Smith Family Photoshoot

Last week, I bought myself a new camera. I've been talking about it for over a year now. I'd like to say I had too many glasses of wine and than had an online- impulse- purchase.. but we all know that isn't the case right now! My lovely Canon Rebel was limited in it's functions, now that I am able to shoot in manual and adjust settings. It had too much noise and grain in the photos, and the shutter time just wasn't quick enough to capture the quality of shots I am looking for. I upgraded to the Canon 60D with a 18-200 mm lens, and even though I've only used it once... I love it. The photos I took with my most recent family photo shoot were far superior than any I have taken before. I am looking forward to many years with this camera, and all the accessories I will buy for it! Hint hint, Ben, Christmas.

On Sunday I spent the afternoon with the Smith Family, and their adorable 18- month son, Brooks. Here are a few of the moments I was able to capture. I received the most heartfelt message from them upon receiving an e-mail with their preview photos. I am enjoying this new venture of mine, and the people I get to meet along the way.

You Are Two Years Old!

I am going to be busy all weekend, with it being your birthday and all, so I wanted to make sure I got this post done in time. As I wrap up the end of my "monthly blog updates" of your life, I wanted to recap on what you are like at 2 Years Old. A time I doubt you'll remember, but a time that your dad and I hope that we always do.

You are very smart, and have a love of learning. You frequently say "I do," because you like to figure it out yourself. You are, most of the time, pretty independent. And sometimes, when you run off in the supermarket with no regard of where we are, we wish you weren't. 

I'm not predicting you'll be a great dancer, but maybe someday you'll be on Dancing with the Stars and I'll look back and laugh at this blog  post. You like to move when you hear the music, but there isn't too much rhythm there... Yet.

You have an amazing memory. You aren't easily distracted, and if you are, you always remember to come back to what we tried to distract you from.

You absolutely love your Dad. You love me too, but you admire him. Your favorite things to do are riding the tractor with him, riding in the truck with him, and reading your books with him. Every morning when I go to change you into your outfit for the day, the first thing you want to do when you are dressed is go find "Daddy." You than spend the next few minutes 'finding' everything he needs to get ready for the day. His hat, socks, shoes, everything. When you are shy, sick, scared or sad, you want to be with me. But when you want to have fun, you just want Dad. You two even have your own language of facial expressions and odd noises. It's been fun to watch you're father- daughter relationship evolve over the last year.

You are definitely a rough and tumble girl. You love to be outside. You don't cry for long after you fall, you have no fear of anything (except large bodies of water.) Getting dirty is your absolute favorite thing. If there is a mess to be made, you'll make it.

You're a mix of mom and dad. Stubborn and stubborn, I now know, results in stubborn. And that my friend, is you. Most like your father, you love to figure out how things work. Most like me, you don't laugh easily. You smile and enjoy things, but you are not easy to laugh. 

You're shy at first, but within a minute or two that is gone. You are very social with other kids, and could spend your whole day with them.

You have a zest for life, and want to be awake every minute of it. I can count on my hand the number of times in the last year you just 'fall asleep' somewhere. It rarely happens. 

And even though it's the inside that matters, you are just beautiful on the outside. You have the most beautiful hair color. It's not strawberry blonde, it's not auburn; its red. A copper red. It's bright and fiery just like your personality. 

We love you, and can't wait to see what the next year brings.

A Great Birthday Weekend!

This past weekend, I turned 29. The kind of birthday where I now state that I am turning 29 for the next ten years. Although, I have plans for the big 3-0 to be pretty special. We spent a long weekend at camp. It was great, the first day I have taken off in months. 

Camp road rules, Mackenna backing up the truck.

Day on the lake, Ben's happy place.

Boating can make a baby tired.

Normal dinner..

We tried taking you swimming in the lake, Mackenna... but you were NOT happy about that. 

For my birthday weekend, Ben made all of my favorite foods- homemade. It was delicious!

Eggs Benedict for breakfast.

Mexican Night: Homemade Chimichangas and Mexican Rice.

Italian Night: Stuffed shells with marinara from scratch, and an heirloom tomato tart!

And the real surprise of the whole weekend, other than a beautiful necklace Ben gave me, was Mackenna deciding she wanted to sleep in a BIG GIRL bed. Amazing. She slept in it all night, and naps. Didn't even wake up and come in our room. We are so proud of her.

On Sunday, my actual birthday, we biked from camp to Beth's Kitchen, my favorite breakfast spot in Bridgton.

I think it's acceptable to bring your daughter to breakfast in her pajamas and bedhead, in Bridgton...

Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes and gifts, I had a great one!

"Baby D"

I thought it would be fun to do a few of these "question and answer" posts throughout my pregnancy. I'll add this to Baby D's blog book, and she can look back at her early pre-life years.

Announcement for those that don't know.. We are having a girl! (I'm trying my very hardest not to say 'another girl,' because she is her own girl, not another Mackenna.) We are so excited about this. Ben hoped you would be a girl, and as for me.. as a sister myself, I know what a special thing this is for Mackenna. We aren't publicly announcing her name, so for now she is just Baby D!

How far along? 17 weeks
Baby's size/development this week:  5 ounces now, and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. Size of a turnip. Whatever a turnip is?
Maternity clothes: Yes, have been wearing them (or a dress) since about 12 weeks. No joke. I popped early this go around.
Miss anything? Wine. What did you think I was going to say? Oh, and sleeping on my stomach. 
Food cravings? Amatos Italians. Salt and vinegar chips. Wendys Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Subway sandwiches. (Have you smelled how good a Subway store smells lately?) Anything sweet.  
Anything making you queasy or sick? From weeks 6-12, everything and anything. It was a rough 6 weeks of morning all day sickness. Now, I'm feeling great other than some lower back pain, and the normal tiredness of it all. But than again, that could just be working long hours and a toddler at home.
Sleep: Had some moments I've stayed awake stressing about work issues, but slept okay in regards to the pregnancy. 
Best moment of the week: Watching Mackenna dance to music last night. 
Nursery: Haven't really thought about that yet, other than we are moving Mackenna into a 'big girl room' next month, and will start on it. 
Wedding rings on or off? On. 
Movement? Lots of early movements. I have a rear-facing placenta with this pregnancy, so they tell me, so I can easily feel all the movements in the front.
Weird pregnancy thing of the week: Lower back pain. 
Daddy is feeling: Carefree. Says he was nervous about having Mackenna, because she was the first, but with this little one, he is just excited and enjoying the ride.
Mommy is feeling: Tired. Anxious for you to be here, but also enjoying the last few months with an only child, and the ease of it all while it lasts. 
Workouts this week: Ben and I have been biking a lot together, now that we have the baby trailer for the back of Ben's bike. I'm a runner/ walker, Ben prefers only to bike. So I caved, and we bike. I'm loving it.
Looking forward to: My birthday this weekend, and spending some time on the lake. 

Annual Skyline Lobster Bake... 2013 Edition.

M's first encounter with a horse.

Fun with Grandma, and Grandpa.

Lobsters baking.

TGIF!

Baby #2 at 15 weeks. 

"Camping" at daycare today. 

Friday night dinner date at Texas Roadhouse! Mackenna loved the prime rib. 

Twenty- Three Months Old.

I'm 23 Month's Old!

• I say "sorry" and "okay."
• I kiss the baby in Mom's belly.
• My hair has grown into beautiful curls in the back.
• I have gotten a little braver going into the water at the lake/ ocean.
• I recognize a lot of my friends and family's names, and say them, like Grandma, Grandpa, and Nana.
• I pair two or three words together in a sentence.
• I have developed some picky eating tenancies. Most, are overcome by using "dip" with any food I don't like.
• I have names for my stuffed animals/ friends that hangout in my crib. There is; Moose, Bear, Dolly, and Baby.