We are smitten with our little fur baby. Little Reya sleeps all night, snuggles most of the day and has stolen our hearts. She has a wild puppy streak too but I think we’ll still keep her ;). Our boys are in love. Kissing her, carrying her, and whispering I love you to her at least a half a dozen times a day.

We did a good job pretending it was summer.  It was 74 degrees which was good enough for me.  We packed our things and took advantage of the fact that our city is on this big awesome lake that makes you feel like you are at the ocean if you squint your eyes a bit.  But it's still April and we don't live on the ocean so the lake water was ice cold but they didn't seem to care.  Here's to a great spring break with my little guys enjoying our city. 

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At the first hints of a nice day I am plotting where we should go, what to do...what new place to explore.  So today wasn't entirely what I had in mind but we took this crazies to Toys R Us because my big guy had allowance burning a hole in his pocket.  And maybe this outdoor time wasn't the hiking, rock exploring trip I had in mind for today...but it was good to be outdoors together, all the same.  Most of the time it's just me at the playground with the boys as daddy is at work.  So having him there was just perfect.  We all played, chased and tickled together. Simple is sometimes the best. 

This morning he told me his was bored and asked to play on the ipad...I think he's starting to figure out that the word bored doesn't do much for me.  You're bored...the last thing I am going to let you do is zone out on electronics.  I am trying my hardest to raise boys who read, explore, get dirty, play outdoors, build...create.  So he was bored...and I let him be bored.  Until he wasn't...until he had an idea that sparked his interest in that moment. We played candy land and taught our baby little.  And then he pulled out the checkers and taught our 3 year old all by himself.  Sure, I think big brother was making most of the plays, but little E didn't know any better and loved it all the same.  Boredom is there to remind you to look around and find something that maybe you hadn't thought of for a while.  

Chagrin Falls Photographer

There may not be any green on the trees, and only a few flowers starting to form but we feel Spring.  I feel it as I sit on the porch with the sun so warm on skin...I feel it as I watch my boys with their dirty hands digging in the dirt, running through the yard, muddy boots on their feet.  Long awaited Spring. 

Cleveland Photographer

Each year we get dressed all festive and go to visit Santa.  My oldest with his notebook in hand to tell Santa 3 things he wants for Christmas.  My little guy knows his by heart and will repeat them to anyone who asks.  And for mommy...this trip is my chance to get some holiday photos of my boys together.  Our new spot is just perfect...with Reindeer to boot! Merry Christmas all...from my family, to yours. 

Chagrin Falls, Ohio Photographer

I don't know where the time has gone.  Any mother will tell you the same about her own growing child.  But I look at his face...and I see so much of his daddy...and less and less of the baby that he used to be.  I watch videos and listen to that tiny voice he had...so quiet...and it's almost as if that was an entire lifetime ago.  He's only 6 and those memories are already soft in the back of my mind.  I wonder, if not for photos and videos, whether his baby time would be all but lost to me.  So each year I try to document who he is.  What our lives feel like...and look like. When I take his yearly pictures, I try to capture his emotions...his expressions and silliness...his connection to the things around him.  My dear son...although you are 6 years old and changing by the minute, some things remain the same.  You are still sensitive and loving.  Cautious and each year more adventurous.  I see you take small risks...going just slightly further each time, pushing the line from what you think you can't do to giving it a nudge. You are still silly and goofy...sometimes to make others laugh and other times as a masque to hide that you are embarrassed or upset.  You think I don't know, but I do.  I'm your mom and for now, I get to be the only expert on you outside of yourself.  I hope I am doing this right.  I pray that I'm building you up.  Firm but not too harsh (but, my dear, you are first born, and sometimes that means I expect far too much).  I hope you feel my love, my pride in you.  Even when I'm mad, even when you make a mistake (because let's be honest, I make far more), my love is forever, never ending, always there.  Nothing you do can ever change that.  

So I know there are too many pictures here, but I'm not apologizing.  Not for a second.  Because this is my way of freezing time to remember the way your dark chocolate eyes sparkle, how you throw your head back when you laugh, or how you stand, holding your hands behind your back.  I want to document it all before you are on the verge of 18 and 6 is soft to me.  I can look back at these and bring into focus the beautiful 6 year old you are today.  As always...thanks for choosing me, my little love.

Chagrin Falls Child Photographer

This is what we did when I was a kid.  Rode for hours in the car, crossed the border into Canada and fished on a lake where they practically jumped on the hook for you.  It had been years since we had done this....my sister and I just little girls.  When my dad booked this trip, I knew what he wanted.  He wanted the memories of doing it with his grandsons, his grown girls...he wanted to continue a tradition from his own childhood.  This trip was for him.  Or at least that is what I thought.  In reality this trip was for me...for all of us.  Mostly disconnected from it all aside for the spotty wifi if you were close to the main cabin.  I love the disconnect.  I read 2 books.  Something I haven't done in years.  I fished.  We boated.  We made meals, relaxed together, and enjoyed the time together...my parents, my sister, my husband and our boys.  It was the week we all needed.

When you are a Clevelander you pretty much stick to your side of town.  Sure we popped over for haircuts or to see daddy at work...or the occasional lego store outing, but when we were West siders the East side was just somewhere we seldom went.  So moving to the East side means there is a lot of exploring and new adventures. Grandma came to visit the boys and see the new house so we decided to try a new spot.  Holden Arboretum is amazing.  Acres upon acres of incredible trees and nature.  And what could be better for a tree lover like myself than a canopy walk.  It was incredible.