19/52 Home Sweet Home

Even spiders have homes!

That time I was a birth photographer...

So, we've been through lots of different times together. That time I was a wedding planner, a florist, a wedding photographer, and now, my latest dip into photography...a birth.

I think birth photography is amazing. The moments captured have such intense emotion. The feelings evoked when looking at those images are so strong.

I have always wanted to photograph a birth. But, I'm not a professional photographer. Who is going to let me just waltz right in and take some pictures of such an intimate moment?

Cue one of my best friends, Andrea. We have known each other for 15 (!) years now. We only lived in the same city for 9 months during freshman year in college and that was enough for a lifelong friendship. We've been to Paris together living on bread, cheese, and maybe a little bit of wine for a week. We've been in each others weddings. She flew all the way from San Francisco for my baby shower. She gives the best presents and has the cutest clothes. She and her husband moved to the city we live in a couple of years ago and they had their first child last weekend.

This baby was quite overdue. Like final hours, last resort before the midwives made her go to the hospital and get induced overdue.  Now we know what took him so long...he was waiting for my birthday.

I arrived at the Birth Center at 9pm on April 11th. 

Expecting a long night I brought a book, snacks, and bunch of entertainment. I joked with the midwives about the baby being born on my birthday and they were all, OK out-of-touch-knows-nothing-about-birth crazy lady - that's never happening.

Check out this gorgeousness...

So much support! 

The calmest and most peaceful laborer...

Surprised to see the head, "Oh, I guess we will be having this baby before midnight!"

One second old! 

4/11/15 at 11:00pm

Happy Family!

Staring at Daddy

Mommy bonding time

Midwife exam...

Perfect fingers!

How many hands does it take to buckle a newborn?

To me, a newborn session is all about the cute new baby, but a birth session is all about the moment and the experience.  The power and beauty of a mother in labor. The love explosion that happens after that baby is born. How lucky I am.

12/52 Shining

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine!

Shines on me and it shines on you,
Shows you what the power of love can do.
Shine my light both bright and clear,
Shine my light both far and near,
In every dark corner that I find,
Let my little light shine."

11/52 Reality

Aleko is participating more and more. It's harder to supervise two kids helping and these adorable moments often end in tears. Like here, since mom decided to take a picture, he pulled the whole thing down on top of him.

At least I put the camera down instead of taking the time to take another one of both of them crying and screaming while covered head to toe in frozen popsicle mix. 

10/52 Nature

The reflection in the sidewalk stopped me in my tracks the other day and I had to run inside to grab my camera. I love how the clouds melt into the sidewalk.

9/52 Shapes

In keeping with the theme from last week of finding the beauty during winter...I love the shape of our tall grass and how it paints the sky.

And we all know Aleko's favorite shape. Only to be eaten by the fistful, without even taking the time to look at them. 

8/52 Perspective

I had a surprising revelation the other day. I really don't like the winter. Or maybe THIS winter. I know this is not unique, but it was strange since I rarely complain about the weather and love the change of the seasons.

But, I am tired. Bundling and un-bundling the kids for in and out of the car...Keeping them out of the foot of piled snow by the parked car...Getting them to understand when it's appropriate to play in the snow and when it's not.

I'm often so exhausted after getting them dressed that I'm too tired to appropriately dress myself and leave with no coat on.

The wooded creek near our house is frozen and beautiful. I went there to get a new perspective on winter. The ice is powerful, but also fleeting and fragile.

If I can't enjoy the weather, at least I can appreciate the wonder.

6/52 Happy

There is something about this place and its traditions that are magical. When we miss a Mardi Gras, I am cranky and furious. The drum lines, the kids in ladders, the huge crowd that is always happy and never unruly...I love it all.

5/52 Small

It's hard to remember she's only three. She'll remind you she's three AND A HALF. She thinks that is another age. Like turning 4 or 5.

She loves to help. Never EVER tell her she is too small to do something.

4/52 A Part of Me

"To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world..."

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

These figurines were spotted in a small store in Paris and bought years later as the cake toppers for our wedding cake. They sit on a shelf in our bedroom and put smiles on our faces. 



But then, looking at a wider picture of the shelves, it is filled with things that are a part of us. Representations of our love and life together. 

A statue of a girl pulling a boy up or a boy holding up a girl, depending on the day. 
Candle holders that were bought on our first trip to Greece 11 years ago that we split up so each of us could have one and weren't reunited until we moved into together after getting married. 
Two little crystal turtles. 
People playing in the rain together, a piece of art bought on our second trip to Greece in 2013

Everything here is a part of us. 

3/52 Light

A dinner guest brought us some lovely flowers and Zoe snuggled in a perfect spot on the couch...

50mm ISO 1200 f1.8  1/125sec

50mm  ISO 500 f3.2 1/640s

2/52 Storytelling

I'm of the belief that all pictures tell a story, but some just melt my heart!

Nikon D80,  50mm , manual, ISO 1250 f1.8

1/52 Fresh

P52 is back!

Last year was a train wreck in regards to my photography. The first half of the year I didn't feel well enough to do it. The second half of the year I had a new crawler/walker who would split his face open running down the driveway if I wasn't holding his hand.

Here is the image Yannos voted for...

Freshly Popped! 

But this is the image that speaks to me...

There is nothing like eating fresh snow. 

I'm antsy for a new camera. My D80 picks up a lot of noise around 600 ISO. Now, I don't mind some noise, but during the low-light of winter, it's a bit out of control.

Favorite beach pictures

Sometimes there are great pictures that just don't fit into any posts. So sit back and enjoy my favorites!

I don't think I ever got sick of the patterns made during low tide

Daddy and Zoe footprints

I think you got a little sand on your face

Salt. Sand. It's all the same

Faces, faces

Love this monkey

Spoiled by the sunsets

Zoe loves baby brother

Sunset yoga

Zoe's big adventure!

This is about the day we went to the Wildwood boardwalk to take a little evening stroll.

If you aren't familiar with it, there are small amusement parks and some carnival rides on a few of the piers.

Zoe was AMAZED by the rides. We watched 50 empty log flumes comes down and splash. We watched the big roller coasters scream by. We watched the Atmosfear plummet to the ground while Zoe giggled, "They so high. Then they fall down!"

She wanted to get on everything. But she's a tiny baby, so we mostly got an easy out by telling her, "you're too little for that ride" (even the kiddie ones).

Then we turn the corner and I hear her yell....

It was essentially a giant swing, and she actually met the height restriction to ride with an adult. We watched it for a little bit so she knew what she was getting into, and she exclaimed, "They swinging! I like it!" So we bought tickets to ride and got in line. 

See how much fun she is having just standing in line?!

She hopped in her seat and waved at the other kids...

She obediently raised her arms for the bar to come down....

She even asked Yannos about the buckling the strap. Safety first!

She chatted with Daddy...

Then, things took a turn. 

The ride started and the poor dear totally freaked out. 

She just kept telling Yannos, "I scared. I scared."

Since Yannos and I are the worst, we told the attendant that she didn't have to stop the ride.


Luckily for Zoe, the ride attendant had more compassion than her parents.