Raise your hand if you’re excited for the weekend! I am. I can’t tell you how much I love getting my kids back on Friday afternoons. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to be able to write a blog post and drink non-re-microwaved coffee while listening to the unclean Chance the Rapper songs in my jammies in my clean, quiet house. HOWEVER, I would take the chaos of toys covering every square inch of the floor and Kidz Bop songs and short-order-cook requests all day long.

I mentor photog moms (Have we talked about my coaching/mentoring program? More to come on that.) who often think they’ll have all the time in the world to work once the kids are occupied all day at school. I remember telling my friends this very thing last summer. But my point of all this is to say: don’t wish the days away. If you’re in the thick of it and all you can think is, “Once I get these kids to school, life will be easier.” Yes, it will totally be easier and cleaner and quieter. But, it will be a little less joyful in the middle of the day. The best part is that the quality of the time you spend together is that much more appreciated and rich with love and gratitude.

On to this picture, which is like a lovely sun-flare-covered dagger straight to my heart. This could be a photo of my baby girl. It’s like an instant flashback to when she was 8 months old and looked exactly like this. My son even saw it and asked if it was his sister. But she’s not 8 months old. I am about to start planning her 8th YEAR party.

8.

Did I say 8?! The first year of her life was the absolute longest of my life, and now in a blink, she’s almost 8. How can it be?

So this sweet baby girl is not mine. :) She’s one of a pair–my latest set of Preemie Prints twins. If you haven’t heard of them, please check out their blog. I volunteer with them regularly.

And here’s her brother. Good night, this dude is photogenic. He can’t take a bad picture. I love the juxtaposition of the moody, dark background and his handsome, almost smile…with tiny cake crumbs on his forehead and nose.

Overalls, cakes, wagons…what a fun shoot. Sweet family, I hope you have such a fun first birthday party with these two. And take lots of pictures! You’ll be planning the 8th party before you know it.

Love, Andrea

508.768.5808 or andrea.bacle@gmail.com