T15:11:00.003-05:00

11.27.2010

So, I know I am not doing good on keeping up to date with the blog, but it is very difficult to find time to use the computer. Right now I have Ellie sleeping on my lap and Brodie is out with Damon and my father in law washing cars.

One big milestone that we hit last week is that we gave Brodie his first haircut. His hair was getting long and it was definitely time for a change. Damon and I got out the clippers and I let Damon do the honors of cutting it. Brodie did excellent. He didn't fuss one bit. Damon fed him raisins throughout the haircut as a way to desensitize him to the buzzing noise of the clippers - it seemed to work. Here are some pictures of the big event : )

Birth Story

2010-11-24T21:01:00.007-05:00

11.24.2010

Ok, so I am finally feeling well enough to break out the old computer and start uploading photos and documenting our past week. Tonight I will start with our birth story...

Thursday morning (11.18.2010) seemed like a normal day. I was still battling this everlasting cold and I had taken the day off of work [I had actually called on Tuesday and spoke with our clinical director and told her that I didn't think I would be returning before the baby was born since I was sick and my due date was approaching]. I had a dermatology appointment in the morning and then I came home and rested all day in hopes to get better. At 3:30 I had my weekly appointment at the birth center. During the last appointment I had found out that I was 4 cm dilated and in the past week I felt like she was getting lower and lower...so just in case I was farther along, I went ahead and packed my bags. During my appointment they checked to see if there was any progression. My midwife told me that although I was still only 4 cm dilated that I was 90% effaced. My bag of waters was also very low (and bulging) and that her head was very low. She had to be very careful during the exam to make sure she didn't break my water. Because I had progressed so fast with my first labor, my midwife had decided that if I didn't go into labor on my own by Monday, that we would go ahead and break my water Monday morning and induce the labor. I left my appointment and headed home.

On the way back to the house I called Damon to fill him in on our progress and to let him know he would need to take Monday off. I then called my mom who kept reminding me that just because I was 90% effaced and 4 cm dilated that it could still be a while before I went into labor (well except that we were scheduling to break my water). As I was pulling up to the stop sign by my house I felt a cramp in my belly and made a joke to my mom that it could be tonight. At that point I really didn't think that I was in labor, but I was experiencing some cramping that was different than I had felt before. It was 4:50 pm at this point so I went ahead and called Damon and told him to head home just in case I was in labor.

It was a good thing I did. He came in with Brodie at about 5:30 and at this point I still wasn't sure if I was in labor or not. I was trying to time the cramps at this point, but I was also trying to clean up the house and cook dinner (just in case we were in labor I didn't want to come home to a messy home). It seemed that the cramps were inconsistent and close together, so again I didn't think that they were contractions...and they didn't feel like I had remembered. At around 6 pm the pains started becoming a little more intense, to where I had to stop what I was doing and work through them...okay - now I was convinced I was in labor. I started timing them at this point and realized that they were about 3 minutes apart and 45 seconds long. We went ahead and called the birth center at this point and told them we'd be heading over. Damon went and dropped Brodie off at my sisters and then came back to pick me up. At this point I was still trying to finish making us dinner (because I didn't want to have a long night of labor without eating)...but Damon decided that soft chicken tacos were not easy enough to eat in the car, so despite my efforts dinner was left at home. Right before we left I went to the rest room and my water broke which at this point solidified the fact that we were indeed having a baby.

We got to the birth center around 6:30pm. Our midwife checked me and I was 6 cm dilated. I figured it would still be several hours before the baby came, especially since we were 7 cm dilated when we got to the birth center with Brodie. We decided to go ahead and get in the tub to help with the labor pains which were becoming extremely intense at this point. I turned to Damon and said something along the lines of...why are we doing this without medicine again? My midwife laughed and said that's a good 8 cm talking right there. I really was working very hard to visualize Ellie moving down and out during each contraction and to try to work through the pain. My midwife asked me if I had any urges to push and all I remember thinking was "urges to push - I just got in the tub...it's going to be a few hours still"...boy was I wrong. Within 5 minutes or so I was indeed having the urge to push, so I changed positioning and gave one good push - which was accompanied by my blood curdling scream...and out Ellie came! 7:08 pm! It had been just a little over 2 hours of labor and only about 3o minutes at the birth center - and there she was as perfect as could be. We nursed in the tub for a little while and then it was time to get out. As soon I got up I knew I wasn't feeling right. I had passed out after delivering Brodie and so we were all a little cautious of this. I made it to the bed at which point I passed out. I had lost a lot of blood and it was a really intense and fast delivery. The next few hours were used stabilizing me. They used Pitocin to help me stop bleeding and hooked me up to an IV of fluids and oxygen. I finally came to, but battled the feeling that I may pass out again for several hours, so they kept me there to make sure I was ok. In the meantime, my parents came by to visit and we also at some delicious Publix subs. After that we worked on getting some sleep. Before we left we did weight and measurements....I am pretty positive that they said she weighed 6lbs. 11 oz. and was 19.5 inches long at birth, but then when we went to our check up appointment on Monday, they had 6 lbs 10 oz. and 19.25 inches on the birth certificate paperwork, so I am not sure what to say it was [still thinking about what data to use on the birth announcements]. We were discharged at 5 am Friday morning and headed home to start our new life together ; )

38 weeks

2010-11-16T08:49:00.002-05:00

11.16.2010

I know I haven't been very good about posting pictures of me during this pregnancy, especially as compared with Brodie. Our point and shoot has been broken and with the craziness of moving, working full time, and raising Brodie we really haven't been diligent with the picture taking. Yesterday we were able to fix (ok, rig) the camera so it works again, so I figured as we are nearing the end, I better get at least one shot of me pregnant. So here it is.

On another note, we unfortunately have a sick household : ( All three of us are battling a cold and cough. Damon and I have taken today off to try to get better. My chest feels like it's on fire. Hopefully we are all better soon so that Ellie can come home to a healthy household.

Dear Ellie,

2010-11-12T08:26:00.003-05:00

11.12.2010

My dear sweet Ellie,

I just wanted to let you know how truly excited we are for your arrival. Daddy and I are looking forward to meeting you and finally getting to hold you. We wonder what day you will join our family, how big or small you will be, what color your eyes and hair are, and what your disposition will be. There are so many surprises to look forward to. It has been exactly 4 months since we last saw you through the ultrasound and we are super anxious to get to see you in person. Mommy also can't wait to hold you in her arms, because I think I am running out of room in my belly : ) I just wanted to let you know that we love you very much and look forward to having you here with us...so please (please, please, please) feel free to come and join us as soon as you are ready (special request from mom for that to be today).

xoxox,

Mommy & Daddy

Last one to catch up!

2010-11-06T08:30:00.000-04:00

11.06.2010
Last weekend we attended my nephew Stephen's first birthday party at my sister's place. Yay! Happy Birthday Stephen.

It was a costume party so of course I dressed up. Although people said taht they had trouble figuring out what I was, I felt it was obvious - I was a sumo wrestler. Brodie originally went in his monkey costume, but it was so hot out that I took it off and added one of the pieces of black material from my costume and made him a baby sumo wrestler! He was too funny too. He kept walking around like a sumo and clapping his hands in front of him like he was ready to wrestle. Of course he had no association to his actions and his costumes - but it was hiliarious and perfectly fitting!

Despite having no pictures of my dad in costume, he had dressed up with a mullet and arm sleeve tattoos (seriously wish I had a pic)...and by the end of the party everyone was trying to get in on the mullet action...see below:

Again, it was another great weekend - and awesome to see so many family and friends!

Halloween! (part III)

2010-11-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

11.05.2010
So first thing in the morning on Halloween I got a call from my dad informing me that they were all headed over to the park for the morning. Of course normally I would be excited, but because my amazing sleeper of a son sleeps in on the weekends (til like 9-9:30), even though my dad had called close to 9 am he had actually woken me up. I told him I would meet them there when B got up and proceeded to get out of bed and get ready for the day.

When we got there Brodie was super excited to see his cousins and grandparents (and aunt too)! He ran right over to play. They all had a blast swinging with Grandpa, going on the slide (like 100 xs) and of course throwing mulch in the air. Brodie was super independent and wanted to do everything on his own. Casey was impressed by Brodie's independence and made sure that he could get up and down the slide safely - too cute!

All in all it was a great day!

Halloween! (part II)

2010-11-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

11.04.2010
As I said yesterday we had a busy busy weekend. So working backwards...before we went trick or treating we headed over to our good friends', Chris & Sarah's, place for a pre-trick or treat bash full of delicious chili and sweet treats! Sarah always knows how to throw a wonderful party and it was great to see some good friends and let the little ones run around the yard and play for a bit before the evening began. And like I said there was some really yummy chili there too! - 3 types...there was a vegetarian option, a traditional option, and then one with skirt steak and mushrooms - delish!!! We hung out over there for about 2 hours before heading to my sisters and the rest of the gang dispersed to do their own trick or treating. Here are some pics of Brodie at the festivities.

Halloween! (part I)

2010-11-03T12:15:00.006-04:00

11.03.2010

Alright, I know I have been bad at blogging, but truthfully being 9 months pregnant, working full time, raising a 1 year old, and working on expanding my photography business has kept me a little preoccupied. This week though I am going to be good! I am going to start at the end and work backwards, but I promise back to back blog postings this week to catch everyone up on our recent activities. Things to look forward to include Stephen's bday party, a day at the park, a Halloween party, and today's post focused on Halloween!

Overall I have to say Halloween was awesome and completely exceeded my expectations! I didn't think it was going to because I had failed to get Damon and I costumes and so it was just Brodie who was dressing up. Originally I had a plan for coordinating costumes for the whole family, but after hitting a few thrift stores and finding myself unsuccessful - I gave up. Also - the day felt pretty full and like always we were cramming in more stuff than we had hours in the day, so I was worried that Brodie may poop out before we even got to trick or treating - especially since we weren't even leaving the house until 30 minutes before his bedtime. But let me tell you...this boy loved Halloween!!!

First off, he didn't fight me one iota about wearing his costume - despite the fact that it was hot out, the costume was made of fleece and completely kept blocking his vision ; ) We met over at my sister's house to begin the trick or treating and she had bought them all matching little candy bags which Brodie held onto the whole time! We brought the wagon in case the kids didn't want to walk, but Brodie didn't last long in there because I didn't want him to miss out on the excitement of going to the door and getting candy. So he would follow his 2 older cousins who helped guide him to the door (at times following their lead of knocking on the door) and waited patiently to get his candy. The neighbors would hold out the big bowl of candy and Brodie would reach in and grab a piece, holding it up as if it was the most amazing thing in the world and gasp in excitement. At this point JJ or Casey would help him put the candy in his bag and move on to the next house. It was one of the most entertaining and adorable things I had seen. I was so proud of him walking the majority of the time and really participating in the activities. We got to my house around 7:30 and called it a night as the nephews continued on to do a little more trick or treating. Brodie had his first piece...well few bites of...Halloween candy and then went to bed. I still smile thinking about what a good time that little boy had and how much excitement it created to pick out his own candy.

(Grandpa and his boys)

(Casey the bat)

(JJ the cow - or dragon cow....moo roar...as he likes to be known)

(Stephen the dragon)

(and our little man Brodie the monkey....see the pure excitement and joy!!!)

First Faceplant!

2010-10-25T11:18:00.002-04:00

10.25.2010
So yesterday my sister and I met to go to the park in our neighborhood. Brodie walked all the way from our house to hers...(which is a big accomplishment for a kid who just learned to walk last month) and then within 20 steps of getting to our destination - the park - he face planted into the concrete sidewalk : (

My heart dropped as I saw him trying to catch up to his cousins by running (not a skill he has quite mastered) and lunge forward into the sea of concrete. Ouch! He was so good though, he only cried for a minute and then was giggling on the swing. Here are some pics of him last night - although I have to say, it looks much worse in person.

Happy Birthday Stephen!

2010-10-20T08:30:00.000-04:00

10.20.2010
So my nephew turns 1 today...Happy birthday Stephen...and since I was babysitting him this past weekend AND happened to have just bought a new chair for my kiddo portraits that day, I just had to sneak Stephen away for a bit (Damon watched the other boys so I could) and do a secret photo shoot for his 1st birthday! SURPRISE!!! Hope you enjoy April!

Now booking...

2010-10-15T14:52:00.004-04:00

10.15.2010
This fall I am holding two days worth of mini sessions! These are the perfect quick sessions for updating family portraits just in time for this year's holiday season. Pictures make perfect gifts for loved ones and the portraits can be used in a custom press printed holiday card as well. Feel free to email me at jessica[at]jessicaregan[com] with any questions or to book your session today!

(click on image to enlarge)

Brodie's 1 Year Old Photos

2010-10-12T21:36:00.003-04:00

10.12.2010
So for Brodie's year old pictures we took him down to a park in town and let him loose. He had a blast. He loved the slides, swings, and climbing. I still can't believe how big my little baby is getting! It is amazing to watch him just go!

How our view on life changes...

2010-10-06T10:23:00.002-04:00

10.06.2010
So, it is interesting how much my view on daycare has changed since this time last year. Being raised by a stay at home mom, I always thought I would follow suit (and look forward to the day that I do get to stay home with the kiddos) and felt tremendous guilt for going back to work and putting him in daycare. But now I am actually feeling guilty that when Ellie gets here that we will be pulling Brodie out of daycare because he LOVES it there. I may try to figure out a way to switch over to a new daycare by our house and let Brodie either go for half days or a day or 2 out of the week just to be able to socialize and learn, but not sure if we can swing it financially without my paycheck. I am also thankful that my sister lives down the street with her 3 boys - so he has lots of friends to play with when I am home.

No crying over spilled milk

2010-10-05T10:20:00.002-04:00

10.05.2010
So one thing I have come to realize is that when a child is quiet in the back seat, perhaps you should be suspicious of what is keeping them entertained ; )

Catching up!

2010-10-04T09:31:00.004-04:00

10.04.2010

I can't believe it is already October. Today is beautiful. The air has a slight chill in it and the weather is perfect! I didn't have any time over the weekend to post new pics, so today I am just going to use phone pictures to try to catch up to speed a bit. First, I am 32 weeks today and super exhausted! I definitely feel pregnant! We have set up Ellie's crib in Brodie's room and have started making plans for the big day. Damon asked if we should pack the bag for the birthing center yet, which kind of makes me anxious ; ) I guess we should soon, but I figure not for a couple more weeks. I have just began my biweekly appointments for Ellie too. All the appointments so far have gone well - measuring normal and heartbeat is strong. My glucose test came back awesome too and my protein levels are excellent! I have another appointment today - and Damon is going to come with me to this one. He usually can't make it because of work, so it's a nice treat to have the company.

As for Brodie, he recently had his one year appointment at the doctor's. He measured 31.25 inches (90%) and 22 lbs (50%). He was so good at the doctor's too - he got 4 shots and only cried at the very last one (which was the doozy). Here are some pictures from the appointment.

Life is getting busy...

2010-09-30T22:15:00.005-04:00

09.30.2010
I apologize for the major delay on my posts. I have just been super busy the past couple of weeks. Damon has been out on travel a lot and it is hard to have time to do anything for myself when he is gone.

I have so much stuff to catch up on post wise and I hope to get it done this week, but I also have a lot of editing I need to do with my photography (and more coming this weekend), so I will have to see what I can get done in the few hours I have at night.

Til then - here are some pics I took of Brodie when we were home for Sally's wedding. It's funny to look at since he no longer sits in the high chair anymore - how quickly things change!

Brodie's first bday party!

2010-09-15T22:15:00.000-04:00

09.16.2010

Brodie's first birthday party was a huge success. We had lots of loved ones come share the day with us - and although some were unable to make it, they were there in spirit! Here are some pictures from the big day. I will post some more of the activities later this week - for now I have to get to bed : )

The Wedding!

2010-09-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

09.13.2010

So I've been meaning to post these for a while, but life has been busy and I haven't really had a chance. My younger sister Sally and her fiancé Enrique were married last week. They had 2 weddings. The first night they did a very small (immediate family) wedding in the Catholic church and then on Saturday they had the big traditional ceremony and reception. Sally asked me to take photos of the church wedding for them. Here are some from the bunch.

Unfortunately, I didn't take even one photo on the actual Monday night because we were so rushed getting ready. I can't wait to see the professional photos!

Brodie is ONE!!!

2010-09-12T21:35:00.004-04:00

09.12.2010

It is amazing to think that one year ago today I was bringing home this beautiful baby boy. And now he seems so grown up already! I can't believe how quickly the time flies! We had a wonderful day today full of friends and family! We were worried that a lot of people would be wiped out due to the colds and stomach flu that seems to be running rampant, but we ended up having a pretty full house! I can't wait to post pictures, but for now here are some of Brodie loving his first cupcake! It was hilarious to watch him devour the yummy treat! Happy Birthday Mr. B - we love you so much!!!! This has been one of the best years of our life!

Last day of the infant room!

2010-09-10T08:34:00.004-04:00

09.10.2010
Today is Brodie's last day in the infant room - so we decided to dress him up for the occasion. He's in casual office wear today - button down shirt with tie, but sleeves rolled up, shorts, and sneakers...lol. I think he looks ADORABLE! - but I am biased. Unfortunately, due to a work commitment I don't get to drop him off or pick him up today...but I'm sure he will enjoy his last day!

Oh...also!....Brodie now has 3 words that he says: Dada (first word), Mama (second word), and dog (third word! He started saying mama last week and dog on Monday. Every time he sees Kayla or Saydi he gets super excited and says dog, dog, dog. At first I thought it was just a fluke, but it is literally every time he sees them and no other times. Too cute!

No more high chair!

2010-09-09T08:25:00.001-04:00

09.09.2010
So in preparation of moving to the toddler room at daycare, Brodie is no longer using his high chair. The school has lent us a little green chair for him to practice in. We have now let him eat at the little table for about 3 days and he does really well. He even sat there and colored for like 30 minutes after dinner. Here are some pictures of one of his first meals at the table.

Another day

2010-08-26T09:53:00.002-04:00

08.26.2010
Today is turning out to be a tough day and it's not even noon. I already feel backed up on my sleep, so this week I was trying to go to bed early every night. Last night though I stayed up to do laundry, so I didn't get to bed until a little after 11. This morning Brodie decided it would be good to have an extra hour or so with mommy and so he woke up screaming bloody murder at 5 am! Yay! Play time! I tried to coax him back to sleep, but nothing would work. I guess the good news is that I was at work on time - actually early! But now I am dragging like a zombie. Hopefully I can get back on course tonight.

One fun update with Brodie is that yesterday he took 9 steps towards me when I picked him up a daycare and then when we were playing last night there were several times where he stood on his own and took a few steps. I think we have a walker on our hands!

Family date night!

2010-08-24T12:21:00.005-04:00

08.24.2010
Earlier last week Damon and I ran out to get a new coffee table from Craigslist. We decided on a round wood one so that it would be a little more childproof than the glass rectangle one we previously had. We have sold a few things on Craigslist this past year so we had some money put aside. Since we were headed over to the Altamonte area and had also received a $10 gift certificate to Bahama Breeze, we decided to go ahead and make it a family date night. This is one of the rare occasions that we actually have gone to a sit down restaurant with just the 3 of us. Brodie did very well. He entertained himself by coloring, playing with toys, checking out the people behind our booth, and of course eating his dinner. Here are some pics and video from the evening.

Father and son

2010-08-21T08:00:00.002-04:00

08.22.2010
So, I was working in my office one day and walked out to see the cutest little pair sitting on the couch watching golf. I just had to snap a quick pic. Look how happy they are just hanging out. You have to love the bond between a father and a son : )

Playing in the office

2010-08-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

08.20.2010
I still haven't completed my office just yet. I still need to hang pictures and new blinds, secure my faux flooring, and get some new material for the backdrops, but I have been using my new desk space to edit. It's nice because Brodie loves to play in there and since I can close the door (unlike the study) I can make sure he stays with me playing while I edit. It definitely is going to make it easier to get some work done! Maybe now I will be able to get my website completed so I can finally launch it!!! Here are some quick shots of Mr. B occupying himself while mommy worked. He is such a good boy : )

As promised!

2010-08-19T23:38:00.005-04:00

08.19.2010
Well there is no doubt that I have a little water boy on my hands. He loves the pool and loves his baths. Right now we primarily do the sink bath to conserve water - with the occasional tub bath for fun. Brodie was having a ball the other night playing with his toys (which were given to him by his favorite Aunt Rhonda and Uncle Jon!). I couldn't help but capturing some shots!

In other news - Brodie took his first steps the other day! He took 1 step on Aug 1, but then on Tuesday (8/17) he took 3 steps towards Damon when he picked him up at daycare! Any day now he will be running around the house : ) Also, I had my 25 week check up and all is going well with Ms. Ellie! My belly is growing right on schedule, I am gaining the appropriate weight, and she has a strong heart beat. Next appointment is our glucose check. I still can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going! Almost at the 3rd trimester already!

Moments like this...

2010-08-16T16:04:00.002-04:00

08.16.2010
As Brodie gets closer and closer to his first birthday, I know moments like this are limited. We already have cut down our bottle use to strictly at bedtime. I know I keep saying it, but I can barely believe how fast the time is flying - and I know it is just going to go that much fast when Ellie gets here. I can't even imagine what my parents think (in regards to time) when they see us all grown up with our own kids.

On another note. I took some cute pictures of Brodie taking a bath last night - so hopefully I will have time this week to upload and post them. I really need to get some quality pictures up here rather than all my phone pics!

Office Space ; )

2010-08-13T12:11:00.002-04:00

08.13.2010
Damon and I were originally thinking that we would move Brodie into his own room when Ellie comes, but after giving it further thought, we felt that since they are both going to be in cribs for a while, we would rather have them in the room closer to us rather than on the other side of the house - so they will be sharing. This leaves us with 2 guest rooms (and very few guests)...so I asked Damon if he minded if I transformed one of the rooms into an office/studio space for me and he said he was fine with that.

So after selling my old camera...this past weekend Brodie and I took a trip to Ikea to spend that hard earned cash on some new items for the room. We got a new desk, some pictures frames, some organizing items, a scroll down shade (to help diffuse the light during peak hours), and new bedding for the daybed (we are keeping it in the room so it is still a functional guest room). I also have some old laminate flooring from our old house that I got down out of the old attic this week which I am going to use to make some faux floors out of. One is dark brown and the other is a medium gold. I pulled one of our shelving units inside from the garage and set it up with different organizing containers and had Damon set up my desk last night. It is really starting to come together.

I unfortunately need to go down to Ikea though tomorrow to exchange a frame - the glass broke when I opened it, so fingers crossed they let me return it - and I also have to return a piece I bought for the desk (I thought it was a pull out for the keyboard, but was wrong). This weekend I hope to set up the blinds and also figure out how I am going to set up my back drops. I still have to order some paper rolls too. Tonight I am going to move all my equipment from the hall closet to the closet in this room.

I am really super stoked about this and feel like it is such a good environment to work in - it's very light and soothing in there. I am excited to have some studio space too - and think it will be great for kid and newborn shots. I am hoping that I may be able to do some test shots this weekend with Mr. B. I'll get some pictures up of the room as soon as I am done - but for now here is one of Brodie playing in his cart at Ikea.

What a big boy!

2010-08-11T16:47:00.000-04:00

08.11.2010
Did I mention my little baby wants to grow up too fast!

Prego Update

2010-08-09T16:10:00.002-04:00

08.09.10
So I realize that I haven't really done much of a pregnancy update. I haven't done the belly transition this time around because when I got pregnant I hadn't yet lost all the baby weight and was self conscious about taking pictures of my stomach. So...I don't have the same documentation as last time. For today I snapped a quick picture in front of the mirror with my phone (and I have to say for whatever reason these type of self pics drive me crazy!...I am more of a self timer girl).

I am 24 weeks and doing well. All of our check ups have gone well and fingers crossed we will progress that way. Damon and I are going to start brushing up on all the Bradley techniques shortly and I will begin my labor practice exercises in a couple of weeks too. I can't believe it's already time to start all that. I am nearing the end of the 2nd trimester and overall feeling great. My back hurts from time to time, but otherwise I often forget I am pregnant (well except for when I get dressed, walk by a mirror, look down, or she kicks- which is often!).

For those of you who don't know, we have decided on a name. Elizabeth Grace. And we will call her Ellie for short. It is the girl name we had picked out for our first pregnancy, but obviously we didn't use it : ) We still love it, so it made it much easier! No real discussion this time around. It's neat being able to refer to Ellie by name and not have to keep saying Baby Regan. It definitely makes the bond a little different.

Well enjoy the quick snapshot...

Growing up so fast!

2010-08-06T08:23:00.001-04:00

08.06.10
In the past two weeks there have been lots of big changes for Brodie. This past weekend (7/31-8/1) we transitioned Brodie from bottle to sippy cup for most of his formula (we still give him a bottle for bedtime) and he has begun eating almost all big boy food. This weekend he had french toast for breakfast, grilled cheese and turkey for lunch, and meatballs for dinner. Not to mention snacks of cheese, peaches, bananas, cereal, and bread. Starting Monday at school he also transitioned over to the big boy menu. No more baby food for Brodie. In fact, for the most part he doesn't even want it (of course this happens right after I stock up again).

Our other big change is that he now wears shoes to school. In the toddler room (which he will transition to in 1 month....eek!) they have to wear shoes, so their last month in the infant room the teachers ask that they start trying out the sneakers. He looks like such a big kid with shoes on it's amazing! He didn't like them when I first put them on, but he seems to be doing just fine in them.

Additionally, Brodie is standing more often on his own without holding on to anything. And this past Sunday (8/1) while at my sister's celebrating her bday, Brodie took his first step!!! Yes, only one step, but still - pretty big news for us! : ) I can't even get my head wrapped around the fact that he will be 1 next month! Aahhh!

Here are some pictures of Brodie practicing walking with daddy in the morning before school.

Car troubles

2010-08-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

08.04.2010
A couple of weekends ago when we were down at my parents, the alignment on my car went out of whack. I literally had to use energy to keep my car from not making a right circle. So Brodie and I headed over to Goodyear to get it checked out. Turns out that we needed 4 new tires (there was severe wear from the bad alignment and no tread on some of the tires), an alignment, and new break pads....ugh - not what we had planned on spending our money on at the moment! While waiting for the place to open I gave Brodie a quick driving lesson...enjoy the pictures.

Phase I

2010-07-28T23:44:00.003-04:00

07.29.2010

This past weekend was my little sister's bridal shower and bachelorette party. It was a great time. The shower was very nice and Sally got tons of fun loot! At the shower I set up my backdrop and camera to have a little photo booth fun...here are the results! Keep posted for more pics from the shower and bachelorette party!

(click on image for larger view)

Busy busy!

2010-07-27T10:34:00.002-04:00

07.27.2010
Well it has been a very busy month for us with a lot of traveling between Damon and I. My traveling was all in state (just to SFL for friend/family bridal events), but Damon's went all over - even internationally. Between him and I being out of town and Brodie getting sick, I really haven't had much time on my hands to do any real updating - so my apologies.

Although from time to time Damon gets called up to DC for work, this past month he has been a traveling monster. He had 1 trip to DC and then 2 back to back conferences to attend that took him to California and then to Spain. He was gone for almost 3 weeks straight! I am glad to say that he doesn't have much traveling ahead of him at this time because I just don't think I can handle any more. I definitely have a new found respected for single moms! Here is a picture of Brodie in Damon's suitcase. He crawled in there (on his own) when I was emptying it out to do laundry. I think this is him protesting against daddy leaving again without him : )

My travels...

2010-07-27T10:33:00.006-04:00

07.28.2010
So as I alluded to in yesterday's post I went to SFL for 2 weekends in a row to celebrate bridal festivities for one of my best friends as well as for my sister. The first weekend was for Jess's bridal shower/bachelorette party. We hit up Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for the night and had a blast. We started our day off at the pool where we rented a little daybed and had a quaint shower for Jess. That evening we ate dinner at Tatu. The food was good, but the best part of the evening was that when they bring the check, they also bring a huge sour apple cotton candy along with it for the table! It had to be one of the most delicious treats I have ever had! After dinner we hit the clubs. Jess's fiance really hooked us up and had us set up VIP style at one of the better clubs. We got 2 free bottles of champagne and a bottle of vodka (too bad I couldn't partake). We danced and drank (fruit juice and water for me) until we couldn't stay awake any longer...and then we headed back up to the hotel for the night. Well at least me and Kath did - Kelly got a second wind and headed down to the Casino with Jess. Not me - I had a 3.5 hour drive ahead of me the next morning! It was a wonderful weekend and I am so glad I got to see my best friends. It is amazing that it has already been 15 years since we met!

Stay tuned for an update about this weekend's bachelorette party/bridal shower for my sister Sally! Here is a teaser...full update to come!

This will have to do for now...

2010-07-22T22:12:00.002-04:00

07.22.2010

It has been a very busy week and will be another busy weekend, so I apologize about not keeping up with the blog, but here is a recent picture of Mr. B. to hold you until I have time for some real updates!

My sick boy : (

2010-07-14T22:37:00.002-04:00

07.14.2010

My very busy day at work was interrupted by a phone call from daycare saying that Brodie was acting very fussy all day (which is very atypical of him) and running a low fever. Brodie is teething right now and has been having difficulty with it this week and last time he cut a tooth he ran a low grade fever, so I assumed this was the problem and they said they would call back if it got worse or I needed to come get him. Within a half an hour I got another call. Brodie's fever was steadily increasing and was over 101 (which is when they send them home) and he was seeming increasingly more ill. So I wrapped up my day at work and coordinated with Damon in order to get the car to pick Brodie up (of course this is the day I don't have the car with the car seat). When I got there, Brodie looked miserable and was hot to the touch. He also seemed to be struggling to breath -instead of breathing or even wheezing he was grunting.

I decided at this point to go ahead and call the doctor to see if they had any room to squeeze me in (it was 4:10 at this point). Luckily they were able to and I headed right over. When we got there they listened to his lungs (definitely congested) and tested his oxygen level (low). Due to the low oxygen level they immediately did a nebulizer treatment to help open his lungs and make it easier for him to breathe and then sent us for a chest xray - luckily the imaging place was in the same building and was able to squeeze us in too! Being that I am pregnant I couldn't be in the same room as Brodie when he had the x-rays done - and he was put in this little contraption to hold him still - he was crying so hard, it broke my heart. But, the xrays looked pretty good...no signs of pneumonia. The doctor said he had definite signs of an upper respiratory infection and although he wanted to monitor him because of the grunting, he felt comfortable with the results. They sent us home with a prescription for liquid steroids and a loaner nebulizer machine with a regiment of treatments to do throughout the night. We go back tomorrow at 10 am to recheck his lungs.

Tonight Brodie is worn out and seems to be sleeping well. He barely woke up for his first nebulizer treatment since bedtime. I hope he is doing much better in the morning. I hate to see him sick. Well I am off to bed now. At least for a few hours - it is going to be a long night.

Here is a picture of Brodie doing his first nebulizer treatment at home. The mask has an elephant face painted on - looks kind of creepy : /

I'm going to have a daughter!

2010-07-12T13:23:00.003-04:00

07.12.2010
So, with the first pregnancy I made the decision that we would not find out the sex even though Damon preferred to know. I enjoyed the excitement of not knowing and the anticipation of finding out on the big day. But this time around, although my preference is still not knowing, I felt it was only fair for Damon to get to chose what he wanted to do, so of course we found out.

It was kind of funny too because she kept putting her hands down so we couldn't see anything (quite modest I suppose), but eventually we got the shot we needed and were told that we were having a little girl.

Although I would be happy with either sex and think that there are certainly benefits to each, I am very excited to be having a little girl. It will be a neat experience to have the opposite sex this time. And now I can buy all the fun little tutu's and hair bows to photograph her in too! I can't wait! Here are the pictures from today's ultrasound - the quality isn't great because I just have the print outs and had to scan them, but better than nothing : )

: )

2010-07-10T23:30:00.002-04:00

07.10.2010
Today was such a nice day. My parents came up from SFL to spend the day with me and Brodie and keep us company. My dad woke up early to pick up Brodie to play with him for a bit so I could try to sleep in a little longer than usual (unfortunately I couldn't sleep, but I did lounge in bed til 8:30a). I then met my parents over at my sisters where we hung out for a bit before my sister headed out to meet her in laws at the beach. My parents then took Brodie and me for some lunch at Chiles. When lunch was through we headed to Target where my dad picked out this adorable UCF jersey for Brodie. It is too cute and I can't wait for him to wear it at the games! Afterwards we went back to my house for a bit - mom, dad, and Brodie all took naps and I tried to get some work done around the house. Later dad helped out with some yard work and I took Brodie outside to get some pictures of him in his jersey with my new camera (yay I am finally using it!). We then went to an awesome dinner at a local Japanese restaurant by our old house and it was DELICIOUS. I even have leftovers for tomorrow...yum! After dinner we parted ways - mom and dad headed back down to SFL and Brodie and I back home. By the time we reached the house Brodie was out for the night, so I got to spend a good amount of time working on downloading and backing up my files on my computer and a little bit of editing. I still have lots to do to catch up with all my projects, but hey at least I got some done! Anyways - enjoy the pics of Mr. B in his new jersey!

Is it Friday yet?!?!?

2010-07-08T08:51:00.002-04:00

07.08.2010
This is turning out to be a really LONG week, which is kind of ironic because it is only a 4 day work week for me due to the holiday...but it feels like it is taking FOREVER! My parents are coming into town tonight, but I really won't get to see them til Saturday because of works and a cohort get together on Friday night, but it will be nice to have the company for Saturday at least. Tonight after work I need to focus on cleaning. The cohort get together is at my house and right now it looks like a tornado shot through it. I can't believe how fast things get messy. I feel like I am constantly picking up and cleaning and yet it never stays clean for more than 10 minutes. Between the dogs and Mr. B all the toys get spread out over the floor; the dishes are piling up in the sink; the laundry is overflowing (although I did manage to get up early and run a load before work today - now I just have to put it away when I get home); and I really would like to find some time to mow the lawn and wash the cars. Oh and if you wonder why I am constantly posting pictures from my phone vs. my new professional grade canon - well that's because I haven't had time to even take it out to use it let alone upload images to the computer! With my phone I can send it right to the computer without having to attach chords and download - so much easier - and I can take care of it on my down time at work. This weekend though it is my goal to get some good shots of Brodie. I have a collage of frames on my wall that are empty right now and need some pictures, so I definitely need to spend some QT time with the camera. For now you will just have to suffer through my phone pics...enjoy!

First time behind the wheel...

2010-07-07T08:35:00.002-04:00

07.07.10
Publix has fun carts for the kids and I've seen them on occasion, but never thought of Brodie as old enough to use it. Well, that has all changed. I have now realized that my son is ready to drive.

Double the fun!

2010-07-06T09:41:00.002-04:00

07.06.10
This past weekend, my mother in law was in town and watched Brodie for Damon and me so we could get out of the house and see a movie. We decided on Toy Story 3, which did not leave us disappointed at all! After we saw it I was telling my sister about it and she said she would like to take the boys, but that she didn't think Stephen would be able to sit through it. Being the good sister I am I volunteered to watch Stephen while she and Wes took the boys to the movies.

I decided to get out of the house and just walk around the mall with the babes. Despite being nap time for both of them (neither fell asleep) they were both very good. We had a few minor break downs which was easily fixed by holding them for a bit (luckily the breakdowns were independent of each other). We strolled around for a while, did a little window shopping, and ate lunch. All in all it was a good day, although I can't tell you how many times people asked me if they were twins and when I said no picked the wrong baby as my son! Guess the blue eyes and blonde hair are a little deceiving ; )

To see how April and the boys like the movie, check out their thoughts here.

Updates!

2010-07-05T08:00:00.005-04:00

07.05.2010

Brodie is definitely growing fast and learning all types of new skills. He pulls up on EVERYTHING and scoots around tables, chairs, and couches. I am sure he will be walking in no time. And as for crawling - he can get across a room in lighting speed. It is amazing how fast he goes when he sees something he wants.

Mr. B is also starting to eat new foods. He has begun to eat some solids including puffs, Cheerios, biscuits, veggies, fruit, bread, and macaroni and cheese. This boy loves food - and even more so I think he loves the autonomy of being able to feed himself. He is also getting much better with his sippy cup.

Also, Brodie has started to give high fives (although not consistently), is clapping, and when you say "touchdown" he puts his arms up. His favorite song is "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" which we sing quite often. Overall Brodie is such a pleasure. He is generally in good spirits and can occupy himself well. Since the move he has decided that bed time is around 8-8:30 now, which is good because it gives us some play time every night which we were really missing (although we get less of our to do list done now). I can't believe we are already approaching the 10 month point. It feels like just yesterday we were bringing home our little 6lb baby for the first time!

Touchdown!

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T08:00:00.002-04:00

07.04.2010

Happy Independence Day from us to you!

Ok...maybe we do have fun weekends ; )

2010-07-03T08:00:00.003-04:00

07.03.2010
So yesterday I said that our weekends tend to be pretty boring, but after thinking about it I realized that we do have a busy summer scheduled and the activities actually began last weekend with my friend Sarah's 30th Birthday 80's BBQ Bash! All the guests dressed up in 80's gear and enjoyed throwbacks like Nerdy 30's (champagne with nerds...ok I watched people enjoy this, tons of 80's candy, and an awesome 80's play list. It was great fun. Sarah set up a photo booth too in order to get lots of great shots of the guests in their outfits. I will link to those when she posts them, but for now, here are some pics of Brodie and me taken on my phone...

Typical weekend

2010-07-02T08:00:00.003-04:00

07.02.2010
It's Friday and I couldn't be more excited (well I could be, if let's say I won the lottery and everyday could be a weekend)! It's a three day weekend too, which is even better! That said, we don't typically do anything too exciting on the weekend - and this weekend will probably not be any different, but none the less...it's the weekend ; ) Since moving to the new house we have been using the weekends to get the yard in better shape. Damon and I have decided that we are going to build a garden, so Mr. B and I have been spending a lot of time weeding and getting the area ready to begin planting. We typically spend an hour in the yard working and then jump in the pool for a bit. Brodie LOVES the water! He likes to kick, move, and splash! After the pool we usually spend some time on the patio playing with toys and drying off. Here are some pics we took last weekend of our activities. Enjoy ; )

Best friends

2010-07-01T13:21:00.004-04:00

"No animal I know of can consistently be more of a friend and companion than a dog".

- Stanley Leinwoll

A Day at the Beach

2010-06-27T21:31:00.003-04:00

06.27.2010

So these pictures are a little overdue. They are actually from two weekends ago when we went to SFL for my sister's birthday. This was Brodie's first trip to the beach and he really seemed to enjoy it. We met two of my bffs and their partners and made an afternoon of it. As always, my friend Jess totally spoiled Mr. B and had a little kiddie pool set up with toys under the umbrella when we got there! Here are some pics of him enjoying the day (we also went in the water, but I since I went in with him I didn't get any shots).

Good morning world!

2010-06-25T08:00:00.005-04:00

06.25.2010
Now that Brodie knows how to pull himself up to stand, every morning I wake up to my happy little boy just waiting for me to come and get him so we can start the day. Could life get any better? : )

Getting older...

2010-06-24T08:15:00.003-04:00

06.24.2010
I was having lunch with some colleagues of mine today, and the conversation got onto what our typical Saturdays look like and somebody brought up the line from Old School:

"Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time".

It's amazing to think that when that movie came out I was still single and probably cracked up at that line for far different reasons then I laugh about it now. Now, I just shake my head and say "true - so true" ; ) And because a blog post without pictures will no doubt result in an email from my sister reminding me that I need to post pictures - here are some shots (from my phone) of Mr. B and me running some errands.

Happy Fathers Day!

2010-06-20T08:13:00.002-04:00

06.20.2010

Just wanted to wish my fabulous husband a wonderful first father's day! Thank you so much for all the love and support you offer to our family. We couldn't ask for a better dad! Brodie, Kayla, Saydi, and Baby Regan 2 adore you and so do I! Happy Dad's Day! ; )

All boy!

2010-06-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

06.18.2010
Not much to write today...just wanted to share these pics from the weekend. I just adore this little boy!

Phase II

2010-06-17T09:16:00.002-04:00

06.17.2010

Brodie is super excited to welcome his little brother or sister into the family sometime this November! We are roughly 16 1/2 weeks right now and due November 29th.

9 months!

2010-06-16T10:52:00.004-04:00

06.16.2010
Brodie turned 9 months this past Saturday and yesterday I took him for his check up. He was such a good boy and only cried momentarily when he received his shots. He measured 29.5 inches in length which puts him in the 75-90 percentile. He weighted 20.8 lbs which puts him in the 50% and his head circumference was 17 3/4 which is in the 50-75%. He also scored very high on his gross and fine motor skills and as expected in communication and above average in social skills. Right now Brodie is crawling around like crazy and pulling up on everything...it won't be long before he's walking, I'm sure! He loves to play with his toys and he babbles all the time. We don't have any concrete words yet, more so dadadadadas and bababababas. Brodie loves the water, whether it be the bath, beach, or our pool and we try to go swimming quite often. And so far it does not look like his baby blues are changing one bit! We are loving watching him grow and explore and cannot believe how fast time is flying!

This past weekend

2010-06-10T21:46:00.006-04:00

06.11.2010
As I noted in a previous posting, my aunt and uncle came to visit from Oklahoma, which also brought my parents and sister (and fiance) to town too. We didn't really have much planned - just hung out around the house while the boys tried to destroy Uncle John with their water guns. Here are some pics of the action.

More pics.

2010-06-08T10:44:00.002-04:00

06.08.10
Not much to write about today, but I wanted to post some recent pics taken on my phone. I just can't get over how big he is getting. The last few mornings have been rough though - we are definitely in the midst of teething right now. Tonight we will be investing in teething tablets which hopefully will help this little guy out.

Great weekend

2010-06-06T21:25:00.002-04:00

06.06.2010

We had a wonderful weekend full of family and friends. My parents came up to Orlando, along with my aunt and uncle from Oklahoma, and my sister and her fiance! I also got to see two girlfriends of mine that I haven't seen in a bit. It was a very fun and full weekend and I am so glad we were able to spend some time together enjoying life. Unfortunately, Mr. B hasn't been feeling so hot. He went to bed tonight with a low temperature and I just hope he wakes up feeling better. That said, because he wasn't feeling good I didn't get to do a full out photo session like I was hoping to, but I did capture a couple of cute pictures. Here is one that I thought was adorable (you can see his two little teeth!). I'll share the rest of the pics from this weekend later. For now, I'm going to sleep!

Trying to be good.

2010-06-04T09:00:00.002-04:00

06.04.2010
So I am trying to be better at posting. Here is a video I took of Brodie just hanging out one weekend when my parents were up visiting. Nothing too exciting, but I happen to think he is adorable regardless. Enjoy.

Also, in other news. We are pretty much all moved in to our new house and loving it. It really feels like home already! We can't wait to have visitors.

Oh wow!

2010-06-03T08:41:00.003-04:00

06.03.2010
I can't believe I haven't blogged for over a month. That is just truly ridiculous. Ironically, being a photographer you would think I have tons of pictures of Mr. B, but in this last month I don't think I have taken 1 except on my camera phone to send to Damon when he travels. It really is quite a shame. We have just been so preoccupied with moving and getting the old house rented that the only time I have even taken out my camera in the month of May was to second shoot 2 weddings. This weekend I will certainly make a date with the camera to get some new shots of my growing boy!

And growing he is! He is 19 pounds! And on May 8th he started crawling, but it was just about 2 weeks ago that he really started learning how to move. It seemed like one day he just woke up and was like "oh I get it now" and there is no stopping him. And in late May he started getting his first set of teeth. So now he has two little bottom teeth popping up. Too cute. I think those are the major milestones we have hit recently. In 2 weeks we will go in for our 9 month check up and have more to report. Til now...here are some of the phone pictures I have taken.

My growing boy!

2010-04-22T10:14:00.003-04:00

04.22.2010
Brodie is just growing up so fast. It is amazing to see him trying new things every day. He is very vocal and loves to explore. He is also extremely independent. He loves to stand up and "walk" with mommy or daddy holding his hands. And often he seems to get irritated and just wants you to let go and let him run off - but first he needs to learn to balance on his own, lol. Right now he scoots and rolls to get where he wants to be, but I believe it will be any day now that we see him crawling. We still have yet to see his first tooth, but the way he chews on EVERYTHING I don't think it will be long. I just adore this kid and fall more and more in love with him every day!

Brodie Growling

2010-04-20T13:28:00.002-04:00

04.20.2010

This is Brodie's new thing to do. It is too funny. Enjoy.

(Sorry it i sideways - I don't know how to adjust it!)

Happy Birthday Kayla!

2010-04-15T15:51:00.001-04:00

04.15.2010

My beautiful baby girl is 9 years old today!

He's getting so big!

2010-04-14T12:12:00.001-04:00

04.14.2010

Soon he'll be going to college (sob).

All better!

2010-04-13T22:16:00.003-04:00

04.13.2010

Not only is Brodie all better, he is 7 months old as of yesterday! He is learning new skills everyday! He sits up now all on his own, holds his own bottle and is learning to master the sippy cup (he doesn't quite get the swallowing part but he loves to hold it!). Anyway..here are some recent pictures of my little man sitting up by himself and playing with one of his favorite toys - his airplane from Aunt Marci & Uncle Brad.

Still sick!

2010-04-07T18:51:00.004-04:00

04.07.2010
So it has been several days and Brodie is still sick. His fever has been peaking at 103.7! And this morning he woke up with conjunctivitis in both eyes! Poor little guy. I have to say, although he is a little more cranky and needy then he typically is, overall he is staying in pretty good spirits for being sick. I am hoping he gets better soon though because I hate seeing him sick. It makes my heart hurt. I also feel stressed about missing work, although they have been very understanding and accommodating with rescheduling all my clients. Even though I enjoy having extra time to spend with Mr. B, I would prefer to plan ahead to take time off instead of having it be due to illness. I am also completely out of the little sick time I had accrued, so not only am I not getting paid this week, I still have to pay for daycare! Bummer! Oh well, such is life. In other news, they accepted our counter offer on the house and we are now under contract. We have the inspector coming out on Friday and our loan application is in the works. Very exciting times for us!

(Poor little man!)

(Here is Brodie trying to be a tech guru like his dad)

(Just catching up on some emails)

(Hey look at me I can type 100 words per minute!)

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T16:40:00.003-04:00

04.04.10
Well, this year's Easter isn't proving to be too exciting. The bid we made on a house was accepted last night, so Damon and I have been in prep mood in order to get our house ready to rent (i.e. budgeting, creating ads, yard work, spring cleaning etc). After budgeting last night we went ahead and told the good old Easter Bunny to skip our house this year.

In addition to the lack of Easter baskets, Mr. B is sick...again! Today he is battling a fever and what seems to be overall discomfort. He has needed a lot of extra TLC, which of course I am happy to give - but does make it so I don't get much done. He is currently napping, hence the ability to blog ; ) Luckily, I thought ahead and took his Easter pictures yesterday - otherwise we may not have been able to get any shots. Here are some of my little Easter Bunny!

Think outside of the box!

2010-03-21T19:21:00.004-04:00

03.21.2010

Today we were gathering household items for donations and for fun we decided to put Brodie in the box...and he loved it. He just hung out there for a while giggling. It was too cute so of course I had to take a couple quick shots to share ;) We also started playing peek a boo today which keeps him laughing for a long time. We would peek our head in and out of the room today saying "I see you" or "here I am" and he would crack up. It was super adorable. I love this kid ; )

On to carrots!

2010-03-19T08:26:00.005-04:00

03.19.2010
Today Brodie moved onto vegetables and ate carrots for the first time! He loved them and polished off the jar in no time! I feel so lucky that I have a good little eater! Fingers crossed that I didn't just jinx myself and that he continues to adapt well to all these delicious changes! Although we have had a couple of rough nights, a little prune juice at bedtime helped alleviate the problem and we had a nice successful evening of sleep again last night!

All together we seem to be getting the hang of the morning routine pretty well and mommy and daddy decided to go ahead and carpool today since it is mommy's first full day back at work (moan). We are headed over tonight to see Grandma Diane and Grandpa Don for dinner as well as Aunt April, Uncle Wes, and all the cousins. Then once Brodie is asleep mommy is slipping out for a girls night out (wine and cheese please)!

(P.S. I realized that if I take pics on my phone then I am much more likely to blog because it is so easy to upload the pics and I don't have to worry about any hardware - so although the picture quality is a little lower I should be posting more often again!)

Update!

2010-03-17T11:22:00.002-04:00

03.17.2010
First off Happy St. Patty's Day! I hope everyone is enjoying the influx of green on this fun holiday! Although you can't see it, Mr. B is sporting his first St. Patrick's Day outfit from his Aunt Danielle ; )

Secondly, I am just going to apologize for being a terrible blogger lately. I am still adjusting to the whole going back to work transition and it has really messed with the schedule that I had created over the past few months. Tomorrow is my last day of part time (cringe) and Friday I will be back 40 hours a week (45 including lunch!). I am really not sure how it will be for me. It makes me sick to my stomach just to think about - but hey...one day at a time. On a positive note, Brodie seems to be doing really well with daycare (which I just like to call "school"). He comes home everyday babbling about what he has done and what he has learned (or at least that is my interpretation). Also, they have a live feed of his classroom so the first couple of days I was glued to my computer (even though you can barely tell who is who). This week though I have barely if at all been able to even sneak a peak because work is busy again (last week was Spring Break). I am definitely comforted knowing that he is doing so well and that if I need to I can catch a glimpse. Here is a snapshot of what the feed looks like.
Thirdly, Brodie is 6 months! He turned 6 months 5 days ago - that's how bad I am slacking - no picture or anything! Bad mommy! He is still in the 75th percentile for height, but down to the 5th percentile for weight (obviously he takes after daddy and not me). He will probably plump us soon though because we have had to use a lot more formula since I have returned to work (the pump only works so well). Brodie is still rolling over a lot and actually chooses to spend time on his tummy now. He is super close to sitting up all by himself and is still strong as ever. He loves eating his cereals and we are about to introduce veggies this week! He has been doing pretty well with sleeping also (except for last night!!!). He typically goes to sleep between 6:30-7:00 pm and wakes up at 6 am with mommy and daddy. He usually wakes up once in the middle of the night and cries, so we will go in and tell him it's okay, but that's it. We have even been lucky enough to have a few nights where he slept right through (hallelujah!). Overall things are going really well (except for the whole going back to work thing). I'll get some pics of him this weekend to post!

Splurge!

2010-03-09T10:53:00.004-05:00

03.09.2010
So I have been eyeing this chair for the past several months now and trying to rationalize buying it, but it was just too much money for a little kids chair. About 2 months ago it went on sale and I really thought about getting it then, but passed up the opportunity. Well yesterday I stopped into the store to grab some diapers and of course I always swing by the chair to see if there is a sale - and there was! So I decided to through rational out the window and just get it! I just think it will be a great photo prop and Brodie can also use it too! I am so happy I got it and can't wait to use it in a shoot! Damon actually liked it too and thought it was a wise choice ; )

Brodie's First Solid Foods

2010-03-06T23:09:00.004-05:00

03.06.2010

Today was Brodie's first time trying solid foods. He had oatmeal and seemed to love it! He is just growing up so fast. What a little man. Hope you enjoy the video!

Good day/Bad day

2010-03-05T23:06:00.002-05:00

03.05.2010
So today was a mixed day. First the bad - today was my first day back at work...blah. Although the day itself wasn't too tough because it was only a half day and it is Friday, the thought that my maternity leave is now over makes my stomach turn in directions new to me. It's too late to get into this all tonight because it is past 11 pm and I NEED to go to sleep, but I will get around to it, hopefully, this weekend.

But the good news - one of my very best friends got engaged tonight!!!! Woo hoo! I am so beyond happy for her! So Jess #2...CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am so happy for you two and cannot wait to celebrate! I love you both!

Brodie!

2010-03-01T22:07:00.007-05:00

03.01.2010
It has been a little while since Brodie and I had one of our photo shoots, so today I pulled out the camera and got some great ones of my little man! He is just growing up so fast! He is "talking" and laughing all the time. I believe he is teething because he chews on EVERYTHING. He is super strong and loves to stand up. He rolls over in each direction. And he is SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! : ) We are even going to start eating solids this weekend! I hope you enjoy the pictures and head over to my photo blog at jreganphotography.com to check out more!

1 Week : (

2010-02-26T21:15:00.004-05:00

02.26.2010

Yes, I know...I have been horrible with blogging, but with only one week left before I go back to work (weep) I am trying to get as much done as possible, so this has unfortunately taken a back seat. But I have updated my photography blog if you want to check that out (jreganphotography.com). It has been a long week, as we decided to work on crying it out with Brodie beginning last Friday. The first night was really rough, but by night two things were going much better. That lasted two days and then it has been difficult since. That said, it is still better than before when he was getting up every hour, but it is sooo difficult just watching him cry and not being able to do much about it. I hope he gets used to it soon and the crying stops. I think that is about it from this end. I will try to get some pics up of Brodie soon, but til then I will leave you with some pictures of my other children Kayla and Saydi.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T01:59:00.004-05:00

02.14.2010
Typically I'd be excited about today being that I have a lovely guaranteed Valentine...or so I thought - but my darling husband is on a snowboarding trip in Utah with his buddies. So this year Mr. B will be my valentine. We will spend the day smiling and laughing (aka cleaning the house) waiting for daddy to get home safe in order to spend the last hour of V-day with my original Valentine : )

A play off my sister's blog...

2010-02-10T21:58:00.003-05:00

02.10.2010
My sister has pictures of all three of her children around the same age in this highchair...which she titles the obligatory high chair pictures so I decided to go ahead and post one of our little guy sitting in it. Brodie looks like he is thinking....Seriously mom, I am not one of April's kids- now get me out of this chair!

Totally slacking!

2010-02-05T11:53:00.002-05:00

02.05.2010
Yes, I know I have completely been slacking on the posts as of late, but I've had my hands full with Damon out of town. I also have been working hard on backing up all the files on my computer (thanks mom & dad Regan) so that Damon can reformat it for better processing and more speed because I am going to be loading CS4 and Lightroom on it (thanks mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa) to help with my photography work flow and editing! (yay!) And on top of that I have been using all my free time to complete some transcriptions that I am doing for a colleague of mine. Oh and did I mention I also used this computer the entire weekend to finish the last two seasons of LOST before the season premiere...yeah...that took a lot of our time too...lol. Well, here is a quick pic of Brodie playing in his jumparoo. There was minimal light so I had to bump up my ISO very high which made the image grainy...so I decided to play in photoshop and added a watercolor effect to dramatize the graininess. Not one of my typical images, but I like it none the less.

We miss daddy!

2010-01-26T23:38:00.002-05:00

01.26.2010
We can't wait for daddy to get home from his business trip...we sure do miss him!

4 months!!! (well 4 1/2 cause I've been slacking)

2010-01-25T20:53:00.002-05:00

01.25.2010
Okay, I am totally late on this posting! Brodie turned 4 months two weeks ago (01.12.2010), but these pictures are accurate...I took them that evening, I just haven't posted it. At Brodie's 4 month check up he was 26 inches long and 13.8 pounds, putting him in the 75-90% for height and 25% for weight. He's growing so much and is turning into such a big boy : ) He found his fingers about two weeks ago and last week found his toes. He is enjoying tummy time and pretty close to rolling over. I love spending time with him everyday and watching him grow. He is such a happy little boy!

Last posting from the retreat

2010-01-19T14:38:00.004-05:00

01.19.2010
This weekend I have been taking care of my sick husband and didn't get a chance to edit once. Although, I have tons more pictures from the retreat, this will be my last sneak peak post for now since I have to catch up on my other obligations. I will be getting back to posting about the family soon. I still owe you Brodie's 4 month pictures and update! I hope you enjoy!

And more...

2010-01-14T23:01:00.002-05:00

01.14.2010
Well, I didn't get to edit any of the pictures yesterday, hence no post, but I did get to a few more today. I hope you enjoy. There are still more to come!

More from the retreat

2010-01-12T22:10:00.003-05:00

01.12.2010
As promised here are some more pictures from the retreat. I still have a bunch to edit, but for now here are a few.

Also...Brodie is 4 months today! I took our typical pictures, but haven't had a chance to download them tonight, so I will be a day or two delayed on my monthly posting!

Back from the retreat!

2010-01-11T18:53:00.003-05:00

01.11.2010
Well I am back from the CeFloFePho (Central Florida Female Photographers) Retreat in St. Augustine and it was AMAZING! Despite the freezing temperatures we had an awesome time getting to know each other, sharing tips, and shooting around town. This week I am going to post new pictures every day from the retreat. Hope you all enjoy! : )

(These shots are of the organizer of the CeFloFePho's and our awesome retreat, Sarah Bray)

So excited!

2010-01-07T23:25:00.002-05:00

01.07.2010
Tomorrow I am going on a photography retreat in St. Augustine! I am too excited : ) My friend and fabulous photographer Sarah Bray set up a retreat for a group of Central Florida female photographers. I believe there are about 8 of us going! I cannot wait! The women that are going are awesome photographers and I can't wait to learn from everyone! Sarah has set up clients for us to photograph while we are up there, so I will be anxious to see what shots I can use for my portfolio. I am working on building a website this month and hope to have it up and running soon. Well, that's it for now. I leave you with my latest shot of Mr. B : )