Chloé | One

Dearest Chloé,

My girl. January 31st, as of exactly 8:25, you are one.This past year has been the best and hardest of my life. Being your mama has stretched and challenged and grown me like I could’ve never imagined before having you. Every day has meant going beyond myself and my human capacities and being completely unselfish and sacrificing and patient. I’m not perfect, but I try my hardest to be the mama you need each day.

But then there’s you. Sweet and joyful and kind and with the best heart. You love to snuggle and be close but you are also fiercely independent at times. Together we create wonder and magic in the small things. Spinning in the rain and laughing together with our heads back and our mouths open as we catch the raindrops. Trying to catch dust motes as they dance in the sun. Watching “Peter” rabbit hop around the backyard from your bedroom window. You are silly and the hammiest of babes. Trying as hard as you can to get your daddy and I to laugh with your faces. You love your stuffed animals, especially your Hedwig and your Pooh. You have so much personality for such a tiny human and I love seeing it come alive.

You are perfect, my Chloé Marie. I’m so thankful for the last year with you, and though I wish time would slow down and stop racing faster, I’m looking forward to all the years ahead, and to watching you grow and bloom and become even more you. I love being your mama. You are my heart outside my body, little Bug. Happiest birthday my girl. 

Love,
Mama

Chloé loves Winnie the Pooh, so we threw her a Pooh themed picnic party in our backyard on a 75 degree January Saturday. She was ecstatic upon coming outside and seeing all the characters in the grass.

Creative Confession

Confession time. I am a creator.

Some of my fondest memories are running around with a film camera taking pictures as a little girl; interior designing my mom’s old dollhouse a hundred times over; wedding planning for my Barbies; crafting a yacht and house for my dolls with a boxcutter, old boxes and packing tape (balcony, working doors, and stairs included); making my own paper dolls and designing them clothes; styling and photographing the salad I’d been told to make instead of making it. You name it, I probably made it as a child.

That creativity still runs in my veins today, and those moments and more have translated into the things that I still love to do as an adult. So it makes sense that I’ve never actually been able to fully commit to one creative outlet or work. Ever. I’ve always labeled myself as one thing or the other, changing the label to fit the season that I’m in. But starting now that’s over. Why should I be or do one thing when I’m good at so many things? Shifting between multiple things instead of doing the same thing over and over should prevent burn out anyway, right? Right!

I’ve had a lot of time to think and dream during my year long hiatus from freelance (spent focusing on and engaging with my daughter Chloé). And now more than ever I know that I know that I know that I was made to create. So starting today I’m going to be available to do all the creative things I love. Interior design and styling, food photography and styling, love and lifestyle photography, lifestyle blogging, and more as the urge to create in new ways comes. If you are interested in following along on my creative journey, please check out my updated website and sign up for my email list on the homepage. If you want me to create something for you, please get in touch via DM or the let’s talk button on the homepage. If you’re interested in your home or a room in it being a part of the interior design portfolio I’m assembling, be sure to enter my upcoming Instagram giveaway. As always, thanks for coming along for my wild creative journey. 

Chloé | 08 - 09 Months

Well despite my best intentions, this summer was wild and the months really got away from me! As well as we went on a really fun and long road trip where I ended up leaving my camera in Portland for a month or two. Thank God for our friends who we stayed with there bringing it back to me in San Diego, because no way would I feel okay shipping my other electronic baby. Then I planned on taking Chlo’s 7 month photos but we moved suddenly and I literally had no time. So here we are!

At seven months Chloé Bug was doing a hilariously exaggerated army crawl, and would get up and rock on her hands and knees.

She hates headbands and I have to distract her like crazy to get her to keep them on. Bug likes being naked and puts up a stink when its time to get dressed. She sometimes says hi, (sounds like eyeee), and says Mama. Mama can apparently be applied to anything, but what really melts my heart is when she wakes me up in the morning by petting my face and saying “Mama”. Chloe is also working on a very subtle wave to go with her hi, and said Dada a week after Mama. Nine months on the dot, she popped her first tooth through!

Chloé | 04 Months

Sweet Chloé is finally lifting her head during tummy time! I’m such a proud mama. We’ve been taking her to a chiropractor that specializes in infants and children and it’s been helping so much. Apparently poor girl was so subluxated in her neck that she couldn’t even lift it off her chest (apparently subluxations can cause kids to be unable to crawl too!), and that’s the reason why she wasn’t able to lift her head for so long. She’s doing so much better now though, and after her first adjustment she grew an inch more neck and gained a whole lot of mobility. At four months old she has come so far from the teeny tiny 5.9 pound bebe that she once was, and is now a whopping 15 pounds! Her little personality is really starting to shine and I can’t wait to see it grow as she does  

These photos shot for a collaboration with Aden + Anais