Maternity Photos

 

These are extremely belated, but I know that someday I will have fun flipping back through the blog from these crazy "little years".  I always tell myself that even if all my files are ever stolen, at least I have what I managed to get blogged! 

 Aura is a "natural light" photographer, meaning that she doesn't use a flash and counts on the right timing for her pictures.  When we scheduled our photo shoot I told her that I thought this state park close to my parents' house and also to her house would be the best place.  I've mentioned before that Tadd proposed here at sunset--making it an extra special location.  We set the time for just before sunset.  The lighting turned out perfect as we walked down the hill through the trees.

 I love pregnancy.  Other than the first few "blah/icky" weeks and those last exhausting weeks, it's just such a special time.  Having my kids old enough to understand what was actually happening made it extra joyful this time around. 

 Aura had fun taking shots of the kids along with the belly.  It was a very hot day, so we knew the kids would end up in the water.

 At this point, of course, we didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl to add to this little group.

 A little re-creation of our proposal moment--just as the sun was sinking behind the mountains.

 These sister shots are pretty special to me.  I still feel like I'm watching my own personal "sister experiment" since I never had one of my own growing up.  It's rather fun.  Except when it's not.

 And finally...a shot of the photographer and another one of our friends.  These ladies were very dear to me during high school.  Now we're all growed up!  Or, at least, we're older.  With kids of our own.  And we don't get to see each other very often, sniff, sniff. 

Now we'll try to get back to real time with blogging.  Thanks for coming along for the ride back in time!

Henry's Newborn Photo Shoot

 Yep--he's old news by now.  But--we did get newborn photos taken of one of our kids for the first time ever--and I'm going to post them, by golly.  My sweet friend Aura, of Aura May Phototgraphy came to the rescue once again and took maternity and newborn shots for us--even though her own tiny boy was just a few months old.  She's amazing, I tell ya.

 Oh Henry!  You were so tiny.  We couldn't get him to stay asleep for these pictures.  And newborns are supposed to be sleepy--making it easy to mold and pose them. 

 I had absolutely no idea how hard it can be to shoot a newborn session.  What a lot of patience the photographer has to have!  And the house is supposed to be heated up to 80+ degrees so that the baby is warm and cozy.  Now, Henry was one week and two days old on his photo shoot day.  That means I was one week and two days postpartum.  That means I was a hot, sweaty mess most of the four hours. 

 We'd get him to sleep, try to position him, and he'd poop.  Or pee.  Or wake up.  Or cry.  Or move his hand out from  under his little face where it looks so cute.  And Aura would quietly start over again.  Without complaining.  She goes through a lot of linens during these shoots!  That means she has to take a LOT of gear with her.  And also do a lot of laundry when she gets back home. 

 All so that we can have these precious moments that are so fleeting captured forever.  We are forever thankful.

 Look at all those feet! 

 That's a lot of toe nails to keep clipped : )

 May they always walk in the footsteps of the Saviour.  Each one of them is a precious gift from above.  Thank you, Lord.

 We snapped a couple family shots at the end of the afternoon.  Henry was done with pictures at that point.  Look at how little and peanutty he is sitting on my lap there.  Man, those days are just gone in a blink.

My kids spent much of the afternoon watching Aura take pictures.  The girls brought our camera up and took about 345 pictures of the bed spread, pillows and carpet.  They took a few pictures of actual people as well.  This is how I spent most of the time--sweating on the bed and feeding and rocking Henry to get him peacefully back to sleep.

 Aura let Caroline help with little things here and there--making Caroline feel very important.  My kids have always loved Miss Aura.

 Nora was suppose to snuggle up and take a nap herself....

 Instead she just made cute pouty faces.  Oh Norsey, Porsey Puddin' Pie. 

And that warm wonderful day now feels like a million years ago.  Next post I'll take us even farther back in time....to the maternity shoot. 

Odds and Ends From October and November

 Quick!  Time to tie up loose ends while I have a moment.  At the end of October, Tadd had a birthday.  I did what any Mom with a new baby does--I grabbed what looked good at Costco (the above pictured weather station) and called it a gift.  Poor Daddy.  Next year is a milestone for him--so hopefully we can party big and make up for it then.

 Who needs more of a present than four little ones, right?

 We've had teeth falling out left and right around these parts.  Caroline has a pretty big gap in her grill these days.

 As the big kids' teeth fall out, Henry's hair falls out.  And his rolls multiply.

 I never posted a shot of him at two months.  I didn't even take a shot of him at two months.  Oops.  I did manage to get him to his check up, though.  He's healthy.

 Nora can do pig tails!  Hooray!

 And we've been munching on these Oh Henry! bars that were gifted to us after Henry's birth.  I hadn't eaten one before--man!  Are they ever good!  Caroline had part of hers in her lunch one day and her teacher was cracking up because Caroline was exclaiming to the class "I'm eating my brother!" as she enjoyed her treat.

 My eyes are always closing in pictures.  Or maybe I just look like that all the time now.

 Oh--and Tadd put a bunch of pictures from his iphone on the computer last night--so I thought I'd pop some of them up just for kicks.  Here are our three boys when Henry was still brand new.

 A better shot of these three goons in their matching jammies.

 Not too long after Henry joined us, we met family down town one Saturday evening.  Tadd and Caroline took a turn on the Great Wheel.

 That's a long way up there.

 Caroline waved and grinned hugely at us each time the ferris wheel came around.  It was so fun to watch her joy.

 Two of Ezra's favorite things--Henry, and reading.  I love that picture of the two of them. 

And that's a quick Monday morning walk through life around here the past few weeks.