Just a little dose of daily life.  It's very rare that I have to wake my chipper little early bird up in the morning, but it was a school morning and getting late.  Amazed he was still sleeping after I opened his blind, I just had to grab my camera.  I'm glad I did, because I also captured his latest "wall art" - a throwing game with points taped to the wall that we worked on together for a good hour, me drawing the circles and filling in the points, hecarefully cutting each out and creating the pattern on the wall.  We played it exactly 3 times together, but that's the way his games usually go.  So much careful preparation, a quick demonstration, then on to the next thing. 

Even if you aren't a photographer extraordinaire, don't forget to take snapshots on a regular basis.  It's so easy to forget the little things our kids do and take pride in.  The shoebox above is a "nest" for his favourite hummingbird Webkin, "Nature"-raised closer to the nightlight in case she's afraid of the dark.  The box beside that, is a cereal box, cut and decorated to make a magazine holder -I have a lovely one next to my bed as well.  Will we keep all these things in the future?  No, but now I have a permanant record of them and the creativity of my six year old boy. 

Below is a shot of Gavin right after he insisted I take the training wheels off his bike.  We've been trying to convince him he didn't need them for a month now, as they were so bent up, they never touched the ground.  He picked up his friend's bike the other day and rode it back to his house, then realized it didn't have training wheels!  As with anything this stubborn kid does, he has to decide for himself he can do it, then quickly and easily excels.  Go Gavin go!

I couldn't be more happy with the Mini-Sessions I held for the Momstown Moms yesterday!  The turnout was great, the location, Downtown Barrie's hidden gem, The Richmond Manor B&B even dreamier than anticipated. To top it off, I was blessed with a perfectly overcast sky -to a photographer, this translates as no harsh shadows and lush, saturated colours.  The whole experience was worth every one of the 23 mosquito bites I received (seriously, they love me!).

Above, at 5 months, Baby A was perfectly content wherever we placed her, and very pretty in pink.

Here's G, perfectly dressed for a garden party; and very befitting this elegant little girl.

Who can resist a handsome bald man?  At one month old, B is already workin' it!

F was ready to go as soon as I was -watch out Mom & Dad, you've got quite a little Flirt on your hands!

S & A gave me quite the run-around, but eventually I got 'em!

Baby E had no shortage of baby smiles for us -what a cutie!

Whew, P&P are quite the trekkers!  Trouble was, they each wanted to trek in opposite directions!

I sure got my excersize with L; at only 2 years old, she was outrunning me!  Lucky for me, she really liked this swing.

I fell in love with this huge maple as soon as I drove up to this house.  I had the instant idea to shoot the baby laying underneath it and hoping the parents would be game.  Lucky for me, they were more than game, and loved the idea!  I love open minded clients -you make my job so much easier & more fun!

First-time Mom, and couldn't be more enthralled with her new little man.

Baby S was a sleepy little guy; he didn't give me much in the way of eye contactact, but there was no shortage of newborn smiles!   So sweet.

This is Grandma's third grandson, and she couldn't be more doting or helpful.  Great colour on her, don't you agree? ; ) 

Thank you S family; I had a great morning with you!

It's plastic, it was in my neighbour's garage sale, and it's now one of the most precious items in my whole house.  This is the first thing my son ever bought me with his own money.  When I saw that my neighbour across the courtyard was having a garage sale, I could see the rows of kid's toys and tried hard to keep my little guy occupied indoors for as long as I could.  I envisioned him going over there & falling in love with at least a dozen items, his few toonies, loonies and assorted change burning a hole in his little tin Lightening McQueen case.  Finally, I could contain him no longer. 

As expected, he soon came back home and announced he needed a quarter to purchase an item.  Well, not bad, I thought; just one thing caught his eye, and at a quarter no less.  What could be the harm?   Lo and behold, he came back home with an item purchased not for himself, but for me.  Lovely and thoughtful to boot -he knew I needed an "in between" sized vase for holding flowers.   Our children never cease to amaze & surprise us do they?   Little things like this, the notes he leaves me around the house, the mulitple Mother's Day cards he made me a month ahead of time, the small and large tasks he takes upon himself to please me, and all the surprising sweet nothings he says to me on a daily basis.  Man, I love this kid, he is the centre of my universe -and for a precious little while, I know that I am the centre of his.