I'm Back.

Why, you ask? Aren't I off photographing something magical for someone somewhere else and now have a 'professional' photography blog?

Yup.

And in the meantime I've quit my own life. And I hate it. Not the photography, just the fact that I'm not documenting the life that matters. My own. My children are growing and time is slipping away from me and a gazillion and one funny things have happened and milestones have been achieved and I've written how many down?

Zilch.

So I'm back. I don't even care if anyone reads this blog. I don't really even like the 'looks' of it anymore. Funny how tastes change over time, isn't it. The point is, I'm here to tell my story. I'm here to celebrate my children.

I'm here because I need to be.

So if you've lurked around in hopes that I might come back ... you're in luck. If you just forgot to delete me from your blogroll, then guess what? You're in luck. Or not. Because I'm back, baby.

Is my photography blog important? Yes. It's terribly behind, too. But guess what? I don't care. This is the life that matters to me. The here and now. And for whatever reason, I just can't spill my guts over there and tell funny anecdotes from the things that Hope does or how I love wrapping my fingers around Charlie's soft blonde curls or how Madgirl got her driver's license this past week. I just can't.

So here I am.

I'm not sure how much I will be around but I WILL be around.

First up on the order of discussion: School.

Grace and Liv start public school for the first time tomorrow ... uh .. today. I. Am. A. Wreck. For many reasons, but mostly just because I love having my babies close to me. Call me overprotective and I'll .... I'll...I'll .... agree. ::sigh:: I am SO one of those moms.

At any rate, there's lots on my mind concerning this big day, but seriously people... I have to go to bed lest I get up late, making my children late for their first day of school.

And that is SO something I am capable of.

Here I Go Again ... Literally.

Okay. So I know I just moved here recently, but I've got to tell y'all something.... blogger is a pain in the patootie! I'm not the only one to feel this way and I've noticed that I'm not the only one wanting to jump ship lately! So I'm taking the plunge and jumping. Blogs, that is.

Yup.

As my photography business grows and changes, so will this blog. Or the new one. Hopefully before the end of the year I will have an 'actual' photography website with a blog link and be all special like and professional-ish (totally a word).

So follow my sweet Charlie on over to the new place here. I think you'll like it. And if you like me or it, please go leave a comment over there for me. Wordpress doesn't have 'followers' per se (which frankly made me feel a little like Jim Jones anyway - DON'T DRINK THE KOOL-AID!) and I will have no idea who's reading. And I'm insecure enough as it is so leave a comment and spare me some emotional distress. Please.

I'm also trying to figure out how to transfer my blog posts from here and beautifulyouphoto.blogspot.com to over there. I'm a technological imbecile and this could take a few days weeks months, so bear with me.

I'll see ya over there. Hurry. Go now. Follow Charlie.

The Boy With the Adorably Squishy Cheeks ~ Eli

Some of you may remember from my old blog that I photographed little Eli as a newborn. His cheeks were wonderfully squishy then and I totally fell in love with all of his adorable chub.

When his momma contacted me and asked me to do his 3 month pictures I was all about those cheeks, my friends. If they were wonderful the first time around then they were absolutely to die for the second time! I just love this boys cheeks!!!



Definitely my fAvE!!!



And then he got all tuckered out and we let him sleep. The old saying goes, 'never wake a sleeping baby'.... or something like that .... but it never says you can't take pictures of them while they sleep! I love me some sleepin' babies!



We managed to eventually wrangle that paci out of his mouth, but ya gotta admit ... it's really cute with it saying 'I love Mommy' and all.



Oh little E. ... I just know you are the apple of your momma's eye ....



::sigh:: Say YEA if you love you some babies!

iHeart Faces ~ Candid

Smile! You're on Candid Camera!! Y'all remember that show? ::sigh:: Now that was some reality television right there, my friends! But that's not what this post is about. Nope. It's about the iHeart Faces photo challenge this week.

I haven't done one of these in SOOOO long and I was kicking myself last week because I had such a great "Contemplative" entry and then dang it all if I didn't forget to post it. Boo.

So this week I decided to get on the ball and post my version of...

~ Candid ~

I'm not sure, but I think this particular kitty didn't want any Maddie kisses.



For more Candid photos head on over to iHeart Faces and take a candid look around! (Oh. I do slay myself sometimes!) It's always fun to see what other people are posting!!

The Birth of C.D.

Honestly, I had decided to put birth photography on hold until April of 2010. Charlotte would be weened, Maddie would have her license and my life would hopefully be a little less chaotic to allow for the long hours that birth can sometimes entail.

But then I got a phone call late Saturday afternoon.

My midwife friend told me she had a laboring momma and this 'first time parents' photographer was out of town and could I please come and photograph their birth. At first I said no. After all, Charlotte wasn't weaned, this particular birth center was an hour away and it just wouldn't work out.

Then it just wouldn't let me go. I almost felt a conviction that I needed to go to this birth. So I called back and said I would come. The details were loosely discussed and I headed out the door around 9pm Saturday night, arriving at the birth center around 10 pm.

Things started cooking pretty quick once I arrived.

In case you didn't know .... natural childbirth is a difficult thing physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. That's what I'm there for.

To capture all of that.





The night can get a little long ...



But in the end ... it's always worth it.





Welcome little C.D.!



I do believe you were worth it, little man! Your parents seem pretty smitten already!

Little D

Saturday night we had some friends over for dinner. Well .... technically they brought the dinner because of me and my whole broken ankle situation, but we invited them to stay and eat with us.

Food is always better with friends, I think. And a little fotography photography, too!

Boys are a little scarce in these here parts, so when I had the opportunity to take a picture of a male child ~ especially one as cute as little D ~ I jumped at it. Literally.

We took all the kids out to the trampoline and I hobbled around and took pictures. I felt as if my big clumsy boot impeded my lightening quick speed (::snort::) so every time I turned around little D was doing something else cute .... on the other side of the trampoline! By the time I limped over to that side he had jumped and tumbled somewhere else. ::sigh:: So is life with boys.

Here are a few of the ones I managed to get and thought were totally cute! :)

D and his momma. I love shots of momma's playing with their babies.


Ahhh....finally STILL!


And my favoritest (it's totally a word!) of the night. I managed to be in the right place at the right time!


Mmm, mmm, that boy is just yummy! I could eat him up!

His momma will just have to bring him over a little more often!

Sweet Baby Sleep

Charlie is always a willing cadidate for a few pictures. Especially when she's sleeping!



And in my opinon, there's nothing quite as sweet as baby feet.