Today {Reality Post}

 "Today is my moment, now is my story
I'll laugh and I'll cry and I'll sing . . . "
-John Denver

Sometimes its the 'little' things that make me the most inexplicably euphoric, nostalgic or emotional . . . or that careen my mind back in time and get me remembering.

Today my oldest lost his second front tooth, and is now officially missing his two front teeth! How did losing one little bitty tooth make him look less like my baby boy, and more like an independent, charming, sensitive, witty, energetic, thoughtful little man? How did we get here? Didn't he just get his two front teeth? Wasn't it just last week that I was up all night with a tired, teething baby, chewing on his fingers, toys, shirts, my shoulder . . .ANYTHING to help him cut those teeth through? Didn't he just start to crawl? to walk? to talk?

Well, now I love to hear him talk.  I love hearing him talk about his friends at school, about how cool "demento" tag is ;) , and about what kind of inventor he wants to be when he grows up. I love hearing him say "I love you infinity, Mama!" I love hearing him introduce himself to kids he doesn't know on the playground. I love hearing him practice his spelling words of the week. I love hearing him tell his baby sister night night. I love hearing his specific little prayers at bedtime. I love hearing him laugh with his daddy. And yes, I even love hearing his occasional moody complaints about why he can't stay up all night playing Wii with daddy, or why his little sister is so prone to messing up his Lego creations, or his annoyance at why marshmallows can't be his main source of sustenance.

Growing up so fast . . . I have to treasure up everything I love hearing one day at a time.

And today, for this day,  I am especially loving hearing him tooth-lessly say: "She sells seashells by the seashore."


:-)

Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)

 So I used to sing this song to my baby boy every night . . . love it. Makes me cry every time I hear it . . . there is just something so special about a mama and her baby boy.

My favorite line is "God hears Amen . . . wherever we are." I like that 'wherever we are' could be an actual place on the map; but even more so, perhaps, a place of emotion, a state of being, or measurement of faith. For me, as a mama, the most comforting thing (besides actually getting a few consecutive hours of sleep!) is knowing someone up there cares about this new bundle of perfection as much I do, or even more.  Just a thought for the day, ya'll ;)

Amanda (the beautiful mama pictured here) is a close friend of mine, and baby Jacob has already grown leaps and bounds from a month or so ago when I took these photos . . . they really do grow up fast!

Dragon tales and the "water is wide"
Pirate's sail and lost boys fly
Fish bite moonbeams every night
And I love you
  
Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

The rocket racer's all tuckered out
Superman's in pajamas on the couch
Goodnight moon, will find the mouse
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

God bless mommy and match box cars
God bless dad and thanks for the stars
God hears "Amen," wherever we are
And I love you

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Godspeed
Godspeed
Sweet dreams 

-Dixie Chicks 

Smiling!

I loved how big sister Sarah sneaked into the room, admiring and imitating baby Jacob's little fingers here . . . just had to grab a shot of it ;)

 

Winter Winds {Reality Post}

Farewell SNOW!! You brought me one of the most beautiful and cozy weeks of my life - being snowed into my home for the last week . . . no complaints from me! I have loved the extra time with my family, and I will always remember this late little Christmas gift from Mother Nature! p.s. Clearly, I have a "thing" for the little yellow boots that my son wore when he was a toddler, and that my now two year old daughter wore in the snow this week ;)

"As the winter winds litter London with lonely hearts 
Oh the warmth in your eyes swept me into your arms
Was it love or fear of the cold that led us through the night?
For every kiss your beauty trumped my doubt

. . . Remember spring swaps snow for leaves
You'll be happy and wholesome again
When the city clears and sun ascends

And my head told my heart
'Let love grow' . . . "

-Mumford & Sons

 

 

Lean On Me

Happy New Year everyone!

I have so enjoyed this last month of "rest" . . .well, ok, we all know that traveling during the holidays with kids does not exactly count as restful. . . BUT it was so much fun nonetheless!

Here is a session that I did right before Christmas vacation - the Matthews family was a bundle of energy and spontaneity! Trey and Walter are brothers that know how to play hard, and also know how to show some sweet affection, too. What a lucky, pretty mama they have as well . . . ;)

"So just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on
Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Lean on me..."

Christmas All Over Again

 Yup. It certainly is that time of the year! This is another one of my holiday mini sessions . . . but wow we got a LOT a great shots out of so short a time! Maybe I'll have the same luck with getting my Christmas shopping done . . .

"And all over town little kids gonna get down
And Christmas is a rockin' time, put your body next to mine
Underneath the mistletoe we go, we go

Everybodys singin', all the bells are ringin' out
It's Christmas all over again, yeah again

And right down our block little kids start to rock
And Christmas is a rockin' time, put your body next to mine
Underneath the mistletoe we go, we go

Merry Christmas time come and find you happy and there by your fire
I hope you have a good one, I hope momma gets her shoppin' done
And it's a Christmas all over again
Baby it's Christmas all over again
And it's Christmas all over again

Now let's see...I want a new Rickenbacker guitar . . ."

-Tom Petty

The Arnold family is so fun-loving and down to earth, and their kids really enjoyed hamming it up in front of the camera! (Especially you, Carson . . .little boy model in the making!) And sweet Aubrianne just recently turned two, so her mama was excited to get some "Me at Two Years Old" shots as well. Happy Birthday Aubri! Don't let Santa forget that you deserve birthday gifts AND Christmas gifts ;) Oh, the joys of having a close-to-christmas birthday . . . Don't worry Aubri, I can relate!

Merry Christmas Arnold Family!!

Better Together

 This photo shoot with Jack and Dana felt so whimsical, light and fun. Jack has to be one of the funnest (is that a word?) little guys I have ever photographed, because anything and everything he did was just so darn cute. Jack is full of energy, ideas and curiosity . . . so I couldn't help but think of a Jack Johnson tune from the Curious George soundtrack for their song dedication ;)

 "There is no combination of words I could put on the postcard
And no song that I could sing, but I can try because this is your heart and this is
Our dreams and they are made out of real things
Like a shoebox of photographs with sepia-toned loving
Love is the answer at least for most of the questions in my heart . . 

I'll tell you one thing, it's so much better when we're together
Mmm, so much better when we're together
Yeh, we'll look at the stars when we're together
Well it's so much better when we're together
Yeh, it's so much better when we're together . . . "


-Jack Johnson

And one more thing - I wish I had a camera in the back of my head as well so that you could see the adorable way Jack and Dana interacted with each other during the shoot. She had him giggling and laughing . . . I love moms like that! The kind that love to be silly-goofy with their kiddos! (Maybe because I am the same way with mine!) Dana is one of the great moms out there, and she looks like some perfect combination of Rachel McAdams and Elizabeth Banks - don't you think?!

So thanks Jack and Dana! I loved getting to know you two better, together ;)