So somehow it's November. Not only November, but the END of November. The past two months have been a blur of photo sessions, editing, and catching a few hours of sleep before I do it all over again. I'm still not even close to done (don't worry - I'm actually working right now...I have a session batching in Photoshop that needs to finish running before I can tweak it), but I wanted to come blog and try to catch up.
My fall bucket list was kind of a flop. I was too busy to make a lot of it happen and some things that we planned on doing didn't happen because the little guy was sick :( We still did a lot though and had a GREAT Halloween. Pictures to come later! So how did we do?
1. Go to a pumpkin patch - Done! And on the way home, Will puked all over. awesome.
2. Go to a RRHS Football game - Not done. See puking incident above.
3. Go on TWO dates with my hubby - Half done...we went to see Total Recall, which I loved.
4. Carve pumpkins - Not done. I bought pumpkins at the beginning of the month and then we never carved them.
5. Trick or Treat! - DONE! We had a blast.
6. Make Halloween cookies - Done! Our friends Christina and Kate came over and we had a great time.
7. Go on a fall picnic on a cool day in October - Done! We ate at Champion Park after digging in the sand.
8. Go to one of the Library Halloween Parties - Not done. Puking incident.
9. Go to the Fall Fun Festival at Old Settlers Park - Done! Will loved it.
10. Make a cute wreath for the front door - Not done...I forgot about a Halloween wreath I bought at Hobby Lobby after Halloween last year, so I skipped this one.
11. Make pumpkin bread - Done. And consumed mostly by the little one, if you can imagine that.
12. Get Starbucks apple cider as a family - Not done, but we have plans to do this.
13. Watch a scary movie - Not done. I chickened out 2 minutes in.
14. Fall photo shoot - Kind of done? We did a bunch of little ones...I'm calling this done.
15. Halloween Party with friends - Not done. Puking. Again.
16. Goblins in the Garden - Not done. Puking. Sigh.
17. Boo at the Zoo - Again, the puking.
Overall, it was a successful fall. I'll have a post up soon (maybe?) on some things I want to do for the Christmas season. I'm going to work really hard on getting into the spirit this year and creating some traditions with our family :)
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Duck Bites
Tonight, Will and I left Chick-fil-A, where it was approximately 32* in the play area. When we got in the car, Will proclaimed, "Mommy! I have duck bites on my arms!" It took me a minute to realize he meant goose bumps.
So freaking cute. It totally makes me laugh what he hears when we tell him things :)
So freaking cute. It totally makes me laugh what he hears when we tell him things :)
Friday, August 31, 2012
Fall Bucket List
Hello, blog. It's nice to see you, blah blah blah. I know it's been awhile. Life is busy and sometimes I just don't want to blog. So I'm not going to apologize for that! I'm just going to start writing again.
SO anyways. Tomorrow is September 1st. In my world, that marks the beginning of fall. I think the actual day is somewhere around the end of the month. And if you're living in Texas? Fall doesn't hit 'til sometime mid-January. But I'm overly ready for all things pumpkin, cinnamon, cool breezes, sweaters, and just FALL. There are a ton of things I want to do this year. Unfortunately, fall also coincides with the busiest time of the year for my business. So I'm making a bucket list of sorts of things I want to do. I'm going to print it out, hang it up, and hope to check of every single thing by the time Black Friday rolls around. It shall be fun!
1. Go to a pumpkin patch
2. Go to a RRHS Football game (one on the calendar! 10/26!)
3. Go on TWO dates with my hubby
4. Carve pumpkins
5. Trick or Treat!
6. Make Halloween cookies
7. Go on a fall picnic on a cool day in October
8. Go to one of the Library Halloween Parties
9. Go to the Fall Fun Festival at Old Settlers Park
10. Make a cute wreath for the front door
11. Make pumpkin bread
12. Get Starbucks apple cider as a family
13. Watch a scary movie (with Greg only!)
14. Fall photo shoot
15. Halloween Party with friends (this one is a maybe)
16. Goblins in the Garden @ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (10/28 from 4-7pm)
17. Boo at the Zoo (as long as we can still get tickets)
SO anyways. Tomorrow is September 1st. In my world, that marks the beginning of fall. I think the actual day is somewhere around the end of the month. And if you're living in Texas? Fall doesn't hit 'til sometime mid-January. But I'm overly ready for all things pumpkin, cinnamon, cool breezes, sweaters, and just FALL. There are a ton of things I want to do this year. Unfortunately, fall also coincides with the busiest time of the year for my business. So I'm making a bucket list of sorts of things I want to do. I'm going to print it out, hang it up, and hope to check of every single thing by the time Black Friday rolls around. It shall be fun!
1. Go to a pumpkin patch
2. Go to a RRHS Football game (one on the calendar! 10/26!)
3. Go on TWO dates with my hubby
4. Carve pumpkins
5. Trick or Treat!
6. Make Halloween cookies
7. Go on a fall picnic on a cool day in October
8. Go to one of the Library Halloween Parties
9. Go to the Fall Fun Festival at Old Settlers Park
10. Make a cute wreath for the front door
11. Make pumpkin bread
12. Get Starbucks apple cider as a family
13. Watch a scary movie (with Greg only!)
14. Fall photo shoot
15. Halloween Party with friends (this one is a maybe)
16. Goblins in the Garden @ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (10/28 from 4-7pm)
17. Boo at the Zoo (as long as we can still get tickets)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Dreams
His naptimes are numbered...he's getting too big for them, which breaks my heart a tiny bit. But when he does nap, he sleeps hard and and deep and peaceful. I'll forever cherish the sweet moments snuggled up next to him in my bed reading "just one more" story before he goes to sleep for the afternoon.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
What We've Been Up To
We've had cold, rainy weather the past two days and a rainy week predicted for us...I am loving it! After a summer of absolutely no rain, I'm soaking up all the wet days we can get :) Mikko is laying on the ground next to me (well, really half on top of me) while I type this keeping me warm, so I'm going to do a bit of an update on us!
- Will is completely potty trained! He has been for a little over a month now and it's so nice. He's almost 100% at night too - he does have nighttime accidents every other week or so, but usually wakes up once to go potty. Potty training him couldn't have been easier. We followed the Three Day Potty Training method and he was fully potty trained by the end of it. I really think that a) he was just ready and b) he's an easy going kid in general, but I am so, so proud of him!
- We're also coming off of almost a month's worth of sickness for the little guy. It started with a super high fever and sore throat, which even though it looked like it, tested negative for strep. A few days later, he started throwing up. A few days later, he got a rash on his trunk, hands, and feet (not hand, foot, and mouth); a few days later developed hugely swollen glands on the sides of his neck, and most recently, the skin of his palms/feet has started peeling off in large sheets. We're not entirely sure what he has, despite having been to the doctor every single week (or multiple times a week) over the past month. It's been narrowed down to Kawasaki Disease, Scarlet Fever, or a bunch of random viruses he keeps catching. The good news is that he isn't contagious and the peeling skin should be the last 'symptom' he develops if he has either Kawasaki or Scarlet Fever. I've kind of felt like putting him in a bubble for the past month, so I really hope he's on the mend.
- Will started swim lessons at Aqua-tots on Friday. I bought a Groupon a few weeks back for half off of a month's worth of lessons and have been really excited for him to start. I couldn't have been happier with the program - I even signed up for another month of lessons before we left. Will was very apprehensive about the whole thing at the beginning (at one point he was screaming/crying: "This is NOT fun!" hahaha!), but by the end he was having a great time and even started crying when we had to leave. I'm excited to get him started in something that pushes him a little outside of his comfort zone...I think it'll be great for him!
- Greg finished his first report for work and is well into his second report. He'll go to Germany again later this spring and he is absolutely loving the company he's working for. I am so glad that he is excited about what he's doing! I also love how flexible his schedule is. Though he has to work late a lot, he's also able to take off or go in late whenever needed. He had a doctor's appointment on Friday afternoon, so he was home around 3:30, which was so nice! He and Will played all afternoon while I got some uninterrupted time to work.
- My business is booming. I can't even begin to comprehend how much God has blessed me! I made the decision this year to keep Sundays as family/rest days and it's working out so well. I no longer feel like the weekend comes and goes without me seeing my family at all. I am completely booked through May with a few openings left in June/July and already have people contacting me about fall sessions. The relief of knowing that I have sessions on the books and knowing that there will be money coming in through the summer is indescribable and so, so different from last year. I know God has a purpose for everything and even my slow months early last year when we weren't sure where we were going to come up for the money to buy groceries had a HUGE purpose in us being where we are today. But man, I'm so glad we're not reliving those stressful days now! :)
- Working out is going great for me. I don't really have a set goal in mind right now, other than to be as healthy and strong as I can be, and it's enjoyable and relaxing. I started following a Paleo diet in January and was VERY strict for the entire month of January. I've since relaxed some (and lately with all Will's sickness, quite a bit), but I feel good! Greg is even jumping on board with me for the first time this week and I think in the near future we're going to try to move Will that direction as well, though I won't eliminate grains and dairy from his diet entirely...I just hope they can take a backseat to the much more nutritious veggies, meats, fats, and fruit. He's going to be a hard one, I think! :)
Whew, I think that's about it! And because it's never okay to post without a picture, here's one from my P25 files (P52 is my version of Project 52. I am taking a photo a week with my "nice" camera and will make a photo book at the end of the year) :)
- Will is completely potty trained! He has been for a little over a month now and it's so nice. He's almost 100% at night too - he does have nighttime accidents every other week or so, but usually wakes up once to go potty. Potty training him couldn't have been easier. We followed the Three Day Potty Training method and he was fully potty trained by the end of it. I really think that a) he was just ready and b) he's an easy going kid in general, but I am so, so proud of him!
- We're also coming off of almost a month's worth of sickness for the little guy. It started with a super high fever and sore throat, which even though it looked like it, tested negative for strep. A few days later, he started throwing up. A few days later, he got a rash on his trunk, hands, and feet (not hand, foot, and mouth); a few days later developed hugely swollen glands on the sides of his neck, and most recently, the skin of his palms/feet has started peeling off in large sheets. We're not entirely sure what he has, despite having been to the doctor every single week (or multiple times a week) over the past month. It's been narrowed down to Kawasaki Disease, Scarlet Fever, or a bunch of random viruses he keeps catching. The good news is that he isn't contagious and the peeling skin should be the last 'symptom' he develops if he has either Kawasaki or Scarlet Fever. I've kind of felt like putting him in a bubble for the past month, so I really hope he's on the mend.
- Will started swim lessons at Aqua-tots on Friday. I bought a Groupon a few weeks back for half off of a month's worth of lessons and have been really excited for him to start. I couldn't have been happier with the program - I even signed up for another month of lessons before we left. Will was very apprehensive about the whole thing at the beginning (at one point he was screaming/crying: "This is NOT fun!" hahaha!), but by the end he was having a great time and even started crying when we had to leave. I'm excited to get him started in something that pushes him a little outside of his comfort zone...I think it'll be great for him!
- Greg finished his first report for work and is well into his second report. He'll go to Germany again later this spring and he is absolutely loving the company he's working for. I am so glad that he is excited about what he's doing! I also love how flexible his schedule is. Though he has to work late a lot, he's also able to take off or go in late whenever needed. He had a doctor's appointment on Friday afternoon, so he was home around 3:30, which was so nice! He and Will played all afternoon while I got some uninterrupted time to work.
- My business is booming. I can't even begin to comprehend how much God has blessed me! I made the decision this year to keep Sundays as family/rest days and it's working out so well. I no longer feel like the weekend comes and goes without me seeing my family at all. I am completely booked through May with a few openings left in June/July and already have people contacting me about fall sessions. The relief of knowing that I have sessions on the books and knowing that there will be money coming in through the summer is indescribable and so, so different from last year. I know God has a purpose for everything and even my slow months early last year when we weren't sure where we were going to come up for the money to buy groceries had a HUGE purpose in us being where we are today. But man, I'm so glad we're not reliving those stressful days now! :)
- Working out is going great for me. I don't really have a set goal in mind right now, other than to be as healthy and strong as I can be, and it's enjoyable and relaxing. I started following a Paleo diet in January and was VERY strict for the entire month of January. I've since relaxed some (and lately with all Will's sickness, quite a bit), but I feel good! Greg is even jumping on board with me for the first time this week and I think in the near future we're going to try to move Will that direction as well, though I won't eliminate grains and dairy from his diet entirely...I just hope they can take a backseat to the much more nutritious veggies, meats, fats, and fruit. He's going to be a hard one, I think! :)
Whew, I think that's about it! And because it's never okay to post without a picture, here's one from my P25 files (P52 is my version of Project 52. I am taking a photo a week with my "nice" camera and will make a photo book at the end of the year) :)
 |
| click to enlarge! :) |
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Be Mine.
I shared these over on my photography blog tonight, but I want them here too...I just love this series of pictures so much. They are so Will - the silly, adorable side of him that we have come to love so much. He has such a sweet spirit and I am so blessed to be his Mommy :)
(click to here view larger on my photography blog!)
(click to here view larger on my photography blog!)
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Time
I once read that our days are slow, but the years are quick. Since having a child, this speaks volumes to me.
Today, I was backing up old photos from last year and came across our bluebonnet shoot. I remember this day very well - it was one of those very slow days where I was itching for bedtime to come...anything to grant me a small break from the day. I really didn't want to go out to take bluebonnet pictures, but the season was almost over and I knew if I didn't do it then, I never would. Will wouldn't look at the camera for anything and I left the field feeling very frustrated. I edited a couple photos to put on Facebook and the rest sat in hard drive purgatory for the rest of the year without a second glance.
Until today, nearly a year later. I can't believe how many treasures there are in these photos. Now that the frustrations of that day and nearly a year have passed quickly, I cherish these. My boy looks so little in these. So much more baby in him than there is today. Instead of seeing the frustrating day in these, I see a little boy who is growing big very, very quickly. And time has allowed me to love these pictures instead of feeling the pressure to get that perfect portrait of him.
Pick up your camera today. It doesn't matter if that picture is perfect. It doesn't matter if your child is perfect. You will be thankful for these images someday, when time has gone by too quickly and you're left with only the memories of today.
Today, I was backing up old photos from last year and came across our bluebonnet shoot. I remember this day very well - it was one of those very slow days where I was itching for bedtime to come...anything to grant me a small break from the day. I really didn't want to go out to take bluebonnet pictures, but the season was almost over and I knew if I didn't do it then, I never would. Will wouldn't look at the camera for anything and I left the field feeling very frustrated. I edited a couple photos to put on Facebook and the rest sat in hard drive purgatory for the rest of the year without a second glance.
Until today, nearly a year later. I can't believe how many treasures there are in these photos. Now that the frustrations of that day and nearly a year have passed quickly, I cherish these. My boy looks so little in these. So much more baby in him than there is today. Instead of seeing the frustrating day in these, I see a little boy who is growing big very, very quickly. And time has allowed me to love these pictures instead of feeling the pressure to get that perfect portrait of him.
Pick up your camera today. It doesn't matter if that picture is perfect. It doesn't matter if your child is perfect. You will be thankful for these images someday, when time has gone by too quickly and you're left with only the memories of today.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Conversation
Will still had his paci in his mouth from his nap when Greg got home (yes, Mommy bends the rules, shhhh) and so Greg was telling him that the needed to take it out...
Greg: You know, Will, the girls aren't going to like you if you have a paci. They only like big boys and big boys don't have pacis.
Will: stands there for a moment pondering this. But no, daddy! Everybody likes babies and babies have pacis in their mouth.
Touche.
I have a feeling he's going to be hard to argue with in 10 years!
Greg: You know, Will, the girls aren't going to like you if you have a paci. They only like big boys and big boys don't have pacis.
Will: stands there for a moment pondering this. But no, daddy! Everybody likes babies and babies have pacis in their mouth.
Touche.
I have a feeling he's going to be hard to argue with in 10 years!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Dear Will,
Tonight, for the very first time ever, you went to sleep in your very own big boy bed. You, of course, were absolutely thrilled with the idea of having a bed with no rails. You grabbed your 3 bajillion blankets (okay, there are only 4 of them), Traveler and Baby Traveler and jumped right in. You are so big. So almost three. And while I'm joyous that you're big and I love everything about you being almost three, I just wish I could make it all slow down for a few minutes.
I remember very clearly what a gut-wrenching decision it was to move you from your Pack 'n Play safe next to my bed into your crib...how I closed the door to your room that night after laying you down, waiting for you to cry out for your mommy. You didn't, and so I was the one crying outside your door...because my tiny little baby couldn't possibly be ready for a crib, right? So this time, the decision to move you to a toddler bed was done more on a whim. But even still, after Daddy and I tucked you in tonight and you snuggled down, cozy and warm in your tiny little bed I had a moment of sadness. Where did the days go when I nursed my tiny little baby to sleep? These almost-three years have gone by so quickly, though the days have seemed so long at times.
I am so proud of the little person you are becoming. You are kind and polite. You have a wonderful sense of humor. You are just mischievous enough. You are loud and you voice your opinions (even when they're not popular). You sing unashamed. You love to hear about "baby Jesus." You hug tight and don't pull away. I hope beyond belief that time doesn't change these sweet little things about you.
Good-night, my sweet, sweet baby. Mommy loves you very, very much.
I remember very clearly what a gut-wrenching decision it was to move you from your Pack 'n Play safe next to my bed into your crib...how I closed the door to your room that night after laying you down, waiting for you to cry out for your mommy. You didn't, and so I was the one crying outside your door...because my tiny little baby couldn't possibly be ready for a crib, right? So this time, the decision to move you to a toddler bed was done more on a whim. But even still, after Daddy and I tucked you in tonight and you snuggled down, cozy and warm in your tiny little bed I had a moment of sadness. Where did the days go when I nursed my tiny little baby to sleep? These almost-three years have gone by so quickly, though the days have seemed so long at times.
I am so proud of the little person you are becoming. You are kind and polite. You have a wonderful sense of humor. You are just mischievous enough. You are loud and you voice your opinions (even when they're not popular). You sing unashamed. You love to hear about "baby Jesus." You hug tight and don't pull away. I hope beyond belief that time doesn't change these sweet little things about you.
Good-night, my sweet, sweet baby. Mommy loves you very, very much.
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