Lil’ A Year and a Half Portraits

Here you have ‘em. The portraits I did of my year and a half tot. The real ones this time. No more silly bloopers.

She’s one of the best things that ever happened to me.

No Place Like Home

We made it. Lil’ A and I made it to Africa in one piece, barely. You’ll likely hear more about my crazy tot on the airplane at some point. But when our three flights were over Mikey met us at the gate (tears!) and then we had wonderful meetings and visits over the next week. The three of us made our way back to Ohio, were re-united with our big kids, had a twelve hour turn-around and then drove 21 hours back to Colorado.

Whew.

I feel tried just thinking about it.

Wait. I am tired. I literally can barely keep my eyes open. But it’s too early to go to bed. Gotta be smarter than the jet lag!

So now Mike is gone for the weekend. Which leaves me alone and jet lagging with three kiddos. It’s not real pretty. But it’s what it is.

“Home is the best place in the world!” is what my boy told me a little while after we arrived home on Thursday.

I have to agree… I am so thankful for our home and the community around us. There is nothing like it!

Summer at Sunridge

My Dad said it at the end of our summer visit… that’s it’s a gift that we get to spend extended amounts of time with family because of our lifestyle.  I agree. It is a gift. One that I do NOT take for granted.

Towards the end of the visit I  grabbed my camera…

 

Mama and Tot to Africa or Bust!

I don’t know whether I’m hopeful or just plain crazy.

Lil’ A and I are soon to board three planes to take us to Africa, where we’ll meet up with Mikey for a regional conference.  I don’t have long, so here are my scattered thoughts, list style.

1. My tot would have been in this quick selfie I just took but she’s getting the grandbaby bath treatment from my Mom right now. Who knows what the next 24 hours will be like, but at least she’ll smell good!

2. I need to remember to make myself a pbj sandwich for dinner. I have 25 minutes. Don’t let me forget.

3. You’d think a week long trip for two people would not require over 100 pounds of luggage. But it does.

4. A pack n play is definitely worth it’s weight in the luggage. Anything that will constrain my child on this trip is a gift.

5. I said goodbye to my big kiddos earlier today. It wasn’t easy. They hardly cared. But I cried. Is that what sending them off to college is like?!

6. Part of what is going to help me through this journey is A. I know lots of people are praying for us and God Himself is with me, and B. That I get to see my hubs on the other side. Except the problem with B is that the remote city he is in has recently had the flight he plans to take tomorrow get cancelled a couple times. So I actually don’t know whether or not he’ll be there to meet us. Oh my.

7. Have I mentioned how busy my babe is? Some of you have heard it a thousand times. But let me state it again just in case. She’s crazy!

8. I have been conducting ‘sitting practice’ during which time I hold her on my lap for a few minutes at a time and tell her “We’re gonna sit now” in a very calm voice. We’ll even play pat-a-cake and count piggies and such. And much screaming and back-arching ensues. My girlie does NOT like to sit.

9. This should be interesting.

10. Gotta go! Loading, sandwich making, etc.

P.S. A special shout out to my parents who have loved for us and cared for us so well these past few weeks. What a gift you are to us!! And to my in-laws! I love you and I am so thankful that I can leave my big kiddos behind knowing that they are in loving and caring hands! You’re amazing, all four of you!!

Outakes

I might have gotten more than 5.34 good photos of my little girlie. Yay! But I’m not posting those today. For fun, I’m posting just a few (?!) of the outakes. Photo sessions with toddlers are somethin’ else…

So let’s kick things off with this little kick…

Washed out (my fault).

My assistant (aka my Daddy) is kinda tall. He was helping to get her to look sort of in the right direction.

Sort of.

I’m down here.

On the move.

Dad! Over here!

Her crinkle nose smile. I do love it.

So close to a great pic… just look up!!!

Daaaaddd! Camera is down here!

On the move.

? Moving still.

Falling down for fun.

Look what I can do.

And again.

Yes indeed. So much fun to fall down on the quilt.

?

Ack. The half blink.

Wrong direction.

Cute butt. Cute curls.

On the move.

Oh my.

Would you say this one is too close?

Whoopsie daisy.

On the move.

Stinker.

Is she mooning me?

A bird! Literally, a huge bird flew overhead.

Picking nose. Classic.

On the move.

Cheeeeeeeeese.

Would have been so cute. If she just would have looked at the camera. If.

Would have been so cute. If she just would have looked to the side. If.

The grand finale. It’s definitely [not] a keeper.

Okay! That’s way more outakes than you EVER care to see. In fact I don’t think anyone made it to the end of this post…

Stay tuned for a few good ones!