realizations

After crunching some numbers, I realized I only need $5700 for my dream photography equipment setup.  I'm thinking, in my dreams.

I LOVE video monitors

Breastfeeding is NOT glamorous

Babies are cute (I'm sure 98% of you already knew that)

Working out postpartum sucks!  Wait, how long is a person considered "postpartum?"

Christmastime is fun.  Especially with a three year old to enjoy it with. 

Sleep in underrated by children

Having painted nails feels like such a luxury

I really don't like to wrap presents, but I do like how they look under the tree

I'm madly in love with this song

Breastfeeding - Model style

I know there is a lot of negative buzz going around about this photo that Gisele posted.  I really just want to trade places with her.  This is definitely NOT what my nursing sessions with Elana look like!

I mean, the girl looks so relaxed! 

Family Photos

Wow.  Things have been so busy around here.  Unfortunately, the blog is not reflecting that.

This time of year is always my busiest with photo shoots and actually a lot of baby shoots.  I love it though.  We had some family photos taken by my dear friend and fellow photographer, Liz.  For a short 20 minute shoot, I think the photos turned out pretty well.  I was presently surprised that my photo shoot hating husband was such a team player and smiled like normal.  Dixie even got in on the fun in some of the photos.

There isn't much a two and a half month old can do in family photos.  It isn't my favorite age to have photos taken, but we needed them for Christmas cards and between a strong-willed toddler and a wobbly baby, I'm very satisfied with them.  However, after seeing them, I decided my postpartum honeymoon needed to come to an end and I needed to get my butt into gear and make an active effort to lose the baby weight.  I remember having the same thoughts four months after having Emmy, and I'm not the lucky mom that loses all pregnancy weight from nursing.

So, since the seeing the photos I've changed the snacks I eat to more healthy ones and made more of an effort to make time for working out.  I've lost 5 pounds so far.  I probably wouldn't have said anything if I hadn't lost anything, ha.

More event recaps coming soon!

Toothless Smiles

Looking at the these make me smile.  I hope it brightens your day too!

Fall Fun

We have been very busy since autumn started.  I'll tell ya all about our travels, but know, that I have too many paying customers to edit for, so in order to get a blog post done before a year has flown by, I don't have time to edit my own photos.  So here are the unedited versions of our fall fun.

In October the "Other Wilkes" and us met in Columbia at the in laws' home to spend a weekend together.  Emmy LOVES her cousins and talks about the fun things they do often.  While we were all together, we went to the fair.  We spent 5 hours there with 5 kids and everything went smoothly.  The kids has a blast together and I'm sure this is something they will remember for a long time.

Just look at that smile on Emmy's face!

Anna, being silly.

We especially thought this ride was hilarious, because Emmy (the photographer's child) is cheesing it up ever time they pass by us and Abby is REALLy into getting to wherever she thought they were going in that car.  

Of course we had to let the older kids ride some rides more suitable for their age.  The "littles," as we call them, were such good sports while the big kids rode their rides.  They look so cute here just conversing while they wait. 

Again, Emmy hamming it up!

Last weekend, we met up with the Smith family to attend Boo at the Zoo together.  Emmy was a little timid at first, but once Porter held her hand, she warmed up and took his lead.  She ended up having a good time, though I think it was a bit of a waste of money.  

Emmy loved petting the pony and didn't want to leave.

And this is Porter making his move! LOL!

They wouldn't let go of each other.  Such sweet friends.

After gathering all our candy, we went to the dance floor.  Emmy literally danced in circles around Porter.  He just turned around with her hand in his as if he were or axis.

 

Eventually he got tired of spinning in circles so Emmy did her own thing.  Porter wasn't much into the dancing.

Beth and Lyla got into the dancing too.

After all the walking and dancing the kids got hungry so we roasted marshmallows and made smores.

And before leaving we wanted some posed photos.  Ellie was not happy that we woke her up to get a photo, but she was so cute in her Cinderella outfit that Emmy insisted she have.  That, Emmy's chocolate mouth and Bopa's shadow on the giant pumpkin makes this a pretty funny photo.

And the Smith Family

 

Another weekend we traveled to North Carolina to visit the "Other Wilkes" before Caleb's brother headed to Germany for three weeks.  Again, Emmy loved the cousin time and Elana got a lot of attention.  Even though the day ended in an ER visit due to Abby falling off the play set, we had fun hanging out.

Here's Emmy and Anna talking to Ellie...

While Caleb and Micah made some guacamole.   Caleb learned that day that putting onions in the refrigerator before cutting into them could cut down on the eye watering. 

So Micah brought some reinforcements for them.

 

Before leaving, we had some story time on the couch.  Again, Emmy's smile shows just how much she loves her cousins.

Elana - 1 Month

Elana is now 5 weeks old.  

She is sleeping in her crib at night, but still wakes up every 3-4 hours to eat.

She is getting much more alert, especially from about 8pm-12am.

She loves to lie on the floor and watch all that is going on around her.

She spends most of tummy time trying to roll over (which she has accomplished a few times).

Ellie is eating around 3-4 ounces every 3 hours.  She nurses most of the time, but has had two bottles of breast milk and did really well with it with no confusion.

She has smiled at daddy many times, but I finally got my smile yesterday and it brought tears to my eyes.

Ellie loves to be held and cuddled, and usually only likes to lie on one side or the other, not on her back.

We are getting more used to Ellie's sounds, facial expressions, and preferences.  She is so perfect!

Life with a newborn

I forgot how life is with a new baby, but I was quickly reminded of the foggy feeling from interrupted sleep and the increased amount of laundry that accumulates at rapid rates, and the spit up, and the diapers, but most of all, the cuteness.  

As I'm trying to adjust to my new life with two children, I haven't used my camera much, but between the small amount of photos I've taken with my camera and my phone, you can see how our life has been the past four weeks with a new baby.

There has been a lot of holding Miss Ellie.  She loves to be held by anyone.

 

At first Elana did not like her car seat, but she's getting more acquainted with it and is, dare I say, somewhat fond of it now.

 

We've tried to soak up as much time with Emmy as possible and not allow her to feel left out.  The weather has been phenomenal lately so we've spent a lot of time playing with her outside.

 

We've also spend a lot of time with family.  Emmy loves going to her cousins' house to play and the cousins love little Ellie.

 

Of course, there is lots of sleeping incorporated in Ellie's day.  I wish I could say the same for everyone else.

 

But, she is getting more alert during her awake times...

 

 Even if they are during the middle of the night and then our mornings look like this.

 Memories.