These three were part of our parenting group from our birth center, The Sanctuary. Leif was born about a week and a half before Nova.
We love all the parents that we took classes with to prep for bringing our little ones into the world. When I see Leif I feel like a proud auntie even though there is no relation.
How happy is this baby? I have a feeling he loves his parents A LOT.
Here are some of my favorite images from the mini shoots in Utah.
Those kids were killing it with cuteness.
Thanks to all for participating in the whirlwind. It was so fun..I just might have to do it again.
One of my very favorite families of all time.
When Whitney and I were emailing back and forth about our 30min shoot she wrote, ".. being cute and tanned and blonde is their adaptive survival strategy.." referring to her adorable sons.
I would say things seem to be working in their favor.
Love all four of you!
My sister came to stay with us for a month. She was majorly helpful. I think one of the hardest tasks of new parents is finding time to prep food, eat food and clean up the mess. She cooked for us, shopped for us and cleaned for us!! I was in heaven.
Nova is pretty much obsessed with her. They had dance parties and played together while we went out for the 1st time on a date. Every time Anna walked into the room she got huge gummy smiles.
We celebrated her last night here by having a surf and turf dinner and taking a walk to our nearby park.
I loved having her around because it felt like home. The days when I lived in the same house with all my sisters and brothers....seems so long ago.
We love you Ann-Banan! Miss you already!
(Some of my favorite stills from our shoot with Josh)
Balance seems to be #1 thing on our minds these days. Balancing time as a couple, as a mother, as a business owner & as an individual is no easy thing.
I often find myself feeling guilty for feeling like I am only able to 50% of what I would like to give in any given area. I'm sure sleep deprivation doesn't help...
Time to deep clean my life. I don't have time to give attention to things that don't matter long term. I need to outsource more, ask for help and not be afraid to LET GO of tasks that are taking me away from feeling my best.
What have you "let go" so you could prioritize the things that mattered most to you? Do tell.
[vimeo 25584961 w=800 h=450] When our friend Joshua Brown was in town we did a little trade...I shot his family and he shot mine. I love trades! How amazing is this video? TREASURE. This was over 2 months ago!!! She was only 2 months then. It's like I blinked and she turned from a newborn into a baby.
If I have any advice for other human beings out there it's this: Record Your Life.
Take photos, even if just on your phone. Make movies of the everyday stuff. Write in a journal or blog. How priceless will this be for Nova someday? I would kill for this type of memory with me and my parents.
Josh, thanks for your skills and for keeping my 8wk post baby chins to a minimum.
Families are my favorite!!!
With two kids this couple decided to do a pre-wedding shoot so on the wedding day they wouldn't stress about everyone's "moods". SO SMART.
The kids were charming and I do have to say...even though it wasn't offical yet...they were family.
I loved how much the kiddos beamed during their alone shots with Mom.
Shooting their Newport Beach wedding this Saturday!
Welcome to earth you sweet little thing.
Your parents are pretty obsessed with you. I have documented proof.
Now that I am a parent I understand even more what a privilege it is to be invited into a home during the first few weeks of a newborn's life. Thank you so much for allowing me to share that space. She is so blessed to have you as parents.
Our sweet friends, the Kelly's, came for a short visit this last week. Made me miss that New York City something feirce.
We miss them and wish we could see them a lot more.
We had an impromptu 15min photoshoot the day before they left. Check out that early evening light poolside. Yummers.
I will be doing something similar to this in Southern CA next month.
Yay for mini sessions that aren't called mini sessions!
I am back in the saddle again. Shooting after a long (needed) maternity break is like a jolt of energy. I feel like I am starting to refuel every time I pick up the camera.
Shot some photos for a friend and his family. Josh happens to be a very talented photographer based out of New York City. Shooting photos of a photographer is nerve-racking but also a great compliment. Josh then took photos and video for us yesterday at our home. I consider it the best perk of the business...having really talented photographers as friends.
They have such a diverse and lovely family.
More mustard flower shoots to come!
This post is really more for us than anyone else. There was so many images of her first weeks, I thought this would be a good way to share a few (and believe me, this is only a few). So here it is, her first hour through 7th week at a glance.
Her first photo and one about an hour after birth. (birth story and more photos of labor coming soon!)
Dad's first diaper change.
Can you believe they make diapers this little?
This ring was a gift Grant gave to me during labor. Someday I will give it to her.
Grandma and Grandpa Thurston holding her day 1. They live too far away!
Her first time going outside!
An expression that perfectly describes how it feels to direct other people when taking photos of me with my camera.
Her first time in the office.
Trying to get work done..not very successful.
Our first walk as a family.
She was born like this...with her paw next to her head. Adorable.
Cleavage!
Not super happy about her first bath.
Bathtime she now loves...once Mom and Dad figured out how to do it.
Her hair just dries like this most of the time.
Her first time at the beach.
Cousin love!
Major came to visit.
She loves her Papa.
The most gorgeous. The most.
I found this article on teamBoo's blog (that I found linked through TrueLu's blog).
It is a near perfect explantion of what Mothers and Fathers DO all day long when raising children.
I know I haven't even come close to everything parenting will entail but while reading this article...I felt validated. And I laughed.
What makes me think I am up for the challenge of teaching "virtually everything...language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity, empathy. Everything"??...
I guess it's her little face looking at me saying "What now Mama?" It lights a fire under me and I GO!
These are from her first walk around the neighborhood at...I think...5days old. By "walk" I mean to the next street and back. Mom was tuckered out.
Also it was Dad's 1st time wearing her in our Beco Carrier. He was very proud of himself.
Here's to sunshine and more walking this weekend.
(Shot with land camera and film that is still clinging on for dear life.)
Nova's first week has come and gone. Here are some impressions I wrote down for her:
In about an hr and a half, it will be a week from the moment you arrived. The moment you were born and I was re-born. You haven't been much for crying, even from the start. You cry when I don't feed you fast enough and that's pretty much it. You have the most beautiful face. Round and full. Your cheeks give me a chub attack and your lips are pouty and full. We didn't wash you for the first 5days. We just didn't want to wash all of the newborn off of you. I wasn't sure you would fit into your tiny newborn clothes but you did and do! Everything else drowns you. You love the bamboo blankets I bought you. My favorite thing this week is when after you have eaten you pull off and place your chubby cheek on top of my boob and are content to stay there all night. Sometimes when you do this you give milk coma smiles. I feel so proud that I helped contribute to that contentment. I also love your hot flushed face after you have eaten. You are exhausted and a little milk outlines your perfect pouty lips. I thought the days would go by slow..but they don't! I stare at you and before I know it another day has passed. The first time I showered, a day or so after your birth, I cried the entire shower. Your dad was in there helping me because I was still so weak. Part of the reason I was crying was because you were in another room from me. I never want to be away from you. The midwives said you have a "lusty" cry. I have to agree. You also have cleavage....What are we in for? Your hands in your sleeper mitts are the cutest little balls of fabric. You smell so good. I could sniff your hair, lips, cheeks and toes for hours and hours. My hand is about the size of your back and I like to leave it there so I can feel and see your chest rise and fall. Everyday I am sad you are one day older. The aging thing is going to be hard for me. I would rather have you sleep on, next too or in arms reach of me. I have woken up a few times panicked because you are not right on top of me. We like to always be touching each other. When you have been asleep for a few hrs and you wake up to feed, I'm always surprised at how much I missed you. Waking up in the middle of the night for you is not hard because I just love being with you and looking at you so much. You have spent the majority of this week naked with just your diaper on. Skin to skin keeps us both warm and helps us bond. You went for your first walk and your daddy carried you in the front carrier and you loved it. I worked with you at my computer with you on my lap. It seemed so normal. You were born with a hand next to the side of your head and still have those arms and hands always curled up next to you head. Speaking of arms...I counted 8 rolls on one of your arms this week. 8! You like to be soothed in an over the shoulder position or up against a chest. The first time I sang you your song after you were born, you stared at me and stopped moving. You recognized it. Your dad loves you a lot. He has been feeding me, answering the door and just taking care of business so you and I can rest and be together. He sacrifices for us. I loved you the entire time I was pregnant with you, but after you were born I loved you even more. All I care about is your comfort and well being. For your first outing to the pediatrician’s office we dressed you in a white onesie and gray polka dot leg warmers. You looked like you were about to do jazzercise. I'm having a hard time finding a balance between Mom and Photographer. I want to take photos of you constantly but I also want to hold you and stare at you constantly. It's the lot I will have to bear. It's raining tonight just like on the day you were born. I remember sitting in the tub in our bedroom and reaching out to touch the window during a contraction to see if the window felt cool. It did. It's almost 9:30. This was a break through time for me the night you were born. An hr later you were here and I couldn't stop smiling. I am still in shock that you came and that I live in a house with a baby. I am your Mom and know I am...but it all feels so normal that I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the huge change. I am excited to write out your whole birth story. I think I am ready. You are hungry so I better wrap this up. I never want you to change or grow or get older. I want you to be little forever......but then what about all the other stages? Everyone is obsessed with you. I am obsessed with you most. I grew you!!!!!! I miss you inside of me but am so happy you are here, healthy and all mine. We are an amazing team. The three of us.
Love, Mom
(photos of her one day old)
Born at home on Friday February 18th. 8lbs 10oz and 21in long.
Yes, she is still nameless...but not for long. In the meantime feel free to call her "Miss Chubby Cheeks".
We are totally in love, healthy and taking time for our new little family. Thanks for everyone's love and excitement.
We couldn't be happier.
Did you know that I have a younger brother with red hair? Yes, I do.
We are going to be happy with whatever baby girl looks like...but we love that she has a fighting chance for some curly red locks.
Scott is the only person I have ever called "Bud". It's his nickname and his alone. Ever since he was really young he was Bud.
We couldn't be more different when it come to coloring. His skin is a few shades lighter than mine and he is the only one in our family with a distinct hair color. We do have some similarities though..We are both the self proclaimed computer experts in the family. We both think we are pretty funny (even if no one else is laughing). We both love lounging around home in comfy clothes and we both have strong opinions and aren't afraid to share them.
Once when he was young (under 10) he gave me a card that said, "I'm your knight in shining armor". I still have it. Then, during the darkest year of my life thus far, on my birthday...he made me a wood plaque that reads, "You're Loved". It's sitting in my office right now. I think it was the most meaningful gift I have ever been given.
He is pretty great, right? I think so.
(We did a little green-screen shoot for some business images he needed in Dec. This was one my favorite faces.)
I love the shot of the dog. Boy has that pups world been turned upside down. He wanted to be in every shot. Bless him.
First time parent pros. They were so organized and so calm. Very encouraging.
I know I say this just about everytime, but that baby girl was perfection. Newborns can't be flawed.
Thank you for letting me hold and kiss your 1st born. It was a delight.
Until recently this little guy loved to give me scowls. During this shoot he was on a roll...and because of it I didn't get diddly squat of him.
He loves eating so I thought what would be better than him with a giant bowl of something to chow on?
I'm just grateful we got 2 shots. I am also grateful he has passed the grumpy-with-auntie stage. Now when he sees me he coos at and rubs my belly..talking baby talk to Thumbelina.
Sunday night while looking at my bump he asked, "Hold her?" while he made a cupping shape with both his hands. I just about tore her out of there so I could give him what he wanted.
Tell me that 4yr old isn't madly in love with me.
Sorry, but he is.
He's our little man of leisure. He wears superhero tee shirts (this superman one about 99.9% of time) under his church clothes so the minute he gets in the car after church he can tear off the buttoned monstrosity and get comfy.
Recently his mother informed me he brought a pillow to the beach. Smartest kid alive.
He is also usually the one to initiate the "love nest" which involves blankets and pillows and couches and movies and books and snuggling and him wanting it but squirming away from it giggling.
Thank heaven for 4yr old boys.