As promised, here is a review of our experience with Jessica Oda Photography. We met up with Jessica at Golden Gardens in Seattle, and right off the bat, I knew that she'd suggested a beautiful location. Jessica was prompt and arrived before our session time even started. She was vibrant and full of smiles from the start; I just knew it was going to be a great session.

She immediately got down to business and started taking pictures of our sweet girl. Little does she know one of the first pictures she took, has turned into one of our all-time favorite pictures of Ava bug! She allowed us to do what made us feel comfortable, while giving us great direction for the pictures that had more of a pose. Justin liked the fact that Jessica was open to our ideas, and incorporated some of her own as well.

What I loved most was how she communicated with Ava. She interacted with her, talked to her, and she really did get some good smiles out of her. There were a few times were Ava was being a little stingy with the smiles, but Jessica worked through it and was still able to deliver awesome photos. Overall our session couldn't have gone better! She even did well with Justin going on about how  hungry he was, haha!

After our session was over, I was able to see a preview of the session that night. I'm a bit finicky when it comes to pictures of myself, but Jessica was more than understanding, and she wanted to make sure that I was comfortable with the images she took. When I was able to view the full gallery of our time with Jessica, I was in complete awe! I couldn't believe how many photos were popping out for me. Tons of great material, and I really just couldn't have been more grateful. Take a look at some of the stunning images that were captured:

All in all I would recommend Jessica to anyone looking for a lifestyle photo session in our area. She's attentive, has a quick turn around time, and she's really easy to work with. I hope we are able to book future sessions with her.

Happy Sunday all!

♥- Leilani

14 months

Today my Ava bug is fourteen months old, and I'm pleased to say that the months seem to be slowing down just a little bit for us. I'm really hoping her second year of life doesn't go by nearly as fast as the first. Ava continues to grow and amaze both Justin and I with her extrovert personality (she gets that from both mama and daddy), her constant talking, and her exploration of foods. She loves mandarins, strawberries, and organic whole milk yogurt. Walking is pretty much a no brainer at this point, and we actually have to run a bit to keep up with her. We've introduced even more kinds of shoes (saltwater sandals are our fav), and Ava is willing to walk on just about any type of surface.

Here lately my child wants to climb on everything, and explore new heights. It puzzles me sometimes how fearless she is. She has no caution when it comes to climbing, jumping, etc. I've noticed in the last month that Ava is taking to strangers a lot more than she ever has. She'll wave, smile, or sometimes reach for someone she isn't familiar with (most times it's the grandma's that get this reaction out of her). We've also noticed that Ava has finally taken a liking to her dolls and stuffed animals. She totes her baby around all the time, and I have already purchased a sakura bloom ring sling for her (never too early to introduce baby wearing). The biggest change we've seen this past month is Ava's temperament. We are experiencing the "toddler tornados" and they are pretty heartbreaking to say the least.

When she is told that she cannot have something (and we explain *why* to her), it's like world war three. When she cannot access a certain part of the house (because it's blocked off), it's like world war three. If you take her down from something she's decided to climb on... you got it, it's like world war three. She will lean on the couch and start crying, she will throw herself down and start crying, or she will grab our legs and start crying. Justin and I remain calm and comforting whenever this occurs. Most times, all she needs is a moment to gather herself, and she'll come running for hugs or to nurse.

It honestly makes me feel so helpless knowing that my child is experiencing such strong emotions without being able to verbally communicate all that she is feeling. We don't look at tantrums as bad behavior, and we never resort to any type of discipline when it occurs. I'm actively looking for a specific type of parenting group (within attachment parenting) that focuses primarily on the toddlerhood temperaments. I want to know the ins and outs of this part of toddlerhood, so I can be a better support for Ava.

Normally, I would make a list of things we are now using with Ava, but we haven't really introduced too many new things in the past month. We have finally found the perfect "big girl" cup that works best with Ava. Munchkin Flip Straw cup is so easy, and Ava bug is extremely fond of it. Aside from that, things seem to be pretty consistent around here. I adore watching Ava pick up on new things, and I'm enjoying all the new challenges and milestones that my child's toddlerhood has to offer.  Here's another photo from the lovely Jessica Oda Photography; be on the look out for a blog post with more pictures, and a review on our experience with Jessica.

Happy Thursday all! 

♥- Leilani

Step Aside Mama

This mama had a serious reality check this weekend, and I'm just going to jump right in and tell you why. I need "Leilani" time. I need time to myself that doesn't include Ava bug or Justin. I feel so guilty even writing this, but I have come to the realization that wanting time to yourself is not a bad thing. Everyone needs a few hours every once in a while to do something they enjoy. That doesn't make me a bad mother, and it doesn't make me a bad wife. I can't believe it took fourteen months for me to come to this conclusion. Justin has been telling me for months that I need to just get up and go do something for myself. Go pamper myself, hang out with friends, or go to a concert, he'd say. Justin has always been so supportive of me just spending a little time away from Ava when I need to, I just haven't taken him up on the offer.

Because of everything it took to conceive her, I've always told myself not to take Ava for granted. That's why I try so hard to be "super mom" and I try so hard to be everything she needs, and more. I want her to know that she's loved, and I want to nurture her as much as possible. I now know that in order for her to grow, sometimes mommy doesn't need to be involved. This weekend Ava bug decided she was going to be the ultimate daddy's girl. It actually hurt my feelings just a little, and I cried about it. She loves Justin and I both, but truth is, when she's upset, she runs to mama. When she want's to "num" she runs to mama, and for the first time in her life, she didn't do that.

She was perfectly content with holding daddy's hands, having daddy hold her, and having daddy feed her. I felt unneeded for a brief moment, and as I sat and watched my two babies interact, it dawned on me. This would be a good time to go read a book. This would be a good time to go catch up with friends. This would be a good time to shop, take a long bath, or just basically do whatever I wanted. There hasn't been a single day in Ava's life that I have been away from her for more than an hour, and I think I am finally at the point where I'm okay with rectifying that.

This weekend Ava's grandparents (all three of them) are watching her so Justin and I can have our first date since before the baby. If you tack on deployment, Justin and I haven't had a date night with just each other in over 21 months. That's crazy to even think about. We've adjusted to parenthood and although we love having our night outs with Ava, it's going to be interesting to see how things go with going on a date with just us two. I won't lie, I've got the butterflies guys. It's a very big deal for us, and I feel really good about our decision. Now that i've got that off my chest, how many mama's have gone through this very thing? When did you first let your little one's be watched by family? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below or by email!

Here's a photo from our session with Jessica Oda Photography. Jessica is building her skill set and portfolio, and we were more than happy to assist. Check back on the blog this week for a full review on Jessica, and some of the other photos she took. 

Happy Monday all!

♥- Leilani