Poets

 2010. Poet, Literary Critic, Editor of The Best of American Poetry series, and professor at The New School David Lehman in New York, New York
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 2011. Poet Rachel Zolf in Brooklyn, New York. 

  2011. Poet Rachel Zolf in Brooklyn, New York. 

 2009. Poet Ash Adams in Homer, Alaska.

 2011. Poet and editor of the New York Quarterly Raymond Hammond at his home in Brooklyn, New York.

2011. Poet Amanda J. Bradley in Brooklyn, New York.

All Photos © Brian Adams

April is National Poetry Month, so I thought I'd share in the celebration by sharing some of my favorite photographs that I've made of poets in the last couple of years. You'll notice that the earliest photo above is of my wife, Ash, who was the first poet I had ever photographed and who has introduced me to how wonderful, inspiring, and often underrated contemporary poetry can be.

A little bit about each of the poets:

David Lehman is, well, David Fucking Lehman, which is to say that there is honestly just too much I could say about him and yet still not do him justice. Ash could not wait to learn from him. He not only is a celebrated poet and author, but he is also the editor of a book series and accompanying blog I thoroughly enjoy The Best American Poetry, and, from what Ash tells me, an inspiring professor. He was kind enough to meet with Ash and I on a gray, fall day in 2010 to walk around his neighborhood in New York City and to invite us in for coffee and cake with his wife. (She, Stacey Harwood, is pretty amazing, too.) If you're in the city on a Monday, swing by KGB Bar, where every Monday night, 1-2 poets read in a series that was originally started by Lehman. There's a good chance that he'll be there.

Rachel Zolf is a brilliant poet (and person!) who has published four books of poetry and is currently a professor of English at the University of Calgary. Before her other work, Ash first introduced me to her MFA thesis, the Tolerance Project which is an intellectually stimulating project that questions the function of community behind creating art while challenging the current way in which writing programs often "workshop" art. When Ash and I met with her, we spent an afternoon at Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, her choice. Ash and I had already spent afternoons in the cemetery (it is really a sanctuary in the city for people like us), and I was thrilled to have a subject suggest it. She was a pleasure to photograph and meet, and I am hoping that sometime our Alaskan-Canadian highway will bring us together again!

Ash Adams, my beloved wife, is an emerging poet in addition to all of the other things I love about her. I am really too biased to write a thing about her poetry, but I do love everything she writes. She has been published in several literary magazines, and is constantly writing, editing, and reading. I am proud to be her husband.

Raymond P. Hammond is a Brooklyn-based poet, author, and literary critic, and is the editor of the New York Quarterly Journal, a literary magazine that Ash and I both read regularly. I met Raymond on the same afternoon on which I met Amanda J. Bradley, his partner, who attended the New School's graduate program in Poetry with Ash.

Amanda J. Bradley is a Brooklyn-based poet who has published two books of poetry and has been published in many literary magazines and journals. In addition to her MFA in Poetry from The New School, she also holds a PhD in English and American Literature from Washington in St. Louis and teaches literature at Molloy College in Brooklyn. I have not yet read her latest book, Oz at Night, but it is on my list! I thoroughly enjoyed meeting both Amanda and Raymond at their home; something that I love about the homes of all poets and authors is that their homes are lined with what they love--books. It was wonderful to meet another couple united in their artistic endeavors.

To poets everywhere: Happy Poetry Month! Thanks for putting beautiful words into the world.

Top Ten Ways You Know You're an Alaskan Hipster

iPhone Photo © 2012 Brian Adams

If you're still going to mustache parties or hosting them, you're probably not a hipster. That was pretty much over in 2005. The same goes for only-undies parties and The Postal Service. If you drink PBR, you're probably not a hipster, either; you're actually probably in high school. (Hipsters moved on to local microbrews by 2008.) Anchorage was recently declared as one of America's best cities for hipsters by Travel + Leisure, so if you're wondering how a normal-average so-and-so can make it into hipsterdom in 2012 up here, I can tell you that ordering clothing from Urban Outfitters alone does not a hipster make. It's a lifestyle, a state of being. It's about clinging to the edges, or at least hanging out near them.


Read Ash's full article in this week's Anchorage Press!

Things We Love: Must-Haves for Baby's First Month (and Beyond!)

Photo © 2012 Ash Adams

When Brian and I were preparing for Elliott's arrival, we honestly didn't think we needed very much, at least relative to the zillions of products that are out there--and we were right. Although there is an item or article of clothing for any situation you can possibly imagine, when you're you're having a baby, all you need during the first month is the ability to provide the following five things for your baby: 1.) food 2.) clothing 3.) a safe and comfortable place for baby to sleep 4.) a way to transport baby safely from point A to point B, and 5.)a clean, safe, and healthy environment. Of course, there are little items here and there that help you to meet needs 1-5 a little easier, and now that Elliott is a month old, Brian and I wanted to share the items that have been indispensable to us during this newborn period. Many items listed here were recommended to us or given to us by other new parents, too, so thank you to all of these wonderful friends for their insights!

1.) Breast-feeding Must-haves:

Elliott is a breastfed baby (all breastmilk, no formula), so if you are planning on feeding your newborn formula, just skip over the first section! Moms who have formula-fed their babies and have tips to share: please feel free to share and link to must-have items for forumla-fed newborns!

Philips Avent BPA Free Twin Electric Breast Pump: I researched home breast pumps extensively before selecting one to add to our baby registry, and the Philips Avent BPA Free Twin Electric Breast Pump seemed to have primarily excellent reviews and wasn't so expensive that it would break the bank if we bought it ourselves. Easy to use, easy to clean, lightweight, and efficient I love this pump. Although I primarily breast-feed, I pump 16-20 ounces/day (generally, I pump about 8 ounces in 10 minutes with the pump) which we freeze or refrigerate and use for one of the night feedings, and so I can't emphasize enough what a help this pump has been. The only other pump I have to compare it to is the one I used while in the hospital, a Medela, which, I have to say, was less effective and less comfortable.

Boppy Pillow: I had never heard of a Boppy Pillow before I had one, but I'm so, so glad that my mother-in-law bought me one as a baby shower gift. It's a fairly simple device--it's a pillow that encircles your waist--but I use it with almost every feeding. Elliott is the kind of eater that likes to savor his nourishment and take his time, which means that there are some feedings that last for a few hours, during which he eats vigorously for 20-30 minutes, then naps a little on the breast, then eats a little, then naps a little, and on. The Boppy Pillow makes it much easier to hold him for these long feedings so that we both can enjoy our time together a bit more. There are also many times that I'm able to feed him while working, eating, etc, because the pillow gives him a place to rest between the vigorous feedings. (And then there are many times that he rests his head on the pillow and we just look at and talk to each other for a while.)

Lansinoh HPA Lanolin: During the first few days of breast-feeding, a new mom's nipples take a hit, even if your baby's latch is perfect or nearly perfect from the start. After the first few feedings at the hospital, I was glad that I had a tube of Lansinoh HPA Lanolin in our overnight bag after several friends had recommended it, and I still use it after some of the marathon feedings to soothe sore nipples. In the beginning, slather is on generously with reckless abandon after every feeding and just leave it on. Your nipples will thank you. If you're anything like me, you'll only be using it once every couple of days after the longer feedings by the end of the first month.

Milkies Milk Savers: I cannot emphasize enough to breast-feeding women the importance of having one or two of these Milkies Milk Savers around. If you don't believe me, breast-feed for a week or two and watch as "let-down" milk flows from the non-nursing breast all over your clothes. After just a few days, you will find that every ounce or two of milk is precious, and wasting the let-down is, well, really annoying. The milk saver is a simple rubbery device that you slip into the bra cup of the non-nursing breast and that catches the let-down milk as you nurse, keeping your clothes dry and allowing you to refrigerate or freeze the let-down milk. You might be surprised how much milk you're losing with each feeding; at every feeding, I am able to store 2 ounces from each breast just from the milk saver, which really adds up. (Why pump more than you have to?)

Nursing Bras: All I can say about nursing bras, really, is this: go big. Go bigger than you think is possible, and look for comfort and simplicity, at least for your first few weeks, above anything else. These 2-pack nursing bras from Target have been my favorites, and although they're really only for crew-necks and tees (the racerback is a bit high for anything else), they're simple, lightweight, and supportive.

2.) Baby Clothing Essentials:

Clothing is the thing that you'll want to pick out for yourself but unfortunately, everyone will want to buy you. It is not unfortunate that people want to buy things for your child, but it is unfortunate because you just don't need that many clothes, and if you're even mildly picky like Brian and I, you'll end up using only those things you bought yourself anyways. (This excludes the handmade hats from your friends and clothing items from people who are very close to you and know your tastes well.) I also need to make a note about the Gap: Brian and I are not regular patrons of the Gap, but they have become our favorite place to pick up newborn and baby clothes. They're spendier than we'd like most of the time, but shop only their sale section and you'll come away with some awesome pieces that cost hardly anything. Anyways, below are the clothing items that we use in rotation every week and that we will be using for at least the next two months:

Gerber Brand White Side-Snaps Shirts: As far as baby clothing is concerned, side-snaps are the way to go. They're so easy to button and unbutton, and they're adorable. Buy one pack of 3 short-sleeved shirts and one of 3 long-sleeved, and you're set.

1-2 Kimono style outfits like these from Baby Soy: My cousin purchased this one for us, which turned us on the to brand, and we love them. They're easy to button and un-button, which makes dressing and undressing baby really easy, and they're soft and breathable. What's more, Elliott loves them!

2 sleeping gowns like these from American Apparel: The benefits to the sleeping gowns are pretty obvious--they make nighttime changes really easy and they're super soft and comfortable.

2 warmish long-sleeved, long-legged one-pieces for going out like the one-piece argyle sweater (from the Gap) that Elliott is wearing the photo above. (The ones I purchased are no longer online, but when I purchased them, they were on sale for ten dollars each--a steal!--and we use them all the time.) This is the perfect "going out" outfit in the Alaskan springtime (and I suspect summer and fall, too), when the temperatures are in the high 40's and very low 50's; with a hat and some booties, Elliott stays warm on our 2-3-mile walks in the Bjorn and even is usually a little warm if we stop at the bakery or the market. For newborns, we've found, it's simpler to stay away from layers and just try to have a few versatile pieces that work with indoor temperatures and outdoor temperatures.

4-6 Pairs of Tall Socks like these Triple-Roll Socks from the Gap. Low-cut socks fall right off of a newborn or will be promptly kicked off, but Brian and I pull the Triple-Roll Socks all of the way up (they hit just above the knee) which is not only really, really cute but also effective; Elliott doesn't try to kick them off and they don't fall off easily.

gDiapers: Obviously, not everyone wants to go the cloth diaper route, so this bullet may be lost on you. But if you're like us, you want something that's eco-friendly but not just a piece of cloth (eew). And so gDiapers were perfect for us: they're basically reusable cloth diapers that have biodegradable inserts that you simply remove and flush. So, in other words, they're a lot better than plastic diapers that last forever in a landfill and that allow baby to stay wet longer than is good for him but they're not cloth diapers that will leak through immediately and that you have to wash in your sink or washer daily. We go through one-two of the cloth diapers per day, and not because anything goes through the insert, but usually because some mess gets on the side somehow. It keeps our washloads to 1-2 times a week instead of everyday. One note: the newborn sizes just do not work, as a lot of other reviewers will tell you, too (we bought them even after reading these because we wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt); they are an odd size and the velcro strip that fastens the diaper has sharp edges that poked Elliott's legs no matter what we did. So we used Earth's Best diapers for the first two weeks with Elliott, then upgraded to the Small-size g-diapers, and now we love them and will use them until he is potty-trained.

3.)Bedding Essentials:

A newborn doesn't need much in the way of bedding to sleep soundly, but to sleep safely it comes down to having a mattress that isn't too soft and to have nothing else in his immediate sleeping area. Both of these restrictions prevent SIDS, as does keeping the baby in the room of the parents for the first 4 months of life, which is why we really only have one recommendation for sleeping essentials:

DaVinci Chloe Cradle: This cradle is lovely, simple, and the perfect size for a newborn-6 month-old baby, and it's the perfect size to keep in the parent's bedroom for the first few months. The mattress that comes with the cradle is actually a bit too hard for Elliott, but with the addition of this Quilted Waterproof Cradle Mattress Pad and a thick-but-firm quilt sewed by a good friend, Elliott sleeps soundly and safely (and we sleep a bit sounder, too).

4.) Transportation Must-Haves:

For a newborn, you really only need a car seat and some sort of walking infant carrier, be it a strap-on carrier or a stroller. Brian and I were not interested in purchasing a stroller, at least not for the first few months, so I have nothing to report just yet, but two things we use almost daily (if not daily) are the following:

Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat: Because we have nothing to compare this to, I can't say all that much about this one, but I will say that the Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat was recommended to us by several new parents, and we have only loved it. It's easy to use, not too heavy (though, I will say, it isn't light either), and Elliott loves it.

Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier Active: We use our Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier Active every single day, and although we may upgrade to the Ergo after he's a year or so, the Bjorn has been perfect for his first month (babies smaller than 8 pounds aren't supposed to roll in the Bjorn, though, so if you have a preemie, the Bjorn will have to wait).

5.)Health & Safety Essentials:

This is the most ambiguous of all of the "must-haves," I know. But really, again, creating a healthy and safe environment for your newborn boils down to the essentials. Keep your baby clean, keep your home mellow but inspired, and always remind yourself that almost always less is more. Read almost any book on baby and childhood development, and you'll see countless studies that prove that babies thrive with less "screen-stimuli" (aka: television) and more one-on-one interaction. They need quiet time to sleep (and this plays a crucial part in brain development) and active playtime with their parents or primary caregivers. If babies are able to be calm and lovingly engaged, their brains will develop better.

This is why perhaps, above all else, TIME and PATIENCE are listed first under this category. Take time to enjoy your baby and the bonding that happens during these first few weeks, and be patient; baby can't speak yet, but just staying calm and patient and trying to figure out what baby is trying to tell you will bring you closer together. I've never been "good" with babies, per se, so this whole "bonding" thing was a little scary to me. Even though Elliott is my son--the son I carried for nearly ten months--when he was born, he was loved more than I could have ever imagined but was still a bit of a stranger. We knew each other, but not like this. But just being patient--with both Elliott and myself--has paid off. (Brian says the same thing.) We're only a month into this thing, but our home is already a happy one that communicates well. For us, "time" also applied to visitors; Brian and I limited the amount of visitors and visits each day and have kept them short. Not everyone likes or understands this, of course, but withdrawing for the past few weeks has been essential in giving our family the space we need to just be together during this special foundational time.

And now, for the practical purchased items:

Homemade First Aid Kit: This one is a no-brainer, really. If you look at infant first-aid kits, they typically cost way more than they're worth and have hardly anything in them, so while I was in the "nesting" phase of pregnancy, I made my own "kit," which is essentially an organizer that contains first aid essentials: thermometer, alcohol, peroxide, bandages, bulb syringe, gauze, antibiotic ointment, etc. I'm sure many things will go unused for years, but it's nice knowing that they're there.

Bathing Supplies: Babies don't need very much for bathing; in fact, they really only need warm water. (And because they aren't supposed to be bathed until after they loose their umbilical stump, you'll probably only get 1-2 baths in during baby's first month.) Of the two times we've bathed Elliott--which he loves!--we've used only this Tummy Tub which was a gift from Brian's cousin, a soft organic baby wash cloth from Babies-R-Us, Burts Bees Baby Bee Fragrance-Free Shampoo and Wash, and this awesome hooded towel, and I don't anticipate needing anything else for coming baths for a while.

Eddie Bauer Heritage Tote: Any diaper bag will do, really, but Brian and I have seriously loved this Eddie Bauer Heritage Tote, which is super-roomy with the perfect amount of pockets, a portable changing pad, and a wet bag. It won't break the bank, either, at under thirty bucks. (Brian: "I love that bag.")

Baby Books: For everyone who wants to buy you clothes for your baby shower, ask instead that they buy you baby books; we are so thankful for every one that we own, some of which we purchased ourselves and many that were given to us as gifts. While moving pictures are overwhelming for and kind of lost on newborns, Elliott loves being read to, and Brian and I are amazed at the amount of attention he gives still images and drawings.

And, in closing, I need to mention one luxury item that is not a must-have, necessarily, but that we love:

Davinci Emily Changer with Drawer: This changing table is the bee's knees, and if your baby loves it as much as Elliott does, it actually will be a must-have! For the first few days after we had Elliott--before we had assembled the table--he was never excited about being changed. He wasn't fussy about it either, but he didn't love it like he does now. And we love it, too! The table keeps our space looking open and organized, and it means that changing time is one less time in the day that we have to bend over to do something. And, changing time is "fun time"; we sing "changing songs" (don't ask what they are, they're pretty embarrassing and some of them are homemade), help Elliott hold his rattle and rattle along, clap our hands because we're happy and we know it. And so, having something that makes changing time all a bit more neat and comfortable for everyone is a good thing.

Well, those are the things we love for the first month, all of which (aside from the clothes) will still be in use over the course of the next 6-12 months. I'm sure we'll have some new discoveries and must-haves along the way, so stay tuned!

Jonathan J. Bower

© 2012 Brian Adams Check out more photos and words on last weekend's photoshoot with Anchorage's own musician Jonathan J. Bower on Brian Adams' Photography!

Tummy Tuesdays: 4 Weeks Postpartum

Photos © 2012 Brian Adams


It's hard to believe that it's already been four weeks since Elliott's birth, but it has; time flies when you're on baby time, and in the best way. Bodies and babies are both truly amazing.

On that note, I'll keep this week's Tummy Tuesdays short, and primarily because, well, there haven't been all that many changes this week from last week. That said, each week I feel like I am closer and closer to feeling totally like myself again, so I have a feeling that although each week will yield less and less noticeable results from week to week, by the end of it the overall comparison will be huge. Go body!

Just look how far the bump has come already:

3 weeks postpartum

2 weeks postpartum

1 week postpartum

2 days after delivery

41-weeks pregnant

Portrait-A-Day by Clark James Mishler

© 2012 Clark James Mishler

© 2012 Brian Adams

This afternoon, Brian, Elliott, and I stopped by to see some good friends, Clark James Mishler and his lovely wife, Mitzi, and, although I was feeling less than camera-ready, Clark made some wonderful photos of Brian and Elliott and included one in his Portrait-A-Day project! And then Brian made the iPhone photo above of Clark, who, in addition to being our friend, is one of Brian's mentors and an amazing photographer. Thanks so much, Clark and Mitzi!!

Preston Pollard

© 2012 Brian Adams

This weekend, Ash and I had the opportunity to hang out with and photograph our friend, Preston Pollard, who, in addition to being a great guy and skateboarder, has recently been modeling for Forever 21 (there was even a billboard of him in Times Square this spring). We've photographed Preston a few times on this blog, so to read more about him and his many accomplishments, check out some of our previous posts.

The day was a great day and included a backside 180 over a fire hydrant that had one of the rowdiest runways I've ever seen, a skate session outside of the Captain Cook without getting kicked out, and a kickflip on ice in a tunnel by the sea. OH, and it was our first skate photo session as a family, and Elliott's first time hearing a skateboard!

Yesterday, Preston headed back to his home in LA, but we look forward to seeing him again and following all of his adventures in the meanwhile via the interweb!

Tummy Tuesdays: 3 Weeks Postpartum

Photos © 2012 Brian Adams

This week's Tummy Tuesdays post is a short and sweet one; there really aren't drastic changes to the belly, though there are some at least!

Most of all, my stomach is feeling strong again; during pregnancy, I was sure that I was going to be running within three days of delivery, but it's taken me 3 weeks to feel strong enough to take on a light run of just a couple of miles. When I was pregnant, I hadn't factored in several very important bodily changes when anticipating my postpartum workouts: 1.) added chest weight due to breastfeeding 2.) sore abs due to labor 3.) chest wall pain due to awkward laboring position 4.) change in body composition (for me, my t-rex arms were upgraded to...something with stronger arms than a t-rex) due to holding an infant 24/7. Just like during pregnancy, though, walking has helped ease my grief over missing cardio. Walking a few miles a day (and at least 2 of those with Elliott strapped to me or to Brian) has been a wonderful way to feel comfortable with my body during the postpartum period.

To see what the bump looked like last week, view last week's post, and to see it at one week postpartum, view this post. To see what it looked like 2 days after delivery for the sake of comparison, view our birth post, and to see the bump a week before delivery, view our 41-week post.

Janie Lidey

© 2012 Brian Adams

Go check out more photos and words on Brian's shoot with singer-songwriter Janie Lidey here!

Birth by Dadams

Photo of me and Elliott by Ash Adams

© 2012 Brian Adams

Two weeks ago today, Elliott North Adams came into the world. Since he was born, many people have asked me if I feel any different after going through the whole process--from the pregnancy to the labor to the birth itself--and the answer, undoubtedly, is yes.

Watching Elliott come into this world through the most amazing person I know was the most wonderful thing I have ever been a part of.

It truly was life-changing, that moment when I saw the first little bit of his hairy head working its way through his mama. I will never forget seeing his crown and then leaning in close to Ash and saying, "He has hair! He has hair!" Next, I saw an ear, then a shoulder, then his waist, and then with one final push, Elliott's whole body was out and within seconds he was crying for his mom. I don't know how a person stays the same after seeing something like that.

Two plugs from the birth:

First, to Ash:

Ash was incredible; I am so proud to call her my wife. When she went into labor, Ash put on her game face. On the way to the hospital, she looked at me and said, "I think this is going to hurt," but she never once lost her cool with anything. Even when we couldn't get into a room, even when the midwife didn't realize how far into labor she was (even though Ash was saying, "I think I am going to have a baby soon!") and with every little change in plan, she just rolled with it.

And second, to ANMC and the amazing midwives who work there:

For those of you who know Ash and me personally or have read Ash's post here, you know that we wanted a natural at-home birth. But because Ash tested positive for Group-B Strep and required an IV during labor, we decided to birth at ANMC, and we are happy now that we did. The midwives were amazing during the birth. They were there for us when we needed them but respected the fact that we wanted a natural birth. Even after the birth, the care ANMC gave us for the 48 hours that followed Elliott's birth was great. They checked in on us every hour on the dot while at the same time giving us space to get to know and love our brand new son. If anyone were to ask me for a local recommendation on where to birth their child, I would wholeheartedly recommend ANMC's prenatal care and maternity ward.

Returning to the question of whether or not I feel any different now that Elliott has arrived, my answer is a yes on many levels. I felt different from the moment when Ash and I were sitting in our Brooklyn apartment and the pregnancy test read PREGNANT. (We looked at each other and just said, "Awesome.") From that day on, I felt like I was under deadline for a dream client. I still feel this way and probably will until Elliott is old enough to start telling me how it is, a day that could never come soon enough. I can't wait for the day when Elliott can teach me a thing or two, show me a photo he has taken, or tell me about some book he's fallen in love with. I can't wait to see where his dreams take him; mine and Ash's have already taken us pretty far.

My photography has even taken on a new meaning to me now that Elliott is in the frame. I have to trust my work and myself to support my son and wife, and I know Ash feels similarly about her own work. Before Ash and Elliott, I was only providing for myself (and my expensive camera addiction). But now I pursue some clients that I wouldn't have two years ago, and I accept jobs that sometimes I'm not as excited about. But it's Ash and me. And it's Ash and me and Elliott. And that's what matters. Even on the not-so-exciting shoots, I still feel pretty blessed that Ash and I are both able to do what we love and often able to do it together. I'm excited for Elliott to see his parents doing what they love and loving each other.

In short, all I can really say to anyone who wants to know how I've changed or what I'm feeling now is that it is certainly a new and exciting time for the Adams family. Ash and Elliott are the best wife and son a husband and dad could ever imagine having. I feel beyond blessed, and I can't wait to see where Elliott and life brings us.

One thing I want to close with is for expecting dads: Treat your lady like a queen. Sometimes you are going to want to complain about the extra work that is being asked of you. It is not worth it. I regret every time that I grumbled to Ash before doing the dishes, before picking something up, or about being the only one able to empty the cat littler (it's true; that's another thing pregnant women aren't allowed to do!). It is not worth it. She is working harder than you are, way harder than you are, and if you don't realize that towards the end, you will the moment you see that baby come into this world. Appreciate her honesty; if she can tell you when she needs something from you, be thankful that she's asking. Love your lady and take care of her. This might sound like an obvious or trite thing to say, but it is important for her to know that you have her back and you aren't going to be another baby she has to look out for. And at the very end of it, she will look at you and say, "We did this." And she'll mean it.

Tummy Tuesdays: 2 Weeks Postpartum

As we mentioned last week, Brian and I have started a new temporary weekly column which we lovingly title "Tummy Tuesdays," which we're hoping will provide some insight to mamas-to-be who might be asking themselves (as I did), what will my belly look like after delivery?

This week had some big changes, perhaps more that I can feel and less that I can see. The stomach is gaining back its tone, little by little, which I attribute in part to the walks I take everyday and to one special little luxury item: the Belly Bandit.

I know, I know. It seems silly and maybe even anti-feminist of me, but wearing the band is less for my current appearance (it doesn't exactly smooth you out--in fact, if I tried to wear it under my more revealing tops, it would make me look rectangular) and more for aiding my posture during this weird muscular transition. The band insists that I carry myself correctly when sitting, walking, and pretty much doing anything, so wearing it has made me very aware of using my abs and has made carrying the extra weight in my chest (it isn't a lie, ladies; they get BIG!) a lot more bearable.

Other than the red lines from the band, the only pregnancy tatoo (as Brian calls it) that I'm rocking is my linea nigra, which has already started to fade. I have to say, though, that I just might miss it when it's gone. (Maybe it'll be a new ink inspiration?)

To see what the bump looked like one week ago, view last week's post. To see what it looked like 2 days after delivery for the sake of comparison, view our birth post, and to see the bump a week before delivery, view our 41-week post.

Loren Holmes

© 2008 Brian Adams

Today is our dear friend Loren Holmes' first day as the Multimedia Editor for the Alaska Dispatch, so we just wanted to give him a quick shout-out! We are so happy for Loren and the Dispatch; they are lucky to have him. Right on, Loren!

Tummy Tuesdays: 1 Week Postpartum

© 2012 Brian Adams

And just when you thought that Elliott's birth would be the end of seeing photos of me in my underwear, guess again! Now that Elliott is officially one week old, we decided to start a new weekly post to document the bump's postpartum return to normalcy. The question what will my bump look like after delivery? is one that I wondered during pregnancy, so at the very least, I'm hoping that it provides some insight to other pregnant women who are wondering the same thing. To see what the bump looked like 2 days after delivery for the sake of comparison, view our previous post, and to see the bump a week before delivery, view our 41-week post.

At the end of Tummy Tuesdays, which we are anticipating will be in about 8-10 weeks, we will post all of the photos for a visually comprehensive breakdown of the belly's changes week-by-week.

Because we are just a week into this, the changes from this week and last are huge, so it will be interesting to see how the bump continues to change in the coming weeks!