Sometimes I feel like I have allowed my life to get too chaotic. I signed up for too much. Put too many activities and “things to do” in my days that keep me so busy I lose sight of the basic me. Definitely guilty now that I have thought it all out and really dissected it. Family and friends call me out on this quite a bit. I just giggle and carry on because isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?! Aren’t I supposed to be busy chauffeuring children to activities, working, maintaining a house, attempting to be an awesome wife, battling infertility, photographer on the side….what more can I add? (Don’t tell me, I might try and add it!) I enjoy all this but I rarely pause and think about it and how much is excess. However, over the past month I have been really evaluating all this stuff and putting it into my “need to do” vs “feel like I must do.”

In light of my evaluations I realized I’m so busy with all this stuff I have no recent photos of my kids. Sure, I have the iPhone photos of fun things we do or silly faces at home. But I’m talking about an actual photo session. None of my own babies from this phase in their young lives. So I amended that issue and had a “must do now” moment. So we headed out to the backyard and snapped a couple pictures to appease my need.

While sitting editing these photos I made one of those motherly vows to myself. I am going to take more time too see the light in their eyes. To feel their wonderment in the everyday. To go back to my basics. To simplify our lives a bit. Add a bit of whimsy to the everyday. I learned how to be a photographer because of them. They were my inspiration.

So I now have these whimsical pictures of my babies; that aren’t such babies anymore. I have two hanging in my half finished gallery wall (another project that took a lot of time but…wasn’t necessary…but I love it) and I blew up two on canvas and have them in my bedroom. Gentle reminders to slow down and appreciate the little moments.