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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Christmas 2013 (and a bit of vulnerability)

Another Christmas has come and gone, and we had such a beautiful one. Being Samuel's first Christmas, we had a big lunch at our place with family invited. I cooked my first honey glazed ham which tuned out wonderfully, and we all ate, drank and relaxed. 
I'm so happy that Sam was already 6 months old for Christmas. I finally feel like I've found my niche as a mum, I'm confident and happy doing things that work for us and I don't get as stressed about what other people might think.
When Samuel was first born, I would get so overwhelmed at the amount of advice and judgement I would get from everyone - especially other mothers. People who thought it was important to tell me what they thought was best for my child. While I was allowing my broken body to gently heal, and giving myself time to bond with this beautiful new creature, I was getting told I should be out socialising more, that I should be formula feeding or that I should be leaving him to cry it out if I want to have a better sleep at night. It upset and frustrated me so much that I lost precious sleep over it. I'm still working through how to best deal with these situations, but I often remind myself of what I know to be true; I am a wonderful mum, I make good decisions for my son, and whether I get told unwanted advice or not, I will still continue to be the best mother I can be to Samuel.
I got a little off track from Christmas, but I guess I needed to get that off my chest! And on that note, I'll leave you with a few more snaps from Christmas day.

1/52

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

Samuel - looking for an escape route.

It's been so wonderful having Andrew home more often over the last couple of weeks due to the Christmas and New Years public holidays. We've been to the beach, had lazy afternoons swimming and enjoyed relaxing together. Sam has been changing so much and I'm starting to see the little boy he's going to be. It's wonderful watching him develop his own little personality, but I can't help but want to cuddle him extra tight to try to keep him my sweet little baby forever.

Linking up with Jodi's 52 project.

T W E N T Y F O U R T E E N

Twenty Fourteen is a year of potential; it means big changes for me in my thinking, my motivation, and my career. I am not going to let my life happen in front of me this year, I am taking opportunities and following my dreams. I have spent the last 29 (eek almost THIRTY)  years letting fear stop me from doing things, assuming that "one day" things will just fall into place without me having to get out of my comfort zone. This year I am finally going to put in effort, in order to achieve my goals and dreams. 
One of these dreams is taking my photography to the next level and actually start my own business, and instead of being fearful over it, I am embracing the unknown and going for it. And you know what? It's so exciting! 
I'm finally feeling like I'm becoming who I was always meant to be. I was a little apprehensive about writing this post so that I didn't have to be accountable, and if I decide to go back into my shell, no one would even know that I tried. But I don't want to give myself that safety net. I really want to make long term changes in my life. To be someone my son will be proud of. To set an example to him that working hard towards your dreams is a great thing, and that he shouldn't just settle for a job that makes him miserable. That he can use the gifts God has given him and they can bring him and others joy.
So here I am, ready for the wonderful things awaiting me this year, well aware that to get them I have to put in the hard work, and I am pumped at the opportunity!

To mark the first day of the year, Andrew, Samuel and I spent the day together, loving on each other. We had an early morning trip to the beach, then had breakfast of eggs benny and pancakes; and ended the day with a swim. The perfect way to start the year, with the ones that have my heart.
How did you start the year? Do you have any goals or plans for the next twelve months?