Motherhood...

(my Grady, "helping" me prepare dinner)

Trying to prepare dinner, or fold laundry, or shower, or...just about everything is a challenge these days.  I'm a mother of a 3 year old and a 6 month old.  I'm not complaning about it - it's just a fact of life for me right now.  It stinks sometimes, but every moment - even the hards ones - are worth it.  I couldn't be more grateful to be a mother.  It's changed me for the better.  It's made me more patient and loving, more understanding, and has brought me closer to God.  I still feel like I'm doing everything wrong.   I'm always second guessing myself, but I know my role as a mother is the right thing.

I feel completely blessed that God has graciously given me this family that I don't deserve.

I love this post from one of my favorite photographers on her personal blog.  It describles exactly how I feel about being a mother. I love this line:  "Motherhood – for me anyway – is just as much about personal growth and self-discovery as it is about nurturing others."  That is what motherhood has been like for me too.

p.s.  this was the May theme for my 12 or 2012 photography challenge.  there's nothing fancy about it - nothing artsy at all about it, but it's a perfect example of how things are for me right now.

p.p.s.  I blogged!!!  It's been two months - way too long.  I'm ready to be good about it again.  I've got so much to catch up on.

Everyday Life...

Everyday life is...

well, I'm not sure how to explain it.  It's simple, but overwhelming.  Fun, but exhausting.  It's joyful.  It's playful and yet sometimes it's a lot of work. 

But one thing I know for certain - this is what I'm supposed to be doing.  I am very blessed.

This was March's 12 for 2012 photography challenge.  The technique was documentary.  There was a lot more I wanted to accomplish out of this month's challenge but dropped the ball.  I was really hoping to get photographs of us out and about - at the grocery store, at the library, at the park and didn't.  I either forgot or I just "didn't feel like it" that day.  I need to stop that.  I want to capture all these moments.  I love them and never ever want to forget them.

Love is...

this guy.

watching him grow.  watching him discover. 

he changed my life.  he taught me so much -

 how to laugh, how to play, how to live, 

but most of all, 

how to love.

Thank you so much my special boy, my Leon.

P.S. This is part of my 12 for 2012 project.  The theme was "love is..." and the technique was creative angles.

Solitude is...

a quiet moment cuddling with my little one. 

It's 9:45.  The dishes are done.  The toys are picked up.  I've showered for the day.  Leon is finally in bed.  All I have left to do is love on my Grady and remember how fast he's growing.  Quiet moments like this are few and far between these days with how busy and crazy life has been.

A few of my photography friends and I decided to take on a photo challenge for the year.  We've called it 12 for 2012.  Each month we pick a theme and a technique to explore to go with it.  We also promised each other that we'd challenge ourselves to do more self portraits.  This month's theme was "Solitude is..." and the techinque was "embrace the grain".

Photos by Kim Davis

I'm very, very fortunate to have photography friends.  We could be bitter rivals, but instead we've made our love of photography into something else - a friendship where we encourage and help each other out...and on the occasion do photo shoots for one another.  It's wonderful and I'm grateful for them.  One of my photography friends from Lafayette, Kim Davis, came down to visit her family and take some beautiful portraits for us.  Take a look at some of my favs:

I have this theory that every mother needs beautiful photographs with her children.  I cherish mine SO much.  Motherhood is an incredibly, beautiful thing - it's one of my favorite things to photograph.  Kim did a beautiful job capturing these photos for me.

This is a fun one.  I love it.  It may become the new (and much needed) header for this blog.

Thank you so much Kim!  It means the world to me!

Grady - Newborn

This little guy is sweet as can be.  He is an eater and a sleeper.  He loves to sleep right by his momma (which I love too, all though it scares me a bit).  He's got the sweetest eyes and you want to melt whenever he calmly stares into yours.  Their color is very muddy right now - they have dark brown around the pupils and dark blue around the edges.  His expressions are to die for.  I'm just in love with him.  Can you tell?

a little side smile.  his smile is going to be so precious.  i just know it.

probably my fav:

brothers:

i asked leon to kiss his brother on the head.  this is the reaction i got:

he still is so happy and sweet

Bubble Baths are Always the Best

Some little pointers for any of you ever wanting to do some bath time pictures:

• Make sure you get AS MUCH natural light as possible OR learn about white balance.  Bathrooms are known for their terrible florescent lighting which can make everything very yellowy and therefore unpleasing.  I'm lucky enough to have a great big window over our garden tub in our master bathroom where I did these pictures.  And please, oh please, turn off your flash!
• Use lots of bubbles.  I had just enough before I ran out.  You need to hide all those private areas, especially if you plan on posting or publishing ANY online.  Seriously - if it shows those private areas, then it can be considered child pornography even if that isn't your intention at all!
• Have fun and let your kid be a kid.  The best pictures come from when they are just enjoying themselves.  I did make suggestions to Leon like "put the bubbles on your face" and "can you go swimming"  and "no please DON'T get me" because of course I knew he would think it was SO funny if he did.  I laughed and squealed at every little thing he did and that's how I got so many good pictures of a little smiley boy looking right into the camera.
• Usually bath time pictures always look good in black and white, so give it a try.  It can also be a good cure if your pictures do have a yellow cast to them.

Something New

Before we moved my photographer friend, Kim Davis, invited me over to try out her little studio setup.  I've never done anything with any sort of studio set up so was curious and decided to embrace the opportunity.  It was fun to try something new.  I don't think it's my style but it was good the have the experience - I've always wondered how'd I like it.  Leon was a total stinker so I didn't many good shots of him but here are a few somewhat successful ones:

It's so wonderful to have photography friends.  I miss them so much.  We always had a good time sharing our ideas and trying out new things with each other.