Kristin Bell Photography » Blog

I needed a break today.  The past week or so has been like the perfect storm of no sleep at our house. Merit has never been a sleeper, and has recently given up naps altogether.  I was surprisingly okay with it, given how much time and effort naps (or, more accurately — attempts at naps) were taking from our day.  But right around the same time, Eliot dropped down to one nap.  One year old = one nap, I guess?  He also began getting about eight teeth, and for both my kids, teething is a huge sleep disruptor.  Today, Eliot woke up at 4:45 am, and napped for FIVE minutes. FIVE. Around 2:30, we went out to play in the backyard — always my go-to with cranky kids.  I had just poured myself my second cup of coffee, which I had saved all day for when I REALLY needed it. As I turned around from grabbing some more toys for them, I see Eliot carrying my mug around. Really, kid? He dumped out my (don’t worry — lukewarm) coffee.  So, I filled a couple buckets of water, made a little mud pit for them under our orange trees, and grabbed my camera.  It was therapy, I tell you.

And both kids were down by 5:30 pm.

kbp_coffee_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-1Seriously, though. Look at that grin. I couldn’t stay mad. kbp_coffee_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-2kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-2kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-3kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-4kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-1kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-5kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-6kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-7kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-8kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-9kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-10kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-12kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-13kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-14kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-15kbp_mudday_tampa photographer birth newborn family boudoir women-11

Send Usa message ShareOn Facebook Tweetto twitter Pin topinterest EmailSubscribe

It is so hard to believe that my little Eliot is one whole year old.  Time just seems to be going by at an increasingly fast pace, and it tugs at my mama-heart.  Maybe it is because he is the second child, but Eliot has done everything so much earlier compared to Merit.  I attribute this to a combination of a) me not being all over him all the time, and b) him wanting to keep up with his big brother.  As such, he has been dubbed my little wild child.  This, in combination with the fact that “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak is one of our favorite stories, made a Wild Things birthday party a natural theme choice.

It was such a fun day.  Happy birthday, little one. I love you!

kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-1kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-3kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-4eliot turns one-1kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-6kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-13kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-2kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-12kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-14kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-9kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-11kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-7eliot-birthday-0kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-8kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-10kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-15kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-16kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-17kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-18kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-19kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-20kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-21kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-22kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-23kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-24kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-26eliot-party-01kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-28kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-29kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-30kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-40kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-31kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-33kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-34kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-35kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-36kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-39kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-37kbp_eliot turns one_tampa photographer-38

Send Usa message ShareOn Facebook Tweetto twitter Pin topinterest EmailSubscribe

This week’s theme really got me.  Of course, I could have interpreted it differently and taken a picture of my boys, because truly, my home is wherever I am with them.  My home is all of us being curled up on the bed waiting for sleep to finally come.  Home is Eliot grasping for me in the middle of the night. It is waking up with them and Merit saying “Time for breakfast!”

But here’s the thing.  This was our first home.  And I thought we would be here for a long time, but there’s been a change of plans.  I am okay with it.  I mean, I am a little nervous, and I am admittedly, very sad.  But I know this move will be good for us.  Still, that’s not to say I won’t mourn the loss of this house.

Here’s an image I took for the listing, and another from today.

home_kbp_p52_w11-1home_kbp_p52_w11-2

Send Usa message ShareOn Facebook Tweetto twitter Pin topinterest EmailSubscribe

This boy is at a difficult age for someone who wants to document his life.  He moves lightning fast and doesn’t usually want to look at the camera.  If he does ask me to take his photo, he’s developed a habit of getting so close to my lens that I can’t focus (and I’m afraid he’ll knock himself out on the glass).  But this day, he wasn’t feeling too great, and I was able to get a close-up of life with my 2.5 year old boy. Dirt and boogers.

kbp_p52_upclose_tampalifestylechildrenfamilybirthphotographer

Send Usa message ShareOn Facebook Tweetto twitter Pin topinterest EmailSubscribe

« Previous Next »