Mamma's In the Picture

One fine Sunday during the Summer, Rose from Simply Rose Photography took some time out of her busy wedding season schedule to document my family. looking through the photos, it really reminds me how blessed I am. I love the fact that we were at ease, we were in our neighbourhood- where it all began. Max was comfortable in his environment and it made for awesome photojournalistic photography that encouraged organic emotions and reactions. Moreover, i'm extra thankful that I WAS IN THE PICTURE for once, and Max has more (for lack of a better word) evidence, that I was in his life, and this is what we looked like together. Yes, he'll have memories, and even emotional memories of his mamma, but nothing can really compare to a visual memory of how much he was loved.

Have you read this article?

This quote from the article speaks volumes,

I'm everywhere in their young lives, and yet I have very few pictures of me with them. Someday I won't be here -- and I don't know if that someday is tomorrow or thirty or forty or fifty years from now -- but I want them to have pictures of me. I want them to see the way I looked at them, see how much I loved them. I am not perfect to look at and I am not perfect to love, but I am perfectly their mother.

Thank you again Rose for these pictures, they mean so much to me! 

A Beautiful Summer Weekend Captured!

One of my favorite things about the blogging world are the friendships you create online, and what's even better is when you meet in real life and realize you have more in common resulting in an instant, lasting bond. I was introduced to Rose of SIMPLY ROSE Photography when we both were nominated as one of Vancouver Mom's Top Mom Bloggers of 2013.  One of my lasting impressions of the blog party night was receiving her beautiful letterpress business card (i mean come on, it's LETTERPRESS, who isnt crazy about it?), suffice it to say we established contact almost immediately afterwards.

Rose, is a wife, mom of 1, a fur mama of 1, a blogger, and a professional wedding and lifestyle photographer based in Vancouver, BC.  Rose was kind enough to whip out her camera and share her talents with us one summer evening to document my family in our neighbourhood. She is easy going, talented, and excellent with children. Max is almost always shy around new people, the fact that we were able to capture all these photos in an hour session really says a lot about her demeanor- kid approved! Furtheremore, as mom's of toddlers know, these kids like to have some sense of control. Rose was not only adapting, but patient enough to just go with what Max was feeling like doing and the ending result was all smiles for our session. Mom's get it, and in this case, mom-photographers get it!

Here are some of my favorite photos of the evening!

Thank you Rose for your hard work and patience! 

more photos to come...

10 Best Summer Moments

Well woweee it's September 3rd people! If you follow me on twitter, i often beef about life based on shift work hours- mostly good, some bad. Well yesterday morning, I woke up at my usually 0530 to prep for work and it was black as night outside! I dont know about you M-F workers out there but this is my clue that a season has passed and the tides are changing. gone are the days when birds are chirping way.too.early and wake up a sleeping baby, instead the streets are quiet, baby still thinks it's night time and i'm headed off to work in darkness. Since i'm home oh about 15 hours later, i've missed the entire daylight, sun sets early, and boo hoo it's darkish again. The good thing about all this though is that I can put Max to sleep earlier because 1) it's darker out 2) it's darker longer 3) it's quieter sooner and last but not least, something completely unrelated, CHRISTMAS is near!

In reflection, we had an awesome summer this year (hello, remember July? and I was on vacation!). I honestly cannot complain when the weather is just right and i'm off and baby is cooperative! Summer 2012 we had a baby that was still in a bucket seat, this year we had a toddler doing his own thing ...I wonder what next year holds for us?!

My Favorite Moments of Summer 2013!

photo credit 

^^ Nominated as one of Vancouvermom.ca's Top Mom Blogger's for 2013 (oh and winning xo) ^^ 

^^ we really enjoyed the annual Italian Day on the Drive. We don't particularly go for Italian food per say, but mainly to celebrate the diversity in culture and cuisine just one neighbourhood has to offer. On this day, we had Vietnamese and Indian for lunch, under fine FINE Vancouver weather, and was entertained and educated on Italian culture ^^

^^ I love playing on the playground with a toddler! We hit up a lot this summer because toddler's play- it really beats just pushing a baby on a swing! This year we were able to go on slides, bridges, sand pits, and the obligatory swings of course! I also loved the fact that we had outdoor picnics all the time as a family or just Max and I. Encourages healthy eating when you bring stuff from home and well it's just generally fun to eat on a blanket with other people around enjoying food as well ^^

^^ The Package Tour!! I've been to plenty of concerts in my life ranging from Radiohead to Bon Jovi, but never have I been as fulfilled as seeing my childhood crushes in real life! I mean come on, I waited over 20 years for this moment - dream come true ^^

^^ too bad August wasn't as hot as July or we would've been at the pool all.the.time.! But oh well, we had a great July especially with New Brighton Park being our second home! ^^

^^ I have a new found love for JELLYFISH thanks to the Vancouver Aquarium Exhibit! Actually I love the aquarium altogether after this first-time-as-an-adult visit to this Vancouver gem. Im really working on an annual pass as soon as I think Max will enjoy the residents more than the staircases! ^^

^^ all the outdoor sleeping opportunities Max had this summer. Maybe i'm just inadvenertently prepping him to become a camper? to appreciate what nature has to offer? to be more flexible? or maybe just so i didn't have to go home early that he had to sleep at the designated spot? for whatever reason, he slept soundly each time and it definitely beats a hot room at home! ^^

^^ Toddler's first visit to the beach! I admit we only went once this year mainly because the sand we brought home with us and i subsequently had to clean up totally turned me off. I prefer grass or pool deck thank you very much! At least this year though Max wasnt afraid of the sound of waves splashing, last year he couldnt go within 7 feet of the ocean without crying ^^ 

^^ well I wouldn't call Max no longer wanting to breastfeed a 'best' moment but it certainly changed the life i had known to something completely different. My body adjusted well, Max carried on, I miss it but i'm not LONGING for it. I wish i took more pictures to remember our moments! ^^ 

^^ Last but not least, our Sunshine Coast and Painted Boat Resort trip of course! ^^

Thank you June/July/August ....welcome September! 

Sunshine Coast Part 2: Pender Harbor and Sechelt

This was Max's first overnight trip away from home -queue in anxious parents!! I was really worried for no reason because the little guy managed to tolerate a 30 minute drive to Horseshoe Bay, 40 minute ferry, and another 40 minutes of driving to Pender Harbor without much fuss. Once we opened the door in our Painted Boat Resort villa, he ran into rooms and went crazy laughing and playing - talk about adapting and welcoming change! A poor road trip nap and a late late dinner didn't even phase him, he was such a good boy!

^^ goodbye Vancouver!  ^^

^^ as long as he was spared from the windier side of the boat, the kid was excited and running around like it was a playground! I was the on the other hand feeling woozy just looking overboard ^^

^^ hello Gibsons! ^^

As stated in my last blog post, we stayed at the Painted Boat Resort Spa and Marina, it was an AMAZING place to stay and a wonderful gift after a long day of being cooped up in the car and feeling car sick after all those windy roads between Sechelt and Pender Harbor!

^^ this is the view Max and I woke up to on our first morning! We heard frogs all night - no car alarms, no hustle and bustle of the city, just the sounds of nature ^^

^^ our first morning, the resort sent us a beautiful continental breakfast for 3 - smoked slamon, milk, yogourt, strawberries, pastries, muesli! Healthy start to a fabulous sunny day ^^

^^ husband managed to find people of the commercial fishing industry 

and reminisce of the olden days. Beautiful Pender Harbor Marina ^^

^^ i think we were 1-2 weeks too late for Blackberry season! We did manage to find some plump ones, Max loves them..even the reddish ones which are so tart! ^^

^^ when you barely have any clothes on for most of the day, you know you're on vacation ^^

^^ Ethnic fare at Daphne's, downtown Sechelt ^^

^^ local entertainment during the Sechelt Night Market. Max really enjoyed their music ^^

^^ you definitely aren't in the city when a family of deer plant themselves on the resort lawns and eat grass peacefully amongst the humans ^^

^^ our final day's breakfast and first thing in the morning family shot (cheers for self timer!!) ^^

Thank you again to the Painted Boat Resort Spa and Marina, and towns Pender Harbour and Sechelt! We had a fun and relaxing time, were well fed, and simply entertained - you shall see us again soon!