this post will fall into the way too much info category. sooo, if you don't want to be grossed out.. skip this post.

i have been lactating for over a month now. but it was never enough to really be embarrassing. that is, until today. i have had to change my shirt THREE times today and it's only 1pm. i wear shelf bra camis for bras since they are the most comfortable. i knew the day would come when i would have to give them up for nursing tops but i had no idea it would be so soon! nursing tops/bras are NOT cheap (if you get the good stuff). ::le-sigh:: i tried nursing pads but they show through my tops and don't really stay in place. so i guess a nursing top/bra is the next step. :o/

joys of having a baby right?!

according to this website, this is what ashton will look like.

a face only a mother could love.

HAHAHAHAHA. omg.. for ashton's sake let's hope not! i laughed so hard when i saw this..  we have done this before a few years ago, at one of those photobooth stands at the mall.. let's just say.. the child was "special" too. LOL.

i think i might make (sew) a  new diaper bag. david is trying to air out our current one before i screw it up by sticking it in the washer. lol. david is fine with me buying a new one but i figured it is my fault i screwed up the last one and to be honest i am rather shocked it isn't easier to clean considering it's a diaper bag. so, i might just make one that i can wash in the wash easily.. i really love this bag (and fabric!).. though it isn't made to be used as a diaper bag.. i figured it would still work as one.. 

this one is designed to be a diaper bag. i like it too but not as much as above.

i love amy butler.. her fabrics and her patterns..

busy weekend.. i still haven't finished my walk-in closet or desk area. though, i have made significant progress. not only that but david has started nesting too and has even suggested getting rid of more stuff.. stuff i figured he would never want to put up etc. i couldn't believe my ears when he said he wanted to store the keyboard.. it's not really in the way but it would make the room feel much larger without it. david put together this huge farm set my mom got ashton in Germany.. the thing is freaking cool.. we have it sitting on our dining room table right now, david wants to take a picture of it when i have finished nesting the house.. it really is one of the neatest toys i have ever seen.. david couldn't get over how detailed it was.. it took him two days to put the thing together.. it's huge and awesome.

david even agreed to let me downsize our filing cabinet.. i purchased a smaller portable type filer. we cleaned out and tossed our 12 year old crappy cabinet out and realized we were going to need a shredder.. we started shredding stuff yesterday and we have so much to shred that our shredder kept overheating and turning itself off.. we would have to wait like an hour to let it cool etc. before continuing.. lol. i still have tons of things to shred. 

ashton kept me up most of the night last night. the boy has gotten STRONG.. i love that he moves so much. it's tiring to have to wake up a million times because he kicks me in the ribs or something but it's reassuring that he is a healthy little baby. plus i love feeling him move.. even when i am exhausted and really want the sleep. i think this is going to be the part that i miss this most when he comes out.. not having him to myself and being able to feel him move all the time.. 11weeks or less and he will be here! omg. i better get this whole nesting done.

for people who think i am nuts for  freaking out on planes during turbulence..

http://www.miamiherald.com/416/story/720616.html

yeah.. now what do you have to say for yourself? turbulence is NO JOKE and i have every reason to be scared of it! tiaverymuch!

i slept nine hours last night. i worked my ass off yesterday. i got ashtons storage shelves set up and started putting up his stuff.. i need to wash his clothes but i went ahead and put them up nicely for now. when i get this place situated and ebay started, i will start washing his stuff. i also realized we don't have enough clothes for ashton. it felt like a lot (before) because they were stuffed in this huge bag. but once i separated them (in sizes) it doesn't seem like much. which means more clothing YAY! ::HUGE SMILE:: i think david just pissed his pants a little.. clothes shopping for ashton can add up quickly for me.. we don't need much in clothing just a few essentials here and there.. maybe a few more cute outfits.. then i will be done until he is older. david was proud last night because he thinks we only have a few more items to get, but i made a huge ass list of things we still need.. not want, but need.. lolzzzz. the walk-in closet still isn't finished.. david did a number on it while i was gone.. stuffing whatever he felt needed to be there.. not folding the sheets martha stewart style and the way he folded his white shirts is bugging me! so i have that on my list.. lol.. but it's almost completed.. next up is the computer/office area.. i need to get some things off our harddrive on the old vintage cpu and try to transfer it over to our laptop and then i will need to dissemble the desk. we need to go to ikea this weekend or sometime soon to get a laptop table and some other items, like new blinds! money moneymoney.. that is all that this boils down to in the end.. poor david.. but you know.. we need things.. and i need to be organized because i am ocd like that.. i can't stand just to throw stuff anywhere and it add up.. making room for ashton in this tiny apartment has been a challenge but with a little bit of organization help, i think it's doable! i just can't wait until this part is over.. i figure this is the top of the hill for me.. once i complete the big tasks, it will be downhill from there.. until ashton comes that is. 

OMG WHAT A DAY!

you will never believe what showed up today!

OUR ROCKER!

we were told it wouldn't be shipped out until the 17th and that we would receive an email letting us know when it was shipped (we never received a shipped email).. it hasn't even been a week since i ordered it and it's HERE!.. i am officially freaking right now. i was expecting to have a little more time to get the computer desk etc out of here (another big chore).. and here i am with the bedroom a big gigantic mess because i am working on getting the walk in closet ready for ashton's storage.. lol.. man.. 

don't get me wrong, i am very pleased that my rocker came early.. not only that, i realized i ordered the wrong fabric (i ordered last friday, while in Germany!).. emailed them friday night to ask them if it was possible to change the fabric.. i was worried about it because the place i ordered it from is closed on weekends.. figured i was screwed with the wrong fabric choice.. but monday, (THE DAY after i get back from Germany!) they sent me an email letting me know they changed it for me.. and here it is, sitting in our living room on THURSDAY! is that not the craziest? i am very happy with my fabric choice.. it matches our colors PERFECTLY! i 110% recommend totallyfurniture.com for any purchase.. i am amazed that there are still great companies out there who get the job done! research pays off!

YAY FOR OUR NEW AWESOME ROCKER! i can't wait for david to get home to put it together! now i am off to container store to get ashton's storage shelves.. fun stuff i tell ya! i just have to remind myself that it's going to get done and it's going to be great when it's all finished.. right?! right?!!!!

good news.. i am not a fatty! 

at least that is what my OBGYN says.. in fact she says i am UNDERweight. ha.. take that sucka! she is not concerned one bit that i gained a lot of weight this last month.. she believes what i suspected, i probably gained muscle weight along with my normal fat gain and baby gain that is part of pregnancy.. (anyone who has been to Europe KNOWS you do a lot of walking and stair climbing). she said, "even if you gain a pound a week for the rest of your pregnancy.. which is your goal.. you would still be 'underweight' by the time the baby came.. you have only gained 16lbs since you got pregnant and you are more than half way done with your pregnancy" of course not by much.. maybe two pounds underweight.. but it was a relief to hear that i am not some big fatty who is gaining like a cow or something.. i swear i don't eat that much.. i eat when i am hungry and eat pretty balanced with a few chocolate or candy bits here and there.. i never eat fried food or fast food for that matter.. i drink mostly water and milk, no soda's. so i have no idea where the weight could have come from..  honestly, i don't care as long as i am healthy for ashton.. if my gestational diabetes test comes back negative, then i won't worry so much..

the glucose drink tasted like a super sweet fruit punch.. i am still skeptic on whether i passed or not.. hopefully so.. lol.. because i loooove sweets! it wouldn't shock me one bit if i failed.. my blood pressure is normal and ashton's heart rate today was 147bpm. i love ashton so much! i seriously can not wait for him to be here.. i tear up when i think about him.. how thankful i am to at least be at this part of my pregnancy.. so far pregnancy has been easy for me.. i really enjoy being pregnant.. i am sure that is going to change towards the end of the trimester but right now i really reallylove being pregnant! braxton hicks have started..  

i had way more energy yesterday. i was able to get some things done.. not much but some.. lol.. i even cooked dinner and did laundry! i was out like a light bulb before 10pm though.. my goal today is to finish the walk-in closet.. doesn't sound like there could be a lot to do in a walk-in closet but there is.. i want to get ashtons shelving sometime soon (if not today) so i can start putting up his stuff instead of it sitting on the floor in a overflowing bag.. i was going to get elfa storage.. but after visiting 'the container store' sunday (i could spend all my money there btw) and seeing what other options i have.. i might get a cheaper set of shelves.. next week or even maybe starting this weekend i plan getting ebay going.. i have so much junk to sell.. going to start slow.. three to four pieces every few days.. until it's all gone.. that way i won't get burned out and stressed that all my auctions end at once.. i hope it brings in some money.. we could use it for ashton's stuff! the boy can never have too many clothes in my opinion!

a few nights ago david wanted to get a couple packages of diapers and some bottles lol..  we started diaper collecting a while back and boy do we have a lot.. i am sure it isn't even near as much as we are going to need though.. but i think we have a pretty good start in newborn and size one diapers (mostly pampers and huggies supreme).. i researched like a maniac on what type of bottles to get.. i 100% plan on breast feeding and for the first 40days he will be exclusively breast fed.. but david really wants a chance to feed the baby (breast feeding books recommend you wait 40days before introducting pacifiers or bottles to help develop a good strong latch). it's hard finding a bottle that won't cause nipple confusion.. thankfuly after hours of research, playtex naturalatch seems to be our best bet.. the nipple is designed for breast fed babies.. i hope and pray that ashton will take to it without any problems.. only time will tell!

for the first time in a very long time. i woke up and felt fully refreshed.. 

my doctor appointment with my endocrinologist yesterday has me worrying today. he's glad i started the 88mcg while in Europe, says my numbers look better and where they should be but wants me to continue for another week and come back for more blood work in a week before he decides to keep me at it.. the part that worries me is that i gained 11lbs in one month.. i don't feel any heavier than i did before i got my positive on my pregnancy test.. any weight i have gained has been primarily in my stomach.. my thighs.. butt.. arms etc have stayed the same (boobs did get bigger though).. he was concerned about me having gestational diabetes and now i am totally freaked out about my test tomorrow (1hr glucose test at the gyno).. i looooove sugar.. and even though i eat balanced and healthy for my meals i find myself (especially in Europe) eating chocolate or pastries as snacks.. lol.. i know it isn't a big deal but i really don't want to have to deal with it.. 

david broke our shower.. ::shakes head:: so now i am forced to hurry up and get some cleaning done today so our maintenance worker doesn't think i am some kind of slob.. geesh.. (at least the bathroom is clean) i still haven't unpacked.. is that not nuts? it's just sitting on our bedroom floor.. and i pulled out all of ashtons clothes to admire them and tell ashton how handsome he is going to look.. and instead of putting them back in the bag i just laid them right on top of my unpacked bags lmao.. such a mess.. but today i have so much more energy.. at least currently i do.. i should take advantage of it..

david isn't to happy i want a new diaper bag.. he wants to douse the current bag in some kind of natures  miracle liquid.. um.. no.. that stuff smells worse than vinegar.. lol.. but he didn't say no if i wanted to get a new diaper bag.. i showed him the one i love.."it's girly but not as bad as a pink diaper bag", was his response.. when i asked if he would carry it.. he said "i guess". lmao. i threw the toddler plus baby bit to him.. on why we needed to get a bigger bag.. he was smart and said "couldn't we get it when that time comes?".. but i don't think we can.. i have my camera to carry around too.. where the hell is it going to go? it's not some point and shoot size.. it would be nice to carry it all in one bag.. a huge diaper bag that is.. :o)

oh forgot to announce that i am now in the THIRD TRIMESTER! so exciting! i never thought i would get this far.

i can only imagine it gets "worse".

i have been so exhausted lately.. first, i thought it might have to do with my thyroid.. since i was taking 75mcg of synthroid and my endo told me to take the 88mcg if i felt more exhausted than usual.. so i started them three weeks ago while in Europe. but the exhaustion remained the same. then i bulked it up to that we were just really busy in Europe.. always going places and moving around etc. but yesterday, when i woke up early and felt tired still i thought how it could have to do with the travel.. i mean different time zone.. jet lag.. all that fun stuff.. now i am not so sure..  i think it's just the pregnancy.. i fell asleep before 11pm last night.. i remember david trying to wake me up off the couch to come to bed and i was protesting him wanting to stay put because my body just wanted to SLEEP! then he wanted to cuddle and i wasn't having any of it.. sleep was the only thing i wanted.. poor david.. i feel so bad for him.. to not have anyone around to hug or talk to for almost three weeks then your wife comes back and she's too tired to do anything.. i can only wish this weekend will hurry up.. for david's sake.. i just can't explain why i am so tired all the time.. i had blood work done yesterday for my endo appointment today.. i wonder if the 88mcg helped at all.. even though i don't feel "energized". 

 i need to make another list.. since the list i made in germany only reflects what i THOUGHT i had to do.. now that i am here it's more.. so yeah.. and let me emphasize what i said prior before i realized how much there was to do.. THERE IS A LOT TO DO! i don't know if two months will be enough time to get it all done but i will figure it out somehow.. 

i am also bummed out about my beautiful Fleurville diaper tote.. i used it as a carry on, on my way to Germany.. for some stupid reason i put my orange juice that i got off the plane in the bag and forgot about it (it was a very busy time.. hectic..) it ended up being squashed and spilled all over the inside (it was a sealed container btw).. I HAD no idea this had happened until we got back from Paris and realized something smelled horribly wrong.. i washed it out and cleaned it as best as i could. but i don't think there is any hope of restoring the bag.. it smells like 100 smelly feet and a few dead animals.. i gag when i get a whiff of it.. now i am looking into another diaper bag.. another Fleurville.. it's a bit bigger than the tote (mothership)..  we might need it anyway.. as the tote isn't really large enough for a toddler.. baby, yes.. toddler, no.. (plus, and i don't know why i didn't think about this the first time we got the bag, what if i have a toddler and a baby? which is our plan btw) i want to douse the old bag in vinegar and let it air out for a month LMAO.. but then i am afraid the vinegar will only make it worse.. i just don't know what to do..  i have to get a new bag though.. i really like this one.. 

but it's $150 and the old blue.. (below) is on sale for $98.

i should get the older one since i already have one diaper bag and ruined it.. lol.. but i realllly love the new one more than the old.. david doesn't know i want a new diaper bag yet.. but he might agree we need a new one if i can't fix the smell of our tote and the fact the tote will be way too small for two kids.. i really LOVE this diaper bag. 

i think david would think it's too girly (at least it isn't PINK) lmao.. but who knows.. maybe the thought of ashton actually coming (since i got the other diaper bag way before i got pregnant.. i used it a purse)he might not feel silly carrying a baby around and a girly diaper bag.. i see men carrying girly pink diaper bags all the time..  our other diaper bag.. the tote is all black and looks unisex.. david doesnt' want his OWN bag. we would have to constantly switch out all the crap or whatever and he would rather just deal with ONE bag and be done with it.. 

other news, i didn't blog about it here at the time..  my mom purchased our rocker for us.. such a generous gift.. david and i refused to get the typical ugly gliders and the ones we felt we would be happy with were like $700.. david put his foot down on spending $700 on a ugly chair (our opinion only), it would only be used for less than 6years or so.. we have always loved the chicago textile puff rocker.. we went to the store and tested it out several times during the summer.. decided there that this is the rocker we would end up getting.. $330 is still pretty high but at least the rocker can be used for a lot longer and matches with our living room decor.. i can't wait for it get here.. this is what it looks like but ours is in a different color.. 

the rocker is the most comfortable rocker we have ever sat in. don't let the small size fool you.. the chair is HUGE (below).

i can't wait for it to finally arrive.. it has to be custom made so it will be awhile, but i hope it will arrive before October is up.. again, mom, if you are reading this.. THANK YOU SO MUCH for the chair! we are going to love it!

well, i better get off this damn computer and start making that TO DO LIST.. ack.. i have a ton of Europe pictures to share but it will be a few days before i will post them.. i still need to process them.

i'm back! traveling while pregnant is sort of hard on your body.. i made it through though (and i would do it again).. however, my schedule is out of wonk.. david had the same problem when he came back.. waking up way too early.. ashton's schedule is still on track and he was moving up a storm when i woke up this morning (it would be 11am in Germany). our flight was okay.. had a bit of heavy (scary) turbulence over Chicago.. (i will be honest, i flipped out during that part) other than that, it was a pretty good flight.. i was exhausted and wanted to sleep but decided to hang out with david and do some window shopping and hit up a restaurant for dinner.. i was swollen from the flight.. it was a strange sensation to wear flip flops and shorts when you have been in the cold for a month.. i still feel a little bit swollen this morning.. i have to get some blood work done today (bleh!).. i am starting to feel tired again as if i could go back to sleep.. i think i might try to get a few more hours in.. david cleaned up our apartment nicely for me but there is a lot of gutting and renovating to do LMAO.. and it isn't just women who "nest".. david has it just as bad as i do.. which surprised me..

i took these pictures this evening on our way home from visiting my aunt (not far from where we live, 2 villages to be exact).. it's currently grape harvesting season right now... the grapes are sweet and prime for wine.. 

two weeks ago i cried about david leaving and how i wished i was leaving with him.. it took me a full day to get over it.. now i lay here wishing i didn't have to leave! i have been really exhausted and tired lately.. i'm not sure if it's because of the weather (chilly, windy, rainy) or if ashton is sucking the life out of me (it could be a little bit of both). it makes me feel like i didn't get to take full advantage of my stay here.. and now i have a million regrets already as i only have one full day left. the fact my nesting has begun (though, being around my ocd clean family didn't help) and david's constant fret over birthing classes, insurance, and "how the hell are we going to afford all the crap we still need" emails. it was hard to feel calm or energized! then on top of that i would sit here around at midnight anxiously waiting for david to get online. so i stayed up way later than i should have most nights trying to talk to him for one second. i feel sad and empty again like the day david left.. i love it here so much and i feel like i didn't take full advantage of it. now i have to go pack up my things and all i want to do is bury my face in the pillow and CRY! EMOTIONAL! i blame that on the pregnancy too! next time i will visit i will have a little boy to bring along!

on the other end though.. i am happy to be going back to the states. david can wrap his loving warm arms around me and i can breathe a sigh of relief as i suck his scent in.. then i get to see my cats.. oh HOW I MISSED velveeta! i missed all four of my cats but velveeta i missed the most! i found this picture of her that i took right before i left over a month ago! 

omgosh i want to hold her so bad! i will be happy to be back home so i can start gutting out our apartment (boy, do i have a list going) and start getting ready for baby ashton's arrival.. (an even bigger list). our goal is to have everything done in two months even though ashton is supposed to be here in three.. christmas is always a happy yet stressful time for us (okay just me.. david is the most relaxed around christmas). the last thing i need or WANT is to drive my big fat pregnant butt out in holiday traffic and deal with the holiday crowds to get what i need for him.. i picture my last month of pregnancy barefoot, inside my warm heated home, baking cookies and stuffing my face full of holiday food, not feeling one bit guilty about it and watching endless hours of christmas movies and shows..

i guess my emotions are just overwhelming for me right now.. perhaps i am wearing down from it without realizing it.. im sad but happy.. makes NO sense.. bottom line.. i don't want to leave here.. but i want david and my cats! david should pack up the cats and come back here and stay here forever.. thats what he should do.. problem solved! we will live happily ever after! figuring life out is so freaking easy! pfft

on the up side.. ashton = a strong fetus! i swear pregnancy is an amazing thing.. it went from tiny little subtle kicks to FULL blown jabs and the movements! goodness.. he is one active little baby!i hope it stays that way.. this evening when we got home from visiting my aunt i laid down to take a break.. ashton was moving around as he always is in the evening (the boy has a schedule and he sticks to it!).. i love feeling him move so i had my hand on my stomach to enjoy it when all of a sudden my digestive system made a loud gurgling noise.. the kind that other people in the room can hear.. it startled ashton (since i'm sure its way louder in utero) he jumped hard.. it surprised me and i couldn't stop laughing.. pooor little baby.. i told my mom i am going to be the mom who laughs if an animal at the petting zoo sneezes on him.. or if he decides to taste sand..instead of freaking out.. i will be with my camera giggling.. good thing hes a boy.. i can't wait to finally meet him! i can't believe he is ALMOST here.. 

and to keep up with the, "anne freaks out about flying theme", our plane better not crash on the way home.. i am TOO excited about this baby and new life to have it all end for me.. HAHA.. no really though.. please pray for a safe flight.. i hate flying.. blah.. i am sure it's going to be fine.. but david wasn't smart about keeping his mouth shut regarding his flight back (lets just say he said "it felt like the plane was going to crash") and i am totally freaking out about it since its the exact same flight and plane i will be flying on sunday.. david had a bad flight to begin with.. the poor boy got wasted the night before because he couldn't keep up with his German peers (nothing to be ashamed of, German drinkers make frat boys look like wimps).. that story will come later with pictures! david had a really bad hangover the next morning (after a.. ehem.. rough night) and ended up sitting next to a guy who filled up two puke bags.. so yeah.. it wasn't a pleasant flight for david to begin with. but he SHOULD have known better to not mention PLANE CRASH to his frail "scared to fly" wife.. amiright? tianft

its been forever since i have properly updated this blog about Paris (or any pictures of my trip). i am really behind on my image processing.. lately i have felt so worn and tired all the time.. i think ashton is going through another growth spurt or something.. plus i haven't been sleeping very well.. today i decided to commit myself to finishing up the Paris pictures.. i still have to share other non-Paris pictures that are just waiting to be processed. i am so behind that i don't even have the energy or desire to take any more pictures.. which is bad, i only have one more week here and i haven't even started taking pictures of things i really wanted to take yet.. this is why i hate having too many images to go through.. i am a bit disappointed with our Eiffel tower shots.. this is a HUGE reason to own a tripod! 90% of the Eiffel tower shots are unusable (BLURRY! the shutter was open way too long to be handheld).. david didn't get one good shot of me either.. i am just a huge blurry mess.. not his fault.. DSLR's are hard to learn on and for a beginner he did a pretty good job, it would have been better had we brought a tripod with us ORRR had a better lens ORRR if either one of us knew 100% how to deal with our camera.. however the images are useless.. thats not to say mine are perfect but mine came in a bit clearer than his did.. 

the Eiffel Tower

was crowded.. cold.. windy.. and cold.. 

life without a tripod is a hard life. i had to prop it up on davids backpack.. get as low as i can so i can look through the view finder to set the settings (which isn't easy with a belly in the way) and crawl back over to him in time for the camera to take the shot.. david thought it was hilarious (i did this like twenty times or so).. i however, was cussing him out in my head wishing he would not make me feel so guilty for wanting a damn tripod lolz. we are blurry but deal with it people! it was hard just to get the tower and the two of us in the shot!

it was cold and rainy the night we sat out there watching the tower.. 

i think the european union stars look a bit silly, don't you? 

standing underneath the tower takes your breath away with how huge it is.

at the second tier (the tower has three levels).. windy.. cold.. but not as cold as the top tier that's for sure.. that white spot above david's head is the moon!

at the top tier.. i had severe vertigo.. crazy high.. crazy windy.. crazy cold.. crazy crowded but totally worth it!

the Chateau de Versailles 

was by far not my favorite place this time. it was nice to see it.. but it was the worst tourist location in Paris.. it was so packed i actually felt claustrophobic. the rooms were filled like cattle getting ready to be slaughtered.. on top of that, they added these horrible pieces of "art work" to each room.. totally ruining the atmosphere the palace is known for.. for example.. they had one room with Michael Jackson and his monkey, "bubbles" in the center of the room.. wtf?! david wanted me to take a picture of it but at the time i was hot.. bothered by all the people pushing and shoving me and the added level of no one wearing deodorant.. i was not in the mood.. now i wish i had, just to show how tacky it really was.. then in another room they had a blow up lobster pool toy hanging from the ceiling like a chandelier.. WTF!! so stupid.. it didn't end there.. Versailles is also known for the gardens with beautiful fountains.. they only had them running for 2hours.. so it was impossible to see it all.. bottom line.. i was very disappointed with Versailles this year.. its still a beautiful palace.. i just wished they would get rid of the weird and random art work in the palace rooms and for the price they charge you to visit the palace, they can AFFORD to have the fountains running longer than 2hours! i didn't bother taking any pictures of the front of the palace.. they were doing some renovation and placed a fake mural of what the palace looks like in front of it..

you can see the palace behind the fountain.. david came in blurry because i am an idiot and forgot to set the apeture correctly. live and learn

haha.. i was impatient with getting pictures of all the fountains.. david wanted me to get a rainbow in the water droplets.. and right before i took this shot he said, "the fountains aren't going anywhere".. two seconds later the fountain turned off (they only had them running for a few hours). david's memory isn't one of his strong abilities.. just as patience isn't one of mine!

La Defense Arc

was one of my favorite places to visit.. we make a quick visit on the day we left Paris.. it wasn't crowded and a lot of fun.. they have a history of the computer museum at the top.. along with some awesome art work.. and a great view of paris at the top of the arc.. 

i could have sworn i got the entire building in the shot.. i walked like a mile just to get it..  a few days ago i read in my photography book about a crop factor digital SLRs have.. what a rip off.. no one TELLS you these things.. another reason for me to hurry up and get a full frame DSLR :o) not anytime soon though.. but man, i wish i had known that before i purchased mine or i would have picked a different camera..

this computer seriously had like a 2mb harddrive.. look how HUGe the thing is? can you imagine.. only 2mb?

david showed his age when he said, "i remember having one just like this".

LOL!!! this is our CPU unit we own at home.. a few weeks before we left for europe i begged and pleaded with david to buy me a new laptop.. "what's wrong with our computer?", he asked.. "um it's like ten years old.. thats what." "but it still works" "yeah.. you can get on the internet and that's a bit stretching it".. it took a day or two but david finally relented and let me get a new laptop.. when i saw our computer in the vintage collection at the museum i rubbed it in his face.. "See I TOLD YOU we need a new computer!".. in honor of it though, i told him to pose proud of our CPU unit.. im thinking of trashing it when i get back.. its WAY too big. (i think i heard david yell NO00ooo just now in my head).. the thing hardly works with internet.. seriously! and we can make so much room for other things.. 

La Defense had some really  neat art exhibits.. this was the 3-D exhibit

this was the best art there.. you stare at a white dot in the center of the image then look at the white canvas and a 3-D image of the person (they used hollywood actors) would appear.. kinda like those art things that were popular back in the 90's? you stare at it and slowly go back and image would appear out of the mess? well sort of like that but different.. you could have one done of yourself by the artist for 60euros.. i wish we had the money to do it because it was by far the coolest thing i have seen yet. (in the art world)

the view of Paris from the top of La Defense.. you can see the Eiffel tower just right of david.. 

well, that's all the Paris pictures i am going to share.. i can't believe how much work it is just to share pictures.. i made my quota of 40pictures! next up.. Switzerland pictures.. 

 

annoyed..

david and i have decided on having ashton naturally with no drugs.. a lot of you might think, 'HOLY MOLY' but the truth is a lot of people are uneducated with their bodies and rely on doctors/drugs too much.. there are programs and ways to deal with the pain naturally.. i totally plan on doing this.. there are a few methods that allow you to learn how to relax your body so your natural pain relievers (aka endorphins which happens to be stronger than drugs the doctors give you) can take effect.. 

why am i annoyed? because david and i decided to give bradley method a shot with ashton.. it's supposed to be a 12week course.. that's right 3months long.. bradley method stresses how important it is to go to these classes for 12weeks.. i go to the official bradley method website to find a "certified" instructor in my area.. dallas/fort worth area has quite a few.. which is awesome.. but almost ALL the instructors have started classes and won't be offering the next session until christmas or after.. which obviously is way too late for me.. david and i couldn't have taken the classes sooner since we had planned our trip to germany before we were pregnant.. thankfully there was ONE instructor who was starting classes the day i get back from Germany.. "wonderful" i thought.. i was starting to worry there for a bit.. i emailed her about joining the class last night and this morning i get an email back stating her classes are 5weeks long with 3hour classes each.. umm.. what?! 

some of you might not think this is bad.. but bradley method is bradley method because of their method.. a huge part of their method is the 12week course.. as i said before they go into great detail as to why this part is so important for the laboring mother and the coaching dad.. i decided to check the other instructors in our area to see what they said.. since the one i had contacted had no info regarding that she only offers the 5week course.. i naturally assumed it was 12weeks since her next session starts October 5th and claims she won't be offering the next session until January.. turns out the other instructors OFFER the full 12week course.. at 2 1/2 hours for each class.. so 5 days times 3hours = 15hours of study.. 12days times 2.5hours = 30hours of study..that's a HUGE difference if you ask me.. not to mention both courses COST the same $300! i am tempted to almost contact bradley method and let them know one of their "certified" instructors is not following the method properly.. i mean seriously.. now i am left feeling lost and flustered about this whole thing.. do i go ahead and take the lame 5week course or skip it entirely and maybe find another method to go by? it's a bummer that i would have to invest the full price for not being able to benefit from the method if its only taught in a 5 week course.. don't you agree?

such a shame.. i just don't know what else to do.. ::sigh:: i felt calm and relaxed yesterday regarding finding the instructor and now i am a mess over it.. i posted this in all the natural birth communities i am in.. i hope someone is able to suggest something..

i hate someone i don't even know right now.. lol.. i am finding German clothes for ashton.. i found a brand that i am absolutely in love with.. turns out she has a fancy schmancy website with her full collection but no where to purchase or links to lead you where to purchase her collections.. so of course i google and all i can find are bits and peices and mostly for girls.. ugh.. i hate her right now ;oP.. i can hear david breathing a sigh of relief all the way over here.. HAHAHA... i emailed her.. lets hope there is a way for me to get my hands on her clothes! ::now pictures david holding his breath and shaking his head.. and probably thinking about canceling the creditcards:: bwahahahahahahaha

btw.. i love and miss you honey! ::bats eyes::

i actually felt like processing more Paris pictures.. i read in one of my photography books last night that a good photographer will only pick out 10images out of 800.. um.. i guess i need work on that because there is no way in hell i could only pick 10images out of 800 lol.. of course i won't be sharing all 800 pictures.. hopefully my number won't go over 30images (i have a feeling it will hit 40.. i am currently at 24images)... i dislike it when people post too many pictures of the same thing over and over..

david in front of the notre dame.. i have been to paris four times during my life and this is the first time they have ever allowed anyone to walk all the way to the top of the towers.. i so wish i had the energy to have done it myself but oh well.. i am sure this won't be the last time we visit paris.. 

the lourve museum.. way too large fo a museum.. we spent 5hours there and didn't even get to see half of the museum.. poor david.. the sun's position can suck sometimes lol.

david's favorite part about the louvre.. all the statues.. 

david's favorite statue.. he made me take a billion pictures of it.. i figured it's only natural i share it with everyone else..

the mona lisa.. the room was packed.. we waited forever to get a shot without anyone else in the picture..

self portrait of me in a vanity at the louvre

this was my favorite part about the museum..they found the medieval louvre underneath the current louvre.. 

the worst crepes i had.. omg toooo salty.. i wanted to gag.

sacre coeur

i hiked all the way up to the entrance to the sacre coeur.. the stairs are decieving.. you can't see the second or third set of stairs to hike up to the entrance.. i had wanted to go all the way up to steeple/tower (you see the very top of the church? yeah that part) but decided after getting to the entrance i was too exhausted..

i love that david has a sense of humor.. a fountain near the sacre coeur.

vintage mini cooper.. way toooo cute.. 

the paris opera house..