I have wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember.  As a child I admired the stay at home moms (10 ways to strive as a stay at home parent) in the neighborhood growing up in, in Grandview, Missouri.  They would take us to the city pool, bake cookies with their kids and were home if we needed them.  It seemed perfect and I was all in.  That is why I feel so blessed to be able to have a business where I work from my home in Lee's Summit as a photographer and set my own schedule, so I can do all of those things with my kiddos.  Of course these days with everyone at home, stay at home mom is in full force.  All of my photo sessions have cancelled or on are hold.  So I can totally now focus on my kiddos.  And they need it!  We are in our first day/week of schooling electronically from home.  

                Another thing I feel blessed about is being able to marry the man of my dreams.  We met in elementary school and my first memory of him was in 3^rd grade when he told me he knew how to do algebra (a lie, he didn’t actually know how, I found out later).  I loved math and remember thinking, “WOW! How do you add letters together?”  In the 4^th grade he stuck up for me, proving even then he had my back.  Unfortunately in the 6^th grade he moved to the next town over, but luckily for us, we reunited shortly after thanks to our church.  We started dating in high school and the rest is history!

                Once we were married I thought I wanted to have 4 kids.  It seemed perfect!  My first child is my daughter, Isabel, a fun, loving, adventurous kid.  She is much like me and was so fun as a baby that I was quickly looking forward to having our second.  Eli came along when the time was right and was the happiest, sweetest infant; very laid back.  In fact his first year there was only one time he was inconsolable, he was teething and I was at my wits end.  I really didn’t know what to do to console him, because he had been so easy up until this point.  That’s when my patient, rock of a husband stepped in and took over.  Teamwork is so important in a marriage! 

                Eli kept being my easy baby until he became a toddler, that’s when his stubbornness came out.  (Which can be a good thing but not necessarily when he’s butting heads with mom, ha!) I felt myself stretched thin and decided two kids were perfect for us.  I adore both my kids but sometimes wonder how it would have been if we had kept going.  And while there is still a small possibility for more, I think our family of four is just right!

I can’t believe Eli is now 7!  I am so glad that during Eli’s first year, I took a picture of him every month.  He was such a cutie pie, don’t you think?  If you have an infant I would love to help you capture his first year, contact me HERE to set up a time to talk.