It’s been awhile since I’ve shared my own kids on the blog…far too long, in fact! I got some cute shots of them playing earlier this week in our (messy) playroom, so I thought I should come and share.

Claire will be a year old in February, and I just can’t believe it.

I know I’m biased, but admit it - you think she’s seriously cute too.

Awwww, sisterly love.

It just makes your heart melt. Until the big one grabs the little one in a headlock and spins her to the ground. Not that that ever happens around here or anything.

Claire’s latest thing is brushing her own hair. Good thing, since she’s got quite the messy mop!

OH! And she said “mama” for the first time today! I was cooking lunch, and she was really upset that I couldn’t pick her up. She kept pulling up on my leg, and I’d have to sit her back down on the floor as I moved from one spot in the kitchen to the other. Finally she pulled up on my leg one last time, and literally yelled “MAMA!” clear as a bell! Of course, she hasn’t done it again since, even though we’ve been trying since lunch. Lil stinker.

Is it just me, or does Macy look so grown up here?

She’s really giving me a time lately. Defiant, independent, stubborn, actively ignores me. We thought we were lucky because we never really had to deal with the terrible twos…but I honestly think this is worse. She is so smart and has comebacks that make me stop in my tracks!

Tonight, she absolutely refused to eat one. single. bite. of dinner. I know she was hungry, and I knew it was a control thing. I also know that I’m not the kind of mother who is going to get up from my dinner to go make something else for her. I tried taking away privileges. I tried reasoning with her. And as lame as it sounds, I even pulled out the old “choooo choooo…open up, the train is coming into the tunnel!” Oh yeah, she opened up, I deposited the “train.” One second later, she spit the food out and said “the tunnel is broked.”

Seriously! How am I supposed to discipline this child when I can’t stop laughing? (By the way, we compromised on 6 bites of dinner. And then some healthy, no sugar applesauce to make me feel better that at least she got a vitamin or two in her.)

No matter what though…this girl has me smitten.

We got about 5-6 inches of snow here today, and I got to stay home from work and enjoy some super awesome family time. I got a lot of fun pictures from today, so look for those to come (hopefully tomorrow!)

1. Macy, Claire and I went home to visit my parents this past weekend. I almost spit out my yogurt Saturday morning when Macy exclaimed, “We’re going to see Nana and her friend! His name is PopPop!” God, that kid cracks me up.

2. Isn’t it funny that I’m 35 29 and still refer to my parents’ house as home? Mike and I have been married for 5 years, living in this house for 3 years and have 2 kids. I guess wherever Mom and Dad are will always feel like home, even if they move again. Which they should. Move, that is. To Raleigh. (That, my friends, is the art of the subtle hint.)

3. So while I was at “home” this weekend, I was thrust into sorting through five boxes of old, old crap junk memorabilia that had been collecting dust in the attic for years. We’re talking stuffed animals that were my mother’s! Cabbage Patch kids! Old softball trophies. And middle school yearbooks. Oh. My. God. Were they ever funny! The clothes, the hair. Oh, the hair. Remember The Poof?

4. I had scratched out my picture in both my 8th and 9th grade yearbooks. At first I laughed at how self-conscious teenagers are, how silly I was to think so little of myself. And about how much more confident I feel as a 35 29-year old woman now. But now as a mother, as I look at my young daughters, I feel a sadness. They too will have to endure those awful, awkward years of teendom. The braces, the breakouts, the feeling that you don’t quite belong. My heart hurts for them. God help me when they are actually out of diapers.

5. Speaking of diapers. I am holding Potty Training Bootcamp at my house beginning August 1st. We will start off with a Diaper and Pull-up Throwing Away Ceremony, and then commence with three straight days of Elmo Potty Seats, Big Girl Underwear, Princess Prizes and Lots of Paper Towels. And if we are lucky, the short one and I will emerge victorious on August 3rd.

6. I am so determined to be a better blogger that I am writing this on Monday. Yes, I know, I’m a dork and quite possibly an Overachiever Wannabe. But in my defense, I have a photo session tomorrow morning with a 9 month old, then a lunchtime seminar, then another photo session with a 3 month old, plus two client orders to deliver. So I figured if I started early on my Tuesday post that I might actually have a Tuesday post. Plus, this keeps me from doing things that I actually ought to be doing right now. I will one day teach this in my class, Master Procrastination. (Psst. Don’t wait for that one…ha ha, get it?)

7. OH! Speaking of “get it!” I could not, did not remember using the saying “Get it!” in middle school. Yet it was written all over the pages…and was so helpfully defined by the yearbook staff as kind of slang-of-the-moment. “Get it: Sure, okay.” WTF? If anyone I went to middle school with remembers this saying, PLEASE tell me what the heck we were talking about?!

8. When I went to middle school, it was called junior high. Whatever happened to junior high? Why is it called middle school now? And who decides this kind of stuff? It might be nice to meet someone who can call shots like that. Must be a pretty powerful kind of job. Hmm.

9. This is the most random, rambling Ten on Tuesday post EVER. Just sayin’.

10. I used to write. A lot. I even took a writing correspondence course when I was in middle school. (Go ahead and say it, I know you want to!) But I enjoyed it, and I’m thinking of picking it up again. And lucky you, my blog reader(s) (there is more than one of you out there, right? Right? Anyone….anyone….? Hi mom!) get to sit back and laugh! Won’t that be FUN!?

And in the spirit of 8th grade…TTFN! KIT! Smooches!

I know I haven’t been keeping up with sharing my own little bits lately. I went back to work about 3 weeks ago, and we’re still trying to find our new groove. Even though Claire really is an easy baby, it’s just harder logistically to get everything done!

So, Claire is smiling and laughing all the time now, and is just a delight. And Macy’s imagination grows more and more every day - she is now making up her own songs and singing them to us. So adorable! I really need to video her more often than I do. I just never want to forget her at this age…even with the drama of being two, it’s so much fun!

Happy baby!

Okay, I know I just said she smiles and laughs all the time…but two of my favorites from May are her more serious look.

Texans may have bluebonnets, but here in Carolina, we’ve got…umm…dandelions?

We went to VA to celebrate PopPop’s birthday, and Macy got to play with her cousin. I just love her expressions in this little series!

I can’t believe it’s the first of June already! I’ve got 4 newborns to photograph this month, as well as a few other client sessions that I’m looking forward to; a family reunion; my 35th birthday (what?!?); and many fun summer days in our backyard on the brand new swingset!

On a client note: June is totally booked, but I’ve got some open spots in July and August. Email me: christy@christyjohnson.com!

Happy Anniversary to my dear, dear husband as we celebrate 5 years of marriage today. I remember when we first got married, we said we’d plan a big trip for our fifth anniversary. Ha! Luckily Grandma and Grandpa are taking the 2.5 year old AND the 2.5 month old for a night so we can at least have some alone time…to sleep!

In honor of flashback Friday, here are some pictures from our wedding. (Images by A Moment Like This.)

Happy anniversary, honey! I can’t wait to see what the next five years bring. I love you!

Hello and welcome to my blog! I am Christy, a working mom + child photographer in the Triangle area of NC. Together with my husband Mike, we are raising our crazy darling daughters, 3-year old Macy and 1-year old Claire. This blog showcases my awesome, beautiful photography clients, as well as the every day life of my {hectic but fun} personal world. We hope you’ll share in all the little things that matter most with us!

Keep up to date by subscribing to the blog! And be sure to check out my website at www.christyjohnson.com! Also, become a fan of Christy Johnson Photography on Facebook! You are welcome to tag your photos so they will show on your own wall. Facebook fans will also receive occasional special promotions! And if you have any questions or would like to book a session with me, email me at christy@christyjohnson.com.