My heart.

Lilah, in a matter of three short years, you have changed me inside and out. You have made me a better person. A more patient person. You make me laugh every day. You surprise me every day. You challenge me every day. You stretch me to my limits and then melt my heart with a simple, “I love you.” As you grow, I grow with you. As a mother and as a person. As I write this post, you are in the kitchen, making crafts with your daddy. Pink, of course.

You love the colour pink. As much as I have tried not to establish any gender biases in our home, you have still become the girliest of girls. You have an entire drawer filled with adorable jeans which you flatly refuse to wear. You are not a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. You would wear a party dress every day if you could, and most days, you do. When we discussed having a birthday party, you wanted a girls only Pinkalicious party. It was your own idea, the inspiration coming from your current favourite book. How could I refuse?

We started off your party-day (Friday) with a giant bowl of pink Fruit Loops (the night before, your Aunt Karla and I separated all of the pink cereal out of the box).It was a very special treat. You were off the wall from the sugar, and at one point during your party, squealed with delight (or too much sugar in your system), “I’m just so SO excited that all of my friends are here!”

You are three years old. Three! You are so creative. You love to pretend. You could sit on my lap and listen to me read stories for hours. You love to dance in the kitchen while you look at your reflection in the fridge. You love nail polish and hairspray, Mary Poppins and rubber boots (always on the wrong feet, because they are “comfy that way”). You love to dress your little sister up like a princess, and your “puppy” can often be found sleeping beside the wood stove adorned with pearls. You drive me crazy sucking on the ends your hair and sticking your finger up your nose. No matter how many layers I dress you in the morning, you somehow always seem to end up running around the house wearing nothing but undies.

You are and will always be my baby. Whether you are three or thirty three. All of the sleepless nights, the worry, the tantrums and timeouts are worth every moment of YOU. Sometimes I wonder at the marvel that you grew inside of me and now you are this little person walking around outside of my body in sparkly shoes.  For nine (and a half) months, I carried you in my womb, warm like Daddy’s hands and soft like Millie’s cheeks. You know what my heart sounds like from the inside. At night, while you moved inside of me, I wondered what you would look like and who you would become. You are so much better than anything I could have imagined. My little spitfire in pink shoes. My firstborn baby. My three year old girl.

Mama loves you, Chick-a-dee.

Leave a comment below if you would like to WIN an autographed copy of the calendar! Link to this post on facebook and receive an additional entry. Contest closes Friday , November 11th….

And because a blog post is never complete without photos, here is a little teaser below of Firefighter Mike Roch…
UPDATE! I’ve extended the contest to Friday, November 11th. AND I’m making the prize a little bit better! In addition to winning an autographed calendar, the winner will have the calendar delivered (to his/her home or place of work) by a firefighter in uniform (don’t worry, it will be someone from the calendar, not my farm-boy, moustached husband!)

Come on Ladies, show some love! All of the proceeds from this calendar go to support local charites. Everyone involved has volunteered so much time and energy into a cause that will be such a benefit to our little community of Sarnia-Lambton.

And a few more teasers of Russ Pettypiece….

Mo and Jay, it really is the love. I hope I was able to capture even the tiniest bit of what is already there…

p.s. Thanks for bringing the delicious raw vegan lasagna for dinner (and convincing Mike that he can actually fill his belly with vegetables!)

When we found out we were pregnant with Lilah, we were both so cautious – afraid to let ourselves get too hopeful because a few months before we had a miscarriage. When I started spotting again for the second time, I called you at work in tears, sure we had lost another baby. We were living in London and you had been commuting to work in Sarnia. You made the hour drive home in less than 45 minutes.

At the Emergency department, I went in for an ultrasound. I wanted you to be with me, but it wasn’t policy to allow partners in the room until the very end. When the technician had finished up, and was ready to share what she had concluded, she asked: “Would you like your husband to join you for this part?” Expecting the worst, but still hanging on to hope, you walked into the room and held my hand tightly. The technician turned her computer toward us, and pointed to a tiny flickering spot on the screen. “That’s the baby’s heartbeat,” she smiled. “Would you like to hear it?” Our ears filled with the sound of the little life growing within me and we both started to laugh. I saw your eyes fill up with tears as you squeezed my hand tighter.

In that instant you became a father.
You were hooked.

The three years since have passed so quickly. Sometimes it seems so surreal that we are the parents to these two amazing little girls. In the blink of an eye, our daily lives have become so full.
Full of chaos.
Full of love.
More love than I could have ever imagined is housed within these four walls.

It’s so easy to fall in to our respective roles of “Mama” and “Daddy” (making dinners, kissing “ouchies,” folding laundry, reading bedtime stories…). But as much as you are a “Daddy” to our girls, I never lose sight of the husband you are to me.

I remember our wedding day like it was yesterday. Memories laced with the smell of fresh picked flowers and beeswax candles, a gentle breeze dancing through the bean fields and across my freckled nose, the sound of children laughing, my (not so) little brother reading “The Velveteen Rabbit,” and Jessica’s film rewinding – indelibly writing our memories with light.

Our cheeks hurt from smiling so much!

Our wedding day was perfect in an imperfect sort of way. And that perfect day has never ended. It has only gotten better. Even as I sit here, writing these words, way past any hope of a good night’s sleep, I am still reminded of how blessed we are to have found a home in each other.

My cheeks still hurt.

Lilah has spent the past four days being sick over a little bucket while we took turns holding her hair back and intermittently washing and changing bed sheets. Both of us ended up feeling “flu-ish” and achy as well. But even though we have been cooped up in the bedroom, I’ve officially memorized Make Way For Ducklings and Going on a Bear Hunt, and we’ve watched more Disney movies that I care to admit, we somehow still managed to have a good time. To make up for all of the vomiting, Lilah has said, “I wuv you Mama” and “I wuv you Daddy” in her high pitched, squeaky voice more times than I can count. Amelia has smiled, giggled, belly laughed, and entertained us all in her Jolly Jumper in the bedroom doorway (she only fussed for the tiniest bit when I had to clean Lilah’s projectile vomit off the side of her face).

Maybe because it’s waaaay past my bedtime, or because I’ve been stuck in the house for so long on a diet of popsicles and Gingerale this will all sound silly when the sun rises. Even if this is the case, you are such an incredible father and husband. You are always here for your girls, smiling and laughing, making us feel safe and protected and loved.

But most of all loved.

Happy father’s day, Mike. Our sleeping babies love you so much. I love you so much.

You are my inspiration.

Thankyou!

And because no post is complete without a photo, here is Lilah sporting her big sister gift from Lori (owner of Citefuzz and crafter extraordinaire!)

I was pretty excited when I heard that Erin was opening Belly Babe Maternity Boutique and thought it would be the perfect place to showcase some of my photography. I have six large (28×36) canvases adorning the walls of her adorable boutique. I LOVE to photograph beautiful pregnant bellies, and Belly Babe has a great selection of clothing and accessories perfect for a maternity photo session.

Erin and I have decided to do a little cross promotion. Erin has generously offered a 20% discount to any of my clients outfitting themselves for their session. Because Mother’s Day is approaching I am offering any of her customers who spend over $100 at Belly Babe a $25 discount off their maternity session fee and in addition a $25 print credit for spending over $200. These discounts can be applied to any 2011 maternity session booked during the month of May!

I have a what to wear guide that I send out with some info about Erin’s store when a client books a maternity session. Like many mothers, at the end of my pregnancies, I start to feel HUGE and so ready to have my little baby in my arms. Maternity sessions give us mommies a chance to get dressed up and feel good about our bodies. Your photos will be a keepsake that will forever capture these sacred moments in your life.

Whether you are expecting, or just looking for a new handbag or scarf, be sure to check out Belly Babe Maternity Boutique! Here is a link to Belly Babe’s facebook page. If you are on facebook be sure to “like” the page for the most current info, news, and specials going on in the store.

Here is a link to their facebook group for more information.

The Community Centre is at 360 Tank St. (right off Petrolia Line) in Petrolia and runs from 9am until 2pm tomorrow (Saturday, April 2nd).

Book a 2011 photo session with Sarah Graham Photography tomorrow and $25 of the session fee will be donated towards the play equipment for the centre!

And because no post is complete without a photo – here’s something to get you thinking about Spring! Nothing like squishy green grass and a pair of rubber boots.