Connections

Photography is more than just snapping pictures.  

In its purest form, it's really more about connecting.  

I LOVE photographing the Byrd/Ramick family!!!

I began with baby Jayli's newborn pics and I can't believe it but it's already time for one year pics!!

Can you believe this cuteness!!!

She's such an amazing little one, I just love her so much.  

We did the smash cake which I highly recommend...sooo much fun!

But sometimes the most monumental memories from sessions happen after the main event!

Grandma Julie decided to create some of her own fun with the leftover smash cake!!

I just have to take a moment and tell you how much I love Julie!  

She's the epitome of living life to the fullest.  

She loves her family with focused passion and  its the same passion that overflows into other aspects of her life.

She's the perfect balance of not taking life too seriously, and taking serious the responsibilities given her.

She's one in a million : ) 

"When you lose your laugh, you lose your footing."  -Ken Kesey

Jayli approved!!

Fun, fun, fun!!!!

A photo session I will never forget : ) 

 

Hello World!

This is it.  

My last week of summer!

Next week I'll be heading to preschool.  

My Mommy has mixed feelings about it, but I know I'll be fine.  

I've been busy collecting things, packing and unpacking containers, watching Curious George and Mary Poppins, and perfecting my dance moves.  

The good thing about preschool will be playing games with the speech teacher.  

I don't know what the big deal is, I can say everything I need to and sometimes I just don't know why Mommy can't hear me.  

I have to repeat myself and raise my voice louder but for some reason she still doesn't hear!  

She just says, "I can't understand what you are saying, Why don't you show me."  

I have to keep things really simple so she understands!

Well, better go.

I have to make the most of my last week of summer!!

All my love, 

Maddie

Maddie Speaks!

Maddie's been speaking in sentences for a while now, but it's just been recently that we have been able to understand some of what she's been saying.  

The other day she was wanting to watch more T.V.  

I told it was getting late and there wouldn't be anymore T.V.

She asked again...

and again...

 and finally I told her we could listen to music.  

It just so happens that the same remote and the same action is required to listen to music or watch T.V.  

When she saw the remote in my hands she squealed with delight and said, 

"I did it!!!  Here it comes!!!"

She was disappointed at first, but we were laughing so much that she soon joined in too : ) 

Motherhood Musings

I think most little girls dream about growing up and having babies.  

I'm not even sure if Maddie is physically able to have children.  There's a lot of mixed reviews when I googled it.  

I honestly don't remember if I grew up thinking I would be a Mom.  

When I thought about growing up, in my mind 25 years old was grown up, and I never thought about life past that.  

Ironically, I was 25 when I was told I wouldn't be able to have children.  

The writing was on the wall, so the news wasn't shocking.  

We build a lot of facades in life.  

Maybe it's a coping mechanism.  

Maybe it's because reality is too much to bear.  

My facade was that I wanted children...some day.  

The truth was, when I was told I wouldn't be able to have children I thought it was just confirmation that I wouldn't have been a good mom.  

It was for the best. 

We told friends and family that we would adopt some day, but I knew in my heart life was as it should be.

So when I found out I was pregnant, the exhilarating joy overshadowed the enormous responsibility that lay ahead.  

I realized God trusted me more than I trusted myself.  

I resolved I would not betray his trust.  

Motherhood is a tricky balance though.  

You devote all of who you are to these precious little ones but you can't lose yourself in the process.

You sacrifice all you know to give but you have to reserve some energy for the other people in your life. 

You stretch yourself and find yourself doing things only for the sake of your children, yet personal growth takes away time with them.  

 

It's not easy.  

On my worst days, the old messages have a way of creeping back in my mind.

But on my best days, my joy cannot be contained.  

And my best days have a way of overshadowing the worst!!

In the words of Switchfoot, "the shadow proves the sunshine."

For all my Mommy friends, when the bad days come (because they will) know that you were perfectly designed to be the Mommy of your little ones.  

Know that God holds all the wisdom to navigate through the shadows.

And know that the light of the good times can eliminate the even the darkest shadow. 

Who Knew?

Who knew we had such a great little adventure waiting right down the road from us?  

A few weeks ago, we met friends at the Museum of Osteology.

It was the perfect indoor afternoon activity.  

Alexis and Elliot had been before so they tried to show Maddie the ropes, but she was far too busy to wait and listen.  

Finally after getting some energy out she noticed the bones.  

She really liked the lizard!  

When it came time to guess the skull, she preferred to stack them nice and neat.

It's a fascinating place to visit...I would highly recommend it!  

I would love to go back and actually look at things.  

I did a lot of corralling, chasing, and containing!! : ) 

A Year Later

This was a picture from last July...

And this was yesterday...

She was thinking, "this is OK."

and then she was having second thoughts!

Even though she wasn't sure what to make of the experience, she did really well!  

She sat really still.

At times she was surprised...

other times a little sleepy. : )  

and in the end, she looked so pretty!!  

Once we got home she was really excited about her hair cut.  

She called her daddy at work and told him, "I got hair cut!" 

We went to Kelly Kindrick at the Carmichael's Salon.  

Kelly's one of those professionals you find and know you are always in good hands!!  

We Found our Normal Again!

I've had a couple of  "off" months.  

Not to be confused with a couple of months off.  : )  

Things got really busy with my photography business and shook things up a bit around here.  

But yesterday felt like we were back to normal. 

I still had a post consultation, phone calls to make, and a few edits but maybe I've found a way to balance them better?  

I've been reading this book...

I've learned I need to narrow my focus, hire a graphic designer, and target a very specific client.  

My very specific client will want images like these for their little ones!

Taking these pictures makes my heart leap!  It's so much fun.

I'm a Playtographer : )  

Let me know if anyone knows a graphic designer.  I need a custom logo.  

And, I created a Facebook page for my photography (dragging my heels the entire way).  

But it's the way things are done these days : )  

You can "like" it by going to this link http://www.facebook.com/SamSchasteenPhotography