one + a half.

happy one + a half times around the sun little one!

(turned 18 months on tuesday)

brothers.

life lesson that i am still learning - don't make photography forced with your children. of course i had in my mind these amazingly cute photos of my boys wearing matching outfits but i ended up just getting so frustrated with roman because he was being persnickety and wouldn't smile. which is just hilarious because why do i expect my son to smile on command?? oh well. regardless – still happy that I got an updated shot of these brothers :)

it is so interesting to see the way that asher looks at roman. he literally admires him in the deepest sense of the word. he is constantly watching roman and doing everything that he does. i constantly catch this happening. roman laying on his back reading a book on the bedroom floor - asher grabs a book and lays next to him mimicking him. roman jumping from bed to bed fighting imaginary bad guys - asher following him, jumping and making fighting sounds as well. the other day roman left the room to grab a shirt. when he came back in, asher was right behind him holding his own shirt. he watched roman put his shirt on and brought me his shirt to put on! I DIED.

just loving, loving the chance to watch my boys grow daily into their own individuality and also watch their relationship grow as brothers.

such a blessing :)

fifteen months.

asher actually turns 18 months old tomorrow, however i really wanted to share these 15 month photos from the fall before it's way too late :)

dear asher,

                i'm sorry that i get so frustrated when you kick + kick + kick my face, grab, scream, whine, destroy and get into everything. you have a strength about you that just tests my selfishness almost every day. but there is also a poetry about you that is a gift to my soul. the way you twirl  and twirl and twirl my hair, the way you lay your head on my chest and sing with me, the way you've always given such genuine kisses + hugs since you were only months old. tonight in the bath amidst a dreary weary day, we heard "rainbow connection" come on from the muppets movie playing in the living room and we sang and danced and smiled and hugged - all in slow silky motion. your special darling smile, your warm baby butter body melting into my arms. those are the moments that make me want to scream with joy. thank you my asher, for bringing me new life each day.

love ,mama

 (taken from my journal when asher was about 14 months old)

p.s. i'm SO excited to now be writing on the spearmint baby website!
read my first post from today here :)

these warm winter days.

these photos are from before Christmas on one of those crazy warm winter days that we seem to have more and more of over the past couple years! i usually absolutely despise winter. i don't do well without light and warmth i guess. the past two winters though have been AMAZING! i realized yesterday that i actually don't even mind winter that much this year! there have been so many random warm days that it really breaks things up and doesn't make me feel like i have just been holed up inside freezing for months at a time. i think another reason that winter is tolerable this year is that we have gas heat and our house is actually pleasantly warm as opposed to last year!

my boys LOVE to be outside. especially asher. when we open up the front door he bolts outs with a picture of pure happiness on his face! i am so blessed to have aaron who is always willing to take the boys out to play on days that are warmish but still too cold for me to want to go outside. during our big snow after Christmas he took roman out a few times and they explored while asher and i stayed nice and warm inside.  just last night roman was rambling on about someday when he'll go on camping trips with dad and i know that there will be lots of outdoors adventures in the future for 

aaron and my boys :)

naptime.

my little napping 17 month babe :)

so sweet, and peaceful and pretty.

roman of course was my little assistant during this photo shoot, 

taking photos by my side with the cell phone.

school starts tomorrow! and i finally just finished up everything on my to do list.

well no, not really at all. i don't even have a to do list, and if i did it would be horribly depressing to look at. but i have finished everything i needed to do online finally such as book ordering and form filling out. shew. i sorted through and edited a lot of photos today.

look forward to sharing.

my babies are growing and changing everyday.

one of a kind.

haven't really shared anything lately, although i have so many photos to share. and i guess thoughts and things to share as well. 

but i've been busy just not wanting to share anything at all, if that makes sense.

i've just been working at school work, and doing some with my photography business as well.

not been in the best of moods either.

trying to hang on and learn and grow and keep it together, but it is hard for me.

that's putting it mildly, hah.

but here's a little photo of our littlest, who i always call "teeny boy".

he is such a teeny boy, he just feels so little and teeny and special and warm.

he has the craziest little spirit and takes a lot of energy to deal with some days, or most days rather.

 lately,  i have just been noticing all the special things about him.

i thank God for blessing us with this little teeny boy who

has these spunky little qualities about him that came from who knows where.

i thank God for asher's surprises and specialness.

he is truly
 one of a kind.

happy friday.

  so far today has been filled with morning coffee + waffles + photo editing, haircuts + baths for the babes ( + ross of course ), an attempt at a photoshoot with the boys outside that ended in everyone cranky, shipping my lens back from borrowed lenses + hoping that mine will be fixed soon,  andgreen tea + homework at the coffee shop.

now i'm preparing myself for the next 24 hours which I always hate because aaron works 17 hours and I'm whiny and pathetic as ever every weekend when he does. 

here's to hoping you all have a good weekend

and that I will survive (as I always do) until tomorrow evening!