So it's been a month since my last post because it's been a totally whirlwind around here!
We have totally embraced "toddler-hood"! You know how people always say that they wish their babies would stay newborns forever? Well, that is not my case. Don't get me wrong if I had a cuddly newborn who sleeps, and didn't cry for literally hours and hours at a time, I would probably love it. However, Brynlee was not like that as a newborn. She was extremely colicky and literally cried for hours upon hours. She would only sleep if I held her, so I made our recliner in our living room my bed for the first....four months. On top of not being able to sleep, I was becoming a total basket-case. Seriously, I was probably psycho. Props to Ben for putting up with my crazy postpartum nonsense.
I love the age that she is right now. 14 months old is so much fun because she thinks basically everything is awesome, funny, and so exciting! It's so much fun to play with her, teach her new things, and simply watch how smart she is. Our latest thing is teaching her to folder her arms when we pray. She has actually done it a few times on her own when I've told her that we were going to pray so please fold your arms. Most of the time though I fold her arms for her, but they usually stay there till the end of the prayer. After we get done praying she has a huge grin on her face. It's honestly the cutest thing ever. We've also gotten a child's version of the Book of Mormon that we read with her on a daily basis.
She doesn't say to many words still. Things like mama, dada, hi, "what's that?", "who's that?". But there isn't anything to worry about. She is just a women of few words, except for babbling lol she can have a whole conversation with me without ever saying a real word. She's super curious about everything and is a little social butterfly. Boy, the personality on her! She knows how to work a room. She'll go up to people at church and say hi to them and is so sweet to everyone and love other kids. Wherever we go in public if she see's someone she likes she'll get a huge smile on her face, put her hand on her cheek, and cock her head to the side. I've tried so many times to get a picture of her doing this, but she's just so dang fast!
Don't think though that she is all sweet and no sass. If I tell her no and she wants something really badly she bites. Seriously, and it hurts! Other then telling her no, why that's not okay, and giving her something else to do, there isn't a whole lot we can do about it yet. We don't believe it's ever okay to hit a child no matter how naughty their actions are, and she's still to young for time-outs. However, sometimes when she get's really feisty we do give her some alone/quiet time in her crib with a book to chill out, and it actually works wonders.
Valentine's Day was pretty low key for us. Ben woke up earlier and made all of us a delicious breakfast and we opened our gifts and when he got home from work we went out to dinner at Red Robbin. It was really nice not having to cook anything!
School has been crazy for me. I'm not doing as well as I have the last two semesters. I'll be lucky & happy if all my grades are in the 80's to be totally honest. My business is doing really great though! Which is why I'm not stressing out about having A's in everything. I'm booking between 2-3 sessions a week. Which is a lot! It's going to slow down though because I'm raising my newborn sessions at the end of April. Right now they are going for $75, but I'm raising them to $100. Seriously, there is so much work, time, and money that goes into newborn sessions. Props, blankets, baskets, etc. all of that adds up. I'm reading up on how to become an actual legit small business, get a TIN, and all that good stuff so in a few months an apply to be an LLC. Again though, my prices will go up a little because I'll have to pay taxes. However, there are lots of deductions, credits, and exemptions that I can receive next year if I have my business squared away with the IRS. If you know of anyone who is looking for a photographer send them my way before my prices go up! :)
I've had four people now ask me to do their weddings now. They are really surprised to hear that I don't do weddings! I know, I'm crazy for not doing it. I love what I do right now, portraits. I've never photographed a wedding and I've only actually been to two (mine & my sisters)! When I think about photographing a wedding I don't get excited, I get nervous and seriously feel like I'm going to blow chunks. I just don't have a passion for it yet. Maybe in a year or more when I'm more experienced, but for right now I'm going to stick with what I offer, newborns, babies/children, engagements, maternity, seniors, and families. Weddings just seem so stressful to me, and since I wouldn't feel comfortable charging a whole bunch because I've never shot one, it just doesn't seem like something that I want to do yet.
All in all, life is good. There isn't too much to complain about. Here are some of Brynlee's Valentine's Day pictures this year. I hope she is always this happy.
