Don't Miss a Moment

check out my new blog!

2010-01-09T15:05:00.001-08:00

http://maurihartphotography.blogspot.com/

A year ago...

2009-04-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

We were getting ready to welcome Leland into the world. I cannot believe how fast a year goes when you have a baby. It literally flies! I would love to say that I took lots of moments to "smell the roses" this go around, but I always find at birthdays that I have that nagging feeling that I could have done more. I do think that I thought a lot about how fast the time would go and I did try and enjoy more of the babyhood than I did with the other two. I will truly miss the tiny baby days here. It is always so wonderful having a newborn and infant in the house. Leland is still very much a baby to me and I'm sure that I'll always look at him as "my baby". But, I know that before I know it he will be talking back and getting grounded and sent to time out. He has the most adorable personality. Quite a nice little mix of his older siblings. Seems very spunky like Walker but also very observant like Bry. He definitely loves being outside and loves dogs and ducks and shoes. :) He can say Dada, Mama, Nana (new today!), dog, duck, ByeBye, something kind of like Bry (dye) and sometimes he tries to make the sssss sounds like sissy. He loves to try and play Bry's drums and his fave toy is my cell phone. We all love him so much!

For my own personal records (because I haven't done a good job with baby books!) I want to put in writing Leland's stats along with Bry and Walker's from the first year. I am sure that I've forgotten some of their stuff so I want to remember as much as I can now about Leland because I know that time will cause the memories to fade even more.

The Beginning:

Weight:
Bry ~ 11lbs 14oz
Walker ~ 9lbs 4oz
Leland ~ 9lbs 12oz

Length:
Bry ~ 22 1/4 inches
Walker ~ 21 inches
Leland ~ 21 inches

Time of birth:
Bry ~ 2:44pm ~ July 11, 2001
Walker ~ 7:31am ~ February 23rd, 2004
Leland ~ 7:10am ~ April 18th, 2008

The Middle:

First Tooth:
Bry ~ got bottom 2 at 3 1/2 months
Walker ~ one on bottom at 5 months (teethed out of order on top)
Leland ~ one on bottom at 5 motnhs (also teethed out of order on top)

Rolled over:
Bry, Walker, Leland - all around 3 months ~ I never found this much of an exciting milestone!

Sat up:
Bry ~ exactly 5 months (he was chunky and balanced well!)
Walker ~ 6 1/2 months
Leland ~ 6 months

Crawled:
Bry ~ exactly 8 months
Walker ~ started army crawling on her belly at 6 months - before she could even sit up
Leland ~ 7 months

Pulled up:
Bry ~ 10 months
Walker ~ 7 months
Leland ~ 6 months (completely insane!)

The End ~

Walked:
Bry ~ 11 months
Walker ~ first steps before 9 months, walked very well before 10 months
Leland ~ 10 1/2 months

Spoke words:
Bry ~ not many words the first year (started talking more towards 2)
Walker ~ said the normal things - mama, dada, byebye, and screamed loudly all the time
Leland ~ said dada very early and now says about 10 words

Favorite foods as babies:
Bry ~ anything but veggies
Walker ~ anything - loved veggies and grits
Leland ~ anything but sandwiches

I will post some pics of Leland's party tomorrow. We are going to have just family over in the afternoon for cake and ice cream. The kids are so excited. I've been trying to teach Leland to blow out his candles, but it's not working. He just doesn't understand.

Pics of Leland on the day he was born:
(I know I'm a little partial, but wasn't he a really adorable newborn??)

Bunnies, birthday parties, homework and a studio...

2009-03-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air! We have 2 new friends with us now ~ Thumper and Slash. They are sweet bunnies who came to live with us last week. The kids ADORE them and love playing with them. Walker is especially fond of them...well, Thumper at least. Thumper's the gentler of the two. Slash is warming up though. They will make their modeling debut in a few days. Oh and I don't know if they are male or female. I have a feeling that I have one of each. I don't really want any baby bunnies, so one may have to find a new home after Easter. Not so sure how the kids will feel about that though.

Walker turned 5 two whole weeks ago. I can't believe that I'm just now posting pics and blogging about my sweet baby girl growing up so fast. Gosh, she is so big and so fun now. She spent the night at a friend's house for the first time this past weekend. She loved it and can't wait to go to Addison's house again. She ended up having 2 official birthday parties over the span of a week. One was here at the house with just family. Then, the next weekend we did a friend party for her at this adorable little dance studio in Madison. The girls LOVED it. They danced and put on all kinds of costumes and princess dressup clothes. I'm posting a ton of pics.

Last week we were in the car and Walker started singing Rudolph and I all of a sudden realized how quickly we'd gone from Christmas to March. And while I felt a brief sadness that the holidays had passed so swiftly I started feeling the warmth and happiness that comes with spring. I love spring. I love dance recitals and spring break and planning of summer vacations. I love garage sales and daylight savings time and crawfish boils. It's nice to be back!

The boys are doing great - Leland is getting over a double EI. Bry's started baseball and we're busy busy. I just finished up a commercial for Bry's class. They're doing an economic unit and he is selling cookies. I'm going to post the commercial. It is precious!

Finally, I found a space to rent out for my photography studio. I guess that's what's kept me most busy over the past few weeks. It really happened quickly and I'm still getting used to lights and all that. I can already see that it's going to be totally worth it for me and my customers though. So nice to be out of the garage!

Bry's advertisement - We think this is SO adorable for some reason.....

Walker's friends...Avery, Hayes, Hannah, Mollie Ann, Emily, Walker, Ellis and Addison:

Leland (9month...or maybe 10 month) pics - garage pics, not studio:

Happy 10 months Leland~

2009-02-18T21:33:00.000-08:00

Today's Leland's 10 month birthday. It's gone FAST!!! And big man is on the move. He's started taking a few steps here and there although we're still not officially "walking". He is now saying "mamamama" and "dadadadadadada" and "bababababababa" more and more and really really really loves dogs! Also loves suckers and I'm sure that suckers are against the rules, but he's super cute with them.

Leland with the sucker he found in the pantry~

All kids at recent trip to zoo ~

Contest Winner....

2009-02-09T05:37:00.000-08:00

The winner of the free session is TRICIA!!! Congrats! Email me and we can discuss details. YAY!! Thanks for everyone who commented here and on Facebook. I will have more contests in the future and will change it up a bit from time to time to be free prints as well as free sessions. So, keep checking for updates!

Coming this week - dates for Easter sessions, Mynelle Gardens, and more Canton.

Sneak peek for Miki....

2009-02-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

Just a couple - there are way more to come, but I always (generally) go in order. Maybe this will do until I get them all complete?? :)

More Canton and a CONTEST!

2009-02-05T20:52:00.000-08:00

So, I really wanted to show a few of A & A from Canton. I know these kids pretty well. Big A is in Walker's class at school and their mom cleans all of our teeth. :) Pretty cool family and super adorable kids. I love what they are wearing. Oh and, I've decided to do another Canton day in February on the 21st. And, to get people excited about it, I'm going to have a contest (thanks for this idea Jennifer!). Anyone who puts a comment in the comment section will get their name put in a hat and the winner will win a free session for Canton on the 21st. YAY! how fun. Of course, if you don't win, you can still sign up for a time. I will only do 6 sessions that day so spaces are limited. The drawing for the free session will be this Sunday, the 8th.

Isn't she adorable?

2009-02-04T20:53:00.001-08:00

I started proofing Canton tonight and just adore all the pics. This was my first little client that morning. She was a total cutie pie.

For all the family members who read my blog, I will post about my own kids tomorrow! :)

A few from this weekend...

2009-02-03T07:04:00.000-08:00

I had a lot of fun taking pics in Canton this past weekend - I will definitely be going back soon. All the kids did SUPER!! I met some really cool kids and their parents and also got to visit with some regular customers. The new 50d is starting to feel more "normal" and I've just about figured out the different buttons/functions. I haven't proofed all the pics yet, still have some to do that I had taken prior to Canton, but I couldn't resist testing out a few. The last kids that came, Gracie and Hayden, had the most wonderful eyes and expressions. I'll show more as I get them done.....

Today was one of those days...

2009-01-26T20:50:00.001-08:00

A nonstop day for the kids. This was our schedule: Bry to school, Walker to school, me to the grocery store, pick up Walker from school, Walker to dance, pick up Bry from school, Bry to drums, both to swim, the whole family to the school for dinner. Home for bed! At least i didn't have to cook ~ I will cook tomorrow though. Fred's favorite, chicken enchilada soup. It's so easy! Just cook chicken breasts in the crock pot and then take them out, shred them, put them back and add rotel tomatoes, beans, green chilies, a can of enchilada sauce and you can also add corn and black olives if you like. I pour a little chicken stock in as well because I'm a soupy kind of gal! And, I might add a package of ranch dip mix. I don't know why I do that part, but it is SOOOOOOO yummy. And, so easy. Kind of like taco soup but with chicken and enchilada sauce. Can't believe I'm rambling about food. I think it's late and I'm hungry!! Need to go to sleep. Luckily, not as many activities/functions tomorrow. I'm excited. Maybe I can get some work done.

New camera....

2009-01-26T13:46:00.000-08:00

My 50d came in last week so I was able to use it for all of my sessions this weekend. I really haven't had the time to figure it all out so it was a little hard with the settings and all that. I am a creature of habit and it's hard when you're fumbling around in front of a customer with a new piece of equipment. I definitely have some kinks to work out with it on my part but I do like the camera a lot. I found that the images were clearer than with my rebel. But, I have decided that it's not a camera that makes good pics, it's the user and the elements that make it all come out pretty. My next purchase will be a prime lens and then I will probably upgrade cameras again in a year. But, for now, I will practice with what I have and hope that it all works out. The good news about having 2 decent cameras is that now I can shoot weddings. I will just bring Fred along with me as my second shooter and he can use the rebel to back up anything that I might miss. We are excited about that possibility. I have always been nervous to really push the wedding thing because they are SO stressful, but I would like it if I had a helper. Here's a few from Saturday with the new toy....I have been taking this little boy's pics since he was in his mom's belly! :) Oh how time flies!

Sick kid...

2009-01-19T16:17:00.000-08:00

Leland turned 9months old yesterday and to mark the occasion he was up all night running fever and even throwing up a few times. Ick. Needless to say it was a rough night for us all and I feel like I've been threw the ringer. I could not get his fever all the way down until a few hours ago and that was with both motrin and tylenol. He just wanted to lay on either Fred or me and drift in and out of sleep. Poor poor baby. This is his first fever virus and it totally reminded me of the early years with Bry. Back when I was terrified of children running fever and having seizures. I remember Fred and I putting Bry in a tub of cold water and stripping him down to just a diaper. We stripped Leland down to just a diaper but I refrained from putting him in cold water. It was enough for me that his fever went down some. I never use a thermometer either, I can just tell if it's high or not. I hate when they're sick, but they are so lovey and cuddly! He's feeling a bit better now, but I'm sure that tonight will be a hard. Fingers crossed that in the morning all will be back to normal and that Walker and Bry don't get it. Walker's already had a puny look to her for a few weeks and I do not want her to get sick.

my sweet boy (from a few weeks ago):

Oh and YAY me, I just ordered a new camera. Should be in by Friday. CAN'T wait to get it. Thanks Jennifer for the advice. I went with the 50D. I so wanted the Mark-whatever-5D, but told myself that I can get that next Christmas.

Cool new place to take pics...

2009-01-11T19:09:00.000-08:00

When we went to Canton over the Christmas holidays to see the "city of lights" I realized what an awesome old downtown area it was. Lots of graffiti and old doors/buildings with paint chipping off and all that. Perfect for pics and especially perfect during this time of the year when nothing is blooming and everything is blah outside. So, I took my kids and two adorable little girls I know and we went for a shoot yesterday. Unfortunately, the shoot lasted all of about 15 minutes because a huge storm blew in and we had to go. But, I'm going to use some of these for some new marketing and maybe have a few special Canton weekends in January/February.

Holiday blues...

2008-12-30T21:03:00.001-08:00

I always get sad after Christmas is over. It's the same feeling I've had for years and years. I get so swept up in all the nostalgia and emotional part of the holidays and it's so hard to let that go every year. I've had a really hard time over the past 2 years with it because of work. I am SO busy up until Christmas Eve it seems and then BAM it's all over. December 26th rolls around and just like that people are taking down trees and decorations and no one wants to hear Christmas music anymore. I just reached the point of being able to enjoy it all and now everyone else is done with it. It's depressing. And, I often feel like I'm searching for that "magical" Christmas feeling from my childhood. You know what I'm talking about - that amazing feeling of excitement and anticipation - that rush of Christmas morning - the thrill of it all...it's like a crack addict in search of his first high....it'll never be the same as it used to be no matter how hard we try. But, in spite of my Christmas blues, I do think that as a family we had a fabulous time this year. The kids loved it and it was so fun having Leland with us. Of course, that's another sad part - his first Christmas has come and gone and now we are about to say goodbye to his birth year. Oh the bittersweet emotions that brings....

Christmas morning at our house:

Johnny Napalm (Guitar Hero dude - Bry's fave present):

with Grandmommy on Christmas morning:

Leland in Leland at Nana's the weekend before Christmas:

Playing piano at Nana's:

All the grandkids at Nana's:

I am going to try and post some more tomorrow. I have some video clips to share.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T18:24:00.001-08:00

The kids are so excited about tomorrow. We've been tracking Santa's journey online and it is so fun to see them study the map of the world.

We went to mass this afternoon and Bry was one of the shepherds in the nativity scene. I love mass on Christmas Eve. It's so sweet and you can feel the anticipation in the room and the adults can breathe big sighs of relief because the work is all done.

I am so fascinated with the traditions and history of Christmas - a great show came on the History channel yesterday about all of it and I recorded it. I am going to watch in a bit. I made big pot of coffee because I don't think I'll be going to bed for a while tonight. Too many things to take care of. ;)

Pics will come after presents in the morning!

These special days...

2008-12-11T20:52:00.001-08:00

My sweet baby is growing so much these days. He's pulling up and crawling and trying to wave bye-bye. I am so happy that it's the holiday season and so hopeful that the next 2 weeks will go by very slowly. I have a very strong urge to take everything in and really enjoy this time with my family. It seems like the holidays get more and more hectic each year. I finished up my shopping (most of it) online this week and that was a huge relief!! AND, I am SO SO happy that tonight I put in the last order for Christmas cards. Oh wow, what a season for pictures! It was great and I'm looking forward to a wonderful new year with lots of great ideas to try out.

It snowed here today, but sadly nothing stayed long enough for the kids to get to play. I just know that we'll get that fun snow one day.

A few pics of Leland...and, yes, he's teething and chews on everything. :)

Blog slacker....

2008-11-04T18:34:00.000-08:00

So, I've been a little busy. It always happens this time of the year. Things get crazy and schedules are hard to keep up with. I had a portrait party over in Greenville not long ago (thanks CYNDI!) and I feel like I'm finally starting to recover from it. ;) We've been trying desperately to come up with some sort of solution for me as far as work goes so that I can work, take care of the kids, be sane and not have to hire help. Right now the solution is that I stay up late to catch up. We're hoping that we can move to me taking a nap at some point during the day with Leland and then being able to stay up late at night and not be so tired. Right now it's hard to nap during the day because I'm so swamped. The orders and proofing and special requests have me drowning in pictures. I guess it's a good thing and I suppose that after the holidays I'll be sad because things will slow down a bit until Easter, but it's like a great big snowball that just keeps gaining momentum.

The kids are fabulous. Bry's adoring 2nd grade. We had a meeting with his teacher not long ago (for 1st nine weeks) and she said so many nice positive things about him. She talked specifically about how smart he is. We've always known how smart he is, but it's nice to hear it from a professional. He truly loves school this year and I don't know that he did last year as much. I think that he's finally in a grade that's somewhat challenging and exciting for him. He and Fred played at the annual Halloween party that we always have at the Mooreheads. They were joined by Ron and Gabriel. I'm adding pics of them. Bry did so good....

Walker is her same spunky self and is learning all kinds of things at preschool. I love her school! She is learning to write her name and has so many friends. She dressed up like batgirl for halloween this year. She is definitely not a girly girl and loves being superheroes. Last year she as supergirl. She told me that she would have been a fairy princess if she could have been a mean one. WHAT?? She is so sweet.

Leland is 6 months old now (my how it flies!) and is now sitting up and about to start crawling. He can get from from laying down to sitting up and does it so fast. It's causing problems putting him down for sleep. He sits right up. Then he cries and cries. So, I have to pick him back up. I think he's getting spoiled. I took him to the dr for his shots, etc. on Monday and he only weighs 17 pounds. He's hovering around the 50%ile. He's eating a lot more solids now. And, I actually try and give him meals 3x/day. It doesn't always happen, but I try. I found a cool blowup duck bathtub that he LOVES and it works perfectly for him at this stage. No falling over in the tub....it's great! He says lots of DADADADA's and blows raspberries. Still loves nursing although is very distractable.

I guess I need to get back to work...

Giant Teacup

2008-09-29T19:37:00.000-07:00

Leland ~ almost 5 months.....

2008-09-15T18:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, so he has 3 days left before he's officially 5 months old, but who knows if I'll have time to type then. I have time now, so here's the update. Basically, he's growing too fast. Tonight he ate green beans and rice cereal and actually loved it. I've been trying solids off and on here and there and it's been pretty rough. He didn't love any of the jarred container things at all. It was all messy and I was so sporadic with it. I kind of thought that we'd just wait until six months and try again for real. But, tonight we had green beans with dinner and so I set some aside for him before I seasoned them and I mashed them up with a fork and mixed them with the baby cereal. I didn't add formula to it (like I'd been doing) because he didn't seem to love the taste of formula - and instead just put a little water in with it and whala! He was opening his mouth big and grinning from ear to ear. What a sweetheart. I don't have pics, but I'll take some tomorrow or whenever I get back around to trying again. Maybe tomorrow I'll steam some carrots for him. :)

Physically he's getting so strong. He wants to sit up and when we lay him on his belly he starts scooting around some by pulling his legs up under him and thrusting himself forward. He thinks it's great, I think it's too early to start all that moving around. He can roll from back to front and vice versa quickly now and gets all around in his crib with the above two methods. He can turn his mobile on and off as well as his crib aquarium.

He loves to laugh and has a really precious personality. I just know that 2 teeth are about to pop out at the bottom, I can sort of see them there. He's got his first runny nose/cold and that makes feeding time challenging. He was outgrowing all of his short sleeved things so this past weekend I went and bought several new summery outfits thinking that it would be warm for a while - now it's cool! But, I know it won't stay that way for too long.

I can't believe that I haven't posted all September. This past weekend we celebrated my brother's 30th birthday. It was a lot of fun and great to see so many of Darren's friends. I'm posting a few pics and then I'm off to work....

Kidbits...

2008-08-30T17:06:00.000-07:00

Walker calls sneezes "bless yous". She thinks red is blue and blue is red - no matter how many times we correct her. She likes taking showers for fun. Stays in there for close to an hour most days. Plays "school" or "soccer" with the old shampoo and soap bottles. They are the people. She is obsessed with Caillou and most recently, Jon and Kate plus 8. Wants to watch it all the time. She and I were baking cakes today and she said, "Mommy, is today my day?" If you watch the show you know what she means. She loves to collect things - and is notorious for opening a game (say, connect 4) and taking out all of the pieces, dividing them into small containers (like old party cups or rubbermaid containers) and hiding them in her room. She also does this with food. The other day I found a small container of old hot dogs down in a bag in her toy box. I knew that her room smelled rank, but I just hadn't found the source. She said it was for her campout. She has a good imagination. I can see her as a bag lady one day walking down the street with her "collections" talking to herself. :)

Leland can roll over now and is very good at it. He wants to sit up badly. If we lay him down on the bed he lifts his head up - like he's trying to do a situp. I do not want him to sit up because he will soon crawl after that and well, that's just the end of the baby-baby stage. The other night Fred and I were awoken by Bry and after we got him back to bed we had a hard time going back to sleep. All of a sudden Leland bursts out into a big ol' baby belly laugh. He was asleep in his bed. I wonder what he was dreaming about? It was precious. He laughed in his sleep again today while I was holding him. I wonder if he's going to talk in his sleep. I'm trying to teach him the sign for nursing. I showed it to him today and he was very intrigued. He tries to do the motions to itsy bitsy spider. He adores that song and smiles so big when I start singing it to him.

Bry is doing so good at school this year - he has always been very bright but last year it was almost like he got bored and uninterested. The work that he brings home has wonderful marks and I can tell that he's learning and thriving. We are so proud of him. He got to read at mass on Wednesday and looked like such a big boy up there. He started tackle football last week and we are all very nervous about it!! He will learn so much I'm sure and he looks adorable in his gear. He also learned to ride his bike without training wheels not long ago. He did it in no time, he just needed a little motivation. Today he and Fred went to Oxford for the game. Fred keeps texting me telling me what a great time they're having.

A few pics of my babies:

Bry playing flag football over the summer:

Walker modeling one of my new petticoat/tutus - we need to do some with these outside - I got a red one, too. :)

Sweet Leland growing quickly:

This too shall pass....

2008-08-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about this saying for a while now and it's always been one of my favorite phrases. It's what your mama would say to you after someone was mean to you at school or when you didn't make cheerleader or when you for some other reason felt that the world was coming to an end. I know that things will pass - I know one day I'll have more time to be organized and one day we'll have a bigger house and one day I'll be completely caught up with work. But, I also know that one day my kids won't be little anymore and one day I won't have a baby in the house and one day I won't be worried about homework...I really don't want those things to "pass". I think I'm struggling lately with realizing how quickly time goes by and it makes me very sad. I know that when Bry was a baby I looked forward to every milestone and got excited at each knew phase and with Leland, all I think about is that very soon he'll be walking and talking and heading off to school. I guess that it's a normal part of life to eventually have to move on to the next phase, but I don't know that I'm handling it well. I wish that I could bundle up this part of my life - the good parts and the hard parts and everything in between - and save them. I want to hold on to this precious time in my children's lives for as long as I can. I can imagine that all of our parents wish that they could go back, if only for a day, and relive a few of those moments with us. I am quite positive that I'm going to make one hell of a miserable old lady one day because I'm sure this all has to do with me getting older...or, perhaps I just need meds....who knows! But, this too shall pass.

Busy week for the girl...

2008-08-22T20:25:00.001-07:00

Walker started school on Wednesday and loves it so much! She has lots of kids in her class that she knows and I know a lot of the parents of the kids in there. That makes it really nice! She also started dance and gymnastics and told me that she wants to go to dance every day. If only I could afford that!! Ha! She is such a social butterfly....

With her friends at dance (Addison, Walker & Ellis):

The first day of 4 year old kindergarten:

Bry's 1st Fun Run...

2008-08-22T20:07:00.000-07:00

We were so proud of Bry tonight! He ran in the kids Fun Run in one of those big races and did great! He ran a mile in under 10 minutes. I can't even do that. He was so adorable out there and really sprinted in the end. He said that he never wants to do that again! I think he'll do a few more though. :)

Fred's dad took these pics for us:

Four is the magic number...

2008-08-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

Leland turned 4 months old yesterday. Yes, I know that I should have lots of pictures to post of him, but I don't. I will one day get pics made of him in his baptism gown, but that will probably not happen this week. I took him to the doctor last week because I could have sworn that he had an EI (I still think he has one actually) but the dr said no and went ahead and gave him his 4m shots. I was so upset because I hadn't had time to prepare him for what was going to happen. Poor thing looked straight at me and smiled as the first needle went in. He had no idea what was about to happen. He is so precious! He weighed 15lbs2oz and is in the 50%ile for height and weight. He laughed and carried on with the dr - I think she really wanted to take him home with her. I love our ped!

Tomorrow is a very big day for Walker - she is going to be starting 4 year old kindergarten. OMG! I'm so sad. My baby is getting so big. She is beside herself with joy. Can't wait to go! We picked out outfits for the week and she got to meet her teacher tonight at open house. They got little totes to bring to school everyday (I wish I hadn't bought a backpack!) and even a folder like Bry. She thinks she is so big. I am so happy with her little school and she has several friends in there already and I knew almost all of the parents there tonight so that was really nice.

Maybe I can find some time for pictures tomorrow.

New haircut....

2008-08-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

I took Walker to get her hair cut last week during the monsoon that came to town. She woke up with yet another matted mess atop her head and I just couldn't take it anymore. She'd been telling me for months that she wanted to get her hair cut like Bry's so I knew that short was cool with her. I wasn't so sure about how I felt about it and I was positive that Fred would hate it. But, the screaming fits that we were dealing with after every bath/shower and every morning were just too much. I had to do something. I personally think that while I'd rather her have long thick flowing locks of hair, the short 'do is very in and very cute on her. Here's a pic:

Hello Kitty...

2008-08-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

We had a busy busy Saturday today. Bry is playing summer flag football and he had a game this morning. Since he's been playing, I've been trying to avoid scheduling sessions on Saturday mornings because I like to be at his games. After his game I did have a session with the Hitt family - it was so great getting to see Taff, Kate, Elly and Turner. They did awesome for their pics and I can't wait to proof them. After all that my mother inlaw and father inlaw took Walker to see Hello Kitty in Canton. Walker said it was so fun but that Hello Kitty didn't talk. She said she just "bounced around". :) What is it with Hello Kitty anyway?? All the girls LOVE her but it's not like you can watch her on tv or anything. I mean, we do have a Hello Kitty dvd but it's really really BAD. I don't get all the craze. Walker has now decided that she is going to be H.K. for Halloween. I guess it's better than Hannah Montana!

08.08.08

2008-08-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

What a cool day to be born. Ok, it's not my birthday but it IS the first day of the Olympics. I love the olympics!! Love the gymnastics and the swimming and the diving - all my faves. I can't wait to watch with the kids.

School's going good for Bry. He has a really fun class with very smart, sweet kids. His teacher is a little tough, and I'm SO excited about that!

Trying to learn how to manage work and children. Walker doesn't start school for another week and a half and of course there's Leland. He was happy hanging with me this morning during sessions, but I'm sure that won't always be the case!

Speaking of Leland and pictures, here's a few from yesterday of my sweet baby...

Last day of summer vacation!!

2008-08-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

We had a funfilled day of getting everyone dressed and out the door and to the uniform store so that we could spend an entire hour getting Bry new uniforms for school. Not exactly the "perfect" last day of summer vacation, but it had to be done. I have ironed and hung up all uniforms and school okayed clothing in his closet. We'll see how long that lasts!! I know that before I know it we'll have that dreaded morning where we wake up and have no clean uniform shirts and we all go into ultra-panic mode. But, this year I'm going to TRY and be better and TRY and be more organized. I have three kids now, I have to get it together at least for them. :)

Here are some pics of the kids from vacation - I still have a ton more, but these are all I have time for tonight. I really don't even have time for them....

The first couple were at this old Holiday Inn that we stayed at in Gulfport the first 2 nights. Fred had to work there so we went along with him so that our vacation would be longer. I didn't really "love" the hotel, but for some reason Bry thought it was the bomb and wants to go live there. I didn't get that warm and fuzzy feeling like he apparently did.

Walker in Leland's float:

Bry doing a cool jump! ;)

Walker still in Leland's float:

Bry practicing his diving:

Bry doing some crazy jump:

Walker posing for me:

Bry posing for me:

At the condo (finally!) waiting to go down to the beach:

Bry waiting to go to the beach:

With Nana and A.R.:

Leland on the dolphin cruise:

Walker's reaction to my camera on the dolphin cruise:

A sweet sibling moment. I don't think it lasted very long:

Leland on the cruise after he had to have a clothing change ~ there was a diaper explosion! Fred was so thrilled. :)

Leland in the swing on the patio of the condo. This is what he did most of the vacation.

Just a note, we always get the best condo at the Phoenix 4 in Orange Beach. It has 3 bedrooms and instead of a balcony, we are on the ground level so we have an extended patio with a gate that opens up to the pool. It is awesome!! We can set the babies up on the patio and come back and forth without having to go up and down the elevator with stuff. I don't think that we could do it without that condo. I love it! It also has a sunroom off the master bedroom that we use as a playroom for the kids while we're there. It's a wonderful setup and we love going and staying there every year.

Off to bed to get rested up for my early rising tomorrow. We are going to be in for a rude awakening - literally.....

Mynelle Gardens

2008-08-02T17:34:00.001-07:00

For my parents' 40th wedding anniversary we did a big portrait of the four grandchildren. I think they were VERY happy with their present! These were taken at Mynelle Gardens. We used the first one as their gift.

Babies on the beach....

2008-08-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

A few from the beach...

Thanks Nana and Gramps for the fun vacation!! We had a great time!

I will post more pics as I can...

Bittersweet...

2008-08-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

I used the word "bittersweet" on Bry's birthday. I told him how bittersweet it is to see him grow up and get older. He was very intrigued and has used the word several times to describe things - like baseball camp. I asked him if he liked going to baseball camp and he said that it was "bittersweet". :)

I always feel that the end of the summer is so bittersweet. This summer has been especially wonderful because we've had Leland with us and Bry and Walker are at such fabulous ages and had a lot of fun activities going on over the past few months. Of course, it's so sad to know that they're getting older but I'm so proud of them and so glad that we have three precious blessings in our family. I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of a routine though with fall and the holidays quickly approaching. Fall is my favorite time of the year, I love everything about it - halloween, thanksgiving, football, the fair, cool nights and lightweight jackets, new school supplies and structured weeks.....

Next Wednesday school starts for Bry. A big second grader!! This year he'll have first communion and from what I've heard, 2nd grade is a big change from 1st. Here's hoping that we're up for the challenge! :)

We just got back from a long vacation with my parents and my brother and his family. It was very bittersweet. While we were there we celebrated my parents' 40th wedding anniversary and we also mourned the loss of their beloved dog, Annabelle. Annabelle passed away at the pet sitter's house while we were gone. She was almost 14 years old and lived a fabulous life. We will all miss her dearly.

I took a gazillion pictures on vacation, but here are just a few of the older kids and Anna Reese at the Wharf in Orange Beach. I've decided that next year I will take clients at Orange Beach. We will be there June 2-9th so if you're interested, let me know!

A few more...

2008-07-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

Portrait Party....

2008-07-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

I did a portrait party over the weekend at the Mangum's house. I won't have all the pictures done for a little while but I thought they'd all like a little sneak peak of some that I took...Of course there's LOTS more to work on... :)

Every broken a/c has a silver lining....

2008-07-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this week started out hot!! We woke up on Monday to an a/c that just didn't seem to be cooling. By that afternoon it was blazing in here. We knew we couldn't go long without it but the guy that we wanted to come fix it couldn't come until Tuesday (after 5pm) so we packed the kids up and went and stayed at MIL's house. I had NO business being away from my computer. I am literally swamped with photog work and I had planned to get totally caught up this week because Bry had baseball camp all week and well, we all know that when one kid is gone it totally changes the dynamics and you get so much stuff done. Oh well, one night away wouldn't kill me right?? The next day I took Walks to Summer Camp and Bry went to baseball camp and Leland and I went to the hot house to work for a while. Don't worry, we had fans and were pretty good for a while. The guy did come around 5pm to work on the a/c but needed some special part that he couldn't get until the next day and so we had to wait a whole other day before it would be back working. That night we just had to "nut up" (Fred's words) and stay here. I HAD to work and we HAD to do laundry and dishes and all those normal things that a household has to do to exist. It wasn't so bad and by Wednesday afternoon it was all back to normal. The whole time though I kept thinking about how thankful I was that the a/c had gone out on Monday rather than Friday or Sunday. Friday was Bry's birthday party here and Sunday was Leland's Baptism and we had his reception here. OMG, I would have DIED if it had gone out on Sunday. DIED!!

Leland's baptism was very nice and sweet and LONG. Father Mike did it and was so thorough and explained everything so well. He even came to our house afterwards for the reception. I felt so honored to have a man of God here. :) He was so sweet though and everyone was very excited that he'd come. I did sort of stress out at that point, but it all turned out very nice. Fred and I were relieved when the day was over.

That afternoon I took pictures for my sweet college "little sister", Jennifer, and her precious family. I was so excited to get to see her and the kids and Brad, too! I'm posting some pics of the baptism and also a few of Dee and family....

Leland, Fred and me:

The kids with Nana & Gramps:

All of us with Ashley & Davis (the godparents):

Leland's Godparents, Ashley & Davis:

Us with Father Mike after the service:

The baptism:

The Vickers Family:

Sweet Addyson Claire:

Some Leland tidbits - today he is 3 months old!! Gosh it's flying by already! He is still such a sweet baby. He's a great nurser and sleeps very well, he rolled over on Monday for the first time and loves for me to sing Itsy Bitsy Spider to him. He smiles at me all the time and even giggled some this week. He's very ticklish! He has discovered his hands and I think that he's trying to do the signs to the song (of course, that's a hard one to believe I'm sure!) He's drooling and chewing on things so I'm wondering if he's going to teethe early like Bry did - Bry cut his first 2 teeth at 3 1/2 months. I am quite sad that he's already 3 months old. I love that he's doing new and exciting things and that he's growing the way he should, but it is so hard for me to let go of the newborn "fresh from the hospital" stage. I miss that whole part already! But, then he smiles and me and it makes it a lot easier to move on! :)

I hope to get Leland's 3month pics taken this weekend and also some new ones of the kids. I've got some cool new ideas I want to try, but it's so hot outside and I just hate making them go out there to pose. Maybe tomorrow......

My baby is 7 years old today!!!...

2008-07-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast the last 7 years have gone. I feel like it went so quickly, but I also feel like I've "grown up" so much and become such a different person since Bry arrived. I can't explain how happy I was on the day Bry was born. It was amazing becoming a mother and I loved him so much. He was a big big baby!! He weighed 11 pounds, 14 ounces and the birth was pretty traumatic for us all. We didn't know how big he was going to be so we didn't have a section so needless to say it was rough. But, after he went to the NICU and was intubated he was okay. Here are some early pics of my sweet, big, baby!!

First picture of Bry right after he was born:

With Fred and me (don't we look so young??):

The day we came home from the hospital (he looks 3months old!!):

And a few as the years went by.....most are from summer vacations....

One year old:

Two years old:

Three years old:

Four years old with Walker:

5 1/2 years old:

6 years old:

And, today at his party....we rented a big blowup waterslide and I failed to get a single pic of the kids on it, but I did get a few shots of the cake, presents and him with his very good friend, Gabbi. He and Gabbi are too adorable together!!

Blowing out the candles:

Bry and Gabbi:

Opening presents:

I think he looks so grown up in these!! I tell him all the time about the day that he was born and I am quite sure that he is very tired of hearing that story. I hope that I always remember it because it was the best day for Fred and me and we feel so lucky to have our little rock star! :) We love you BRY!!

Happy 4th!! (almost anyway!)

2008-07-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's hard to find time to blog! I've been very busy lately with portrait parties and sessions, oh and I musn't forget - a 2 month old!! He is absolutely precious and so fun right now. Here's a little peek at him.....

Leland's first time to hang in the saucer (love these things!):

With Walks:

We're heading to the Delta for the weekend. It will be Leland's first trip! Of course we will have to bring lots of baby stuff but I'm going to attempt to minimize it.

Next week is Bry's birthday! He's turning the big 7. Can't believe that I was super duper preggo with an almost 12 pounder 7 years ago. Wow, time flies!

Name that baby...

2008-06-20T19:45:00.000-07:00

Can you tell who's who?? Both are 2 months old in the pics. I'll give you a hint, Bry's not in the mix.

Leland was 2 months old on Wednesday. It seems like it's gone so fast yet I have already forgotten what life was like before he came. He smiles and coos and tries to laugh at us. He's such a snuggler and would love it so much if I let him sleep on his stomach! He also likes his bouncy seat and mobiles so for most of the day his bouncy stays in his bed and he now has 2 mobiles to look at. It's a very cozy setup I must say. I just ordered him a whole new wardrobe online because he's outgrowing everything! And, I just washed up all his 6month onesies that I had stashed away. I can't believe how chunky he's gotten.

We saw my mom and grandparents today - they were in town for doctor appointments and then we saw Fred's sister and niece. I didn't get much work done and I need to be doing nothing but working. I'm so far behind with proofing but finding the time with 3 kids - not an easy thing to do!!

Playdates...

2008-06-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

Summer has definitely changed for us this year as opposed to past years. When Bry was a baby I started keeping kids at home as a way to make money and be able to stay home with him. So, we always had playmates over all day during the week. But, two years ago "Mrs. Mauri's Daycare" shut down. :) YAY!!! Well, it was YAY!!! for me anyway. My kids ask me at least once a week if we can have the "daycare" kids back over. omg, the stories that Fred and I have of all the children that I kept over those 5 years. Hysterical! Every one of those kids (probably about 12 or so total) had their own little personality and their own set of parents with their own personality and well, you get the picture! Fred, being the comic that he is, always gave each new baby their own "voice" and would talk for them until they were speaking on their own. One baby had a rapper/hip-hop voice and most of the girls had sweet little country girl accents....I'm rambling. But, I do miss the structuredness that our house had during the daycare years along with the built-in playmate factor. And, while I have very many fond memories of those early years with my two oldest kids that will always include the children that stayed over, it's not something that I want to go back to - at least not right now.....

Sooooo, since we don't have built in playmates any longer, this summer has been all about calling the kids friends to arrange playdates and the like. It's exhausting!! But, it is also a lot of fun. Walker seems to be the social butterfly of the family and has several friends around us that love to meet for library time, the park, the pool, etc. And, she often gets invited to friends' homes for the day to play. Bry, however, is a bit more of a struggle. So today I just started calling all the people that I knew would be okay with me kidnapping their kids for the afternoon and arranged 2 playdates for him this week. The first of which was today at GattiTown. If you've not been to GattiTown consider yourself lucky!! Seriously, DON'T GO on the weekend!! It's crazy what people will put themselves thru for a few arcade games and some pizza. But, if you'd like to have a good time there, try a weekday. Today we went and got there about 1pm and it was nice. Very nice. Not crowded, easy to keep an eye on the boys. Walker wasn't with us so I just had Bry, his friend, Gabe, and Leland. Gabe is a complete sweetheart and the kind of child that we all wish our own children were more like. They were both really easy and fun to deal with. After two hours of "fun", we took Gabe home and picked up Walker from her friend's house - now we're home and everyone is tired and cranky...

Maybe the next one should be a mommy playdate instead....

Fun Father's Day...

2008-06-15T18:54:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! I didn't get to see my own dad today but I talked to him on the phone. The kids and I got Fred a cool "planets" card and some workout shirts (what he'd requested). We also went and visited Big Joe - Fred's Dad.

Last night we had the Trisler family over for dinner and the kids played and got completely worn out. It was fun to hang with them - we hadn't cooked out with them in a long time! Bry and Walker had a blast. :)

Fred and the kiddos:

Bry and Walker with the Trisler kids:
Chase, Carsen, Cruz, Bry & Walks

Recent faves....

2008-06-11T19:34:00.000-07:00

Some of my recent favorites from photo sessions since Leland arrived....

Happy Birthday Anna Reese!!!

2008-06-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

Today is my sweet baby niece's 1st birthday! Anna Reese is Darren and Nicole's little girl and I can't believe that she's been here a whole year. It has gone by so fast! It seems like yesterday when I went to the hospital to await her arrival. Darren (my brother) was such a proud daddy that day and still is!! Her birthday party was a big event this past weekend and she had a blast playing in the baby pools with her buddies. We love you A.R.!!!

a year ago:

at her first birthday party:

Random Stuff....

2008-06-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

I had a sip and see for baby Leland about a week and a half ago. My sister inlaw, Nicole, hosted it for me at her new house. It was nice and I was so happy because some of my old high school friends were able to come. It is so weird when you're around old friends like that and everything seems exactly how it did 15 years ago. I wonder what it'll be like when we're grandparents!! Thank you Nicole for such a great party!!

leland's cake:

callie, me, angie & paige

nicole & me:

the food:

leland and me:

paige, me & angie

Leland is still such a sweet heart. He's smiling more and cooing some. I just can't get enough of him!! Here are some very unedited pictures of him at 6 weeks. He was six weeks old on May 30th. I can't believe how much he's grown. I took him for his 6week checkup and shots last week and he weighed 12pounds 3 ounces. Only 5 ounces more than Bry weighed at birth!! :) And, about 3 ounces more than Walker did at 6 weeks. The doctor said he was a perfectly healthy baby. Gosh, I hated seeing him get those shots though. He got FIVE! Poor baby.

i love this picture!!

The kids started "summer camp" at a local church today. It's so great for them to be able to get out of the house for a few hours each week and not be so bored. AND, it's awesome to be able to get a little work done. Of course, today Leland seemed to want to be held a lot during mommy's "work" time, but I'm sure that we'll get on a better schedule soon. It's just a little taste of how things will be in the fall when both Bry and Walker will be in school every day.

bry & leland:

the only picture i have of leland smiling:

goofy walker:

silly bry:

Portrait Party...

2008-06-03T19:01:00.000-07:00

This is a new deal I'm running!! I'm having super response so far. I can't wait to see how these turn out. I'm wondering though if I should make the session free for guests as well?!?! Can't decide. Any thoughts? I guess I just didn't want to go to a lot of trouble and then no one order prints......proofing can be very time consuming....

Cute storyboard of Walker...

2008-06-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

I took these pictures of Walker yesterday while we were at Darren and Nicole's house for my Sip&See. I love the way this little storyboard came out. I'm going to order it for the house. This is a 10x30 and I'll probably have to get it custom framed but I really wanted it horizontal like it is. These pictures are so her! She told me that she didn't want to wear a bow yesterday because she wanted to be be just like me. :) I love pictures of little girls with their hair down although I rarely allow Walker to go without her's pulled back.

2008-05-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

A few pics of Leland since he came home from the hospital -

first day at home:

first bath:

one week old:

10 days old (i love this picture!):

2 weeks old:

I have some more that I will try and post tonight. I have been trying to take pictures of him every Friday since he was born. I hope to keep it up enough to have a cute little book to make for him on his 1st birthday. We love him so much and he is such a sweetheart!!

First Offical Day of Summer

2008-05-27T19:14:00.000-07:00

I got some really cool new seamless paper backdrops in the other day and I've really been enjoying them. I'm officially back to work!

Leland is growing every day. Yesterday he smiled for the first time! You know, newborns tease you with those big cheesy smiles they put out while they're dreaming (what ARE they dreaming about anyway?) and you think "oh wow, any day he's going to be laughing and smiling like that!!" and then when you finally coax one out of them while they're awake it's BARELY a smile and it's sort of only on one side and it's followed up with crossed eyes and a blank stare toward a light fixture....BUT....he's still adorable.

School's officially out for the summer. We had our first real day with all the kids home today. I took all three of them to the park this morning and then we ate lunch and rested a bit and headed to our neighborhood pool. Fred even took the big kids back to the pool late this afternoon while I made dinner. Right now I love summer!! I know I will be tired of it by...oh, Friday or so. Seriously, we have lots of fun stuff planned and there's so many people to do activities with, it should be a really great time for the kids this year. And, they are SO easy at the pool now. Both Bry and Walks have been little fish for years, but Walker is just now at the age where she can safely be let go in deep water. I think that the child was born swimming and has never had any fear of the water, but I was always nervous that she'd take off toward the deep end and not be able to touch and get back. She's now breathing between strokes and that makes a lot of difference. They were so cute today and had a blast.

Dance Recital...

2008-05-07T15:58:00.001-07:00

Saturday is Walker's dance recital. This is her second year to take and she loves it!! I took dance for years and years growing up and always thought that I'd grow up to be a dance teacher. I thought that Miss Teresa was the prettiest woman in the world and that she was the best dance teacher! I am SO happy to have a little girl to share all the girly-girl things with like dance and gymnastics. Walker is taking dance in Madison at the Mississippi Metropolitan Dance Academy. I'm so impressed with the school. They have many opportunities for the girls to not only learn but to experience going to real ballets and shows put on by students in the Academy. Walker went to the Nutcracker this year and also to Cinderella. In her recital (themed "Under the Sea") she is a "sailor". I'm posting some pics that I took of her and I'm sure there will be more to post after Saturday's big show! :)

Leland's Arrival

2008-05-03T13:11:00.000-07:00

We woke up around 4:30am on Friday, April 18th to go to the hospital. Fred and I both showered and I finished packing last minute things. Mom and Dad came to watch Bry and Walker for us. We had to be at the hospital at 5:30 to check in. We left and it was still dark outside. I love that feeling right before we go in to have a baby - so much excitement and nervousness and anticipation. We were both ready to meet the new baby and although we didn't talk about it, we were both ready to see him and know that he was healthy and ok. Once we got to a room it seemed to take no time at all for things to get rolling. They did all the normal prep stuff and Fred got on his scrubs. He had to get a second pair when the tie for the first pair of pants broke - the scrubs they give them are made of paper and not overly durable! Mom and Dad got there around 6:45 with the kids and they were dressed in their scrubs and looked adorable and maybe a little nervous seeing me in the hospital bed all hooked up to everything. Dr. Cole got there right when they did and said she was ready. SO, they rolled me back. I hate when they roll me back to the operating room and they make Fred sit outside at first. Its always a little freaky to me because there's so many people in the room doing different things and attaching different wires and tubes to me. Everything seems so sterile and metally and cold. Putting the epidural needle in me is so surreal, its like I can hear them and know that they want me to do something but they seem so far away. Finally, they let me lie back and strap my arms down and put an oxygen mask on me. Fred gets to come in and of course, I start crying. Last time, with Walker, I shook uncontrollably and Fred said that I did with Leland, too, but mostly I remember feeling nauseous and sick, but they made some adjustments and that feeling went away. By the time I felt normal again, they told me that I was going to feel tugging and pulling and bam, he was out!! 7:10am - baby Leland was born. I vividly remember Dr. Cole walking around the big blue curtain holding a big purply looking baby with dark hair and chubby rolls. He was very clean and cried very loudly. Fred left then and went to watch the doctors/nurses check him out. He came back to me from time to time to tell me how beautiful and perfect the baby was and finally he actually brought the baby to me for a kiss before taking him to the nursery. I could see him walking and greeting the kids in the hallway on the little tv monitor but then they were gone and I remember Dr. Cole calling down to the nursery to ask how much the Hart baby weighed and we were told - 9lbs 12oz. Not as big as Bry by any means, but much bigger than the predicted 8lbs that the u/s tech had given us the Monday before.

Once in recovery, Fred came and showed me pics of him and I stayed totally awake. I think with Walker I passed out during the recovery time. This time I was alert and sent text messages on my phone. A very sweet nursery nurse brought Leland to me to feed for the first time. That's always hard in recovery because you can't sit up and it's very awkward. He was very adorable though and looked just like his big sister did when she was born.

I was sent back to my original room and awaited a postpartum room/suite. We got one around noon and they finally brought Leland to us to get to know better. Tons of people came in and out, my family, Fred's family....everyone was very excited. The kids both loved him but were tired and so they went back home with Nana. Around 4pm a storm came thru and they had to wheel me out to the hallway (in my bed!!) because of a tornado warning. About that same time, Fred's dad had a car wreck and he headed out (in the storm) to check on him. It was a little crazy, but was made it.

The next few days are blurry now. It was all about me getting unhooked from the icky IV and catheter and being able to get up and shower and put on makeup and nurse the baby and rest and finally get to eat something besides popsicles and broth. I stayed until Monday because on Sunday I had what's called a "spinal headache" and so they had to do a spinal patch on my back and get that taken care of. It was amazing how much that little procedure helped me out.

I saw Dr. Cole on Monday before we left and she was her normal wonderful self. I will definitely miss my monthly/weekly visits with her and nurse Tia at the clinic. As hard as pregnancy is during the last few weeks, it is always such an amazing experience to look back on and remember. I always get a little hormonal in the end about that part!! :) It is definitely something that I will miss!

Since we've been home.....

Leland's been so sweet and is growing and changing a lot. He's awake a bit more now than in the beginning, but he still loves to sleep. He is a great nurser and loves to cuddle with mommy. He starts off the evening in his bed, but at the first whimper, we bring him to our bed. I know it's a "no, no" but I can't get enough of him and love having him close. Fred's the same way! We both know how fast his babyhood will go by and want to savor and enjoy every moment of the newborn stage that we can.

Both kids love him, but Walker adores him. She always wants him near her and wants to help change him and picks out his clothes for me. She's a huge help and it just melts my heart when I see her caring for him in that "mommy" way. I can tell that she's going to be a natural with kids and I'm so happy that she's going to get to experience all of this with Leland. I know she won't remember all of it, but she'll remember a lot of it and of course Bry will. He's not as overly into the baby stuff but will occasionally out of the blue tell me how much he loves his baby brother. :)

Tomorrow is the day!!

2008-04-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

OMG, I'm so nervous for some reason. I get so anxious before delivery day and I know I won't be able to sleep tonight. I still can't believe that tomorrow we'll have another baby in our family. The kids are so excited and really looking forward to meeting their baby brother. Bry has especially shown a lot of excitement about it and that surprises me because he's normally very nonchalant about that sort of thing. Maybe they're both just so ready for me to get back to my old self. :)

The past few weeks have been hard on my body. I'm swollen and very exhausted all the time. My bones are all shifting and my jaw keeps popping in and out of place. It's dreadful and causing horrible headaches and pain in my mouth. I can barely eat. But, I have found the energy to nest. I haven't done a lot of actual cleaning (i.e. mopping, vacuuming) but I have been on an organization kick and trying desperately to get things in order before Leland's arrival. I love when the house is organized and I'll be the first to admit that I'm not normally the type A personality.

Photography has been busy the last few weeks as well. I've been working hard to get everyone proofed and orders put in before my "leave". HAHAHA!! I'm sure I'll be back "working" next week when I'm back to the computer. At least I'm not taking any more sessions for about a month.

My parents are coming tomorrow to watch the kids while Fred and I get up early to head to the hospital. I got the kids some adorable scrubs to wear (thanks for the idea, Rana!!) and they are so excited about getting to dress like doctors. They did want to know where their doctor tools were though - I explained that they wouldn't need any tools!!! I think they were a little bummed. Fred's family will be there in the morning as well. We're all so excited about meeting baby Leland!! Say some prayers for us and I'm sure that I'll have lots of pictures to post soon of our new little guy.

Where does the time go??

2008-03-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy over the past few weeks. I hardly have time for anything other than kidstuff and photography. I'm so behind with work and proofing and I'm starting to get the icky drowning feeling that I had over the Christmas holidays. It was like I could never get ahead. I guess that things really do pick up in the spring for photographers! Who knew it would get so crazy again? My bunny day weekend went great and without any major hitches. I think that all the little children did so great with Mr. Hopscotch and I really appreciate my friend, Rana, for letting me borrow him for the event.

The kids are super super busy with extracurricular activities. Both are playing soccer and Bry has baseball as well. Walker does dance and gymnastics every week, but that's during the day before Bry's out of school so it's not so bad. But, take this week though for example......Monday - nothing, Tuesday night - Walker's soccer game, Wednesday night - Bry's baseball practice, Thursday night - Bry's soccer practice, Friday night - Bry's soccer game, Saturday - Bry's baseball practice, Sunday - Bry's soccer practice. Is that crazy or what?? On top of that I have several sessions over the weekend and tons of proofing to do. I guess we'll make it somehow! :) Next week is also spring break so I'll have both kids around while I'm trying to get work done. They might have to spend some time with their granddaddy!!

Ok, this preggo has to get to bed! It's way to late for Leland and me to be up.

Little drummer boy...

2008-02-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

I didn't want to leave out my oldest child from the spotlight. I added a clip of him playing Purple Haze with Fred. Fred's on the guitar and Bry's jamming the drums. Not bad, huh? We're very proud of him. He's always been into music - he just gets it for some reason. We're thinking of giving him lessons in the fall, but he keeps telling us that he already knows how to play the drums.

February ~ 4 years ago...

2008-02-04T19:52:00.000-08:00

I was very, very pregnant with Walker. February has always been a very blah month for me. Cold, dreary, uneventful....no one likes February. It's when you start wishing hard for warm weather and spring and summer. But, on February 23rd, 2004, I got Walker and that made February a lot brighter for me and for everyone in our family. She's a spunky little thing and I must say - absolutely adorable. She's growing up so fast - this year she's having a swim party at Maley's with her friend, Carsen, and she wants a Hannah Montana cake - she's FOUR!! She's very into growing bigger these days and insists on drinking white milk rather than chocolate - she says chocolate doesn't work. And, she adores her friends and loves being social. I made a slideshow of her - I only used what pics I had on photobucket to make it easier, but you get the idea. :) I'm going to try and start making slideshows of the kids more often. I feel extremely unorganized with my own kids' pictures. They end up being very random and out of order and not grouped as they should be. I remember making beautiful scrapbooks for Bry when he was a baby that documented every milestone and Walks has gotten nothing so far - I think she has a baby book somewhere, but I'm not sure what I've written in it. I always said I wouldn't do that to my second child and look at me!! Poor Leland - I'm sure third babies have it super rough.

New respect for teachers...

2008-01-30T15:46:00.000-08:00

Today I spent a few hours in Bry's classroom with another mom so that his teachers could have a much deserved break. Two and a half hours with a room full of first graders was hard! I don't know how teachers do it everyday. The kids overall were really good and really sweet, I'm just not used to being around so many of them at one time. Bry did well with me there. I was surprised at how quickly he calmed down from the excitement of me being there and did what he was supposed to do. The kids painted, did stations and then watched a Veggie Tales sing-along movie before having snacks and going out in the COLD COLD weather for about 15 minutes for recess before carpool. It was nice to go home finally.

Weeknight routines and daytime "friends"...

2008-01-29T18:22:00.000-08:00

Fred's out of town during the week sometimes and on those days the kids and I do "early dinner" and "early bed". I picked Bry up from school today and we went to eat at Logan's Steakhouse. Bry adores their rolls. We were eating at 4pm. But, my house stayed neat and it entertained them for well over an hour. We got home and did baths/showers and now everyone is in their own rooms for the night. Bliss!!

I have been working at St.R's mother's morning out but I'm slowly getting out of it. My friend, Kim, has been going in for me and I've been subbing for her as needed. I didn't work today and instead just took Walker for it. She adores going and I feel guilty that she's not in a preschool program. Next year she will be though and I will so miss her during the day. She's like my little sidekick, my little "friend" that runs errands with me and helps me with laundry. She often pretends during the day that I'm not her mom and just calls me "friend" all day. She is so precious and I'm so sad that she'll be 4 soon. Four seems so old and so non-baby. Very bittersweet for me to see my babies growing so quickly and turning into children. And, while I'm looking forward to that golden childhood phase for all of them, I'm going to hold on tight to Leland when he gets here and try to keep him a baby for as long as I can!

BLOGGING!!

2008-01-29T08:36:00.000-08:00

So, this is what it's come to, huh? I feel that blogging has become a necessity for me at this point. With the new baby on the way and a growing business, I don't believe I have a choice anymore. So many kind friends (and strangers) have offered to post my website on their blogs that I feel I must somehow return the favor. I don't know that I'll have a lot to say most of the time, but I can rattle on about the kids so that will keep me typing.

This past weekend Bry and Walker were asked to model some clothes for my friend, Missy. Missy and her mom have a cool new kids' line of clothing called 3 Girls and All Boy. It was FREEZING! But the kids did good and I took the pics for their new website. Take a look at some of the shots we got....

Here is their link ~ www.rubyredlipsms.com. The fabric and designs are SO cute and I can tell you that we bought a Christmas outfit for Walker that we washed a lot and it still looks brand new! They also sell Southern Bell Tshirts and other really cool stuff....Check it out!

The weekend of March 1st/2nd is going to be Bunny Weekend for my business. I still have about 5 slots available if anyone wants to do live bunny pics. I'm still deciding on the location. The park was nice over the weekend, but it was so hard to find areas that weren't too sunny. I might end up doing them here in our neighborhood by the lake.

Other news - I go on February 14th for a 30 week ultrasound to measure baby Leland's weight/size. I've only gained 16-17 pounds so far, but my belly is very big. I think he'll be big like the other two were. Weird because we had our 20 week ultrasound when I was pregnant with Bry on February 14th. Valentine's day....

This week is Catholic Schools Week so I'll be spending quite a bit of time there. They have different activities for the kids each day. Bry's thrilled that I'll be coming to help out in his class tomorrow afternoon so that his teachers can have the afternoon off. I'm sure it will be a blast for both of us!!