I’ve Moved!
I guess this title has more than one meaning. First, my family, and Kimberly Cabe Photography, has moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Second, I have a new blog! Check out www.KimberlyCabePhotographyBlog.com to see some major baby cuteness!
If you haven’t already, find me on fb for the most recent sneak peaks, session availability, and current specials- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimberly-Cabe-Photography/222206694475179
Hope to see you over on the new blog!
Thoughtful Thursday: Letters to Jacob
July 12, 2012
Dear Jacob,
One of my favorite things about these letters, is going back and reading them. In the moment, I think I will always remember the way you do things. But even a few months later, I re-read a letter and realize I have already forgotten something. I can’t imagine what a few years will do to my memory! And right now, you do so many adorable things, I just can’t handle all the cuteness. I want to freeze this time, because it is just the best!
You are still young enough to have those sweet ‘baby’ moments. Like sucking your thumb when you get your ‘Lovey’. The hilarious toddler run, which you have to do with your mouth open. The still chubby baby thighs, that everyone told me would slim down as soon as you started walking. But no, you are still perfectly chunky. The way you get upset and need to be held and cuddled.
But, at the same time, you are becoming so independent. And can do so much for yourself now. You can follow directions, and put away your toys. You know enough words to ask (or sign) for what you want, which cuts down on a lot of frustration for you. You can play independently, and love to read. You are starting to help me dress you (although, unfortunately, you have also learned to take off clothes. Like your diaper… during nap time…when you have a poopie diaper…).
Some of my most favorite things you are doing right now (and it is a long list, because, like I said, you are just amazing to me right now):
-You fully understand who you are now. You love to say your name and point to yourself. You also love to identify your belongings, by pointing to yourself, saying your name, and then pointing to an object. Like, “Jacob” “milk”… “Jacob” “book”… We love to ask, “Where’s Jacob?”, and you get so excited as you point to your chest and exclaim, “Jacob!”
You also love to do ‘roll-call’, and name every person in the room (including Lulah). We have a bunch of pictures on the refrigerator down on your level. You will pull off pictures and point to each person in the picture, naming them one by one.
-Nodding your head. For so long, all you could do was shake your head ‘no’. It was ‘no’ to everything! Now, you love to nod your head in a very enthusiastic agreement to every question asked. And you are so emphatic about your agreement. Your eyes get big, your mouth goes open, and your little head starts bobbing up and down. Sometimes you are so busy agreeing with me, you will walk right into a piece of furniture. I know the toddler-saying-no-to-everything stage is coming, so right now I am especially enjoying all of the sweet agreeing that is going on.
-Swimming. Wow, what a little fish you are. You love going under the water, and try your very best to swim to us. Most times, you end up looking like you are peddling a bike, instead of kicking your feet out behind you. We just finished a week of swim lessons. You did great! You are jumping off the side (although, you really need to work on jumping out more). You go down the slide into the water. And your Aunt Amy got you to float on your back.
Getting your certificate for completing swim lessons.
-Helping me cook. You love, love, love to help ‘sir, sir, sir’ (“stir”). I can’t cook anything without you dragging a chair to the kitchen island and demanding a spoon. It isn’t always convenient, and it is always messy, but I love my little budding chef. One hope I have for you, is that you will love and appreciate food, in a healthy way. I want you to appreciate where your food comes from, and enjoy preparing fresh, healthy meals. Next year, your dad and I plan on starting a garden, so you can really experience food.
-Saying ‘thank you’. You probably say thank you 50 times a day. You say it when I give you something. You say it when you give me something. I love your sweet manners! Oh, and giving hugs and kisses. You love giving hugs and kisses. Nothing is sweeter when you open up your arms and say “hug?”. Always, sweet boy. Always.
-New word that you say all the time: ‘ewww’.
You love to touch things and let out a long, drawn-out ‘ewwww!’.
-You are getting so smart, and learning so much. You know a lot of your animals, thanks to puzzles and your Leap Frog Fridge Farm. Your favorites are duck, fish, horse, pig, cow, dog, and sheep. You are identifying a few colors- mostly yellow and green. Although ‘geen’ is by far your favorite, and when in doubt, the answer is ‘geen’. (although, I personally love how you say ‘lellow’) And you are obsessed with naming body parts. We picked you up from the church nursery one Sunday to find you on the floor with one of the ladies, and about 20 dolls. You were pointing out all of the dolls noses, ears, eyes, hands, and bellies. It is impossible for you to look at a picture of a human or animal without pointing out where their eyes are.
Last week was 4th of July. We ate dinner with some friends on Saturday, and their neighbors were having a huge fireworks show. I wasn’t sure how you would react to the loud sound (especially since we were pretty close, closer than this nervous Nancy liked…). You loved it! You just kept saying ‘pop! pop! pop!’ and in between fireworks you wanted to ‘moch moch moch’ around in the grass (“march”).
We just had a slew of visitors. I love watching you interact with those that love you so much. I was really bad at taking pictures, but here are a few of our time with family. I know you miss them as much as your dad and I do!
Love,
Mom
Thoughtful Thursdays: Letters to Jacob
June 7, 2012
Dear Jacob,
About 3 weeks ago, you got a new friend. Lulah rejoined our family, after living with your Maudy while we were in France. You got to know Lulah last fall, but you spent most of that time grabbing her hair and pulling her ears. To put it kindly, Lulah wasn’t a fan of yours.
Maudy drove Lulah all the way from SC to Oklahoma to us. Now, you are at a great age for Lulah. You are better at following directions, and seem to understand the world ‘gentle‘. You still have your moments, like when you think pouncing on Lulah is a good idea. But, overall, you have done really well.
Lulah is warming up to the idea of you too. She loves to come in your room when we get you up in the morning or from naps. She practically claws her way through the crib slats to get to you. Once you are on her level, she covers your face with kisses (even she can’t resist those cheeks of yours!).
It is fun to see you and Lulah play together. You throw the ball for her, and play tug-of-war with her. Sometimes you like to hide the ball for her, but she doesn’t quite understand that game. And you are the only one that openly asks for kisses from Lulah. (And by openly, I mean you literally lean down with your mouth open. Completely gross, but you think it is hilarious.))
Unfortunately, Lulah has not learned to take cover when you throw one of your toddler tantrums. More than once she has fallen victim to a flailing leg or arm. She will learn quickly though. She is a smart dog.
I just know you and Lulah are going to be the best of buds.
Love,
Mom
Thoughtful Thursday: Letters to Jacob
May 10, 2012
Dear Jacob,
I just looked back to re-read the last letter I wrote to you…in January!!! How has it been that long?! I know we have been busy with house projects in our new Oklahoma home, but almost 4 months?? No excuse. So much as changed since that letter. YOU have changed so much.
Since January, we have moved into a new house, had several visitors, made new friends, fallen into a routine, and started to really feel at home here. And, you have grown into quite the toddler. Your dad and I LOVE to see your sense of humor emerge. You love to play games, like sneaking up on someone and “tickling” them. You give kisses and hugs, although very sparingly. Which makes them all the sweeter. You are talking up a storm, although we don’t understand much of what you have to say. In the last letter I wrote to you, I told you that you were mostly just saying ‘woof woof’ ‘uh-oh’ and a few ‘mama’s’ sprinkled in. Wow, has that changed! You have Mama and Dada down solid, and ‘Dada’ is the first word you say in the morning. You have also added ‘milk’ (sounds more like ‘ilk’, but when you add in the sign as well as pulling on the refrigerator door, there is no question), ‘down’, ‘more’, ‘please’, ‘tank you’, Mimi, Papaw (and for some reason, you lower your voice a few octaves when you say Papaw. Adorable.), ‘nana’ (banana), ‘ish’ (fish), ‘hi’, ‘bye-bye’, ‘bu’ (book), ‘eee’ (eat), ‘ovey’ (your Lovey blanket), ‘nigh nigh’ (night night), and one of my personal faves ‘Melmo’ (Elmo).
You love to read. Books are a constant throughout the day, and the teacher in me loves, loves that. You also still love music and dancing. Oh, and fish.. This includes the fish in our neighbor’s pond, and fish sticks. You don’t love the nursery at the church. You have started recognizing the parking lot, and the crying usually starts as soon as we pull in. Thankfully, you only cry a few minutes after we have handed you off (we know, because we wait in the hallway listening for your screaming to subside). When we pick you up an hour later, you are usually sitting in the lap of the same person we handed you off to. They tell us that you haven’t really played yet. You just sit and snuggle with whoever will take you. I wish you would play and have fun, but I am thankful that at least you don’t cry the whole time. In August, you will start going to the church 2 days a week for ‘Children’s Day Out’, plus nursery on Sundays, maybe then, you will get used to it and start having fun. Please?
And then there is the pool. You love the water. A few days after we took the cover off, you fell in. You were right beside your dad (praise the Lord), and he scooped you right out. Now, you wear your ‘rocket pack’ bubble/floaty when we are outside. I actually am very proud that you are cautious around the edge, and don’t try to get in every time we go outside. Hopefully that won’t change as you get more comfortable swimming. Your dad and I are really looking forward to lots of family fun this summer in the pool. I can’t wait to see what a little fish you will be by the end of the summer.
Our days are not just filled with reading and dancing, though. You definitely know how to pitch a fit. You get very frustrated when you want something, and I tell you no. I promise I am doing you a favor by not giving into your every desire. Promise. One day, when you are all grown up, I hope you appreciate it. Because right now, you sometimes act like I am the meanest person on the planet. But, I love you, and I promise you don’t need Cheerios ten times a day, or cleaning products that are so unfairly locked behind cabinet doors, and, yes, I do need to change that dirty diaper. Really, it is for your own good. It isn’t like I enjoy it, my love.
Before I sign off (and promise not to go another 4 months before my next letter), I am leaving you with a picture I took last week. I love it because of what it shows. You have started taking your dad or me by the hand and leading us to something you want to do. I love when your pudgy little hand grab onto my fingers. Even if it is just for a walk around the yard, to go play with the blocks, or to ask me to turn on Sesame Street, I love holding your hand. I know it won’t stay that small for long, and I love to have this photograph as a reminder.
Love,
Mom
All About Henry (maternity and newborn: a blogging two-fer)
In the spirit of catching up on my blogging, I am going to give you a blogging two-fer.
First up, MaryAnn’s maternity session from back in January. See that cute little volley-ball of a belly? Inside is little Henry. You will meet him further down.
We did this session on January 1. Five days later, we moved to Oklahoma. We came back to Greenville in March for a visit, and I was able to do a newborn session with little Henry then. I have probably said it a hundred times, but for those new to my blog or newborn photography, THE best time for a newborn session is within the first 10 days. First two weeks, max. Henry was 7 weeks old during our session. He was a rock star though. I actually loved that I got more alert/awake photographs, and some of my favorites are of him pushing up (this kid has some mad upper body strength already!). The downside, is we weren’t able to get all of those sweet curled up, naked, sleeping, newborn pictures. I worked my baby whispering magic on him, and got him to sleep if I had him swaddled nice and tight. The second I tried to unwrap him, his eyes would pop open, and he would give me a look like, “are you crazy lady?”.
Barbara’s Maternity Session (36 Weeks)
Barbara is another Michelin expat living in France. Both Barbara and her husband work for Michelin, so I didn’t get to see Barbara as much as the other wives. I really regret not making more of an effort to get to know Barbara better, because she is super sweet. She and I also share a lot of interests, like blogging and cooking. You can check out Barbara’s family’s adventures out on her blog- Footprints in the Sand.
I took pictures of Barbara’s oldest son when he was 7 months old. Nathan stole my heart with his curly brown hair and big brown eyes. Completely. Smitten.
I was really glad that the timing worked out so that I could take maternity photos of Barbara during her second pregnancy. And, secretly, I was hoping that little Noah would time his entrance to the world while I was still in France, so I could also do newborn photos. Noah decided to make his grand entrance on the same day we flew back to the US.
Photographing a toddler is challenging. This is probably the reason that for my photography business I say I photograph newborns thru one year olds. Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE photographing toddlers. They are adorable and hilarious and full of energy. But, you can’t exactly guarantee a session is going to go well. So, when you have paying clients, I just don’t feel like I can guarantee them enough shots- not including the back of the head as the toddler runs screaming from the camera… My camera is fast, but toddlers are faster. During this session, Nathan wanted nothing to do with me or my camera. We were at the park. He wanted to run and play and, well, be a toddler. No worries, we improvised. And honestly, no posed picture can compare with this:
Look at that sweet face!
But, back to the real reason for this session. Barbara and her beautiful belly.
Aidan- (almost) 5 Months Old
I can’t believe how long it has been since I have blogged last! Moving to a new country/state/town, buying and moving into a new house, and doing a lot of renovations/house projects has had a big (negative) impact on my blogging!
I realized I never finished blogging the sessions I did when we went back to France waaayyyy back in December! Yikes! I know I don’t have to blog about each and every session, but these are “my” babies, and I want to show them off!
Get ready for a blogging marathon!
First up- Aidan.
Aidan’s mom and dad are from The Netherlands. They are both Michelin employees, and were some of the first friends we made when we moved to France. Matthew and I had the privilege of attending their wedding in August 2010, and they even had enough faith in me to ask me to be their photographer (did I mention, wedding photography stresses me out to the max!). If you are interested, you can see some of their wedding pictures here.
We were in the US when little Aidan was born, and I was so sad that I wasn’t in France to do newborn pictures, but the almost-five-months age is pretty darn cute!
Matthew and I really had hoped that Mark and Silke would get a US assignment from Michelin, but their next adventure is even bigger. They are moving to South Africa this summer. Wow! I can only imagine the experiences and adventures that are in store for this wonderful family.
Ok, enough chatting, on to pictures!
The many faces of Aidan. Love this age!
