Wanting to know you Wens : Baby Bump Virtual Date!

me at 30 weeks with our baby girl Felix (expected birthday 9/17/2012 *soon!!!)

Even before i was pregnant, i always loved seeing photos of baby bumps. I'm excited for this virtual play date because how pretty were/are you all rocking your bump? 

Lindsay was 26 weeks pregnant with her twin boys (whom she calls Peanut and Lovebug on her blog. Seriously, they are so adorable!). This was at her baby shower. 

Holly at 31 weeks with her first baby, a baby boy named Jonas. I am so glad I found Holly's blog since our due dates are close together (she's currently 38 weeks). 

Christina (my brother's girlfriend) when she was 38 weeks pregnant with my beautiful niece Marisol. {I had to include this sweet photo of my brother laying on them}

Jaimie (my girlfriend back home) when she was 33 weeks pregnant with her son Justin Bryant.

Jessica when she was 38 weeks pregnant with her son Reeve, who was born on March 21st. I have to share this sweetness from her email:  Being pregnant was the best experience of my life. I enjoyed every day and prayed that my hands would know what to do when they could no longer rub my belly. I was so sad that they would miss that joyous, personal experience. How naive was I to think that was something I would miss? Having my son in my arms, holding him, rubbing his soft and fuzzy head, his skin, tracing his cheeks....THAT is what my hands were meant to do.

Claudia (who just celebrated a birthday - happy birthday!) when she was about 36 weeks along with her first born Sophia, who will be 11 this January. 

Erin when she was 32 weeks pregnant with her second son Sawyer (pictured with her then 2-year-old son Dylan). She was 37 weeks above. From her email:  I really looked like I had a giant basketball under my top, didn't I? Sawyer was a big baby (9 lbs, 5 oz) but that was getting to be a bit ridiculous! And would you believe I went 5 days past my due date with him? Oh my, was I ever uncomfortable! It was worth it though. So worth it. What they say about labour is true. It hurts like hell, but you'd do it again in a heartbeat to get that beautiful baby.

Lottie who is currently 29 weeks with her first, a baby girl (name, yet to be decided).

Karina on the day she endured 18 hours of natural labor to have her now 9 year old son Miguelito. I told Kary her expression says it all :) 

Skye when she was 37 weeks pregnant with her now 5 month old daughter Ever (how i love that name!)

Elaine at both of her baby showers : L- almost 8 months pregnant with Dylan (November 22, 2008) R-2 weeks prior to having her second son Kaelan (dated April 4, 2011). I love this from her email: Go figure, I had cake on my hands both times! I was a fanatic for sweets my whole pregnancy. It's a wonder I only put on 17 lbs for Dylan and 14 lbs for Kaelan! 

*i on the other hand can't even admit out loud how much weight i've gained in this pregnancy, it's so high!

Cassie who is currently at 33 weeks pregnant with a baby girl (she's also has triplet step daughters). 

Thank-you to everyone who played along and shared a photo of your sweet baby bumps. We'll have to do a follow up virtual date of mama + baby soon xo

Wanting to know you Wens : let's see your baby bump!

Again, I want to say thank-you lovies for putting up with all my baby posts-- especially like today's when it's especially directed to Moms.   

from my maternity shoot // my 30 week baby bump

With only 12 more days until Felix's due date, i thought i would bring back our virtual dates! i have always loved seeing baby bump photos and thought, what better than seeing some of my darling readers during their pregnancies?

If you're currently pregnant or already a Mama, dig out a photo of you rocking your baby bump. It can be from your maternity shoot, one you made your husband take, or one you snapped with your phone in front of the mirror.

my twinkie snapped this one on her phone during our CA girls' trip // 21 weeks

Send your photo to micaela.maxham[at]gmail.com and i'd love to share it on my dolce vita next wens. (unless i go into labor before then). Please include how many weeks you are/were, baby's name/gender + your blog link if you have one with the subject : baby bump.

i can't wait to see what you lovies looked during a most magical time in your lives xo

Wanting to Know you Wens : Our Weddings!

i am so excited for this week's virtual date because how pretty where you lovies on your most magical day?!

this is one of the photos i love from our wedding (i adore how my husband is looking at me), the day after this past Thanksgiving. My father married us in the church i grew up in, in front of only our closest friends and family. Actually my favorite photos from our wedding is the candid moments {and Erin, yes my dress was vintage! which was exactly what i was looking for and got so lucky to find}.

^Kat and her Daniel who just celebrated 5 years!

^Abi (fellow Texan!) who will be celebrating 2 years in September (i love her veil!)

^Amanda on her wedding day who will be celebrating a year on the 15th and added, "it's been the best ride ever!" (photo by Jeff Loves Jessica photography)

^Diana (love the Priscilla Presley feel and the book love!) and her husband who have been married 3 years but says she still feels like newlyweds. i hope i always feel that way too!

^Marisa's beautiful autumn wedding in Chicago wearing a j.crew dress (which was my original dream!) Her and her darling husband are going on 4 years. M: "my wedding day was perfect... weather, family and finally finding the man who loves me despite myself. i'm a lucky girl."

^Shell who's been married to "this handsome husband of mine for almost 4 years." 

^Marianne (my twinkie!) and her husband Philip at their reception February 10, 2007. "I have loved Philip since i was 17. He proposed to me at the DFW airport after i had been away in Europe for the summer. We had been apart for two and half months, the longest time spent apart. Our wedding was absolutely everything i had dreamed about as a little girl." 

^Elisabeth and her husband Brandon moments after saying "i do" a year and a half ago (i love her giddy expression! beautiful)

^Jasmine who married her best friend on the 9th of jan this year. "We don't have our professional photos yet, but this is my favorite 'guest' photo of the happiest day of my life." i have to say jasmine, i love the effect of this one... like a dream which suits such a day!

^Kary and her husband Humberto at their reception (don't you love the cake?!) 9 years ago.

^Erin and A on August 9th, 2002 "loveliest, most fun day ever!"

^Emily and her Frenchie on their wedding day 20 Sept. 2008 in Gap France, a small town in the southern part of the French Alps. "My wedding dress wasn't exactly traditional but it was love at first sight! And those purple shoes? They still make my heart skip a beat." Em, i happen to love non-traditional weddings!

^Gracie and her husband who've been married a year now. "I chose this one because it captured a moment when we were genuinely laughing. It made me remember how fun the ceremony was and how laid back we were all day." 

^Courtney and her husband Tony (the man who saved me many a times as my photographer when i was reporting!) who got married right when she just turned 18 back in 2003. "We had wanted to get married at the justice of peace but on the specific day we wanted to get married they were having a conference and ALL the judges were going to be at this conference. So, I hit google and found a Pastor who could marry us out on this gorgeous property in Sedona, AZ right in front of Cathedral Rock and we got married 8 years ago right at sunset." 

^Erin during her Cinderella Moment-- "The husband was putting my shoes back on during the reception so we could have our first dance. (Who decided I should wear heels?? lol) I couldn't reach my feet, because of my ginormously poofy dress. As you can see, we were laughing about it." 

^Melissa and her husband Doug at their wedding 15 years ago (i love the hats and shared smiles!)

^Meghan (what a beautiful bouquet!) with her husband of almost 2 years now

^Skye and her husband on their wedding day, 11/7/09 "still complete bliss!"

^Heather and S who have been married a little over 1.5 years and recently celebrated another magical day, the birth of their beautiful son. They got married in Istanbul, Turkey (his sister made her dress for the big day... amazing, no?) and Heather adds, "i have the wedding dress that both my mom and grandma wore and someday hope to have a Cali ceremony or fiesta here so i can wear it too!" 

^Kaylia, a fellow newlywed who's been married 3 months (don't you love her bridesmaid dresses?!)

^Amanda who married her husband on Sept. 28, 2008. 

i came up with this virtual date because of the Royal Wedding and Amanda wrote this, "I'm not royalty, but on my special day I definitely felt like I was a princess marrying her knight." 

You definitely looked the part! as all of you beautiful brides did.

For those of you that will someday walk down the aisle to your husband-to-be, i pray you feel that way too. 

"Love one another and you will be happy. It's as simple and as difficult as that."

-Michael Leunig

thank-you lovies for playing along! xo

Wanting to Know you Wens: art gallery date!

last week i asked everyone to send me a piece of art you own and love and tell us why you love it so.

if you came over to casa di M (and if you're ever in el paso, please do!) you would easily see that i have art covering nearly every inch of wall space while other pieces are propped up against the book shelves or against our window nook. But my most prized possessions are ones my pappa painted.

Above is the latest one he's given me and probably my favorite, because it's also one of his oldest (i remember staring at it when i was little, wondering who this dark mystery woman was). The wood frame he made to go with it just adds to the piece.

i think the kind of art we have in our house also tells about us. here's your beautiful pieces:

^Erin : "here's a painting Alan (her husband) gave me for our first Christmas together. He said I made him feel like that rabbit..."

^April's walls: she was so cute to include one i had sent her (the naked blond on the polar bear) from burntfeather and the second one by charmaineolivia is the first piece of art she ever bought herself.

"The second photo is actually greeting cards made by my mom. She sends her handmade cards all the time and some of them get a lucky spot on the wall. These are my two favorites. There's another card I have above my desk that looks like a world map and says 'Don't postpone joy' that she gave me before I went to Italy. I feel like the little sayings are things she can't say herself, approval for all the things I do to find my joy, even when it takes me far away from her. 


The third photo is of two photos from my old roommate. She gave me the first one for my birthday-- it's her dressed up as a boy for a photography class project & I actually took the photo. They just remind me of how much I unconditionally love her and it makes me happy."

^Lenore : "This art was created by my young nephews & nieces! they shared the brushes, tubes of paint and presented me with this LOVELINESS for my birthday. I will treasure it forever!"

^my darling twinkie Marianne : "Anyone who knows me knows how much i absolutely love London. When I got married, my sweet and very talented Pappa painted this for me. It hangs proudly in our living room and every time I look at it, I think of my dad and how much love he's given me my whole life. Naturally i of course think of London and the amazing time I had there."  {i may be biased, but isn't our pappa talented?!}

^Danielle's walls :  "the one with the shapes in the cream frame is by jeremy taylor (the shop he & his wife share is allysonmellberg.etsy.com) the two on my mantle are by juliana swaney (victorian woman with moths coming out of her hair, and another one from jeremy taylor (deer with gold heart between the antlers).  the bird print is from mai autumn and was a christmas present to myself!"

^Carrie Marie : "it's been a part of my life since i was a baby, possibly before i was born. It first hung in my Grandparents' bedroom. Grandpa used to tell me (and all his granddaughters, I later found out) that the little girl on the horse was me, and he was leading it. I love it!" 

^Kim : "my absolute favorite piece of art that we own, and probably ever will own. the artist? an elephant! one of our elephants to be specific. this brilliant artist is one that we rode to the river twice a day, fed, scrubbed, and played with on our honeymoon in thailand. i love having a piece of that amazing experience forever hanging in our home. {and if you want to see photos of our elephants from our honeymoon, i put way too many photos on my blog here}" 

^Marisa's walls : "My renoir... that was my grandmothers. My angel painting reminds me in every way of my sweet sister. The one from you {the last one by artist olivia jeffries} the textures and colors move me." 

^Krista : "My husband and I created these paintings in St. Remy, France which was once home to Vincent Van Gogh so we thought it was only fitting to remember out time there in this way. We spent the afternoon lounging in the warm sun, eating pastries we picked up at the morning market, while dabbing away at our paintings. It was by far one of my favorite memories of the trip." {krista posted more about these paintings on her blog here. isn't that a sweet story?}

^Claire K : "The fist through bars is a b&w photograph that my parents gave me as a graduation gift when I finished my MFA. It's an original photo of a prisoner sticking his (her?) fist through the cell bars, which symbolizes justice and freedom to me and is particularly meaningful given the work I do in prisons.

The second is a b&w photo of a Gypsy wedding. My best friend, Tiffany, found this old photograph in an antique shop and gave it to me for Christmas years ago. It's been hanging above my bed ever since, as a tribute to love as well as my interest in Gypsy culture." 

^Claire : "This is a drawing of The Bungalow in Martindale near Ulswater, The Lake District. This is a holiday cottage, which my husband and I have spent many a fantastic week there with various groups of friends. We stayed there with 10 friends when we got married in 1999. It is extremely remote, has no electricity, the water source is the stream that runs down the hill outside, and the heating is a huge open fire. 

I had the drawing done from a photo and gave it as a present to my hubbie one year a long time ago for a birthday! It hangs in our lounge and we love it!" 

^Maddy : "It's a screen print from the 1970's of the front entrance to mine and Matt's college. My mom and I found it at an antique store in south Florida last year. It's kind of tacky and subtle at the same time, and I love that it displays our love for Florida State without that "college-y" feel (hate that!)."

^Nicola : "This was given to me and my husband by my Father In Law. He loves to paint and this is one of his creations. What makes it even more special is that the chapel is where hubby and I got married nearly 4 years ago. It is a treasured gift!"  

^Kary : "This piece of art means the world to me, it represents something from my Beautiful Mexico City and one of it's most famous legends. It is one of the first paintings I purchased by a freelance artist in 2001. It represents the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl legend, a romantic and tragic story, perfect for the romantic in me." 

^Sara : "

The picture is from our trip to Capri-- my husband (not hubby at time-- in fact, we were not together at that point) bought it from a street vendor. We had it framed when we got married-- I surprised him with it for his birthday the very first year we were married."

^Faiza : 

"This piece of art was painted by my bestie Shafik in 2003. I had just bought my first home and it happened to be down the road from his place at the time. I had it framed, hung it up and haven't taken it down since then. We've been trhough a lot and it hasn't always been beautiful but it has coloured a most gorgeous kinship that I so value and hope to always have in my heart."

^Lauren's walls: "this is an original painting by my friend lauren. I loved it originally because of simplicity and pretty pastels. in the 2nd photo you can see the detail of the dandelion, the raised paint spots, which i love. i also included a silly little webcam shot where I'm on the computer most of the time, on my couch. On the wall behind it is the other painting by lauren that i have. it's really pretty and simple, a watercolor rose."



i know this was photo heavy, but how can it not be when it's our art gallery soiree?! i truly loved seeing everyone's art pieces and loved even more the stories you shared behind them. 


thank-you so very much lovies for playing along in this week's virtual date!!! xoxo