Happy Birthday Alexandria!!

I cannot believe it has been a year already!  Makes me want to do it all over again just so that I can live, breathe, smell, touch, and hear all of it much more slowly this time.
The first three months were such a blur.  We were so sleep deprived and all I did was nurse and try to get sleep.  I slept a lot on the couch just so that Alexandria could sleep in the swing.  That way I got some sleep and I had the TV for "entertainment" besides her cute face!
I remember the first night home though.  It was tough!  Mike and I traded as best we could (I was the milk supply, the food).  No SLEEP. Gosh she had us smitten though!
Months 4 through 7 were crazy!!  I went back to work and I was sick for three months straight!  So were both of the girls.  Somehow Mike missed a good portion of the sickness.  I honestly didn't know if I would survive.  I wanted so desperately to be at home with both of my girls.  It was pretty much all I could think about.  One of the most heart wrenching things for a momma is to have to leave them with someone else to care for them.  IT'S MY JOB!    
Months 8 through 12 have just been a balancing act.  Being ok with the fact that I am a "career" mom.  Sucks but hey if I want that smart phone or that cute shirt or cable or....  the list goes on so I have to work.  If that darn photography business would just... LOL!  Someday but I do not believe the Lord has that plan for me.  I know I'm called to it but He has a greater purpose for it.  I know, it's brewing.  Wait for it...
Positive side and the less selfish side is my children have a great daycare and they learn sooo much.  Kyrsten has grown leaps and bounds and Alexandria too!  And we are able to set money aside for them to go to college later on.  We are able to have vacations.  We are able to have things I only dreamed of having when I was a kid (mom, dad you did great).  
Parenthood has all kinds of ups and downs, straight lines and curvy lines.  But ALL the good times out weigh ALL the bad times.  It's what builds our character.

ENOUGH of my antics!  WOW!  Alexandria is ONE TODAY!  I am one proud momma!!
I am so excited to see all the years ahead with both of my girls!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Alexandria!  We LOVE you so so much!

Beach Time Fun

Pros and cons to being slow in my photography business.  Con is I don't get to take many pictures of other families.  PRO I get to take MORE pictures of my family!  You can either look at it as a pro or con but you get to see more of those.  Lol!

Last weekend we spent some time out is the gorgeous Northwest weather!  It was sunny and a bit warm (for winter that is) for us folks here in Seattle!  So we took advantage of it and enjoyed it!

Kyrsten LOVES to get in the water and throw rocks so that's just what she did.  We were hoping to find more creatures in the tide pools that were around but only saw mostly shells and a few clams.  Not much.

Kyrsten had fun none the less!

Catching up

I so neglect this blog with all that I have going on in my life I just don't know why.  A day job, a marriage, two kids, and a photography business.  But whose keeping track?  Lol!

In just a few short days Alexandria will be turning ONE!  That went super fast!  Especially since she is the second child.  I just do not know where that year went.

Kyrsten is on her way to being four.  I am ready for a new age I think.  Three is much harder than I had anticipated.  Terrible twos are you kidding me?  More like terrible threes!  But no really she is a sweet sweet girl.  Loves her baby sister so much and is so loving.  I really couldn't ask for a more sweet child.

A lot has happened since October.  I got a new job for starters but I just recently started that at the beginning of this year.  I'm still at the big B doing what I did before I am just working for a new organization.  I needed a change after coming back from maternity leave.  It just wasn't the same and I frankly I just didn't agree with it.

Mike is still doing the same thing brining home the bacon.  It has had it's ups and downs but hopefully it is on it's way to staying up for a bit.  He has a new manager and that always brings change but seems to be for the better.

We haven't done a whole lot of traveling or anything of that sort but just being a family and doing what families do best LOVE!  
You know me I like to share my stories mostly through photos.  I never was really good at writing but photos yep much much better.  Enjoy!  As always drop in to say hi every once in a while!

Tis the season for Halloween Cuteness

This girl woke up today at 4:30am!  The only way to remedy that was to dress her up in her halloween outfit and put some fairy make up on... And of course take her out to do pictures with me.
We had a great time and ended the session at Starbucks and had a muffins as a treat.

I was also able to do Alexandria's costume pictures a few days ago.  She does not like to have the hood on so not too many pictures but they sure turned out great!

Happy Halloween!

A little bit of growing up...

This girl is growing leaps and bonds!  I can't belive she is almost 3 1/2 years old.  She gives me a run for my money that's for sure but I LOVE her so so much!
I love the sweetness that she has for her little sister and the tender heart she has for anyone that she comes in contact with.  She loves giving hugs and kisses to mommy and daddy.  She has to make sure to give her sister one too before bed.
This girl has a love for music, she has to always have the radio on in the car and she loves singing too.  At daycare she is in a dance class and comes home and dances all the time.  
She's shy and reserved around most but once the shell is broken she is so full of energy and loves to talk.
She is so girly and loves to wear dresses.   As soon as she gets home everyday the pants come off and the dress goes on.  It's so cute but at the same time drives me crazy!
She loves her daddy beyond measure.  She is for sure a daddy's girl (makes me a bit jealous but fills my heart with how much she adores him).  
She loves to tell you how it is and they say that at daycare she's like the third teacher.  She is a bit bossy.  But she means well....
She has such a fun personality and it grows everyday.  I love seeing the change.  It's so much fun and I feel so blessed to be her momma!