Independence Day

Our 4th of July was pretty low-key this year. We got up early and Jeremy spend almost 9 hours with his best friend building Henry's birthday gift while I cleaned house, weeded the garden (a 3 hour struggle), and entertained Henry. Then we headed to my sister-in-law's for a lazy cook-out that mostly involved us parent's sitting around talking and the kids being their crazy selves. We ended the night with fireworks on the levy and lots and lots of sparklers. Henry loved them the best. Usually I make a big deal out of the 4th, but this year I really enjoyed just keeping it low-key - it was simple and easy - exactly what summer should be. I hope you had a great holiday!

Unspopable water balloons - probably because they were made of regular balloons. The kids had a blast trying to get them to pop.

My last post touched on Henry's new obsession with lightning bugs. He caught this little guy early in the night and somehow managed to keep him in this little bowl until late in the evening when he got distracted enough to forget about him. It broke my heart to see him cry about it when he finally flew away, but it also warmed my heart to see the compassion and love he had for such a small creature. He is so sweet sometimes.

Henry's cousin Izabel loves to teach Henry new things. She was showing him all the letters on this little 'computer' and having him press each one. It was so cute.

Chasing Fireflies

I've been so in awe of Henry lately - in awe and feeling overwhelming blessed. There have been moments when I have found myself alone, lost in thought, smiling like a fool as the thought of his little face and words and expressions and actions cross my mind.
I feel like I've said it for the last year and a half, but this age is so much fun.

The excitement that he has at some of the smallest things - like last night as we chased lightning bugs around our neighborhood. I came home from work around 10 and he had a little Ziplock container with a lonely lightning bug crawling around the inside, refusing to light up. We didn't have the heart to tell him that it was probably a shade away from dead - the shaking and the bouncing only helping further the poor bug's demise. He immediately looked up to me and said 'Mommy! Lightning Bug!' and then shoved in in my face like it was the highest trophy and achievement an almost-three year old could have. He then willingly dragged me outside and we searched our yard for more fireflies - and when I took him to the darkest spot in the yard he grabbed my hand and said 'Mommy, hold me, hold me tight.'
And I did. I carried him around and we chased invisible little bugs who only lit up from across the yard and it seemed like magic because in a way - it was.
And those moments are the moments I remember when I'm alone, even for a minute. Because I miss him when we have to be apart, even for a minute. This age brings magic into my life. Magic and hope and innocence and pure joy. This child makes life new for me and I feel so lost in all these emotions sometimes that I wonder how a heart survives such joy - that maybe one day it will just burst with happiness.
The nights that I work I rush home in hopes that he hasn't fallen asleep, and even when he has, I look at his precious little face and I'm just - struck. Love struck. Awe struck.
I am his Mommy. God choose me to be his Mommy.
I am blessed.

I think about him turning three in just a couple of weeks and I can't believe how fast the time has gone and I wonder if I've truly appreciated these three years enough. And I hope that time will slow down just a little so that I can learn to appreciate it more before the time is gone.
And I think that all parents think this way and that is why when you have a baby you always hear: they are only little once and they grow up so fast and hold them while you can. And you brush it aside partly because you hear it over and over again and partly because even before you hold them in your arms, you never want to admit that one day they'll be too big to hold.
So I'm going to try to learn to appreciate this time more so that when he is too big to hold, I'll remember this magical age - so full of fun and excitement and learning. And maybe I'll be able to convince another Mommy-to-be that they're only this little once and to squeeze them tight and appreciate this time because it flies by so very fast.

Henry's 3 Year Photos

Since I had Saturday off of work and our schedule for the next few weeks is packed to the max, I took advantage of the free time and took Henry's 3 year photos. Having an ice-cream theme for his birthday this year has turned out to be SO MUCH FUN! Don't you agree?

(If you live in my area and are interested in having photos done, contact me through my website: www.oveycreations.com - Pleasant Hill, Troy, and Dayton, Ohio Lifestyle and Child Photographer)

Stranger Compliments

I got one of the best compliments from a stranger yesterday.
Henry, Jeremy and I went to the drag-strip last night - something I haven't done since Henry was in my belly and something Henry hasn't ever experienced at all. It was KilKare's 'Night of Fire' so essentially - they had some big stuff that blew big flames and that scared the crap out of both myself and Henry.
We arrived around 6:30 and watched car after car go down the track. Around 8 Henry got bored, which is understandable. It was hot, it was humid, and sitting in wooden bleachers with no protection and nothing else to do but watch cars for 1.5 hours is bound to get boring for a 2 year old. So, we decided to walk around and see what else we could see.
Jeremy has friends (old teachers) who had brought a funny-car to this event, so we knew that there were people out there that we knew. We walked up and down the grounds and out of the corner of my eye I saw a guy smiling and waving at us. I definitely didn't recognize him so I nudged Jeremy and said 'hey, do you know that guy?'
The answer was two-fold: "Not really, but I know who he is. He's the only teacher I didn't have in my program at Sinclair.'
So, we walked over to talk to the guy that I had never met and Jeremy just sort of knew and he immediately put all his attention on me: "I just had to stop you and tell you how much I love your pictures, you have to be the best photographer I've ever seen."
My heart stopped.
Wait? What? How many photographers has this guy even seen? And how? Where is he even seeing my pictures?
Of course I thanked him and we laughed about how much it helps that I have the BEST subject in the entire world. Then he went on to talk to Jeremy about cars and work and how the program at Sinclair was changing and evolving...and I just stood there, kinda stunned and kind of in awe.
It was the last place in the world that I would ever expect to receive such a compliment.
I definitely don't consider myself the 'best' at anything photography related but to hear someone, a complete stranger to me, compliment something I am so passionate about and working so hard to grow, well...that was priceless.
And while I refuse to let it go to my head, I really needed to hear that other people see me, and that they know what I'm doing and that they appreciate and admire my work. It's what keeps me pushing so hard to make this dream reality.
If you're working towards a dream - keep at it. It may seem like no one else in the world notices how hard you are trying but they do. It just may take running into a complete stranger in order to realize the impression you've made.

Daddy's Shop

7 Months

1 Year and 1 Month

2 years and 11 Months

Wednesdays with Grandpa

Do you know what day it is?
Every Wednesday I get a phone call around 11 a.m. and the man on the other line, my father-in-law, always says the same thing:
"Can I talk to Henry?"
Gee...thanks. I know, I know: the kid trumps all. I should just get used to it.
I promptly put Henry on the phone and the conversation continues:
"Henry, do you know what day it is?!"
Every Wednesday.
In case you haven't figured it out, I'll let Henry tell you exactly what day it is.

Grandpa is always elated to here those two little words and it never fails to hear him say:

"Henry, you just made my day!"

Welcome to my crazy family: where "Hump Day" may just be the two most special words shared between a boy and his grandpa.

Happy Wednesday!

A Day in My Life [June]

Gardening, strawberry picking, and spending a lot of time playing both in and outdoors. This has been our life for June - and I'll just let the photos speak for themselves.

Now go check out Sara's post.