Wasn't it just yesterday that I was writing a wee blog in the days leading up to Eli's birth?! 2.5 years later... we are perhaps just days away from meeting the second little Hutton button! We can't wait to find out who has been hiding and growing inside me! But there's also a million things to do beforehand, and no doubt this little bubs is probably easier on the inside than on the outside, so I'm content waiting if he or she decides they are not quite ready for the outside world by due date ;)
I'm totally not any more prepared this time around than I was last time... it's sooo surreal still, and I think it will feel that way until I'm holding my precious new love in my arms! And then I'm sure it will feel like it's exactly as it was always meant to be... as if life beforehand was somewhat incomplete or something.
I'm totally not any more prepared this time around than I was last time... it's sooo surreal still, and I think it will feel that way until I'm holding my precious new love in my arms! And then I'm sure it will feel like it's exactly as it was always meant to be... as if life beforehand was somewhat incomplete or something.
12 weeks, 19 weeks, 26 weeks, 34 weeks...
Eli is veeery excited about the new baby "sister boy" (which he has called 'Brother John', just to confuse matters). I have daily doctor checks on my expanding belly using playdough toys, he includes it in general conversation ("ohhh little baby, did you see that motorbike zooming down the motorway?!"), and talks to him or her in his somewhat condescending high-pitched voice ("You having a good day in there, baby? You going to come out soon baby? You ok little baby?"). He seems to have a very good understanding of what is happening... but I'm sure he's still going to get the shock of his life when he realises the screaming, pooping, boring, wriggly little thing who takes up so much of Mummy and Daddy's time... is actually here to stay. Hopefully he will learn to love it ;)
Over the past two years, I've had Eli at home with me full-time, and have been still taking on quite a lot of shoots. I work only while he sleeps or on occassional days that Liam has off... which works really well a lot of the time, is reasonably stressful and overwhelming sometimes... and doesn't work at all when Eli decides that sleep is for the weak ;) ! It's meant just accepting that no housework gets done sometimes, and enjoying connecting with heaps of awesome people. It's meant often sacrificing time with Liam to work late at nights, but recognising that we have a creative outlet that we can use to make others happy and thriving off that. It's meant basically no me-time, but the huge satisfaction of achieving something other than just building train tracks and changing nappies. It's meant often feeling stretched in too many directions... but acknowledging that I'm doing the best I can. It's been a time of learning when to say no, and saying yes enthusiastically to the things that really inspire me. I've accepted that it's not going to be a time of huge business growth, or exciting personal projects, or fun professional development in terms of going to conferences and entering awards. At the moment, my only goal for this business is making my awesome clients super happy!
And I'm totally ok with that... because this season of my life is ultimately for my family! How grateful am I to love photography and motherhood so much that I’m constantly yearning for more of both?! To have my hands full is a crazy blessing.
And I'm totally ok with that... because this season of my life is ultimately for my family! How grateful am I to love photography and motherhood so much that I’m constantly yearning for more of both?! To have my hands full is a crazy blessing.
So... what's my plan from here with two kiddos?
Well... I'm not 100% sure! I will definitely be taking a decent chunk of time totally off, so that I can give my all to my two wee rascals. How long that will be... I just don't know! But I will absolutely let you all know when I'll be back... I know I'll miss photographing your gorgeous families, baby bumps, newborns, toddlers etc... and so we will just see how we are all adjusting and will re-assess later in 2018.
And perhaps a reasonably big annoucement... we photographed our final wedding early last year, and have decided that we will not be taking on any other weddings while our kids are young. This was a huuuuuge decision for us... wedding photography has been our main gig for so long, and we absolutely loved shooting soooo many amazing, fun, love-filled wedding days!! But having both Liam and I shooting nearly every weekend over spring/summer/autumn just didn't seem like the right thing for our family in this season of our lives. I am reeeally, really sorry to all of those we have had to turn away - trust me, it hasn't been easy and wasn't a decision we took lightly! I have absolutely loved photographing heaps portraits over this past year though and look forward to meeting so many more of you when I'm back!
If you're still here reading this ramble, I applaud you!!!! Thanks soooo much for your support and love and thoughtfulness and patience! I will make sure to pop back onto our facebook page and blog to share news and photos of our newest little one when he or she decides the time is right to arrive! xoxo
Well... I'm not 100% sure! I will definitely be taking a decent chunk of time totally off, so that I can give my all to my two wee rascals. How long that will be... I just don't know! But I will absolutely let you all know when I'll be back... I know I'll miss photographing your gorgeous families, baby bumps, newborns, toddlers etc... and so we will just see how we are all adjusting and will re-assess later in 2018.
And perhaps a reasonably big annoucement... we photographed our final wedding early last year, and have decided that we will not be taking on any other weddings while our kids are young. This was a huuuuuge decision for us... wedding photography has been our main gig for so long, and we absolutely loved shooting soooo many amazing, fun, love-filled wedding days!! But having both Liam and I shooting nearly every weekend over spring/summer/autumn just didn't seem like the right thing for our family in this season of our lives. I am reeeally, really sorry to all of those we have had to turn away - trust me, it hasn't been easy and wasn't a decision we took lightly! I have absolutely loved photographing heaps portraits over this past year though and look forward to meeting so many more of you when I'm back!
If you're still here reading this ramble, I applaud you!!!! Thanks soooo much for your support and love and thoughtfulness and patience! I will make sure to pop back onto our facebook page and blog to share news and photos of our newest little one when he or she decides the time is right to arrive! xoxo
~~ And a massive, MASSIVE thanks to our gorgeous friends at The Heather and Doug Records, for capturing our family of 3.5 so perfectly at the beach. These photos are just filled with joy for me... I could look at them over and over again!! You guys rock and we are so grateful to have this happy chaos captured in photos forever! xoxo ~~
