… But I’m leaning towards Karolina

He just inherited 5 new aunties who will love him, pray for him and take care of him… like I’ve said before, if it takes a village to raise a baby, then we have one heck of a village. I love my group of girlfriends, and I love their babies even more!

Love you Ali! And welcome to the world Miles!

xoxo

enjoy your sneak peek!

Just like a brand new baby brings a promise of new life, new adventures and fresh start… so does the beginning of a brand new year.

So perhaps its time for me to reflect a little? I have come to learn {and begrundglinly accept} a fact about myself…. I just can’t do it all. And I really hate to admit that.

I’d like to say that I make 100% organic healthy home-cooked meals every night, with my floors and baseboards sparkling clean, with happy, rested children who have my undivided attention, and all the time in the world to keep the house running, my finances and paperwork organized, and be the best nurse, mom, wife, friend and photographer I can be…  but alas ~ I can’t.

Oh- and somehow find time to work out and keep myself running in a healthy, balanced manner.  Simple- eh?

So this is it.  This will be my year.  I am turning 30, and it’s time to finally accept that my mind and body cannot run in a million different directions and still thrive on only 3 hours of sleep like it once did in my college days. I used to have regular ol’ picnics with my kids without thinking to myself, “I should be organizing my files right now” or “I should really take a few pictures of this because I’d love to write a blog post about this….” .  I used to just enjoy being IN the moment. And that’s exactly what I intend to get back to doing once again. Which means, I’ll be taking less sessions this year, and probably blogging a little less as well. I still intend on continuing my passion for photography, but I’ll just be limiting myself and learning to set healthy limits and schedules for myself. I want to bring photography back to the reason why I first picked up a camera- because I enjoyed it.  I specifically love maternity and newborns, and I will continue to grow my business in that specific area. Photography is something that relaxes me, something that I find joy in, and it serves as a way for me to bless others. I have to keep it that way or else I’ll get burnt out and end up disliking it. And I don’t want that to happen! But with that said, I still have to keep it in it’s place. My time and attention will be more purposeful this year.. spending more time reading my bible and pursuing God, making my husband a top priority, enjoying my kids and giving them more undivided attention, and learning to enjoy being still. Not making lists, not getting overwhelmed by tasks…

Just. Being. Still.

Like a brand new, sleeping baby =)

And with that- I start my new year!

And how gorgeous is this momma?

Many blessings on your new family of four! xoxo

Here is a small sneak peek of the very adorable, Seth.

Let me explain~

I firmly believe that once you become parents, it is more important than ever to spend time fostering and nurturing your marriage. Let’s face it- getting up all hours of the night with a new baby, and transitioning into that “new normal” lifestyle as a family can totally turn your lives upside down for a little while. It’s hard to find time to simply brush your teeth during the day, let alone get some quality time with your spouse. But it’s SO important. Even just a few minutes together with a glass of wine at the end of a busy day, can make everything right again. Am I right ladies? You fall so quickly into your new role as parents that it can be easy to forget you are actually a couple first. My mom always told me, the best gift you can ever give your kids is a healthy and happy marriage. And boy, is that true!

Whenever we have our own family pictures taken, I always make sure that we get some shots of just John and I. I want our kids to look through our family albums someday and see images of our family, and their parents. I want them to be secure in our family, and know that mom and dad loved them so much, that we valued our marriage enough to make it a top priority. And maybe someday, our grandkids and great-grandkids will enjoy looking at these pictures of us, and probably giggling at how young we looked .

Because at the of the day, John and I always try to remember that we were a twosome before we became a foursome. And I hope that taking the time to take a few pictures of a couple during their session, will give them something to treasure and to always remember how their family once started…

Kensington Elizabeth was born on August 12th, 2011, at only 31 weeks gestation. Her mom went into labor at 25 weeks with preeclampsia, but was able to keep them inside just a bit longer. She weighed 2 pounds 13 ounces at birth, and she was born just a few minutes before her twin sister Alexandria, who was born at 1 pound 3 ounces. It was discovered that the majority of the nutrients were aiding in the growth of Kensington, but that Alexandria was not getting the nutrients she needed to grow inside the womb, so Alexandria had a severely low birth weight at birth (known as IUGR).  Both girls were whisked into our NICU where they would spend the next few months growing and fighting. Because that’s what both of them were- little fighters.

If any of you out there have ever had a child or an experience in a neonatal ICU, you know that it can be a scary, and long, process for a family. There are never any guarantees, and each milestone- whether big or small- is always celebrated because these tiny babies have to overcome immense odds, obstacles, possible infections, and constant setbacks, on their way to a healthy recovery.

And because these babies were with us for so long, we had formed relationships and friendships with the parents, who eventually just became a part of our big NICU family. The girls both had primary nurses, who took care of them the majority of the time, and these nurses became a part of Kensington and Alexandria’s family.  Is is the type of bond that really can’t be put into words, because it is so unique and special. I had a the pleasure of being able to take care of the girls a few shifts, and I always enjoyed spending time with Niels and Andrea at the bedside. They were steadfast in their dedication to their tiny babies, and came each day with smiles and excitement to see how each girl had grown.

On November 6th, 2011, Alexandria went home to Heaven.

There will never be a day that she isn’t missed by her mom, dad and twin sister… and she made such a strong impact in the lives of so many during her short time here.

Although we had planned to do pictures of both girls once they were settled in at home- God sometimes has other plans. Perhaps Lexi had already served her purpose that God had laid out for her… perhaps this was the plan after all. And where Lexi is, she has no more oxygen tubes or feeding tubes… she is happy and healthy. And her parents find some peace in knowing that they will all be together again one day. And yes- though the pain is unimaginable, Andrea wrote in an email to me, that- “I’m hoping that in the future, I can help moms or parents during their rough times..” . She is even looking into volunteering in our NICU, simply to be a presence of help and encouragement to the nursing staff and the other families who have sick babies, and are hurting.  Wow… talk about amazing. Taking her loss and her pain, and trying to funnel it in a way that will help others.

Andrea~ you are incredible.

Kensington & Alexandria were lucky to be born to you and Niels. And your family story is just beginning….

Thank you for allowing me to share a little bit of your story, and I can’t wait to watch Kensi grow up before my camera!

God’s blessings on your sweet family.

xoxo