Each time I've been pregnant, I needed to take up something new to make sure my mind didn't turn to mush when I was taking it easy in the last couple months.

With Angelo it was knitting. But it didn't really stick. I don't really have the patience for knitting - it takes forever!

With Grace it was quilting. And it looks like this one is going to stick. I am in love with all the colours and all the beautiful fabrics out there. For those of you who are thinking "really? quilting?". Trust me. This is not your grandma's quilting.


In fact, there's a whole new movement going on in the world of quilting, and last week it landed in Vancouver with the first meeting of the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild.

I wasn't sure what to expect since I don't really know what a quilt guild is (and still don't really) but I showed up at Spool of Thread just before 7PM and was pleasantly surprised to be joined by 42 other women - most (but not all) with years of quilting experience under their belts.


And the quilts they brought! Seriously gorgeous. The talent in that room blew my mind and I was happy to just sit there and absorb it for two hours. And then rush home and start playing with fabric.

If you have a minute, pour yourself a cup of coffee and take a look at the gallery. And if you want to check it out for yourself, the next meeting is Thursday July 15th at 7PM.

And just because she's even cuter on a quilt...

I finally got a chance tonight to edit a few more from Grace's "newborn" session. She was 9 pounds 15 ounces at birth and she sure doesn't look like a newborn in some of them! And while we do have some snaps of her in the first couple weeks, I wasn't feeling up to pulling out all my newborn stuff until she was 2-1/2 weeks old.


The best time for newborn images is really around the 5 day mark. Other photographers had told me I should get someone else to do my newborn photographs but I foolishly ignored them thinking I could do it all myself. Silly really, since my favourite images from client sessions are always the one with the newborn and his or her parents. And, of course, I can't do those myself. :)

Because a few people have asked and because I don't want to forget what happened....


My due date was either March 23rd or March 31st depending on which date you used. I knew my true date was March 23rd and the ultrasounds confirmed the 23rd but I wasn't too worried about it since I was sure this one would come early. After all, it was my second baby, right?

With Angelo I went into labour 5 days after my due date and he was born two days later but I had been having braxton hicks for the past month (which I hadn't had with Angelo) and this baby actually dropped (which Angelo never did until I was well into labour) so no way that would happen again.

My pregnancy was fairly easy with Angelo and this one was no different - at least until the last month and a half. Nothing was wrong I was just so unbelievably tired and really really sore - though I think that had as much to do with chasing after and picking up a 3 year old than anything.

March 23rd came and went with no sign of baby. And then the subject of being induced was broached. Not from my mouth - I did NOT want to be induced.

While my pregnancy with Angelo was great, the delivery was not. I pushed for 3 hours and had some pretty major complications afterward. But that was just a freak thing and I was sure this time would be different. I was going to stay at home as long as possible since I knew they wanted me monitored and with an IV as soon as I got there this time.

Anyway... my doctor agreed we could put March 31st in my file which would mean being induced April 6th. But again, no big deal. This baby would surely come on it's own.

Fast forward to the Easter long weekend. Still no sign. And because my doctor's office would be closed, I needed to head to the hospital for non-stress tests. One on Friday, two on Saturday and then they decided I'd be good until Monday. If there was still no sign of baby I'd be induced on Tuesday, April 6th.

Did I mention Jim's 40th birthday fell on the Sunday? And since there was no way I could make a big 40th birthday party work at 42 weeks pregnant (or with a newborn, which is what I thought would happen), we had both our families over - 14 people - for an Easter Sunday/40th birthday party instead.

Monday at 11AM we went in for our non-stress test and by noon they had decided it wasn't a good idea for me to go any longer and I was induced. We headed home only to return at 6PM for a scheduled check-up. This time they decided to break my water so we were there to stay.

I knew I didn't want to labour in bed so they hooked me up to a portable monitor so we could walk the halls. We walked and walked and active labour started a couple hours later. The best way for me to get through the contractions was standing up with my upper body leaned over onto the raised bed. Unfortunately the cordless monitor kept losing signal. Since there was no way I was getting in the bed one poor nurse had to crouch down and hold it tightly onto my belly. I'm pretty much in my own little world when I'm in labour and don't have anything bad to say to anyone but that nurse didn't get to see my best side that night since I really wanted to just be left alone.

I ended up getting an epidural at 11PM but it didn't really work. It was enough to give me a bit of a break between contractions but it didn't do much more than that. I started pushing at 11:30PM and at 12:45AM things started to get a bit scary again. I wasn't 100% sure what was happening but when you look around and realize there are about 10 medical staff in the room, you know that's not a good thing. Some final pushing and at 1:00AM our beautiful baby girl entered the world.

I will never forget (with either of my kids) that heart-stopping moment when you wait for them to cry and for someone to tell you that everything is okay. She was whisked away pretty quick but a few minutes later I had her back in my arms. She was big and healthy and started eating like a champ. Around 1:30AM when they were still working on me, I suddenly turned to Jim and asked him to take her and then everything went black. I'm anemic and have low blood pressure on a good day and this wasn't what I'd call a good day for my body. They put in a second IV and pretty soon I was feeling better.

We had one boy name picked out and a couple of girl names but Grace was always the front runner. It's not a family name but we loved the sound of it and the meaning and it worked well with Angelo. Anne is both my middle name and my mom's middle name so we knew that would be here middle no matter what.

So that's the story. Another not-great delivery and another really not-great recovery but it's 8 weeks later and I'm feeling like I can finally start to get moving again. Not the best birth story in the world but she was totally and completely worth it.

Grace Anne Di Spirito
April 6th 1:00AM
9 pounds 15 ounces

She's here!

I'll post her birth story in a few days (less the graphic details) but, in the meantime, here is our beautiful Grace at one month old.


She has the most gorgeous baby leg chub ever!

A few things I want to remember about one month old....

- she already weighed over 11 pounds
- we were getting our first smiles
- the baby acne was fading
- if we were lucky, a 4-1/2 hour stretch between night-time feedings, if not then 2-1/2 hours
- the way Angelo would say "it's okay Grace, it's okay" in a high-pitched voice when she cries
- the leg chub, of course

And with this post, the blog is no longer a ghost town. I'll be back to regular posting from here on in. Thanks to those who stuck with me through the blogging hiatus. :) My schedule will open for new client bookings when my new website launches on Monday June 7th at 9AM. Watch for details in the next couple days.

Murphy's law says that your child will get a huge bruise on his right cheek and a big scratch down his nose the day before you plan on doing the photographs for your Christmas cards.

When I find something I love, I always want to share it with everyone I know. So now begins a semi-regular series of things I love.

My latest fave toy is my new Flip Video 30 min camcorder. It's listed on Amazon right now for a crazy low price and with shipping I ended up paying less than $80CAD.


Jim wasn't thrilled at the fact that I purchase a video camera being as we already have one but for me this one is totally different. We have had our video camera for 2 years and I have yet to use it. It has way too many features and buttons, I have no idea to download the videos and, by the time you get it in it's case, it's too clunky to regularly have with you.

In comes the new flip video.... it's the size of a small point & shoot camera so I can throw it in my purse and not even notice it's in there. It's super easy to use - press the power button and then press the big red button to start recording and the big red button a second time to stop recording. It comes with a pop-out USB stick built in so it's really easy to get the videos on your computer. Each video downloads as an individual file which means you don't even have to do any editing to get just the part you want.

Have I convinced you yet? :) I can't say enough great things about it.

Here is the first clip I videoed with my flip - Jim and Angelo doing some alphabets. Consider yourself forewarned... I have a total cutie. And I am aware that this clip is likely something only a mama (or a grandma) would love. :) It's a bit shaky but I've improved on that a bit since I first got it.

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This past weekend we travelled to Thetis Island for the wedding of a good friend of mine (congratulations Steph!). Going to Thetis Island was the thrill of a lifetime for a two year old who loves boats and planes and would gladly spend the entire day outside if he could.

You have to love the look on his face when he finds out he gets to ride a ferry boat for the first time.

As soon as we got there it was nap time (mean mama!) but as soon as he was up we were heading out to kick the soccer ball and throw rocks in the water. There's nothing better than turning over a rock and seeing the crabs scatter.

It doesn't seem to matter how many resolutions I make, this blog always seems to remain neglected. It's not that I don't have lots I want to post - tips on what to wear, why it's important to have family portraits done, cool ways to display your images in your home, not to mention all the client sessions I haven't blogged - but with everything there is to do, blogging always moves to the bottom of the list.

So I've decided to let you guys make me accountable. From now until the end of June, if I don't post at least two times per week (a week is Sunday to Saturday), the first person to email and call me on it gets a free session.  Hopefully that will move blogging closer to the top of my list!

And because no post is complete without a photograph, here is Angelo trying to show us how old he is. For the longest time he hasn't been able to hold his other fingers down in order to make a two. Now he can but it takes a lot of concentration. :)