My Life – January, 2013

I so admire those photographers who are able to complete 365 day projects, or 52 week projects each year – where they chronicle their lives in such a special way.  It takes time and discipline and stick-to-it-ness.  Unfortunately, I’m not one of those photographers.  I remember hearing a mom mention once that she’s doing good to brush her hair and teeth each day and I thought, “That’s ridiculous!  It’s not THAT time-consuming.”  Then I became a mom and the the Lord lovingly has taught me differently!  So…  since I’m now the one doing good to brush my hair and teeth each day, I’m going to set a small goal for myself – a monthly photo journey of our family, particularly my boys.  I’m doing this for a few reasons – mainly, I want to create memories for them!  At the end of the year, I’ll compile the photos together into a book for them to have and enjoy.  But I’m also doing this for a selfish reason…  photographing them is my hands-down absolute favorite subject matter!  And since they know the drill so well, when I want to try something new and specific or fine-tune my skills, I’m not stressed or rushed or ‘performing’ or trying to make them comfortable.  I’m just thinking about my craft and their life and how I want it recorded.  Then later, when I’m on a shoot with a family I’ve never met, and I’m smiling and talking and drawing them out and making kids laugh, the technical part of my job has become second nature.  I can create art without thinking so very hard about each step in the process.

So…  I hope you enjoy these little snippets of my family.  Some months I may only have one photo.  Some months I may have a whole collection.  Some months may be entertaining and exciting, while others may be entirely domestic.  This month we’ve been down with a stomach bug and the flu, so these are just some little details that I love about my children.  This is my life, and I thank the Lord every single day for it!

Noah is such a solitary soul sometimes.  I often find him like this.  Sitting alone, working on an “art project” or reading a book.  He’s so content.  I love how the shadows frame him here.

As soon as I saw him, I had to grab my camera and capture this moment… it’s so HIM.

Noah has spent so many years and hours at OT working on these fine-motor skills, I never cease to be excited when I see him writing his name!

Teaching him this was a labor of love, and I’m so, so proud of his hard work, his tenacity!

Noah’s little tongue sticking out while he’s concentrating… such a trademark for him!

Noah loves to hold my hand.  He asked me to take a photo of it.

He has the sweetest, most tender heart!  He completely melts me!

This is my baby.  He’s either going full-blast in superhero mode, or he’s sleeping.

I’ll never get tired of photos of him like this – he’s sweet and special and so precious to me!

I love these little detailed images.  I often do these types of photos with newborns… but as a mom, these details are always so special, so cherished!

And the photo of his feet – I love how the light is just barely touching his feet, and that you can see the grooves in his skin right where the sunlight hits.

And this is Silas being a total goofball!!!  He is the delight of my heart!

Silas just kept playing with his bellybutton the whole time we were talking and I was taking photos… totally cracked me up!  Had to capture that!