Do you remember the sweet baby Christening in Houston from a year-and-a-half ago? That wee one is now a big sister! Her insanely beautiful has-the-gorgeous-perfect-red-hair-we-all-dream-about-but-you’ve-only-seen-in-Pantene-commercials momma sent me a little email recently announcing baby #2! I jumped at the opportunity to shoot the Christening for this 10-week-old little nugget and to see the family again.

Remember the beautiful stained glass from last time? Here’s a new one, just because I like to be consistent. I’m a nerd like that. The first beautiful chapel is in the middle of renovations, so we were able to do the ceremony in the primary chapel next door, and it’s gorgeous.

So, here’s the deal with having babies 21 months apart (mine are 20). For me, it was pretty stinkin’ hard for the first few weeks until I got into the groove. And then—holy moly—the potty training started for my first kid. Get ready to hold on to your patience hat. I tell you these not as a scare tactic, lovely ginger momma, but as a warning to mentally prepare yourself for the poo that is to come.

1. You’ll decide it will be a great idea to go to Las Vegas by yourself and the kids to visit a friend. E will be newly 2 and N will be a few months old. Sidenote to all other readers and people who think birth control isn’t really a necessity: the next time you find yourself on an airplane and inside the tiniest bathroom ever invented, imagine changing a blowout-diapered baby (and then your own shirt) while balancing a potty-training toddler on the teeny tiny commode, and then go back to your seat and have a drink in my name.

Is this a bathroom, momma? Why is the water blue, momma? I don’t want it to flush me away, momma! It’s too loud in here, momma! What is that yellow stuff on your shirt, momma? Vegas, baby! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHDVG2vqj2w

2. You’ll be in the middle of check out at the grocery store with an overly full cart with people in front of and behind you with a needs-to-be-changed-immediately dirty diaper on Baby, when your newly potty-trained toddler gives you her standard 34-second notice that she has to go. And by the way, it will be pouring down rain outside. Good luck with that one.

3. But then. Oh, boy. You’ll catch Big Sister teaching Baby something about butterflies or flowers or making Baby laugh, and your heart will grow like The Grinch and you’ll realize they are going to be the best of friends forever, and all those times you almost threw your back out lifting Big Sister onto the big potty with the scary automatic flusher in Chick-fil-A with one arm whilst holding Baby in your other arm because it’s not big enough for your crazy-big double-wide-two-baby stroller will be so worth it.

And then this little voice in the back of your head will start to whisper, “You know, we could have a third….” And if you listen to that voice, you’re on your own, sister. I’ll be calling you to write my blog posts about life with three. But you know I’ll be happy to photograph it for you.

Ok, family. So, I guess I’ll be hearing again from you in Summer 2018??

Thanks for a lovely Sunday. :)

Love, Andrea