My new favorite picture...

No, it's not perfect, but he's smiling, which is something that is hard to capture on him these days. Is it because I'm constantly sticking the big camera in his face, or is it because I've reached the point in my pregnancy that getting him to smile isn't worth giving birth in the middle of a park while attempting to chase after him? Jury is still out on that one....

Crash course in photography.

Because the Smith household was struck down with the plague for nearly the entire month of November, we were unable to make our yearly trip to South Carolina for Thanksgiving. I was supposed to have maternity pictures done by my super cool "almost" sister-in-law when we got there, but since I was nearly hospitalized on Monday, we couldn't make the trip! Anyway, I still wanted to have at least one decent picture of myself instead of all the refection in the bathroom mirror belly shots. So, I asked my husband if he wouldn't mind giving it a shot. I have to say, I think he did a pretty good job with only a 30 second explanation of how my camera works! So here I am...30 weeks and counting!

Ready for the dirt track.

This year was the first year we took Cole trick or treating. He loved ringing the doorbells, saying "TICK O TEAT" to everyone who answered their door, and helping himself to the numerous bowls of candy. We also learned that Cole has no fear of strangers considering the number of houses he tried to walk into once the owners opened the door. Mental note...explain "Stranger Danger" to child. Anyway, here's a few pictures of our little Motocross rider. He wouldn't be photographed unless he was sitting on daddy's motorcycle---SHOCKER.

6lbs 3oz.

Baby Addison. I could have photographed her all day long, except she really didn't like having her picture taken.

Value of a dollar.

With the current state of our economy hovering somewhere around the proverbial toilet, I have to wonder what my two year old is picking up from all the recent news on television. As educational Disney Channel "might" be, I can only take so much before I'm bouncing around my kitchen singing the theme song to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Once that happens, I draw the line and turn on something else to drown out "OH TOODLES!" Recently, Cole has been obsessed with money--coins to be exact. He'll find a penny on the floor, and proceed to play with it (don't worry Mom, he just likes to put it in the back of his car and drive it around) or he likes to put them in his piggy bank. However, his obsession has started to become "criminal." The other day I caught him taking the loose change out of my wallet and counting it. I asked him what he was doing, and he told me "I want money!" What?!? Well honey, Mommy wants money too, but we don't go around taking money out of peoples purses (does he have a future in government, or what? HAHA)

Last night after we put Cole to bed at 8pm, he did his normal "get out of bed 5 times asking for random things so I can delay my bedtime as long as possible" dance. Normally he asks for water, cars, trucks, his bear, and the occasional Post It?? However, last night after being in bed for nearly 45 minutes he came out into the living room and very nicely said,

"Mommy, I want money!"

I told him that he could not have money in his bed, and that he needed to go to sleep.

"Mommy, money---Please!"

Again, I told him that he was not allowed to have money in his bed and proceeded to walk him back to his room.

"MOMMY---MONEY!!"

Looking at the clock it was nearly 9pm, and decided that this was a battle that I was not going to win. I remembered that I had a dollar in my back pocket so I pulled it out and handed it to him. Yes, I just paid my child to go to sleep...and you know what, it worked. Later on when I went to check on him before I went to sleep, I started to clean up the pile of cars, trucks and post it's from his bed. Right next to his hand was the dollar I had bribed him with. So I did what any loving mother would do in this situation. I picked it up, and stuck it in my back pocket--Something tells me I'm going to need to recycle it for tonight's bedtime routine.

Vote.

This one made me giggle.

No matter which side you're on. Vote.

Love.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love maternity sessions? I especially love them when the mom-to-be indulges me by tromping through tall grass and bugs. Thanks for playing along with me Lindsay, I had a great time! Can't wait to meet your little ballerina next month!

Bishop/Richards "Wedding" Reception

How do I even begin this post? This past Saturday, I drove down to Bay Springs, MS to photograph the wedding of Hope Bishop to Ron Richards. When I arrived at her parents home (aka "Bishop Hill" where she chose to have both the ceremony and reception) I was greeted by 200+ acres of the most beautiful farm pasture. As I was walking up their driveway, I stopped to speak to two of her friends who informed me that there wasn't going to be a wedding today. As she began to tell me the story as to why there wouldn't be a sunset ceremony overlooking this beautiful pond, accented by chandeliers hanging in the ivy covered oak trees, my heart just broke for both Hope and Ron. That morning, while hunting with his groomsmen, Ron's shot gun barrel exploded and a piece of the barrel was lodged in his throat, nearly missing his carotid artery. After 2 hours of emergency surgery, he was well on his way to making a full recovery.

Since Hope and Ron were unable to get married, but guests were still going to be arriving, Hope insisted that the reception continue on as planned. Tables were set with the linens that Hope and her grandmother sewed by hand, centerpieces were put together, and the live band began warming up. Their guests arrived as expected, and the most beautiful wedding reception was underway. I stayed to photograph as much as I could for Hope and Ron, trying to preserve as much as the day as possible. Later on that evening, Hope arrived to see all of her guests, and her hard work put together. The sun had set, but her spirits hadn't. Ron was to be released on Sunday, and they planned on getting married under the ivy covered oak trees, overlooking the pond, atop Bishop Hill, only 1 day later. Here are a few of the pictures I captured that day. More to come very soon!

Not just a photography prop anymore...

Had my ultrasound today. Looks like I'll finally be able to use these! Although, I despise everything "princess," there's no doubt that she'll be anything less.

24 months

Today he turns 2, and I'm still having a hard time believing that 2 whole years have gone by so quickly (and he/we managed to survive both of them). This is the year that potty training starts, and his vocabulary will expand beyond the words "NO WAY!" This is the year (I hope) that he'll start looking at the camera when I try to take his picture, instead of looking anywhere other than at me (please see picture example below), and hopefully this is the year that he'll ONLY color on the paper I give him. This is also the year that he'll start needing me less, and the year that he'll become a big brother.
Although this will be the year for a lot of changes for Cole, one thing I hope will not change or fade away is his sense of humor. This morning I was on my 2nd rendition of "Happy Birthday To You" and he looked right at me, put his hand up in my face and said with such gusto "STOP!" Apparently I was interrupting a very serious Sesame Street episode. Gosh I love this kid...

The Last One...

He's the last of the Smith boys. I've known him since he was 10, and he just graduated from high school on Sunday...

Time...

Our best friends from GA came to visit us this past weekend, so I tried out my new lens. I still can't believe baby Jada is almost 3 months old, and my baby is going to be 2. Where does the time go?

May 2008 OPAM (One Project A Month): My Family Wall

We moved here to Mississippi going on 8 months ago now, and I have yet to finish decorating my house. When we bought our first house in Georgia, we literally had the paint trays and rollers out before the movers even had one piece of furniture brought in! This time around, I've been less than enthusiastic about decorating. Well, that is all going to change now. I've joined the Tara Whitney revolution of OPAM (One Project A Month). Behold my "Family Wall." A friend and I took these pictures of random things that look like abstract letters. This one happens to spell "Family" and I plan on framing several pictures of my family to surround it. I have the pictures selected, and just need to get the frames and a few other quirky tidbits to accompany my "Family Wall." Hopefully it turns out as cool as it looks in my head...

Let's Go Fly A Kite...

A thunderstorm was approaching, but "E" didn't give up, even though she spent more time untangling herself from the kite then she did flying it.

Cup of Lauren

She's just as sweet as she is beautiful. I think she'll grow up to be a model someday---definitely has the attitude for it!

Jada Lynn

My friend, whose maternity pictures I took back in January had her baby girl on March 10th. Lucky for me I got to grab some pictures of her before she lost her "newborn" look.

The Toolbelt...

He insists on wearing it all day, every day. The only thing that strikes me as odd, is that he refuses to carry any tools in it.

You should have seen the face he made when we gave him a real hammer.

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)

I didn't get to post this yesterday because of my Advil Cold & Sinus induced coma, so my Valentine's Day tribute comes 1 day late. I adore this man, and while sometimes our marriage seems more like work than fun, there is no one in this world who makes me want to work harder.

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

ee cummings

My favorite poem. Read it. Love it. Breathe it in.

Christina & Matthew Continued...

Just a few more!

Christina & Matthew

They've been together since high school, and now they are getting married. Here's a sneak preview of their engagement session! We braved the 20-30 mph wind at the Reservoir and then headed over to a little town called Canton. Apparently, it's the movie capital of Mississippi. I didn't even know there was such a thing! See you guys in July!