It's no secret that my favorite subject is my own sweet kids. And while most of the time, my girls are ready and willing models, Daniel is a little less happy to hop in front of the camera for me. But once I get him there, his personality just shines through and we always end up with gorgeous art, and beautiful memories.
Yesterday afternoon, I asked him if he'd be up to helping me by letting me take a few shots of him with the set up I want to use for Valentines Day minis. (Check out the previous blog for more info on those!) Surprisingly, he was pretty agreeable to the idea! So we got changed, gathered our stuff and headed out.... Only to find out that the wind was blowing crazy hard and bringing a bit of a chill, despite the warm sunshine. Still, my kid is a trooper, if nothing else. We were only out for about 30 minutes, but he stayed helpful and happy the entire time. And I got some great images, not just for marketing, but for my memories as well. ♥
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Oh my sweet sweet Ally-bug.
Quiet, happy, giggly girl. Our youngest. Always ready with a cuddle and a hug. She is 9 years old already, and I'm not sure exactly when that happened. Gone is the chubby-legged little 1 year old that I first met. She is becoming her own person, with a beautiful personality and interests and opinions uniquely hers. She loves to cook and read and currently, her favorite color is blue. She likes fairy tales of all kinds, but doesn't like the bad guys and the monsters in them. She sings, all the time, and loves to dance and wiggle and laugh. She makes our family complete, our joyful ray of sunshine. Newborn sessions are one of my favorite things ever. Little bitty toes. Itty bitty fingers. So much sweetness! And little Liahna's session was an extra special one for me because her mom and I have been friends since 4th grade! It's so hard to believe we've known each other for almost 20 years.
Liahna is such a sweet, quiet little thing with a head full of gorgeous dark hair! A perfect early Christmas gift for her mommy and daddy! I love to cook and bake. It is one of the most calming and fulfilling things for me. When I was little, I would just sit and watch both of my grandmothers cook up these delicious meals that everyone loved, and I wanted to be just like that. I took over most of the cooking in our house by the time I was 11 or 12. My mom did not inherit a love of cooking, so I'm pretty sure she was grateful that I did!
Now that I am a mom, I strive to pass on that same joyous feeling of cooking and baking for others to my own children. This Christmas Eve, we baked lots of dessert goodies for the family. I managed to get all four of my medium-sized people in the kitchen for one recipe, and once it was done, the older two ran away, but Ava and Ally stayed on to help with the rest. It made me so incredibly happy to just watch them as they measured and mixed and laughed and giggled. It was a perfect gift. ♥ When I look around me, at all I have and all I don't have, when I think of what there is to be grateful for.... my first thought is of my son. That sweet, kind, beautiful, long-haired boy who calls me mom. And when I think of him, my heart just wants to burst, because there is no way it can hold the crazy amount of love that I feel for him. From before he ever even took his first breath, I have loved him. The first time I held him in my arms, I loved him even more. Every single day, every single moment that has passed since then, I have loved him more. And every moment still to come, I will love him more.
I am grateful he is my son. I am grateful for his gentle ways. I am grateful that he still unabashedly holds my hand, anywhere, anytime. I am grateful for his forgiving nature and his understanding. I am grateful for our routine of hugs and kisses at bedtime each night. I am grateful for his silly jokes and how he loves to try and prank me. I am grateful for his gladness in being my only child. I am grateful for his concern for me. I am grateful for his love of soccer and dedication to the things he loves. I am grateful for his courage to stand up to bullies every day, for himself and for others who are bullied. I am grateful for his strength to go against social norms, because what he loves isn't "normal". I am grateful for his patience with me, as I work every day to figure out how to be a better mother. I am grateful for his full, happy laugh. I am grateful for his crooked smile. I am grateful for the way he makes me want to be a better person. I am grateful for the way he loves me, no requirements, no stipulations, just pure love. I am grateful for everything, every thought and idea, every single atom and molecule that combines together to make him who he is. I am grateful for every single day I have with him.
Moving means lots of things.
It means boxes and sorting. It means new routines. It means a new school. Daniel has gone to Charter schools since 4th grade. He's either been dropped off and picked up by me, or, like in Austin, we walked or rode bikes to school. Here in East Texas though, he is back in a mainstream public school, and back on the school bus. This week has been particularly chilly in the mornings (to put it mildly), so we've been bundling up in throw blankets as we stand at the end of the driveway and wait for that 7am school bus. It amazes me how such a simple, daily routine thing can still seem so beautiful. In a few short years, he'll be driving himself to school, and I won't be standing there in the cold, waiting with him anymore, which makes these memories all the more precious. Hey there my lovely friends!
Well, things have been happening and a-changing, and it is with a slightly heavy heart that I announce that I will no longer be serving the Austin area. Today, my little family is relocating back to the East Texas area, temporarily. And by temporarily, I mean for at least 2-4 months, though possibly longer. On the one hand, I am heartbroken that I will be leaving my Austin. This city is so wonderful and inspiring and just full of love and amazingness. I feel so at peace surrounded by the crowds and buildings and all the wonderfully weird people. But! On the other hand, I am excited to be able to offer sessions on a more regular basis once more to all my wonderful East Texas clients! Without them, I would not be where I am today. ♥ So on that note! I will begin booking sessions for the East Texas area with openings starting November 15th!! Just in time for lovely fall images and Christmas sessions! Yay! I can not wait to get started! Farewell Austin. See you soon, East Texas! Oh how I love love love this session. Mom wanted a session with these two adorable girls in their ballet outfits, so we decided to combine the sweet and soft femininity of ballet with the hard edginess of the downtown urban area. They had so much fun dancing around and showing me all the different poses they had learned in class! Inanna and Lakshmi are such beautiful little girls, and I so look forward to our next session!
I know that it's still October, and we haven't even gotten through Halloween or Thanksgiving yet, but we all know that the winter holidays will be here in the blink of an eye. So, it's time to start thinking about family pictures and Holiday greeting cards!
I will be doing 1 day of Holiday Minis this year, on November 8th. These are short and sweet sessions that last 20 minutes. You will receive 5 images to choose from, 25 holiday cards, and an online ordering gallery. Each session spot is good for up to 4 people. The exact location will be given out on November 3rd. Full payment is due at the time of booking to reserve your spot. There is a very limited number of time spots available, so please do not hesitate to grab yours before they're gone! |
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