The other night I gave myself a small challenge. It was time to tuck the kids into bed, Chris was tucking the big boys into bed, and I was tucking Aiden and Bella in. I decided to grab my camera and take some photos of the kids. I wanted to capture those little details that when I'm snuggling them I think about and just LOVE, like a chubby toddler's fingers, or the way Aiden always makes a fishy lips face when he's in an animated mood etc.
This is why for our portrait sessions I send out a questionnaire asking several questions about your family, or relationship so we can try to capture some of those small details that you want to remember forever.
So the other night, as Aiden and Bella were reading books I had some fun.
They both love books, they love being read to, looking through them on their own, if it's a book, they LOVE it! :) I'm hoping they continue that love of books throughout their life.
Aiden now "reads" books to us. I love hearing the story he creates just looking at the photos. His story telling is a cross between making up a story, and imaginative play. He will point to a photo, start telling the story he sees, then he points back and forth to different characters as they "talk" to each other.
I LOVE the "fishy lips" he gets when he's talking & in an animated mood! He's done that since he was a baby, and it makes me sad to think that one day as he gets older it will be a memory of the past. (not that I want him making wierd faces like that as an adult!) haha
And I just love little hands, and how they change as they grow. He's at that transition stage where his chubby toddler/baby fingers are becoming thinner, longer and his hands are turning into little boy hands, but they aren't QUITE there yet. :) Soon he will have strong boy hands that will be calloused from all the hard play.
Bella however still have the super cute chubby fingers that I just adore. I find myself, when playing with her sometimes, just watching her little hands and how she explores with them. So many new things to learn about in this big world, and she's at the age where they wants to explore and touch EVERYTHING with those adorable chubby little fingers.
Aiden read us several books that evening, and he's such a good story teller, he even shows us the pages after telling the story! haha
This is one of those rare, SUPER QUICK moments that I just love. Aiden and Bella love each other, but they are both at an age where they don't quite understand the other one & hugs general quickly go down hill to pushes and hits by the one who feels their space was invaded for too long for their taste. :) haha
Another thing I find myself wanting to remember forever, is Bella's adorable little chubby cheeks. I just want to kiss those cheeks all day long. I know I'm going to blink and she will have grown up and will loose all this baby chub, and I want to capture all these details and favorite angles of her now while I can.
She's trying to talk, and learn new words every day, and if you watch her closely, she is always rolling her tongue around in her mouth trying new sounds.
My happy little girl! (who's obsessed with the camera!)
like I said,I just LOVE her chubby cheeks!
Yes, I was TOTALLY in a hands mood. :) I don't know how many photos I took of both of their hands! haha
This photo captures not only our daily lives with our kiddos right now, and how eveything feels like a blur, but it also captures my feelings towards how I feel their lives and these important moments feel. Like they are fleeting moments that are wizzing past us at breakneck speed. And we need to record it now when we have the oportunity before they are all but a memory.
My currious little girl, she kept peeking out the blinds into our dark back yard. I had to laugh at the contrast of her curriostiy, and Aiden's stage right now, which is fear of the dark. He won't walk into a room at night, if the blinds are open (even if we are in the room, he will ask us to close the blinds first).
To close this post, this series made me LAUGH OUT LOUD! I thought I was capturing a nice quiet moment of both kids reading books in Aiden's bed.
Then Bella decided playing with Aiden's hair would be more fun. He was such a good sport, letting her pick and his hair.
When she didn't get any attention or reaction from him, she decided to take things a step further.......
That's when I put the camera down to break up the ensuing fight, (Bella's a burly girl!) and give both kids some snuggles before bed.
So now let me direct this to you, our loyal blog readers.
What do YOU want to remember forever about your children, spouse, significant other, and loved ones?
Are you recording those memories?
When you are taking those photos/videos, or going to someone to have them record them for you, are you making sure to convey what those details are that you love?
I know I'm not always as good about it as I'd like to be. But I think this next week, I'll be pulling out the video camera more to capture their voices and mannerisms that cant be captured as well in still photos. And I'm now motivated that I need to schedule a family photo session for OUR family with a professional so that someone else can capture us as a FAMILY. :)
