Elena S Blair Photography

Beautiful Boy

2012-02-10T13:27:00.000-08:00

It was a pleasure meeting this little man. He was on the move but so much fun to catch! We lucked out with beautiful weather for our shoot! Isn't he a cutie?

6/52 Skinny Jeans

2012-02-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

Just Cooper

2012-02-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

Spring?

2012-02-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Not quite. But we sure are taking advantage of the warm weather. It feeds my soul!

Beautiful Morning

2012-02-04T16:04:00.000-08:00

The weather has been so beautiful here lately. Dare I say it because we all know we have a few months of gloom left before spring.
The other morning, it had rained the night before and the trees were glowing because the sun was hitting the water droplets just perfectly. I was up before the kids, as usual and I ran out to capture the beauty that I was witnessing. I looked behind me and Miss Fina had woke up and was standing in the door way all sleepy eyed and curious. She walked out into the morning light and I didn't hesitate to capture her in this moment. She was in awe of the birds flying around and the bright sunshine coming through the trees. Cooper woke up shortly after and I was able to get only a few shots of him, he was not nearly as captivated by the beautiful morning. He walked out wrapped in a quilt and wanted to get back inside to snuggle on the couch.

It was a beautiful morning and I will treasure these photos forever. They will always bring me back to this moment, sleepy eyes, bed head, and babies in pj's.

5/52 Morning Light

2012-02-02T17:29:00.000-08:00

I am breaking my own rules. I had to include two this week. Can you blame me?

Some Thoughts On School

2012-02-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I have been completely consumed with the decision about weather or not we should send Cooper to kindergarten in the fall. He has a late birthday so if he went to kindy he would be of the youngest of the bunch. This has been heavily on my mind. Then, once we start talking about school, the question of "what school" comes into play. Decisions, decisions. I have asked anyone who will answer what they think we should do. I have talked to Coopers teacher multiple times. Doug and I have had many, many conversations about what is best. I have toured schools, read articles about holding kids back, looked and thought about pros and cons of public vs private school (which is silly because sending our children to private really isn't sustainable for us). It is giving me a headache. But, I am happy to say that we have decided to wait for kindergarten and I am so relieved. Cooper will have one more year to be a child, one more year at home with us, one more year to grow and be ready for the world of school. Luckily, there are a lot of options for young 5's who are not ready to go to kindy. The only "kindy" he may go to is one at a co op school here, a school that is very relaxed. If he did that, he would do regular kindy in 2013. That's all. I just wanted to get it off my chest.

Me For A Change

2012-01-31T08:13:00.000-08:00

So I have been super inspired by a few photographers I know, especially THIS ONE to play with the self timer on my camera and to take more self portraits and portraits with me and my children. These aren't great but they are a good start. It is extremely hard to nail focus when using the timer, also hard to make sure everyone is in the frame, which is why our heads are chopped off on one of them but I love it anyway. This is what I love about photography, always more to learn!

Bath

2012-01-30T07:56:00.000-08:00

My baby taking a bath with her baby. She even gave her baby "Mamas" (she nurses her baby). I love her so!

4/52 Lashes

2012-01-27T07:39:00.001-08:00

Just Dance (Or SIng)

2012-01-24T07:45:00.000-08:00

As I wait for the kids to wake up every morning I enjoy some time to myself. Time to work on photography, time to drink coffee and check my e mail, time to do whatever I feel like in a world of complete silence. This morning I am planning my upcoming photo shoots and going through the last of my photos from our week snowed in.
On Friday, my nephew spent the day with us. He is 5 years older than Coop and according to Coop, he hung the moon. We spent time outside playing in the last of the snow before it began to rain, then we came in to our small house. I was worried how these three would handle being inside, not remembering that they are children and that they know how to play and live. At one point Cooper suggested music, so music it was. All three of them, or should I say 5 of us (Doug and I joined) danced and sang. As you can see in the photo of Cooper, he sang like he meant it, he really gets into his pop music. Fina climbs up on the chest when she hears music so she can really get into it. Dance is a language that we can all understand. Then, we settled into some screen time. I am happy to say that the screen time was minimal. Overall, it was a great end to a great week of snow.

Night Sledding

2012-01-23T10:56:00.000-08:00

One of the main reasons that I love Doug so much is his ability to be spontaneous. During our snow storm last week we were all sitting around after dinner and Doug said "Hey, Coop. Want to go night sledding?" As you can imagine, this was well received by a 4 year old who was thinking it was almost bedtime. This is what memories are made of. Thank you, Doug, for always reminding me to relax and have fun!

3/52 Snow!

2012-01-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

Snowed In

2012-01-19T13:55:00.000-08:00

Snow falling makes me feel like a kid again. Maybe it's because of Doug's job. Every night this week we sit around hoping for more snow so that Doug's school will be cancelled and he can stay home with us another day! We have filled our days with sledding, reading, family movies, games, playing in the snow with friends, and snuggles. There has been a fair amount of cabin fever too but we have got through it. A home that is being used this heavily gets pretty dirty too. I just cleaned like a crazy person and it feels much better! Something about the snow brings on a real sense of community. Everyone is out and about and quite cheerful. We are really enjoying our little taste of a snowy winter. Perhaps it will last just one more day, at least!

Seattle Snow

2012-01-18T08:45:00.000-08:00

And it's still coming down. These are just from yesterday morning. I have some sledding photos to share too! For now, I am going to have a cup of coffee and watch the storm get worse. Doug had been home all week! So much fun!! There have been lots of indoor activities and lots of playing in the snow, but not so much for Fina, she is not a fan of walking on it. Yes, our chicken flew onto the roof yesterday. Apparently they can fly! Apparently they don't mind the snow, either.

Cooper's Snaps

2012-01-17T09:33:00.000-08:00

Cooper is an aspiring photographer! Here are a few of his latest snaps. We are enjoying cozy, snow days at home. Happy Tuesday!

click HERE to see more of Cooper's snaps.

{This Moment}

2012-01-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

{This Moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Lolly Pop

2012-01-12T08:27:00.000-08:00

Cooper LOVES to go to the bank drive through because they always send him a lolly pop. Fina had her very first one a few days ago. Cooper was complaining of a sore throat that day and the lolly pop really soothed him. A little sugar never hurt, right?

BTW, its a bit of a slow time for business so my kids are getting lots of face time on my blog. Contact me if you want to schedule a shoot :)

Screen Time

2012-01-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

Screen time. This issue of screen time is an ongoing discussion in my house. We are in a time of such fantastic technology and much of it requires a screen. Kids see us on our screens all the time. Our phones, the computer, the television, ipad, ipod, you get the idea. So it is only natural that they want in on the screen time too. We control what Cooper watches on television, what movies he watches, which games he plays on the ipad and so on. Even with this control, I have a hard time deciding how much is okay. This may sound obvious to some of you or may be a non issue but for us we are still trying to figure it out. I know research says too much TV is bad, but what about all the other types of screen. I know I don't want him to be one of those teenagers who only wants to play video games and I know I don't want him playing the violent games. Most times, I think his time would be better spent playing and being creative. It really blows me away how good he is at navigating the computer or the ipad. In some ways, it is helping him learn to read, which he is doing all on his own, by the way. Actually, you would think he could read when you see him using the ipad. He loves to get on groovshark and play DJ for the family (groovshark is an online radio, check it out) . While this is very limited screen time and the end result is music, he is still looking at a screen. In the photos above, that is what he is doing, selecting the next song. This is after I told him that he was done with screen time for the day. My point is, it is so hard to escape it. I usually try to keep his screen time under an hour a day. Some days that is easy peasy but some it is not. How do you regulate screen time? I would love to know.

2/52 Tantrum

2012-01-10T08:19:00.000-08:00

What is project 52? Click HERE to find out. Click on the label "Project 52" below post to see all Project 52 posts.

Thank You Notes

2012-01-09T08:27:00.000-08:00

I really want the kids to put a personal touch on their Christmas gift thank you notes. I got out some paint the other morning and had them go to it. I plan to print out a message to glue to their art and have Cooper sign his. Fina was really into it and stayed painting long after Cooper had finished. I love watching them work together at the table. This table is where it all happens. Creativity, meals, family meetings, play, and love.

His 4 ness

2012-01-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

I have said it a bunch of times because it is mostly true. I LOVE the age 4 so far. Coop and I have our daily differences, that's for sure. Actually, we have our hourly differences, to be honest, but for the most part, having a 4 year old around is pretty awesome. He is caught in a sweet spot between baby and child. He still thinks his parents are cool and wants to play with us. He sings songs all day long in his adorable little boy voice. He still needs a lot of cuddle time. I can still pick him up. He has the best sense of humor, much better than mine, which often reminds me to lighten up! His head still smells delicious and comforting (I know I am weird, it's a mom think okay!). He is a dreamer and often is caught in a day dream. His imagination is larger than life right now and I love watching him think up fantastic scenarios with his toys. He is creative. Because he is getting to be a much bigger kid, you can have conversations with him on a semi adult level, which is more rewarding than I every could have anticipated. Don't get me wrong, like I said, we have our differences. Nobody can make me see red like Cooper can, it catches me off guard sometimes. I think that has been one of the most surprising things about parenting, how frustrated and angry I get. But, I am working on that every day and learning as I go. Nobody prepares you or teaches you how to be a mom. You have to learn. Actually, I am signed up for a 6 week parenting class starting at the end of the month! I am very excited about it. Anyway, back on track. Sometimes I look over at Cooper, his big eyes, and I melt inside. He is still so innocent and I know I need to savor these sweet 4 year old moments as much as I can. These photos crack me up because they are so him right now. Goofy to the core, scrapes and scars on his face, sly little smile, so beautiful.

Have a wonderful weekend and savor those babies of yours!

Play

2012-01-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

I could never have been prepared for how much fun it is to watch my two children play. I also could have never have been prepared for how worried I get when my almost 18 month old BABY is wrestling with her 4 your old brother. Jeesh! It's almost better if I stay out of the room because it makes me so nervous watching her roll around on the floor with Cooper. I am so lucky that they play so well with each other. I just need to take a deep breath and be okay with a few bumps and bruises.

Sun On A Rainy Day / Seattle Family Photographer

2012-01-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

As I was on my way to this shoot, I got a text from Mama saying it was raining where she was. I was near the location and saw sun in the sky so I made the call to give it a go. You probably can't tell from these sun soaked images that it was in fact sprinkling during most of the shoot. As we drove away, it started pouring rain! I am so glad we were able to capture this sweet family who is so in love with their precious baby girl. I love seeing a new mom and dad with their baby. That new, uninhibited love is so beautiful. Thank you, H family, for letting me capture your beautiful family!

1/52 Capture

2012-01-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

Here it goes. I am going to start a project 52. Some photographers do a project 365 but I don't know if I can commit to posting every day so I am going to try for one photo a week. Some people join groups and post a themed photo every week. I thought about doing that but have decided that I don't want that much structure. So, I am going to post a photo each week that represents us as a family and me as a photographer. I believe this will encourage self reflection and growth. Please join me in this journey! If you do, post a link to your blog, FB album, or Flicker page with your weekly photo in my comments section and I will do the same on yours. It will be fun. This is the last time that I will post words with my photo, I want the photo to stand alone. I will title the photo with a simple title representing the photo. It doesn't matter what day of the week you post, just once a week. Alas, here is my first photo!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T09:22:00.000-08:00

Here we are in a brand new year. I am always in a state of disbelief when Christmas goes as fast as it came and the New Year is here.
For the second year in a row we decided to celebrate New Years Eve on New York time so that the kids could be involved. However, this year we were playing a game and totally forgot. O well. The kids still had a blast with the noise makers and hats we bought them. As much as I miss bringing in the New Year in the middle of the night surrounded by noisy strangers in a bar (not really), it is much more rewarding to celebrate with my loves.
I spent yesterday battling a stomach bug which was not the best way to start out 2012! But, I feel much better today and am ready to stat fresh. Last year was one of the best yet for me and I plan on this year being even better. I have happy healthy kids, a supportive, loving husband, the best family anyone could ask for, awesome friends. What more can I ask for?
Since this is a time of reflection and starting new, I have been really thinking about personal goals for myself. I am really going to work on being a more patient mama (yes, I loose my patience with my kids a lot), a more organized person, a strong business woman, a more creative and skilled photographer, a more understanding wife, healthier in general, and I think that is all for now. Another cool thing I have planned is a project 52. This means that I am going to commit to posting at least once a week, a photo that represents our life and my journey in photography. Stay tuned for this weeks photo. Each week I will label the post 1/52 etc until the end of the year. At the end of the year I will have 52 photos representing this year and I will put them in a book. I encourage you to do this too, even if the photos come from your iphone, it's not about the camera you have, but the story you have to tell.
If you are still reading, that's all for now! Happy New Year!

Younes Family / Seattle Family Photographer

2011-12-31T13:13:00.000-08:00

This was a fun shoot! This little guy was one of the easiest two year old's to shoot. I loved his hair and how well dressed he was. Thank you, Younes family, for letting me capture you!

Younes Family / Seattle Family Photographer

2011-12-31T13:07:00.000-08:00

Thank You!

2011-12-29T19:36:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a year it has been. This past year has been a journey in self discovery and creativity. I want to take this time to thank everyone for all their support in my first year of business as a custom photographer. Especially Doug, my husband who has been nothing but encouraging. I have had the opportunity to photograph many people. I was able to capture both friends and family and new clients as well. It has been so fun meeting new people through photography. This has been a beautiful year and I look forward to what 2012 will bring. We have lots of exciting things planned for ESB photography! I hope to see you all soon!

Christmas Ship

2011-12-24T08:25:00.000-08:00

Beware of photo overload. I loved so many photos from yesterday that I couldn't control myself. We went to the Christmas Ship with our friends and my parents. Yet another fun and free Holiday evet in the Seattle area.

For any of you photogs reading, I shot in RAW for the first time and am super excited about what I was able to do in ACR after these were shot!! Nothing fancy, just simple WB and exposure adjustments. Love how photography pushes me to learn something new every day!

Christmas PJ's

2011-12-23T18:22:00.000-08:00

I could not get a good shot inside so I made them come outside in the morning wearing their matching PJ's. I figure I only have a few more years where they will allow me to put them in matching PJ's so I better capture it.
I also wanted to share his letter to Santa. He told us that he forgot to ask Santa in person for a gift on Fina's behalf. He had Doug write out this letter and then he signed it himself. I love how he writes his name. I love how considerate he is. I love how much he loves his sister.

Happy Holidays!

Simple Beauty / Seattle Newborn Photographer

2011-12-22T15:01:00.000-08:00

I was all booked up for December, or so I thought. I was contacted by this mama because she wanted newborn photos of her new baby boy. I always make time in my schedule for newborns because that sweet newborn stage is so short and can only be captured once. Usually babies are not sleepy enough for the sleepy newborn photos after 10 days but at 19 days old this baby was a dream to photograph. After a good feeding he was ready to pose like only a newborn can. I love how these photos are so simple. I feel like they capture his newbornness perfectly. I just want to nuzzle up to him. What a doll he is. It was a delight meeting this family. They have the perfect Christmas blessing.

A Little Girl

2011-12-21T08:40:00.000-08:00

Fina's hair is taking it's sweet time growing in. I realized that the back may be long enough for two pony tails and gave it a go. I managed to get her to sit still long enough to achieve pigtails! She was not a fan and quickly pulled them out. Before she did I grabbed my camera, grabbed Doug, and took her outside. We had to capture this moment. When Doug saw her with her pigtails he said "it just dawned on me that we have a little girl and I don't know if I am ready for that." He said that he is happy to say that he hasn't treated her any different then Cooper but with the little pigtails in he realized that she is in fact a little girl. I can't help myself but to do girly things with her! She can rough and tumble with her brother and Daddy all day long but she may have a few pony tails and a pink shirt on while she is doing it. Sorry, I can't resist. I also can't resist taking photos of everything that she is doing right now. Her walk is one of the cutest things I have ever seen. Her chubby hand is to die for. I love her so much I can't stand it!

Can We Do It All?

2011-12-20T07:48:00.000-08:00

There is a wonderful campaign going on over at Clickinmoms, the forum I belong to. It is called the "I am a photographer" campaign. It is honoring all of us photographers weather it be novice or pro who tend to try and do it all. For every photo submitted, they are donating one dollar to RAINN, the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization.
This campaign came at a perfect time. A time when I am reflecting on myself and all that I do. What I strive to do is give 100% of myself to everything that I am dabbling in. What I realize is that giving 100% to so many things isn't possible, which is why there is a mountain of clean laundry on the couch and why I tripped over a toy while getting my coffee. I am a mother, a wife, a friend, a sister, a daughter, a homemaker, a co op chair, a nurse, a photographer, that's to name a few of the things I am. I am thankful for all of the things that make me who I am but sometimes it becomes a bit much. This project has brought on some major self reflection. I have been so excited about my new path as a photographer that I forgot how important my role as a nurse is. I worked very hard for my BSN degree and love the work that I do. I take care of peoples precious newborns and help those babies into the world. Pretty great job. So in the campaign you were to write a noun on a white piece of paper other than mother or photographer (we are all both of those over at CM), that represents who you are. I chose NURSE. Today, I a proud to be a nurse AND all of the other things that make me, me. What makes you, you? I challenge you to do this, even if you aren't a member of CM. Post it on your blog and pass it on. We women take on a lot.

Holiday Madness

2011-12-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

We have been on holiday overload lately but I love it. The holiday season is so special and magical but as you grow older you get caught up in life and it's easy to forget about the magic and wonder of the season. Having kids allows you to relive. We have been having so much fun making the season fun and memorable. We are trying to lay down our own family traditions that our kiddos will pass on to their own children one day.
Last week on Tuesday, Ann and I took the kids downtown to do all the downtown Seattle activities. We hit the Teddy Bear Suite at the Fairmont and the Gingerbread Houses at the Sheardin. The theme this year for gingerbread houses was train stations which was a big hit with Coop. On Wednesday night we had dinner in Bellevue Square and did the Snowflake Lane evet where they actually make it snow every night. Pretty fun for us here where it seldom snows. We have been busy making garland out of cranberries, snowflakes out of paper, and handmade Christmas cards.
I was not rocking my camera in the Teddy Bear room. O well, it's the memories, right?
Happy Holidays!

HBL Beautiful Baby Photo Shoot / Seattle baby photographer

2011-12-14T10:35:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to continue my support with Healthy Beginnings Lactation. Remember when I did this shoot? Click HERE to see it. These three wonderful ladies are providing such a needed service to Pacific Northwest families. Breastfeeding is such big part of my life as a mother and I know how challenging it can be. The benefits of breastfeeding last a life time and I am happy to support it any way I can. I love helping new moms learn to breastfeed in my job as a nurse and am so happy to have a partnership with our wonderful lactation consultants.
For their holiday open house they asked me to photograph some of the babies that they have helped along the way. I was more than happy to do this. I am a natural light photographer and the light was not so natural in their office, but I gave it a go. These babies are so cute they didn't need the best lighting to look perfect.
*Parents, if you want to order a CD with the images of your baby or order prints, contact me via e mail and we can get that set up. If it's prints you are interested in, all sizes are available. Note the number under the image for specific ordering. If you book a shoot with me, a CD with these images is free. Thank you for allowing me to capture your beautiful, breastfed babies!!

Sweet Cousins / Seattle Child Photographer

2011-12-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

This session was fun! It actually took getting together twice to make it happen, a first for me. Miss Tatum would not take a photo with her cousins the first time we got together. I am so glad we scheduled a second shoot because she was too cute! These three have the best names, Keegan, Sailor, and Tatum. The best! Dressed perfectly too.

Snuggle

2011-12-08T09:25:00.001-08:00

You will often find us here, snuggling. Cooper asks 100 times a day to snuggle and Fina asks just as many times to nurse. So, we nurse and snuggle all together. Love.

Aiken Family / Seattle Family Photographer

2011-12-07T13:38:00.001-08:00

Little boys are on the move. Some of my favorite photos of little boys are from behind. This was such a sweet family with such an adorable little boy! Thank you, Aiken family, for letting me capture you!

Merry and Bright

2011-12-06T14:04:00.001-08:00

Hello Sunshine!!

2011-12-05T14:17:00.001-08:00

Sunny around these parts. Shhh... don't tell anyone that we do indeed get sun here in Seattle.

Just A Peak

2011-12-04T09:34:00.001-08:00

Just a small peak at my family session from yesterday! This little guy had stunning brown eyes!

Finding The Light

2011-12-03T11:53:00.001-08:00

I get asked often "what camera do you have?" Or, "what do you use to edit your photos?" Both valid questions. But here is the true answer. I have had my "pro" series camera for a while now and while the quality of the images improved right when I opened the box and took my first shot, I quickly learned that the camera could only take me so far. The single most valuable thing I have learned about photography so far is about finding the light. Sometimes during the day I notice beautiful light pouring through the window and I run and grab my camera and snap away. If the lighting is right, the photos always turn out better. So, while you are going about your daily routine, I encourage you to "find the light". Pay attention to how it falls on your children and ordinary things in your house. Like the photo of Fina helping me unload the dishwasher. We were having a pretty boring day and we were all fairly grumpy. I looked down at my little helper and saw that the light was shining on her beautifully. I grabbed my camera, adjusted my settings and took a photo. I converted it to B&W but other than that, it was beautiful simply because of the light. I get asked how I get eyes to sparkle. Again, find the light. In the photos of Fina above, her eyes are reflecting the lovely light coming from the window. Light can make anything more beautiful!
We have been celebrating Advent here. This past few days the gifts revolved around The Nutcracker. Yesterday we went to a special pre school showing. The kids did great! Fina only needed to be taken out about 10 min before it ended. We got a book with the story for Cooper so he was really into it. He has been making Christmas decorations too. I love this time of year!
Have a good weekend everyone!

Baker Family / Seattle Family Photographer

2011-12-03T08:33:00.001-08:00

This family was a joy to shoot! Mama and I know each other from New Mexico and both ended up here in Seattle. When she asked me to do their family photos I was so excited. They are such a cute family with a baby on the way. Thank you, Baker family! I had so much fun editing this shoot! Loving the fall colors on the ground!

Right Now....

2011-11-28T12:53:00.001-08:00

I am...

Challenging my self to shoot in difficult lighting thanks to a challenge on Clickin Moms. (She is looking at Elmo on the iPad)

Wishing that our kitchen nook table got more natural light because Cooper plays there all the time.

Loving Coopers new found love for Legos and the creativity that it brings.

Enjoying seeing the sun shine through the window for the first time in a few days!

Reminiscing about when I got this Christmas Village as a child.

Sharing Christmas traditions with my little ones.

Laughing at this photo of Fina who can't understand why she can't play with said Christmas Village.

Working on this photo shoot, which is coming out very cute!

Happy Monday everyone!

Thankful

2011-11-26T06:40:00.001-08:00

On this weekend after Thanksgiving I wanted to say what I am most Thankful for. Hands down, my healthy, happy children. I don't know how I lived so long without them. They bring me joy, peace, and purpose. And their relationship.... pretty thankful for that too. Watching them develop a friendship is so fun. They way they look at each other is priceless. I am thankful every day for their laughter.

So thankful for my beautiful family. (photo complements of JKB photography)

Pretty thankful for this guy. Without him I would not be whole.

Last but not least, I am thankful for my dad's health. We had a scare this year which made me realize even more how important he is to me and to us. We love you Dad! So Thankful for him.

Britten Family / Seattle Family Photographer

2011-11-25T08:03:00.001-08:00

This shoot must have been meant to be! We were scheduled for Monday, which rain was predicted. On Sunday I had some free time and the weather was beautiful so on a whim, I called up mama and asked if she wanted to do it right then. She agreed and I am so glad she did because the weather was awful on Monday!

This is such a sweet family. I love meeting new people through photography. Their dog is very much a part of this family and was very much a part of the shoot! Thank you, Britten Family for letting me take your family photos!

Who Says You Can't Camp In The Winter?

2011-11-21T14:08:00.001-08:00

I cam home form dinner out with a friend last week to two sleeping children. Doug told me "go look at Cooper". I said okay, I was planning on giving him a kiss good night anyway. When I went into his room he was fast asleep inside his kid tent! Doug wanted to surprise him so while he was brushing teeth and getting ready for bed, Doug pitched the tent. As you can imagine Cooper was thrilled. I envy Doug for things like this. I get all stressed out about the details of the day and Doug just goes with it and has fun. We are so lucky to have him and not a day goes by that I don't realize that. I may not always show it but it is true. The tent stayed up for a few days, camping chair and all.

Love

2011-11-18T09:19:00.001-08:00

love is family. Love is a happy wedding. Love is a healthy family. Love is in the air. I am so blessed to have a family so full of love. I know there are a lot of photos here, but I wanted to share so many because it was such a wonderful weekend. We celebrated Michael and Casey, celebrated family, celebrate love! When we all get together like this I realize how beautifully complicated our family is. But you know what? I wouldn't change a thing about it! Were crazy and I love it. Not bad looking either. When I see these photos I feel warm inside. Seriously, how lucky am I? I have 5 healthy brothers and sisters, two healthy parents, even a bonus parent (Eleanor) :). Family is all that matters. Period. We missed you Paul and family!

Take Me Back

2011-11-16T10:50:00.001-08:00

Today I am missing Cabo. I am wondering if my washing machine can handle all the loads I have. I am wishing I was at the beach again. I am cold. I wish I were bare foot at the beach again. Can you tell I miss the beach? I took so many photos that I don't know where to begin with sharing. For now, here is me and my girl at the beach, or my feet and my girl at the beach.

Pure / Seattle Newborn Photographer

2011-11-15T14:08:00.001-08:00

If I had to pick a word that perfectly described a newborn, I would pick pure. There is something so special about a newborn. They are so tiny and vulnerable, yet so strong. This little girl was my patient. While caring for her I became friends with her awesome mom who asked me to take her newborn photos. I was honored. What a privilege to care for a baby and then see her thriving at home. She was a dream to photograph. I love her little flowers but I am also in love with all the photos of her perfect newborn parts, so tiny and delicate. Enjoy this perfect baby girl!

Gonzalez Family / Seattle Family Photographer

2011-11-08T11:39:00.000-08:00

We met up last Friday for what will probably be my last evening photo shoot of the year. It's dark by 4 now! Yuck! I got a call from Jamie when I was on my way because it was raining. I said, "I see some breaks in the clouds, lets give it a try and if it's raining we can reschedule." When we arrived at the park it was like the sky opened up for us! It was a beautiful fall evening. It started raining again when I was driving home! This is such a cute little family. I know mom and dad from college but hadn't seen them in over 5 years so it was fun to catch up and so much fun to capture them as a family. I am not posting the best of the family shots because they may want to use them as Christmas cards. I put these in the mail for you today. I hope you enjoy!

Arjal Family/ Bellevue Family Photographer

2011-11-07T15:47:00.000-08:00

You may remember when I photographed this mama way back when she was pregnant with this beautiful baby girl. Well, I had the pleasure of photographing the whole family last week. Genevieve is a photographer as well. I am doing a very small share in case they decide to use some of the family shots for a Christmas card. There are many family shots! I am popping these in the mail for you tomorrow!

Trick Or Treat?

2011-10-31T15:11:00.000-07:00

Cooper decided a few months back that he wanted to be a train for Halloween. My first thought was "how in the world are we going to pull that off?" Well, thankfully Daddy is quite crafty with a cardboard box. Doug crafted the train and Cooper and I painted it. We were all quite proud with the end result! Cooper decided that he wanted Fina to be a bee. I have no clue where he came up with that. Well, we were in the store and there was a little bee costume at a very reasonable price so a bee she is. Have a safe and fun Halloween!

A Fall Nap

2011-10-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

Remember when I posted photos of my sweet girl napping in the summer? Well, here she is napping in the fall. She looks so peaceful while she is sleeping that I can't help but photograph her. Honestly, while Cooper is at school and she is napping, I sometimes run out of things to do. While some mornings before this break I crave time to myself so badly I want to cry, I find myself missing them while Coop is at school and Fina is napping. I know, I am crazy. I admit it!
So I fill the time by photographing her sleeping :) Or maybe it's not that I run out of things to do, it's that I am avoiding all the house work that needs to be done on a constant basis! Hope everyone is having a lovely week!

The Droker Family / Seattle Family Photographer

2011-10-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

Two little boys, so much energy, so much fun, so much love. Mom said they would like the "urban grunge thing" for their photos and I think we got it. These guys were on the move but I think we still managed to get lots of great shots! Thank you, Droker family, for letting me capture your family.

Fall Light

2011-10-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

There are so many things that my photography journey have taught me. One is to stop and pay attention to light. I now notice the light coming through the shades and how it falls. I notice how light makes our skin look at different times of the day. Fall light is particularly pleasing and much different than summer light. It is soft and golden. The other day while Cooper was at school I noticed beautiful light shinning on my porch. Fina had just woken up from a nap so we went outside to explore it. I love how soft and warm these turned out. I love how her cheeks are red from her nap. I love how the light wraps around her creating a haze. I am loving fall light.

2011-10-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

Around Here Lately

2011-10-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

My sisters daughter Livia, who has made a regular appearance here on my blog, has been making a regular appearance here at our house. My sister and I decided that we would try not to get a sitter this year and just help each other out. I take Liv in the mornings 4 days a week and Ann takes Fina while I am in school with Cooper and helps out when I need childcare for photo shoots. The kids play really well together. So far it has been great. A little crazy but fun!
Cooper is very into coloring these days. So the girls naturally want to join in on the fun. He lets them, being a very patient big brother and cousin.

We encourage creativity around here, even if it means coloring on your head!

Fina can get in the learning tower now and help out with food projects like making pizza! So cute.

And... they help me clean. Cooper loves to vacuum so I send him toward dust bunnies and my sweep pile. He is actually very helpful with this. Fina loves to wipe things down so while I am cleaning I just give her a towel and she goes to town. Not as helpful, but very cute! I figure it's good to get them involved, right?

And, I am embracing my speed light flash. I prefer natural light but can't exclusively do that in the winter here.

Happy Wednesday!

Just A Peak

2011-10-18T14:16:00.001-07:00

So many more to come but I wanted to share this adorable photo of these two adorable brothers.

Blonde Hair and Blue Eyes

2011-10-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

If you asked me if I ever thought that in a million years I would have a blonde child, I would have said no way or perhaps just laughed out loud. If you asked me if I would have two, I would have said "you have seen my hair and eyes right? Dark genes are always dominate." Ha! I was proven wrong, that's for sure.
I am in love with Fina's hair right now. It is so soft and has a slight curl. It always smells divine. Love her.

Fall

2011-10-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

It is fall for sure. As beautiful as it is, I have to admit that I am struggling with the shorter days and the rainy weather. I know that I will adjust, I always do. I have to admit that my mood is not as good when it is dark and dreary. But I live in Seattle so I have to work it out.
One of the greatest things about having the chickens is that it forces us to go outside every do to get the eggs and check on them. When the weather turns I am guilty of staying indoors and not getting outside. We always feel better when we get outside. Always.
Here are a few shots of the kids in the yard.
Happy fall!

Bronwyn

2011-10-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of shooting this beautiful girl's senior portraits. We decided on an urban location, The Experience Music Project in downtown Seattle. This location was so much fun and it fit her well. She was so poised and modest. The camera loved her. She is wise beyond her years. The world is lucky to have her. This is the kind of teenager you meet and you think to yourself "I hope my kid turns out like this." Thank you Bronwyn, for allowing me to do your senior portraits. It was so much fun!

Lost Photos Of My Kiddos

2011-10-07T16:12:00.000-07:00

I tell you, I have been so wrapped up on catching the perfect photo and thinking about all the technicalities that are involved in photography (there are more than you can imagine) that I have forgotten about the value of capturing our daily lives, which is what inspired me in the first place! I often have my camera out and often snap shots of our day but I am so obsessed with editing right now that I forget it's okay to post a photo that I didn't take to photoshop to edit. These photos say so much about what we were doing on this particular day. It was hot. Cooper was playing with the fan by yelling into it and listening to what his voice sounded like.

Fina was perfecting her climbing and so proud of herself. I shot her deliciously chubby legs and feet. It takes work to have rolls on your ankles but this girl has them and they are so adorable!

Here she is chewing on my lens cap!

Then we moved to the kitchen for table top activities. We do this a lot and on this day it was magnatiles. They are so fun. In the past few months Fina has really started to be able to participate in these activities which is great!

All of this is very simple, but this is the stuff that makes up our life and this is what I want to remember. While I love a pretty image of my kiddos, I treasure photos that capture us being us and them being them.
It has been a very busy week for us. I hope to have a slower one next week :) Yeah right! Have a good weekend!

The Rodgers Family {A Family Photo Shoot}

2011-10-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

Remember when I photographed this adorable baby girl? Well, she is nearly 6 months old and I had the pleasure of meeting up with her and her parents this past week for a photo shoot. She has such a variety of facial expressions! This family is so happy, always laughing. So much fun!

A Summer Nap

2011-10-01T06:27:00.000-07:00

I have been shooting away but not shooting away at my own children. That is the only problem with this photography thing taking off, I don't take photos of my kids nearly enough. That is going to be my goal for next week, take lots of photos of my own kids (and the two shoots I have booked!).
Today is the first day in October. I can feel the chill of fall in the air. It actually smells like fall outside. As I was browsing my library of photos I realized that I have these photos of Fina sleeping right after a swim, wearing nothing but a towel, while we were in LA this past summer.
Goodbye summer. We will miss you. Hello fall, you look lovely.

Hunter's Senior Shoot With His Baby Sister, Ella

2011-09-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

I am loving doing seniors! This was a shy young man but handsome just the same. We also got his sister in on the photos. So cute!
I have another senior shoot this week! yay!

This and That and Eggs!

2011-09-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in the month of September that I feel like my head is swimming. September has been the busiest month yet for my photography business, which has been super fun. September has been the start of co op preschool for us which has been fun and busy. September has been a hard month emotionally because my dad had heart surgery. And... September has been the month that Road Street started laying eggs! We have had one a day for the past 9 days! So cool. We are just waiting for the other two chickens to catch up!
Since my dad was in the hospital I have really been thinking about my role as a nurse. Here is where I toot my own horn, toot toot!! Seriously, though. My dad had two nurses that we absolutely amazing! Nurses make all the difference when it comes to your hospital stay. You see the Doc for about 15 minutes during the whole day but you are with your nurse all day. It was my first time being on the other side of medical care and it was quite humbling. His nurses made him feel safe and well cared for and gave us a sense of comfort knowing that we were leaving him in good hands. This past weekend at my nursing job, I took extra care with my patients and their families knowing that they are probably going to remember how I cared for them during such a special and challenging time in their lives. I think that I am a good nurse but after being on the other side I want to be a better one.
Any who.... lots of photos to share soon. Have a great week!

First Day of Preschool For Cooper

2011-09-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

This is our third year doing co op preschool. I just realized that in all that time I don't think I have shared anything about it on the blog, which is a shocker because I am a wordy gal. We love co op. It creates such a rich environment for the children and such a great sense of community. We are in the co op preschool system that provided by North Seattle Community College. I would recommend it to anyone who has the time as it does take a bit of commitment from the parents. That commitment is what makes is so great. It doesn't hurt that we have an awesome teacher!
We are looking forward to a great year!

Family, Sisters, Tea Party, and Bubbles {A Family Photo Shoot}

2011-09-20T07:52:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to FINALLY be sharing this shoot that I did a few weeks ago. I have to say that I think this is my favorite shoot to date. This family has a connection that you can just feel and these little girls are about as sweet as it gets. We headed to a grassy field during the golden hour and the lighting was perfect. I took so many photos because I just coulden't stop shooting! Mom brought along a tea set and some bubbles which made for very cute photos. Love. Thank you, Bell family for letting me capture your family. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

They have a little chant they do to "reconnect". So cute.

This Daddy is surrounded by girls and not afraid to have a tea party!

Dad

2011-09-14T06:07:00.001-07:00

Today as I write this post I have knots in my stomach. Right now, my mom and my siblings are kissing my dad goodbye as they wheel him into the OR. I opted to stay home with my sleeping babies. My dear friend is coming over soon so that I can join them. Today dad is having open heart surgery. In my heart of hearts, I know he will be fine and be better when it is all said and done. He knew, he knew something just wasn't right, and being a man to follow his gut, he persisted. The doc obliged and he was right. He needed surgery. Dad is a rock, Dad is strong, Dad has a heart of gold. To see him looking small and vulnerable in his hospital bed is tough. It will be a long recovery and it is in times like these that I am so thankful for my huge family and for my dear friends. As I booked my flight (on my way to the airport, a first for me) I texted my friend who lives here in Abq and I said, "dad needs surgery, can you help with the kids". In a second she texted back and said "absolutely". She has taken the day off work. That's friendship. So many other friends have offered their support. And family, well, how could we survive without them. They are here to keep me grounded. We support each others need to cry, whine, and laugh in a time like this. We can lean on them physically and emotionally. I am so thankful right now. Thankful for family, thankful for modern medicine that will save my dad, thankful for this space to get it all off my chest, thankful for health, and thankful for all of you who have been praying and sending us your positive thoughts.
Keep Dad in your prayers. We love you Dad!

A Little Bit On a Big Girl

2011-09-12T10:23:00.001-07:00

Fina is fast turning into a toddler. She was good to me, she stayed a baby a very long time. But now, she is crawling with the best of them, cruising along anything she can, and climbing. She has started to talk. My heart melted when she said Cooper for the first time. No, it is not clear as day but it is her way of saying Cooper. She says Dada, and mommoms. Mommoms is what she says when she wants to nurse. I don't know how it is possible, but she gets cuter every second. Sometimes I look at her and I think I might break down into tears because she is so adorable and I love her so much. She is always in a good mood and brings us so much joy.
I seriously could have posted every photo I took of her during this little "session" but I scaled down a bit.
Love. That is what I feel for her, complete and total love.

Labor Day

2011-09-09T07:24:00.000-07:00

We spent the better part of this past weekend with my sisters and their families. Seriously, how lucky are we to be living in the same state? We still have sibs in LA and Abq, but now Seattle is where most of us are! Our kids are growing up together and that is priceless.
We spent Labor Day in Ann's yard while the kids played in the baby pool then we headed over to Elisa's for a yummy dinner. Fina sported her first bikini and man was she cute. This is the only time in your life where a little belly looks perfect in a bikini. Cooper was busy "sinking boats" in the pool and was not available to be photographed. I think having a photographer mama is weighing on him. He is currently obsessed with all things Titanic and sinking anything he can get his hot little hands on. He insists that I read him the Titanic book we have every night, which is a small chapter book and takes me nearly half an hour to read. I love watching him learn! Livia is always a bit shy when we first arrive and prefers to take comfort in her mama's lap but once she gets going, she keeps up with Coop. I love the sweet photos of her being her sweet self!
It was a nice weekend filled with food, drink, and relaxation.

Family Photo Shoot

2011-09-07T07:51:00.000-07:00

I had the joy of capturing a little family that I know from Coopers school. They just had their third baby. The older two have such a sweet relationship and such great energy. They were super silly, which was really fun. This mama makes having three look easy, my hero! Dad couldn't make it. Hopefully next time we can get him in on the action.
Enjoy!

Bath In The Sink

2011-09-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

Why is it that babies are so darn cute when bathed in the sink? I still remember bathing Cooper in the sink and have photos where he and Fina could be the same baby. Now that she is into things, she needs a bath much more often. Too cute!

Coop

2011-09-05T23:07:00.000-07:00

This guy. He has been very cute lately. We are having so much fun with him right no. He talks your ear off and has many questions. School is starting up for him in a few weeks and this year he goes 4 days for 3 hours at a time. I go with him one of the days because it is a co op. I must say, I will miss him at home and I know his sister will too. So far, 4 is a really good age.
I have been very busy with my photography and with Coopers school. I will be blogging my latest photo shoots very soon.
I hope you all had a great 3 day weekend!

{This Moment}

2011-09-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Santa Monica Pier

2011-08-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

And Finally, the last of the bunch. We walked to the Santa Monica Pier many times. It was a busy place with rides and games. Very fun. The kids enjoyed it. There was a play ground right by it with fun obstacals for adults and kids alike. It was very cool. Doug even tried some of them out!

"Beach Trees"

2011-08-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

Cooper started calling palm trees "beach trees" while we were in Santa Monica. I thought it was pretty cute. There was a huge hill with many palm trees by the condo. Cooper enjoyed rolling down and Fina enjoyed crawling up. Good thing there were two of us to chase the kiddos who were going in opposite directions.
Only one more vacation update left. I promise!

On A Summer Night Like This...(More Vacation Photos)

2011-08-25T16:32:00.000-07:00

On a summer night like this, the air is warm and still, the light is absolutely perfect, you look at your family and you feel beyond blessed. All of your troubles melt away into the sunset and you only think about "right now", you truly live in the moment. On a summer night like this, you are so happy you can palpate the feeling. On a summer night like this, you are thankful for photography so that you can capture it so perfectly that by looking at the photos you almost weep because you feel the feeling you felt when you took them. It was a beautiful summer night.

Summer Vacation, Santa Monica

2011-08-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

We are so lucky. My sister let us use her Santa Monica beach house for a 10 day vacation. The best part was that we saw her and her family nearly every day. We stayed at their house a few nights but mostly stayed at the beach. As usual, we took a million photos. These show pretty well what we did. We hit the beach at least once a day if not twice. It was wonderful. We quickly saw the appeal of California living. It was pretty amazing! Doug and I jogged on the beach in the sand, we swam every day (did I mention we had a pool at our condo too!), Cooper became very comfortable playing in the ocean, and Fina loved playing in the sand. Every night we crawled into bed, tired from playing at the beach with sand in our sheets. Never tired from stress. It was a perfect vacation.
It is important to my sister and I that our kiddos are close so we visit often. It was so great to see Cooper and Fina bond with their cousins in California. Lots of playing, lots of swimming, lots of staying up too late, lots of love. It was great! My parents came with us for the first 6 days which was great. We love hanging out with my parents, they are like our best friends. I know we are dorks.
More in another blog post.

Crashed out after a very fun day and staying up much past bedtime :)

Our Big 4 Year Old

2011-08-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

Our Cooper is 4! I can't believe it. He has grown into such a lovely boy. Poor guy, I feel like we are learning how to be parents on him. He seems to be pretty tolerant of his Mommy and Daddy though. He is such a bright and happy child, a true joy to be around. He is beautiful inside and out. He is sensitive and empathetic. I am lucky to have this guy around, I really am. Cooper made me a mommy, my life long dream. I love him so much it hurts sometimes!
We had a party for his birthday. We served his favorite foods, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (cut out in the shape of planes), edamame, carrots and ranch, watermelon, and lemonade. We had a pinata in the shape of train, which was very fun. Annie made him a very special cake in the shape of a train! She really outdid herself. It was a great party. He got an electric train from us which after he opened it he said "thanks guys, I am really pleased with you! " He got a big boy bike for his birthday and the day after he turned 4 he rode it with no training wheels. It was an emotional moment for me. I know, I know. Many boys have learned to ride a bike and many more will but it was really big for me. It made me feel excited about him growing up. Excited to see all of the things that he is going to learn and discover. For the first time in his life I feel okay with him growing up. I know that sounds crazy but I hold on so tight to the baby years that I loose sight of how wonderful it is to see him grow and learn. What a privilege it is to watch a child grow. It is truly a blessing. He is at an awesome age. Eager to learn everything he can and so much fun to talk to. I am loving 4 so far! Bring it!
I am late on blogging about it because we went to LA for nearly 2 weeks and I was unplugged for most of the time, which was great!
Happy 4th birthday my man! We love you!

Were back

2011-08-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

I have been a slacker blogger. I have Cooepr's birthday and our fantastic trip to blog about but for now I am swimming in laundry and housework. For now, I will leave you with this. A small glimpse from our trip. Love. It was the best vacation! Back soon.

Summer Bliss

2011-07-29T09:14:00.000-07:00

Last week it was my birthday. My mom and Ann made me a dinner of home made friend chicken and potato salad. We headed to Golden Gardens, a local beach that we often go to and had a sunset picnic. It was perfect. Good friends, good food, good. It was one of those summer nights that leaves you feeling so happy. We are heading back again tonight to do it again!
Happy summer!!

The Garden

2011-07-28T13:59:00.001-07:00

The garden is in full swing. The sun has been shy this year so we may never get any tomatoes but everything else is doing quite well. Cooper has been helping by picking the raspberries (about 2 pints a day!) and doing the "chicken chores". No eggs yet, but we expect them to start laying in about a month.

"Road Street" enjoying some free range time. (Cooper named her)

A proud farmer.

Checking his pickings.

Enjoying her first summer of eating summer fruits.

Tiny tomato plants and basil.

Lettuce, lots of lettuce.

Sage

Rhubarb, LOTS of rhubarb. My favorite thing to do with it lately is to make rhubarb soda. I usually add strawberries or raspberries. Click here for the recipe. I follow this but add the strawberries or raspberries.

Rainbow chard. We pan fry it with a little olive oil, fresh garlic, and red pepper flakes. Yum!

Mint

Grapes. So beautiful.

Gardening brings me peace and brings togetherness to our family. Love.

Orcas Island & Two Little Boys

2011-07-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

These two. Birthdays only 3 days apart, they are quite the pair. They fight and bicker like brothers and play like best friends. They are so much alike it is a little nutty. They had so much fun exploring the beach and running like crazy boys.

Beautiful boys.

We sure are lucky to have friends like the Schell family.

Doug and Craig have been close friends since they were little boys. They were so excited to light a tree on fire on the beach! I guess little boys never grow up. Needless to say, Sarah and I thought it was a questionable decision.

I feel lucky to have met Sarah. She has become one of my dearest friends. It is the perfect match. We all have a buddy. Now, lets hope Fina and Jonas can play soon too!

Orcas is such a beautiful place!

Orcas Island

2011-07-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

Doug's family has property on the beautiful Orcas Island. Doug took me camping there when we were only dating and now we have been back many times. We took Cooper there 2 years ago for his first camping trip. Click here to see. Doug started camping here when he was a baby with his parents so this is a very special place for him.
It was beautiful and peaceful. The kids had a blast. They were very dirty at the end but it was worth it. As I mentioned earlier, Cooper did a 3 mile hike entirely without complaining or needing to be held! It took longer then it would have if it were just Doug and I but that was because he was so observant. He wanted to look closely at the flowers and climb all the logs and rocks. It is always neat to slow down and go at the pace of a child. This was so great for us because we have been in a tough point hiking wise because he is too small for the pack but too young to hike the whole hike by himself. Or so we thought! He is such a little trooper! We are so happy that he has come to love the outdoors too!
We met up with the Schell family the second night and camped on their property. Total coincidence that their family has Orcas property too, just another way our families are intertwined. I will post photos from that night later.
It was such a fun camping trip. 3 days unplugged was so relaxing. We had so much fun we may to back this Wednesday.
I have to say, our schedules ROCK! Me only working 2 days a week and Doug having the whole summer off is such a blessing! This summer has been nothing but bliss.

*as you can see, I am in many of the photos. Doug has taken the camera and I am loving it. Don't worry, he will be in a few on my next post :)

This is my attempt to catch a shot of him on the log chair, the same chair that we have a photo of him on from 2 years ago. He is quite the jokester now.

These are from our hike. The stunning greenery is our reward for all the rain.:

A little mid hike snack for all :) Nursing is very convenient for camping. No bottles to clean, no milk to pack.

MacElhose Family Photo Shoot

2011-07-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

We had to reschedule this shoot a few times because of the weather. Summer has forgot about us here in the Pacific Northwest. But, despite the weather we managed to get the shoot done and I think we got some really cute shots.

{This Moment}

2011-07-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

Urban Hiking...

2011-07-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

Because this summer has been so action packed, I have fallen behind on updates. Cooper is into hiking, thankfully because Doug and I enjoy it too. We started on some urban hikes here in the city, these photos are at Lincoln Park. I love the Seattle parks because many of them have beaches as well. It truly is a wonderful city to live in, despite our weather we have been having.
This past week we went camping on our property on Orcas Island and he did a 3 mile hike without asking to be held once! More photos on our trip to come. For now, here are some from our urban hike...

One Year Ago Today

2011-07-13T08:21:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, I gave birth to our baby girl, Fina. She came into this world easily into a tub of warm water. Her birth was peaceful. She stared up at me, bright eyes and red lips and I fell in love all over again. Not only did I fall in love with her again, but I fell in love with Doug and Cooper all over again too for watching them love Fina made me love them even more. She has been the perfect edition to our family.
When I held her in my arms that night and every night since it was like holding a little slice of heaven. I marveled over all the little noises she made and was intoxicated by the way she smelled. I still feel a sense of peace when I hold her and smell her head as she nuzzles in.
This past year has been nothing but perfect. She has been a dream baby. I think a lot of it is because Doug and I trust ourselves as parents much more now then we did when we were new at it with Cooper. We don't try to mold her or push her to do things she is not ready to do. If she cries we pick her up, if she needs to sleep with us she does, if she wants to be held we hold her. It feels good to be confident in these things and not worry about schedules or what the latest "expert" says. Fina has taught us to trust our instincts and having her has made us better parents all around. I would say that we trust our parenting instincts more with Cooper since she arrived too.
Fina has such a lovable personality. I have enjoyed watching her go from an angelic newborn to a active baby. I have loved watching every little hair sprout on her head, every delicious arm roll get bigger and then now slim out a bit, every little twinkle in her eye when she discovers something new, and have especially enjoyed every giggle that comes out of her when she is being entertained by her big brother. Love. That is what I feel, complete love.
Here are some photos of her party. She loves balls so we had a ball themed party. The little Birthday Girl slept for about half of her party. I guess it was a bit much for her :) Annie made perfect cupcakes for her party and Cooper helped blow out the candles. I made her a special birthday crown and tissue balls to hang around the yard. It was a great party and a great way to celebrate our baby girl because she is something worth celebrating!
We love you, Fina Marie!

Today I Feel....

2011-07-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

Thankful. Happy. Blessed. Amazed. Loved. Sad. Why is sad in there? Well, because I can't believe that we had my baby girl's first birthday party this morning. I couldn't even sing the birthday song because I had to choke back tears. Children are such a blessing and it pains me how fast it all goes by. I LOVE when they are babies and Fina has been a dream baby so while I am happy to celebrate this milestone, I am sad to see my baby grow up.
Her actual birthday is Wednesday. I will post many more but for now, here is one of the party girl. We had a lovely party and I took many photos (shocker). It was so nice to be surrounded by people who love Fina.
Love.

Birth

2011-07-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

You have heard me talk about our dear friends, the Schell family many times. They were expecting their second baby and they asked me to come to their birth to photograph it. It was such an honor to be there. The only other home birth I have ever been to was my own with Fina so it was really special. Her labor was very quick, around 20 or 30 minutes. It was peaceful. Such a beautiful birth. I see birth every day that I work but there is something so special about a home birth. It is unhindered and natural. It is so great to see how birth unfolds without any intervention.
Sarah was so strong and in complete control. To me, she looked so beautiful. The ultimate vision of a mother. She gave birth to a baby boy, their second with such grace. Thank you Sarah and Craig, for allowing me to be there for such a life changing moment. You have two beautiful boys.

4th of July 2011

2011-07-06T14:47:00.001-07:00

Does this photo say 4th of July, or what?

Have to say. What a fabulous holiday. Its summer. Everyone is off work. There are family parties. I think it is my favorite holiday, aside from Christmas.
We had a great time. Ann had a wonderful party with amazing food as usual. It had all the components of a great party, beer, good food, good company, little kids wearing red, white, and blue and some with two poney tails. Plenty of playing in the dirt. We went down to South Lake Union and watched the firework show from a building where a friend of ours works. It was a beautiful view. This was extra special for Cooper as this was the first year he stayed up for it. It was a great way to kick off summer!

Don't worry. It was empty.

Summer Time...

2011-07-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

And the living is easy....
I LOVE summer so much, always have. So much free time, letting the day unfold organically without schedule or pressure. Lots of time outside. In the summer we are so thankful for our wonderful yard and all the time we spend in it. Here are a few shots of us playing in the yard. Fina airing out her bum, Cooper playing "airplane swing", and a few of him "flying" on my feet. I know one day he will be too big for that so for now he can fly the summer away.
Hope you are enjoying your summer too!

BTW, yes that is dirt in his nose. I love it.

10 Years Ago...

2011-07-03T06:36:00.001-07:00

While we were all in nursing school, you never could have told us that within 3 years we were going to have SIX kids between us...

Now, getting together is more fun then ever. Not up all night studying or partying but good time all around.

We had a little BBQ last week with the Fritz and Bartch families. I met these girls (and their hubbies, Doug is the only non Seattle U grad) back at Seattle U nearly 10 years ago. We had some pretty great times together and managed to survive Nursing School together. We even lived in Belize for a month together during nursing school. It is so great to get together with these guys. The kids have fun and so do we. It was a very fun night.

(photo by Alicia, finished by me)

(photo by Alicia, finished by me)

The girls played in the castle, while Coop and the men played football.

(photo by Alicia, finished by me)

So blessed to have such great friends!

Dinner Around Here

2011-06-28T09:33:00.001-07:00

We NEVER let children play with their food. Most certantly would not let a child who is almost 4 make a mask out of his flat bread. Oh no. 4 year old's should have perfect
table manners.

Babies eat very well around here. They don't wait until they are 11 months old to eat solid food. Babies are taught early to keep their food in their bowls and to never put their feet on the table.

Oh, and they always eat all the healthy food I offer to them. Always.

Do They Know?

2011-06-26T08:38:00.001-07:00

Do these two kids know how lucky they are? To have a daddy like they do..... a daddy who is just as into their likes and hobbies as they are.... who can easily take care of 2 babies for up to 14 hours while mommy is at work..... a daddy who always knows what cool events are coming to the Seattle area.... a daddy who will happily wear his baby on his back so that he can climb into an old fighter plane with his boy...a daddy who knows about the local car shows and once again puts babe on his back so that Coop can see all the GTO's his little heart can handle.
I bet they don't. But that's a good thing. All children should be as lucky as they are, to have such a fun and caring daddy. For now, I don't care if they know. I just care that they are happy.
(photos taken by Doug. Photo of all three taken by a kind stranger)

Happy weekending!

Livia May

2011-06-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

Miss Livia. She is as sweet as she is beautiful, as sassy as she is tiny, as lovely as she is smart. This little girl is amazing and we are so lucky to have her. She and Coop are best buddies and I just know that a special relationship is in store for she and Fifi. How lucky are they? Cousins only 1 year apart. We love you Livy May!!
I did her 2 year photos last week. Just one shoot among many I did last week. She is a beauty.

Allsup Family {photo shoot}

2011-06-20T16:53:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day in Seattle. Isn't this such a beautiful family? They were dressed perfectly and it was so much fun to shoot them.
Enjoy!