Comments (0)

By Jennifer, October 30, 2012 6:46 pm

I ventured out today for another bathroom shoot for Collins Tile and Stone. The skies are still dreary from Hurricane Sandy, but the rain has thankfully stopped.

Bath Tub

Shower

Bath Tub

Vanity & Shower

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, October 24, 2012 12:56 pm

Yesterday I photographed a beautiful bathroom for Collins Tile and Stone. The tile work was quite intricate and it was one of the largest bathrooms I’ve ever photographed.

Tub & Vanities

Shower

Vanity

Tub & Vanity

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, September 27, 2012 4:52 pm

Recently, I photographed another bathroom remodel by Collins Tile & Stone which was pretty challenging. The shower had some glass doors with a bright window directly across from the doors so the reflection of the window showed in the shower glass. A polarizing filter really helps cut glare from reflective surfaces. I had recently sold my cheap polarizing filter because it was adversely affecting the quality of my images. But I hadn’t yet ordered a new, higher quality polarizing filter. I really wish I had one for this shoot. So, I just ordered a new one so I have it for the next shoot. To solve the issue, I got some big black garbage bags and covered most of the window with them and then I did quite a bit of editing in Photoshop to remove the reflection of the window. Here are the before and after images:

Bathroom Before Editing

Bathroom After Editing

And here’s one more image that I rather liked that really showcases the company’s tile work on the walls and floor. I don’t usually like images that have the toilet in them, but this one was pretty well hidden by the dividing wall.

Bathroom

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, May 27, 2012 6:32 am

On Friday I also photographed a solarium flooring project for Collins Tile & Stone. This house was beautiful! Here are some photos from the shoot.

Solarium Floor

Solarium Floor

Solarium Floor

Solarium Floor

More photos from the shoot can be seen here.

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, May 25, 2012 9:12 pm

On Tuesday I photographed another beautiful bathroom for Collins Tile & Stone. Here are a few of my favorite images from the shoot.

Bathroom

Bathroom

Bathroom

Bathroom

The rest of the photos from the shoot can be viewed here.

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, May 5, 2012 9:20 pm

Earlier this week I photographed a town home in Reston for a “For Sale By Owner” property. Here are a few photos from the shoot.

Living Room & Front Foyer

Dining Room

Breakfast Nook

Kitchen

Back Deck

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, April 26, 2012 11:05 pm

So, I guess there was some confusion about my due date when I talked with my doctor this morning. I thought my original due date was 7/12/2012, but my doctor has 7/13/2012 written down based on my cycle. The first and second ultrasound said due date was 7/12/2012 which is what was communicated to me. The third ultrasound said due date was 7/10/2012. So, I guess my official due date is 7/13/2012, but baby will probably come earlier based on his/her growth.

People keep asking if I know if baby #2 is a boy or girl. We’re pretty sure baby is a girl, but we don’t know for sure since at the second and third ultrasounds baby’s legs were crossed and we couldn’t view the gender. The doctors didn’t see anything “extra” so they think girl.

Anyhow, all was well at today’s doctor appointment. I took the glucose test for gestational diabetes. I should have the results next week. Baby’s heart rate was 142 bpm. My belly measured just right as far as baby’s growth. I’ve gained about 11 pounds so far since I became pregnant which is pretty good, too.

Thank you to all who have been praying for my pregnancy. I really appreciate it!

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, April 7, 2012 2:09 pm

Family is here visiting for the Easter holiday and we decided to take a trip to Frying Pan Farm Park yesterday. Alex loved petting the farm animals and exploring. The baby pigs were super cute!

Baby Pigs

Sleeping Pig

Alex Driving a Tractor

More photos can be seen here.

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, April 5, 2012 9:06 am

Yesterday, I photographed some of the beautiful gardens in a friend’s neighborhood.

Flowers

Wisteria

Berries

Latern

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, March 18, 2012 1:38 pm

On Thursday, I did a shoot for Collins Tile & Stone featuring tile back splashes. It was some beautiful work in four bathrooms and a kitchen.

Kitchen Back Splash

Bathroom Back Splash

For the shot below, I had to lower the tripod down low enough to not be seen in the mirror and I hid behind the partially open door and used my wired remote to trigger the camera.

Bathroom Back Splash

Bathroom Back Splash

Bathroom Back Splash

Comments (5)

By Jennifer, September 13, 2010 11:52 pm

A lot of folks have been asking how I am feeling after having the baby. I’m feeling pretty energetic and happy to be a parent, but I have some pain from where the doctor put in some sutures after the delivery. I like the phrase that someone else mentioned to me to describe the pain… my baby shoot hurts. Haha! So, it’s difficult to sit properly on hard chairs and standing up from a sitting position hurts a little. My belly is very jiggly, too, which I am not that used to. Alex hasn’t been very fussy except for when he’s hungry, needs his diaper changed, or is a bit cold from our A/C. He’s a joy to have in our lives!

Our goal has been to try to have Alex feed about every three hours, but haven’t been super strict about it in the first couple days home. The longest he’s slept in one interval has been about 4 hours. We’ve got lots to learn. I’m still trying to figure out breast feeding. It seems weird to me and my boobs hurt. I’m going to try pumping and see how that goes. Nick and I made a run to Target today while Nick’s parents watched Alex to buy the breast pump and some other baby things. And then we went grocery shopping. I was pretty tired when we got home and took a nice nap before dinner time. It’s been really nice to have Nick’s step dad and mom around the last couple days to help out while we learn how to care for Alex.

Alex also had his first visit to the pediatrician this afternoon and everything checked out excellently. He’s lost a little bit of weight since birth which is to be expected, but not as much as the average baby. In just 4 days I can see he has filled out in his cheeks, but he seems like a long skinny baby to me. his hands and feet are still pretty wrinkly, too. Alex has some birthmarks on his head. One on his forehead and eye called “angel’s kiss” which should disappear by the time he is two or three years old. And one on the back of his head near his neck called “stork bite” which he will have for life, but it’ll be covered by his hair.

Comments (6)

By Jennifer, September 10, 2010 7:36 am

We are very excited to introduce our baby boy, Alexander Luke Arnett, to you! Alex was born September 9, 2010 at 7:09pm weighing 7 pounds and 6 ounces and measuring 21 inches long! We are all doing well and looking forward to new adventures together! Thank you all for your prayers and support!

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, September 6, 2010 10:17 pm

I didn’t get the call today about being induced Tuesday, instead of Thursday. So, I go to see my doctor for a regular appointment tomorrow morning. Unless she changes something at the appointment, the plan is to be induced on Thursday morning. This means I will be going to the hospital Wednesday evening to take Cervadil which is suppose to make my cervix more hospitable to labor. I’ll take it the night before so I sleep through the side effects, primarily nausea. Then, I will take Pitocin the next morning to induce labor.

Speaking of labor, Nick and I spent Labor Day weekend doing lots of walking and shopping. Walking is suppose to help keep baby in the proper position and bury his head down into the pelvis more. So, Friday we went to Home Depot, the grocery store, and ate lunch at Chipotle. Saturday we went to a bunch of garage sales in Sterling, Herndon, and Reston. We only spent $12 and found some pretty good treasures! For baby, we found this totally cute baby bath robe, an orange and navy blue 2 piece Adidas outfit, a dinosaur shirt, and a gray one piece with a train on it. We got 5 books: Disney’s Aladdin, a baby Bible verse memory book, A Tale of Three Trees, a book about the 1994 World Cup, and a math and physics formula book. We got a spreader for the lawn. And we got Pictionary new in the box with the plastic wrap still on. After the garage sales, we ate lunch at Potbelly and went to a Porche car show at Reston Towne Center.

Sunday we went to church, and I just slept a whole lot all afternoon. I think I was tired from all the walking from the previous two days.

Today we went furniture shopping originally looking for a chair for the nursery, but we didn’t find one we really liked. However, we did buy two more chairs to go with the dining set that we already have so there are six chairs total now. So, that will be nice when we have dinner guests.

Comments (1)

By Jennifer, September 2, 2010 3:18 pm

So, Nick and I packed up the car and headed to the hospital this morning fully expecting to go through a c-section and meeting our baby boy today. But today is not the day that we will meet our little one. The c-section was canceled because baby has turned into the proper position with his head down! We were at the hospital for quite a while before we got this news, though.

I wasn’t able to eat or drink anything starting at midnight in preparation for the surgery. So, I was majorly hungry. The nurses gave me an IV and had me on the baby monitor for a while to keep track of baby’s heart beat and contractions. Baby’s heart beat was nice and strong and no contractions were happening. Later the doctor arrived and used an ultrasound to check baby’s position one last time before the c-section. We found his head down, his butt up, and his feet on my left side! He had moved into the proper position making the c-section unnecessary! My doctor was pretty surprised. I think Nick and I were, too!

So, doctor wants me to do a lot of walking to help baby keep his head down in the proper position and give him a few more days to decide to come on his own. But because baby has favored a less desirable position, my doctor wants to make sure that baby doesn’t turn again by inducing by my due date. So, I’m scheduled to be induced on Thursday if he doesn’t come sooner on his own. There is a possibility I may be induced on Tuesday, but not likely as there are 8 other mothers ahead of me in the schedule. If 3 of those 8 have their babies before Monday, then I will be induced Tuesday. I’ll go into the hospital the night before, in either case, to get some medication to make my cervix more favorable for delivery and the next morning I will be induced. There is still a possibility I may need a c-section if baby turns again or if inducing fails, but neither is highly likely. If I don’t have the baby by Tuesday, I have my next doctor check up appointment on Tuesday.

So, I am a bit disappointed that baby isn’t here yet, but it is what it is and God is in control! I am glad that I didn’t have to have a c-section as the recovery will be easier. Please keep praying for these last days of pregnancy, for a safe and healthy delivery, and for Nick and I as new parents!

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, September 1, 2010 6:06 pm

Nick and I just got back from Pre-Op at the hospital. Basically, they verified and gathered lots of information, took some blood, we talked with an anesthesiologist, and got lots of questions answered. Tomorrow morning is the c-section and baby Arnett’s birthday! I should be back home on Sunday as long as there are no complications.

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, August 26, 2010 9:56 pm

Monday I had an ultrasound, and I had my last regular doctor visit this morning. At the time of the ultrasound baby moved into a breech position with his head up and butt down and his arms and legs on my right side. His hands and feet were in front of his face. But now he’s back in the transverse lie position (sideways) with his head on my left side. According to the measurements in the ultrasound, baby weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces as of Monday. I’ve read that during the last month or so babies gain about an ounce a day as they grow. So, he’s going to end up being a bit bigger than I thought, but the tech said that he’s in the 56th percentile as far as growth which is very good. We want him to be right around 50%. Everything else looks healthy, too. Strong heartbeat. My blood pressure, sugars, and proteins are all good. My hands and feet have been pretty swollen the last couple weeks, but they feel better when I drink lots of water. I also haven’t slept real well the last couple weeks. It’s hard to get comfortable, and I get up to go pee at least once in the middle of the night.

Because of baby’s position, a c-section is planned for the morning of Thursday, September 2nd! I have pre-op on Wednesday afternoon. The surgery itself should be pretty quick. They will make a 10 cm cut below my panty line, pull baby out, and stitch me back up. Nick will be in the surgery room with me during the surgery, and we’ll be able to hold the baby right after he’s born while the doctors do the stitches. The doctor said they’ll have me up and walking around Friday morning, and I should be back home after the surgery by Sunday as long as there are no complications, like infection.

The first two weeks after the surgery may be tough, but my doctor said after that the recovery is pretty much the same as a vaginal birth. I am grateful that Nick will be able to take two weeks off work for paternity leave to help out. I think some family are going to come visit after I am home as well. Not sure exactly when, though.

Tuesday, August 31st will be my last day at work before starting maternity leave, and I’m planning to go back November 1st as long as our day care spot is open. But I will only be working from the office 3 days a week and at home from my laptop 2 days a week. So, baby will only need day care 2-3 days a week.

Please pray for the c-section, recovery, a healthy baby boy, and Nick and I as new parents!

Comments (1)

By Jennifer, July 9, 2010 7:45 am

I had a follow up doctor appointment on Tuesday. Everything is going well. My doctor decided I can go back to work, but I need to limit my hours so that I get enough rest. It’s what they call “Level 1 Bed Rest.” Last week I was on “Level 2 Bed Rest.” So, I’m basically working 10am-3pm or so now so I can get 8-10 hours of sleep at night and take a morning and afternoon nap. I don’t think I’ve had scheduled naps since I was a little kid. So, it’s a little weird. But I am glad to be able to go back to work.

Comments (2)

By Jennifer, June 29, 2010 6:45 am

Yesterday was pretty eventful as far as my pregnancy goes. I started spotting a small amount of blood over the weekend. So, I went to see my doctor first thing Monday morning. (I would have went straight to the hospital had it gotten any worse or I felt any pain or contractions, but I didn’t. So, no guilt tripping me…) The doctor did several tests and sent me over to Labor & Delivery at the hospital to be monitored and get more tests and then to get another ultrasound. Everything came back with good results except a test with a long name that I now forget which is an indicator of going into labor within the next two weeks. The doctor who did the ultrasound said it was likely a “false positive,” and nothing to be worried about. The bleeding stopped yesterday afternoon while I was at the hospital. So, they sent me home and put me on bed rest. Basically, I need to stay at home and take it easy. I think that will be pretty hard for me to do because I am quite use to keeping myself busy. I need to go back to the doctor this afternoon to get a second dose of a shot they gave me. It’s basically some kind of steroid that will help the baby’s lungs develop just in case he is born early. I really like how precautionary my doctor was to make sure everything was ok with both the baby and me. Although, I imagine the medical bills are going to be slightly overwhelming over the next several months.

P.S. I hope this storm doesn’t kill anybody.

Comments (0)

By Jennifer, June 17, 2010 2:05 pm

I had my June doctor appointment today and all is well. I did a blood test for gestational diabetes and complete blood count (CBC). Baby’s resting heart rate was about 125 and jumped to 140 when he moved around which is good. My blood pressure was also very good. The doctor also measured my belly again, and she said that was good, too. From the time of my first doctor appointment to this one, I’ve gained 17 pounds so I am on track to do very well with not gaining too much or too little weight. The goal the doctor mentioned was to not gain more than 25 pounds. So, everything is going very well with me and baby.

UPDATE 6/27/2010: The blood test results for gestational diabetes and CBC came back normal. Thank you all who prayed for that.

Comments (1)

By Jennifer, May 26, 2010 9:14 pm

Yesterday’s doctor appointment was very short. Baby’s heart rate was 154bpm. The doctor measured my belly with a measuring tape, which is something they didn’t do before. And I got my weight and blood pressure taken as usual. The doctor said everything is progressing well. At my next appointment, I’ll be getting a blood taken so they can test for gestational diabetes as well as a few other things. After that appointment, my appointments will be every two weeks until the baby is born.

People I don’t know are starting to ask me when I am due. So, my belly must be becoming obviously large. I’ve had some trouble sleeping lately. I’m having a hard time getting comfortable to fall asleep. Then I’ll feel the baby kicking at like 3am and he’ll wake me up. And I’ll have to wake up in the middle of the night to pee. So, I’ve been kind of tired lately.