Modified Bed Rest

A couple of months ago I started having contractions all the time. Not your normal Braxton Hicks contractions, but what felt like the real deal. I have had an average of 20-30 a day for the last 2 1/2 months. It has been hard feeling like you're going into labor every day. I was diagnosed with an Irritable Uterus! What a strange name for my condition! Anyway, any type of activity induces the contractions, and I also have them for no reason at all when I'm laying down and resting. I also wake up at night with painful contractions!!! I am so grateful to have made it as far as I have...I'm almost 36 weeks!! The last few days the contractions have gotten worse and worse and closer together. I have no idea when this baby will come. She could come today, or weeks from now! This whole idea of feeling like I'm constantly in labor is annoying, but I'm grateful we made it this far. It's hard to sit on the couch all day with 2 little girls to care for and a house to keep clean. Luckily, I've had my mother in law come out for a week and my sister came out for a week with her daughter. I've occasionally had the girls off to play dates, and my friend got us a house cleaner for a few months! How nice is that? So I feel incredibly blessed and we are ready to have this little girl come join our family soon! Just hoping to make it til at least Saturday after Brianna's first dance recital!

Miranda's 3 Year Photos

We did a quick little photoshoot when Miranda turned 3. She is at this stage where she wants to be cooperative, but she is soooooo over smiling!!! Ha ha! It's hard to get a good pic, but this is definitely our Miranda Panda!!!

Grandma Langstraat's Visit

At the end of April, my Mother in Law came to visit. She was an absolute angel to come last minute when I've been put on modified bed rest. She helped with the girls, organized my kitchen and fridge and freezer, made some freezer meals and cleaned for me.  It was nice to have her here.  The girls especially enjoyed some Grandma time since we live so far away from any family.  Here the girls are in their Easter dresses from Grandma.

Grandma brought Miranda some birthday presents since her birthday was the next week!

We can't thank Grandma enough for coming in our time of need, especially with her extremely busy schedule.

Miranda is 3!

Miranda turned 3 at the beginning of May! She wanted to have a skating party, and because I've been having to take it really easy with this pregnancy, we just did a low key party.  We invited just a couple of our adult friends and headed to the skating rink.  She had a blast!!!  It also took every ounce of energy I had to make her a cake that was allergy free.  It wasn't too bad tasting either, especially for being free of almost everything!  Unfortunately, the cake frosting started melting as we drove out to the skating rink!

On her actual birthday we took her to Build a Bear to pick out her own special animal. I had taken a long time getting the courage to take her pacifier away.  She slept with it at night and if she ever woke up without it she would scream bloody murder.   We talked about this for a few months that she would go to Build a Bear, pick and animal and put a pacifier in it.  Then, she would pay for the animal with the rest of her "pluggies."  It worked surprisingly well, especially since she had prepared for it!

Putting her "pluggie" in her butterfly.

She paid with her "Pluggies"

Miranda asked for this allergy free cookies as her dessert!  We ate dinner at the mall and my sister and her daughter, Brooklyn, were with us.  She had come out to help me for a week since I'm on modified bed rest! 

Spring Grass

I've had a bunch of photoshoots lately in this park with the tall grass. When I first found it, I pictured my girls in spring outfits in a photoshoot. Since my mini sessions got rained out and I keep having to go back to the same park over and over for each family, I decided to drag mine along on Monday. We did a quick mini session, then had a family picnic and Family Home Evening in the park! It was fun! Miranda is at a really awkward stage for photos and she "over smiles" or makes really strange faces! So, I didn't get too many of her with our limited time. However, Brianna is always one to work the camera! Here are my favorites from the other night!
I want to blow a few up on metal prints for my house....any suggestions on which are your favorites?

My Girls

I had some mini sessions in my home this weekend, and one of the sessions went so well it ended early! So, I had a half hour before my next client came and decided to do a quick mini shoot of my girls on my bed! Miranda is in that "awkward posed smile" stage! I'll have to post some of the out takes of her trying so hard to smile! Here are some of the ones I liked! I sure love these girls!