Great Wolf Lodge

Since Kris missed out on all of the summer months, I figured an indoor water park would be a lot of fun for everyone. Him to experience clara in the water and us all to have a fun time. Overall, I'd like to say that it was fun. But, I feel like we could have had a lot more fun elsewhere. Kris and I are unlike a lot of people. We don't need amusement parks to make us laugh or to overpay for someone else to entertain us.. So, going to something like this wasn't exactly our cup of tea. But, all in all we had fun, Clara cracked us up the entire time, hugging on the animals and loving on everything. She's such a sweet baby. Poor thing has been teething for what seems like years, I just don't know what to do to help her sometimes. Her canines are the ones bothering her this time... hopefully they come in soon...

Sometimes bribery works.

Well, I told Clara I'd get her something nice if she worked with me for this photo shoot... and it worked, kinda... pretty much just spent the day chasing her around and Daddy getting in all my shots hahaha But, they're smitten with each other, so I really can't complain. This was one of the first times Kris got to experience toddler-dum... Oh, fun times... screaming kicking fits for no reason... yay. Trust me, your kids are NOT the only ones who do it. Now, mine has started screaming OW!! when I photograph her... yep, I'm stealing your soul, little one, you'd better run! :) I must say, my husband is one of the most patient people I have ever met. I really don't know what I'd do without him at times.

Peace Love Swap

If you don't know about Peace Love Swap, well, you should. Because it's an awesome way to get a bunch of clothes toys and other random baby things, PLUS they have lots of vendors. And the proceeds go to charity. It's quite awesome, really. So, I set up a vendor table and did some photo booth photos of some people... here's a funny one of my personal assistant (ack-hem, the best ever)... I'll admit it, I did next to no photos for homecoming. I feel terrible about it, but I just can hardly get Clara dressed, much less get her out the door without drool, food or some unidentified spot on her... and then, Kris and I just spent the whole leave period at home, so we didn't really have a lot going on to photograph. Lots of cell phone footage, literally no camera photos on my professional equipment... wow... i'm such a slacker. So, I'll get back on it, I always do. :)

Trip to the mall

If you've ever taken an alien to a shopping mall, that's pretty much on point with what it feels like to walk around the mall with Kris after a deployment... He will look at anything, just because he can. I used to seriously complain the entire time, but now, I really look forward to these times. i pick malls where I know he will want to look around and see things and also moments when I know Clara will be able to play. Well, the carousel was a big hit, as usual, I mean, what kid doesn't love the carousel. And Kris's little point and shoot camera (after about 6-7 times of it going aroudn and me trying to figure out the settings) took a couple pretty good shots :) I love our little family outings... Sometimes it isn't the crazy events that make the best memories.

The F family

Here's the first and last photo from our little family session of Krystal and her family. :) Clara's always butting in.... But, she just loves Nicholas, it's cute. I'm really lucky to have met this awesome family. They watch Clara from time to time and they welcome us into their family constantly when we need it. I don't know how I could have possibly made it through the deployment without them. I love them so much.

A guilty dog

This is a photograph of a guilty dog. She knows she isn't allowed on the bed... But, she earned her name the "pillow monster" honestly... She will scout out anything, a blanket, pillow, even just the edge of a piece of something soft and will perfectly situated herself onto it. She's a sucker for soft things. :) In preparation for homecoming, I had cleaned the duvet and sheets and walked into the room to this... all I know is, it must have been awesome because the Pillow Monster wouldn't have seeked it out if it wasn't spectacular. Oh, Luna... you're such a spoiled rotten girl... instead of your Mommy yelling at you to get off the bed, she grabs her camera. . .

8 month progression

Daddy has been gone for 8 months now. Here's a little progression of Clara since he left... according to my cell phone photos. :) When he left, she only had one tooth, wasn't walking and was about to turn 1.

our little nature lover

Clara loves to be outdoors. When she was only a couple months old, we had front porch time. She would sit on my lap and we would read stories and rock on the front porch, sing songs, whatever... but she needed it. At 6 oclock until 7... every single night... the neighbors knew we were there, they would wave and smile... Now, all you have to do is say "outside" adn she willingly throws her hands up to put on her jacket and out the door you go, racing around the yard. Chasing after luna, even just sliding down the slide a hundred times. She doesn't care... She loves it, and everyday there's something new, new berries, new airplanes, different color cars.... I love to just watch her watch.

Charlotte finally came!

There's something to be admired about a smirk on a teeny tiny baby. In working as a newborn photographer in the hospitals, I must say, I really love baby expressions. So new and pure to this world, but still their little faces say so much. I've seen grumpy babies and happy babies and ones with so much personality. It never ceases to amaze me how expressive they are, straight out of the womb... well, I guess it makes sense, because Clara was smiling on her sonogram photos. :) Sweet precious, Charlotte. I cannot wait to see how your little life progresses over time. I photographed her before she was born! :)

bath buddies

Reading baby

SHe seems to want to read these days more than do anything else... but, on her own time. :)

Cheerleader and Nature Lover

Clara loves animals of any kind... she will hug and kiss any and every animal she can get her hands on. (even fake ones) Since it was Sunday and football day and we were in Maryland, I figured it would be good to send her Daddy some updated Ravens photos. So, I let her wear her purple and black all day. She's a good little cheerleader. When they kick a field goal, she has learned to clap... but, she claps for the opposing team at times... :) She'll learn one day.

My girls...

...they didn't feel like photos this day... Luna with her eyes pinned back and Clara with her attitude when I tried to take the book away... Well, fine, then I'll photograph you reading :

time out for kisses.

sometimes you just need a time out for a kiss. in the middle of dancing and taking photos, Clara stops and kisses her puppy. more people should do this in their daily life. I know there are times when I really missed holding Kris's hand because I had a diaper bag or baby carrier or the stroller... babies require too much stuff. :)

birthdays

Probably one of the hardest parts (I guess there really are many) about deployments is missing out on holidays... we have been so lucky that Kris has been home for most of the important ones. But really, holidays are just another day. Another year you are alive, another moment you say "I love you" as your count down the days of your lives together. It's really quite an odd concept if you really think of it that way. Now we are on the final countdown for deployment to be over. And then, we will count down for Christmas or something else. We are constantly chasing our lives away. Much like that of balloons. I looked up WHY people bring balloons and why they are a must-have at birthdays, "It's a Boy!" or "Party!!" But I cannot get a real reason. The first balloons were made out of animal intestines... gross. and also I found out that they first used hydrogen but it is flammable.. Can you imagine a party with flammable gas everywhere. That could add in some entertainment! So, since Kris was gone for his birthday, I wanted to post these photos I took a while back of Clara for his birthday party. We threw him a party, it's a shame he couldn't come! We really did have a fun time. Happy Birthday, Daddy! Next year we will probably see each other every holiday... that will be the first time in the existence of us being a couple for that to happen.

You can dress her up...

.....and take her out... but there better be toys involved! haha She was so funny. SHe would not sit still for nothing! But, this is what toddlers do... this is why it takes you running a mile after them in order to get one shot... and then their eyes are closed or they have something all over their face. I can't wait until she sits still again.. Guess I've got like 3 or so more years before she will want to play along.

Mornings..

One most sitcoms and movies you see kids who refuse to wake up, or ones who don't want to go to school... Not my kid.. this is what I wake up to most mornings... Happy, awake, and ready to play :)

Bathing Beauty

She points her toes and poses sometimes, I swear she reads cosmo magazines at night or something... She cracks me up...

something was funny...

...and it always is with her. :)

sad sunflowers :(

Picked up this dress on an end-of-season sale... I guess it's end of season for flowers too, this poor sunflower was the last one left. But, didn't keep Clara from talking to it. She just loves sunflowers.. it's a shame I only had one survive in our yard too! :(

Lucy and Rosey

Aren't these girls cuties :) They are very cooperative and VERY used to being photographed... Going on 13 or 14 years (I can't remember) of being photographed for birthday, halloween, etc. you name it, they've been photographed in it!!

Clara getting ready for Daddy!!

We made Daddy a birthday present... I can't post the pictures here, because he will see it, but this is part of a present we did for Daddy while he is on deployment. :)

Great Minds...

First and foremost, this was the very first day our little girl made a basket in her new hoop! :) Secondly, here's a funny small WORLD story. My friend Natalie and I went to H&M to shop for Clara. I picked out this shirt it reads "I have a strong will and a stronger will not" I thought it was cute, being blue and pink and having an anchor. I dunno, I was just drawn to it. So I showed it to her but decided on another dress and other things. That day I went home and got a box from Kris!! SOOOO excited! He had been shopping in Dubai and bought her this shirt.... Great minds think alike, even if we ARE on the other side of the world from one another... too funny.

clara's smiles.

Botanical Gardens trip We keep saying we need to make a collection of Clara's extreme facial expressions. It only took this beautiful child a week to smile at her Momma.. not just gas and stretches and all the other reasons people say their kid smiles... no, i would laugh and she would smile... this facial expression reminds me a lot of Kris. I'm not too sure why.... but I can't wait to see them together making the same faces.

Zoo Trip

Took a trip to the zoo with Auntie Natalie. It was a lot of fun, but a little scary. I'm beginning to figure out that Clara is NOT afraid of ANY kind of animal... TIgers?? Nah, they just look cuddly (which I kinda have to agree! I've never been this close to one before either!) Monkeys??? Clara ran towards them "ooh oohhhhh aaahhh aaahhhh" making monkey sounds! Maybe when I'm having a bad day with her one day I'll just send her to the zoo so they can understand her! :)