The Arboretum With Cousins - Pictures Galore!

Daniel's sister and her kids visited two weekends ago, and it was such fun to spend some time with her and let the kids play and get re-acquainted. 





 




They are a wild bunch when they're all together, and I can't believe that by this time next year there will be two more babies joining the cousin clan! 
 



We are beyond excited for our new nephew/niece on the way -- and for this bun in the oven due in June. 






The weather was a teensy bit cold the day we went to the Arboretum, but the kids were fairly comfortable in their long sleeves and sweaters -- enough so that I didn't feel too guilty about no heavy coats. 




After visiting the Arboretum a few weeks prior and being less than enthused about some of the photos I got, I was determined this time to see some improvement. 


 


 And I love the ones I got!  My sister in law always spurs me on to improve in photography -- she is so talented and produces such lovely photos. 

 

It was fun shooting alongside her and sharing conversation about photography, kids, and everything else.




I love their shared expression here.  I've never seen them make faces that looked so much alike at the same time.







We enjoyed a really nice, peaceful picnic lunch before heading home for naps.  It was a great morning.

The Photo Studio Space

Today I officially finished (for now) my home studio space!!  I am so excited.  My first in-studio newborn session will begin in just under 2 hours, and I can't wait.



Daniel and I first tentatively entertained the notion of a home studio space last year, when it became evident that clients' homes were wildly inconsistent when it came to lighting and space for a newborn session. 



Since then, Daniel's support and my own earnest desire for a space well suited to newborn photography have fueled the transformation of what was not-so-long-ago a dark blue room with several large pieces of furniture... into this!  A humble, but functional little space. 



I can't wait to compare the results of what I'll be able to accomplish here with what I've been able to do in the random rooms I've found myself shooting for the past 9 months.  So exciting. 



Not to mention -- this room will be much easier to keep warm when I'm shooting #3's newborn session in just a few months! 

Something Hatched

Look what we found in the front yard today!  Something somewhere hatched.  A new little bird somewhere is being protected, fed, and taught.  And God knew what the bird would look like before it hatched, and He knows where it is now. 



And how much more does He care for each one of His children.  Something about the smallness of this egg testifies to the bigness of God and His sovereignty.  I have doubted that God is really in control. 



And even if I entertained the notion that He was in control, I've doubted that he's good.  But I'm beginning to believe--maybe for the first time in my life--that He actually really is good and that He knows what he's doing--that he's in control and that I'm safe in His hands, no matter what happens. 



There is a softening in my heart--a yielding--that I can't take credit for.  How did He accomplish that?  For the first time, the fear that has inhabited my heart has a competitor, and it's Peace. 

Sixteen Months (Elliot's Monthly Photo)

Elliot is 16 months old!  He is a charmer.



He is very popular at restaurants.  The people sitting around us love to catch his eye and wave, and he smiles so big and gets really shy and then peeks back over his shoulder to see if they're still watching.  He is cautious in new situations but warms up quickly.  Especially if his big sister is there with him.
 

He is slowly transitioning from two to one nap/day.  He sleeps about half the time in his bunkbed and the other half of the time in his pack-n-play in the photo studio.  He looks like such a big boy when he sleeps in his bunk bed.  He's fully capable of climbing out of it (which he does, sometimes) but is pretty well trained now to stay put.



He has added some new words in the last couple weeks -- or at least gotten more clear with the words he was already saying (mama, dada, yes, yeah, and all animal noises).   He signs quite a bit -- ball, thank you, please, more, milk, all done. 



His favorite foods are still carbohydrates -- any kind with minimal fiber or nutritive value.  He is still very skeptical when it comes to trying new foods, but he's surprised me a few times lately, cautiously trying watermelon (and liking it) and even broccoli a couple weeks ago.  Whether he likes those foods the next time they're introduced is a complete roll of the dice.    



One of the most exciting developments in the last month has been his increased use of (and enthusiasm for) the potty!  I am beyond excited about this. 

He has gotten so good at imitating, lately!  If I sing a song, he'll try to do the same. If I blow bubbles with my lips, he'll try that, too.  In the car while he's babbling, Lucy says, "That's a nice song, Eyyyot! I like that!" and I think he genuinely enjoys her encouragement. 

He has been giving lots of kisses to my belly lately -- and I'm not entirely sure if it's because that's the part of me he can most easily reach while we're both sitting on the couch or if it's because he's somehow picked up on the fact that there's a baby in there.  He loves babies.  Loves them.  I can't wait to see his excitement at getting to hold #3, though of course it will also be an adjustment for him. 

He is a delight.  So cuddly and affectionate and smart.  So dextrous!  His skills with a fork are impressive. 

That's all I can think of at the moment.  Until next month...

A Lovely Outing and Cooked Poo-Poo

We made our first trip to the Arboretum since October.  It's gorgeous.  Every year it's more beautiful than the last.  I took the kids and met up with a mommy-photographer group I'm a part of.



Holy cow--it is exhausting doing this kind of thing.  But it's fun, too.  And I'm so, so blessed to have kids that are fairly calm and reserved in public.



For some reason Lucy became fixated on "where's our car, mommy??" during this lovely stroll through the Arboretum.  I replied that the car was in the parking lot, far away.



This became the most important fact and memory of the day, apparently, and was all she wanted to tell Daniel about her Arboretum experience at lunch time.



Lucy -- did you have fun at the Arboretum with mommy?

"Yeah.  The car was far far awaaaaaaay."   



It is truly fascinating to watch her piece together pieces of information... and to see her prioritize information in order of relevance to the discussion at hand.  Fascinating.



Tonight's exchange while she was sitting on the potty:

Oh!  There's poo-poo!  Yucky poo-poo.

"That's right.  Yucky poo-poo.  No touch." 

We NOT eat poo-poo.

"That's right.  We cannot eat poo-poo.  It would make you sick."

(Wheels visibly turning... other things we've discussed "make you sick" include raw eggs, raw bacon, raw chicken, etc.) 

We need to cook it!

(Barely containing laugh) "No.  We don't cook poo-poo.  It would make you sick, cooked or raw."



Fascinating.