What a crazy summer it was!
We checked off our pre-move bucket list, headed to the beach, the redwoods, etc. We moved! We traveled and visited family, stayed with family, shot photoshoots and a family wedding, celebrated our 14 year anniversary, took possession of our new house, moved into our new house, kids started school virtually and I popped out baby number 4 ... 3 weeks early. LIFE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN! But life is wonderfully full and joyful! I am rushing to share some of what has been a crazy summer as its already been a week since the little guy was born! I am very grateful for the help of family:) Sometimes I wish there was a pause button lol. But I guess the closest thing is a shutter button, so we can remember all those special moments among the crazy.
Welcome little Maxwell! He joined our family in late August.
Madeline has been keen to learn photography and every time we do a session she insists on taking some. She took several of these pictures of me and the baby by the window. My eight-year-old is rather talented I believe. I teach her a little something each time, such as using back button focus.
Since Max came early we had to postpone our daughter's Baptism day and birthday party. In our
faith, children can choose to be baptized at the age of 8. But I guess little Max was too eager and wanted to crash the parties!
This is the dress that I wore on my baptism day! It is something special to get to pass things on to your children when it is their turn.
I've been wanting a rich blue painted room with natural light for the longest time! And since we now own a home, we have been thoroughly enjoying that fun of interior designing and really going full-on in our creative modes. This is Matt's office space but I will use it occasionally for Saturday sessions for portraits and newborn sessions here in Longmont. Don't you love the contrast of these portraits?
A little BTS. My only regret of this session is that I did not set my iPhone on timelapse to capture the CRAZY of it! Doing pictures with little ones is TOUGH! And when they are your own kids they just don't listen to you as much as for someone else. A huge shout out to my superstar mom and all her help and taking several of our family photos. Maribelle was being a crazy cat. At first, she did not know what to think of the baby and was being shy, then she warmed up. Then she was being floppy, then she pulled out her hair ties, then rolling around everywhere her dress kept getting untied, then we put her hair back up and she needs some bribery, aka skittles to help encourage her to participate. Family photos with a newborn and a toddler are NOT for the faint of heart and require ALL the energy!
I love the rich warm color of the piano in this room. Once we get our house fully decorated I will create a post with each room, but you guys, it was CRAZY, we had three
pods of stuff come, which has been one of my favorite moving experiences... anyway, we moved the third pod by one day... we had keys to the house for about a week... and the day after we had family move all the stuff into the house, the next morning I went into labor! I wasn't lifting anything heavy! But apparently unpacking boxes and walking up and downstairs was enough to do it... Anyway, this piano was a beast! Took about six guys to move it in. And look how pretty it looks contrasting those rich blues. This is also our music room and has an eclectic vibe to it.
This piano was gifted to us be some very kind friends at our church who no longer needed it. It has been a blessing as we have used is especially on Sundays doing our own little church service with singing hymns at home during Covid times. Such a blessing. We will restore it one day... but for now the kids play it... like kids and miss sass a frass thinks it's funny to play with her bum or feet. Silly goose.
I don't usually encourage my clients to
wear all white, but it is also all about the location. With our new little star in blue and the contrast of the whites against the blues, it worked out nicely.
Someone is MORE than thrilled to be a big brother. Every picture has much more of a story behind it.
Fun little story: At around Christmastime in 2019, we were writing letters to Santa Claus and my 5-year-old says with an exasperated sigh, "I just wish I could ask for a baby brother. I'm SICK of sisters!"
The little guy must have been playing barbies all day and was bored as can be with it.
We laughed about that and soon after found out I was pregnant! Guess someone was listening after all.
