a couple more of sweet miah…
the last project her daddy worked on…in all his years of working as an electrician…was a beautiful garden here in naples–the garden of courage and hope.
we went there today to snap a couple of miah in the garden, and lainey trudged along.
she loves the baby shoots and proved herself completely worthy of big sisterhood.
she was gentle and helpful and made me so incredibly excited to see her with our little.

and, ooooohhhweeee, is leah’s daddy gunna go bananas over these pics. major jets fan, and her mama said he’ll die when he sees her in his jersey.
their card that’s going to be sent out to their big italian family–all crazy jets fans–in new york…

front:

back:

and my favorite…
while brett’s in vancouver, some friends joined me for a cozy chili night tonight where we sat in my kitchen and talked while all the babies vandalized the playroom.

and to get this picture with them all looking?

look what happens behind-the-scenes:

(thank you, heidi, for capturing our zulu rain dance)

dude, we mamas work for our pictures.

sometimes, i do it for her.
the backyard tea parties where we get lost under shady trees with tiny cups–real cups–and graham crackers and peaches.
the moments where we stop everything and just be.
the little slivers in a universe of time where nothing else matters but what’s going on in her little mind…and i am stilled by the realization that she is ours and that she is wonderful.
the opportunities where i am not her teacher, but rather she is mine.

…sometimes, i do it for her.

but many times, like today, i did it for me.
because when i am lost or overwhelmed or sinking into that place where i forget what really matters, she brings me back.

to childhood.

and somewhere, inside every one of us, there is childhood.
where imagination blooms. and free spirit soars. and time is non-existent.
where bare feet run on prickly grass and skirts swish and sway in the afternoon light.

where we are never too old to somersault. or smile with all our teeth. where knees are skinned from rough afternoon play and hair is thoughtlessly tousled into a heap of a happy mess.

today, she took me to childhood again.
and i think it is my favorite place.
and, while i have no photos of my somersault, i did one. a nice pregnant version of one, of course, but it was beautiful.
today, pretend tea tasted even better than real tea. and the music of her giggle was perhaps the sweetest sound. and, as the sun went down, and our ‘tea’ slowly dwindled, i began to pick up the mess.
and then, completely umpromted, she sweetly said…
thank you, mama.

except i should be thanking her.

loving my little and what she makes me every day.
better.

and to childhood. a very happy place. look what it did for peter pan.

~k

can’t believe it’s been over a year since i did this beautiful mama’s maternity pics…
last night, the beach provided our canvas.
enjoy.

aha…a secret stash of black-eyed-susans. found ’em hiding on the beach!