As I sit here I can remember the very first day I met Raven. She was a sophomore in my high school art class. That was my very first time teaching high school art, for real. I was nervous as heck! But Raven just warmed right up to me l felt at home, nothing like teaching at Manhattan High. She was one of the most talented kids in my classes. Most of the time students would come to her for help on drawing, naming their artwork, or just to use her dang handwriting!! argh... she is a artistic fool! Come to think of it her class in particular was extremely gifted at seeing the world in a different artsy kind of view.
She always brings color into my soul and I am not just talking about her hair. But yes that hair of hers does change color about very week haha. This lovely morning (before baby was born) we went out and about on a photo adventure. It was good times just laughing, sharing coffee, and getting to see one of my favorite students again.
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When you first get pregnant you don't actually think about the delivery of your little one. Actually I never thought of delivery at all until about the time I started to notice...dang my little bump isn't so little anymore, I have a baby in my belly!, oh crap how does all this work? How will it feel? Can I even do this?
At our maternity classes they past out a flyer about the "Bradley Method" which was taught by a local chiropractic clinic there in Salina. If you didn't know already, because I sure didn't, The Bradley Method is a method of delivery created by Dr. Bradley in the 60s(I believe it was...maybe earlier) that focuses on a natural child birth coached by your husband. Your husband has a lot of work to do in this method. After reading many books about the Bradley Method and making Brice practice labor and relaxation with me every night, I thought I was ready...then I kept questioning myself...oh crapp...can I do this? This questioning lead to more research, which lead me to the Business of Being Born, you can find on netflex. OH yea and my research also lead me to probably one of the coolest hippies what knows everything about childbirth Ina May Gaskin. I have learned so much through my research, watched countless youtube videos of women giving natural childbirth, and practiced over and over again deep breathing, focusing, positions, 300 squats a day, 20 kegals every hour, exercise, tailor sitting, and relaxation. I mean I was ready.... come on baby girl! At 38 weeks I knew my research on natural induction...like eating dates, running, getting romantic with your hunny. Because did you know....most docters won't let you go past 41 weeks? But.... the average 1st time Mom has there baby at 41weeks and 3 days (or so I read)? I was so nervous and scared to go past my due date! How do they induce you...pitocin... a false hormone that puts your body into labor. But it isn't pleasant, actually a friend of mine called it "satan in a bag" its that intense! Instead of you naturally starting out with small contractions and working your way up to the difficult ones, the contractions come on strong, all at once, like a brick wall. And since these contractions are so intense all at once your most likely going to ask for the epidural. Whoopie, no big deal....well when you have the epidural it slows down your contractions = more pitocin. More pitocin =more pain drugs....now these contractions are so intense from the pitocin that your little baby is being squeezed so hard and their little heart rate is now dropping! So now it is time for a C-section. Did you know epidurals increase the risk for a c-section by 2.5? And in the US the c-section rate is 30% Hey not to mention after your epidural your baby and you are all drugged up....your baby won't want to nurse and you will just want to sleep. Try bonding with all this happening. Verses natural birth you have a natural love hormone that is released called oxytocin.... it is the most amazing feeling in the world. Actually come to find out this oxytocin is the same hormone that is released during love. I could just go on and on all day about what I have learned about birth and all the benefits of having a natural birth!! I have barely scraped the surface of what I have learned.....but I didn't mean for this to turn into a lesson haha..... so back to Georgie's story... 38weeks and 2days... I went pee to find something I thought to be my mucus plug. Did some research and it was! Okay...what does that mean I thought...well I had either a day left or 2weeks. Oh godd.....please not 2weeks I want to see my baby now. That was 10:30 in the morning.... Later that day at 4pm I laid down for a nap to wake up 1/2 hour later to some mentral cramps. They were pretty much every 10mins.... so....are these contrations? I had no idea??! and I was super excited!! But I read that in the beginning you should rest as much as you can....because you won't get to later on! I tried that.... didnt work. We then went out to Brices parents for super.... these little cramps were getting closer together. I didnt say anything...just sat there and ate supper timing each one. Beacuse what if these arent contractions? I would get everyone excited for no reason. We went home.....and I tried to sleep ...and tried....and tried..... lol nope. 38weeks and 3days ....at 4 in the morning the contractions were what I thought to be pretty intense (found out later those were nothing) ...so I said Brice lets go. OH yes keep in mind I kept telling Brice I am in labor, you need to get rest, go to sleep, seriously I'm in labor go to sleep. He never did instead... well he started to do all those chores you need to do before baby gets here...you know because those 38weeks just wasn't enough time to get all that done! ha! We packed up and headed over to my parents to drop off Fanny the Pug. Mom made me some tasty breakfast..... thats another thing make sure you eat, its suppose to speed up labor, and I heard they wont let you eat at the hospital once your in labor. 5:30am we head up to Salina with Staind blairing in the car. Relaxing, huh? Thats Brices ideas of relaxation! ha...so I had my peaceful nature sounds hoooked up to my headphones... just breath and relax for 45mins. We get to the hospital...Im waddling like a duck and stopping to work out contractions every 3-5mins... everyone there is just staring at your crazy pregnant self. HA....and you can't even try and pretend to be normal. We finally get checked in and up to the 6th floor....where they tell me Im at a 2 and that I can't stay at the hospital. poop. We already had a doctors appointment scheduled for the day at 10:30am..the time now is 7am...can I really wait that long, in this car, with this pain?! poop. We did and we went in for our scheduled sonogram...hard to sit still for these when your having contractions. Georgie was too far down in my hips to see her little face and head....so we skipped that....figured we would see her that day anyway. Then we went into see our doctor. The waiting room....I always sit in the back of the waiting room...today I made it to the 2nd seat before I started to have a contractions...so there I sat. Figured I was looking pretty strange to the others there in that waiting room. Finally they called our names and we got to go back to meet with our doctor. He said your at a 3, all the way thinned out, you need to go back to the hospital. Alright doctor think we are going to go eat first. He passes us a strange look...probably wondering how the crap I can think about food at a time like this haha. And off to subway we went! Thank god we did because this story is far from over. Back at the hospital I get to sit in the whirlpool bath, you need to do this when your in labor. Really I had no sense of time...seems like this day flew by. At some point the nurse checked me and told me my baby had a bunch of hair! How the crap can she tell that?? I guess Georgianna was just right there and waiting for my body to dilate and do it's job. Brice helped me and Georgie out a lot!! He gave me massages, cool towels,drinks and tried his best to keep me relaxed. I guess we were in the tub for 3hours when I thought ok I need to make it to the room because I just feel like this baby is coming soon and I don't want to be moving around when she is. I was wrong. 38weeks and 3 days around 4pm ...Remember how I told you about the epidural .... about the time I got to the room these contractions were insane. INSANE! And all those natural childbirth videos I watched so relaxed, so easy...nope this was nothing like that. I was totally at a loss, like a scared cat really...I didnt think I could make it through... but I read when you feel like that ...the baby is coming soon! another lie. It was really difficult to work through these and I can really see how you can break down and get an epidural...even my photos of Georgie werent helping deal with this pain. Somehow the hours flew by...and I looked out the window again and it was night! What didn't fly by is once I felt like I had to push!! You can't just push when you feel like it...they have to check and make sure your body is actually ready! oh boy. I was checked to find out I was at a 9..... I moved in and out of positions trying to fight though this urge to push! Every contraction I yelled...im going to push!! no, no don't push. crap! Have you ever had explosive diarrhea? Well think about having that and having someone tell you to hold it in for 3hours but wait thats not it...you also you have to relax while you do it. OH boy..those were the hardest contractions! Thats it Im getting in the shower! At some point in labor you really don't care who sees you exposed. I really thought I would, but nope. Out of the shower back into the room....after the 3hrs of wanting to push the doctor finally told me I was ready!! YAYAY! 38weeks and 3days around 10:30pm.... I read somewhere that pushing feels amazing. IT DID!! After 3hours of being told I couldnt push... we were SO ready. This is where all that oxytocin I told you about was being released.... I was smiling in between each contraction... just the best feeling and knowing soon you would meet your baby. 1/2hr or less I could feel she was here and as I looked down I saw the most beautiful site! Georgianna!! 19hours...yet I couldnt really remember most of them...and it felt like it just flew by and now I had my little girl in my arms! I forgot to mention as I was pushing my parents called the room....because they just knew I already had her...ha! So they got to come in and see Miss Georgie brand new about 1/2hr old. That is our birth story...I actually cut it short....even though I feel like it ended up being long. I couldn't have done it without my husband helping me through! Im in love with birth and birth stories! Please share yours with me. Now just out pictures of my little angel. XOXO Such a beautiful wedding this past weekend of this cute couple. Converses vs. Cowboy boots... two different styles blended into a unique romance. Not going to go into all detail about this special couples wedding day.... just yet, I will save that for their wedding blog! But I have known Miss Nena since high school... actually the first time we met is a pretty funny story ;) lol She knows what Im talking about!
Isaiah...Nena's little goof ball son, love him. I met Isaiah when I did this adorable family session about 3years ago. Isaiah was all about pictures, that day. Funny how time changes kids because that sure wasn't the case on the big wedding day. Josh, we met the day of engagement pictures. Even though he cringes at the thought of a camera, he was a good sport. He always does his best to make Nena happy even when he totally hates the whole idea, makes my heart warm and giggle. Oh golly gee, as I sit here waiting for all of their wedding pictures to load...Im anxious to open these moments up and relive such splendid fall wedding. Can not wait to share!!! Thats right ladies and gentlemen we have an Arby's right up in here at Concordia KS! I don' t know about you but I am in love with their curly fries, its dangerous. Working along with the President at Replications Unlimited I captured their work on the new Arby's building. Replications Unlimited manufacturers faux stone, brick, and wood panels which are used in remodeling the New Arby's restaurants around the US. This is Replications Unlimited first Arby's to be remodeled with this special siding! Exciting stuff! View more of their work at replicationsunlimited.com ohhh and while your at it you might want to get your self an order of those curly fries ;)
Dates are closing up quick! Only 2 more dates available!! To Save Your Date and for more info please shoot me an email destinybreault@gmail.com
I have know these little boys...well.... I have known Sage since before birth! I finally got to meet this little guy outside of his Mothers womb. Just check out with little burger with his serious concerned gaze! Heehee, too cute!! Kohl on the other hand wasn't really into the whole party of taking pictures at the beginning of this day. Which that is totally unlike him, Kohl is the man with a plan! HE always has all the photo poses and ideas when we get together! But after some fishing he was ready to get this party started.
Oh and Casey just had the most fun idea for Sage's BIG Numbero 1! Instead of cake smashing ...Sage did some painting of his own. LOL he may or may not have ate paint. If you grew up in Concordia, you know of my baby brother. Trask. He was and is just the most craziest kid, full of energy, weird ideas, and love for all. If you know him you know he has the biggest heart and never knows a stranger....everyone that meets him feels like they are already best friends with him upon their first visit. Yep, I actually spent many years living at our childhood home with Trask bringing home "strays" to feed. Yes I said strays. Most of us kids would bring home a kitten or puppy...not Trask. He would walk up and down the alleys until he found a stray kid. That's right a stray kid! ha! The stray would then become best friends with Trask, and Trask would take him over to our house. Often sneaking in the kitchen to cook up a gourmet seafood meal.
Trask met Ikay about, 5years ago? I think 5. They just hit it off, and can talk forever about the culture they love. Even through these two are worlds apart they always seem to be together at heart. Ikay is one of the kindest people I have ever met. She will go on and on thanking you for the simplest of things. Just a true sweetie. And miss Ziley! Ziley Marie is the cutest, happiest, and most cuddly... and I can't wait to see her again! If you haven't heard of Tori Christine Photography yet, you are missing out! Seriously...you are a loser. Not really, but really. Miss Tori, as some of you might know, is a former student of mine. But most of all she is an amazing artist!! She followed her heart and dreams into the world of photography and has blown away everyone ever since! She only started her adventure after graduation, a year ago. WHAT!? I know, right? Looking at her work you would think she has been going at it for years now. She is passionate about what she does and by god she works her butt off.... but you already knew that. I fall in love with each of her images more and more every time she posts a new one. She is an inspiration! So head over to her webpage torichristinephotography.com and check out her work!
She loves her puppy Lola too.... if you couldn't tell. We have fun photo adventures together, that are the bestest! Pretty sure we should make these adventures an annual thing..if not more often. I met this fabulous girl back in my first year of teaching. I taught Kindergarten through 8th grade art in Norton KS. And OMG...nothing could have prepared me for the nightmare that is junior high. Kristin was quite the exception...she was in one of my wildest 7th grade classes I had...the last hour of the day! Only later did I discover that the ornery ones would take naps all afternoon until they got to my class....and then, jackpot! HA! Through it all I could see Kristin was such a talented artist! She enjoyed art much more then everyone else in that class...and boy it showed! She was also such a sweetieheart always trying to help me calm down the boys. But if you have ever been in the presence of the typical junior high boy...you know there is little you can do to save yourself.
Can't believe my talented kid, Kristin, is now a senior!! I have really missed having her in class and watching her grow as a person and artist. You probably couldn't tell from looking at her pictures but this girl is shy, but she has no reason to be! Kristin is always giggling and making my job such a fun and easy one. I love her and she is perfect. I absolutely adore these girls! There are just some people you meet in life that you fall in love with. And no I am not talking about in that weird way, ha. I felt right at home hanging out with these girls. They played, giggled, and made me laugh on the insides. Did I mention, Peaches? Peaches is their lab...and she is also the cutest!! I just want to squeeeeeezeeee her!
So incredibly excited for this new mom and dad!! They are such a wonderful, loving, easy going, and just absolutely incredible blast to be around! I smile on the inside every time I get the chance to see them. They deserve all the happiness in the world and now they get to share it with their little boy Noah! How exciting!! Congratulations again, to the 3 of you!!
xoxo Destiny I fell in love with Christina Perri's Jar of Hearts! So with the lovely Amber as my model we set out collecting her own hearts. I am still in love with this series I took a couple of years back....and it really gets me thinking....I need really really really need to start a new series I can fall in love with all over again!
"By the way we aren't lesbians or anything, just friends." Cracks me up! I once heard that you aren't truly best friends with somebody until others question your sexuality.
Alicia and Rhiannon are best friends that have been besties since I have known them, ha! But seriously they have been besties for quite some time. Rhiannon lived in a far away land for a couple of years but soon, if not already, she will be reuniting with her hometown, friends, and fun times aka Downs KS! These two girls giggled their way through their session. I just loved sharing laughs with friends and it really got me missing my buddies from high school! *sigh* These girls don't even know how fast time is going to fly their upcoming senior year. It happened! The freshmen, the group that started out as freshmen when I started teaching at Pike Valley High, graduated. Can't believe it. Time really does fly! *tears*
So like a idiot, I deleted my ENTIRE blog page! ekkkkkk!!!!! So looks like all you followers out there are in for lots of photo posts to catch up with all my deleted actions. Are you REady!? 1st blog to be re-posted Me and my baby girl! Photos taken by my Mom, edited by yours truly.
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About Me.Kansas Photographer, and teacher inspired by birth, imperfections, giggles, thrift shop treasures, & acts of randomness Archives
January 2024
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