I long to have what you have, dear clients. Photographs of my family hugging and loving and laughing and being together. ON MY WALLS. Not just on my hard drive. It's what spurred my interest in photography back in 2005, and what inspired me to create this business of mine. Sadly, I don't have nearly as many of those sweet photographs on my walls as I ought to, being a professional photographer and all. You know the story of the cobbler's children who had no shoes? Well, this cobbler has made many shoes for her children, but they're all in boxes instead of on their feet. Or rather, they are sitting on hard drives instead of in albums and gracing the walls of our home.
photo courtesy of my fabulous midwife, Vikki Bennett at Breath of Life (thank you for grabbing my big "scary" camera and snapping this for me!! xo)
I’ve been lucky to have met so many incredibly talented and wonderful photographers during this journey. People who share the same desire to capture their own families in a real and beautiful way. I’m teaming up with eleven of these women on a very personal and meaningful project called, “What ________ Looks Like.”
Our goal is to capture our own families in a real and beautiful way. Some people call it “lifestyle”, some call it “real life”, "documentary", and some call it “unposed”. No matter what you call it, our desire is to snatch the moments that represent the relationships, the dynamics, the reality, the beauty, the truth, and the life of our families and record them here on our blogs as well as in print at the end of the project.
Each month we will each choose to fill in the blank with our word of choice. Some of us may choose to use the same word all year and some may choose to change it up each month. We will each link to the next photographer until our circle of 12 is complete.
We hope this project inspires you to take more pictures of your own families so that those unique moments that make your family unique will never be lost or forgotten.
xoxo
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What THREE Looks Like...
Lila is home with me now, instead of in daycare, throughout the remainder of my maternity leave. This is her, for most of the hours of the day. She calls to Charlotte in her singsong voice, she cups her sister's tiny face with her chubby hands, and she says so sweetly... "Hellooo Sweet Honey! Hi baby-guhl (girl). How's my tiny baby?" And other little nicknames she picks up from me from day to day. She's so truly interested in this little one, and it blesses my heart to see her showing her love in this delicate way. She kisses her head and cheeks no fewer than 50 times per day. Every day. Charlotte is so lucky. So blessed.
My first little love, holding my last little love. This is Parker's routine as soon as he comes home from school: put backpack away, wash hands, hold Charlotte. He pats her little head when he gets off the bus and into the car, and always comments on how cute she looks. He really adores her. He's been interested in all things baby since I found out I was expecting again... which proves both rewarding and uncomfortable (on my part) due to some very curious questions during this time! (Lord give me strength to explain these details in a way he can understand at his level!) But he's the sweetest big brother, and has vowed to protect "both of his girls" from here on out. Mean kids, you've been warned.
He's had quite the transition this week... he was supposed to begin second grade on the morning his littlest sister was born. Sadly, we skipped the first day (we had yet to be released from the birthing center), so he started a day late. New sister, new teacher, new classes, new friends. All in the span of a day. A bit scattered and unfocused this week, with a few naughty spells thrown in, but that is to be expected, I suppose, with all of these changes happening at once.
And this, why, this is my view at any given time. Every two to three hours I look down and see this. Charlotte's teeny outstretched legs on my lap as I nurse her. Sweet, curled-up baby toes. Little white t-shirts, bare bellies and the tiniest of newborn diapers. The beginnings of chubby fat rolls on her thighs and knees. My own legs outstretched on the ottoman to relieve the last bit of swelling in my ankles. This is reality.
This is what THREE looks like.
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I strongly encourage you to visit the next photographer's blog in our very talented circle of women. I have the pleasure of introducing Gina Oh | Arroyo Grande, CA Photographer and her beautiful photos of her sweet children (one of whom is named Charlotte as well!). I hope you enjoy her words and images as much as I do. At the end of her blog post, you'll discover another link to a new photographer and her perspective on "What ____ Looks Like", and so the circle continues. Visit them all, and soak up the beauty of this project and our pride in it.
Enjoy the journey, friends. Be blessed,
Stacey