Our week in iPhotos

The week is only half over but I feel like we have already had a busy, activity packed week. Lots of playing outside, working out, library, orange leaf, gymnastics, and of course trips to Target. Claire is still eating like a pig and we finally got Ella's trampoline from Christmas set up. By each evening the girls and I are all completely exhausted from staying busy. Guess that means we did the day right

"Always Seeing Something, Never Seeing Nothing, Being a Photographer"

So I know I said quite awhile ago that I had an announcement to make. Most of you by now know what that announcement is as it is already in full swing. Things have been crazy busy around here with us being out of the house for over a week with our flooring issue back around Easter, the warm weather has us outside playing everyday, and my announcement has had me pretty busy since March. Even though most of you already know, I wanted to formally make the announcement here on the blog. For the sake of reminiscing in the future as well as for those of you that may not follow me on Facebook.

I have become a photographer. Like a real professional photographer. One that has clients and gets paid for it. I bought my camera when Ella was just over a year old. Over the last few years I have learned more and more about photography, especially in the last nine months. Back in the winter, several people I know started asking if I was for hire. At first it was not something I even wanted to consider or take on; however, after several discussions with Tom we decided why not? So we spent a few months talking to legal at NKU where he attends law school, getting a logo, getting organized, buying a few props etc. Since March I have photographed around twelve different families and have a few more scheduled in the next couple weeks. I am still not where I want to be with my photography or my editing, I have a long way to go. It is a constant learning process. I have no idea where this will go but I am excited to see. I would have never imagined a year ago that I would be taking my photography to the next level. I have always loved photography but it has taken on a whole new meaning for me since I had children. I love capturing the little moments just as much as the big moments. When I look at a photograph I can remember every detail about that moment. The season, smells, sounds, emotions. A photograph captures a moment in time that is gone forever. I feel like photographers are lucky. Photographers find the beauty in everything...even the weeds most people step on and don't look twice at.  This quote reminds me of that: “Always seeing something, never seeing nothing, being photographer” 
― Walter De Mulder

And with that, let me introduce Sweet Rose Elise Photography! (A perfect combination of both my girls middle names)

Here are a few of the families I have had the pleasure of capturing... (quality compromised online)

I would love for you to check out my business on Facebook and while you are browsing, show some love by liking my page!! Link:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Rose-Elise-Photography/567596223259060

Earth Day

Lately in iPhotos

I have been sooo bad about blogging lately. I also have been bad about taking photos of the kids with my real camera and have been resorting to my iphone. I will update with a bigger post this weekend but for now I'll share some iphone photos. We have been spending lots of time enjoying the outdoors with picnics, checking out new parks, bubble blowing, bike riding, etc.

8 months.

YAY I AM 8 MONTHS! 

(post two weeks late)

She loves doing "So Big" when we ask her "how big are you?"
She did it almost every single time I said anything to her to get her attention for the pictures!

One of her current favorites is peek a boo. She started holding things over her face a few weeks ago and pulling it down waiting for us to say Boo. She does it with EVERY object she picks up. I always say "where is Claire" so she has started holding her ups or an object up and saying "care, care (claire)" this last week.

 

 

 

Claire seems to grow and change by the minute. She is developing her own little personality and is quite a ham. We are so lucky to have such a happy baby who is always smiling, laughing and rarely, if ever complains, whines, or cries.

 

 

She makes the funniest scrunch face and pants with her mouth open when she is excited. This can be about seeing mommy, daddy, Ella, or Winston or one of her toys or something new. 

She waves Hi and Bye as well as says Hi. I always say HI when I walk into her room after night or a nap. She has started saying HI as soon as she sees the door open. She is trying to imitate and say everything we say. She can say Care (Claire), Hi, Up, Go, Yay, Mama, Dada, Quack, and of course lots of sounds. Baba, Gaga, and I am sure I am forgetting a few.

This girl LOVES food. It literally makes her happy. The last few weeks we have started bigger chunks and pieces of food that she can pick up and she loves it. She truly things she is hot stuff when she is feeding herself. She loves whole green beans, brocolli florets, peas (which she has a pretty impressive pincher grasp), pretty much any veggie you feed her. She absolutely loves Mum Mums and her organic puffs. And she thinks drinking water is a hoot. She is so dramatic with her cup. She grabs it and slings her head and whole body back and chugs it then laughs about it. Sometimes I wish I could just bottle up all her happiness. You cant help but smile just by looking at her.

She is wanting to spend a lot of time on her belly these days. I think we are on the verge of learning to crawl. She is constantly rolling, grabbing, looking, very active. She has actually been rolling over a lot at night and naps onto her belly. Sometimes she is fine with it and goes back to sleep and other times due to the sleep sack cant get turned back over and gets pretty upset.

Sleep is going much much better. She wakes a few times a night but most of those times she is able to put herself back to sleep by sucking on her lovey blankie. I still go in there one to two times a night to feed her. She goes to bed between 630 and 7 and usually sleeps til 715 or 730 everyday. She takes a morning and afternoon nap everyday and every now and then needs a late afternoon short nap. Her morning and afternoon nap are anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours but I would say average is about an hour.

For as much as she hated the car early on, she is an amazing passenger these days. She does great entertaining herself and can even go a two hour car ride without cpmplaining. She isn't a big car sleeper but will sleep maybe thirty minutes on a long ride. She loves interacting with Ella in the car and will try to get her attention anyway she can. This can include yelling at her, grunting, coughing, laughing, spits, blows raspberries, etc.

As you can see in most the pics her fuzzy hair is really starting to come in on top and stand up. I love soft, fuzzy, baby hair.

She loves shoving her feet in her mouth.

She is just really reaching that age where she is trying so hard to and wants so bad to interact and communicate with us. And is really proud of herself when she does so. So excited what 9 month brings.