Milo's FIVE, the eve of his birthday | personal post | Metro Detroit Family Photographer
 

Milo recently turned five. FIVE! I love seeing how he changes as he gets older, how much he surprises us with the things he understands and says. We are in awe of how imaginative, strong, loving, and funny he is. We are those parents who can't believe how cool we think our kid is. But I’ll be honest, five is a BIG KID number and it kind of made me miss my baby a bit. My little guy I wore everywhere and nursed for years the one who wouldn’t sleep unless he was touching me and who totally tried to say I love you back one time when he wasn’t even talking yet. I found myself crying and sad and having so many feelings I didn’t quite know what to do with them.

On the eve of Milo’s birthday, after making his cakes, both blueberry and chocolate, and wrapping his presents, I went up to bed feeling a bit melancholy. Thinking I would watch a show or read a book to take my mind off of how I was feeling, I got into bed. Tim was still downstairs, so I was alone in our room. I ended up just sitting there for a bit, in the spot where five years before I was in labor, where I was at the beginning of my biggest dream coming true (and the beginning of the pain, I’m still real about it). I am a sappy human, if you know me, you know. So I was there, feeling all the feelings.

Every night Milo goes to sleep in his own bed, but ends up crawling into bed with us somewhere between 12am and 4am. It’s something Tim and I welcome him doing for as long as he wants to. He comes into our room all slowly, eyes barely open, if at all, and often grinning. I usually hoist him over my body and he curls up between us and falls right back to sleep. I found myself wishing that Milo were already in bed with me, but it was too early and I didn’t want to go get him and wake him. Plus I do like a little time to myself where he isn't cuddling me so closely you'd swear he was trying to crawl back into my body. At the very moment I was thinking about how much I’d love for him to be there, in he came, earlier than he ever does. He came in in his usual fashion, slowly and sweetly, but instead of wanting me to pick him up and put him in bed next to me, he crawled up and into my lap and fell right back to sleep. It was like he KNEW, he FELT it too. The universe knew exactly what I needed and delivered. It's hard for me to even express how this felt. Exactly five years from the time he was preparing to leave my body and join me and Tim, he sensed what I was feeling, or maybe in his sleep he was feeling the same, I don't know. Whatever the reason, however it happened, he knew. I held my baby, my almost five year old baby for the longest time. I soaked up his smells and basked in the feeling of our connection and how much I love him. Eventually I decided I was ready to go to sleep too and moved him over next to me, but I think otherwise he may have stayed there all night. 

 

iphone selfie of us on the eve of his birthday. 

Kiddo in my lap
 
Ashley | Moments of Motherhood™ | Metro Detroit Family Photographer
 

I am overdo with sharing this session (and a couple others) with you!! Over spring break we all had some kind of virus that basically kicked our a$$es for two full weeks. I am playing catch up now, which isn't all bad. Being sick sucked, don't get me wrong, but there were some wonderful moments of love and cuddles, and down time that our little family seemed to really need. And the upside to trying to squeeze more work into less time is that it feel good in a way to get more done. And it's so fun to edit through these sessions and see all of your moments. 

It's not always easy finding the harmony that works for each of us, balancing motherhood with working or with caring for ourselves and our other relationships, but it helps me a little to try and find something I appreciate in each thing that happens. I am working on finding my balance, my appreciation. I am working on my limiting beliefs about time and how there never seems to be enough of it. I know rationally that this does not have to be my truth! Figuring out how to change this for myself is a journey and I am loving it. I am a true believer that having children is the best window into who we really are and if we allow it to it will open our eyes to see where we need the most work. Don't worry, I'm still normal, and totally lose my shit first sometimes or start to feel overwhelmed.... I just know it's not where I want to be.

That was totally not on purpose, but I think that is a perfect segway into Ashley's session. Ashley is not only a gorgeous mama with two adorable sons, a very nice husband, and a sweet dog, she is a mama who really seems to roll with the punches and enjoy the little moments. You can totally see that in these images. Make sure you notice when Logan is painting at the kitchen counter. The faces Ashley makes are perfect! There is so much love in this family and Logan is hilarious. I love seeing all of the little things that kids do that seem SO silly, but that we don't think about day to day because they're just always doing them and Logan delivered big time. 

Thank you Ashley because just watching you with the boys was a reminder to me to let the little stuff go, to remain calm, to enjoy our children being children. Your boys are lucky to have you as their mama and will benefit so much from these qualities you bring to parenting them. Thanks for having me and allowing me a peek into your Moments of Motherhood.  xoxoxo 

 

Watch the slideshow below! 

Marisa | Moments of Motherhood™| Metro Detroit Family Photography

The first time I met Marisa I was a very new mom who was struggling greatly with breastfeeding. I was in tears with each and every feeding and I was reaching out everywhere I could think of for help because I was not ready to give up. Marisa saw my message and offered to come over that evening to help me. I remember being in shock. "You will come over now?!" Typing this brings tears to my eyes remembering about my struggle, but also her kindness and willingness to go the extra mile to help another mama. She made me promise not to clean or worry about the house and showed up that evening with her youngest (who is now the her middle daughter) in tow. She sat with me and helped me try and figure out why we might be having such a hard time. I will never forget her kindness and the kinship from a fellow mama I had never met. 

Fast forward almost five years and now I have been privileged enough to spend time with her and her three daughters capturing their moments. My impression of Marisa has always been that she parents with ease and is not easily rattled by her children. There is a calm to being in their house. She takes each moment with them in stride and you can see that she truly enjoys watching them each be and become who they are meant to be. Those are three lucky ladies to have a mama like Marisa.

Marisa, thank you for having me! I hope that I get to capture you and your three daughters as they continue to grow and become the amazing women that I know they will be. I also plan to come back and spend some time with you guys on that amazing property that you have ;) 

Andria, Troy, & Delcan | Moments of Motherhood™ | Metro Detroit Family Photography
 

One of the things that's so great about doing Moments of Motherhood and Day in the Life Sessions, is that I get to see how much people love their kids. Of course we all assume and hope that parents love their children, but to see it in person, to FEEL it, is such a privilege and I am so thankful that this is such a part of my work. I get to see and capture people loving their kids, and their kids loving them. I get to forever preserve that love in these moments of time, when children are small, when families spend a lot of time together, these times that change so quickly, and then I get to give these moments to these families for them to have forever. I can't express to you how much I love that. 

Watching Andria and Troy with Declan was extra fun for me, because they reminded me so much of me and Tim with Milo when Milo was that age. You can see that they are obsessed with Declan, in the best way and he's this little guy who is just so sweet and full of love. Normally their days consist of Andria and Declan being home while Troy goes to work, so we started with a Moments of Motherhood session, so that I could capture some of their time together, as it is everyday. Then Troy came home from work a little bit early so that we could get him in some of the pictures too. This is a great idea if you are a mom who wants a Moments of Motherhood session, but also don't want to leave your husband or partner out of the session completely. (I know that they are important too ;))

Thank you Andria and Troy I loved seeing and capturing your families love. And thank you Declan for being the cutest little snuggler and for even allowing me to hold and snuggle you a little bit too. That is always a bonus! 

 

Mother holding baby
Little boy crying.
Mother and baby on floor.
Baby gazing out the window.
Baby smooshing face on window.
Couple smiling at each other.
Dad and baby playing.
 

Are you ready to have me come and capture your moments?

Holliday & Wilma | Moments of Motherhood | Royal Oak Family Photographer
 

I'm so fortunate to have spent time with another amazing mama. Holliday is so full of love, patience, and kindness, with a little bit of humor thrown in that makes you want to hug her. It's hard to for me to explain it exactly, because it's not like Holliday was cracking jokes or laughing out loud constantly while I was there, but there is a sense of grinning with appreciation she has while being with Wilma. It's such a good feeling to be around and it makes me grin while thinking about it now.

I am especially in love with their nursing photos. Maybe it's because it's been over a year since that part of mine and Milo's relationship has ended and it was a time with Milo that I cherished so much. For us it was such a special time of bonding and connection, now that I know better, I wish so hard that I had more than just my own selfies of me nursing him. It makes me so happy when I am able to capture this for other mamas.  

Holliday & Wilma, thank you for having me,  xoxoxo

 

At the bottom is a slideshow from their session, it's my favorite way to view the pictures I've made after being with a family. (If you'd like to view it larger, click the square in the bottom right corner.) 

Mom putting sweater on kid.
Little girl looking up.
Toddler biting the counter.
Little girl running from mom.
Girl and mom doing puzzle.
Mom getting daughter dressed.
Little girl putting eating toy.
 
Mom and baby girl together.
Getting ready for nap time.
Mom and baby naptime.
 
A Day in the Work Life of Nikkita Cohoon
 
Graphic designer Nikkita Cohoon at home.

"Collaboration has always been a value I bring to my client work, honoring my client’s vision and passion for their business, and using my expertise to bring that vision out in their branding. As my business grows and changes, I’ve realized how important collaboration is within my business itself. Fellow entrepreneurs will understand how many hats you wear as a business owner, but there is so much value in partnering with other experts in the areas you are weak in, whether that’s design, copywriting, or in this case photography." -Nikkita Cohoon

 

This beautiful human is Nikkita of nikkita.co. Nikkita is an extremely talented graphic designer who specializes in branding and book design. Her talent, however, doesn't stop at her design skills. If you're like me, you want help figuring out what it is that you want in your branding and Nikkita has a system set in place to help you figure out how your branding can really represent you and your product or service. If you are fortunate to work with her you will see for yourself that her presence is both inspiring and calming. Add to that the fact that both how she carries herself and interacts with others is filled with such grace and you can't go wrong whether it's working with her or being her friend. Nikkita and I are in a small mastermind group of strong, powerful, passionate, and compassionate women, her contribution to our group is huge. Imagine my excitement when this talented lady hired me to document A Day in her Work Life. I mean, gorgeous woman, gorgeous house, and amazing to be around? Yes please! 

Collaboration is something that Nikkita is passionate about and I feel honored to have been chosen to be someone with whom she collaborates and someone who I can also call a friend. Thank you Nikki!!  

Little boy runs to be with his mama.
Mom laughing at kid taking her pen.

As a working mom who mostly works from home, Nikkita's schedule it not traditional and often one of her two littles are running around or "assisting" while she works. Balancing being a mom and working is not easy for anyone. And working for yourself and working from home, while being a mom, brings about an entirely different set of challenges. Capturing the beauty and harmony of this process is something that I am passionate about. If you are a small business owner or if you are a small business owner and a mom and you'd like to have me document a Day in your Work Life, use the contact button above or email me at shelley@shelleytorgerson.com

 
Shelley TorgersonComment