we only have 18 summers with our kids.  this thought really circulated through social and print media this past summer and, like many parents, it really did stop me in my tracks.  18 summers.  there is so much truth to it that it stings a little.  i think it stings because it is an actual number.  every parent, whether they are currently in the thick of parenthood, or their children are grown, knows that time really is fleeting.  i wrote in my most recent eBook the honest newborn, that i literally felt as if someone pressed a fast forward button on life the second our first daughter was born.  days seem to go by quicker, as i scramble to hold on to each and every moment so i can preserve it as a memory.  i am not sure if the phrases babies don’t keep and the days are long, but the years are short have been around for a long time, but just like the phrase we only have 18 summers with our kids, i feel like i have really embraced these little sayings of truth lately during my journey with motherhood.

for a complete guide on how I photograph my baby girl’s first year, be sure to read the first twelve.  and to learn how i document our everyday, be sure to read the everyday photograph.

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so as we head into the fall season and say goodbye to summer, i am taking a little time this morning to catch up on editing.  one of the most exciting moments of our summer was when our 2 year old got her first tricycle.  she had taken an interest to a friend’s bike at a playdate, so we jumped on her interest and bought her a bike.  not only was she so excited to see her own tricycle, but she was excited that it was pink and that…it had a little bell!

i really like to bring my camera out during big milestones, to document for the girls’ baby books.  my goal for this series was for it to be sweet and pink, so i intentionally dressed her in this gorgeous floral top that my sweet mother in law gave her (it’s one of our favorites), white bloomers and a pink velvet bow from cammi&co.  and then we both had some fun with her new bike, as she learned how to move around and i documented all the little details of her special afternoon.

all photos taken with my DSLR and favorite everyday lens.

We Get 18 Summers

while the saying about 18 summers has me a little panicked, wanting to fit in as many things as possible with our girls, i am also humbled that sometimes the simplest of afternoons take up the biggest parts in our hearts.  we created a summer bucket list at the beginning of summer and, to be honest, we didn’t quite get to all of our activities.  part of it was because it was so darn hot and the heat makes me nervous with small children.  another was, our littlest is on a great nap schedule currently so it doesn’t give us a ton of freedom to venture far from home quiet yet, as i like to make sure she gets good sleep.  and while i really like to cross things off checklists, i reminded myself that even though this quote about only having 18 summers with our kids makes us scramble to fit in all the memories we can, we do have time.  and sometimes the best moments are when you are cuddled on the couch reading stories or having a picnic lunch on the kitchen floor.  children don’t need fancy things and over planned outings all the time; they are just as happy with spending time with us.

thanks so much for stopping by my blog to join my everyday with motherhood and photography.  for more posts and to catch up on what we’ve been up to, see what’s trending below!

Letters To My Children | September 2018

monday, september 17, 2018

dear baby girls,

well, it happened again.  i started crying happy tears while editing this month’s sister session.  because, you!  you two are so in love with one another and it makes our hearts so proud!  i feel like i say this often but, i honestly prayed so hard for the both of you and that you would have a beautiful relationship.  and God gave you one another for a beautiful reason…to have a hand to hold and someone to giggle with throughout this beautiful life.  you make us so darn proud.  how am i so deserving of this amazing life with your daddy and you two?  i am forever grateful.

to my oldest:

you are a big girl!  you are officially out of diapers and you are so proud of yourself!  “bye-bye diapers!” you say.  daddy and i are so proud of how effortlessly you said goodbye to your diapers and entered this new stage of life.  in every way, you are growing into a sweet little lady.  but what does mama always say?  you will always be my baby!  you are such a helper to mama and you love to help me fold laundry (you hand me things to fold), unload the dishwasher (you hand me things to put in the cupboard), and get your sister toys when she starts to fuss.  you lovingly tell her, “no, whinin’.”  which has me laughing so hard!  luckily, she doesn’t whine often but has lately when mama gets out of sight.

i think you are going to be either a doctor or a dentist.  we went into the doctor this week for a quick checkup and you were bouncing up and down waiting for the doctor to come in.  when he did, you said, “hi doctor!” and were giddy when he listened to your heart with the stethoscope.  (you have a wooden doctor’s kit on the top of your wish list for santa).  you love to pretend necklaces are stethoscopes and you will listen to everyone’s heart at home, saying “thump, thump, thump, thump.”  but you also have an infatuation with teeth.  you love telling mama to open her mouth so you can inspect each tooth and you are so studious about it.  you love brushing your own teeth, but you don’t necessarily love going to the dentist.  i took a picture of you hating the dentist chair during your first appointment, just in case you end up being a dentist and we can hang it up on your office wall next to your degree.  🙂

you are quite the singer and dancer!  we can’t wait until you turn 3 next year so we can join pre-ballet at ballet school.  we are currently growing your hair out because it’s a rule to wear your hair in a bun to class so we are getting your hair all ready!  you love to dance and always want us to turn on music.  you have started to memorize all sorts of nursery rhymes and love to sing.  you really love “the wheels on the bus,” “rain, rain go away,” “no more monkeys jumping on the bed,” “happy birthday,” and “itsy bitsy spider.”  you learn new songs daily and love listening to the nursery rhyme station.  you also love it when mama makes up personalized songs and you laugh.

your manners are impeccable!  you are doing very well with your pleases and thank you’s and you do a great job coloring your thank you notes when it is time to thank our friends and family for lovely things.  you have learned to say excuse me now and you politely remind us and your sister to say it, when needed.  we love everything about your sweet little voice and love hearing everything you say.

tomorrow, we are going to your eye appointment to see if you will be getting glasses.  we went last september and the doctor said we would chat about glasses in one year and, with the snap of fingers, one year is already here!  we will see what the eye doctor says tomorrow and you are really excited to get your eyes checked.  last year the eye doctor was so excited for you to be a big sister and this year she will get to sit next to you during your checkup!  it’s amazing what a year brings!

i am enjoying every single second of our days together.  we are having fun hosting playdates with our friends, doing crafts, having dance parties and giving plenty of hugs.  i often tell your daddy that i am overwhelmed with how fast you are growing and am trying my hardest to be so intentional about soaking in every single second of every single day.  time is so fleeting and i am so blessed to be given a front row seat to your childhood.

to my littlest:

you are my little squishy, cuddling, love bug!  you love, love, love mama.  so much so that i can’t leave your sight or you get fussy.  but as soon as you see me again, you are all smiles.  your development chart said you would be extra clingy right about now and you are!  🙂  but that means you are right on track and growing great!  you know that just because i am out of sight, i am still there…which is so smart!

you are such a great sleeper!  you take two great naps during the day and you sleep 12 hours at night.  you and your sister both sleep the same.  you rotate all around your cribs all night long.  you are like ticking hands on a clock, as you rotate in a circle from night until morning.  you both prefer to sleep on your bellies and wake up within 15 minutes of one another every morning.  it’s one of the many things that you do exactly the same.

you are sitting up so well!  you really love to sit up on the changing table so you can see yourself in the mirror and you love seeing that cute little baby staring back.  hint, hint…that little baby is you!  you just grin and grin when you see yourself.  you are busy, busy, busy!  you barely sit still long enough to get a diaper change and you always want to roll onto your belly when i am trying to change your diaper.  it’s really funny and cute…unless you have a messy diaper, and then it is a little stressful for mama.  i have quickly learned to hand you a toy to play with during diaper changes so you can briefly entertain yourself while i hurry and change you.

your sister has taught you how to eat cheerios!  and you love them!  your sister loves it when mama puts cheerios on your high chair tray and you both gobble them up.  she is a little faster at eating them than you are, so i have to remind her to share with you.  but you have mastered the pincher grasp and can pick them up with your thumb and finger and bring them to your mouth.  then you gum them to death because you are STILL without any teeth!  it doesn’t stop you from enjoying lots of cheerios!

speaking of pinching, you are an expert!  you love to pinch and pull hair!  you pull mama’s hair while i am nursing you, which doesn’t feel too great but i like to wear my hair down so it’s my own fault.  you love to pull your sister’s hair too, and she finds it hilarious.  i often find her putting her head near your hands so you can grab hold!  then she shrieks and giggles when you get a handful of hair and mama has to rescue her precious little hairs from your fingers.  you both laugh and laugh during this.  you two are so silly!

when it comes to eating, you are a little picky!  you aren’t too fond of apples, pears, or cauliflower.  they are growing on you, but we often have to mix them with something else in order for you to eat them.  you like black beans, just as much as your sister does and you adore oatmeal and rice cereal.  you also really like sweet potatoes.  everything else, we are sneakily mixing into your food because you will pinch your lips closed when we try to feed you them!

i am sure you will both be waking up soon from your afternoon nap, so i better button up this letter!  the next month has a lot of fun coming up and we have officially planned your halloween outfits!  you are enjoying the pumpkins around the house and the cooler weather that allows us to spend longer amounts of time outdoors on bikes, painting crafts, taking walks, and enjoying the fresh air.  we are excited to start the next few months of fun with you, as we get new family pictures taken, enjoy the holidays and make more memories as a family.  we love you girls so much and can’t tell you enough.

love, mama