Picture Perfect

This week has rounded out nicely. I was dubious that it would.

Last week just felt so rough and long and draining. I felt ill equipped to deal with even a normal amount of chaos this week.

Thankfully the sun shone and the girls smiled and Ian was AMAZING and life was great.

:: all ready for a brisk walk::

I have found that since starting to blog more "seriously" a few months back I carry my camera with me everywhere. I had been hesitant to do so in the past, weary of documenting too much on film and not etching the images in my mind, remembering and savoring every second of a precious moment. I think in the end it's helped to do both. I have loved learning to capture cherished and ever fleeting images of my growing girls.

::typical post nap sit up, snack, and "sessa street!". Louise prefers to grin at me::

I am still learning the best ways to take photos. I don't like the flash 95% of the time but sometimes it seems to only way to capture an active moment. Then again, that blur of bursting engergy is how Ainsley looks in real life. Kind of a realistic depiction.

::notice the party shoes on Ainsley May? She napped in those::

::taken right before she shoved a bunch of flower petals down that register...

oh the amount of spring cleaning that needs to happen in this house::

I have loved especially photographing Ainsley. She poses such a unique challenge as all toddlers do. I have found our little photo "sessions" to be about so much more than taking a good picture. I am learning about my daughter. What makes her laugh. What makes her glance at me and smile. Her concentration and determination etched on her little oval face. Those eyes, those big beautiful brown eyes.

::ripping apart playdough to "cook ina kitchen mama"::

And then there are those moments that are just BEGGING to be captured. My two girls nestled in our big bed laughing, squealing, anticipating me runnning down the hallway goofy faced and childlike leaping onto the bed to surprise them everytime.

Of course Ainsley had to try her hand at the leaping...she almost got it.

Louise and I laughed anyways.

::The pride and joy of a toddler on the loose::

I've had my moments when I wanted to book a photo session with a professional, get the girls all gussied up and capture a grin or two to mount and hang. I'm not saying that we won't one day, but these photos have a story to them, memories attached to their novice quality and poor light.

I kind of love them. I hope you do too.