This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.   All opinions are mine alone. #OpticSmiles #CollectiveBias

Last week I shared two heavy, deep, and yet somewhat Debbie Downer posts with you here on the blog (one was about not being excited about being pregnant, and one was about postpartum depression.) As honest and true as these posts were, I want you to know that I still have a ton to be happy and smile about. Those dark days are well into my past, and Tall Dad and I are in a better place than we ever were. 

As difficult as my second pregnancy has been, I’ve been really focusing on staying positive and having a happy outlook for this new baby we are going to be welcoming into the world.  I’m planning a nursery, purchasing newborn items, and am even mentally preparing for a newborn and family photography session. I’ve already been scouring Pinterest for the cutest sibling photos, as well as thinking about what maternity shirt I’d like to be wearing (because lets be honest, I’ll still be in maternity clothes at that point.)

I’ve been slowly stashing money away, bit by bit for this photo shoot. Even with the recent news that I’m not eligible for parental leave from my current job, I still think an important thing we should be saving money for are these pictures. This may be our last child, and I want to capture every single ounce of newborn cuteness – just like we had for Rhys. 

We had a beautiful newborn photo shoot when Rhys was only days old, and I want those same memories to be photographed for our next child.

The problem with planning a photography session is that Tall Dad hates taking pictures next to me, mostly because he says he has “butter teeth” compared to mine. 
The thing is, I want Tall Dad to feel super confident about his smile – especially in the months to come. I think he has a stunning set of white teeth, but I know he wants to have them shine even more. 
I am already imagining where a blown up family photo will be hung in our new house, and I want to make sure that Tall Dad is happy with his smile – since it will be on display for all to see for years to come! To help combat his “butter teeth” I purchased Colgate® Optic White® Express White toothpaste at my local Walmart.

I had heard that this toothpaste could help someone achieve whiter teeth in just 3 days* – just by brushing – and I knew that results like that would make my husband a confident smiler! Colgate Express White Toothpaste has 2 times more of the professionally recommended whitening ingredient (vs. Optic White Sparkling Mint toothpaste).Toothpaste is a lot less hassle (and cost) than other methods!

Tall Dad has been pretty impressed by the results, and to be honest, I am too! 
Farewell butter teeth!
Now I just need to figure out which newborn photographer we are going to choose. There are so many options out there, and also so many different photography packages. And I’m a bit nervous to see how Rhys reacts to having a photo session with a tiny newborn. He was a ton of fun when he was able to be the star of the show during our Valentine’s Photo Shoot, but a newborn photography session will be a whole different story. 
Any advice that you have would be GREATLY appreciated! Would you recommend a one time photography package, or the kind that has pictures of your child taken throughout the year? 
As always, thank you so much for reading, and for your heartfelt messages.

Talk soon friends,

If you’re interested in trying this toothpaste out, there will be a roaming demo in 550 stores on 2/28/15 to promote the new product. Ambassadors will be roaming aisle giving out $1 off coupons good on Express White Toothpaste.

 *For best results, use as directed for 4 weeks.