Charlotte's 2 year photos

I heart photography.  I just plain love it.  And might I add...I love my daughter.  Just TOTALLY love her!

I am more than a little rusty on lighting and editing and all of the important photography skills.... but I do enjoy taking photos...

And since I cannot hire a photographer to capture every precious moment of our life story... I decided to give it a go for Charlotte's 2 year photos.  Unfortunately since I am the photographer and Mommy, I want to share all of my favorites.  Believe it or not...these are probably only a quarter of the number of images I actually took.  I gotta work on not taking so many photos in the future....  but I doubt that will happen!!

It's a little stressful playing photographer along with the roll of mommy.  I usually walk a fine line between frustration and desperation as I plead with my family to do this or that.  I did my best to just breathe and relax this time around.  

Even with Cale's continuous crying.  (I should have snapped a pic of him doing this!  Aw well... I was focused on my girl...)

Charlotte started off with a bit of a tantrum.  I was bribing her with fruit snacks and she just didn't want to wait for the first one.

It's funny what a little gummy snack can do for a toddler.  And a Mommy's state of mind for that matter...

Of course bribery by fruit snacks can only go so far.  Charlotte still gave me a run for my money!  But it was so much fun snapping photos and capturing many of her typical-two-year-old expressions and tendencies.  That was my purpose in taking the pictures after all!  To capture this moment in time.  So when she is a teenager and.... well... who knows what she will be like then!  I just want to be able to look back.  At this moment.  Ya know?

I want to remember quizzical Charlotte.  I am sure this is an expression that will stick with her for years to come!  It has so much sass to it!  She was testing me here.  I kept asking her to give be a big smile and she kept looking the other way, giving sly faces.  

I also want to remember up-to-something Charlotte.  She often gets this cute little grin on her face when she has an idea or thought that she finds amusing.  And then she rattles off a story in her own unique language and proceeds to put that idea in motion.  It ALWAYS makes me smile!  I hope she never loses that joyful spirit of hers...

She gets so proud of herself when she thinks of funny things to do!  Or finds a perfect spot to sit.  The little things amuse her.... and that warms my heart!

I want to remember silly Charlotte.  She loves to be silly!  (So does Mommy for that matter....so you can imagine we have a lot of silliness happen throughout our days at home!)

And silly Charlotte with her blanky.  Since Cale was born, Charlotte has grown an attachment to her pink blanky.  (when she says it, it sounds like "lainty," with an emphasis on the "ty.")

I brought Charlotte's blanky along with us for her pictures.  It's such a staple of her right now...I figured it was a must for these photos.  Turned out to be a good idea!  She ran down the hill to get her blanky from me... and I managed to snap some pretty good shots of my sweet girl!

Just look at her...such happiness!  A child's joy is just so precious!

I'm not sure how long she will suck her thumb.  Her right thumb, to be exact.  But I want to remember that too.  Because even though there's a whole group of people who say thumb-sucking is Badbadbad.  I DO NOT CARE.  I think it is adorable.  And I know plenty of adults who sucked their thumbs and turned out just fine, teeth and all.  So I am not worried.  She loves that thumb of hers.

But she also loves fruit snacks.  And chocolate.  And just about anything sweet and nothing healthy.  It is exhausting trying to get this sweet girl to eat what is good for her!  But I just keep trying.  Maybe if Daddy and Mommy had more will power it wouldn't be so difficult... But I really do try!  

I want to remember her fine baby hair with it's sweet little curls.  I haven't cut it yet.  Even though she usually refuses to have it styled in any way, shape or form.  And it always ends up in her eyes.  That's okay.  Her little head shake and hand swipe to remove the hair from her eyes has got attitude.  Cracks us up!

 

And I want to remember the way she looks at me now.  She loves me.  She thinks I am great!  She is my little shadow, copying what I do (right down the my "graceful" dance moves...) and I feel like I am worth a million bucks in her eyes!  It's a good feeling.  To be loved by my daughter.  Especially when I love her more than I can ever explain.

And I want to remember her cool style!  She is quite the dresser.  More stylish than me.  And she is two!  We often joke that we will be in a heap of trouble when she hits her teen years!

Oh Charlotte.  We love you!

So stinking much.  

Thank You Jesus for this family.  Thank You for loving us first.