East Texas Photography - Maternity and Newborn Session

When I lived in Oklahoma I met April through a strange coincidence. April owned a 24 hour tanning business and I was all about that, and we had a lot of mutual friends, but I never actually knew her. When it came to getting signed up for tanning I had to get ahold of her through her personal phone number and sign up through her at the shop. Long story short, once we got to talking more and more, she became a sort of big sister I never had. We had a lot in common when it came to the loves of our lives, the one that got away, and came back. She gave me some of the best advice anyone had ever given me in my love life, as well as when I was job hunting. (Which I'm forever grateful for girl. Thank you!) As fate would have it, we ended up both moving to Texas within a couple weeks together, EXCEPT I moved to south Texas and she moved to more north/eastern Texas. 

April started her own photography business - she had always been one for her own businesses - but she started literally from the ground up. She taught herself, and it's phenomenal. 

When we found out we were pregnant, I kept seeing more and more of her pictures on her Facebook, and I knew I wanted her to take Gunner's pictures. 

Her and her Husband Stoney came down to go to dinner and take our maternity pictures in Gruene, Texas. 

It was HOT, and my legs look like STUMPS, but she did AMAZING.

After these I had told her we would make the trip up there for pictures of Gunner. I was super nervous about the trip with a few day old baby, but he did really well, and it turned out amazing. 

He gave us some heck at the beginning, little stink did NOT want to go to sleep. These are a few shots she was able to get while trying to get him to sleep. 

 Aren't these even AMAZING - nontraditional and still gorgeous. (Little partial to my little man, but you get my gist ;) ha)

Once we took some outside, she came back in and ended with the football pictures. You will see why. 

My advice to you, if you live in north/east/middle of Texas - take the time to make an appointment with April. My husband was so impressed with April and her passion for her "job" he could not stop talking about. She's fantastic and super affordable. I could not be more proud and obsessed with the shots she got of our pride and joy. 
You can see her portfolio here: http://1313photographybyaprilstamper.pixieset.com/
April does some of the cutest mini shoots too, for example, a circus theme - your kids will LOVE.  We are heading back to Troup, Texas for Christmas minis with the family. Let me know if you live in the area and head her way. 

Behind the Name - Texas Forever & a Giveaway

It took a long time for me to figure out what I wanted to do blog wise. I attempted to keep up with just a teaching blog, and I couldn't be as on top of it as others. I found myself forgetting to take photos during those amazing teaching moments and then I had no way to blog or document how amazing it had went. I also found myself wanting to talk about every other aspect in my life that I am overly passionate about. I look at my Instagram account (mrs_cmt1489) and immediately think of this quote: 

I didn't want to create a social media account strictly for my classroom, and for my personal life. Others choose to separate and I totally get it, but I want other people to relate to me and see my life through pictures just as much as anyone elses. 

Texas Forever

What does this mean? 

I am from Oklahoma, born and bred, and I will always be an Oklahoma Girl (cue Eli Young Band) - BUT moving to Texas was the absolute best thing I could have ever done. 

As a child in middle school, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I graduated in December 2010 in Oklahoma and couldn't get hired anywhere | You need experience. Those three words began to be the most depressing and heartbreaking words I had ever heard in my life. I was over it, and was beginning to give up on my passion. 

Chance left for Texas in February 2011 and at that time I wasn't ready, we had been together over 4 years - BUT. My dad had recently had his second heart attack and I was most certainly not going to leave with that hanging over my head. Inevitably it led to us fighting, there was a lot more but I sum it up by saying: he needed to mature, and I needed to immature. As weird as that sounds, we both had things we needed to grow and change. Eventually we broke up, and he was in Texas and I was still in Oklahoma. 

Fast forward 7 months 

I am still not real sure how we started having conversations again that were cordial, but we did. We decided to meet up in October half way - which would be Dallas - and the rest is history.

I decided to move after my teachers aid job was over in May 2012. That was a hard long distance relationship, but so worth it. 

August 2012

First dream come true 

Thank God for sorority sisters. Teaching - it's all about who you know in some circumstances. A sister went out of her way with her Grandmother who had connections and on August 6 my first dream came true, a kindergarten teaching position. 

Another dream come true. Chance took me to the coast for my birthday the weekend of August 18. 

We set the date for October 19, 2013 - Our original anniversary from 2007. 

Our wedding would follow October 19 the next year. 

Most of you know our next dream as a couple was for a baby and Gunner's story you can find here. 

Fast forward almost two years later and Gunner Byron Thomas arrived. 

Texas Forever is a statement from Friday Night Lights that I find myself associating with often. I may love and miss Oklahoma, but I will never go back. If it wasn't for Texas, I strongly believe all of my dreams may have never happened and played out like they have. This blog is going to be just that, an insight into where all of my dreams came true. 

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October Currently - 8 Days Late

So, I'm 8 days late. The past two months I have sat in front of my laptop anticipating Farley uploading her currently posts. That's what happens when you're pregnant and not much to do I guess. Looking at now - I haven't had any time to be in front of my computer like I planned unless it's time I plan into my day where my Mom has Gunner and I am working on master's homework. Good news is, husband is home and holding Gunner so I thought I would spend a few minutes to get my currently uploaded :)

I'm such a "basic white girl" - I love ER months. Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Fall. Ugg boots. Cardigans. Layers of clothing. Pumpkin patches. ETC. So this would obviously be my go-to October quote. 

Listening

Husband was watching The Internship when I walked in from tutoring so that's what I currently hear right now. 

Loving

Right now. Husband is home on a Thursday night and has had Gunner all evening while I was tutoring. Mom is here and taking care of me left and right and I couldn't be more thankful. 

Thinking

Rhetorical question. 

My mind is all over the place anymore. Not being at work, I worry about work. I worry about leaving Gunner when I go back. I think about how bad my students need me there. I am thinking about how I'm not getting paid for maternity leave so make sure I pinch those pennies. I am thinking about how much my parents need to find a house down here ASAP so my Dad can be here also. I am thinking about Gunner getting older and how it saddens and excites me at the same time. I think about my friends and family who I can't wait to meet Gunner. I am thinking about Christmas break already and how excited I am to go back home to Oklahoma - okay you get the point? :) 

Wanting

What mom doesn't say this? I have heard every parent I know wish this. It's definitely at the top. I have a month left of maternity leave and it terrifies me. 

Needing

The ONLY complaint about Texas, south Texas at that.. I miss fall. I miss cold weather. I am not a good 90-100 degree girl. I hate it honestly. I'm all about the changing seasons, the colors, the crisp air, the bon fires, the sweatshirts, the food, the pumpkin season. I miss it. It happens about a month here. One day we will live somewhere where it happens, but until then. I will imagine and stare at pictures. 

Boo-tiful

Netflix and sweats. The time where we are all ourselves in the house and cuddling with Gunner and there's no judgement, no money spent, no makeup, just love. <3 

Gunner's Birth Story - 9.14.15

My husband was going to appointments to get himself tested. We had been trying for a baby for years off an on. I hadn't been on birth control in 4 years. It was getting to the point where I was done stressing about it, if it was going to happen it would. 

It was late January 2015. My principal had just sent me home from work early, I was very sick, and like any other teacher, trying real hard to stay at work. I got home with sweats and a hoodie on and passed out on the couch. Luckily my husband was home that night, walked in, and told me to get up we are going to the clinic. We got there and sure enough I had the flu, severely. I hadn't had my period in months, but this was normal. I was super irregular so I didn't want to take any more tests and be more disappointed, like many times before. My husband looked at me at the clinic and told me we weren't leaving until they did a test before he had to go back to this guy doctor. She took my sample and didn't come back for about 15 minutes. She walked in, sat down, asked if we had been trying, and were wanting kids.. then proceeded to tell us we were expecting! We were about 4 weeks along. 

This is our test from the clinic - of course it's saved and still at the house. Big moment. Our lives were forever changing. 

Our first ultrasound - at this time Baby was a jumping bean on the screen. 

We were given the ETA: September 18, 2015 

Once we finally made it "facebook official," we had Lyla Mae help us in telling the world. 

When we found out it was a boy -

& how we told the world again. :) 

Fast forward to 9 months later 

I had some complications in the ninth month. My fluid levels had been low, I was in and out of labor and delivery almost every 3 days. I was not at 37 weeks yet, so my doctor didn't want to induce me. I was back in a few days later, with fluids so low they put more fluids back in - still no induction - just me super panicked and going back to work the next week. I would then be in one more time, this time for bleeding. I was a wreck. My swelling was ridiculous, and painful. I was still teaching full time and working a hour and half from home. It was brutal, but I either was going to have Gunner, or be at work. The weekend of September 12/13, my doctor called me on Saturday to ask how I was. I really like my doctor, but she was not one to call me out of the blue, especially on a Saturday. So this had us realizing she was also worrying about my levels and the bleeding. We hung up and that was that. She called back a few hours later offering us the option to go in on Sunday for an induction. Doctor gave us the option to discuss and show up Sunday or discuss and wait until he came on his own. Given all that we had went through, my husband was real panicky about my levels, and wanted to go in when we knew he would be coming. So we went in on Sunday, September 13 at 2pm. 

The induction:

Everything was fine, I was in the bed, given pitocin, fluids, and eventually the epidural. I was feeling nothing and everything all at once. By 4am I was still only at a 2 so we knew it was going to be a long day. The day went on and we waited, and waited... Around 9pm I was almost fully dilated and they were calling the doctor. This is when the pain really started. I couldn't figure out why I was in so much pain, but I had the lights off and was feeling the contractions ridiculously. I kept pushing the epidural button and nothing. I didn't really understand why I was feeling everything, but I was pushing through it. About an hour later the anesthesiologist walked in and realized that my epidural had been out for that whole hour, very unsure why the alarm didn't go off to alert him that it was out. OUCH 

For those of you who give natural birth 100% - kudos. 

A little after 9 they were ready for me to start pushing - given low fluid levels they had to make sure NICU nurses were coming in to evaluate baby once he came out. My nurse was on my left side holding my leg, my husband on my right side, and my doctor ready to catch. It was amazing, one of the most unreal experiences. My husband was fantastic helping and holding my leg, he helped and coached me through pushing. I pushed a little under an hour and Gunner arrived at 10:11 pm on September 14. Our lives were forever changed, and we felt the love unlike any other. 

Gunner's birthday. <3 

Here is little man now, 3 weeks later