In the Motherhood….

Have you seen these webisodes??  Hilarious…..  

www.inthemotherhood.com

Kelsey

Since I don’t want to sit at my computer this weekend, I’m going to do one more post (since I know there are people anxiously awaiting this preview!!)

I look at these and think- Ahhhhh to be that young (and thin)…. They say youth is wasted on the young.   All 18 year olds around the world must be offended by that quote.   Mainly becauseit’s one of those things that takes a lot of life, bills, babies, house notes to understand.  At 18, I guess we don’t have the capacity to appreciate our great condition until things start heading south.  I can hear my dad’s voice in my head saying “After 26 it’s all down hill..on a speeding bobsled”  Wouldn’t it be nice if there was just a pause button.. or a few time outs…

SIGNS YOU’RE YOUTH HAS PAST

1.  You dread checking your mail.

2. You want to have another baby- and you better do it soon before you’re considered Advanced Maternal Age.   

3.  Just staying up past 2 am gives you a hangover- and you didn’t touch a drop of alcohol.

4. Pizza equals guilt.

5. The minivan advertisements actually catch your interest.

6. You know what jelly shoes and parachute pants are.

7. You remember the Milli Vanilli scandal and were devastated because Blame it on the Rain so rocked….  

8.  The amount of hair dye used last year to cover your grays should be regulated by the EPA.

9. Finding out the kid below was born in 1990 makes you want to weep.

10. You have clothes in your closet you wore BEFORE 1990.

Got anymore???

Here’s Kelsey….

 

Allison & Audrey

Well last night was scary-  I was sitting & rocking Spencer when I smelled something burnt.  I had demonstrated my exceptional culinary skills earlier with a cake spilling over in my oven.  I thought I had left the oven on, so I checked.  I hadn’t, but was sure that was the source of the smell.   The next thing I know, Stu comes from the back of the house saying something is burning back there.  I walked down the hall and the odor hit me with a force.    I recognized that smell, an unwelcome familiar smell.   It was the same smell I had experienced as a child when my parents house had burned.  An electrical fire in the attic- a fire started without anyone being cognizant of what was going on just a few feet above.  

Stu immediately went to the attic- I moved the sleeping children to the living room.  We worked for what seemed like an eternity to track down the smell.  Stu fiinally did-  a vanity fixture shorting out heating the wall and wires.   There are charred wires, holes in the sheetrock to make sure of no fire, and the remains of that odor.  I am thankful that this happened last night, instead of a few days earlier or next week when Stu will be gone!

Here’s another session from last week.   They brought this cool train toy that their father played with- now a family treasure.   The cradle is mine- a gift when Jack was born.  It was lovingly made by hand- and certain to become my own family treasure, just like this toy.    

Happy Birthday Layla Faith!!

This baby should have been born by now!  So exciting!!!   Here’s Ilene and her daughter Ava, just two days ago and anxiously waiting for a new baby girl.

Little Ava- so beautiful….

Also- I heard that Doug and Carla Hallmark are grandparents again.  A baby boy, Nathan Jackson, made his entrance into the world just a few hours ago around 8 am. Congrats Doug & Casey!!!!  

 Today is a great day for babies!   

UPDATE:  Layla was born around 11am- weighing 8 lbs 4 ounces and completely healthy!!

Dustin

I didn’t fall off the face of the Earth- we spent our Easter Vacation with Stu’s parents in Columbus, Texas.  I knew at some point we would make the trip to see them- and the time had come.   The week leading up to our trip was nerve-wracking.  I was dreading the car ride over.   Let’s face it- the scenerio wasn’t in our favor- 3 kids, small car, 7+ hour drive….  Maybe my expectations were low,  (they were really low) but it wasn’t so bad!  We left early in the morning (4 am) -  Spencer slept, Claire watched Cinderella, and Jack, Stu and myself played a 5 hour game of I Spy.   Jack is so funny- we joke and call him Eagle Eye Jack when we play.   He also gives you just one guess to figure out what he means when he says  “I spy something silverish, blacky”  hmmmm…….

This vacation wasn’t a rest- we were busy the entire time.  There were family get togethers and a crawfish boil.  We took the kids to Sea World along with about 10,000 other families.  Spring break in Texas is not a great time to visit Sea World.  It was beautiful weather to be sardined into those stadiums!  We also went to Austin where I had a shoot and Stu and the kids visited old friends.  I need to post some of the scenery I shot at Mount Bonnell- breathtaking.  I also got to visit with a great friend who is having a baby TOMORROW!!!!!  It’s so crazy to think that in less than 24 hours, she’ll be holding her baby.  She’s scheduled to have her baby at 10:00 am.  I am upset to come home that close to her baby’s arrival and not get to see her!  Okay, I’m also really upset to miss the opportunity to shoot a newborn, one of my absolute favorite things!  I’ll post a few images of her tomorrow to celebrate.     

All good things come to an end- and we are home now!  In total, I’m about 6 shoots behind in blogging-  so here’s one I did before I left.  A senior boy-  2 year olds and senior boys are the toughest!!! 

Okay Gayle…. to be fair- this wasn’t a tough shoot- I should say SMILES from seniors are tough! There is a certain level of coolness that has to be maintained, and somewhere along the way, smiling becomes so very ”uncool” I suppose. That smile shown here is all Wendy’s doing… I won’t say what she did to get it though.  This shoot was lots of fun-  running around crazy with Wendy is always fun.   Jack and Whitney  came with us, we ordered pizza and just had a blast.  I got home at 9:30 with stu wondering where the heck i had been!!!

I don’t know who owns this barn in the middle of town- but please don’t paint it or fix it up….

        

Jack

It’s 4 am and I can’t sleep.  I really wish I could, because I know by 7 pm tonight I’ll be begging for sleep.  There’s no sense laying in bed, however.  At this hour I can either clean my kitchen or blog…. 

 phew.. that was a tough decision.

We haven’t seen Jack in a while on this blog- so it’s about time I post a few of the kid who keeps this house hopping.  At the risk of sounding completely biased- he is such a good looking kid!  I take complete credit for it of course.    My mom was one of 10 kids.  Each one (that survived to adulthood) had a blonde, blue eyed boy. except my mom.  No blonde blue eyed children and NO boys!  She says Jack is the filling that void for her.  I guess that makes sense- because that’s the only way I can explain these incredible blue eyes.     

I’ve said before that Jack is my fire.. he has alot of the characteristics of fire.  He’s my unpredictable, lively, spontaneous, sometimes uncontrollable, fierce and wild child.  I say he’s my drama queen- which is to say his joy is exaggerated, but so is his anger.  I worry about him a lot.  I worry more for the path he will take.  I know he’s going to be a wanderer. It will take lots of time for him to find his place in this world- I hope he can find balance for the extremes he’ll feel.  That’s our fight right now, as I see it- helping him learn to balance the extremes of his personality.  It’s hard, but I can see how he’s been given an awesome gift if he can come to realize it- he has the ability to experience life in a fuller, more amplified way- creative beyond what I can imagine… I can see it in his eyes.

  

all three in a traditional posed portrait-  uggghhhhh– these are so hard!!!!

By the way-  I just realized that this blog just turned 50,000 hits- fifty thousand….  

F I F T Y  T H O U S A N D !!!  Wow- I am speechless, so grateful and utterly amazed!

Happy Birthday to Stu-  March 19th!!!!

the hills are alive

with the sounds of spring.  Granted, it’s not :technically: spring.  But this is Louisiana and Mother Nature doesn’t work the way she should here. So, I’m going to celebrate Spring’s arrival now.  If it’s 32 degrees next week, oh well…..  

What is it about this time of year that makes you feel so good, just happy?  I am not a cold weather girl- since I have never been one for discomfort.  Spring is my season.  Finally, we can rid ourselves of all those layers of clothes and emerge from our caves blinking in the light.   It only takes a few warm days and I’m itching to get outside.  I wish I were Julie Andrews in the “Sound of Music”- spinning around on that hillside, without the lederhosen of course.

Claire saying Happy Easter…

  

the view outside my kitchen window…

Kaden

So…  Kaden isn’t my biggest fan.   This was my second time to see Kaden. The first time was a big fat failure! I rarely cancel sessions once they start (disclaimer:  this does not mean sessions that are still waiting to happen Lisa….).  Last session, he just was not happy and acted sleepy, so we all decided to call it quits and reschedule.  I’m told he perked right up after he got home and did NOT take that nap.  So I met with Kaden and his entourage this morning, for try number 2.   Let me tell you- he’s a little king- he has his mom, his dad and his grandma all wrapped up.    Kaden must have remembered me from last shoot and those smiles quickly turned to boredom and full on screams!  But, that’s okay little man- you go on and scream… I was on my game this morning.   I wanted to break down and do the cabbage patch when I opened my images….  Look what I got!!!!

one of TWO smiles I managed to capture-

Brody & Libby

I should have had these posted a few days ago.  I am just going to admit it… three kids is hard.  The mom of these two kiddos asked if the addition of a third made a difference.  Well, let me think……  I politely answered “YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” 

Here’s why-

1.  LAUNDRY- the mountain of clothes is spilling out into the hallway-  we are going to start throwing ropes over the top to drag ourselves up and over to go to bed.  I expect my washer to start screaming NO MORE! NO MORE! at any moment…

2. SLEEP-  If and when you can finally hurl your body into bed, forget about stretching out.  There is always at least one little body taking up your space to stretch out.  

3. CALLOUSES-  Expect to have these from wiping noses thousands of times a day. You can wipe a child’s nose once, after that it’s about like calf wrestling.

4.  POTTY -  someone always need help going to or getting down from the potty.

5. SIBLING RIVALRY-  Claire has developed the uncanny ability to sense Jack’s presence within a 100 yard radius.  She starts screaming at the top of her lungs at the mere sight of him… which probably has something to do with the fact that Jack thinks one of his inalienable rights as big brother is to torment Claire.  

6.  FREE TIME-  ha.. you’ve got to be kidding

7. TV-  My Tv is set to record only the new and exciting episodes of Spongebob, Little Bear and Dora- If you understand the words “Yo Gabba Gabba” “Pinky Dinky Doo”  or “Oobi”  then you understand my plight…

8. TRANSPORTATION-  I can beat any group of circus clowns trying to stuff themselves into those little cars-  I am currently driving a compact car (did I mention news of a third baby came shortly after we downsized vehicles?)  Just getting dressed and ready to get into the car is an exercise designed to test strength, stamina, endurance, organization and patience.  

9. DOCTOR’S OFFICE-  every week… enough said.

10. GROCERIES- I’ve only taken the three of them into a grocery store once.  I did pretty good, I didn’t get anything on my list, but at least I got out alive.  The sheer amount of groceries is crazy. We have a joke about each time we enter the store, it’s at least $50.00 and stu went 3 times on Saturday.  Spencer isn’t even eating yet!  I’ll admit a good portion of my bill is coffee related.  It takes quite a bit of caffiene to run this house.

11. TOYS-  everywhere

12. BABYSITTER-  no dates with just the parents.  Don’t expect volunteers either when you can’t pay anyone enough money to babysit three kids 5 and under!  Only the parents are crazy enough to jump into that.

Yeah- it’s a huge adjustment, but it’s worth it.  I have a quote running on my computer that reads- “Three is enough in a way that two isn’t quite. Three is joyful, crazy-making chaos.”  Our house is loud, chaotic and messy, but it’s my house and it’s filled with the sounds of children and lots of laughs and smiles just the way we like it.  I need to remind myself to pause a few times a day and soak in all the blessings I’ve been given.

So after all of that- here’s Brody and Libby!!!

  

Oh Baby…

Meet Elizabeth………….   I’ll pause for a collective “awwwwww”  now.

Only one week old and she was so alert and awake for 80% of this session.  I could have stopped within 10 minutes, because I think I have quite possibly made the best newborn image I’ve ever done.  I keep looking at this image and it is still giving me goosebumps…

   

one more-  love that tummy and those feet!!!

I will post more later- not a lot of time this morning!!