Crista Acosta Photography »

Today we celebrate his 34th birthday.  I met him when he was 25.  It was the wrong time in life for either one of us to meet someone important, but my heart skipped a beat the first time I caught his eye across that crowded space, and I’ll never forget the slight smile that turned up on his lips.  After just a few weeks and much persistence (on C’s side), we were inseparable.  Very soon after that, I fell completely in love with him.  We had a long road of ups and downs, but six years later we were engaged.  11 months after that, we got married.  13 months after we were married, we welcomed L.A. into our lives, and now just 17 months after starting our family, we’re about to add to it.  I often look around and marvel at how far we’ve come in these 9 years. 

He’s the most incredible man I’ve ever met in my life.  He’s kinder, smarter, more generous and funnier than anyone would ever guess in passing.  He’s the one who observes a new situation quietly, but by the end of the evening is the life of the party and remembers everyone’s story.  He knows all the answers on Jeopardy – even the ones I’m sure that he won’t.  He’s a wonderful dancer, and twirling around with him I feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.  He knows how to challenge me, push my buttons, and then in the next moment take my breath away.  He has the most infectious smile you’ll ever see.  He’s an amazing father, and the more time that goes on, the more I learn from him. 

Tonight we’ll put many candles on his cake (I can say that, because my cake will always have less!) and sing in celebration.  L.A. will squeal in delight, and C will act as though we’re making too big a fuss out of him, and my heart will swell at the fact that somehow I got lucky enough to deserve this guy.  

I sure feel that way, at least.  I have a beautiful son, an amazing husband, and a very good friend who is an incredible photographer.  When I mentioned to my friend Christa of Dolce Photography that I was wavering on the idea of having maternity pictures done, she acted like I was crazy insisted that we that do them.  I will forever love her for that conversation.

Christa and Wendi came up and spent last Sunday morning with us, and I couldn’t be more grateful.  When I laid eyes on these pictures, I felt what I truly hope is something that I can give to my clients – a feeling of extreme gratitude that this exact moment in our lives has been captured.  The love, the anticipation, the emotion.  Oh, and the gigantic belly too.  

Christa and Wendi – Thank you thank you thank you for these images.  Looking at them makes my heart swell over and over again.  

Talk about a double meaning there… we officially have P2’s birthday set for May 1st unless he or she decides to make an appearance earlier.  I’m not going to lie, I almost passed out when we were scheduling the date.  It makes this all very very real. 

This has set off a slight feeling of panic throughout our house.  Six weeks is going to go by awfully quick here, and we still have plenty to do in preparation.  I’m so excited, and so so terrified at the same time.  That’s normal, right?  At least kind of?  

May Day!!!  

There was a time when I would stare at L.A.’s sleepy little face, and dream of the day when I would know how he really felt about us.  I could tell early on that he trusted us, and I trusted that he loved us…. but there is nothing quite like the day when your toddler comes flying across the room to you arms outstretched and grabs onto your leg with a bear cub grip for the sole purpose of planting a big sloppy kiss on your pant leg before running off to continue playing. 

There’s nothing quite like looking into your child’s eyes and seeing the twinkle, the sparkle of love that lives there and lights up when they see you… or even better yet, when they see your spouse.  

How the heck did I get so lucky?

Every night after we read books, L.A. hands me his cup of milk and I ask him “Do you want to snuggle with Mommy?” and turns around and curls up next to me with his head on my chest and one arm slung over his baby brother or sister.  This ritual has become increasingly more sentimental to me, and I just savor those moments where he’s still in my arms.  Especially since he’s so rarely still at all these days. 

As an aside, I do realize that my 52 week pictures have been full of snuggling and nostalgia, and the way I’ve been editing them kind of reflect that.  It’s the vibe I have at the moment, but the weather is warming up, and once we get outside I promise some variation. 

C and I get a big fat F. 

We were out shopping for some items for P2 when we came across a great little booster seat.  Quick discussion between us, and we agreed that it would be a good time to pick one up, you know… just to have it for when L.A. is ready.

We made a couple other stops along the way and unloaded all our goods into the dining room when we got home.  L.A. was so excited about his new booster seat, he started dragging it all over the house to sit in wherever he could.  

So cute, right?  Yeah, except it’s a POTTY, not a booster seat, and neither of us realized it until L.A. came running into the kitchen with the bowl part of it in his hand.  

Oy. 

Before the snow completely melts away, and it becomes even more obvious I’ve been hoarding pictures to share, here is the munchkin attempting his escape.  As the weather has ventured above freezing (and quite nice the past few days), we’ve been trying to get outside more and more.  

The only problem is that L.A. never wants to come back in.  Instead, he runs away, squealing at the top of his lungs as C and I chase after him.  He is quite the little character. 

I’ve been waiting to photograph this little guy for months now, and at just 9 days old, he was absolutely perfect.  Enjoy, but I’m warning the ladies out there who might be thinking about a baby, this little dude could throw you into high gear.  Don’t you just want to kiss his little cheeks?

His big brother was so well behaved and interested in what we were doing. 

… and one more because I just love sleepy babies.