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Category: be present Maternity Series

be present.

Last week I received lots of happy news. It was just one of those weeks where everything was coming up Ashley.

I’ve learned to appreciate those moments, those times where things seems to fall into place and I either receive kind words or affirmations that give me that jumpy, happy, twitchy feeling and paint a stupid grin across my face.

It’s so easy to brush aside those moments, or forget about them when we need them most. But life really is far more pleasant when we focus on the positive rather than the negative. Easier said than done, I know. Given the tragedy that struck the whole nation this week, we all know that there is so much ugly bubbling around us that it can be hard to even appreciate it when good news does come a’knockin’.

But I will treasure the kind words I received in an email last week from a fellow Eph and New York Times best-selling author praising my writing on this blog. I am horribly insecure about my writing, and for her to have taken the time to sit down and right those encouraging words means more than she’ll ever know. To be told that my writing could be inspiring to an already successful author is more praise than I could have hoped to achieve with this little niche of the Internet.

And then I received an email from be present, a company that makes active and casual wear clothing based on the yoga lifestyle, offering to sponsor the clothing I will wear in my 9 Month Maternity Photo Series. I could not be more thrilled to partner with a company that promotes overall wellness and comfort as I move through my pregnancy. Their name alone, be present, is a constant reminder of one of my New Year’s Goals:

Breathe. It doesn’t get any better than being in the moment. Stop worrying so much about tomorrow. What you have here and now is more than enough, and then some.

I am especially excited to be sporting clothing that will accommodate my ever-growing waistline and allow me to maintain an active lifestyle without having to wear a mumu. A stylish, and most importantly, comfortable, pregnant mama I’ll be! And as all pregnant women know, maintaining both of those qualities is an impressive feat indeed.

Next week, I plan to share Month 2 and the first shoot in the be present line. Also, look out for special be present giveaways over at Green Eyed Monster. Yes, that’s right, you all can reap the benefits of this lovely partnership too! They have organic and eco-friendly lines of clothing, making the brand a perfect fit for expecting mamas and mama earth lovers alike. And of course, everyone in between and beyond.

Please, head on over to Facebook and ‘like’ the heck out of this awesome company. And if you’re on Twitter, why don’t you give ’em a follow? And you can check out their whole line and subscribe to their newsletter by heading over to www.bepresent.com.

I can’t wait to share this project with you! Enjoy your weekend, and remember to be present in whatever you do.

Month 1

These photographs are  part of a series I have started with a local Berkshire photographer, Kate Drew Miller. The hope is to document the entirety of the pregnancy, and create a series of time lapse videos from the shoots as my belly grows into oblivion.

(Yes, I know, the stop motion/time lapse obsession continues!)

I’ll share monthly stills that I like best from the shoots and pair them with different sound bytes running through my head throughout the pregnancy. I’m choosing to wear a black romper to start as it was quite accommodating throughout my whole pregnancy with Addison, and am certain it will serve me equally well this go round.

I’m practicing yoga three times a week to break up my cardio work spinning. Just look at the concentration on my face as I desperately try to maintain balance despite the pregnancy hormones knocking me around like a ship in the waves. Yoga class is where I can relax, stretch, and I hope build some serious strength for the epic labor I must confront in less than 9 months. Plus, my midwives have strongly endorsed the habit, and I’m going to heed their suggestions. They’ve seen labor and delivery several hundred times. What they say, goes.

I need to remember that my waist indeed appears small compared to what is about to happen over the course of the next 8 months. Ah perspective.

Expect Month 2 shortly, as I hit 8 weeks today.

Photo: Courtesy of Kate Drew Miller Photographer