behind

As in, I need to get mine in gear. I'm trying to get all of the November sessions out by December 9th, that way the December sessions will be finished by Christmas! Just kidding...maybe.

I met up with an awesome couple on Saturday afternoon. They were so nice and totally ready for anything. Plus, they were pretty people and that just makes my job easy. :) Because I'm currently finishing up another session, I'm only posting one--but I'm totally going to revisit this couple's session on the blog. The Internet must see her fabulous headband!

black friday

Only I think it may have been a Tuesday and there definitely wasn't a sale. It all started with the Pixies. About a week before Avery was born I stopped at the baby boutique near my house and fell in love with a box of socks. They were so cute and would match just about everything in her closet! An added bonus, they were the only socks that stayed on her feet as a newborn.

I recently purchased another box of socks and the clerk told me they were getting new styles the next week...and then I purchased two more boxes of socks...and the jingle holiday pair. Avery is almost four months old and now owns 25 pair of trumpette socks. Shame on me. But in my defense, she has teeny tiny feet and every pair of teeny tiny shoes are still too big. Soooo, she wears socks--socks that look like shoes. And we love them!

for life

Today I'm so thankful for my life. I don't just mean for a healthy body, or to be alive, but for every single thing that makes my life, my life. I love my baby, husband, parents, family, friends, pugs, the piles of laundry--I love it all!


We had a yummy lunch with my side of the family today and can you believe we've added FIVE babies this year?! I'm pretty sure there won't be a dull moment for the next decade!

r u serious?!

Sadly, yes. I'm very serious. I text using single letters in place of words and I miss out on lots of punctuation. With my old phone, I rarely sent text messages because it was so time consuming and confusing. I sometimes had to punch a button three times to get the letter I wanted to use! My iPhone makes things so darn easy with its full keyboard and I'm a texting queen!

I finally caved in and started using text-speak or text-type. I clearly don't know what it's really called. My point is this: im n trbl.

It's often hard for me to find time for the computer until late at night, so I often respond to emails using my phone while I'm rocking Avery during a nap, etc. Lately I've found myself having to triple check a response because my fingers instinctively want to shorten everything!

Blah. That is all. Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving tomorrow filled with lots of yummy food and visits with family!

My family is amazing and we have the best food!! Check out everyone who attended last year...only one person is missing...ME!!

nothing gets done

It's what happens when I'm sick. NOTHING. I haven't really been ill since before I got pregnant, so about a year? It really stinks. I felt something coming on early Friday and yesterday was a fever-free day so I knew I was on the rebound! I've been staying up way too late and getting up early, so I think it just wore me down. But before I got sick, I visited with this little guy:


I'll have more to post soon, but my own sweet baby is in need of my assistance so I'm off again!

friday morning giraffe

Meet Sophie, she's from France. Though in our house her accent comes out more Eliza Doolittle pre-Henry Higgins than any French person I've ever heard. It's quite funny. My mom recently purchased Sophie for Avery to help with the teething. Sophie's such a lady.


We also have this toy. Deran ordered it along with a mobile from the same store shortly after we found out we were expecting. It's not new, she's just now starting to play with it. She's really starting to grab and grasp. We love watching her learn!


I know I've talked about it before, but I just love when she keeps her toes bent or flexed for long periods of time. I think it's cute and it drives Deran CRAZY.

talented

I've always admired this cousin's ability to style her hair and makeup in such a gorgeous fashion. She made such a beautiful bride!

say cheese

I think kids develop a cheese face at a very young age. I love hers.


More from this awesome family session soon!

p is for portrait: take two

A lot has changed in a year, there's a new family member! Always fun to get together with you guys P Family!

i can't resist...

Sweet pictures of mommas holding their babies.


I'm thinking of trying to get in one photo a week with Avery. It doesn't sound like much, but I have very few pictures of us!

good morning

Saturday was a very long exhausting day. We've actually had a pretty full weekend so far, therefore Sunday must be spent resting & relaxing! My Saturday started early, but I don't mind so much when it starts with her.

it takes two, baby

The first night Avery didn't nurse herself to sleep, I cried. She was having a very fussy time so Deran took her and walked and whistled and walked and whistled. I told myself I was being ridiculous. I had extra time! To myself! I didn't feel needed and I didn't like it.

Fast forward several weeks and I now willingly hand her over to Daddy to be put to sleep. After a bath she eats, we cuddle, and then she's passed along so she'll go to sleep. Occasionally it takes a second round with Mommy, but most nights D puts her in bed. Of course I get a kiss in too!

Our bedtime routine is nice because we both get special time with Avery before she falls asleep. I no longer feel unloved, and I'm totally blaming hormones for that anyway! Now we joke that Avery will develop some kind of whistle-induced narcolepsy, and really, you'd be amazed at the tunes that guy can whistle!

already?!

Where does the time go?! Seriously?? I took Avery to the doctor last Friday because this returned. She just has a clogged tear duct, very common. While there, the doctor examined her and said that her bottom gums were really starting to swell which is completely normal as part of the TEETHING PROCESS. What?

My teeny tiny baby is about to start teething. It doesn't seem that long ago that we were sharing this news, now she's here and constantly growing. I suppose I'll let her grow up...but she'll always be my baby!

scenes from a session

I just have to show a few more photos of the sweet boy in yesterday's post. He's grown so much since last year! He was all smiles on Sunday!

the next generation

The circle of life really is an amazing thing. My friends and I are parents, our parents are grandparents...crazy. I don't see this particular friend enough, but I enjoy our time when we do get to visit. When you're around this boy and his parents, it's so obvious he is loved.

awwww

I had a session yesterday afternoon. There was lots of this:


Hard to believe how much he's grown! And not to be outdone by his cousin, there was also some of this:


Fun times all around! Thanks for meeting up with me yesterday P Family, I'll be working on your real sneak peek soon. :)

ignorance is bliss

No pictures and a depressing tale to boot! We recently found out my uncle is sick. He's been staying some with my parents and it's been very easy to kind of put it to the side while at our home. We have a cute baby and we're all healthy and we don't watch the evening news.

Last night we dropped off Avery with my mom to go have dinner together. When we picked her up we stayed to visit for a few minutes and as we got into our car Deran said that he likes our bubble. It's a glorious place to be, but I'm pretty sure last night it burst. My parents are amazing people, I've watched them care for each of their parents in turn. They are so kind, level-headed, and generous. I'm so thankful they're mine. You're a lucky person if you count them as family. Cancer sucks.

not so much

You are looking at THREE bottles of Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker. I started wearing it months ago but took a hiatus after Avery was born. Her fresh newborn skin was very sensitive and I switched from Lovely to Eau du Spit Up--which is just a potent fragrance, truly, it just gets better with time.

Anyway, several months back when my Mamaw was at my house she tried my perfume and loved it. She said she could never find something that she liked once it was on her person but she loved Lovely...so she bought some...in bulk. After she passed away, my aunt brought it to my house and said I wouldn't have to buy another bottle for, um, EVER.

I spritzed some on before going to a meeting Monday night and it reminded me of my Mamaw. It was so overwhelming and I knew then that Lovely had lost its loveliness for me. Sorry SJP but I can't be walking around smelling sad all the time. Besides, smelling like spit up isn't so bad when it comes from her.

unbiased

Of course I think she's adorable, I don't know a parent who thinks their kid is not so cute. But really, mine is super cute! Yesterday as I rocked her and she slept, I looked down and just thought about how adorable she is now and what a gorgeous girl she'll be. She looks pretty good awake too.

three whole months

Even with the passing of her twelfth week last Monday, I clung to her two month status--until today. Today my baby is officially three months old. And because I may have mentioned once or twice (or more!) how much I love my iPhone, I put together a little phone photo collage of the last three months. An iPhone salute to Avery, if you will.

August

September

October

I remember an evening pre-pregnancy, sitting on the couch reading a book while Deran sat beside me browsing the web, the pugs cuddled around us, just thinking how great my life was-- how completely happy and content I was in that moment. I think about that evening now and I can't believe how wonderful life is today. To love this tiny person so much doesn't seem possible. One or the other of us is always saying, "Can you even believe you love this person so much?!" We are so blessed.

Three whole months. You're welcome World, she makes things better.

fall

It's so lovely.

sunday best

Avery made her church debut this morning. We were late and sat in the balcony, but it was so nice to be back.