One of the best things that has come out of our photography business that I never expected is the relationships that we've formed with other photographers. Chelsea & Scott are two of those people. They are moving away from Hampton Roads in a couple of months, so I was so glad it worked out for us to get together for a family photography session.
Thank you so much for taking these photos of us, Chelsea! We love them! And we're going to miss you guys!
I started the Life Right Now series to help me remember some of the little moments of our lives. The kinds of things that don't even make it to Instagram (because we all know there's a LOT that doesn't make it to Instagram!) The kinds of things that would slip through the cracks of our memories if we didn't record them. The kinds of things that I never want to forget, no matter how small they might seem.
Life right now is feeding Darcy new baby foods and being surprised that he likes green beans so much. He gobbles them up!
Life right now is laying on the blanket next to him and watching in amazement at everything he does. And wondering how much longer it's going to be before he's crawling everywhere.
Life right now is balancing engagement sessions and evening yoga classes with quiet nights at home.
Life right now is snuggling Darcy close while he winds down before every nap, because it's the only time he wants to be still.
Life right now is leaving our sweet little boy in nursery and then being distracted through the entire service because I can't stop thinking about him.
Life right now is ordering just about everything on Amazon Prime because we don't have time to go anywhere but the grocery store.
Life right now is attacking Darcy's little cheeks with kisses because it makes him laugh.
Life right now is wanting to give my baby an unplugged childhood, but struggling with unplugging as a mama.
Want to read more Life Right Now posts?
July 2018
March 2018
November 2017
May 2017
March 2017
October 2016
July 2016
March 2016
August 2015
June 2014
August 2013
I don't normally blog on Thursdays, but I just have to share these adorable Easter photos we took of Darcy this week! Our friend Margaret has two sweet bunnies who love having their picture taken, so we've been talking about doing this little photo shoot for months! It was a little crazy trying to get all three of these little sweethearts to cooperate at the same time, which is why we have a lot of pictures of just two of them! I just can't get over how precious these photos are!
As anyone who's ever read a love story knows, the wedding is usually the last chapter of the book. But in a real love story, there's so much more to be told. So much happens in the happily ever after. And that’s what the sequel is for: to tell the story of two people as husband and wife as they live and grow together. So here are pages from our sequel.
NIGHTTIME FEEDINGS
I held Darcy’s tiny little hand, his fingers wrapped around my thumb. His head slowly rolled away from me in the crook of my elbow as sleep overcame him.
I brought him up to my shoulder to burp and he snuggled in tight. I held him close, his sleeping body completely relaxed against my chest. His face tucked in to the side of my neck. His legs bent against my belly. His tiny fingers opening and closing against my skin. I wrapped my arms a little tighter and tried to breathe in the smell of him. To breathe in this moment in the darkness and somehow lock it in my memory.
Today my baby slept past 5 am. For the second time.
I held him longer than usual. Just in case it was the last time. I could already see a dim glow through the curtain. It was 6:20 now and the sun would soon be up. As the light of my phone illuminated his face, his body wiggled. But I had to get these thoughts down. I had to remember this moment. Because in a few minutes he would be back in his bed and I would be back in mine. As I fell asleep again these thoughts would dissipate, and I wouldn't quite be able to remember them in the morning.
And so I sat, as if something glued me to the chair. Letting these thoughts fill the silence. I bent down to rest my chin on his head, and Darcy breathed a little triple breath that he often does while deep in sleep.
Finally I shifted him in my arms and stood up. I kissed his soft little check and whispered "Mama's so proud of you sweet boy."
And I was. So proud that he was growing and learning to sleep well. And thankful that I feel well rested every day, because I know there are lots of mamas who don’t. But my heart still ached a little. Because I knew that as he grew and developed, I would be missing out on something that I loved. And this was just the first of many times I would feel this way.
Just as many others were getting up to start their day, I crept back to my bed and pulled the covers up tight for another hour of sleep. Hoping it wouldn't be the last time I had to get up during the night for Darcy. Wanting to keep him little and somehow watch him grow up at the same time.
I have so many favorite moments with Darcy already. His smiles. His expressive eyebrows. His single excited laugh when we bounce him on our laps. But the way he snuggles against me when sleep overtakes him is one of my most precious moments.
Because I know they'll soon be gone.
Pages from the Sequel:
Return from Jamaica
The Little Blue House
The Ugly Yellow House
The Flea Episode
The Bathroom Leak
The Dinner Disaster
Baby on Board
The Story of Lucy
The Vanishing Bread
Midnight Dance with Darcy
Nighttime Feedings
Our David & Goliath Moment
Beach Day
I Love You
One of the most common questions we've gotten since Darcy's birth is whether or not we named him after Fitzwilliam Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.
The answer is... kinda?
Originally, the name Darcy was just one of over 30 names on a list that we compiled after going through a baby name book. I was really surprised that Ryan liked the name, but didn't think much about it. But then as we progressively crossed our least favorite names off of the list, Darcy was still there. We each chose our top 5 names, and Darcy was one of Ryan's picks.
So I started thinking about it more. I certainly loved the character of Mr. Darcy.
Mr. Darcy is not painted in a good light for the first half of the novel, but that's Elizabeth Bennet's perspective of him. And she finds out that she's completely wrong.
Darcy is honest to a fault, which is why some of his comments are received rudely. He is smart and quick-witted, which is why Elizabeth is such a good match for him in the end. He goes to great lengths to right his wrongs. He is compassionate, kind, and generous. He is reserved and fiercely loyal to his friends and family.
Is Mr. Darcy perfect? No. But our little Darcy isn't perfect either.
Time will tell if our little Darcy shares any of these characteristics. Or if anyone from his generation even recognizes the name. Hopefully Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Bridget Jones's Diary have both fallen out of popularity by that point. I know I'll certainly be impressed at any young lady who recognizes the reference, whether it comes from reading the classics or from watching a film adaptation.
Our weekly photo series - inspired by Young House Love
We will repeat the Tugboat blanket from Week 0 periodically. But I wanted to keep most of the backdrops neutral, so that I wouldn't end up over-analyzing and pre-planning his outfits and blankets to get just the perfect mix of colors. Ain't nobody got time for that!
As anyone who's ever read a love story knows, the wedding is usually the last chapter of the book. But in a real love story, there's so much more to be told. So much happens in the happily ever after. And that’s what the sequel is for: to tell the story of two people as husband and wife as they live and grow together. So here are pages from our sequel.
MY MIDNIGHT DANCE WITH DARCY
Soft music played as we swayed around the room together. One hand supporting his neck and the other under his back. White noise played the foundational notes to the lullaby and soft blue rays from the nightlight kept the room from total blackness. In the darkness, I could see his eyelids drooping as I snuggled him close and rocked him to sleep in my arms.
It was one night in the weeks of night wakings.
Through my tiredness, I reminded myself that soon our baby would be falling asleep on his own. One day he wouldn’t need a lullaby. And one day he would even tuck himself in. These nights seemed long, but I knew their time was very short and I would soon miss our midnight dances.
As I swayed with him in the dark, I pictured us decades in the future, swaying again to a very different dance. One hand resting on his back, big and strong. The other stretching up to reach his neck. Maybe he would be wearing a dark fitted suit. Maybe I’d be in a long purple gown. On that day, will I think back on dozens of nights like this one? When it was just him and me? When he depended on me for everything?
During that dance, his arms will be the ones supporting me. I will be the one closing my eyes, resting my head against his shoulder. And then I will look across the room and meet the eyes of the kind, beautiful woman that won his heart. The one that he would be starting a life with… just the two of them, depending on each other, supporting each other, loving each other.
In the dark of that quiet night, I looked down at his sleepy eyelids and pulled him just a bit closer as tears came to my eyes. Then I kissed his little forehead and laid him in the crib. And I whispered to my sweet little Darcy, “I’ll always be the one who loved you first.”
Pages from the Sequel:
Return from Jamaica
The Little Blue House
The Ugly Yellow House
The Flea Episode
The Bathroom Leak
The Dinner Disaster
Baby on Board
The Story of Lucy
The Vanishing Bread
Midnight Dance with Darcy
Nighttime Feedings
Our David & Goliath Moment
Beach Day
I Love You
