…brown eyes just like her brother :) I couldn’t find his newborn pictures, but I did find his 11 month pictures. You can see that brother and sister both have amazing, beautiful, soulful brown eyes!

I know what you’re all thinking…something along the lines of “Oh my gosh, how cute, how absolutely cute”, or “He’s sooo adorable, I just want to squeeze his chubby wubby cheeks”. Yes, that is what I was thinking during our shoot, too :) Aand, would you look at big sister – so incredibly charming I must say. I can’t believe that the last time I photographed her, she was small enough to sit in a bucket and wasn’t even crawling yet :) Now she’s an energetic, funny, beautiful preschooler! My how time flies…and I just love that I’m able to capture these special times as their family grows!

I’ve shot here quite a few times over the years, but I somehow managed to overlook the saying on the wall time and time again…until now of course. I saw the image above in my viewfinder and immediately focused in on those words – I thought this was so, so fitting for this beautiful family :) I know, mom and her beautiful belly are simply unforgettable in every way – but big sister and dad are, too! Dad is so funny, I mean, really funny! He did have me cracking up for the entire session. And big sister is a firecracker! She has lots of spunk and kept me running non-stop. I had to crank up my shutter speed real high :P I had an awesome time…and I’m so excited to meet little brother!

…that’s the typical way my husband greets Emi. He calls her “Missy” – and so does my son. My nicknames for her include: Emi girl, Emi Reesey, baby girl & Em. I can hardly believe that she is 6 weeks now and weighing 9 lbs 9 oz. This girl loves to eat (unlike her bro, who always had a hard time eating). She also loves to sleep! Thank goodness :) She’s getting much better at tummy time these days and her hair is starting to grow back – she had cradle cap that started at around 11 days, and thanks to some Burt’s Bees Baby Oil, Bella B’s Organic Cradle Cap Shampoo & lots of brushing, it’s finally gone and the hair that fell out is coming back :) We actually had pro photos taken when she was 10 days old, right before the cradle cap started – so thank goodness for that! Now that she’s camera ready, I can keep sharing more pics! Here she is doing tummy time. I love her eyes….beautiful almond shaped peepers just like her brother (and daddy). I love her so much – these photos make me so happy :)

I also wanted to share some of my current must have baby items:
- Baby Connect iPhone App (Because what’s not to love about graphs on baby poo and nursing frequency? score!)
- Jewel’s “Lullaby” Album (Hello tears, makes me very weepy)
- Swaddle Strap – thanks to this lovely mommy. (Looks a little frightening, but it works!)
- Rocker (Folds so it’s easy to bring up and downstairs)
- Bassinet (So cute, and functional since Emi sleeps in our room)
- Tommee Tippee bottles (so daddy can feed while I’m at sessions) and WubbaNub Pacis (because they’re so cute)
- Mother’s Milk Tea (Really works! And tastes yummy)
- Baby Monitor HD Camera & iPhone App (Uber cool. We use our iPhone, iPad & computer to view multiple cams at once all on one device instead of lugging multiple monitors around the house…perfect for when both kids are napping in different rooms)

It’s raining out right now! Time to go snuggle with my Emi girl and smell her sweet baby’s breath (I looooove). And take in all of her cuddly warmth. Sigh.

…lovely morning light, lovely girls to photograph, and a very lovely home. What a nice change from typical green and red holiday photos. I loved mom’s idea of two little princesses in front of a pretty pink teepee :) How sweet are they together?! These girls are so beautiful (just like their mommy), and it’s been wonderful photographing big sister since she was 6 weeks old, and now, little sister – who is 5 months! I can’t wait to see her grow through the years! And would you look at their gorgeous home? I had to add a few at the end of the post just for eye candy :)

…of what it looks like when you’re “all belly”. Yes indeedee, she is all belly. She is also gorgeous – but more importantly, she is amazingly sweet, kind, funny and just radiates joy! She also has the best laugh ever! Don’t worry, I won’t leave dad out though – he is also quite the looker, and very charming (even more so when he’s not illustrating what it looks like when moms nurse…or demonstrating ways to give birth naturally by dropping down on all fours on the sidewalk). I can’t even begin to tell you all how much fun I had! Dad is hilarious and mom is the sweetest ever :) And they have such a beautiful connection, it’s just adorable. This session was an amazing way to start up again after my maternity leave. I felt like I’ve known them for ages and I can imagine myself meeting up with them for some dimsum in the future :) I can’t wait to meet their baby girl (I hope she has rainbow eyes)!!! Yay for maternity sessions and Yay for rainbow eyes!

First off, I cannot believe it’s November! I also cannot believe I’m getting ready to blog my first sessions since coming back from maternity leave. As I was sitting down to write about the amazing families I’ve had the pleasure of photographing recently, I realized that I haven’t blogged an update about my new little girl! I suppose I can blame it on getting used to my new role as mom to two. What a wild ride it has been.

My labor and delivery were very fast! With Drew, my contractions started 24 hours before I went to the hospital and gradually started to get stronger, as expected…and it was a full 12 hours at the hospital before he was finally born! It was loooong and sloooow. BUT, I had an epidural to keep me happy :)

This time around was different. My early contractions were very irregular and were not getting any stronger or closer….until BAM, it was extremely sudden when I just knew that the real thing was happening. So I rolled out of bed, went downstairs and did what any laboring mom would do – I proceeded to clean the house. Lol! Mostly, I was trying to keep my mind off of timing each contraction…but also, I was grossed out by the dust bunnies under my dining table :)  About an hour later I decided to wake my lovely snoring husband from his beauty sleep (although I’ll admit that I stood in the doorway for a while watching in pure jealousy how he could sleep so well while I was doubling over from the contractions) and called my mom to come over to watch Drew. My hubs later told me that he *knew* I meant business because I didn’t bother changing out of my pj’s or even putting on my eyebrows! Hahha! Hey, I didn’t think anything was wrong with my uber classy Dos Equis shirt! At least I wasn’t wearing my usual favorite jammies that night: My hubby’s No Ma’am or Buttweiser shirt (they fit so comfortably over my HUGE belly). Come to think of it, I must have been quite a sight…Big preggo lady wearing a beer shirt that looked more like  a baby tee :)

So we arrived at the hospital and I was 5cm at that point. The pain was moderate, but I thought “I can do this, what epidural – no thanks”. Ha. Little did I know that this was just a taste of the pain…little did I know. After an hour or so, I felt a trickle down my leg and thought, GREAT, I peed myself…but no, it was my water that broke – and that’s when I got excited! I waited about 30 minutes before I told hubs that I wanted to walk around to get the labor going, I told him I wanted “harder contractions” and was ready to rock and roll. He said I was crazy, and yes, what a fool I was, a fool I tell you. Suffice it to say, I got what I wanted, and within 10 minutes of walking – literally – the pain intensified 1000% (is that even possible?) Because I had an epi with Drew, I never felt contractions during transition. I know everyone has a different threshold for pain…but man, I must be a wimp because I was in bad shape – the pain was insane. The contractions felt like my pelvic bone was being broken in half. I would preface every contraction with “Ohhh noooo, another one”. I didn’t have a doula & hubs didn’t have any “coach training”, but at the very least I had photographed enough unmedicated births to know what not to do – scream or tense up. So I moaned, groaned and breathed deep. I sounded like an injured pig. I grasped onto my husband, swaying from side to side. I really couldn’t bear it anymore – which is when I grabbed him by the head, looked at him dead in the eyes and said “get me drugs, NOW” –  he called the nurse…and they said my angel (the anesthesiologist) was on the way. Little did I know that they lied to me to keep me sane. It was way too late for an epi, but they told me I would get one because if they had told me the truth, I’d probably go crazy (smart move by the nurses). Aaaanyway (at this point I was only at the hospital for 2.5 hours) they checked me, doctors and nurses flooded the room and they said I was almost ready to push. ALMOST?! Really, because I wanted to push NOW. The urge to push was so severe, I was on my side clenching and straining in order to prevent myself from pushing. What a sight. At least I was in a gown and not that Dos Equis shirt. Hahhaa! All the while I was alternating between moaning “Where’s my epidural”, “This is so wrong, so unnatural” and looking hubs, again, dead in the eyes saying “Help me, I’m dying, DYING”- LOL! Poor guy. I saw his eyes full of tears because he felt so sorry for me.  Then I heard the nurse say “Honey, no epidural, it’s go time”. Wha? What? OMG I thought, I’m SOL. Then something came over me, it’s like angels above were on my shoulders, because I got it together, realizing that no one could help me – that I had to get my sweet girl out and into my arms by myself, no one could save me from the pain. So I put on my game face, and pushed – I pushed like a deadlifter getting his weights up and over his head – with brute force, but controlled and steady. I didn’t scrunch up my face or squeal. I stayed quiet, relaxed my face and breathed deep with each push…and before you know it, she was out, and in my arms :) The best feeling of my life. My girl in my arms…and feeling like I had just taken the biggest ___ of my life. Ahhh, relief and joy! And it all happened in 3 hours!

It’s pretty funny in retrospect now that it’s been over a month – but man, what an experience, what pain! All worth it of course…I felt great afterwards. No drugs to recover from and I was totally present to take in and savor the fleeting moments of holding my precious newborn for the first time.  I’ll be the first to admit that it has been tough with 2 kids though – TOUGH. So challenging in fact that I had to start Drew in preschool part-time earlier than I had planned. It was just too hard keeping him busy and happy at home 5 days a week with a newborn. Between two kids, breastfeeding on demand, soccer and karate classes, cleaning the house, making meals & proofing sessions, it’s a wonder that I haven’t totally lost my marbles. But at the end of the day, when my babes are fast asleep…I reflect on my blessings and realize that I am so, so lucky – to have two beautiful, healthy children and an amazing partner. And when I wake up in the morning to hear my son say “Good morning Emi, I love you” in the sweetest, softest voice, my heart melts, and I remember that THIS is what life is all about…it’s more than a little chaotic, but it’s beautiful…and I wouldn’t have it any other way :)

Please meet the newest Blueberry Sky Photography model…Miss Emi Reese, at 3 days old. I somehow managed to take these the day after we got home from the hospital. I was so super tired, but hubs kept telling me that I better photograph her now before she changes :) Just like her big brother, she is a smiley, sweet baby :) Her first name, Emi, is Japanese and means beautiful blessing. Her middle name, Reese, will give you a clue into mommy’s all time favorite sweet treat. This little girl is mommy’s buttercup indeed. I’m so in love with her…enjoying every fleeting moment.

She is such a miracle, a blessing. I just stare at her all day and soak in all of her newborn-ness, because I know how fast she will change and grow (sniff, sniff, sniiiifff). And as if that wouldn’t make me emotional enough, I look over and see my son – so big and independent, so loving and gentle with his sister…and my heart feels like it’s going to burst with overwhelming love. And my husband….what an amazing dad and husband he is. I am feeling so fortunate and grateful for all of my blessings…I’m enjoying some down time to really take everything in :)

Sometimes, the very best place to have a photo session is at home. There’s something so wonderfully cozy about sessions at home :)