Sunday, June 29, 2014

26/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - all smiles and drools over here

This is Georgina, my beautiful midwife who helped me through my pregnancy, was a wonderful support as I laboured, and finally, the first to meet my little boy. It makes me so happy being around her, she's vibrant, honest, and refreshingly down to earth. On top of that, she's growing her own little bubba as we speak, and I'm overjoyed for her!

Sunday, June 22, 2014

25/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - Playing in Grandma and Granddad's garden

This weekend we had a drive up the mountains to my parent's place. I always leave there feeling replenished, we get to put our boots on, dig around in the garden, see the chickens, the puppy, the cat and the bird, and this time we were lucky enough to take home a handful of their fresh eggs! I'm so eager to start my own veggie garden, even though my track record for keeping plants alive is pretty awful, I just love that we can pop down to the bottom of mum & dad's yard to collect what we need for the meal we are about to have. 
Samuel had been taking a couple of steps here and there in the lead up to his birthday, then a day or so after, he built up his confidence and walked across the room. Now he's RUNNING everywhere, whilst squealing with joy! And as busy and tired as it's making me, chasing him around and putting the house back together behind him, I think it's just wonderful!

24/52


"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - walking with his Dadda on Mumma's favourite beach in all the world

The week of the boys birthdays, we had a little trip away to Port Stephens for a much enjoyed break. I took them to my favourite places growing up, and they relaxed and soaked in the fresh coastal air. It was perfect. On the Wednesday, we even made it to Oakvale Farm and Fauna World where Samuel got to pat goats, chickens and kangaroos. To say that I loved it would be a complete understatement. 

Friday, June 13, 2014

A quiet moment with Granddad

Granddad cuddles are the best!

23/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - trying to find all the tags

We celebrated Samuel and Andrew in their combined 30th and 1st Birthday party over the weekend, as their birthdays are on the 10th and 9th of June. The day was busy and exciting and I think they both had a great time. Samuel took a few steps here and there, Andrew played beautiful footage of Samuel growing over the last year, and I watched my boys get loved on by our friends and family. 

22/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - Sitting still for mummy

Samuel had his first hair cut (the tiniest trim!) and i think it makes him look more like a little boy than ever before! He's getting so big, my little baby will be a one year old in a blink!

21/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - on top of the world

Safe and secure on Daddy's shoulders. We had a wonderful visit to Newcastle over the weekend, and it gets harder and harder to leave every time.

20/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - wind in his hair, sun at his feet

He's so blissful when on the swings, he usually only stops smiling to concentrate on waving at a random passer by. Autumn afternoons are perfect for playing at the park.

Friday, May 16, 2014

19/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - Riding, exploring, learning..

These autumn afternoons call for breathing in the fresh air and chasing the beautiful, golden light. It's the perfect season to enjoy the outdoors, even if some days it just means playing in the backyard. I'm absolutely loving the perfect weather at the moment, Samuel has been able to get out a load of energy crawling around the yard, finding leaves to taste, climbing on anything within reach. Each day, I'm watching as he gets older, taller, smarter, and I look forward to what lies ahead. And yet, as I do, I can't help but feel a little sad that he's not so tiny anymore, it's a constant reminder of how fleeting each moment is.

Monday, May 5, 2014

18/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - Breathing in the Autumn air with his Grandma

Is it a new week already? Gosh, time is flying by at the moment, I feel like each time I blink, another month has passed, and I realise that I need to be more present so as not to miss anything. We had a lovely visit to the mountains this weekend, it was an especially cold day and I had to pull out one of Samuel's birthday presents (this snuggly winter coat) to keep him warm as he watched his Daddy and Granddad build a shed in the backyard. Going to mum and Dad's place always feels like home to me, and I hope Samuel feels the same.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

17/52





"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - Beach days are the best days

We had a lovely spontaneous trip to Newcastle to meet my dear friend Kylie's sweet newborn boy, Joshua. The next day, our little fam had a relaxed morning walking along the Newcastle foreshore while Samuel slept, and we all ended up at Nobbys beach. Samuel had his first taste of sand and, while holding my hand, giggled as he ran towards the waves. (I wasn't quite so giggly as my sandals and jeans got a bit waterlogged!) 

16/52



"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - building confidence, little steps becoming big steps.

Doing a bit of a back track with my portraits as time has really gotten away from me this last fortnight. Samuel is getting more and more confident with moving around, he's been mixing up his crawling with a traditional crawl, his sweet commando, and shuffling around on his hands and feet. On top of that, he's been walking around holding our hands and getting faster and faster when he sees something exciting ahead of him. He's becoming more like a little boy every day!

Sunday, April 13, 2014

15/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - there's no stopping this little guy

My Samuel James turned 10 months old this week; he is constantly on the go and is such a cheery little thing! Today he took a big bite of one of his grandparents' home grown tomatoes, and the look on his face was priceless! This boy really brings joy wherever he goes.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

14/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - spending time with his dadda

I was busily cooking away in the kitchen and noticed that the house was awfully quiet, so I was off to hunt for my favourites to see what mischief they were up to. I searched all through the house, but they were nowhere to be found. About to give up and try calling Andrew, I popped my head out the front door to find them having a ball of fun on this cement machine on the back of Andrews work truck. The joy in their faces was just too much! 
Samuel is such a little adventurer these days, pulling himself up onto everything, climbing over our legs, following me from room to room, oh and he taught himself to whistle the other day as well. Such a delight, this little boy is!

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

13/52


"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel - enjoying this especially warm autumn day

Andrew decided to spontaneously take us away for the weekend, we went up the coast and stayed with my dearest friend Liz. Samuel had an absolute ball playing with their fluffy white puppy and my heart was filled being close to some of the people I love the most. This week, Samuel has been pulling himself up on the couch and walking around the room holding onto it. He's getting more and more confident, and I don't think it'll be long before he's taking steps on his own!

Sunday, March 23, 2014

12/52








"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Samuel -  looking more and more like a boy and less like a baby every day

My sweet little one is forever on the go at the moment and I feel like he's changing so much that if I blink, I'm afraid I'll have a fourteen year old staring back at me! Stay little, my special one, Mumma's not ready for you to grow up yet! This picture was taken while we visited The Grounds in Alexandria yesterday with two of his wonderful Godparents.


Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

O N E . D A Y



“One day spent with someone you love can change everything.” - Mitch Albom

11/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Samuel -  just a little taste of everything

Well, this little cherub is definitely on the move! I'm in the process of trying to find baby gates as Samuel seems to think that power cords, pedestal fans, and cutlery drawers are his favourite thing to either put in his mouth or jam his fingers into. And once he sets his mind on getting to them, he'll be there in a blink of an eye! Even as I type this, he is eagerly trying to take his first unassisted steps to grab the laptop off of my lap. 
He's such a happy, inquisitive little thing, I love watching him sit and figure out how things work. It's a beautiful thing seeing the world from a fresh point of view. 


Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

10/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Samuel -  peering through Grandma and Grandpa's kitchen window.

In the bath the other night, Samuel started clapping for the first time, and he was delighted! He's still trying to recover from this nasty cold, and he's decided he does not like the fess nasal spray, and neither does his mummy. This week we had a lovely visit to the mountains to see grandma and grandpa, and hang out with their chickens. I absolutely love watching Samuel with his Grandpa, they both have so much joy in their eyes when they're together, it makes my heart swell.

Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

9/52


"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Samuel -  Sunnies are never safe with this little guy around.

It's been a rough week over here at the Garlands, Samuel had his first cold while still teething, and we've all been a bit miserable. Luckily he's on the mend now, and his crawling is starting to look a little closer to actual crawling, rather than dragging himself along the ground. 
It has been lovely and rainy, so yesterday, in an attempt to get some fresh air, we ducked out to Bowral again for lunch. It's such a pretty place, especially when it's cold and misty outside.

Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

8/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Samuel -  helping mummy scout out shoot locations

It's been a busy couple of weeks, so I'm a tad late with this weeks portrait, Samuel now has four teeth, can confidently sit up from laying on his back, and his Mumma turned thirty. Last weekend was filled with a photoshoot for Claireography as well; so hopefully once editing is all finished, we can get back into the swing of things.

Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

7/52



"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Samuel -  apple of his Daddy's eye.

Andrew took us on a little road trip over to Bowral in the southern highlands on Saturday morning for a warm breakfast out. Samuel was captivated by a little boy who was sharing a meal with his father, he was squirming and bending around in his high chair to try to get a better look. It made me look forward to seeing him grow and have special little mornings with his Dadda.  
On Friday, Samuel get really focused and sat up from laying on his back. I was quite shocked as he didn't have any help by holding onto something, he just stretched out his legs, and up he went! 
After a rough week of top teeth trying to push through, and a little person who has started fighting sleeps (especially in the night) it was a nice little milestone.
Here's hoping tonight Samuel will get back into going to sleep (in his own bed) by 7pm so mummy can have some rest.

Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Monday Parkscapades


Andrew was away for work this weekend, and we felt the absence of his presence, so Monday morning we went off to the park to celebrate his return and spend some time away from the house together. GG (Grandma Garland) came along for some Samuel cuddles and we all explored a newfound park nearby. It was such a beautiful spot, lots of tall established trees, a gorgeous reflective lake and of course a swing set and slippery dip. I took Samuel down the slide and realised why they're made for little people when I distinctively heard it let out a sign as it buckled beneath me. 


6/52

"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Samuel -  my little cuddly bear

It's been a rough couple of days here at the Garlands; two top teeth are trying to make their way into our bubby's mouth, and in the process are keeping us all awake. After hours of cuddles and pacing down the halls, we finally had some relief, with Samuel cuddled up between us in bed. And in that moment, there was nothing more beautiful in the world than my little cuddly bear gently breathing over my face. This love gets bigger every moment of every day.

Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

5/52


"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Samuel -  feeling a sense of accomplishment after knocking down ALL the pins!

We had our Samuel dedicated today. It was such a beautiful, overwhelming morning as his daddy and our church prayed over him. This boy of ours is truly loved.
His teething has finally come to a head with two teeth popping up this week. He's been a bit more grizzly and cuddly, but all in all, he has handled the whole thing with a sweet little smile on his face. This mumma's heart is full.

Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

You Were Born


Before Samuel was born, I played this song to my growing belly all the time. The lyrics really resonated with me, and now that he's earthside, it is the one song that will calm him, no matter how upset he is. I stop and think of him whenever I hear it, I think of the tiny baby forming within me, I think of the day we met for the first time, I think of who he is and who he will be. 
I really will love you evermore, my darling boy.

You Were Born - Cloud Cult

You were born into a strange world.
Like a candle, you were meant to share the fire.
I don't know where we come from, and I don't know where we go.
But my arms were made to hold you, so I will never let you go.
Cuz you were born to change this life.
You were born to chase the light.
You were born...

Love your mother, yeah she's s good one.
She'll build you armor; keep you warm as a hen.
The stars may fall and the rains may pour,
But I will love you evermore.
You were born to make this right.
You were born to chase the light.
You were born...

Oh my precious, oh my love, when they come to take me,
I will hold you from above.
I don't know why we're here, and I don't know how,
But I'm here with you now, I am here with you now.
Cuz you were born to change this life.
Cuz you were born to make this right.
Cuz you were born to chase the light.


Sunday, January 26, 2014

4/52




"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Samuel -  early morning on the front lawn coz mumma couldn't resist that golden light

I just can't get enough of those gorgeous rolls and that wispy hair. 

Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

3/52


"A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Samuel - chilling out after a glorious swim

Another scorcher of a week has passed, and we are feeling incredibly thankful for swimming pools and air conditioning. It's amazing how much this boy motivates me to step outside of my comfort zone as well as my laziness. This week, I have been working hard on my website for my photography business, the one that I've been planning on starting up for the last, oh, ten (or so) years! I had become the queen of procrastination, but having this wonderful boy has made me realise that I can't sit at home and be fearful when it comes to my dreams, I can't leave that legacy for him. I need to show him that if he's passionate about something, and he's willing to work really hard, he can reach his goals. Gosh, I want him to know that he is capable of great things, I would hate for him to miss out of fulfilling his purpose because I was too scared to work towards mine.
Speaking of goals, Samuel is getting closer and closer to crawling. If he sees a laptop cord or a receipt happily discarded on the floor, he will roll, grunt and kick his way there in a blink of an eye; and I've learned to be quick to pry them out of his chubby little fingers before they end up getting chewed to pieces on those little teething gums. 

Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

2/52


"A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Samuel - nothing better than seeing the bond between these two.

I wasn't planning on another black and white image right after the last, actually, I wasn't planning on using this image at all, but as I was scrolling through options for 2/52, this one took my breath away. 

Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Roots and all



To say my family moved a bit while I was growing up would be an understatement. The longest I have ever lived in one place was five years, and I've always thought it was completely normal to move around every couple of years. That is, until I met Andrew. He had been in one home his whole life, and I'm sure if it wasn't for marrying me, he probably would still live in that same house. 
No matter where we lived, my parents knew how to make our place into a really welcoming home. Somewhere you always felt comfortable, like you belong. Now that they live in the mountains, every visit I'm forever pulling out my camera trying to capture the "home-iness" of it. Whether it's their inviting kitchen that's always filled with homemade delights (as well as a hopeful puppy, patiently waiting for something to fall), or their lush gardens sprouting with fresh produce, there's always something worth taking the time to stop and enjoy.

My mum has just started her own blog, make sure you pop over to check it out and follow along as she settles into her new life in the mountains.