Isle of Palms Family Photo Session

Years ago, when Lily was only six months old, a friend introduced me to a wonderful photographer who took beautiful family photos of us in our favorite vacation spot. This photographer, Mandie Joy, is not only wonderful at taking pictures, but is also such an inspirational person. If you get the chance, head on over to her blog, mandiejoy.com, to hear her amazing story. Since we've met, Mandie has met us in Isle of Palms several times to take our pictures and I just had to share some of this year's favorites!

 
 

 

Four Months of Addison

My precious, giggly, smiley, wonderful girl. Oh, how much we love you! You absolutely melt hearts wherever you go. Your smile is contagious and at four months, you are so strong! You've been able to bear weight on your legs since you were a month old and now that you're four months old, you seem like you want to take off running. You love to play with your toes and Sophie the Giraffe. Your best friend is your sister (and your Mama ;)). You belly laugh whenever someone bounces you. You are an absolute joy. We love you, sweet pookie!

Four month stats:
Length: 25.5 inches- 91% (23 inches at 2 months)
Weight: 13.14 pounds- 55% (11.3 pounds at 2 months)
Head Circumference: 41.5 centimeters- 70% (39.5 centimeters at 2 months)

It's okay.

I had plans. I always have plans. I still haven't uploaded those pictures. I haven't blogged in forever. I feel like I'm letting all these memories just slip away. And yet, I seem to neglect the ones that are happening right in front of me. But sometimes, I admit... it's so hard. Sometimes I just want one minute to myself. Sometimes I just want someone else to feed her. Sometimes I just want to get caught up.

Then I look at her. I look into her eyes as I feed her. I drink in her sweet smile. I don't want this to go by so fast. I long to grasp each little moment in my hand and keep it there forever. I fear that I'm wishing away the best parts of my life.

But then, I think I don't have to choose. I can want those moments of reflection and peace and still believe that this is what I was made to do. I can still be jealous that my husband is napping peacefully with Lily while I've changed a diaper, cleaned up spit up and breastfed all while trying to type this sentence. I can know that this is the best part of me while being a little selfish, too. I can know that it doesn't make me selfish, it makes me human. And that's okay.

Most importantly, it's okay for my girls to know it. It's okay for my girls to know that raising them was the best part of my life, but also the hardest. It's okay for them to know that there were days where I didn't remember what it felt like to shower by myself and how badly I wanted to. Because someday, they'll feel this way with their kids. And they'll know that it's okay.

The Smiley-est Baby on the Block

We're supposed to be napping. Lily is napping. Daddy is napping. It is crucial to a good photoshoot tonite. But instead? We're laughing. All out gut splitting belly laughing. Blowing bubbles. Arm waving. Toes kicking. Smiles. The whole package. It's just about all Addison Rose does and it is fabulous. Everything I do is funny to my baby girl. Bouncing? Funny! Arm shaking? Hilarious! Luckiest Mommy on the block? For sure! We'll sleep someday, but today we're laughing...

One of those days

Today was one of those days... One of those fabulous days. The kind that you know you'll remember forever and whose pictures will put a smile on your face. The kind that even strangers recognize as special.

We're at the beach. And we're all together. We swam with Dora in our new swimmies and even secured some swimmies on Dora (if only in our minds). We ate cheeseburgers and fries where once upon a time Daddy asked Mommy to marry him. And where Daddy told Mommy when she was pregnant... And it was hard... That we'd sit with our beautiful girls someday. And we did it. We walked around the island, looked for turtles and smiled at one another. We danced in fountains in downtown Charleston. We listened as people told us to treasure these little people while they were little, because we do so so much. We went swinging on swings and eating ice cream and painted little nails purple. We were a family and it was perfect.

Location:Isle of Palms, SC