same outfit, different baby.

Warning: cuteness overload!

Yesterday we dressed Brooks in an adorable dump truck Jon Jon that John wore 28 years ago. 28 years! Crazy! Of course, I had to take a few pictures of this momentous occasion!

Okay, maybe momentous is an exaggeration. But, look at this sweet boy. Can you blame me?

I melt!

I also kick myself in the pants every time we take pictures outside our front door, which is actually on the side of our townhouse. (Weird). The neighbor's screens, down spout, and the water meters backdrop isn't very lovely. Lesson learned. And if you can't tell from the pictures, Brooks is really into two things lately—sticking his tongue out and his daddy. 

Now, if only I can dig up a photo of baby John wearing the same outfit. Either way, life is complete.

the basics.

I haven't done any bump updates recently and I'm feeling like quite the slacker. I'm pretty sure the only person who even cares about reading about our growing bambino and my growing tummy is my sweet mother (Hi, Mom), but I would like to start keeping tabs on this pregnancy for my sake and Baby Bryant's.

With that being said, my belly is growing. Rapidly. For the most part, I think that a lot of it is bloat. Well, bloat and fat. It's too hard to pass up dessert--especially when sweets are my #1 craving. I'm climbing the scale at Olympic speed. SEVEN pounds gained, to be exact. To combat the extra jiggle I have started a minor workout regimen. I am trying to get an hour walk in daily followed by a few exercises with weights that baby daddy showed me in the gym. If I have no control over my expanding waist, I may as well keep the other body parts in check! So far, so good and loving the sore muscles. Really.

While we are on the subject of my growing belly, I would like to add that I am officially wetting my feet in the maternity wear world. I have been keeping tabs on my weekly stats: size of baby, what baby is up to, weight, sleep, movement, symptoms, mood, cravings and aversions...you get the drift. Well, one of the bullets is "maternity clothes?" and at 16 weeks I finally got to fill in the blank with a big YEP. Several weeks ago I caved in and made my first maternity purchase at Target. Check out these stunners:

OWW OWW! Ok, I promise--they are a lot cuter on and OH SO comfortable. The dark wash and material dress them up a bit too so I can go either way when wearing them. I think that a good pair of shorts is a summer necessity and now I have that checked off my list. Score.

At 17 weeks I made a few more essential purchases--this time thinking long term (I'm going to look like a whale come fall/winter, so I wanted to be prepared and make some good investments). First, you can't go wrong with a few basic tees and tanks. Welcome to my closet:

Boring colors, I know. But, you've got to start somewhere so why not with neutrals? My next purchases were a couple of pairs of leggings, a pair of jeans, and some corduroys. The BeBand (lent to me by my sister-in-law, Lea) works great and has prevented me from buying maternity pants sooner. But, I am reaching the point where a few pairs of my favorite jeans won't even zip anymore and are becoming quite uncomfortable. I'm not retiring the BeBand quite yet, but I'm going to give it somewhat of a much needed break.  Anyway, these items arrived in the mail yesterday and I will say that I was pleasantly surprised:

Not bad, right? I'm actually wearing the skinny jeans today and they are amazing! When I tried them on last night I told John that I could totally rock them sans baby bump. He just stared blankly at me. I am still able to wear the majority of my tops and dresses so for now, I think that I'm good to go until I really start bulging. 

And lastly, I will leave you with a pic of my 17 week belly. Only 2 more days until we reach 18 weeks! I have an appointment on Monday and will be scheduling our 20 week ultrasound! I'm pushing for Friday, the 27th, but we will see. We cannot wait to know whether Baby Bryant is a boy or a girl. YAY!

two to one.

In a couple of months we will be technically kicking off the summer season. But, for those of us living down south, it will officially begin in a few short weeks. Yes, that's right, Memorial Day is just around the corner! This holiday is very dear to my heart. Not only is it a weekend that the entire family spends together at the lake, but it is also my brother Andrew's birthday weekend. This year he will be turning the big 30! This will also be the first weekend that this bod will be seeing the light of day in a swimsuit (Our anniversary doesn't count. We were secluded).

My friend Sarah posted this ecard on Pinterest the other day and I died out laughing because it is so true. That laugh quickly turned to a cry because, once again, it is so true.

Now, I am not one to diet, but I do try to take care of myself through exercise. It's just that I've been slacking since last June lately and I'm not feeling up to par. With this being said, I have been contemplating the big switch from doting a two-piece to a one-piece. The problem is, I am only 27 years old. Oh yeah, I haven't birthed a child yet, either. I'm pretty sure my mom proudly wore a two-piece until she was 40 years old. I seem to have inherited the Semanson genes and not the Kolodziej genes. You win some, you lose some. So the question is...shall I make my first one-piece purchase (since the third grade) this year?

These beauts have helped me with my decision:

YES, yes I will take the plunge. One-pieces can be fun and flirty too! Bring it on, beach and lake. Bring it on.

auld lang syne.

I cannot believe that 2011 has come and gone. It has been quite the year—John and I got married, we welcomed another nephew, a handful of my best friends got engaged or married, I ended my job of four years and am pursuing my passion for photography...the list goes on. As I sit here reflecting on the past year, I feel overwhelmingly thankful and blessed. GOD IS GOOD and I say that with candor and praise. As mentioned in my last post, I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for 2012.

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” 

Lamentations 3:22-24

To keep in the spirit of this sparkly holiday celebration, I have gathered a few sequined stunners for your viewing pleasure. 

Unfortunately, I won't be able to wear anything of this caliber for New Year's Eve this year because the husband and I are headed to this joint:

Yep, today we're headed to Sawtooth Plantation where I'll most likely be wearing this:

and, of course, these:

Yes, I really do own these...

Anyone else feeling my pain?! Although the weekend will be centered around hunting, we will be hunting in luxury. I can't complain too much. As long as I'm standing next to my sweet hubby when the clock strikes midnight, I am a.o.k. So, here's to 2012!!! See ya in the New Year.

WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!