Well, this is obviously not from our morning, but when I think about this smile, I think about our mornings. Now, this picture was taken just before we left to go out to eat. We haven’t been out of the house a lot lately and he loves being out and about. This is one of maybe two times he’s ever had a collar on. Oh…my…doesn’t he look like a big boy?

Soooo….here we go (note that sometimes I will say a lot and sometimes I will say nothing at all)…

Week 1:52

Starting solids. Ask the parents you know, read books, read online sources, they all have a different opinion. Once our pediatrician said to not start solids until 6 months, we were dead set on following his advice. But then Steff’s sleep (which hadn’t been great for us) started getting progressively worse. Then he started giving us the “give me your food or die” eyes. Then the Mommy guilt set in for eating in front of him. He was already showing all the other signs of being ready for solids. That’s when we decided he was ready. He wasn’t ready before that. It was nice because we felt completely confident in the decision once we started. We celebrated his 5 month birthday with sweet potatoes. We’re cooking and pureeing all of his food in batch and freezing it in little cubes. When we’re ready to feed him, we take a cube out and heat it up. Easy-peasy. So far we’ve tried sweet potatoes, avocados, rice cereal, butternut squash, peas, and now bananas. He hates peas unless it’s mixed with squash and cereal. He LOVES bananas and says “mmmmm” every time (which he hasn’t done with any other food). We love making his food. It’s so easy and so cheap!

I adore this picture. Love the way his hands are folded and the way he’s looking up at Bret. I especially love those big blue eyes and the sweet potatoes all over his face.

Week 2:52

Okay, so you have all seen this first picture. It’s the official 2:52 picture. Steff got to see his first real snow. He sat in his bouncy and just stared out this window. I also love Bret and Steff’s relationship. It’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

Week 2:52 option 2

I was torn between the picture above and this one. This picture was taken moments before he rolled from his back to his belly for the first time. I put his favorite toys just out of his reach (I know…evil mommy). Who knew that’s all it would take. He had been rolling from his belly to his back for a while, which was causing lots of sleepless nights. There was a big celebration in our house this day.

3:52

I love him. And his slobbers.

1. YES…I am still working. To tell the truth, I wasn’t sure if the business would survive my maternity leave. I was so nervous, but knew it’s what we all needed. We made it through and I was crazy busy with one thing or another right up to Christmas and after. Determined to fit in as much as I could. We’re now in the slow time that all photographers have and I’m getting ready for rest of 2012…which is already looking to be off to a great start.

2. MINI SESSIONS ARE UP ON THE CALENDAR! I have a couple locations blank. I wanted to finalize a couple things before announcing those locations. Don’t forget that some mini dates book up faster than others. April, July fair sessions, any Keeneland sessions, and October holiday sessions (I know…October is early for the holidays, but it’s truly the best time to do it and I have an AWESOME location this year). See the calendar HERE.

3. If you are wanting a Signature Session in June, you should be thinking about booking now because that month is going to be jam packed. We have minis, a bachelor/bachelorette party, my sister-in-laws wedding, and vacation. Busy…busy month.

4. Have you seen my new assistant lately? He’s getting chubby. I keep telling him to lay off the chips and chocolates, but he just won’t listen.

5. He’s sitting! He’s sitting! We like to say “go Steff…go Steff…go go…go Steff”. Yeah…he’s pretty much celebrated 24/7.

6. We’ve started solids and we’ve so loved making his food. It’s easy. You know exactly what’s in it. It’s healthy. It’s cheap. I have to admit, Bret has done most of it. I came home one day and he was steaming and pureeing up a storm. I didn’t complain.

7. He loves to bounce and occasionally passes out while bouncing. Sleep has been a struggle for us from the beginning. Granted, not for anyone else, but he hates to nap in this house. I *think* we’ve kinda figured it out now. Steff isn’t the “needs wind down time” type of baby. He’s the “party until I pass out” type of baby. And party doesn’t just mean nice, calm playing. It really means dancing, singing, wrestling…with mommy and daddy…while also wearing them completely out.

8. I love these two. I could cry just typing that. Yes, having a baby can make things a little more stressful between a husband and wife, but goodness, I wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s the daddy I always thought he would be. Steff adores him. He even wimpered when Bret was leaving for work the other day. It was so cute and so pitiful at the same time. I never imagined how much my heart would grow with the birth of Steff, but my oh my has it.

Now…I promise to try and be the blogger I’ve always wanted to be too . I’m working on it…I’m working on it. Just hang in there with me. I’ll love you for it always.

Peace and so much love,

Cilla

Hope your holiday season is filled with as much love as ours is this year

So much love,

Cilla

* November 19 Mini Sessions are full, but there are a couple spots still available on the date that was just recently opened, November 12th (in Gratz Park).

* I am considering offering a workshop exclusively for parents wanting to take better pictures of their kiddos. Not too technical, just the basics (angles, finding the best light, etc.). Just how to get the best out of your every day photos. It would be late winter or early spring. Email me at priscilla@priscillabphotography.com if you’d like to be on the list for more info.

* And…most importantly…a cute little baby laugh to make your day….

Oh how I love that beautiful baby of mine…

Peace and so much love,

Cilla

Steffen’s favorite spot in the room. He has “talked” to that black and white picture for weeks and he recently has a new love for his mobile (especially when I run my fingers in it and make it move). We laugh and talk here every day.

In case you’re wondering what we’re doing with a blank canvas, it will (one day) be filled with Steff’s footprints. I haven’t quite made time to do his first ones yet, but will soon. Right?

I’m almost in tears just thinking of what I’ll write to you. Today, October 7, 2011, is your 2 month birthday. I’m sitting here watching you sleep in your swing (trying to decide if I want to move you to the crib now or the next time you eat). Your Daddy and I love to watch you sleep. There’s absolutely nothing more peaceful. You don’t know how many times in a day one of us can be caught saying “oh he’s so cute”. The best is when you’re sleeping in my arms. I’m in Heaven and your Daddy always comes over and just stares at both of us and talks about how perfect you are. Happiness is written all over his face. I can feel it so strongly that my heart wants to jump out of my chest.

I’m sure you’ll hear the story many times growing up, but we tried so very hard for you. There were times when I wanted to give up and Daddy was always right there to pick me up and remind me of how much we had dreamed of you. Even then, we couldn’t imagine our lives without you. Now that you’re here, on one hand it feels like we’ve always had you, on the other it feels like just yesterday we were at the hospital. I still pinch myself and think “wow, we actually have a baby”. In just 2 short months you completely flipped our lives around. Saying that we love you more than life itself feels so small compared to how we actually feel. The love I had for you from the beginning was so overwhelming that it almost made me sick to my stomach.

You have even managed to strengthen the love I have for your Daddy. Now, there are times (like those middle of the night diaper changes that he sleeps through) when I’ve wanted to choke him. But gosh…seeing him with you, it melts me. In the hospital he would sit and rock you and tell you stories about who we are, who your family is, and make up stories about sleepy town. You fell asleep on his chest and he was so proud of how he hadn’t seen you sleep so hard. He said he was so happy that he felt like he was going to burst and he was tingly all over. He said it was the happiest he had ever been. Steff, let me tell you, you were created out of nothing but pure love. We knew, from the beginning, that we wanted nothing more but to share the love we had of each other with a baby.

Since you’ve been around our living room has transformed into Babies-R-Us, we have learned how to survive on less sleep, we always consider going home and sleeping instead of going on date nights, our dreams have become bigger, our hearts have become stronger, and our home has become complete. In the last month you have started smiling so much and it’s seriously the best thing I’ve ever experienced. You love it when I sing to you (you seem to think it’s hilarious…your Daddy thinks the same about my singing). You love kisses. You now love it when I hold you up above my head like an airplane. Your favorite place is in my arms or on my chest. A very close second would be your changing table. You have been an excellent nurser from the beginning, with a few rough patches along the way. Now, I don’t know how I’ll be able to give it up. We recently realized you have your Daddy’s smile, chin, nose, brow, and probably temper (ha). You have my eyes…which is good to me. Your Daddy happens to be pretty handsome. Your favorite “toy” is your wubbanub. It’s a paci with a blue horse attached to it. I love when hold it’s legs with your tiny hands and rub it with your little fingers.

Holding you, nursing you, smelling you, has been like a drug to me since day one. You seem to just melt into my arms. There have been days when I’ve felt like I was doing everything wrong, but those things, my drugs, always made me feel like everything was right. We are learning and growing together. You teach me every day. I am slowly becoming the kind of Mother I always dreamed of being. I’m not quite there, but I know that as we grow together, I will get there.

Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your love. Thank you for the lessons you teach me.

I love you more than “life itself” could ever measure.

Love,

Mommy

I did feel vulnerable. I had forgotten that feeling. You have no idea what you look like. You are just trying to be natural and not pay attention to the person with the big camera in your face…unless they say to pay attention. But Stacey did a fabulous job making me feel comfortable. Reassuring me the entire time. Of course, when Bret was standing beside me, I automatically relaxed and just focused on him and my belly (yes…I was touching it constantly).

So…here are some of my absolute favorites from the day. I could really show all of them because I am so in love with Stacey’s work and how she brought out exactly how I felt that day and have the entire pregnancy. Believe it or not, I still feel this wonderful. Everyone assumes that I’m miserable right now. I’m so not. I have my days when I’m exhausted, but that’s it. Did I mention how blessed I feel!?!

Okay folks…I am normally so much more modest than this. Never imagined I would stand in the middle of a park, in a bikini, and let some one photograph me. I really never imagined I would post them on Facebook or my blog. I’m telling you though. I think there is nothing more beautiful than a pregnant belly…on any one. I think it’s something we should all be proud of and not hide. You should feel nothing but beautiful.

BE PROUD OF THE BABY BUMP LADIES!!!

Peace and xoxo,

Cilla

We got out of the car and walked to a little bench, stopping along the way to take a picture or two (okay…or three). We were about 30 minutes from the sun setting completely behind the horizon. A few people would pass here and there. A little family of three with the Daddy carrying his baby in a Baby Bjorn passed our way.  Another couple with their bikes made their way to the bench just down from us. You could see another family all the way at the end of the island. We took turns laying on the bench with our heads on each others laps. We talked about how wonderful our vacation had been and how fast things would change once we got home and how different this would be next year with us chasing a little tan boy around and trying to get him to be still for just a minute while mommy and daddy watch the sunset (ha!). I got teary just thinking about how happy I was. I’ve been told that I’m one of the happiest pregnant women ever. I don’t know if that’s true, but I certainly feel like it most days…and that day in particular. I had everything I ever wanted. Love. Love from a man that makes me laugh and that I love more and more every day. The love of the son that will soon be born. The love of the life around me. The love of the sunset…the breeze from the ocean…and the comfort of the moment. Not to mention that I just felt good. I felt beautiful. I felt happy in my own skin. As the colors in the sky got deeper and deeper, I couldn’t help but feel like this was truly the happiest time of my life. I took a minute and breathed it all in. I looked at every inch of his face and back at the sunset and the silhouette of each bird that flew in front of it. I paid attention to the way the sand felt between my toes. The way it felt when he looked at me with that “I’m so in love with you look” he still has from time to time. The hardness of the bench and how we had to put our legs just right to get comfortable. THIS was a moment to remember and I wanted to remember every single detail.

When we were walking back to the car, after the sun had disappeared, we held hands and passed by an older couple. I wondered if they had been us once upon a time. If they had held hands and walked along the beach as they were expecting their first child. Then my mind drifted to the future and imagined us sitting in the spot they were in. Retired…with Steffen off in college or with a family of his own. Back to the two of us. What will happen between now and then? Where will life take us? I know we will have hard times ahead of us and that our life is surely going to change. I will always take a little piece of this moment with me. I can’t wait to share our life and our love with our little miracle man, Steffen.

Peace and so much love,

Cilla

* APRIL 30th- Mini sessions were rescheduled to this Saturday and a spot opened up with others moving to a different date (confusing?). So, if you happen to be free and interested in a mini session this Saturday morning at Boyd’s Orchard, please let me know and we can reserve your spot.

* MAY SIGNATURE SESSIONS- Only 3 spots available!

* MAY 28th MINI SESSIONS @ Keeneland- Only 2 spots available!

* JUNE SIGNATURE SESSIONS- Only 6 spots available!

* JUNE 4th MINI SESSIONS @ Boyle County Fair- 4 spots available!

* JULY- COMPLETELY FULL

* MATERNITY LEAVE JULY 15-SEPTEMBER 16.

* HOLIDAY SEASON- When I come back I will be right in the middle of holiday shooting season. I know talking about the holidays before the summer has even started is just crazy, but if you’d like to book a holiday session, it may be smart to start thinking early! Yes, I am already booking for rest of the year! Crazy!!!!

Now, since I can’t post this without a pretty picture and since the other beautiful half of my “ginger duo” is dying for a sneak peek…and I’m dying for her to see a couple…here’s a quick little peek! More to come later!

Peace and SO much love,

Cilla