Abigail is One

I love this little face. I got quite a lot of sneers from Abi this time around, but it just goes to show that they are who they are and will be who they are, no matter what. Lots of softer expressions too which I always feel are beautiful and little glimpses into their thoughts. Even though we had quite a hot, humid evening to work with, we still had a good time.

Real happiness here.

FYI - the house situation may finally be coming to a close with a happy ending. Thanks to all of my clients/friends in your understanding and support during the past 6 months or so while we've been dealing with all of the mess. It looks most likely now that we will be in our new home and getting settled about 2 months or so before the baby is due. Roman was born 3 weeks early though, so we're cutting it a little close. We swear we're going to find some time tonight to find a name for this little guy. It's so hard by the time you are on your third child to come up with another name that fits into the mix and can stand alone as well. We're the kind of people that don't tell the name until the baby is born. I think it drives our families crazy, but we just can't spill the beans early.

Sweet Pete

This is from a recent session with Peter who is now about 8 months old. As you will see, he gave us a ton of expressions and he just has the sweetest little face. Just hanging out around the house and on the back porch gave us everything we needed.
I have to quote Halle (mom) from her email after the session;

"It is funny how you can spend all this time picking out clothes and it just doesn't matter because all you see are their beautiful faces. "

It's true. Clothing doesn't really matter and that is why it matters. Make sense?

How do they do this so young? How do they know just what to do to make us laugh and melt our hearts? I never get over it.

Life

I couldn't believe it when I read the date of the last entry. Life has been so chaotic lately and I'm so craving some calmness, completeness, and comfort. We've had so many months of crazy exhaustedness that life has been a fog of stress and anxiety.

We sold our house and are temporarily in a townhome for a short term lease. And while I'm appreciative to have a roof over our heads and a little security, I cannot lie; it stinks. Without going into details, let's just say my sense of home, and life, and routine, and family, has been swept out from underneath me. Working is fairly difficult at the moment as well, but I'm so thankful for all of my wonderful clients-new and old. I love to hear how excited you are to know our session is getting closer, and I love it even more when you tell me how much the images mean to you. I've sent out so many emails in the last few months having to say that I am fully booked up until Feb. Part of the spring and summer are scheduled as well. That security is so welcomed by me right now. You keep coming back and telling your friends and that just makes life sweet!

If we had a house ready to go to it would be a different situation, but the not knowing, not owning, in limbo phase has really gotten me out of sorts.

Good news - GREAT NEWS is- that we are expecting our third boy - Yes, three boys- in Nov. He is actually due on our youngest's birthday. Knowing that we have this little one on the way shortly is adding to the anxiety and feeling of needing to be settled. I know it won't be long and we'll be starting a new chapter. Can't wait.

So many images are sitting on my pc from the last few months just waiting to be shared. Hopefully, I will have something up by this weekend. The website is so outdated as well and I've been dying to get everyone on there from this past year. My list of to-do's is gigantic as I'm sure yours is as well.

I'm dreaming of sand between my toes and hearing my boys run on the beach - laughing and splashing in the water. Don't wake me, please!

Alexzander

Alex was very interested in his feet during our entire session. Wherever we put him, he ended up rolling over and grabbing those piggies. He was very interested in his mom and dad as well. Lots of love here between them all.
This first one is priceless to me. You gotta love the attitude.

Zoe

Lisa and I have been trying to get this session done since this past summer/fall. Finally it worked out with both of our schedules and I got to meet her beautiful daughter Zoe. I just followed her around the yard and the house for a while and this is how it turned out. I love how she is just doing all of the little things that toddlers do but that is what makes it special. All they need to do is be themselves. There is nothing better than that.

Ketchup

So I've missed most of April here but it's just been impossible to grab time to put things up in as fast as I'd like to. If you read the last post, you'll know that selling the house has become a third job for me. This week we 've had 7 showings in 8 days. We're just trying to appreciate the opportunities that will get us to the next phase and where we really want to be - HOME. I'm so looking forward to a bigger house with space for all of us and our stuff - did I mention SPACE? We are on top of each other here.

I have so many plans for when we move and I'm so excited to style our home in a really fun, personal, artistic and homey way. I've wanted to do that forever and I've finally decided that I'm going to do it my way and be creative and not let anyone else's rules get in the way. Doesn't that sound like fun?

I've been picking up pieces of furniture and accents here and there and actually have quite a bit in storage. They are calling me daily - my eyes want to see their shapes and colors and feel how they make me feel. It's such a rush to find a piece that just feels like you and you know that seeing it everyday will bring that little cheer and comfort. If you are a visual person and also a little bit of a home body, you know what I'm talking about. I'm terribily affected by the things around me.

So here goes a catch up quickie post. Three mini posts in one, if you will.

Patrick: What a face! Patrick has that full, round, yummy baby face and body that you just want to kiss and squish.

I love the TRAV-A-LITE sticker--------you don't need much more with you then this.

Sage:

Sage and I are getting to know each other pretty well. This was our 4th session and we have more to come. We've had two sessions at her home, one at Griggs Resevoir and this one at Innis Woods. Our next venture will be out a little east to the spot where Doug proposed to Tonya - Dawes Arboretum. Isn't that a great idea? Leave to Tonya though. She is as great as they come and puts atleast 110% into everything she does. Most of all her daughter.

Sage gave us many expressions including the "bulldog" pouty lip and many smiles.

This is my favorite from this session and favorite of Tonya and Sage together so far.

Alex:

Jen and Jason are friends of a client (Jamie) who is friends a client (Darci). Whenever I mention a client, my husband asks me "Now how did they find you?" - and I proceed to list the 6 degrees from which they were referred. It turns out that my husbnad knows them both from work as well.

It still is amazing to me that just by word of mouth I've managed to build this little business in the past 2 1/2 years - with no advertising, other than a one time silent aution gift card to a preschool for Stephanie, mom of Ava, and friend of Darci as well. Now Darci has referred me many times over and has created sub groups. My Worthington group and from there, my Victoria Secret's moms group (they all work there).
Darci is the sister of Dara. Dara is married to Chris. Chris went to school with my husband and we met before we all got married. Dara and Chris's session of their son Ty was one of the very first sessions I did. They passed me on to Darci and it went from there. See how all of that works!

So I truly appreciate all of you giving me your support and sending your family and friends my way. I hope I"ve shown that I will take good care of them.


Alex had some fun in the tub. I love how they put him on his belly. He did like it, although it doesn't look like it.

He wasn't completely sure about me being there.

FEET!

Isn't this how we feel about our children. No matter what, where, when, whom, they will be forever in our heart and ours.

So sweet.

It's really startin' to get to me

Our house is for sale and the constant showings are making our lives ridiculous right now. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the opportunities we keep getting even with the way the market is right now, but I just feel run over by a truck at this point.
If we just had to tidy up and go to lunch while they are here, that wouldn't be a big deal, but the list of chores to be done to be competitive is massive;
Please humor me while I ramble, Drew is at school, Roman is sleeping, husband not answering phone.

make sure all laundry is done and put away
run dishwasher, empty
scrub shower, whole bathroom
clean all windows, mirrors
dust everything
clean up yard
empty all trash from rooms and garage trash can and in street
clean kitchen sink, counters, appliances
vacuum carpet, vacuum wood floors, swiffer
put out all new accessories, towels, pillows, soaps, rugs, etc.
wipe down both sets of wood stairs
buy fresh flowers for table (this is adding up quickly)
take all coats, jackets, hats, bags (for 4 people) off hooks and throw into car
take all extra food that does not fit into cupboards (for 4 people) and throw into car because we don't want to draw attention to fact that there is little cupboard space
throw toy bin into car
make all beds, straighten rooms, put away (hide) any personal items
straighten closets and cupboards
These things are difficult because we can't just organize and keep organize, there is no room here to do that - it's why we are moving! So we just start over each time.
open windows to air out - don't cook anything day of
put all business stuff away - again no room to stay organized so this is increasingly irritating when I have to come home and try to get a grip on scheduling, accounting, to do's, etc.

Most of the time I am here with my youngest and scrambling by myself to get it all done.

While we are doing this, we are still trying to make repairs to the house and increase potential. We thought we were done when we listed it, but know we still need to do some. I have two storage units that are full to make the home more spacious, we still need to replace the bathroom sink, fix the crack in the front window, and we're pretty sure we are going to finish the basement and add a 2nd bath.

What is really annoying is the feedback that we are getting is about the fact that the basement isn't finished and there is only one bathroom - well it states that online and in the print outs! Why are we all wasting our time?
I'm really burned out and just want to get my work done, take care of my family, myself, and my clients. But for now, it looks like it will continue. We had one showing on Monday, two on Wed. and now another tomorrow and one Sat.
We have to move; I need an office, we need a playroom, we need another bathroom.

There is a lot more going on here as well, but I'll get into that later. ;)

Thanks ahead of time for your understanding and patience with me returning calls, emails, and getting galleries up.
Also, thank you so much for your support and desire to work with me. I know this sounds kind of cuckoo, but my calender for the year is almost completely full! I have a couple of spots in Aug., Sept is open, and a couple of spots in Oct. That is it.

I was hoping to be able to get to another project that I am excited about this summer, but it looks like it will have to wait until after Christmas time.

Once I moved to Columbus, I started my business over in Video, shooting weddings. I loved many aspects of that; the motion of the image, the support of the music to tell the story. Family-movies are what I would love to get up and running along with what I am currently doing. I hope to be able to offer different packages of either just family movies, or movies along with still images, so you get the best of both worlds.

Alas, it will have to wait. I am excited though.

Let me know your thoughts about any of the above bits and pieces. I can hear you now.........."Just hang in there" "This too shall pass" "It's all for the best" "You are doing it for your family" "You are Wonder Woman!"


Thanks guys, I feel better already. :)