Fleeting Like Fairy Wings...

"Garden fairies come at dawn, bless the flowers, then they're gone"

          --Author Unknown                                    

My Beautiful Willow Bean,
At 18 months you are blossoming into a funny, explorative, extremely expressive and terrifically cuddly little toddler! You love to dance at home, in the street... in the aisles of Barnes & Noble! You've started to sing! Your favorites these days are: "This Little Light of Mine" and the Dora theme song! You are still nursing, partly because you very passionately still want to, and partly because I'm having a hard time putting an end to this phase--because with it ends a very special chapter of your babyhood! You have started stringing together some sentences and the one that bowls me over every time is "You okay Momma?", because you utter it with such earnest compassion every time I sneeze, or chuckle...or close my eyes. You love wrestling with your sister on the couch, and the two of you giggle, squeal, beg for tickles and make forts with the pillows, until one of you invariably has had enough and Daddy or I must intervene and console! When you smile, you smile with your eyes and with your heart! I feel so proud to be your Mommy and so blessed to be near you every day to bear witness to all your new beginnings. I hope you always rest assured that your family loves you unconditionally!

Jana Knupp
Betsy Morgan
Annie Fox
Rebecca Orton
Amber Yarnevich
Carrie Nelson
Adrienne Russell

I have recently joined a blog circle with some very talented ladies! To view their beautiful work please click the above links!

Finding magic in the little things...

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

Robert Brault 

It is the little things I want to remember...

The way Willow Bean likes to wrap my hair around her fingers as she sucks her thumb. The way she nestles her head in my neck when we tell stories at bedtime. The way she bounces when she's excited and laughs like Earnie from the muppets. The way she adores her big sister and follows her around wanting to be part of every adventure! I want to remember how she's not afraid of anything but eager to explore and try new things: a lover of heights, animals, sensory exploration and food!! I want to remember how her lashes cast shadows on her cheeks while she sleeps! I want to remember her wonderful hand gestures as she enthusiastically babbles half words half gibberish! I want to remember her hugs that carry all the love in the world!

I want to remember the way Cici has started to tell stories of magic lands giving us each a special part to play. The way she cups my face, looks into my eyes and kisses me on the nose! The way she loves to skip down the sidewalk holding hands and singing "let's go fly a kite". The way she asks for her leg or arm to be tickled as we tell stories under the covers. The way it feels when I let go of her hand and hold my breath each time we get close to a street knowing its time to trust her. The way she comforts her sister and consoles her when Justin or I can't.

The way both girls light up when Justin walks through the door. The way they snuggle around him when he reads to them. The way we laugh during our Saturday morning wild dance parties. The way we cry (well the girls first...and after they're safely in bed, we follow suit) on an especially long day! The way they all make me full and strong and scared and brave...but always loved.

Ballerina: Stardust on Pavement

“There's a flame of magic inside every stone & every flower, every bird that sings & every frog that croaks. There's magic in the trees & the hills & the river & the rocks, in the sea & the stars & the wind, a deep, wild magic that's as old as the world itself. It's in you too, my darling girl, and in me, and in every living creature, be it ever so small. Even the dirt I'm sweeping up now is stardust. In fact, all of us are made from the stuff of stars.” 

― Kate Forsyth, The Puzzle Ring

I am currently taking a wonderful workshop by Shalonda of Chubby Cheek Photography, that has been encouraging me to stop and really think of the little things that light up each child's personality and make their fantasy life soar: in essence, the magic of childhood! 

Cecilia has always been in love with dance, but she recently discovered her love for ballet (and pink, and glitter and tutus). She loves dress up, but not nearly as much as she loves stories, make-believe and adventure! She is bold, curious and brave and I wanted to capture our little ballerina as she finds magic in our everyday world, takes on our pulsing city full force and turns it into the stuff of dreams...

“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” ― Leonardo da Vinci

My beautiful Cici, You have just turned three and your imagination is soaring! You are curious, passionate, strong; you are tender and full of compassion! You are exploding with energy, desires, ideas and love! It is amazing to see the world through your eyes! Your excitement is contagious, your disappointments heart breaking, your acts of kindness startlingly beautiful! I hope you always dream big, love fiercely, stand up for yourself and maintain your thirst for learning! No matter what, you have a family that stands behind you always and loves you for the beauty of who you are!

Starting Out!!

Welcome to my brand new blog! I am starting this new venture as I explore my love affair with photography! My main subjects and primary source of inspiration are my family: my amazing, extremely supportive husband, Justin, and our two incredible daughters, Cecilia (Cici Bird) and Willow (Willow Bean). I hope to give them some beautiful keepsakes to look back on, and I hope to give my family and friends (especially those all the way in Greece) a glimpse of our everyday!

Most recently, we got back from a trip to Greece which was incredible for all of us, especially the girls, who got to run around barefoot and dip their toes into the Aegean...

...eat figs off trees...

...and cuddle their Greek relatives adoringly...

Unforgettable Memories!!